Cosmetics
Fat grafting technique improves results of breast augmentation
|
In women undergoing breast augmentation, a technique using transplantation of a small amount of the patient’s own fat cells can produce better cosmetic outcomes, reports a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
In particular, the fat grafting technique can achieve a more natural-appearing cleavage—avoiding the “separated breasts” appearance that can occur after breast augmentation, according to the report by Dr. Francisco G. Bravo of Clinica Gomez Bravo, Madrid.
Fat Grafting Adds to Cosmetic Results of Breast Augmentation
Dr Bravo analyzed the outcomes of breast augmentation surgery in 59 women. Thirty-eight women underwent conventional surgery using breast implants only. In the remaining 21 patients, Dr. Bravo used a combination technique using breast implants plus “selective para-sternal fat grafting.”
In this approach, a small amount of the patient’s own fat was harvested from elsewhere in the body - such as the thighs or abdomen. After processing, the fat cells were carefully placed along the inner (medial) borders of the breasts. The goal was to achieve a more natural shape, and particularly to soften the “medial transition zone” between the sternum (breastbone) and the implant edges.
Fresh faced: Looking younger for longer
|
Newcastle University researchers have identified an antioxidant Tiron, which offers total protection against some types of sun damage and may ultimately help our skin stay looking younger for longer.
Publishing in The FASEB Journal, the authors describe how in laboratory tests, they compared the protection offered against either UVA radiation or free radical stress by several antioxidants, some of which are found in foods or cosmetics. While UVB radiation easily causes sunburn, UVA radiation penetrates deeper, damaging our DNA by generating free radicals which degrades the collagen that gives skin its elastic quality.
The Newcastle team found that the most potent anti-oxidants were those that targeted the batteries of the skin cells, known as the mitochondria. They compared these mitochondrial-targeted anti-oxidants to other non-specific antioxidants such as resveratrol, found in red wine, and curcumin found in curries, that target the entire cell. They found that the most potent mitochondrial targeted anti-oxidant was Tiron which provided 100%, protection of the skin cell against UVA sun damage and the release of damaging enzymes causing stress-induced damage.
Say ‘goodbye’ to back fat rolls
|
|
Even as many of us yearn to wear the sheer, body-hugging fashions available today, we are stopped by our rear reflection and the sight of dreaded back fat rolls and lumps. A study published in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), reveals a new back lift procedure that removes these unsightly bumps and bulges while hiding the scar under the bra line.
“For many patients—even the very fit ones, such as an aerobics instructor—the upper to mid-line back where the rolls and bulges form was very frustrating,” said senior author Joseph Hunstad, MD and ASPS Member Surgeon. “This redundancy of skin occurs generally from aging and cannot be exercised away. For those who desire to wear form-fitting outfits, this procedure eliminates the problem.”
The study reviewed seven female patients who had the bra-line back lift between 2001 and 2007 with an average follow-up of 22 months. Pre-operative marks were placed to outline the patient’s brassiere, as well as delineate the excess back tissue to be removed. The procedure removed the redundant skin, sometimes up to 8 or 10 inches wide, and connected the remaining tissue together. According to the study, the procedure takes about an hour from start to finish. The authors have completed the bra-line back lift on 20 patients to date.
Rhinoplasty technique preserves ethnic identity
|
|
African Americans who underwent a nose job, also referred to as rhinoplasty, reported a high degree of satisfaction with the results.
Rhinoplasty was conducted using a three-tiered approach that included an adjustment in nasal height and angle with a reshaping of the tip and a reduction in the width of the nose.
Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj and Marzena Gieniusz analyzed questionnaires completed by 75 African American patients who underwent the procedure at their private practice, the Aesthetic Facial Surgery Center of New York and New Jersey in New York City.
Cosmetic surgery booming in Britain, study finds
|
|
Britons might be feeling the pinch of the global credit crunch, but they’re still ready to pay thousands of pounds for cosmetic surgery, a report suggested on Monday.
Britain’s largest cosmetic surgery provider the Harley Medical Group said demand for procedures had grown by 35 percent over the past 10 months.
Abdomnoplasty or “tummy tuck” operations, a procedure costing nearly 5,000 pounds ($9,700), were up 59 percent, while breast augmentation surgery swelled 40 percent, it said.
Overuse of skin numbing creams can cause death: FDA
|
|
People who use large amounts of skin-numbing creams and lotions, often in conjunction with cosmetic procedures, are at risk of irregular heartbeats, seizures and even death, U.S. health officials warned on Tuesday.
The Food and Drug Administration, citing two deaths, said such topical anesthetics can be applied in amounts so large that a lethal dose of the chemicals can enter the bloodstream.
Physician group warns of plastic surgery risks
|
|
Undergoing cosmetic surgery performed by someone who’s improperly trained can result in scarring, burning and, in some cases, even death, a group of dermatologic surgeons warns.
The American Society of Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) has launched a public safety campaign in response to what it calls the “alarming national trend” of non-physicians performing procedures such as Botox injections, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion and chemical peels.
“What we’re seeing is an overwhelming preponderance at this point of these untrained people getting their hands on these devices and using them,” Dr. Renata Hirsch, a dermatologic surgeon in practice in Boston and ASDS spokesperson, told Reuters Health. “Top offenders are these pseudo medi-spas.”
Cosmetic Procedures Women Want and Should Want
|
|
Women make up the largest percentage of patients visiting dermatologists’ offices to seek cosmetic treatments and procedures. Dermatologists can provide a variety of options with immediate results for some of women’s most common skin concerns, and even advise patients about treatments which can optimize skin health and that they may not have yet considered.
Speaking today at ACADEMY ‘06, the American Academy of Dermatology’s (Academy) summer scientific meeting, dermatologist Marian E. Northington, M.D., F.A.A.D., of Birmingham, Ala., discussed the most frequent requests women make in the dermatologist’s office and the procedures dermatologists regularly recommend.
“Women want dermatologic procedures that are safe, effective and create the appearance of youth and vitality,” said Dr. Northington. “Dermatologists can help women achieve these goals by listening to the patient’s specific concerns, evaluating the patient’s skin type and recommending treatments that result in the desired appearance.”
The Risks and Benefits of Cosmetic Surgery
|
|
In 2004, almost 12 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the United States, a 44% increase from 2003. Choices of procedures abound, and you can find many articles and brochures describing them. But much of this information comes from the marketing departments of businesses trying to sell you their services. Reliable, objective information isn’t easy to come by. That’s why Harvard Medical School has published advice from two renowned cosmetic experts in its new special health report, Cosmetic Surgery A to Z.
This clear, easy-to-follow report covers the most popular cosmetic procedures and surgeries. It also gives candid details about recovery times, how long results last, and what you are likely to pay. It describes new advances in treatments, such as the recently approved procedure called the Contour Thread Lift, a more subtle alternative to the face lift in which the patient is awake and can offer input as the surgeon inserts threads to combat sagging skin.
