The procedure involves taking blood from the patient’s arm and immediately centrifuged for five minutes to promote cellular growth. The blood is then separated in the serum from the red cells, immediately stimulated with amino acids and is reinjected into the area of the skin that is to be treated.

There are two types of shots: many injections to the superficial layers of the skin, which are done in about 10 minutes, and a smaller series that go deeper into the skin, including areas such as the eyes, the mouth and the forehead. There is no bleeding after the entire thing is done – just mild redness and a sensation of numbness. The results should become apparent the next day and then more and more visible with each week, having the obvious advantage of being a procedure that leaves no scars and requires no recovery time. Results typically last 4-6 months.

The S-Curve Buttock Lift™ procedure is a method developed by Dr. Ghavami, which makes use of thorough liposuction and fat displacement to create a body shape that is both sensually curvy and tastefully proportional. Dr. Ghavami employs liposuction to remove unflattering fat from areas that demote aesthetic curvature in the body. This is mostly applicable to the hips, above the hips, stomach area, and flanks. Treatment may extend to other areas of the body where necessary, but in either case, the liposuction is the first step in Dr. Ghavami’s S-Curve™ butt lift procedure. Fat removed from the body is then harvested before being injected and sculpted into the buttocks, hips, or other desired areas; the small of the back is one of the areas where curvature is made much more prominent in order to compliment the buttocks even further.  Key principles of this technique are the extensive pre-operative analysis and patient markings, as well as knowing exactly how much fat to take and how much fat to leave behind.  After surgery and a recovery period lasting a little over one month, patients are able to carry on all normal activity and exercise with their new, curvy body shapes.

Dr. Ghavami’s extensive experience in the field of plastic surgery, performing the innovative S-Curve Buttock Lift™ , along with breast augmentation, ethnic rhinoplasty, and many other procedures, has allowed him to create outstanding results and countless success stories for his patients. His writings have appeared in plastic surgery books and journals, and his expertise in the field has been consulted for a number of media outlets, including prime time television programs.

For more information on the S-Curve™ buttock augmentation surgery, please contact Dr. Ghavami’s assistant, Jocelyn Creech, at (877) 504-5353 or visit the detailed buttock augmentation pages and photo gallery on www.Ghavamiplasticsurgery.com

The two methods of butt augmentation are implant placement and fat grafting. The advantage of implants is that they can be used in patients who might not have enough fat to harvest for injection. They are also permanent. However, implants also have many common side effects including chronic pain, infection, seroma formation (fluid collections around the implants), and hardening with unnatural feel. Because of these possible complications, many surgeons prefer fat injections… Read full article via  Dr John Burns :: Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute

Metropolitan Medical Care — established by the award-winning Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center is under the direction of acclaimed expert on Anti-Aging and Hormone Replacement therapy, Alex Martin MD, who is listed as a doctor resource and HGH expert in both of the latest books, BREAKTHROUGH, 8 Steps to Wellness and KNOCKOUT by notable author and actress, Suzanne Somers. Residents of the fabled neighborhood along the Walk of Fame now have the opportunity to benefit from the latest skincare and anti-aging technologies once only available in the most prestigious clinics and spas in Europe.

Dr. Martin — a physician and skin surgeon — graduated from USC Medical School and is also an alumnus of Cedar Sinai Hospital’s graduate program. He is certified in Anti-Aging and has had an established practice in Orange County for the past 20 years where he was chief of staff of Whittier Hospital and Medical Director of two large medical groups. He was brought to Hollywood from Newport Beach to open a clinic in the heart of the city by the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center.

“We represent the future,” explains Dr. Martin.  ”Consumers know that science and technology constantly develop new and sophisticated ways to combat aging.  Our purpose is to work closely with our patients to create a smart plan for staying ahead of the curve and enjoying long, healthy and dynamic lives.”

The array of services offered at Metropolitan Medical is a reflection of Dr. Martin’s expertise coupled with the services of noted Nevada plastic surgeon, Mervin Low M.D. and Peter Fodor M.D., who has established practices in Los Angeles and Orange County.  Future plans including adding more skincare experts to the MMC roster.

The Center’s offerings include the very latest options for:

• Human Growth Hormone & Testosterone Replacement
• Bioidentical Hormone Replacement (as featured in the new film SEX AND THE CITY  2)
• HCG Weight Loss Programs
• Liposuction – with Vaser ultrasound to promote healing
• Tummy Tucks
• Breast Augmentation/Reconstruction
• Scar Revision
• Fractional C02 Laser Resurfacing
• Martin Lift™ – thread lift
• Laser Hair Removal and the new painless thermo-electrolysis
• Injectables such as Botox/Dysport and all fillers
• Microdermabrasion
• Lumage, the targeted hyperpigmentation peel
• Facials
• Preston Martin skincare line
• Concierge Primary Care

With inspiration coming from childhood friend, Stanley Marcus, the founder of Neiman Marcus and his book “Quest for the Best” philosophy, Dr. Martin says his mission is to offer an all inclusive anti-aging clinic of excellence on every level.  He isn’t concerned about any questions that may arise from offering services that may be controversial in some circles as long they are safe and they work.

“For instance, hormone replacement therapy is often misunderstood,” he continues. “Just because athletes are prohibited from having a competitive advantage by taking HGH, doesn’t mean that the rest of us don’t want our everyday performance enhanced by a safe, smart supplement.  In fact, 5 out of 9 doctors we worked with at an Orange County Cancer Center are on HGH.”

Dr. Martin has already developed his own line of cosmeceutical skincare products and is focusing next on stem cell treatments and nanotech designer molecules that zero in on areas of the body that need repair.

Located at 7080 Hollywood Blvd. in Suite 804, Metropolitan Medical Care combines highly skilled primary concierge medical care with full-service cosmetic surgery and hormone replacement services.  This elegant, new Anti-Aging Clinic offers personal care, education and support so patients can make the best decisions regarding their personal health and wellness.  For more information, visit www.metromedicalcare.com or call 800-477-8891.

Even though cosmetic surgery is not a new phenomenon, studies point out that there has been a seismic shift in the past 10-15 years in what is considered possible and desirable to change in the bodies we are born with. This “body-changing culture” is becoming pervasive and, nowadays, it includes changes to most parts of the body, especially to the most intimate ones, such as the genitalia. The journal reveals that the procedures used to cosmetically modify female external genitalia are exactly the same as those employed in female genital mutilation (FGM). Whereas there is legislation in both Europe and Africa against FGM, there is none against female genital cosmetic surgery.

This edition also describes the serious complications that could arise from some of these procedures, and how much additional surgery they can lead to. Moreover, it casts doubt on whether this type of surgery actually “works”. That is, on how long the beautifying effects actually last, and whether people’s lives are in fact changed for the better after the procedure. While cosmetic surgery may liberate some from negative preoccupations with their appearance, it may also fuel fears among young and, otherwise vulnerable women – that their perfectly normal breasts and genitals do not live up to current fashion, or that they are abnormal and need surgical intervention.

The journal points out the lack of clarity on whether women are being given sufficient information about the risks and the benefits of cosmetic surgery. This last issue raises questions about the extent of informed consent and the ways all these practices should be regulated to protect patients.

Articles include:

• Genitals and ethnicity: the politics of genital modifications
• The experience and responses of Swedish health professionals to patients requesting virginity restoration (hymen repair)
• A poor prognosis for autonomy: self-regulated cosmetic surgery in the United Kingdom
• On norms and bodies: findings from field research on cosmetic surgery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Make me beautiful
• “Reasonably safe”: women, breasts and informed consent

Articles in this journal issue focus on Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, India, Iran, Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden UK and USA.

A plastic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery must undergo a challenging and thorough evaluation process to measure his or her knowledge and skill. The surgeon must have graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least five years of residency training. At least two years of the patient’s residency program must be devoted entirely to cosmetic surgery. The last step in becoming board-certified is to complete comprehensive written and oral exams that test the surgeon’s ability to perform many different plastic surgery procedures. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. It is important to understand that not all “Board Certification” is approved by this body which exists to maintain a very high standard of training and ability.

For patients seeking liposuction in St. Louis and other surgical and non-surgical aesthetic enhancement procedures, Dr. Copeland says they should make sure the doctor they are seeing has met the strict requirements of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and are board certified. He says patients should learn the status of their plastic surgeon’s board-certification prior to undergoing treatment. Due to the popularity of plastic surgery, many doctors may offer liposuction and other treatments even though they may have little to no formal training in these disciplines. Even some dentists have begun to offer non-surgical treatments such as BOTOX® Cosmetic, although it may be entirely unrelated to their primary field.

Dr. Copeland says St Louis Tummy Tuck (abdominoplasty) patients and those considering any kind of plastic surgery should only look to board-certified plastic surgeons to increase the likelihood that the results will ultimately meet their goals.

About Dr. Copeland

Dr. Jeffrey Copeland has been practicing plastic surgery in St. Louis and the surrounding area for more 20 years. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Missouri, where he also completed his general and plastic surgery residencies. He was a chief resident for both residency programs.

Dr. Copeland is past chief of staff at Barnes Jewish St. Peters Hospital, Saint Joseph Health Center and Hospital West and past president of the Missouri Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. He has also been board chairman of Primaris (the Missouri Quality Improvement Organization) and councilor to the Missouri State Medical Association from the 4th district.

Dr. Copeland is a board-certified member of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He offers a full variety of treatments for the face, breasts, body, and skin at his practice, Copeland Cosmetic Surgery. He has recently added fractional CO2 laser facial rejuvenation and Intense Pulsed Light for treatment of adult acne, rosacea and dark spots to his practice.

Patients can reach Copeland Cosmetic Surgery by phone at 866-377-0288. Dr. Copeland recently moved his practice to a newly renovated, larger, and easier-to-find facility in mid-St. Charles County. His office is now located at #2 Richmond Center Court, St. Peters, Missouri, 63376. www.copelandcosmeticsurgery.com.

via Choosing a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Important for Safe, Beautiful Results.

“We never thought this would happen. We thought he was safe,” said Mrs. Rudie. “Brandon had deep cuts on the left side of his face – to the bone, his ear was severed, and his eye, mouth, and chest were badly injured. His plastic surgeon took tissue from his arm and back to repair his face. It took two months before we could bring Brandon home. Please don’t let your kids near lawn mowers, it’s just not safe.”

Unfortunately, 247,000 people were treated for lawn mower-related injuries last year, more than 18,000 of them children under age 19, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports. Lawn mower-related injuries have increased 7 percent since 2008.

With the summer mowing season approaching, the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM), American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) are working together to prevent injuries and educate adults and children about the importance of lawn mower safety.

“Lawn mower injuries are not only among the most devastating I’ve seen in over 20 years of practice, they are also the most preventable,” said ASRM President Peter Neligan, MD. “When a lawn mower injury happens to a child it is even more devastating because it is invariably due to the inattention of an adult. Don’t let your life or the life of your child be irrevocably changed by a moment of inattention.”

Many lawn mower-related injuries require a team of physicians from various specialties – plastic surgery, microsurgery, maxillofacial surgery, pediatrics, and orthopaedics – to properly repair them. Often, patients must endure painful reconstructive operations for months, sometimes years, to restore form and function.

“Lawn mower injuries often include deep cuts, loss of fingers and toes, limb amputations, broken and dislocated bones, burns, and eye injuries,” said ASPS President Michael McGuire, MD. “Most are caused by careless use and can be prevented by following a few simple safety tips.”

The ASRM, ASPS, ASMS, AAP and AAOS offer the following tips to help prevent lawn mower-related injuries:

“We are pleased to participate, along with other societies in the coalition, for lawn mower injury prevention,” said ASMS President Mimis Cohen, MD. “Children and adults alike present with such devastating injuries that sometimes result in permanent deformities. It is therefore our duty as treating surgeons to educate the public, since prevention is always the form best treatment. ”

Hear, firsthand, Mrs. Rudie and her son’s plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert Whitfield, discuss the life altering effects of lawn mower injuries by downloading their video blog.

The American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM) is an organization of more than 600 surgeons that perform microsurgery and other complex reconstructive surgeries. The ASRM is dedicated to promoting, encouraging and advancing the art and science of microsurgery and other complex reconstructions through education and research. www.microsurg.org

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 7,000 members, ASPS is a leading authority on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. ASPS Member Surgeons are certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. www.plasticsurgery.org

The American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons is the oldest organization representing maxillofacial plastic surgeons. The Society accomplishes its mission to advance the science and practice of surgery of the facial region and the craniofacial skeleton through excellence in education and research, and advocacy on behalf of patients and practitioners. www.maxface.org

But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting consumers about false and misleading claims being made about products used in lipodissolve, and about other misbranding of these products.

Recipients of lipodissolve get a series of drug injections intended to dissolve and permanently remove small pockets of fat from various parts of the body. The process is also known as injection lipolysis, lipozap, lipotherapy, and mesotherapy.

“We are concerned that these companies are misleading consumers,” says Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “It is important for anyone who is considering this voluntary procedure to understand that the products used to perform lipodissolve procedures are not approved by FDA for fat removal.”

The drugs most regularly used in the lipodissolve injection regimen are phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate (commonly called PC and DC, respectively). Other ingredients may also be used, including drugs or components of other products such as vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts.

What Consumers Should Know

FDA is alerting consumers that

• it has not evaluated or approved products for use in lipodissolve
• it is not aware of evidence supporting the effectiveness of the substances used in lipodissolve for fat elimination
• the safety of these substances, when used alone or in combination, is unknown
• it is not aware of clinical studies to support medical uses of lipodissolve

In addition, FDA has reports of unexpected side effects in people who’ve undergone the lipodissolve procedure. These side effects include

• permanent scarring
• skin deformation
• deep, painful knots under the skin in areas where the lipodissolve treatments were injected

FDA Actions

On April 7, 2010, FDA announced it had sent warning letters to six medical spas in the United States—and a cyber letter to a company in Brazil—for making false or misleading statements on their Web sites about drugs used in the procedure, or for otherwise misbranding lipodissolve products. (Cyber letters are letters sent to companies whose U.S. online sales of products may be illegal.)

The U.S. medical spas receiving warning letters make various unsupported claims about lipodissolve, such as assertions that the products used in lipodissolve

• are safe and effective
• have an outstanding safety record
• are superior to other fat-loss procedures, including liposuction

Additionally some of the letters indicate that the companies have made claims that lipodissolve can be used to treat certain medical conditions, such as male breast enlargement, benign fatty growths known as lipomas, excess fat deposits and surgical deformities.

The U.S. companies receiving warning letters in regard to lipodissolve products are

• Monarch Med Spa, King of Prussia, Pa.
• Spa 35, Boise, Idaho
• Medical Cosmetic Enhancements, Chevy Chase, Md.
• Innovative Directions in Health, Edina, Minn.
• PURE Med Spa, Boca Raton, Fla.
• All About You Med Spa, Madison, Ind.

FDA is requesting a written response from these U.S. companies within 15 business days of receipt of the letters stating how they will correct these violations and prevent similar violations in the future. These firms were told that failure to promptly correct the violations may result in legal action.

The Brazilian firm getting a warning letter markets lipodissolve products on two Web sites: zipmed.net and mesoone.com. FDA will notify regulatory authorities in Brazil of this action. The agency has issued an import alert against the zipmed.net and mesoone.com entities to prevent the importation and distribution of unapproved lipodissolve drug products into the United States. Importing and distributing unapproved drug products is a violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

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How to Report Side Effects

Consumers and health care professionals may report serious side effects with the use of lipodissolve products to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program either online, by regular mail, by fax, or by phone.

• online: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/medwatch-online.htm⁴
• by regular mail: Use postage-paid, pre-addressed FDA form 3500⁵
• by Fax: (800) FDA-0178
• by phone: (800) FDA-1088

This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Updates page⁶, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

Overview of the Hair Transplantation Process (Follicur Unit Micro-transplantation)

There is no doubt that hair loss for men and women can be devastating to your self-esteem and self-image. Despite the advent of some medical treatments such as Rogaine and Propecia, more and more patients are turning to more permanent solutions such as hair transplantation. Hair Transplantation procedures have been revolutionized by the introduction of the Follicular Unit Micro-Hair Transplantation procedure. By using a surgical microscope to separate each hair follicle, hair transplantation is not only permanent but it no longer has the appearance of plugs that gave hair transplantation a bad name in the 70s and 80s. This procedure is based on the following principles.

1. Hair loss is the result of the abnormal sensitivity of hair follicles to the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) after it is converted from testosterone
2. The hair follicles in the posterior scalp and the side of the head appear to be immune to the effects of DHT
3. Follicular unit hair transplantation uses this principle and the principle of Donor Site Dominance to move or transplant the hair from the back of the scalp to the areas of hair loss
4. About 2000 hair follicular units can be moved in each session. Depending on the degree of hair loss, some patients may benefit from 1 or more sessions.

Read full story via Aesthetica Plastic Surgery  News.

In a survey released today by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, 71 percent of  respondents think society is less judgmental about cosmetic surgery than it was just five years ago. Furthermore, about 62 percent said society’s attitude toward cosmetic surgery made them feel more comfortable about getting a procedure.

“This is a confirmation of what many of us have felt for a long time – that cosmetic surgery has become mainstream,” said Dr. Mark Berman, AACS President-Elect. “A variety of factors have contributed to the normalization of our industry, but the bottom line is that people are not afraid to talk openly about cosmetic surgery anymore.”

According to the survey, the most accepted invasive procedures are breast augmentation (42.4%), facelift (32.2%) and tummy tuck (32.1%). Among non-invasive procedures, the most accepted are laser hair removal (61.9%) and Botox (61.6%). Additionally, 52 percent of respondents said they would tell family about having invasive cosmetic
surgery.

About 20 percent said they would consider getting cosmetic surgery in the future, while about 22 percent were unsure if they would. Respondents under the age of 40 were nearly twice as likely to consider having a procedure in the future.

“It’s been a long road but thanks to the hard work of so many, cosmetic surgery is rightfully gaining acceptance in our society,” said Dr. Patrick McMenamin, AACS President. “We’ve reached a point where people are no longer quiet about having a cosmetic procedure and that is important to all of us.”