Archive for January, 2007

Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgery: the Mecca for Cosmetic Surgery




Perhaps there is no better place to go than Beverly Hills for cosmetic surgery, which can rightly lay claim to being the Mecca of cosmetic surgery. The reasons may not always be clear, but one may sense a certain rhyme in the terms Beverly Hills and cosmetic surgery. With Extreme Makeover and Dr. 90210 TV shows popularizing Beverly Hills cosmetic surgery, the general impression (rightly so) is that the cosmetic surgeons there are of good quality and, for a change, this is one myth created by TV that turned out to be true.

Certainly, The Best In Cosmetic Surgery

There is hardly a doubt that Beverly Hills cosmetic surgery is among the best available and there are ever increasing numbers of cosmetic surgeons migrating there to set up their practice. This has made Beverly Hills cosmetic surgery very competitive and those that cannot cope with the stiff competition must per force pack up and live.

You will find that there are many Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeons having more than three years of experience who will provide worthwhile cosmetic surgery. Beverly Hills cosmetic surgery assures one that only the best quality care is given and there are virtually no risks involved especially as far as complications are concerned.

You may be thinking that Beverly Hills cosmetic surgery means movie stars and exorbitantly priced surgeries. However, not every Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon deals with movie stars and there are more and more everyday people having their Beverly Hills cosmetic surgery performed in order to look younger, better and more beautiful. However, Beverly Hills cosmetic surgery still is an expensive affair and the bills you have to pay are almost always on the high side. Quality such as this comes with an attached high price, and so to avoid risky surgeries, it may be in your best interests to get such a surgery as you will get value for money.

In Beverly Hills, you can avail of all kinds of cosmetic surgery and the risks of getting a half-learnt doctor performing a procedure on you are almost non-existent. Also, these days cosmetic surgery has become more popular as well as easy to perform so that you can get Beverly Hills cosmetic surgery faster as well as with minimal pain. Every moment, there is someone or the other having such surgery with many more recovering from cosmetic surgeries. Such facts only underscore the value of having to go to Beverly Hills and have a cosmetic surgery performed.



Night-Time Skin Care. There’s No Rest for the Weary




It’s an urban myth that skin goes to sleep at night. So let’s FACE THE FACTS.

There are a lot of reasons why skincare products need to be applied at night. In fact, it can be easily argued that nighttime products are more important than daytime, because that’s when the skin repairs itself.

During the day, skin is bombarded with wind, makeup, pollution, sweating, and all of this exhausts the cells. Why? Because the sole purpose of skin is to protect our bodies from outside insults and contaminants. So during the daytime, the skin is busy defending itself from these environmental factors. That’s why, during the day, we apply products that strengthen, hydrate and protect with skin with antioxidants (topically and systemically) and UV protectors. At night, it’s ready to get ready for another day. That’s the time when the cells renew themselves and need to be activated with key ingredients like retinol; surface repair agents, such as ceramides; and anti-inflammatory agents, such as botanicals. These all work together to create skin that is brighter, more even-toned, and hydrated.

So nighttime products are different from daytime products, because the skin’s needs are different. Many active ingredients in skincare products have a relatively short life, and are deactivated by sunlight. So the really important ingredients—the really good stuff—is rendered useless. So by nighttime, there’s no residual value. Products need to be reapplied. During the daytime skincare products are rubbed off, sweated off, washed off, wiped off. Or they’re completely absorbed. Moisturizers last only 3-4 hours. Medical treatments require application 2-3 times every 24 hours. I’m a proponent of saturating the skin with active and powerful ingredients so that it’s nourished throughout the day and night. Nighttime products are heavier, to restore essential moisture, reduce wrinkles and repair the skin. They provide what we call barrier protection—to prevent transepidermal water loss (dehydration). Then in the morning, your skin is supple, revitalized and smooth. The active ingredients used in nighttime products are better able to stimulate and up-regulate cell turnover so that fresher, brighter, healthier skin can emerge. Nighttime is a perfect opportunity for controlled release of active ingredients over a 4-6 hour period. It is also a good time to layer products which may not be possible during the daytime if makeup is to be applied overtop. Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the importance of cleansing as a part of a night- time skincare program. Many people, I’m convinced, take the short-cut of not removing their make-up before retiring. Our faces are never covered, they’re always exposed to all kinds of environmental pollutants. Cleanse your skin, faithfully and thoroughly to remove the dirt and surface oils. It’s important for everyone, but critical for women who wear cosmetics. Sounds a bit extreme, I know, but you may even want to do it twice. It’s that important.

You may be tired, you may be stressed. But nighttime skincare is important. And it only takes a minute.

Zein Obagi, MD

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Choose Board Certified Plastic Surgeons For A Safer Plastic Surgery




If you are contemplating cosmetic surgery, a great deal of research and thinking needs to be done before you go ahead with the procedure. A very vital decision in the whole process is in the selection of a good plastic surgeon – which amazingly, often seems to be ignored by many patients. You need to identify a surgeon on whom you can rely completely to do a high quality job with the best safety standards, attention to detail, as well as patient care.

Criteria to Consider in Choosing A Surgeon

We all look for certain factors in our search for a doctor who is going to suit us. The doctor’s charges, experience, post-surgery services and location are important aspects but there is one consideration that is even more important than these: choose a board certified plastic surgeon.

Significance of a Certified Plastic Surgeon

Well, this refers to a surgeon who meets and upholds high professional, educational and ethical levels that are set by a self-regulating authorized body. Of course, there are various other organizations that grant certifications to plastic surgeons. But not all of them have the same measurement criteria.

This is where your research comes in handy. You have to find out what are the norms that certify these plastic surgeons. The most well-known organization is the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, also known as the ASPS. The ASPS requires their members to undertake board medical training, to qualify through a rigid examination, and to become re-certified on a regular basis.

While it is true that having cosmetic surgery done gives you no guarantee, the preference of a certified plastic surgeon can boost your odds of having a safe and sound procedure. Besides meeting the tough guidelines, a majority of board certified plastic surgeons are specialists in specific areas like facial procedures, breast augmentation, or reconstructive surgery.

A specialized plastic surgeon has the benefit of acquiring irreplaceable practical experience, knowledge and judgment and will be in a position to tackle any problems or concerns you may have before the operation. Moreover, a specialized practitioners more likely to have a better idea of what will suit your particular needs, than a general plastic surgeon.

The final outcome is that all surgical procedures, including cosmetic surgery, do come with risks, which you will do well to consider carefully before proceeding. But your anxiety will be reduced to a great extent when you know that your surgery is been performed by a board certified plastic surgeon.

Summary:

It is of utmost importance that you opt for a board certified plastic surgeon when planning for plastic surgery. Board certified plastic surgeons are members of self ruling authorized bodies like the ASPS practitioners have to undergo rigorous ethical and educational standards and mostly they are experienced specialists in their area. When you get your operation done by a board certified plastic surgeon you know you are in safe hands.



Who Gets Plastic Surgery




Plastic surgery is no longer the domain of celebrities. All types of people pursue plastic surgery as a means of enhancing their satisfaction with their appearances. From mothers in their early 30s to baby boomer men in their 60s, plastic surgery has increasingly been accepted as a path to self improvement.

The entrance of plastic surgery into the mainstream is evident in the statistics about plastic surgery. Comprehensive survey data is collected by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons every year, and the results reveal the surprising popularity of plastic surgery among different demographic groups. Baby boomers are getting breast lifts, upper arm lifts, and facelifts, and mothers are not shy about turning to the “mommy makeover” procedures to rejuvenate their bodies.

In 2006, 11 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the United States. These procedures included plastic surgery and minimally invasive cosmetic treatments such as BOTOX® Cosmetic. Of the people receiving plastic surgery or cosmetic treatments, the overwhelming portion remain women who make up 90 percent of patients. However, men are showing a rising interest in cosmetic plastic surgery. The number of men pursuing cosmetic procedures has risen 8 percent between 2000 and 2006.

Baby Boomers and Plastic Surgery

At this time, the 40 to 54 age group, which includes both men and women, seeks plastic surgery the most often. With nearly 5 million procedures in 2006, this age group accounted for 45 percent of total patients. People age 55 and over made up one quarter of cosmetic procedures in 2006 at 26 percent. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons both of these age groups combined displayed a 12 percent rise in cosmetic procedures from 2005 to 2006.

People in the 40 to 54 age group and especially the age 55 and over group represent the famous baby boomer demographic. With a large segment of the population aging, the rise in cosmetic procedures makes sense, but the youthful attitude of many baby boomers prompts them to seek plastic surgery. Healthy and active lifestyles are becoming the norm for people as they enter their 50s and 60s, and the desire to look young is a natural reaction.

Data from the ASPS surveys indicate that since 2005 tummy tucks have increased 7 percent, breast lifts are up 11 percent, and facelifts went up an impressive 22 percent for the baby boomer age groups.

Mothers and Plastic Surgery

The Los Angeles plastic surgery procedures of breast augmentation, tummy tucks, and breast lifts are often dubbed “mommy makeover” surgeries. Although not all women who undergo these procedures are mothers, they do provide women unhappy with how pregnancy has changed their bodies with attractive options for rejuvenation. Among women of childbearing years, typically ages 20 to 39, plastic surgery is on the rise. For example, within this age group tummy tucks were up 9 percent in 2006 over the previous year and breast lifts rose 11 percent.

According to the ASPS, more childbearing women are turning to plastic surgery due to busy schedules and their need to return to their careers quickly after becoming mothers. However, other contributing factors are the broader availability of qualified plastic surgeons across many regions and the appeal of the results that can often be achieved. Tummy tucks for example are sometimes the only way to achieve a firmer and smoother torso once skin has been stretched by multiple pregnancies.

Furthermore, women often have a deep personal desire to slim and firm up their bodies after childbearing in order to boost their self image. Some women can take considerable pride in looking good after having children, and revitalizing some of the physical firmness of their pre-pregnancy bodies provides much satisfaction.

The types of people that seek Los Angeles plastic surgery and their reasons for wanting to enhance aspects of their physical appearances are diverse. Plastic surgery attracts women and men of all different ages. No single stereotype of the plastic surgery patient exists. People generally have a natural desire to improve and maintain their appearances according to their personal preferences, and for some people this includes plastic surgery.