Mary Lou Lueders, 74, never considered cosmetic surgery until she found out that functional blepharoplasty for her droopy upper eyelids could improve her vision.

What she didn’t expect is that she would love the cosmetic results as well.

“I just thought I would grow old gracefully,” she told tampabay.com.

“People told me I looked 10, 20 years younger,” said Lueders after the eyelid surgery. “Now I understand why women do this sort of thing. It makes them feel better and look better.”

“The face communicates so much,” said Tampa surgeon Adam Scheiner, who performed Lueders’ surgery. “The natural course of aging may make us look sleepy, tired or sick all the time. That’s not fair to those people who feel great but their face sends a different message.”

In Lueders’ case, her eyelid procedure was considered medically necessary and was covered by Medicare. She also had a laser procedure to remove festoons under her eyes, which was considered a cosmetic procedure.

Candidates for eyelid surgery may have one or more of the following conditions:

• Bags under the eyes
• Sagging upper eyelids
• A tired, puffy-eyed appearance
• Crepey, excess eyelid skin
• Impaired vision due to eyelid imperfections

After surgery, patients may have some swelling and tightness around the eyes, which should go away within two days after surgery, and a full recovery is usually within ten days.

For a total upper face rejuvenation, eyelid surgery can be combined with a brow lift.

Learn more about eyelid surgery at Inland Cosmetic Surgery.

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery procedure that removes fat and reshapes a specific part of the body. Learn more about the procedure by reading the answers to these common liposuction questions.

Is liposuction a weight loss procedure?

Liposuction is not an obesity or weight loss treatment; it selectively removes persistent subcutaneous fat — fat that’s directly under the skin — that you have not been able to get rid of through diet and exercise.

Before surgery, your cosmetic surgeon will ask to lose as much weight as you can, as the results will be better if you are at a healthy weight prior to surgery.

What areas of the body can be treated with liposuction?

Liposuction can be used to treat many areas of the body where fatty deposits are found, including the abdomen, neck, chin, chest, upper arms, hips, thighs, knees and ankles.

Does liposuction remove cellulite?

Liposuction is not a cellulite removal procedure. Patients should be aware that sometimes removing the fat just under the skin can actually worsen the dimpled look, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS). Talk to your cosmetic surgeon about what kind of results you can expect from liposuction, based on your body.

Can the removed fat come back after liposuction?

Fat does not return to the area treated with liposuction, according to the AACS. However, it is recommended that you keep up a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and exercise.

What liposuction techniques are available?

There are several liposuction techniques, including suction-assisted lipectomy (SAL) and VASER® Lipo, and your cosmetic surgeon will determine the best one for your procedure.

For more information on liposuction, contact Inland Cosmetic Surgery in Rancho Cucamonga.

A very popular question I hear is “What is the difference between Retinol and Retin A?”  Are they the same? Are they different?  Well, here is the answer for you.  Both Retinol and Retin A are forms of Vitamin A. Vitamin A has been shown to have many anti-aging and anti-wrinkle properties.  However, Retinol is not as strong as Retin A and is therefore commonly found in many over-the-counter- products.  Retin A is stronger than Retinol and can therefore provide maximum anti-aging benefits, however it is only available by prescription.

We have wonderful prescription strength Retin A creams here at the office to help your skin look young and beautiful.  Stop in and ask me about which product may be right for you and to see how we can help improve your skin tone, texture and minimize dark spots.

Popular wrinkle filler Botox may one day be available in gel form, according to U.S. News & World Report. Early research suggests the topical Botox gel is effective at reducing crow’s feet.

The study said that the gel “noticeably softened crow’s feet,” but there are still many unknowns about the new drug, including how much it would cost, when it might be available and how well it will work compared to injected Botox. More studies are needed before possible FDA approval.

If a Botox gel does prove to be safe and effective, it would likely be embraced by consumers. Botulinum toxins, such as Botox and Dysport, are the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures in the country, and the gel could offer a pain-free alternative to the injectables. The gel is applied to the wrinkled area around the eyes; after a half an hour it is then wiped off, according to study researchers.

In one study, close to 90 percent of patients who got the botulinum toxin gel showed a “clinically meaningful” reduction in wrinkles, compared to 28 percent of those who got a placebo gel. In another study with 180 patients who had crow’s feet, about 40 percent responded favorably, the researchers reported.

Topical Botox Would Require Your Cosmetic Surgeon

The botulinum toxin gel is a drug, not a skin cream. That means that if it were eventually to receive FDA approval, patients could only undergo the procedure at their physician’s office.

The researchers did point out that it may be difficult for a gel to get the level of precision that injections provide; however, the gel’s advantage is that patients can avoid the needle.

Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeons Respond to USA TODAY article

Last week, USA TODAY ran a front-page story and series of articles that explored controversy about surgical complications and even deaths occurring among people who had cosmetic surgery at “low cost, high volume cosmetic surgery clinics.”

A quote from the article in USA TODAY:

“While these clinics typically employ plastic surgeons who are either board-certified or up for certification, lawyers, victims and other plastic surgeons say these new-style surgery clinics are under so much sales pressure they often don’t sufficiently screen patients for medical problems, do inadequate follow-up and persuade patients to undergo procedures that are either unnecessary or unlikely to get good results. “

Are you putting yourself at risk if you choose one of these high volume, low cost cosmetic surgery clinics? We asked several respected cosmetic and plastic surgeons to respond to this question:

Dr. Haiavy, a cosmetic surgeon in the Inland Empire says:

“Cheaper is not necessarily better when it comes to cosmetic surgery.  Due to decline in the economy, a lot of patients are shopping around for a cheaper price for the procedures they are seeking.  They therefore turn to high volume surgery centers as they offer cheaper prices.

What they do not realize is that with the increased volume and cheaper prices usually comes some compromise in safety.  I cannot tell you how many times I have had patients come back to me years later and regret going to a cheaper place as they had less than ideal results and poor treatment.”

Over the years I have seen many patients that struggle with their weight unsuccessfully.  Kym, who is a dear friend and has been in the health professional field for years, is one.  I have known her for 7 years and she had always been on one diet or another, lost weight, but regained it again.

She attended one of our Lap Band seminar mostly for her daughter’s sake, who was overweight, and decided to have the Lap Band procedure.

She had the Lap Band in 2009 and has so far lost 118 pounds.  Kym is more confident as she went from a size 22 to a size 4!

She has graciously committed to be Director of our weight loss support group at Inland Cosmetic.  The support group usually meets every last Wednesday of the month.  For more details on Kym’s story and dates for our support group, visit our surgical center website at:

https://www.surgicalartsinlandempire.com/lap-band-patient-story-1.html

The Lap Band procedure is performed by Dr. Owens, who is one of the leading experts in Bariatric Surgery.  The cost of the Lap Band procedure my be covered by your PPO insurance, so for a quick verification, you may contact the office at 909-579-3111.

The summer may be coming to an end, but don’t forget to keep your skin protected all year round. You should always use at least SPF 30 on your face everyday. Sunblock is essential to prevent sun damage and wrinkles.  We have a new Inland Cosmetic Surgery skincare brand SPF 32 sunblock cream with Zinc oxide and Octinoxate.  Apply every morning and keep your beautiful skin protected from those harmful sun rays!  In addition we have a Vitamin C Serum that is a powerful antioxidant.  If applied to the skin prior to the sunblock, it will prevent oxidative damage and make your sunblock more effective by making it last longer.

If you would like to get your personal skin care consultation and VISIA digital skin analysis, you may contact the office for an appointment with our expert aestheticians.

Patients who had Botox injections and used the Obagi Nu-Derm skin care system were both more satisfied with their results and found greater improvement in overall facial appearance compared to patients who had Botox treatments with placebo, according to clinical trial results.

Obagi Nu-Derm works by exfoliating and stimulating cell turnover, so skin behaves and looks younger.

Lead researcher Joel Schlessinger, MD, a dermatologist, said that often his patients have skin that doesn’t always look markedly improved with Botox or other injectables alone.

“Many practitioners are not aware of the potential benefits associated with incorporating this system with other non-invasive procedures in the practice,” he said. “This data clearly highlights the fact that by adding Condition & Enhance [Nu-Derm] to injectable patients’ treatment regimen, patients are addressing multiple aspects of aging skin for optimal results. The results prove that, even in patients who have previously had BOTOX, there is room for improvement.”

Patients saw results using Obagi Nu-Derm: 82 percent of study participants had peers notice a positive change in overall facial appearance, compared with 16 percent of study participants in the standard skin care group.

At the end of the 120-day trial, study participants also reported the following:

• • 89 percent were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with their overall facial appearance, as compared to 12 percent of the standard skin care group.

• • 93 percent were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the treatment regimen, as compared to 12 percent of the standard skin care group.

• • All of the participants using the Nu-Derm System wished to continue treatment after the study ended.

Contact Inland Cosmetic Surgery to find out more about skin care products.

An advisory panel to the FDA reaffirmed the safety of silicone implants after recent meetings about how to improve safety studies for the implants.

In 2006, the FDA lifted a 14-year ban on silicone gel-filled breast implants and approved the implants made by Allergan and Mentor for breast reconstruction and breast augmentation in women 22 and older in the U.S.

The New York Times reported that after two days of discussion about the safety of silicone implants, Dr. William Maisel, of the FDA’s Center for Devices, said he had heard nothing to shake his faith in the safety of the popular implants.

The committee also felt that patients should no longer be told to get an MRI three years after getting their implants and every two years after that.

It’s currently recommended that women have MRI’s after getting silicone breast implants because the implants sometimes rupture, and an MRI can reveal this problem.

However, many patients don’t follow this requirement because MRI’s are expensive, and the risks associated with ruptured implants may not be greater than the risks of the operation needed to take them out.

“FDA continues to believe, as does the panel, that MRI is the gold standard for evaluating breast implants for silent rupture,” Dr. Maisel said. “But there was consensus among the panel that the requirements for ongoing MRI’s should be removed.” Whether to drop the MRI requirement will be evaluated in further studies about silicone implant safety.

Radiologist Leonard M. Glassman, MD, was among those in favor of dropping the MRI requirement.

“It’s an impossible thing to request patients to do. Nobody pays for it except the patient. It is expensive. If the patient is asymptomatic and we find a rupture, chances are nobody will do anything about it; therefore we shouldn’t have done the test in the first place,” he said. “I would drop that MRI recommendation from the labeling.”

In addition to ruptures, complications with silicone implants include hardening of the area around the implant, scarring, infection and the need for additional surgeries.

Sources:

• The New York Times
• USA Today
• Medscape (registration required)

Some patients seeking cosmetic surgery know exactly the look they want, and sometimes that look is inspired by their favorite celebrity.

Here are some of the current popular requests for cosmetic surgery to look like a celebrity, according to the Toronto Sun.

Facial Procedures

Some cosmetic surgeons report that Lady Gaga’s face is popular for those who are looking for a more angular face through procedures such as facial implants.

Who has the perfect pout? For many patients, Angelina Jolie’s lips are the ideal and are sought after through lip enhancements; options for fuller lips include lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid fillers, fat transfer or lip implants.

Body Contouring

Those looking to slim down their thighs through liposuction or a thigh lift often look to Jennifer Lopez’s legs as an inspiration.

For those seeking a tummy tuck for a flatter belly, Jennifer Aniston’s abs are the look that patients want.

Currently Kim Kardashian’s rear sets the gold standard for those looking for a better backside through buttock augmentation procedures, such as implants or a fat grafting technique called the Brazilian Butt Lift.

Cosmetic Surgery for Men

Men are also inspired by the celebrities they see. For instance, the Jersey Shore crew may be mentioned by men seeking male breast reduction (gynecomastia), and Brad Pitt’s nose is often requested for men who are undergoing rhinoplasty.

Natural-looking Results

Experts say it is important to remember that that not all features are achievable or natural-looking on everyone, and that it is more important to focus on getting realistic, proportional results, rather than a carbon copy of a celebrity’s body part.

So while you may love a certain star’s lips, nose or legs, your cosmetic surgeon will help determine whether it is a realistic result for you.