Is There an Ideal Cosmetic Surgery Age?
August 22, 2011 - Rhys Branman, MD
If you’re in good health, you may never be too old for cosmetic surgery. The New York Times recently featured an 83-year-old woman who wanted to improve her figure, so she underwent a breast lift with implants. The ideal age for cosmetic surgery may be whenever the patient decides, even if they’re in their 70s or 80s. Experts say that more people 65 and older are turning to cosmetic surgery, a trend likely to continue as baby boomers begin to pass 65. There are many reasons these older patients undergo cosmetic surgery. Many are living longer and staying healthy, so... 
As the number of people traveling abroad for cosmetic surgery increases, a new survey looks at the risks of medical tourism. Medial tourism has become more popular and there may be some savings, but little data on outcomes, follow-up or complication rates exists. Because of this lack of data, researchers did a survey of 2,000 plastic surgeons in the United States, asking them about their experience of treating patients with complications after they had cosmetic surgery outside of the country. Of 368 respondents, 80 percent had experience with patients who had traveled abroad for cosmetic procedures, and over half (51.6... 
For those who desire a more-rounded face shape, facial bone surgery is a cosmetic procedure that changes the shape of the face by altering the underlying bone. According to Reuters, it is becoming more common, especially in East Asia. “More and more people who are on the forefront of facial plastic surgery are realizing that structural issues are critical,” said Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel, chief of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Boston University School of Medicine. “Changing bone — which is the underlying surface on which the skin is resting — is what allows you to really create good... 
A new study finds that your weight impacts your risk of complications after breast surgery. Obese patients are almost 12 times more likely to suffer from breast surgery complications compared to patients of normal weight. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University reviewed insurance claims of 2,403 obese patients and 5,597 normal weight patients who had breast procedures, including breast lifts, breast reductions and breast augmentations, between 2002 and 2006. Just over 18 percent of the obese group had at least one complication within 30 days of surgery, compared to only 2.2 percent of non-obese patients. Obese patients were also 22 times... 
Results of a new study that looked at the effectiveness of various techniques for preventing sunburn had some surprising findings. Although sunscreen is the most common sun protective behavior (30% of participants), it found frequent sunscreen use was not associated with fewer sunburns. Study researcher Dr. Eleni Linos, a dermatologist at Stanford University, stresses that her results don’t mean that sunscreen doesn’t work or shouldn’t be used, as the study was designed to look at patterns, not to prove cause and effect. Rather, it more likely shows that many people only use sunscreen for protection from the sun, when it... 
For patients who like BOTOX® but wish to minimize the frequency of injections, they may be able to undergo treatment just twice a year, according to a study by the Oregon Health & Science University’s Casey Eye Institute that looked at how often to get BOTOX®. When looking at a group of 50 women, aged 30 to 50 who were being treated for glabellar lines, the study found a decrease in treatments did not yield a decrease in results. The study discovered that after a patient has undergone regular BOTOX® treatments every four months for two years, the frequency can... 
Every woman who seeks breast implant surgery is unique and has individualized personal goals, however a common theme Dr. Branman sees in nearly all of his Little Rock breast augmentation cases is some uncertainty as women choose their breast implant size. This dilemma occurs primarily because women associate breast implant sizes with bra cup sizes, despite the fact that the volume of breast implants has no direct relationship with particular cup sizes. Thus, the first and perhaps most important thing that breast augmentation patients choosing a breast implant size must understand is that bra cup sizes vary wildly from retailer to retailer... 
Allergan has kicked off its 2011 Latisse® Wishes Challenge with new celebrity spokesperson Christina Hendricks, an actress on the TV show Mad Men. The challenge: to raise $500,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which is dedicated to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Anyone can participate by donating a minimum of $20 at the campaign's website. Not only will Latisse® double all donations up to $250,000 until November 30, 2011, but if you’re one of the first 10,000 participants, you’ll get a certificate for a Latisse® free trial, which you can take to your cosmetic surgeon who will... 
The decision of whether to pick saline implants or silicone implants is one that every Little Rock breast augmentation patient must make. While some patients have strong feelings about which type of implant they prefer, others have a difficult time determining whether saline or silicone implants are the best choice to help them reach their goals. Look and Feel Both silicone and saline implants can give you a natural look, particularly if the implants are placed under the chest muscles, however silicone breast implants have a reputation for providing a more natural feel. This makes sense, given that silicone implants... 