Thursday, December 10, 2009

You Can Improve Your Sun-Damaged Skin With Laser Treatments

Currently, there are many lasers used for facial and skin rejuvenation and to treat sun damage and photo-aging of the skin. One older laser system, the carbon dioxide laser, has been very effective for treating sun damaged skin but has fallen out of favor. This is because it routinely caused extensive rawness of the skin that typically required over 2 weeks of “hiding out” or “downtime” to recover. In addition to the time it took to heal, it frequently caused skin discoloration and occasionally scarring. Many lasers available today require very little downtime and yield some improvement of the skin but are not nearly as effective as the carbon dioxide laser. As with any procedure, anyone considering laser skin treatments should first consult with a plastic surgeon prior to under going their chosen procedure.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Protruding Ears Are Usually A Family Trait That Surgery Can Fix

Just as it is with all facial features, the size and shape of the ears are a family trait. For example, parents and grandparents with protruding ears, often have children with ears that share these same characteristics. Ear deformities can benefit from correction through surgery, and successful results can be seen in subjects as young as 4 years old. By this age, the ears have almost reached maturity and adult size, so very little change is expected after the age of 4.

During an ear surgery procedure, the plastic surgeon repositions the flexible ear cartilage. The incisions required for this procedure are usually placed behind the ear where any resulting scars will be the least visible. While there are several variations in techniques for ear surgery, the goal of the ear surgery procedure is the same in all cases - to provide a normal, more balanced appearance to the ears.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Plastic Surgery Procedures Can Help After Significant Weight Loss

People who have lost significant amount of weight can easily be frustrated by the appearance of excess redundant skin. Significant weight loss is becoming much more common due to the growing number of weight loss operations that are becoming increasingly popular. Just as some women have excess abdominal skin after one or more pregnancies, many patients who undergo these wight loss operations have excess skin in the areas of weight loss. This can occur in any area that was affected, including the neck, breasts, arms, back, abdominal wall, hips, and legs. Just as excess weight gain, or breast deformities and a large bulbous nose can affect one's self esteem, self confidence and self image, the loose hanging skin left after significant weight loss can also have these same effects.

There are several plastic surgery procedures that are helpful in treating these issues. A neck or a face lift can reduce the excess folds of skin around the face or neck; a breast lift procedure can be extended to the sides and back to help eliminate excess skin in those areas; an abdominoplasty surgery procedure is frequently required as well. Techniques that were originally meant to rejuvenate the upper arms can be used to eliminate any excess skin that may occur following significant weight loss. Similarly, thigh lifts can be used to tone and improve the appearance of the legs. When one is considering plastic surgery procedures after significant weight loss, that person should always consult with a plastic surgeon and discuss your expectations of the results, and devise a custom tailored surgical plan designed specifically for you and your needs.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Bigger, Easier, Better - LookingYourBest.com Reaches for the Next Level

LookingYourBest.com, the nationwide reference guide to a Who's Who of America's Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeons, offers more than just a bold new look with its comprehensive re-tooling. It offers an enhanced experience.

A glimpse at the new look of LookingYourBestThe first aspect of the new LookingYourBest.com that will surely catch the eye is the new layout and color scheme. The old, sterile layout with its pastel colors blending out to the window's edge has been supplanted by a sharp, clean page set against a rich chocolate tone, with deep rose accents and a commanding presence. In all the site wears a more focused, sophisticated feel that visitors are sure to appreciate.

The visual changes, however, belie the underlying metamorphosis that now makes it even easier to seek out doctors and procedures by multiple criteria. A simplified menu and site structure are two of the keys to the improved ease of use, despite the addition of even more data than before. LookingYourBest has long been an excellent source for finding and comparing professionals in aesthetic medicine, both locally and nationally. Now, the search function in both the gallery and surgeon areas has been simplified and visitors are treated to informative videos and 3D procedure animations to further enhance their search.

There's an important difference in the underpinnings as well, though a casual visitor may not even notice. Nevertheless, by streamlining the site's code, the programmers at LookingYourBest have sought to improve what is often the most important aspect of a web site; browsing speed. The new LookingYourBest.com loads faster and is more intuitive than ever.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Plastic Surgeons in San Diego, CA

Most artists will agree that the differences between a masterpiece and a nice try can be downright miniscule. Nowhere are extremely minor details as apparent as in portraiture. Perhaps it is because of how hardwired we are to see the slightest differences in the faces around us. The smallest change can have significant meaning, and most of the time we're not even truly aware of the things we perceive there.

Some patients and doctors look at plastic surgery as pure science, and others see art. With the aesthetic aspect inherent in so many cosmetic procedures, those who see art mixed in with the science may have a valid point. As Doctor Karam, a board certified surgeon in San Diego, CA, says about rhinoplasty (nose surgery), "Perhaps no other operation in plastic surgery has a greater impact in enhancing the way you look than rhinoplasty...Even a subtle change can have a big impact on the attractiveness and balance of the face."

Friday, November 6, 2009

Reshaping the Chin and Upper Neck

The chin, jaw line and upper neck play a vital role in your facial appearance
When we think about what makes an attractive face, we often consider the beauty of the eyes, the curve of the brows, the size and angle of the nose, or the shape of the lips. We may not focus as specifically on the chin and the jaw line, yet these features are, in fact, an important part of the skeletal framework that defines our facial appearance.

For a woman, a well-defined jaw line that is slightly curved contributes to attractive facial proportions. A delicate but adequately projecting chin generally is the ideal of feminine beauty. For a man, somewhat greater chin projection combined with a more angular jaw line is perceived as conveying a strong, masculine appearance.

For both women and men, the transition from the jaw line to the upper neck should be a "clean," smooth line without excess fat or sagging skin. Unfortunately, the jaw line is one of the first areas to show early signs of aging, losing its youthful angles and definition. Heredity, as well as age, often plays a role in aesthetic problems of the lower face. Younger patients may be dissatisfied with a recessive, or "weak," chin, a chin that is too long relative to their other facial proportions, or excess fatty tissue underneath the chin. Plastic surgery can help solve all these problems, either by restoring lost facial contours or creating new contours in better harmony with your other facial features.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Michigan Breast Reconstruction

There is no variant of cancer that could be called pleasant, and the measures that must often be taken to preserve a patient's life are severe. For women whose lives are darkened by the pall of breast cancer, it can feel as though more than just skin and tissue have been lost. Her very feeling of identity can be affected profoundly. The reconstruction of a breast can dramatically improve a woman's self-image, self-confidence and quality of life in such circumstances.

Cosmetic surgery is a particularly personal matter. If you do seek breast surgery, do so for yourself, and not to fulfill the wishes of someone else. A reconstructed breast will look relatively natural, but it will not be exactly like the breast that was removed. While considering breast reconstruction in Detroit, you want to discuss your goals and questions with a board certified surgeon such as Dr. Bazzi.