Divorce, Bans, and Cosmetic Surgery in China
November 30, 2012 - Rhys Branman, MD
You may have never heard of Guangzhou, the third largest city in China, also known as Canton, on the Pearl River, and about an hour by train from Hong Kong, but you may have heard the scuttlebutt about a Chinese man who divorced his wife and sued her for having an ugly baby. The man who sued was Jian Feng from northern China. Taken out of context, this report is shocking to Americans. Cosmetic surgery in China has become practically a necessity to many people, including graduating students looking for jobs according to The Huffington Post's video. Guangzhou may become... The Right & Wrong Reasons For Cosmetic Surgery
November 28, 2012 - Rhys Branman, MD
Cosmetic surgery should always be for your own self enhancement, after all, this is elective surgery. While it is true that studies have shown that cosmetic surgery can improve self esteem, you must have a realistic self image to begin with. For instance, some patients have wanted that nose job since they were teens, a flaw has always bothered them, and now they want to correct it. A patient may want to reduce wrinkles with laser resurfacing later in life. These are examples of healthy motivations for surgery. Particularly if the patient has a strong sense of self to begin... Training of a Cosmetic Surgeon
November 26, 2012 - Rhys Branman, MD
There is much confusion about the difference between a cosmetic surgeon and a plastic surgeon. Both specialties require over a decade of training. Very basically, a cosmetic surgeon is trained to improve or enhance the aesthetics of appearance. A plastic surgeon is specifically trained in reconstruction, trauma, and correcting deformities. A plastic surgeon may or may not have concentrated training in aesthetics. A cosmetic surgeon may be a plastic surgeon, or may have previously specialized in another surgical area. This is because there is no cosmetic surgery residency program in the United States. As stated on the American Board of... Bad News From Thailand
November 23, 2012 - Rhys Branman, MDBreast Implants and Mammograms
November 21, 2012 - Rhys Branman, MDNew Study From Norway
November 16, 2012 - Rhys Branman, MD
A recent study in Norway concluded that 49% of Norwegian women would consider cosmetic surgery. PhD. Iiná Márjá Jávo was surprised to find that half of the young women in her study were so amenable to cosmetic surgery. Most women wanted breast augmentation, liposuction or tummy tucks. Some of the women who participated in the study had been bullied about their looks. Others had eating disorders. In fact, apparently in Norway, there is a strong link between eating disorders and the desire for liposuction. Dr. Jávo has been the first to document this. In fact, she reported that "20% of women... The Mathematics of Beauty
November 14, 2012 - Rhys Branman, MD
Cosmetic surgery is about symmetry, proportion, and aesthetics. As humans, we naturally recognize another human face, we even recognize the distinction between a beautiful face and a not so attractive face. Somehow we do this without doing mathematical calculations in our heads too! But it turns out there is a mathematical aspect to beauty. It is a mathematic concept that you may have heard of , even if you are not sure what it means, called Phi. Phi is a ratio, a relationship of parts, and I am going to leave that as the definition because frankly, I don't want... Dangerous Pumping Parties & Illegal Surgeries
November 13, 2012 - Rhys Branman, MD
Over the past year, I have become horrified at the sheer amount of news stories reporting illegal cosmetic surgery. I have written about this before, but now I wondered just why the trend is on the increase. It seemed to me that it would be obvious that a patient would know that legitimate cosmetic surgery would not be performed in someone's apartment! I could not believe that people would risk their lives seeking procedures from people who were not medical professionals. Well it's about money. When people are desperate, for whatever reason, they will try to cut corners. Just this... What Is Cellulite? Why Does Cellulite Form?
November 9, 2012 - Rhys Branman, MD
Cellulite is not a medical term at all. The term "cellulite" was made up to refer to the dimples of fat some people accumulate over the years. Cellulite is plain old body fat that is mixed in with connective tissue. The connective tissue under the skin is made up of fibrous bands called septae. These septae that connect the skin to the muscle underneath become stiff and contract as we age. As the septae contract, the fat deep in the connective tissue is squeezed outward. The result is the skin appears to have a dimpled appearance. Thus cellulite is formed.... 