Many ask for smart lipo. I think it is a great name for a procedure. You almost believe that this lipo is Sooo smart that it knows where the fat is and will get rid of it completely through some unbelievable new laser technology. Like a car without a rider as this car does not need one as it is smart enough to drive itself. There was a TV show like that once. Here is my take on it. The people who are selling this machine figured it out that if they make the public believe that this is the best thing since chicken soup, people will want it and doctors will buy it to satisfy the demand. Sooo the marketing is great and people want it and doctors buy it. SMART LIPO indeed. Smart lipo is a long procedure and one can only accomplish limited areas.  The patient gets injected with a local anesthetic in the skin and then local anesthetic is injected into the area to be suctioned. Then a laser probe is inserted and it heats up. There are dials and whisles to alert the doctor if too much heat is generated as that may cause a burn. If too little is generated then nothing happens. Different heat values are needed in different depths of the fat. That heat melts the fat around it like a fat is melted on a skillet. Then you get a regular liposuction in that area to remove the melted fat.  One must go to a very experienced doctor as the laser use adds an element of risk. We do not want to burn any nerves or important structures with this laser. Only limited areas can be done and if you have extensive areas to do you may need to have multiple visits. Same results can be accomplished with regular liposuction or a liposuction with ultrasound. With the regular lipo you can do more areas take out more fat with less risk. However, the doctor must work harder to remove the fat which has not been melted first with this laser.The smart lipo is said to make the skin shrink after lipo. Skin shrinks after any lipo but the extent depends on the skin texture itself.  Well, I am not impressed but if you like the idea then make sure you have a good doctor. Frankly I am waiting to have a blue tooth machine that all I need to do is just pass the wand next to the fat and have it transfered to the garbage can by the blue tooth technology. Then we will definitely have smart lipo.

Often patients come for consultations for cosmetic elective procedures and say “I cannot believe I am here. I wonder what would my mother say about that.” These are not young women, some are about 60 years old!!!!!! We as women are greatly influenced by our mother’s opinions whether we like it or not. Some women feel guilty because mom said get old gracefully. Sometimes our mothers frowned on cosmetic improvement and called it vanity. Sometimes mothers remember the horrors of anesthesia problems from years gone by-I call it the ether years. Mother’s influence is forever present and we must analyze it and feel comfortable with doing something that mother would not “approve of”. We as mothers must also be careful not to schackle our own daughters in the vanity prison.  Nonetheless, we must feel sure that we stand on our own two feet and that we are absoutely OK with our decisions before we go forward.  So, mom, do not worry, I am just going for a bit of maintenance work, and to fix some spare parts.

The aging of our skin and facial structures is most noticed when one looks at a mother and her daughter. The fullness under the brows which represents youth is gone. The fat in that area becomes atrophic. The area of the upper lip becomes thinner and the upper lip looks like a hanging washed out curtain. The fullness of the lips changes, as the lips become thinner and loose that wonderful roll at the border with the skin. The cheeks become more drawn and the skin of the neck becomes wrinkled in need of ironing. Our complexion becomes muddier and our nose becomes pointier and longer looking. The eyelids get folds which cover our eyelasher and the lower eyelids make us look like we never sleep. To regain some of that younger look, one needs fillers to replace some of the plumpness (baby fat look). Some people use fat injections and some use fillers and some use more permanent implants like alloderm. The fillers help with the lip borders so lipstic does not run into the small wrinkles and with the nasolabial folds which become much more deep. They help to restore cheek prominence and upper brow fullness. We use Botox to iron our skin, especially in the glabella above our nose. We can use it to iron the wrinkles around the lower lids, and corners of our mouth. We use it at the bottom of our columella to raise the nasal tip. Platysma neck bands also can be injected making for a much more youthfull neck. We use fraxel and good skin care to improve complexion and tighten skin. We can make ourselves much better looking with simple procedures. Look at the video on the website about the fillers and how it transformed one of our patients without major surgery. We will be delighted to examine you and see what will help.

To look like this at 43yo you must take good care of your body. Good nutrition, exercise and great skin care is of utmost importance. Of course at times Plastic Surgery must be done to achieve such a wonderful body. Not everyone is lucky to have that metabolism or that physique. However, for those who have hefty hips and thighs and would like that leaner look, liposuction is an option. Those who would like to have shapely and sexy breasts there are procedures that can accomplish that too.  Breast implants increase size, breast lift allows the breasts to look perky and if one is over endowed a breast reduction will lift and downsize to a more attractive and proportional size. Those that have children and are unable to reduce their tummy skin or tighten their tummy muscles even with vigorous physical activity, help is also available. A tummytuck can reduce skin and/or tighten muscle to create a sixpack. Liposuction alone can reduce fat from the abdominal area if the skin and muscle are in good shape. The mons pubis can be lifted through a small suprapubic incision and that may improve sex life as well. The neck and face and eyes are youthful till about 40 when depending on your skin, bone structure, weight fluctuations and genetics jowls begin to form as well as folds and bags around the eyes. Eyelidplasty and a facelift are great options for those who feel that they look older than they feel. Of course rhinoplasty enhances the shape of a nose and otoplasty makes your ears sexy and sensuous. These are just suggestions for some of the surgical procedures. However, options which are not surgical are also available and popular. Fraxel and other laser treatments tighten the skin and get rid of skin blemishes and irregularities. Dermabrasions, microdermabrasions and chemical peels are helpful. Great skin care regimen is the mainstay of great complexion. In our office I leave that to Anita our Nurse Practicioner who is a genius when it comes to skin treatments and cosmetic enhancements with the right stuff. Fillers are great in combination of various small implants like chin and cheek implants or alloderm to nasolabial folds. Do not forget botox however, the greatest thing for frown lines and other furrows created by muscle movements. Injected in right quantities in the right spots makes you younger looking and fresh. Too bad it does not last forever, but then neither do we. Even though not suggested in the picture, ladies -do not forget vaginal and labial surgery for those who feel loose and droopy. Help is simple, effective and it works. Libidos arise! So if you are interested in looking good, call us for a consultation and tell us what it is that you would like, what your budget is and we can then taylor treatment to achieving what you would like improve and what you would like to have.

Not so long ago we used to buy these false eyelashes and paste them on our own short insignificant ones. Sometimes they twisted or half fell off and we were all mortified. If you cried then your tears and false eyelashes slid right down your cheeks. It was like loosing one’s toupee. Well today we can just apply drops on our lids and whallaa!!!!your eyelashes grow naturally and turn you into a very sexy eye batting femme fatale. Remember Twiggy? well she would flip over these. The product is called Latisse and it is fabulous. So stop by and get some or see pictures or watch our own eyelashes grow as we speak.  So Barbie doll move over -here comes the real thing.

reason having long eyelashes

Recently gastric banding has become the procedure of choice for managing extreme weight loss. Bypass surgery is still done but less frequently. The weight loss that results also leads to extreme redundancy of skin which just hangs in folds. Many must now address this condition. Skin folds besides being unattractive also lead to rashes and discomfort. One cannot fit into clothes properly and wearing a bathing suit may be embarrasing. So one needs to look for a qualified plastic surgeon to do total body skin reduction. This, if involves lots of areas,  should be done in a hospital as the procedure is long and people after extreme weight loss may be more susceptible to certain complications.  They must be monitored properly postop. If one does it region by region, it could be managed in an office setting. For example, breast reduction and or lift. facelift and eyelidplasty, panniculectomy etc. After the skin envelope is reduced the results are great and the patient can then pursue a very normal life. Clothes will fit well and exercise becomes easier. Dermatologic conditions improve as does self confidence.  So if one is interested in that procedure would love to see him/her in our office and explain the procedures and alternatives.

When stocks go down many people loose their jobs and must hit the pavement looking for new opportunities. The competition for the few new jobs that are available becomes steeper. One not only must have a great resume, great enthusiasm, the willingness to work hard, honesty and competence, one must also present well. Some of the frown lines must be ironed out with Botox, and some of the deep nasolabial folds should be filled with some juviderm, restalyne or fat. Perhaps the complexion could be improved with a fraxel treatment or a good microdermabrasion. Age spots, and pigment unevenness can also be removed by fraxel or a good skin regimen. Of course if one has more time for recovery and also can afford it plastic surgery could take care of heavy eyelids, drooping jowls, too large and saggy breasts, and too large thighs. To look your best, one must find the best treatments that work for that person. Of course, hair treatments and a good cut as well as a well fitting suit or dress is also very helpful. It may not need to be very expensive, just appropriate and good fitting. So stop by our office for a consultation and help in making you the best looking candidate for any job at this difficult time.