Health

Checking For Qualifications of Your Cosmetic Surgeon

March 16, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

One of the things that is recommended to make sure that you do not fall victim to a cosmetic surgery nightmare is to make sure that you check out any cosmetic surgeon or doctor that you will have perform surgery on you. There are many places that you can check for complaints that might be lodged against the doctors that you are going to use. Here is a look at the places that you can check for complaints against your doctors.

American Board of Plastic Surgeons. You can check to make sure that your doctor is in good standing with the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. This is the board that oversees all plastic surgeons. Any doctors that have excessive complaints will have their license pulled and not come up in good standing.

State Medical Board. The State Medical Board will allow you to see what type of qualifications your doctor has. This will allow you to see if he is properly trained in the areas that he claims he is. It will also show you if there are any recent complaints against your doctor and if there was any action as a result of the complaint.

Hospital Privileges. Although most cosmetic surgeries happen out of hospitals, a good cosmetic surgeon will have hospital privileges as a local hospital. Check to make sure that they have these privileges as it will be helpful should something go wrong during your surgery. Hospital privileges will also show that they are certified and have all the proper qualifications for the type of surgery that they will be performing.

Interesting Facts About Cosmetic Surgery

March 9, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Cosmetic surgery has been around in United States since the early 19th century. It started originally as a way to help soldiers who were fighting in World War II. However, in 1931 cosmetic surgeons started popping up all over America as a way to help change the appearance of those who were unhappy with their own appearance. Here is a quick look at some of the facts about cosmetic surgery.

Fact one. There are no requirements for surgeons to perform plastic surgery. Any certified surgeon can perform plastic surgery. This is why cosmetic surgery patients need to check the qualifications of their doctor carefully as anyone can perform plastic surgery.

Fact two. There is a specific demographic of people who prefer to have cosmetic surgery. These people generally have an income that ranges from $35,000-$100,000. the majority of people who are receiving cosmetic surgery are usually women between the ages of 35 and 55. Women also preferred to have breast augmentations and facelifts. However, men are starting to turn to cosmetic surgery. In the past year the amount of men who have had cosmetic surgery has increased 20%. Common cosmetic procedures for men include chin implants and rhinoplasty. However more and more men are starting to use Botox and other cosmetic procedures that were once thought of as only procedures for women.

Fact three. There are over 11.7 million cosmetic surgeries performed every year in the United States. Of those surgeries 3 million were Botox treatments. However, breast augmentation and facelifts were also common procedures.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Health Tagged With: Plastic surgery, Surgery, United States

Common Problems Associated With Botox Injections

March 7, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Botox injections are a popular form of cosmetic surgery. It is estimated that over 3 million people use some type of Botox injection. Botox injections are used to reduce the signs of aging by smoothing out wrinkles that are present on the face. However, as with any type of cosmetic surgery there are complications that can arise from the use of Botox injections. Here’s a look at some of the complications that happen as a result of Botox injections.

Soreness and Swelling. The most common problem from Botox injections is the use of soreness, bruising and swelling. These usually happen at the site of the injection. The effects of soreness and swelling usually last a few days.

Rashes And Itching. Occasionally a rash may form where the injection was placed. This is often caused by an allergic reaction to the local anesthetic or the type of Botox used.

Upper Respiratory Infections. Although uncommon many people who received Botox injections often report that they may have upper respiratory infections. These usually appear as flulike symptoms and rarely are very serious.

The Droopy Eyelid Effect. Some Botox users have reported having eyelids that droop. This is usually an effect of the Botox injection going to close to the nerve of the eye. As a result the eyelid will droop and the eyebrows will temporarily appear paralyzed. This lasts for a week to 10 days.

Dry Mouth. There may be difficulty swallowing or a severe dryness of the mouth. This often happens right after the Botox injection. Dry mouth can be temporary and relieved their prescription medication or drinking water to stay hydrated.

Severe Allergic Reaction. Many people may experience an allergic reaction to the Botox injection. Most allergic reactions are not severe and only result in swelling or hives. However, some allergic reactions can be severe and result in difficulty breathing and excessive wheezing. Severe allergic reactions are rare.

Filed Under: Health, Medicine Tagged With: Botulinum toxin, Injection (medicine), Medicine

Botox: What You Need to Know

January 15, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Everyone has heard all the rage about Botox. These injections are the most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States and have been leading the pack for several years. As a relatively inexpensive (compared to other cosmetic procedures) and instantly gratifying results, it’s no wonder.

Botox is actually Botulinum Toxin Type A. It’s an extremely neurotoxin protein that is more popularly known as Botox or Dysport. When injected, they paralyze targeted muscles to alleviate wrinkles. Dysport is a relatively new alternative to Botox. The FDA approved it in 2009 and studies have shown Dysport may last longer—six months to a year compared to Botox’s three months.

Botox is used to eradicate moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows, crow’s feet, and bands around the neck. It is injected with a fine needle several times in each muscle and the procedure takes about 30 minutes. Minimal pain and discomfort is associated with the injections.

While the effects of a Botox injection will wear off in a few months, the results are almost immediately. Usually you will see results in less than a week.

Risks associated with Botox or Dysport injections include bruising, headache, nausea, flu-like symptoms, redness or numbness at the injection side, muscle weakness, limited facial movement, and pain. There is also the rare change that the toxin will spread beyond the injection site, resulting in a potentially-life threatening complication. This is a neurotoxin, after all.

Protect yourself by researching all your options and make an informed decision. Choose a highly qualified physician and go over any pre-existing medical conditions.

Botox injections generally cost between $175 and $500 for one area and go up if you want more than one area treated. Typically the price is $10 to $15 per unit with one area requiring about 20 to 25 units. Price also depends on the physician and location.

Filed Under: Health, Medicine Tagged With: Botulinum toxin

Liposuction

January 8, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Liposuction is a relatively popular way to lose weight. It is essentially a type of fat extraction by way of suction devices. Though there are different methods of liposuction for different areas of the body, the goals of liposuction are fundamentally similar. The main goal is to remove the correct amount of fat. Too much fat taken from the body can be dangerous for the patient. The other goal is to implement the procedure as safely as possible. Here the surgeon runs the risk of accidentally damaging tissue in the operated area. Maintaining fluid balance in the patient is also a concern.

Liposuction can be performed on any part of the body where fat is retained. This includes most commonly the abdomen, thighs, and outer flanks. Additionally, liposuction is regularly performed on other areas such as the inner knees, the chin, and back.

There are also several liposuction techniques. Early liposuctions did not involve the use of injected fluid. These are known as the ‘dry method,’ and are no longer practiced. There is wet liposuction, super-wet, tumescent, and laser assisted liposuction. The use of these techniques depends on the patient’s status and the surgeon’s judgment. In wet forms of liposuction, solutions containing anesthetic are injected into the specific area.

Not everyone is a candidate for liposuction. It is recommended that the patient be in good health. The better the health of the patient, the less risk of a serious complication. Typically candidates should not have heart problems, diabetes, or some significant form of infection.

Liposuction is often a major operation, therefore the risk of side effects and complications can be substantial. Liposuction can have painful lasting effects. The operation itself can cause bruising, swelling, numbness, and limited mobility for a few weeks. With liposuction death is a possibility, but is very rare.

Filed Under: Females Health, Health Tagged With: Health, Liposuction

MichaelsHouse.com can Help with Prescription Pain Medication Addiction

December 23, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Plastic surgery is a process that is becoming more and more common as time goes by. It seems like you can get almost anything on your body changed with plastic surgery, and many people who do not like their appearance are getting this surgery done on a more regular basis. No matter the reason for plastic surgery, one thing to keep in mind is that it is a surgery. Because of this, there are risks involved.

One of the risks that many people do not think about is the risk of becoming addicted to the pain medications that you will most likely be prescribed. After a surgery, there is bound to be pain, and plastic surgery is no different. You may be given pain medication to deal with this. Unfortunately, today more and more people are becoming addicted to prescription pain medications. Of course, this is not to say that you will become addicted to these drugs. It is something to just keep an eye on. While you are recovering from plastic surgery, you will want to be careful that you do not get too dependent on your pain medications.

Luckily, if the unthinkable happens, and you do find that you have become too dependent on these drugs, there is help. There are many facilities, such as MichaelsHouse.com, that can offer assistance. Being addicted to prescription drugs is a hard thing to break, but with these rehabilitation facilities, you will be able to work through the addiction and come out on the other side. This is a huge relief for many people who have found that they became addicted to any substance. Drug addiction of any kind is difficult to deal with, but putting your trust in a rehab facility, and taking the proper steps to walk away from the addiction, is important.

Filed Under: General, Health Tagged With: Health, Pain, Pharmaceutical drug, Plastic surgery, Prescription drug, Substance dependence, Surgery, United States

Abdominal Etching

December 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image via Wikipedia

Abdominal etching is like liposuction for people who don’t actually have enough fat for traditional liposuction. In a way, etching is more of a form of lipo-sculpting that involves the removal of only a small portion of fat. However, this fat and muscle tissue are shaped to form what appears to be a more athletically contoured stomach and chest. In this sense, it’s like liposuction for people who don’t need liposuction.

The procedure starts with making detailed markings that will serve as guidelines. These markings outline the patient’s existing muscle structure. Essentially the procedure will involve highlighting this structure and hopefully producing some sort of athletic definition. This includes the removal of fat in specific areas and other techniques that provide shape.

You cannot be too thin, you cannot be too fat. Very few are actually right for this procedure. The patient needs a certain amount of fat for it to work. Too much fat or loose skin is not manageable but neither is too little fat. The ideal is about one to two centimeters of pinchable belly fat.

The post-operative complications are numerous. Such complications require extra care down the road. Pain and swelling can last for months. Fluid can build up in the area, and scarring can be very severe.

In the end, most but not all are satisfied with the results. The experience of complications can be painful and costly. Sometimes a second surgical procedure may be required. Like all cosmetic surgeries, you have to really want the procedure for it to be an experience worth doing.

This particular procedure also requires the patient to be in pretty decent shape to being with. From this perspective it seems that even the most ideal candidate sfor this procedure would not be too far from being able to make significant impacts with diet and physical activity.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Health, Medicine, Plastic Surgery Tagged With: Complication (medicine), Health, Liposuction, Muscle, Patient, Plastic surgery, Surgery

Do You Want Plastic Surgery?

December 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Millions of people all over the world are unhappy with the way they look. Sometimes a simple wardrobe change or weight loss plan can alter their looks enough so that they don’t want to change anything else about them. However, today the media portrays celebrities and news in a way that skinny will always be in, and ugly people need not apply.

While many people have considered plastic surgery at least once in their lives, many times it is not needed and it is clearly a vanity issue. If you have been involved in drugs and alcohol and have sought treatment at places like MichaelsHouse.com, sometimes your appearance was altered during your drug or alcohol use and it is imperative that you may need plastic surgery. Not only to change your physical appearance, but to correct health issues that may have been caused from using drugs or alcohol excessively.

If you have decided you may want to get plastic surgery, you need to sit down and really think about it. What are the reasons you want to get it? Is it so that you will look and feel better about yourself?

Remember, you should only get plastic surgery if it’s something you want to do for yourself, not because someone else wants you to. If a boyfriend wants you to get a breast enlargement, you have to make sure you want to do it, because if you have a boyfriend that is so demanding that you alter your physical appearance, do you really think this same boyfriend will be around in a few years?

The choices are difficult, but if you weight the pros and cons of plastic surgery you will have an answer. Recovery and healing takes a long time when you get plastic surgery. There will be ugly bruising as soon as the procedure is done.

Filed Under: Health, Medicine, Plastic Surgery Tagged With: Health, Medicine, Plastic surgery, Surgery

Gluteoplasty

December 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Gluteoplasty is essentially what it sounds like. ‘Gluteo’ refers to the gluteus or the buttocks, while ‘plasty’ refers to a shaping procedure. Thus there are different types of gluteoplasty or surgical cosmetic procedures involving the buttocks. Mostly female and transgender patients pursue this type of modification. Still, there are several options and details worth mentioning.

One such procedure is buttock augmentation. This can either involve the lifting of the buttocks or the insertion of synthetic implants. The most common type of procedure is what is known as the ‘Brazilian butt lift.’ It typically involves the selected redistribution of fat in the buttocks. In this type of fat transfer, liposuction is used to extract fat before much of this fat is purified and then injected back into specific areas of the body. This could include other areas of the buttocks, the abdomen, or wherever it happens to produce the best shape. The amount of fat injections needed varies from patient to patient. Obviously, the more work that is needed usually involves a greater amount of fat redistribution.

Buttock implants are very strong and made specifically for use in the area of the buttocks. They are usually made of some type of elastomer. The implants are carefully grafted to muscle tissue in a very strategic area so as to accommodate for flexibility and activities such as sitting. Transgender forms of augmentation usually include a type of hip enlargement in order to achieve a more feminine shape in this region.

Gluteoplasty, however, is not without its risks. In the past, complications have proven possible. For instance there is the recorded death of Solange Magnano who is thought to have died from complications relating to her gluteoplasty. It is thought that a chemical agent used in the process traveled to other places in her body and that this was the cause of her death.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Health, Plastic Surgery Tagged With: Buttock augmentation, Buttocks, Fat transfer, Liposuction, Patient, Plastic surgery, Solange Magnano, Surgery

Laser Hair Removal

December 14, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Hair removal by way of the use of laser devices has been commercially available since the 70s. Though the light-based devices used are technically not lasers, the practice still mostly refers to the procedure as a laser based form of treatment. This technology is not only thought to be safe, but it is now regarded as a highly effective method of hair removal. Many hair removal processes are short term. Some of the other long term solutions are thought to be less safe than laser removal.

This is due to the nature of the technology. Laser hair removal involves selective heating by way of light. Lasers seeks to heat melanin in the area of hair growth. This essentially damages the follicle by way of heat without heating other areas of the skin. This process is a long term method that significantly reduces hair re-growth in the target area.

The disadvantages of laser removal are relatively few. Though technology is improving, laser removal is not as effective for light colored hair. Electrolysis seems to be better for light colored hair and it is thought to be a more permanent solution. However, recent studies have found that laser removal is significantly faster, less painful, and in some cases more reliable.

The potential side-effects associated with laser hair removal are also relatively minor. There may be some irritation in the area including redness or itching. A mild amount of pain usually occurs during treatment. If the laser type is appropriate for the task and the operator is somewhat skilled, patients usually won’t have to worry about any of the extreme side effects that have been documented. These laser devices can cause burns and follicle infections if they are not used properly. In the end, laser hair removal is like most other forms of treatment in that you probably want to depend on skilled professionals.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Health, Plastic Surgery Tagged With: Beauty, Hair, Hair Removal 101, Health, Laser, Laser hair removal, Medical Specialties, Medicine