This Is What Plastic Surgeons Want You To Know About Their Work
With the pressures of social media and the need to look good, more and more people are turning to plastic surgery. But is it as radical as the media likes to make out? Or could it become something as routine as going to the dentist?
As prices fall and more people go under the knife, plastic surgery will become more normalized. It may even undergo a name change, losing the pejorative “plastic” and be replaced with “cosmetic.” After all, virtually no cosmetic procedures involve inserting bits of plastic into people’s bodies.
Because cosmetic surgery is a private procedure, many plastic surgeons are unwilling to tell patients what they think for fear of losing business. But if they could say what they really wanted to get off their chest, what would it be?
Plastic Surgery Won’t Fix Other Problems In Your Life
Sure, cosmetic surgery may enhance your appearance. Breast augmentation may make you feel more confident at the beach. But plastic surgeons want you to know that no procedure can correct issues in your life, like a lousy job, unhealthy relationship, or poor lifestyle choices.
You Can Be Too Young For Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery isn’t something that you can just get at any age. If you’re a minor, you’ll need consent. What’s more, it’s often hard to see the decision to go under the knife in perspective if you’re very young. You have to be careful.
Plastic Surgery Won’t Transform You Overnight
Plastic surgery is a great way to enhance your appearance; there’s no doubt. But it can’t do the impossible and make you look like an entirely different person. You’ll still be you, just an enhanced version. Changing your face, for instance, is a difficult task. Your face has an inherent, genetically-determined structure, made up of multiple layers of bone, skin, fat, and muscle. Plastic surgery can make amendments here and there to specific facial features, but it can’t turn Mick Jagger into Hailee Steinberg – it’s just not possible.
Plastic Surgery Can Change How People Perceive You
The whole point of cosmetic surgery is to change your appearance. But it can also have a knock-on effect: it can change the way you’re perceived.
As any experienced plastic surgeon knows, the way people look can affect the way others treat them. Usually, getting plastic surgery leads to an improvement in appearance, and with it, an improvement in the way that people interact with you. It can be a strange and disturbing experience, but one that might be beneficial overall.
If You’re Unhappy Within Yourself, Surgery Won’t Make You Feel Better
Plastic surgeons would love to tell you that their procedures can take away your sadness, but the truth is that they can’t.
If you’re unhappy right now, then you’ll continue to be unhappy after the surgery, even if you’ve enhanced your appearance.
The happiest people approach cosmetic surgery from a healthy place. Instead of seeing it as a way to make them happy, they see it as a project to enhance themselves and hopefully boost confidence.
(Images from freestockphotos.biz, commons.wikimedia.org)
Caring for the skin “How To”
The skin is the largest and fastest growing organ in the body that keeps all our insides in and protects us from the outside elements. It’s like a customized multi functional coat! And it’s important to keep it healthy and well maintained from the inside out.
For busy bees, it can be quite a challenge set aside time for a skincare routine. When you’re exhausted all you want to do is do a quick wash and doze off. Like everything else that needs maintenance, regular upkeep is crucial. Making time to include a skincare regimen in your busy life will pay off. You will reap great benefits for the efforts you have sowed. Here are tried and tested tips for keeping your skin healthy and beautiful:
Get adequate sleep
The effects of sleep deprivation are real. It can have ill effects not only to your skin but your overall health too. A lack of sleep causes a decrease in blood flow to your skin so it becomes dull. Two hours of napping a day wouldn’t really qualify as beauty sleep. Your body needs more time to repair and recover from hours of wakeful activity. On average, adults are recommended to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each day. An indication of a good night’s sleep is waking up feeling refreshed with your skin glowing.
Eat a healthy well-balanced diet
Include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Research shows that maintaining a varied diet rich in healthy fats, fiber and antioxidants provide wonderful effects to the skin! The nutrition you get from a quality meal will be processed and utilized by your system efficiently. Saturated and highly processed foods wreak havoc on your skin over time. Being conscious of what you fuel your body with is a sure way to get that glowing skin and boundless energy.
Hydrate
Drink an adequate amount of water all throughout the day. Keeping yourself hydrated is like watering your insides and skin to make them function at their best, like a well-oiled car. Water aids in digestion, circulation, absorption and excretion. Moisture is key in keeping the skin soft and supple, more resilient and less prone to wrinkling. Aside from water intake, hydrating the skin by using moisturizers is also key.
Stick to a good skincare routine
Sometimes washing your face with a cleanser isn’t enough. Dirt can sometimes get in really deep into your pores and can accumulate, making your skin look dull and lifeless. Try the simple 3-step process for cleaning your skin: wash, tone and moisturize. Use a good quality cleanser, toner and moisturizer that matches your skin type. Skin irritation due to a bad product is always bad news.
Occasionally seeking professional help will help you address problem areas that self-caring can’t address. If in Pennsylvania, a Delaware county dermatologist can address skin care needs and bring health back to your skin.
Use sun protection
Too much sun exposure ages the skin by burning through the epidermis, which can damage and kill the cells and over time reduce its elasticity. Frequent and prolonged sun exposure can also cause skin cancer. Always use sunscreen and sun proof clothing and hats whenever possible to protect your skin from the direct effects of the sun.
Incorporating a skincare regime into your daily life is important for keeping your skin looking and feeling its best.Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
(Image Unsplash.com)
It is difficult to imagine any bride not succumbing to a case of jitters before her big day. Weddings, large and small, are joyous occasions, but sometimes the prep can cause stress, which has been known to bring on acne flare-ups.¹ Not a bride-to-be, but in the wedding party? Unfortunately, that likely doesn’t exempt you from stress.
“Stress may lead to an increase in hormone levels that stimulates oil production, causing acne flares in some people,” shared New York City dermatologist, Joshua Zeichner, MD. “Topical retinoids treat acne, including breakouts caused by stress, by preventing cells from sticking together within the follicles. This essentially keeps the pipes clear so oil does not become trapped and cause pimples.”
If you know that you’re prone to acne, especially when feeling stressed, make sure to speak to your dermatologist well in advance of wedding season to help ensure that your skin looks its best.
But don’t wait. It can take up to 12 weeks for an effective medication to get your acne under control, so make sure to keep this in mind as part of your bridal count down.
An acne medication called Altreno™ (tretinoin) Lotion, 0.05% from Ortho Dermatologics may be just what you need to help ensure that when you’re referred to as a “radiant bride” (or bridesmaid!), your skin looks its very best. Altreno™ Lotion offers all the benefits of a tretinoin product without sacrificing tolerability, as it is the first and only acne treatment that provides the proven efficacy of tretinoin in a hydrating, elegant lotion formulation. You can use it night or day and it fits seamlessly into an existing skincare regimen.2
Altreno™ (tretinoin) Lotion, 0.05%
So, don’t wait until the last minute to get your acne in check. If you’re already seeing one pimple, there may be more lurking under the surface of your skin.
COST: About $115.00 USD cash payment for up to 3 month supply
AVAILABILITY: By prescription only
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
It is not known if ALTRENO is safe and effective in children under 9 years of age. ALTRENO is for use on the skin only. Do not use it in your eyes, mouth, or vagina.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before using ALTRENO?
Before you use ALTRENO, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
– are allergic to fish. ALTRENO contains fish proteins. Tell your healthcare provider if you get hives or itching during treatment with ALTRENO.
– have eczema or any other skin problems.
– have a sunburn.
– are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ALTRENO will harm your unborn baby.
– are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if ALTRENO passes into your breast milk.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Certain medicines, vitamins, or supplements may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Tell your healthcare provider about any cosmetics you use, including moisturizers, creams, lotions, or products that can dry out your skin.
What should I avoid while using ALTRENO?
· You should avoid sunlamps, tanning beds, and ultraviolet light during treatment with ALTRENO.
· Minimize exposure to sunlight. If you have to be in the sunlight or are sensitive to sunlight, use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more and wear protective clothing and a wide-brimmed hat to cover the treated areas.
What are the possible side effects of ALTRENO? ALTRENO may cause serious side effects, including:
Skin Irritation: ALTRENO may cause irritation, including skin dryness, pain, redness, excessive flaking or
peeling. If you develop these symptoms, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop using ALTRENO for a while, decrease how often you use it, or stop it altogether. Avoid applying ALTRENO to skin that is affected by eczema or sunburned.
· These are not all the possible side effects of ALTRENO.
· Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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We knew you’d like to be the first to learn about a new anti-aging product that brings in the same semi-conductor technology used in space and the military. That’s impressive!
Recently featured on ABC’s Windy City Live as one of the hottest Spring Beauty Trends, the NIRA Skincare Laser is the most advanced anti-aging device on the market, delivering fast, professional results in the convenience of your own home and on your own schedule. The treatment takes only two minutes per day. Can’t beat that!
David Bean created the core semiconductor laser diode technology that powers lasers from the military to outer space to medical offices. Recently, he’s applied this technology to an at-home anti-aging laser product, NIRA, which has just hit the market. The NIRA Skincare Laser, which holds 6 patents and is FDA-cleared, is the most advanced anti-aging device on the market and well under-priced from other at-home laser devices.
Check out their website at: https://www.niraskin.com/
Dont’ miss the “Visable Results” Video on the Home Page.
Since this is a new launch, get involved and help build their social media following. The company and creators would certainly appreciate that!
We all look for a perfect skin care regimen. The team at MyChelle Dermaceuticals believes it’s all about 3 key steps — Perfect, Correct & Protect. Beauty Key 3 is a dynamic trio of products that integrates a powerful combination of plant stem cells, peptides, antioxidants and retinoids to create healthy vibrant skin.
Below are the 3 products and the product descriptions:
PERFECT: Perfect C™ Serum is formulated with 17% L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) to brighten, protect against photo-damage, and combat the visible signs of aging.
CORRECT: Remarkable Retinal™ Serum (for night use) boasts the strongest non-prescription form of vitamin A to work work deep into the skin with less irritation.
PROTECT: Sun Shield SPF 28 Coconut offers environmentally-friendly and skin safe 100% mineral UVA/UVB protection formulated with aloe to rehydrate your skin and calm sun-induced irritation.
Madison & White invites you to discover the wonders sleep can have not only for your beauty but your youth as well, with one of their vegan, cruelty-free and sustainably made pillowcases.
Beauty Starts in Bed with Two Different Kits:
Bedtime Beauty Kit – Lock in the natural hydration of your hair and reduce bedhead and tangles with this technical fabric called Madix. Pillowcases made from these hydrophobic fibers, also create less need to wash hair daily extending hairstyles and blowouts. Each kit comes with two pillowcases so you can switch them out when needed. Ditch those itchy cotton cases for not only healthier hair but better skin by minimizing sleep wrinkles with Madix’s ultra soft surface.
Clean Skin Kit – Troubled skin requires a clean surface to sleep on. This kit includes four Tencel pillowcases with the days of the week embroidered on each side so that you always sleep on the clean side of the pillowcase. Sleep clean every night, with a fabric that is bacterial-resistant, naturally hypoallergenic, and gentle on skin as soon as your head hits the pillow. This kit is a Kourtney Kardashian favorite and the first edition has already sold out!
Seaside Scrunchies – Treat your hair right when it needs to be pulled back. Made from the same material as the Bedtime Beauty kits, these modern scrunchies help to reduce hair damage, pull hair gently away from the face and can turn a bad hair day into a pampered experience fit for a resort or spa.
Meet model Bianca Wiles in Laguna Beach as Madison and White shoots their newest campaign for beauty sleep.
About Madison & White: Founded by Kamela Hurley on the kitchen table at the start of 2015, after a DIY hair disaster created a tireless search for learning how to improving the health of hair and skin, she discovered that the sleep experience was a big compentent to looking good. With her background in interior design, she began to research textiles and created sample pillowcases herself. The benefits of her homemade cases were too amazing not to share. Just by word-of-mouth, in a week, she had over $500 worth of pillowcases on order from Los Angeles to Toronto. Secretly, Hurley opened a store on Etsy and within the next week, she got a call from The Marilyn Denis Show on CTV, a nationwide morning talk show in Canada on par with The View in The States that featured her pillowcases on the show. Literally, overnight, her business was born.
Fun fact: The company name comes partly from her favorite movie Splash with Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah and the color white is inspired by her walks along the Southern California beaches collecting white seashells, ocean-smoothed glass and white sea foam.
Each year brings with it fashion trends, decorating trends, and beauty trends.
The latter covers everything from nails, haircare, makeup and skincare. With the ubiquity of social media, beauty users now can pick up popular trends from anywhere across the world and follow them. Skincare is the biggest segment in the beauty industry with global sales that hover around $130 billion in 2019. There is so much for consumers to digest and decide on. We turned to Dr. Manish Shah, a Denver Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and skin care expert. He takes a microscope to some of the hottest trends in 2019 to give you insight into what’s worth your hard- earned dollars.
CBD In Skincare
Much like it did in 2018, CBD is taking off in the new year. In fact, CBD (short for cannabidiol) has no plans of easing up its reign on the skin-care world in 2019. As a case in point, there are at least two MAJOR skin care brands that now include CBD in their skincare, not to mention the indie companies who have created CBD skincare. Dr. Shah’s take: “As far as it being good for skin, it acts as both an anti-inflammatory agent and an oil reduction agent. Theoretically, its addition to skin care products, especially those tasked to fight acne and other inflammatory skin conditions, is probably legitimate. It is also a good antioxidant that can help protect against free radical damage to skin cells. CBD can be made from hemp which helps skincare companies get around the federal ban on marijuana. Side effects of unregulated use include: Nausea, fatigue and irritability. CBD can increase the level in your blood of the blood thinner coumadin, and it can raise levels of certain other medications in your blood by the exact same mechanism that grapefruit juice does.”
Microneedle Patches
Some beauty editors and bloggers swear by pimple patches. According to experts, those patches are about to get even more advanced by way of a ton of tiny microneedles (or “microstructures”).The logic is that you can out put a smaller amount of acne-fighting ingredients into these tiny little cones and apply it to the skin, it’s a better, more effective delivery system.
Here’s how they are purported to work: The small band-aid-like sticker has spikes coated with hyaluronic acid that are thinner than a hair follicle. Through these teeny painless pricks in the skin, the patch drives the active ingredients deep in to the skin. Dr. Shah’s take:
“There is plenty of good medical literature on the validity of these small patches that are impregnated with various chemicals. The patch gets worn and the needles (either metallic or made out of absorbable polymer) penetrate the skin delivering the chemical treatment. Their design takes advantage of the concept of transcutaneous delivery of drugs. Patches can be custom made to fit various areas of the face and deliver anti-aging or other chemicals while a patient sleeps. The efficiency of delivery is better through the tiny skin punctures than if you only put the chemical directly on the intact skin. In theory, aesthetic practitioners can make custom topical treatments and place them on the patches to deliver customized at home skin treatments for their patients.”
Is a Cryotherapy Facial Is the Best Way to Brighter, Tighter Skin?
Cryotherapy has gained popularity in recent years with spa treatments exposing clients to subzero temperatures to help relieve pain and improve their health. This wellness treatment has recently undergone another adaptation with the cryotherapy facial treatment. The Cryo Facial is a cryogenic treatment that is performed by what is considered a “cryo probe,” which beams vaporized liquid nitrogen across the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin. Different from the cryotherapy chambers that can be used for pain relief, the facial targets helping the face look younger. Dr. Shah’s take: “This may be more suspect. There isn’t a great deal of study-based evidence that cryotherapy facials actually do what they claim. Typically, cryotherapy uses extremely cold liquid nitrogen to freeze exposed skin cells to kill them, like a wart. The facials use the same liquid nitrogen as a spray, but the aesthetician doesn’t stay in one area too long to avoid frostbite to the skin. Some level of cold injury occurs, probably to a very superficial level of the skin, so there may be some exfoliation. But there are safer ways to get exfoliation without risking frostbite or hyperpigmentation.”
ANTI-POLLUTION SKIN CARE
Your skin is exposed to environmental aggressors on a regular basis. Although unseen, these pollutants can wreak havoc on your skin by breaking down collagen and elastin, the fibers that give skin its bounce. To help reduce these unwanted side effects, anti-pollution skin care products are continuing to gain favorability among consumers. Just as SPF is now de rigor in skin care, this seems to be the case with anti-pollution ingredient. Dr. Shah’s take: “I think that this is a new name for old tech. In brief, our skin is exposed to environmental contaminants that create inflammatory conditions. These conditions lead to build up of free radicals in the skin. The ingredients in antipollution skin care are basically strong antioxidants that protect against the free radicals. But the skin is assaulted by more than chemicals. It experiences dehydration, UV exposure, temperature changes, etc. True antipollution skincare should guard against all this. Typical protective and reparative ingredients include vitamin E, vitamin C, retinoids, hyaluronic acid, zinc oxide, vitamin B3, and bisabolol.”
Dr. Shah’s final verdict: Just as one can become a slave to fashion, the same can happen with skin care trends. My best advice is to consult with your skincare physician. Discuss what you are exposed to during the day. Is it sun, pollution, humid air, wind, etc.? Talk to your doctor about what type of skin you have. Skin type changes as you age, and as hormonal factors come into play. Someone who had oily skin in their 20’s and 30’s can have combination skin in their 40’s and 50’s. Speak with your aesthetic provider about what your specific goals are for your skin. Is it reduced acne? Fewer wrinkles? Reduced brown spots? Broken capillaries? Just because something is a trend, does not mean it’s right for your skin care type or your goals. If you have a regimen that works for you, stick with it. Don’t be tempted by designer brands if drugstore brands are effective for you. There is nothing wrong with giving your skin care routine a modern “kick,” but good skincare does not mean one must try everything available on the market or in a med/spa or doctor’s office.
About Dr. Manish Shah
Manish Shah, M.D., F.A.C.S. was born in Canada and raised in the Washington, D.C. area. He graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a degree in biomedical engineering. He then completed his medical training at the University of Virginia, earning his Medical Doctorate. During this time, he also completed a one-year fellowship in microsurgery research at the New York University School of Medicine / Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. As a prelude to his plastic surgery training, Dr. Shah completed a rigorous five-year training program in General and Trauma Surgery at Emory University and the Medical College of Georgia. His formal training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was completed at the Univ. of Tennessee College of Medicine – Chattanooga Unit. After completing his plastic surgery training, he moved to New York City when he was selected for the prestigious Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. He underwent extensive, advanced training in aesthetic surgery of the face, breasts, and body at the hands of some of the most renowned cosmetic surgeons in the world. This fellowship is widely considered to be the best of its kind in the world. Dr. Shah is one of only a select few plastic surgeons in the country who have undergone formal post-graduate training in aesthetic surgery.
Dr. Shah’s specialties include revision facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty (“nose reshaping”), and aesthetic surgery of the breast (breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction). He is, however, well-trained in all areas of aesthetic surgery.
Dr. Shah’s aim is to obtain a natural appearing transformation that complements the real you!
Dr. Shah is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He maintains a private practice in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver.
Dr. Shah is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the Rhinoplasty Society, and the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Shah is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.