Average Plastic Surgery Costs – How Much Beauty Costs

When considering elective cosmetic or plastic surgery is: What will it cost? How do you know if the surgeon you are consulting is charging too much or too little? Price varies from surgeon to surgeon, depending on the details of the procedure, the region of the country, and patient’s general health. What follows are some typical costs for the most popular procedures.

The five most popular cosmetic surgeries for women in 2007 according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery are: breast augmentation, lipoplasty, eyelid surgery, abdominoplasty and breast reduction.

In 2007 cosmetic surgeons performed nearly 400,000 breast augmentation surgeries. Typically the patient chooses between silicone implants and saline implants. Silcone implants averaged between $3813 and $4087. Read the rest of this entry »

Liposuction Procedure

Liposuction is the only proven safe, effective method for the permanent removal of localized areas of fat. Part of what makes liposuction the most commonly requested procedure among both sexes is in its simplicity to achieve the refinement, with little downtime for areas of fat that do not respond to the traditional weight loss methods. The ideal candidate is one who has an interest in being fit, slim and within 15 pounds or so of goal weight. Liposuction may be performed on most any area of the body, including: the face area, the neck area, the abdomen area, the waist area, the back area and the arms and legs.

Tumescent liposculpture is probably the most preferred and safest technique of liposuction. The advantages to the tumescent liposculpture approach when compared to the traditional approach are: 1) diminished post op pain 2) less blood loss, 3) swelling and 4) ecchimosis (black and blue marks).

The power assisted liposuction (which is also known as pal) is the preferred instrumentation because it shortens the surgery duration and increases the volume that can be safely extracted in one session. For small amounts of fat, the syringe method is well suited and quite precise.

The decision for the proper approach to surgery involves an evaluation of the patient’s age and health. Patients with medical conditions such as anemia, diabetes, and hypertension require medical clearance before the procedure can be performed. Read the rest of this entry »

Cosmetic Surgery Tummy Tuck – Free and Low Cost Alternatives For a Flatter Stomach Fast!

If you are considering cosmetic surgery (tummy tuck), then you may want to read this article for some free and low cost alternatives that will give you a flatter stomach fast. Not only is what I’m about to share with you safer, but it’ll save you thousands of dollars also.

Cosmetic surgery – tummy tuck alternatives

1. To reduce stomach fat, you need a cardio exercise

For that, I highly recommend that you do mini-trampoline jumping. First, the cost for a mini-trampoline is cheap… about $25. Compared to the price of a monthly gym membership, it’s a great investment.

Jumping on a mini-trampoline is a great total body exercise. If you want to burn off fat, be sure to spend most of your time doing full body exercises. Another thing that makes the mini-trampoline ideal for getting rid of your belly fat, it’s convenient. You can put it in your living room and every time you walk by it you’re reminded to jump on it.

Now, I left something out.

The best way to make this work for you, especially if you’re really busy, is to jump on it 1-2 minutes at a time… multiple times each day. Do that enough so that you get in A MINIMUM of 20 minutes a day. My secret tip for doing this… jumping on the trampoline during TV commercials. Read the rest of this entry »

All About Oily Skin Care

When you have oily skin, common sense will nudge you to find out what causes it. Here are some facts about oily skin.

Excessive production by the skin of an oily substance called sebum causes oily skin. Too much oil makes your skin susceptible to complications which can be bad. In the same way, too little oil makes your skin dry, which is also bad. Excessive oil clogs the skin pores. It leads to build up of dead cells that risk bacterial infection and give rise to pimples or acne.

Care for oily skin basically aims to check the excess of sebum or oil from the skin. Skin care products for oily skin are therefore effective if they succeed in getting rid of the excess oil only, and not all of the oil in your skin.

Oily skin care starts with cleansing. For best results, cleansers must contain beta-hydroxy acid or salicylic acid to slow down the pace of sebum turn-out. You need to do cleansing once or twice daily. You need more cleansing under hot and humid weather because sebum secretion increases under those conditions. Read the rest of this entry »

How Does Electrolysis Work?

To understand how electrolysis works, it is important to know what it is that electrolysis does. Electrolysis isn’t a surface removal technique like shaving. How electrolysis procedure does its work is by destroying the roots of unwanted hairs with an electric current. The end result is that the unwanted hairs don’t grow back.

There are a number of different methods for electrolysis for permanent hair removal, and each one functions in a different manner. The best way to understand how electrolysis does its work is to become aware of how the different types of electrolysis work. Three of the most common types of electrolysis are the Galvanic, thermolysis, and blend methods.

How Does Galvanic Electrolysis Work?

Galvanic electrolysis involves sending a DC current of electricity directly to the root of an unwanted hair via a needle that is inserted into the follicle of the affected hair. As the DC current travels through the follicle, a chemical reaction occurs. This chemical reaction produces sodium hydroxide, which destroys the hair follicle itself.

How Does Thermolysis Electrolysis Work? Read the rest of this entry »

Am I Ready for Plastic Surgery?

/>I frequently get asked by some patients if I think they are ready for a certain plastic surgery procedure. My initial answer is almost always…if you think you are…then you are ready.

However, a simple yes to that question is based more than just on the physical issues at hand and patient also need to think about other considerations as well before having any plastic surgery procedure. While many have written about surgery preparedness, I would consider the following the ‘big’ three’ which, in my mind and experience, are the most significant.

First, do some background research on the desired procedures as well as on your doctor(s). The internet may be full of inaccurate and misleading information, but it is also chocked full of a lot of good information about everything in plastic surgery. Become a good student again, do your homework, and be prepared to ask your plastic surgeon good questions. In the relatively limited time that you meet with your plastic surgeon, you can’t expect to learn everything.Your plastic surgeon has these conversations all day long, you will have far fewer of them. Take charge of your knowledge and education.

Secondly, can you really afford to have the plastic surgery procedures? I have to realize that most economic decisions in life are based on want and not need. It is not my job, nor am I capable, of assessing whether this is the best way for you to spend your money. Read the rest of this entry »

Facelift In 60 Minutes Or Less – A Look At Thermage And Other Facial Treatments

However, just because Thermage has a marketing bonanza behind it, does that make the best for your skin? Thermage does offer great results, but other non-surgical treatments such as Titan™, Fraxel®, or IPL Photofacial have also been found to be effective. In the end, you might find that there’s no clear winner between Thermage, Titan, Fraxel, or Photofacial.

Why Thermage has Become so Popular

Thermage is really picking up press mainly because it’s so different. Thermage, Fraxel, and IPL are all light-based treatments, whereas Thermage uses radio frequencies. New technologies always get the media hype. Thermage’s debut has definitely made the skincare world abuzz with laser clinics, medical spas, and dermatologists all signing up. However, Thermage treatments and laser treatments basically do the same thing: increase collagen productions. Instead of light energy, however, Thermage uses radio frequencies to accomplish the same thing. Thermage is also FDA approved for skin tightening which adds to its allure. Titan, whose treatments are very similar, is not FDA approved for skin tightening, but instead approved for muscle relief.

Thermage vs. Titan

Titan is really the closest treatment to Thermage in terms of what it can actually provide. Titan uses infrared light to tighten skin around the face. In regards to technical power, Thermage has Titan beaten hands down. Thermage’s radio frequencies are more powerful, require fewer treatments, and simulate collagen production for a longer period of time. Titan, however, can provide a little more control. One complaint with Thermage is that it can sometimes cause dimpling. Titan laser treatments have a more even dispersal of energy.

Other Lunch Hour Facelifts? Read the rest of this entry »

A Guide to Bad Credit Cosmetic Surgery Loans

Looks are becoming increasingly important by the day – everyone wants to look the best, have the best face value and studies suggest that even the confidence levels of people are affected by their own self image. With the advent of newer technologies each day, it has become both easy and possible to look the best one can and should with a minor operation or some continued medication.

The flip side is that cosmetic surgery rates have also risen in the last few years. Doctors have looked at this area with a growing interest and today there are experts who can make you look your best but would also like to charge a fortune. Bad credits must be the last thing that might stop you from availing a loan. Exactly for this set of people, there are many lending institutions which offer a bad credit cosmetic surgery loan.

With the growing number of people going for such a cosmetic surgery, the doctors worldwide have started to adapt the concept of a global fee. This is a cumulative fee which in one package includes all costs related to the cosmetic surgery – the surgery itself, hospitalization costs, post operative medication and all related purchases to be made. This, while it eases the pain of the doctors to calculate and account for multiple costs at various times which adds to the confusion; it also allows the person about to undergo the surgery to be aware of all costs upfront so that one can make an informed decision.

Bad credit can be due to numerous reasons and it is no sin to be in bad credit. It may be caused by slipping on some payments, overdue of a credit bill or an inability to return a loan. Due to such errors which are mostly unfortunate and temporary in nature, the credit score of an individual slips and loans start coming to him at higher rates. People should understand that though it is unfortunate to be under a bad credit, it is not a crime and loans today are easy to find even if you are in a bad credit. Secured loans cost less than unsecured loans but both are easily available.

Bad credit cosmetic surgery loans are available up to amounts of £25,000 or slightly more. These are available for various periods, though normally it is taken for periods between 2-5 years. With a good credit record, these loans are available for rates as low as 10% but even when in bad credit, it is possible to choose and bargain for a loan with rates as low as 14%. Read the rest of this entry »

Botox Or Restylane – Which Dermal Injectable Is Best For You?

A lot of people compare BOTOX to Restylane, but this is really a big mistake. Comparing BOTOX and Restylane is just like comparing apples to oranges. Apples and oranges are edible fruits and that’s just about where the similarities end. Likewise Restylane and BOTOX Cosmetic are both dermal injectables that can help alleviate wrinkles, but that’s all they have in common. How they work and reasons why you would want to use one over the other are completely different. BOTOX Cosmetic immobilizes facial muscles and downsizes wrinkles, while Restylane fills in fine lines and smoothes out creases. Better comparisons might be between other dermal fillers like Restylane vs. CosmoPlast™ or Restylane vs. Radiesse®, as dermal fillers have far more similarities. A better way to think of it might be BOTOX Cosmetic vs. dermal fillers, in the end which one is really best at getting rid of wrinkles?

Botox Cosmetic Eliminates Wrinkles but can do so Much More

BOTOX is the fastest growing wrinkle treatment in the world. From toxic roots, BOTOX injections have become as commonplace as going to the dentist. To learn about whether or not BOTOX Cosmetic is for you, you should really little bit about BOTOX itself. BOTOX is a protein derived from the botulism toxin, Clostridium botulinum. Very scientific, but it doesn’t tell us much about it. BOTOX weakens the muscles that cause facial wrinkling, and these fine lines essentially become invisible in less than a week. BOTOX Cosmetic is great for laugh lines, crow’s feet, and forehead creases. What BOTOX can do that dermal fillers can’t is treat hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis, for those of you not in the know, is excessive perspiration or, in other words, sweat. A shot of BOTOX in your under arms can make even the most hectic day cool, calm, and dry, and keep your new cute outfit looking just that. There’s no such thing as a cute stain.

Restylane vs. Juvederm vs. Collagen vs. Radiesse: the Dermal Fillers Duke it Out

Dermal fillers have a few different options as to what they’re composed of, but all dermal fillers mainly do the same things: fill fine lines, add facial curves, and plump lips. I use Restylane as an example because it’s really the hottest flavor of the month. Restylane, Juvederm, and Perlane are all clear gels made from a synthetic hyaluronic acid, a substance that naturally occurs in healthy skin. Since hyaluronic acid is found in the body, Restylane has less of chance of causing an allergic reaction unlike bovine derived Collagen (that’s cows, people). However, this is becoming less of an issue because of the development of human collagen based fillers like CosmoPlast™ and CosmoDerm™. Read the rest of this entry »

How Do Chemical Peels Work?

There are many types of chemical peel, some mild and some that work more deeply into the skin. To understand how what makes them effective, it’s necessary to understand a bit about our skin structure.

Skin layers

Our skin has two layers with a third layer directly below. The top two layers each have several sub-layers.

1. The top layer, the epidermis. This layer has pigment cells that define our skin color. It is continually discarding old skin cells and accepting new ones that rise from deeper down. Lotions and creams add moisture to this layer, which helps to keep our skin soft and supple. Some lotions and creams contain ingredients like collagen or elastin, two substances which do help skin to stay youthful, but not when applied to the epidermis in a lotion. The collagen and elastin are found in the next layer down, and cannot penetrate to that layer when applied to the epidermis.

2. The middle layer, the dermis. Here the skin is supported by a collagen-and-elastin framework, or matrix. As we age, the body produces less of these substances, making that support matrix weaker and leading to wrinkle formation. There are facial fillers such as Restylane, Sculptra and Radiesse which can be injected into the dermis to reinforce the skin’s support. Also in the dermis are other structures such as nerves, blood vessels and hair follicles.

3. The lower layer, the subcutaneous layer, meaning “below the skin”. It stores fat which helps keep our skin smooth and helps to insulate us.

Chemical peels work by removing the epidermis to a greater or lesser depth, depending on the strength of the peel. This stimulates the dermis to produce new replacement cells. Peels are usually done in a series because repetition of the peel “teaches” the dermis to create tighter cells, giving the skin a tighter, smoother look. The new cells replace old damaged cells which may have been giving you irregularities of texture or color.

Mild chemical peels

• The mildest chemical peels can be bought in stores, and may have slight temporary results.

• Stronger peels that are still considered “mild”, such as glycolic peels, can be done at non-medical salons and spas.

• A cosmetic surgeon can give you a stronger peel yet, though it can still be relatively “mild”, such as TCA peels. It requires no anesthetic. It helps with age spots and other minor blemishes, but not with wrinkles.

Stronger chemical peels

Stronger peels penetrate more deeply, even into the dermis. An example is a Phenol-Croton oil peel. They require an anesthetic and longer healing time. What makes them more effective is that they give injury to the dermis, which causes it to refresh and realign the collagen and elastin fibers of the support matrix. New collagen regenerates the skin. Read the rest of this entry »