Recently, I’ve noticed a light outside during the day, something round and shining in the sky.  Oh, yeah, it’s the sun.  Seems like forever since we’ve seen it.  But it really looks like the weather is breaking and some real springtime weather is upon us.  And, of course, as the weather improves we start thinking about getting outside, summer, sitting by the pool, bathing suits.  And, (OMG) time to get back into shape!

There is no question that the fitter we are, the better we look, and the healthier we are.  And this is pretty much age independent.  So, whether we are in our twenties or in our seventies, we are all better off if we are  exercising on a routine basis.  Some people really have this down.  They are working out regularly and the results show, while others have a problem either getting going, or keeping it going.  So what makes the difference?  While there is no one answer, several things can really help you keep a consistent exercise program. Read the rest of this entry »

Six months ago we started our relationship with Dysport, as did some of you.  And with all meaningful relationships, we have paused to take stock of it, and see where the relationship is going.  Fortunately, this is fairly easy to do with neurotoxins (Botox and Dysport), as opposed to other relationships.  So we thought we’d give you our take on this.

I must start by saying that they both appear to be safe, effective products.  However, they are different products in how they are used and injected.  So what you are seeing from either of these products will depend upon the skill of your injector.  Most injectors will have a good deal of experience with Botox. Since Dysport has not been around as long, some injectors may not be as familiar with it and how it differs from Botox.

The biggest single difference that everyone has noted in terms of the results, is that Dysport takes effect sooner.  The results are usually seen in a day or two, whereas Botox takes longer.  Some of our patients prefer Botox, some have preferred Dysport, and others don’t see much of a difference.  And, other than the onset of action, we aren’t seeing major differences in our patients.

So, it looks like Dysport is a real player in the injectable game.  And, there are some aggressive incentives being offered with it at the present time.  But for your best results, find a good injector who knows you, and knows both these products well.  This is the key to getting the best results.

Have you tried Dysport? If so, how do you think it compares to Botox?

David B.

You’ve heard me say this before, and you will probably hear me say this again:  If you are looking for plastic surgery, see a plastic surgeon — that is to say, a Board-certified plastic surgeon.  Although this sounds pretty obvious, it doesn’t always happen.

I saw a young woman in the office yesterday after she had liposuction by a family practitioner in another clinic.  She needed a tummy tuck instead of liposuction alone, and the liposuction was done poorly.  She is left with a deformed abdomen and had a terrible experience.  Plus she’s out a bunch of money and has nothing to show for it.  I could go on about what she went through, but that’s not my point.

As simple as the concept of seeing a plastic surgeon for plastic surgery is, who you are seeing is not always clear.  Plastic surgery wannabes promote that they are Board-certified (in dentistry or gynecology or family practice), that they have had adequate training (at a weekend course), and that plastic surgeons don’t do cosmetic work — only “cosmetic surgeons” do.  Nonsense!  And, they can advertise whatever they want because what they can say is not regulated.  Furthermore, a medical degree from the board of medicine allows you to do surgery even if you have no surgical training.

But it’s real simple, folks.  If you are going to have plastic surgery, go to an ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons) member.  We are all Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which is the only board that certifies plastic surgeons.  Just remember these four letters: ASPS.

I know I speak passionately about this issue (that is to say, I get carried away), but it is an important one.  And I hate to see people mistreated because they weren’t seeing the right person.  You can check the link below for more on this.

Here’s looking at you,

David B.

Click here for more on this.

It sems that Botox injections can get rid of some types of migraine headaches.  It is not totally clear just how this happens, but from a personal experience — that is to say my wife’s experience — I can say that this is true. Lisa hasn’t had a migraine since she started having it injected to her forehead.  And her forehead looks great!

Here’s looking at you,

David B.

Click here to read the article

I want to share with you an article about “trademarked” surgical procedures, more specifically facelifts.  We have written about this in Your Beauty in the past, and it’s nice to see our views echoed in the media (like the New York Times).  The link to it is attached below.  This move to market a medical procedure directly to the consumer — those we call patients, is potentially a dangerous one.  Because it is the doctor and the patient together who should decide what is the best approach, not an advertising campaign promoting a trademarked operation.

Personally, I have never performed, nor developed a “trademarked” operation, and I hope I never do.  In medicine, if we have a good idea, we should share it, not restrict it with a trade mark. We should write articles about it, present it in at meetings, and teach our colleagues how to do it.  If the idea is that good, credit will always come back to the creator.  And everyone benefits.

Give this article a peek. It’s a very fair treatment of this issue.

Here’s looking at you,

David B.

The buzz around our office today is Juvederm XC, the newest improvement in fillers.  This is the same Juvederm that we have been using and loving for years, but it is mixed with lidocaine, a local anesthetic that numbs the tissues.  We have been excited to get this in and start using it, and  — after the first few treatments — we are even more excited about it!

Yesterday, we did a side by side comparison only using a topical anesthetic on both sides. We injected Juvederm XC on one side, and regular Juvederm on the other side.  Our patient experienced a tremendous difference.  Not only was the injection itself much more comfortable with the new formulation, there was a lot less pain afterward.  And this allowed the whole process to be more pleasant, and quicker.  Our “test subject” has had just about every filler that we have used, and said that this was the best yet.

So if you have been thinking about fillers, or are already having them, this is a great step forward.  Hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.

Here’s looking at you,

David B.

This is a very common question that I have been asked. In fact, we were talking about this in the office at lunch yesterday, and most of the people in my office didn’t know the answer to this either. So, being the wise guy that I am, I told them to read my blog. Which, of course, means that I have to write the blog. So here goes:

“Plastic,” as it refers to the type of surgery I perform, and as it applies to the synthetic materials, is derived from the Greek word “plastikos,” which means to mold, or to have the ability to mold. Just as the synthetic plastic materials can be molded into different shapes, plastic surgery molds, or reshapes different parts of the body. So, the “plastic” in plastic surgery doesn’t mean that we are always putting in something synthetic (like a plastic), but that we are changing the shape of, or molding the part of the body we are working on.

Simple, right? Either that, or it’s all Greek to me!

Here’s looking at you,

David B.

I had really hoped that the whole hoopla about Heidi Montag’s plastic surgeries would have blown over by now, but it still seems to capture the attention of many people.  And this is really too bad.  Because her experience is as unreal as her look. (Did I just say that?)  Once again, this (and the media attention it draws) makes what I do as a plastic surgeon look pretty weird, pretty out there, pretty much something you wouldn’t want to do.

I guess the big thing for me, is that the people I see on a day to day basis, still want to look like themselves.  Sure, they want changes, but they don’t want to look like someone else, and they certainly don’t want to have an “affected” look.  For instance, many people are very leery about having a facelift because they assume that their faces will look distorted and unreal.  But the best facelifts are the ones that are hardest to detect.  Reason being, the  person still looks like themselves — just a bit fresher, or a bit younger.

A natural look, whether it comes to your face, or body proportions is what I am trying to achieve for the people that I see and consult with.  While there are a few people who tell me that they want to have a certain part of their body look “fake” (guess which part this is), most people want their bodies to be in proportion.  And when it comes to how clothing is designed, this really works the best.

There will always be people who push the edge of the envelope.  This is not always bad, because this is how we discover new things.  But in other cases, this can just be too much.  Like I said, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Here’s looking at you,

David B.

This has been great season for fabulous movies. We are now five for five in terms of seeing really good movies, and I can’t remember the last time that has happened! Which were they? Glad you asked: The Blind Side, Up in the Air, Invictus, It’s Complicated, and Avatar. These were all great movies and all highly recommended. I really wasn’t going to see Avatar, until I heard such great things about it. We saw it last night - 3-D, IMAX, and all. Really, really fabulous. Cameron has now completely reset the bar on special effects. Anyone currently making a movie heavily dependent on special effects is no doubt really singing the blues after they see this one.

Anyway, if you’re seeing movies, watching TV or reading books, there are always references to plastic surgery. Usually these are pretty humorous, and usually pretty inaccurate. So, lest people leave It’s Complicated with the wrong ideas, I thought it best to set the record straight. So, here’s how it went down. Without giving away the whole plot (no spoiler alert needed), let me set the stage for you.

The character played by Meryl Streep, is a divorcee who is struggling a bit with her age. So, she goes to see a plastic surgeon. She asks for upper eyelid surgery on just one eye (not likely). And she is told that what she really needs is a brow lift (OK, with this, happens a lot). She is then told that she will be cut all the way across the top of the head, have staples from ear to ear, and will have a headache for 3 to 6 months. Any surprise that she ran from the office and fled the building? Don’t think so.

Now, in keeping with giving you the best information about brow lifts, allow me to set the record straight by telling you that some, but not all, brow lifts have an incision across the top of your head, I never close these with staples, and you do not have a head ache for 3 to 6 months! In fact, some people have get muscle tension headaches from trying to raise up their eyebrows with the forehead muscles which are improved or eliminated by a brow lift. Take that Hollywood! Read the rest of this entry »

Well, it’s that most wonderful time of the year when traveling can be - shall we say -an adventure.  When all goes well, getting in and out of the airports on land or by air can really be a hassle.  And  when you throw in a little snow, as in 23 inches, travel doesn’t exactly happen.  So, that weekend  surprise family trip can turn into a real nightmare.  Last weekend, one of our staff, Theresa (whom you all know well, if you have been to the office), found herself in just such a predicament.

The plan had been to surprise her son and husband with an early Christmas present trip to our nation’s capital.  The city was beautiful, and all was going well until the snow really shut the city down mid-Saturday.  And on Sunday, Reagan National Airport was limping along on one runway, and their flight was canceled.  Under normal circumstances, you can get out on a flight in the next several hours or at least the next day.  However, for Theresa and her family, the news was that they couldn’t get a flight even near to home until Wednesday.  So this would mean another three days in Washington. Read the rest of this entry »