Author: Bilal Articles

No matter how certain females scoff at breasts enlargement surgery, it’s increasingly becoming the most popular plastic surgery performed in the United States today. Last year it was the most popular among all the cosmetic surgery procedures out there. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) statistics, 329,000 breast enlargement surgical procedures were performed in 2006. And as you guessed, the number has steadily increased each year since then.

Why do more women continue to get their breasts enlarged, you’d ask. Well, the answer is obvious – they want to look as good as the women they see in the covers of magazines, in movies, etc. I won’t say I blame such women because the men have shown that they prefer women with big, full and firmer looking breasts than women with flat breasts. It’s even evident that women with bigger, fuller and firmer breasts look better in clothes than women with flat breasts.

If you want to join the team of the bold women that have had breast enlargement surgery, you should ask and sufficiently answer the following questions:

The first question you should ask yourself is whether you can actually afford it right now or not. Yes, it can be pretty expensive, but many women don’t consider the cost because they end up getting the results they desired. To such women, the “end justifies the means”. You should take a good look at your finances to be sure you can afford the surgery without putting undue stress on yourself. There’s no use in spending all your life’s savings on it only to be filled with “buyers remorse” afterwards.

The second question to ask and answer is which is the best surgeon and best clinic to ensure a safe surgery. Even though it will be pretty expensive, it’s best to ensure you get the right surgeon and the right clinic for the procedure. While it has become relatively safe to have breast enlargement surgery done nowadays, there are still quacks out there who do a bad job, so you should ensure you stay clear of such quacks by only insisting on having the best surgeons attend to you.

The above questions are very important to ask and answer before contemplating a breast enlargement surgery. And of course you should learn as much as you can about the procedure. Also, come up with other questions that you want answers to and ask the surgeon before the female plastic surgeon.

Plastic surgeon Sydney Sites Struggle Despite Significant Benefits

By DAN MORSE

Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Compared with selling, say, sofas over the Internet, flogging plastic surgery online makes perfect sense.

After all, privacy is one of the few proven ways to make money on the Web. Just consider the options facing someone thinking about a face-lift:

One: Schlep down to the nearest surgeon, and ask a complete stranger to illustrate how you would look with upgraded parts.

Two: Stay home (or stay at the office). Log onto the Internet and download “morphing” software. Then, scan in a picture of yourself and point-and-click your way to a new you. The Web site will then direct you to a local physician.

The latter option renders shopping for plastic surgery less embarrassing. Only if you are pleased with what you would look like do you go talk to strangers — no doubt in a more confident state.

So why are so many plastic-surgery Web sites gasping for life?

There are lots of reasons. Some are specific to the companies’ bad decisions, and others are general to the malaise of all things dot-com. In the end, one or two major players will likely remain standing. So they are racing to amass online directories of as many of the nation’s 6,000 certified plastic surgeons as they can enroll. The sites typically charge doctors for the listings or charge consumers for the financing plans they manage.

Perhaps the most aggressive site is thatlook.com, based in Stroudsburg, Pa. Web site viewers are hit with this offer: “Cosmetic surgery for no money down and payments as low as $38 a week.” On either side of that pitch are two perfect models, male and female, whose images suggest recent visits to some rather skilled surgeons.

If only more people would see the site, laments Gerard Powell, chief executive of the company. “People don’t know about it,” says Mr. Powell, who candidly admits he has made some mistakes along the way. His company sponsored two Nascar races this year: the thatlook.com 300, a stock-car race, and the thatlook.com 200, a pickup-truck race. There weren’t many female viewers. And even if they were watching, the TV announcers didn’t spend much time explaining what thatlook.com actually does. For the company, the cost of the sponsorships was valued at $252,000, representing 2 1/2 months of the company’s advertising budget, yet the races only generated three new patients, Mr. Powell says. Mr. Powell’s Web site offers free software that consumers can download. That is what Melanie Solomon, a Missouri mother of two, did earlier this year. “I knew I wanted larger [breasts]. But I wasn’t exactly sure” what size, she says. So, sitting in her home with husband Christopher, she scanned in a topless picture of herself. Then she morphed her way to D-cup from B-cup. Ms. Solomon was able to keep the images securely on her own computer.

She got her surgery done at the Plastic Surgery Aesthetic Center outside Kansas City. There, patient counselor Carla Casey-Smith says the Internet-available morphing can help people get over the hump. “The worst part of the whole thing is coming in and talking to a doctor,” she says. She cautions that the software should explain to users that it is only a guide, and there are limitations to what can be done. That said, she asserts, if the sites were more widely used, plastic-surgery operations could “go through the ceiling.”

For now, though, thatlook.com needs financing — $2 million to $5 million for advertising in order to turn a profit, Mr. Powell says. He charges plastic surgeons $2,500 to $10,000 a month to have thatlook.com manage all their marketing efforts.

Point, Click, Nip, Tuck

A sampling of plastic-surgery Web sites and how they are doing.

Company/Status

thatlook.com/Shares trading at 25 cents

iEnhance.com/Expected loss this year: $2 million

eBody.com/Staff slashed, up for sale

Idealme.com/Shares of parent firm, Plastic Surgery Co.,

trading at $2.31

PersonalSurgeon.com/Just launched in October

Source: The companies

Others in the industry say Mr. Powell is charging plastic surgeons too much. “Physicians are cheap,” says Elliott Jenkins, iEnhance.com’s chief financial officer, of Salt Lake City. His company has linked with McGhan Medical Corp., a unit of Inamed Corp., which makes saline breast implants. If a doctor’s office pays $950 annually to iEnhance.com (www.ienhance.com) (which gets them a posting on the Internet), the doctor essentially gets reimbursed by McGhan Medical, according to both iEnhance and McGhan.

IEnhance.com expects to post a $2 million loss this year on revenue of $1.1 million to $1.3 million, Mr. Jenkins says. The company received $4 million in venture funding, of which $1.5 million remains, he adds. Mr. Jenkins says their “low-cost provider” concept will work, and he expects to turn a profit next year. IEnhance boasts 1,400 doctors on its site, which is far more than its competitors, he says.

Meantime, eBody.com, in Minneapolis, raised about $5 million in financing, but has fallen on tough times — shelving plans for an initial public offering and slashing staff. Dr. Scott Ross, the company’s founder, says with all the competition, “We’re all banging heads against each other.” Last week, Dr. Ross, who is still with eBody, stated that his company is forming “strategic partnerships” and added: “If the price is right, everything is for sale, and eBody is no exception.”

In addition to these sites, many doctor’s offices have posted their own Internet sites, albeit usually less snazzy. A Google.com search for “plastic surgery and financing” yielded 8,760 hits. And one more big player: The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, based in Arlington Heights, Ill., which runs an Internet-referral service . This site is relatively subdued and doesn’t offer any of the financing hooks.

By comparison, some of the private sites make some doctors squeamish — a factor working against the sites. There is even one in California, bidforsurgery.com, which follows an eBay model. In general, critics say that aggressive, online medical sites promote the cheapest doctors, not the most qualified. And this is surgery, after all.

Some of the Web sites have further hurt their reputation by steering consumers to certain doctors, says Brian Mullaney, who launched PersonalSurgeon.com two months ago in New York. At his own site, he says, “We don’t push any [certain] doctors.”

To attract doctors, he offers free online postings, but plans to start charging next year. To attract consumers, PersonalSurgeon.com has placed full-page ads in The New York Times. PersonalSurgeon.com offers consumers before-and-after morphing. Consumers send in a picture (either traditional pictures or electronic ones). The company produces a rendering of how the patient might look. Mr. Mullaney shrugs off the slowdown in the tech sector, saying it presents an opportunity to hire Web site designers and computer-savvy people: “It’s a buyer’s market for talent.”

The last decade has given birth to a new era of cosmetic surgery. The staggering advances in science and medicine have made it possible for folks to cosmetically alter any (and every) part of their body. Once considered to be a high risk practice, cosmetic surgery is now just about as safe and commonplace as a trip to the dentist.

Orange County female plastic surgeon Sydney expert, Dr. Michael Niccole, says that he has seen an ever increasing number of people going under the “cosmetic knife” over the last 9 years. Dr. Niccole’s observations are heavily substantiated by statistical data collected by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

Lets Talk Numbers

Spanning from 1997 to 2007, there has been a 457% increase in the total number of cosmetic alterations (Surgical & Non-Surgical).

According to ASAPS, in 2001 the total number of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic alterations was estimated at just below 8.5 million. In 2007, this number jumped to just above 11.7 million. That’s an increase of 3.2 million cosmetic alterations per year in only 6 years time.

In a May 2009 interview with Orange County plastic surgery practitioner, Dr. Michael Niccole, I gained a little insight as to how these stats correspond to his business.

“When I first became a Plastic Surgeon, business was slow and most people were skeptical of cosmetic surgery. The industry was still in its infancy. However, since 2000, my practice has become extremely prosperous. Over the last 9 years, people have seen the high success rates of cosmetic surgery, resulting in an increased level of interest, trust, and participation.”

Top 5 Non-Surgical Procedures

According to ASAPS Statistics, 9,622,000 non-surgical cosmetic procedures were performed in the United States in 2007. The top 5 non-surgical procedures for men and women are listed below:

Botox 2,775,176

Hyaluronic Acid 1,448,716

Laser Hair Removal 1,412,657

Microdermabrasion 829,658

Laser Skin Resurfacing 647,707

Top 5 Surgical Procedures

Each year, the number of surgical procedures performed increases; however, the total number of annual surgical procedures is always substantially less than the number of non-surgical. According to ASAPS Statistics, 2,079,032 surgical procedures were performed in 2007. The 2007 top 5 surgical procedures for men and women are listed below:

Liposuction 456,828

Breast Augmentation 399,440

Eyelid Surgery 240,763

Abdominoplasty 185,335

Female Breast Reduction 153,087

Continual Growth

In analyzing the available statistical data, there is no doubt in my mind that the cosmetic surgery industry will continue to grow exponentially.

“Plastic surgery has become an interwoven part of American society”, says Orange County plastic surgery expert, Dr. Niccole. He expects to see a continual increase in patients. Even with the economy in its current condition, the majority of plastic surgeons have not seen a dramatic decrease in business. In fact, most have continued to see an increase in referrals and new business.

With the latest FDA’s approval to allow the use of silicone gel breast implants, there is already an increased interest in having safe breast augmentation surgery. “I’ve built up my body but lost my breasts” is a statement heard by many a plastic surgeon from their physically active patients. Since fat supplies some of the volume of the breasts, as your body fat percentage decreases, so does the size and fullness of your breasts. Too many women feel that in order to be fit they have to compromise their femininity. However, silicone to the rescue! Breast implant surgery can be the answer to this problem but there are several questions that come to mind in regard to these implants, especially pertaining to training females who have had the female plastic surgeon Sydney.

Let’s examine these questions one by one.

How fragile are the implants with regard to training?

The silicone implant has many advantages over saline in training the athletic female. It both looks and feels more natural, especially when there is a thin amount of tissue covering the implant; as is the case with a female with a low body fat percentage. Silicone implants are also more durable that the saline filled implants. The saline implant consists of a thin shell of solid silicone material filled with saline. Saline, a salt water solution, doesn’t have the same viscosity or thickness. As a result, the saline in the implant will be affected by both gravity and muscle contraction as they exercise. The saline easily flows into a portion of the implant causing a slight collapse or rippling of the shell of the implant. These ripples create areas of weakness in the outer cover of the implant. Since a silicone implant doesn’t collapse, this is not a problem. Saline implants are prone to deflation even without the stress of exercise and should be routinely replaced every ten years. On the other hand, silicone implants may have to be replaced only once during the life of the implant.

How are these new implants different than the ones that previously caused concern?

The major concern with the previous silicone implants was possible leakage of the inner silicone gel if the outer shell of the implant was compromised. It was this leakage and spread of this gel that was considered the cause of the hardening, excessive internal scarring and possible more serious conditions.

The new implants are called cohesive gel or “gummy bear” implants. The new implants are designed with a gel that stays together even if the outer shell of the implant is damaged. As such, there isn’t the same reaction of the body, preventing the complications and avoiding the concerns of vigorous training the previous silicone implants.

Is it better to have the implants above or below the muscle?

While surgeons not familiar with exercise advise placing the implants above the muscle with a physically active female, it has always been my opinion, as well as that of other surgeons who operate on athletic women, to place the implant partially beneath the pectoralis muscle. As stated above, athletic women have a low body fat. If the implant is placed above the muscle, this thin covering will give a very unnatural look. You see the entire outline of the implant giving a glued on appearance. By placing the implant partially beneath the chest muscle, it creates a much more pleasing and natural appearance. Even strong women have pectoral muscle that will allow insertion of the implant and conform to it’s contours.

In addition, the implant acts as an insulator to heat. Woman with the implant between the skin and the muscle tend to always feel that their breasts are cold. If the implant is beneath the muscle, the circulation in the muscle keeps the skin of the breast warm.

One of the most common complications of breast implant surgery is called capsule formation or a firming of the breast. This occurs if the pocket around the implant starts to condense and squeeze or compress the implant. This occurs frequently in implants placed above the muscle. When the implant is sub-muscular, the action of the muscle during training massages the implant and tends to keep it soft.
While it is often been considered a problem when the implants are seen to shift during chest exercises, the reverse is actually the case. The breasts remain soft if the pocket containing the implant doesn’t narrow and contract around it. It is this movement of the implants during exercise that keeps the pocket expanded and the breast soft. The downside of going below the muscle is some initial increased pain and discomfort.

How soon after the surgery can exercise begin?

Low impact cardio can even start 1-2 weeks following the procedure. I wait to start resistance training until six to eight weeks passes. By this time, the implants should not shift and light chest exercises as well as other resistance training can begin. I start my clients with a super-slow routine to avoid early ballistic movement and allow the client to get the feel of the muscles in contact with the implant. The best rule of thumb is to progress slowly as things begin to feel more and more comfortable. After twelve weeks, there are no unusual restrictions.

Will I lose strength with implants under the muscle?

Even under the muscle, this does not pose a problem. While there may be an initial adjustment of the muscles to the implants, strength returns to normal quickly. Several studies report return of bench press strength within 12 weeks after the surgery. After this gains are the same as if you never had the surgery.

Now that safer implants are available, athletic women can again benefit from breast implant surgery. However your client should consult with a surgeon experienced in operating on athletic women. The surgery is a bit different when dealing with strong pectoral muscles.

best plastic surgeon Sydney

Plastic surgery involves surgical reconstruction of different areas of the body. You may be interested in plastic surgery due to birth defects, disease, burns or for other and more personal cosmetic reasons. A plastic surgeon is a well-defined surgical specialist. The best in the field have completed up to 11 years of combined educational requirements, residency requirements, internship and approved residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery, plus an additional 2 years in actual practice before being board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons, the Gold standard in the plastic surgery field. This is the public’s assurance that they are dealing with one of the best plastic surgeons available.

Plastic surgery can help improve the way you look and enhance your original features. Whether you are looking to have plastic surgery because of birth defects or for personal reasons, the results can boost your self confidence, build your self esteem and provide you with an entirely different outlook on life. There are many options that can improve your life and correct disfigurements or enhance your appearance. Some of the more commonly popular plastic surgery procedures are Breast Augmentation, Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck), Liposuction for Body Lifts, Arm Lifts, etc., facial surgeries such as Face Lifts and Rhinoplasty, as well as nonsurgical procedures like Botox injections.

Additionally some of the newer technologies are allowing us to do intricate female surgeries such as correcting vaginal relaxation using Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation procedures. This was typically a surgery only available through conventional methods until recently. By utilizing laser technology and laser surgical techniques, a plastic surgeon trained and certified in these techniques can eliminate the risks inherent with invasive conventional surgical methods, meaning less blood loss as lasers are self-cauterizing, less risk of infection and complications, virtually no hospital time and much quicker recovery times.

Choosing A Plastic or Cosmetic Surgeon

Here are some questions to help you choose a high quality plastic or cosmetic surgeon.

1. Are you Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons?

This should be the very first question you ask. There is much public confusion about certification and there are many different certifications available, for instance, state certification. However, to ensure you are getting the highest qualified plastic surgeon available, certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons is the designation you are seeking. They are the only board for instance, that can certify in both plastic and reconstructive surgery.

2. Find out who will be assisting your plastic surgeon during your procedure:

There are many people needed as a support team for your surgery to go smoothly and limit the chances of any complications. Typically, your support team will include trained nursing staff, an anesthesiologist, recovery room nursing staff, and any other technicians or support needed for your particular procedure. Find out what and who they are and their qualifications.

3. Where will my surgery be performed?

While some plastic surgery procedures may be performed in the cosmetic surgeon’s office, most require hospitalization or a surgical care center. Be sure and ask about the facilities where you will be having surgery and if those facilities are accredited or certified by the appropriate agencies.

4. What are the potential risks or side effects of my plastic surgery procedure?

Every surgery carries the potential of risk, for instance excessive blood loss, infection, or other complications that may be unforeseen or that can occur. Though very rare with modern day plastic surgery techniques, they can occur, and when they happen it can mean you require additional surgery that will place an added financial risk or burden on you. Find out what these risks are. Dr. Vu, for instance, is the only Portland plastic surgeon that has been approved by CosmetAssure. CosmetAssure is basically complications insurance, and provides Dr. Vu’s patients with an additional layer of financial protection should that rare complication occur. A cosmetic surgeon approved for CosmetAssure carries the highest credentials, a spotless surgical record and possesses the highest surgical skills.

5. How long is the Recovery Time for my procedure?

Find out, every procedure varies, but knowing ahead of time will help you plan for time off work or arrange for any additional home service help you may need.

7. What type of Anesthesia should you choose?

Anesthesia is always one of the larger risks of any type of surgery and there are basically 3 types. A local anesthesia which is very low risk and primarily only used during low risk, low invasive office procedures, an IV sedation, referred to as “twilight sleep” and general anesthesia. The choice is typically left up to the patient for the latter 2, but you need to know the risks associated with each, and the cosmetic surgeon can make a recommendation to you depending upon any additional personal risks you have, such as smoking, medications you’re currently taking, etc. Be sure and cover this topic thoroughly.

8. What do past patients have to say about this particular plastic surgeon?

The fastest way to know about a plastic surgeon is by reputation, and the thing that builds (or ruins) a plastic surgeon’s reputation faster than anything is the testimonials or recommendations from existing patients. Your cosmetic surgeon should either have a good sampling of testimonials on their website, or be able to show them to you if you ask. If the plastic surgeon you are contemplating using hasn’t received cards and letters of thanks, odds are you won’t be sending them one either. If at all possible, find out if prior patients are happy with their surgery results, as well as the personality of the attending plastic surgeon themselves.

When selecting a plastic surgeon for your body enhancements as a woman, do you seek out a female doctor rather than turning to a man? Some do and there could be a good reason for doing just that. There is no doubt that having any type of work done will require an intimate exposure of your body to your doctor. That’s not the concern at all. Rather, it is in the understanding of what you want and desire that, for some people, makes visiting a female a better option. Before you have a procedure or make another appointment, consider what this means.

Does a Woman-to-Woman Connection Matter?

When you turn to a female plastic surgeon as a woman who wants to make changes to her body, it can pay off. Some doctors and patients believe that having that feminine perspective really does make a difference. You may have your own views and desires for what your body needs to look like and how it needs to change to achieve your desires, but ultimately you need the doctor to be able to understand those needs. It can be hard, some say, for male doctors to understand what a woman really desires in her body. That’s a big deal.

Understanding the Impact

One of the reasons to turn to this type of doctor may be because of the impact that any type of procedure like this can have on your future. Even a small mistake can be crushing to a woman who wants her body to look perfect. The problem is that many women associate the way they look with their qualities. If they have problem areas, scarring or even more drastic problems, it is often very damaging to the self-image. As a result, it is often necessary to look for a doctor who will ensure there a lot of attention put into getting the details right.

female plastic surgeon Sydney Is a Personal Decision

Ultimately, only you can determine which provider is right for your needs. Sometimes, you may prefer the skills of a male doctor over those of a female. It is a good idea to make a decision like this since you want the outcome to be the best it can be for you. However, you also want to keep in mind that you need to feel comfortable with the doctor you select.

Is a female plastic surgeon best for you? To find out, you may need to turn to a few providers and ask questions. Have consultations with more than one provider. Ask questions to help you to determine who is a better fit for your needs. Choose the one you feel most understands your needs and desires.