Beverly Hills Rhinoplasty Surgery Blog

A favorite question of patients looking to turn back the clock with a facial rejuvenation procedure is how much younger will they look? It’s a good question and one that’s hard to quantify. We know from quality-of-life studies, including one that we did, that facial rejuvenation surgery definitely helps improve quality of life and perceived satisfaction in many facets of life. But, it is hard to put a number on just how many years younger someone will appear after this surgery.

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Fat transfer has become more and more popular in the last decade  for restoring facial volume lost to aging and even as an alternative to breast implants. And why not? Fat is plentiful, easy to harvest, and it’s your own tissue so no need to worry about a reaction. And it works (well, mostly). The problem that has hampered fat transplantation from becoming universally accepted as the ideal volume procedure is that it can be hard to predict how much of it and how well it will last. That’s because the fat is being separated from its natural blood supply, is then transferred to a new area of the body, and is expected to develop a new blood supply that will allow it to survive. Sadly, not all of the transferred fat makes it.

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A new twin study published in the Archives of Dermatology last month has demonstrated the hazardous effects of environmental factors on skin aging. According to the  report, 65 pairs of twins were studied for differences in environmental and lifestyle factors that might contribute to wrinkles. The conclusion according to news sources is that these factors, such as smoking, sun exposure, and weight change may play a larger role in facial skin aging than does genetics. Read more

Is there a possibility that you may someday be able to have your botox without the annoying needles? According to one ongoing study, it may just be. Granted, the study looking at the effectiveness of a topically-applied botulinum gel, has only just finished a phase II clinical trial. But, the study’s lead investigator, Dr. Michael Kane, has reported that a large number of participants showed positive results. The final answer on this interesting question is not in, but we’ll keep you posted on this potential new formulation as we hear more.

There was an interesting article in Science Daily reporting on the preliminary results of a combination therapy of LED lights and a cream with Green Tea Extract. LED lights have long been used for phototherapy to help heal any number of inflammatory skin conditions. Read more

Going to the tanning salon this week? Might as well skip it and take a little arsenic. That, according to the AMA, is because a recent meta-analysis of various studies on tanning beds has finally caused the World Health Organization to elevate UV-radiation emitted from tanning beds to their top cancer risk category. This lofty position is shared among the likes of arsenic, mustard gas, asbestos, plutonium and, yes, even tobacco and mixed alcohol.

WHO elevates tanning beds to top cancer risk

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There was an interesting article in The Wall Street Journal this month listing 10 things Plastic Surgeons won’t tell you. Among the list of zingers you’d never hear from your plastic surgeon are such statements as “I trained a whole weekend to learn this procedure”, and “Long-term effects? Beats me.” It was written, of course, with the author’s tongue firmly in planted in his cheek but the message was quite serious. Read more

We are happy to announce that we were recently named as one of the Top 50 Surgeon Bloggers by iScrub. iScrub is an informative blog dedicated to educating health professionals and consumers about information related to the health community. They have a number of good resources and links. Check them out.

In December of this year, Botox will be celebrating its 20th anniversary on the market after approval by the FDA in 1989 for the treatment of eyelid spasm. While it has only been approved for cosmetic indications since 2002, Botox has long been a staple of plastic surgery and dermatology offices everywhere. In those 20 years, Botox has enjoyed a virtual monopoly with no competition in North America. Read more

We all know that art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth. – Pablo Picasso

Recently there was a great article in the archives of facial plastic surgery that used Picasso’s Girl in the Mirror to discuss body dysmorphic syndome. The author wrote: Read more