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Surgical Procedures for Men Saw a Surge in 2010
More men than ever are choosing to undergo plastic surgery in order to look as young as they may feel inside, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In new statistics published this month, the ASPS found that the number of cosmetic plastic surgery procedures chosen by men rose 2% from 2009 to 2010. More dramatically, however, was the increase in the popularity of individual procedures for the face and body, some of which saw rises of nearly 15%.
Of the more than one million cosmetic procedures men chose in 2010, a majority of the top 10 were surgical, a change in the previous trend toward non-invasive options.
Plastic surgeon and ASPS President Dr. Phillip Haeck said this is largely because “as you age and gravity takes over, surgical procedures that lift the skin are necessary in order to show significant improvement.”
The procedure that saw the greatest spike between 2009 and 2010 was the facelift, which saw a 14% increase. This procedure tones the sagging skin of the lower face to remove jowls and deep wrinkles.
Otoplasty, a type of ear surgery that decreases the size and projection of protruding ears saw an 11% increase. Though this jump was among adult men, this procedure is often performed on children, as well.
Two body procedures that saw the greatest boost were liposuction and male breast reduction. Both of these body slimming procedures aim to create a more masculine form through the removal of excess fat and tissue.
On the non-surgical side, injectable fillers and Botox, which treat many moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds saw increases of 10% and 9% respectively. This indicates that even with a greater spike in surgical procedures, some men still choose the non-invasive route, at least at first.
« Previous PageSome Tax Rebates Going Toward Surgical Tweaks and Makeovers
As tax season ramps up, refund checks are being sent out and, if the money isn’t going into savings, it’s likely to be used for an indulgence. For many, this means finally going in for a long put-off cosmetic surgery, according to abc15.com.
Plastic surgeons in the Phoenix area say they are seeing a dramatic uptick in the number of individuals who are coming in during tax season, using their tax refund check to cover all or part of a procedure.
Kristy Harris in Phoenix chose to use her tax refund to pay for part of her breast lift surgery and used some savings to cover the rest of the $8,400 procedure (cost based on patient-reported averages on RealSelf.com). The mother of two said that raising children took a toll on her body and she wanted to do something to help herself achieve a “different look.”
Another popular procedure for the breasts is breast augmentation, which costs approximately $6,600. This surgery can improve shapeliness and body proportion.
Liposuction remains one of the most sought-after body procedures and costs about $5,600. Liposuction is often performed to remove stubborn fat deposits nearly anywhere on the body.
Even if your tax refund check is a bit smaller than you would hope, non-surgical treatments are available at a fraction of the cost of surgery. The ever-popular Botox, is used to reduce lines and wrinkles on the face. Chemical peels are also non-invasive and remain one of the key facial rejuvenation treatments and work to reduce many skin imperfections like a dry, dull complexion, blemishes and pigmentation issues. Botox and chemical peels cost about $472 and $610 for full treatments, respectively.
« Previous PageTraditional Liposuction Still Popular Among Plastic Surgeons
In a survey published in the February issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, the ASAPS (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) found that many of its members prefer more traditional liposuction methods to newer techniques.
The survey asked members about various liposuction techniques including newer technologies. It found that overall, most respondents perform between 51 and 100 liposuctions per year and they said traditional liposuction was their preferred method over other techniques such as Ultrasound-assisted Liposuction or Laser-assisted Liposuction.
Jamil Ahmad, MD, lead author of the survey said, “Our survey found that ASAPS members tend to more frequently employ the fat removal methods that have the longest track records and the most data to support their efficacy and safety.”
Ahmad went on to say that surgeon preferences may change as they become more experienced with newer methods and continue to improve patient safety standards.
Members surveyed also said they encourage on-going training of those in the aesthetic field, but are concerned about some doctors practicing outside their field of expertise. This stresses the importance of ensuring your surgeon is specifically trained and experienced to perform any procedure you will undergo.
« Previous PagePlastic Surgeons Warn Against "Awake" Brand Cosmetic Surgeries
An alarming new trend in cosmetic procedures is taking hold and respected surgeons in the plastic surgery field want to warn patients about the dangers of some procedures marketed as “Awake cosmetic surgery.”
Awake surgeries are now being noticed not for the beautiful results they yield (they often do not), but rather the unsafe conditions and unprofessional manner in which they are conducted. According to an article on msnbc.com, patients who have undergone Awake procedures, such as extensive liposuction and breast augmentations, are now raising their voices against the doctors who performed the procedures with little training that left them in great pain and with poor results.
These patients’ stories stress the importance of looking into your plastic surgeon’s background and making sure he/she is board certified to perform the procedure you wish to undergo.
Awake patients are given an unknown mixture of drugs without an anesthesiologist present. Aside from a cheaper cost, the main selling point of Awake procedures is that the patient remains somewhat conscious during the procedure and can evaluate the result before completion of the surgery, however, with an unknown amount of drugs coursing through their system, it’s unclear how lucid these patients truly are.
Denver plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Mouchantat questions the validity of decisions made under the influence of sedatives and painkillers, saying, “Any decision made on the table by a sedated or not sedated patient would be too highly influenced by the enthusiasm of the people present.”
Dr. Mouchantat adds that during the consultation is the time for the patient’s desires and the surgeon’s skills and techniques to be rectified, not during surgery.
The final chilling fact about Awake procedures is that for a doctor to perform these procedures (as approved by a nebulous “academy” located in Arizona), he/she only needs to undergo two days of training, whereas a board certified plastic surgeon has undergone years of training and a residency program.
To avoid the pain, both physical and emotional, and the poor surgical outcome, it is important to keep a few things in mind when looking into a cosmetic procedure.
- Research your surgeon and verify that he/she is board-certified to perform the procedure
- Insist on an open dialogue with your surgeon and learn about the techniques he/she uses
- Ask to see before and after photos from the surgeon’s previous patients and read patient testimonials, if available
We encourage you to learn more about how Denver plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Mouchantat safely performs liposuction and breast augmentation procedures with beautiful results.
« Previous PageStudy Evaluates Alloderm for Prevention of Breast Reconstruction Complications
A recent study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery examines the use of accellular cadaveric dermis (ACD) as an alternative to the total sub-muscular approach in breast reconstruction. During the breast reconstruction study, an Alloderm ACD – a bioengineered tissue substitute – created a “retaining envelope” for the breast implant, which was hypothesized to reduce the risk of capsular contracture.
Capsular contracture is a possible complication with some breast implant patients, occurring when scar tissue tightens around the implant. The cause of capsular contracture is unknown, but inflammatory reaction is thought to be a related problem. Doctors predicted that ACD could work by decreasing the typical inflammatory response that occurs around the breast implant.
Dr. Bob Basu, along with colleagues Dr. Mimi Leong and Dr. John Hicks, assessed the results of twenty breast cancer patients (average age 47) who underwent two-stage breast reconstruction.
During the two-stage breast reconstruction procedures, the ACD was attached in the breast crease as well as the pectoral muscle. The surgeons then created a space for the tissue expander, the lower part of which was covered by the ACD. After a few months, they removed the tissue expander and replaced it with a breast implant.
Between the procedure stages, Dr. Basu and his colleagues performed biopsies of the integrated ACD, along with histopathologic analysis. They found that, compared to the control group, the samples from the ACD showed significantly reduced levels of granulation tissue formation, among other positive differences.
The doctors concluded that ACD may impede capsule formation, thus possibly inhibiting capsular contracture. Although the findings of this study make a promising case for the continued use of bioengineered tissue in breast reconstruction, Dr. Basu stresses that it is only a snapshot of a process that takes place over several years, and further investigation is necessary to determine the effectiveness of ACD in eliminating capsular contracture.
« Previous PageSurvey Finds Mastectomy Patients Prefer Silicone Implants
Following breast cancer treatment and a possible mastectomy, patients have many continued treatment options moving forward. If the patient has undergone a partial or full mastectomy, she may choose to undergo breast reconstruction and make the decision to have breast implants to restore the breast.
A recent survey published in the journal Cancer found that women who had undergone a mastectomy and chose silicone implants were more satisfied with the result than those who had chosen saline implants. The survey included nearly 500 North American women who had undergone a double mastectomy; 176 chose silicone implants, while 306 chose saline implants.
“We now know that women who elect to proceed with the placement of a silicone implant report higher satisfaction with their reconstructed breasts than those who choose saline implants,” said Dr. Colleen McCarthy, a New York-based surgeon who led the survey.
McCarthy added, however, that patients should discuss implant options with their doctor as many factors play a role in what type of implant the patient may prefer. She reiterated that patient satisfaction is high when it comes to postmastectomy implant-based reconstruction in general.
« Previous PageASBPS and RealSelf.com create online community for prospective body contouring patients
While many individuals may immediately celebrate recent weight loss with a new bikini and a trip to the Bahamas, others will have to deal with the unintended side effects of such a change—excess skin. For those patients who have lost a significant amount of weight, often as a result of bariatric procedures such as gastric bypass, The American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons (ASBPS) and online community RealSelf.com have created a consumer resource. The new section of RealSelf.com focuses on body contouring procedures, with topics ranging from liposuction to tummy tucks.
Individuals seeking information and answers to questions are able to explore RealSelf.com and access discussions, ratings of various services and procedures and share in the online community with the ASBPS’ 134 surgeon members. This is a significant expansion of the online community previously offered by RealSelf.com for patients seeking authoritative guidance.
ASBPS President Edward J. Domanskis, M.D., F.A.C.S., pointed out that given the personal nature of this issue, patients often turn to online sources for guidance and he sees the ASBPS’ partnership with RealSelf.com “providing consumers with an easily accessible expert community, an open forum for discussion, and credible, of-the-moment resources.”
The RealSelf.com online community provides information on hundreds of cosmetic services and procedures and includes first-hand accounts, ratings, costs, before and after photos, videos and more. Consumer questions on the community have yielded over 100,000 answers from board-certified doctors.
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