Results from a recent survey conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic gives us insight into what makes that deciding factor when it comes to cosmetic surgery. About 80% of respondent’s indicated that they don’t let anyone but themselves influence their opinion on whether to have cosmetic surgery. This is surprising to many because we are led to believe that it is outside influencers such as Hollywood or the media pressuring the nation to be thin and beautiful when in reality, it is ourselves who are the harshest critic when it comes to our appearance.

Once a patient receives cosmetic surgery, how likely is it that he/she will tell others? We found that only 11.6% would tell anyone and everyone while 34.4% said they would tell others depending on what cosmetic procedure was performed. It turns out that even though cosmetic surgery has become more mainstream, people are still shy about sharing their experience with cosmetic surgery.

For more information on consumer views on cosmetic surgery, please visit www.cosmeticsurgery.org.

Less common cosmetic procedures are generally over-hyped and over-analyzed by the public. According to a new survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, about 1.6% of respondents said that they had a less common cosmetic procedure.
Yet procedures such as bicep or tricep implants, calf implants, buttock implants, lip implants, penile enlargement and vaginal rejuvenation have a certain stigma surrounding them and in turn are often called “fringe” procedures by the media.

The Academy receives many calls on the topic of less common cosmetic procedures from the media. Everything from a voice lift (cleverly named “Throatox”) to a Botox® Breast Lift, it seems the crazier the topic, the more attention it receives. The fact of the matter is that these procedures are not commonly performed and there is a reason for that. They are less common because the risks for complications are high and there is little or no scientific evidence to support the effectiveness.

For more information on less common (a.k.a. fringe) procedures, please visit www.cosmeticsurgery.org.

For quite a long time now we have been witnessing a host of specialists on the scene who claim to remove stretch marks with the help of surgical procedures. Despite all the claims of these specialists, there is no supporting medical evidence to may confirm their claims.

Striae distensae is the medical term for stretch marks and surgery is a rather expensive and not a very safe way of getting rid of them, more so when we have more contemporary specialized treatments available these days. Nevertheless, taking into consideration an increasing number of people interested in the subject calls for listing down the important findings on the subject.

Available surgical options for removal of scars may be classified in to three categories: Laser surgery, microdermabrasion, and tummy tucking. Results and expenses show a wide variation. As with any other surgical treatment results would largely depend upon the severity of the problem, age of the affected person and his or her general health and body-resistance. Nevertheless here is a brief description of all the three treatments to enable you to know what you are heading for.

Laser surgery

Practitioners of this surgical technique maintain that this procedure encourages the growth of collagen in the dermis thereby effectively filling the stretch marks from beneath.

There is quite a variation of the pain levels experienced by those who underwent this treatment. While some report there was no pain, there are others who report of severe pain. The treatment may cost up to a thousand dollars per session, and depending upon the status of skin, one may require a couple of sessions.
Critics of laser technique assert that it just can’t stimulate the collagen. Though, it might remove the outer layers of skin. In effect it only makes the scars less conspicuous and can’t repair them to the extent of getting rid of them for good.

Microdermabrasion

This is a technique of fine spraying the skin with micro-sized crystals of aluminum oxide or certain other elements. The effect is akin to sandpapering the skin with a very fine sandpaper to remove the outermost layer of dead skin. As the old dead cells are scrubbed away, a new healthy skin replaces the old one. The practitioners claim that it very much reduces the appearance of stretch marks

Critics of this technique employed for getting rid of stretch marks, argue that the procedure affects only the outer layers of skin called the epidermis. They maintain that the stretch marks lay beneath these layers, down in the dermis.
There is quite a variation in the charges of this treatment. Some clinics offer to do it for just a couple of hundred dollars whereas some spas or certain health and beauty clinics may quote a few thousand dollars.

Tummy Tuck

Abdominoplasty more popularly known as “tummy tuck” is the only proven way to wipe out scars. The only limitation is that it can be applied to remove scars or marks from the lower abdomen, particularly the area below the navel only. Body parts like breasts, buttocks or legs can’t be treated thru this procedure. It involves complete removal of the skin from the affected part in the region of lower abdomen only along with some amount of fat and tissue. The skin is then reattached. Marks on the skin so removed are deleted surgically.

But again, it is quite an expensive and painful treatment. It is categorized as major surgery and one needs to stay in a hospital and get exposed to all the risks that are often associated with any surgical treatment.

For quite a long time now we have been witnessing a host of specialists on the scene who claim to remove stretch marks with the help of surgical procedures. Despite all the claims of these specialists, there is no supporting medical evidence to may confirm their claims.

Striae distensae is the medical term for stretch marks and surgery is a rather expensive and not a very safe way of getting rid of them, more so when we have more contemporary specialized treatments available these days. Nevertheless, taking into consideration an increasing number of people interested in the subject calls for listing down the important findings on the subject.

Available surgical options for removal of scars may be classified in to three categories: Laser surgery, microdermabrasion, and tummy tucking. Results and expenses show a wide variation. As with any other surgical treatment results would largely depend upon the severity of the problem, age of the affected person and his or her general health and body-resistance. Nevertheless here is a brief description of all the three treatments to enable you to know what you are heading for.

Laser surgery

Practitioners of this surgical technique maintain that this procedure encourages the growth of collagen in the dermis thereby effectively filling the stretch marks from beneath.

There is quite a variation of the pain levels experienced by those who underwent this treatment. While some report there was no pain, there are others who report of severe pain. The treatment may cost up to a thousand dollars per session, and depending upon the status of skin, one may require a couple of sessions.
Critics of laser technique assert that it just can’t stimulate the collagen. Though, it might remove the outer layers of skin. In effect it only makes the scars less conspicuous and can’t repair them to the extent of getting rid of them for good.

Microdermabrasion

This is a technique of fine spraying the skin with micro-sized crystals of aluminum oxide or certain other elements. The effect is akin to sandpapering the skin with a very fine sandpaper to remove the outermost layer of dead skin. As the old dead cells are scrubbed away, a new healthy skin replaces the old one. The practitioners claim that it very much reduces the appearance of stretch marks

Critics of this technique employed for getting rid of stretch marks, argue that the procedure affects only the outer layers of skin called the epidermis. They maintain that the stretch marks lay beneath these layers, down in the dermis.
There is quite a variation in the charges of this treatment. Some clinics offer to do it for just a couple of hundred dollars whereas some spas or certain health and beauty clinics may quote a few thousand dollars.

Tummy Tuck

Abdominoplasty more popularly known as “tummy tuck” is the only proven way to wipe out scars. The only limitation is that it can be applied to remove scars or marks from the lower abdomen, particularly the area below the navel only. Body parts like breasts, buttocks or legs can’t be treated thru this procedure. It involves complete removal of the skin from the affected part in the region of lower abdomen only along with some amount of fat and tissue. The skin is then reattached. Marks on the skin so removed are deleted surgically.

But again, it is quite an expensive and painful treatment. It is categorized as major surgery and one needs to stay in a hospital and get exposed to all the risks that are often associated with any surgical treatment.

Even gold winning Olympic athletes desire to look young forever. Bruce Jenner is the representation that no matter how physically fit you may be, the aging process does catch up to you. Twenty five years ago, Bruce was ill-advised to have a partial facelift and rhinoplasty. The results from the procedures were not what Bruce desired and as a result he recently went in for a correctional surgery. This time he received a full facelift and is pleased with the results. Cosmetic surgery is not something to take lightly and patients and physicians should strive to get it right the first time. Many cosmetic surgeons have patients coming to them because they want to reconstruct previous work done by another physician. This could be potentially decreased if the lines of communication are open between the patient and doctor and the desired reasonable results are agreed upon. Getting it right the first time should always be the number one priority. It is the doctor’s responsibility to speak with the patient to establish realistic expectations for the patient.

So many classic childhood movies (Dumbo) and sing-a-longs (Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro….) emphasize large and protruding ears. But it turns out that having protruding ears is often one of the most humiliating features for a teenager.

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery’s 2008 Procedural Survey, we found that 27.7% of otoplasties (a reshaping of the ear by placing small incision behind the ear then shaping or trimming the cartilage to define how and where the ear cartilage bends) are performed on those ages 13-19. Additionally, the survey found that otoplasty has the youngest mean age of both invasive and less invasive cosmetic procedures at 29.

It is common for adolescents to worry about their appearance and not every adolescent is right for cosmetic surgery. That’s why it is so important for the physician to evaluate the teen’s psychological and physical maturity. The teen must have realistic expectations of what the procedure will do for them and avoid the belief that drastic life changes will occur from the surgery. The physical maturity of the teen is important as well. A teen wishing for an otoplasty is significantly different than one wishing for breast augmentation. An ear reaches its full growth potential by age 6 which is drastically earlier than the breasts. In fact, it is preferred to have an otoplasty at a younger age because the cartilage is extremely flexible, thereby permitting greater ease of shaping and a better result.

To find a qualified cosmetic surgeon for otoplasty, please visit the AACS Surgeon Finder at www.cosmeticsurgery.org

The exploitation of technological developments and innovations is not confined to improvements of the products and devices used in manufacturing of industrial or domestic products alone. These are being used to improve upon your personal physical assets apart from offering the mankind a better medical treatment of almost any malfunctioning of the body. While talking on this particular aspect of technology, cosmetic and plastic surgery immediately comes to mind. So far the benefits of this technology were confined to super rich, but not any so any more.

Persons who are more conscious of their looks may now opt for corrective measures by making use of cosmetic surgery. Well, it’s a costly treatment, generally beyond the reach of an average salary earner. But, now we have loans available for such surgeries, thus making it affordable for most of the people.

The best ting about cosmetic surgery loans is that they are unsecured form of loans, meaning that you don’t have to pledge any security. These loans make a good option if you are looking for smaller amounts, though you can borrow any amount from $1000-$25000 that is repayable over a time spread of six months to ten years. As the borrowings are without any security the chargeable rates of interest are slightly higher.

When it comes to borrowing for any purpose it’s advisable to borrow an amount that you can easily afford to repay. These loans should not become liability on your financial capital and thus help you to avoid apathetic consequences. It is highly desirable to approach your specialist to discuss your requirements and expectations before hand and then enquire about the likely expenses for the treatment. Such a simple and planned activity on your part helps you to avoid a hasty and unconsidered procurement of funds

Cosmetic surgery loans have primarily been framed to take care of the entire operating cost while undergoing cosmetic and plastic surgery treatment. The loans thus obtained can be used for a variety of treatments covering scar revision, breast augmentation, liposuction, hair transplant and many more.

Loans for cosmetic surgery are easily accessible and may be procured from banks and financial institutions. Apart from these traditional sources, you could try some online lenders too. Getting them online is very convenient and fast and you won’t be required to personally call on the lender. Just answer a few a simple questions on the application form and the loan is yours.

RECORD NUMBER OF PATIENTS SEEK LASER TREATMENTS TO TAKE LIGHT-YEARS OFF THEIR FACES

Approximately 363,694 Botox procedures were done by members of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery in 2008. That number will be sure to change with the introduction of Dysport in mid 2009.

Dysport (also known as Reloxin) was recently approved by the FDA for cosmetic and therapeutic use in the United States. Dysport consists of the same basic ingredient as Botox, which is Botulinum Toxin A. In 2006, Medical News Today released information from a study outlining the difference between the two products. The study found that the migration of the two injections varied. Dysport and Botox were compared and even though the ingredients are the same, the migration differed as Dysport was found to spread further from the initial injection site. It is important to realize that even though they are marketing Dysport as a direct competitor to Botox, there are differences. Doctors and patients need to be aware that injections of these products into smaller muscles could result in spreading into nearby areas resulting in undesirable results or complications. Time of onset, duration of effect, dosing, and other factors need to be considered by both physicians and patients.

Botox has become such a strong part of our mainstream culture. Everyone knows what it is and what it does. Those are big shoes to fill and it will be interesting to see how Dysport plans to get that level of brand loyalty and awareness in the marketplace. Overall, competition in the market can benefit both providers and consumers.

Big number of Asians are having a rhinoplasty to change the shape of their nose and make it more beautiful. This is because the Caucasian nose is thought to be the ideal of beauty. Of course, there are those patients who are changing the shape of their nose to improve their looks, but they do not stray far from their original look. Asian rhinoplasty is a term well known to patient and doctors alike, since it became popular during the 90s. Now it doesn’t represent what it used to, so we will talk about what is actually considered to be an Asian Rhinoplasty.

Rhinoplasty is statistically one of the most required cosmetic surgery. So it is quite understandable that the Asian people have a high percentage as well then it comes to choosing this type of surgery. The main reason for having one is due to thick skin and a lot of fibro fatty tissue on the nose. Other is a low wide nasal bridge, that brings small nasal bones and lousy nasal tip as well. The main goal of patients here is to change the overall appearance and improve the beauty.

The goal is to give a natural looking nose to the patient that will not conflict with the ethnicity of the face. Cosmetic surgeon has to use to implant on the bridge of the nose but leave the tip. These implants are silicone made and are used for this type of procedure for decades.

Another request that is often made when it comes to Asian rhinoplasty is narrowing the appearance of the nostrils. This kind of cosmetic surgery has to result in scarring. But this is nothing to worry about because most patients will lose those scars in time. The scars appear when the nose is too wide and the bones have to be broken to change the appearance of the nose - to narrow it. It is possible to make a nasal projection while doing this so the implants don’t have to be used.

Another possibility is to increase the tip of the nose with natural tissue that will be removed from inner nose. This way of doing a nose job is preferred by most cosmetic surgeons since the implants has a chance to be rejected, while the tissue doesn’t.

The surgeon will try that the end results is not a typical Caucasian nose. This is because the changing of the face can have post-operative depression as a result. There are many examples of revision rhinoplasty procedure because of this issue, so the cosmetic surgeon has to take care of it and talk to a patient before the surgery begins.

When looking for a surgeon for your rhinoplasty, do not settle for anyone. Also, do not try to find the most expensive doctor and believe that he is the best. If you are on a budget, then you have to look for something you can afford. Without any other conditions, you have to research several different cosmetic surgeons for your rhinoplasty. Check their experience, the before-after photos and see what suits you most. More experience and information you have, the better for you.

Your surgeon has to get a lot of question from you so that you know exactly what you are going through. If you are not certain about something or have fears, you should consult. Everything is important here. Do not restrain yourself from the questions. Is this surgery be beneficial to you, and how? How will your Asian colleagues see you now? What are the choices? If you want a revision rhinoplasty, could you take it at all? Everything goes.

It is important that you get the result you want. Changing the appearance is not an easy choice. This is especially true when it comes to Asian rhinoplasty, because it has more background that a usual cosmetic surgery procedure. Make sure you are making all the decisions by yourself and are feeling comfortable with what is going on.

Asian Rhinoplasty Review Video