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Aging Gracefully: 5 Facts About Wrinkles

Let’s face it: wrinkles are an inevitable part of the aging process. But guess what? Not all wrinkles are created equal. Understanding the different types of wrinkles and how they form is the best way to age gracefully.

Check out the five wrinkle facts below:

1) There are two types of wrinkles: dynamic and static. Dynamic (or active) wrinkles appear when we use muscles to form facial expressions, such as frowning or furrowing the brow. Static wrinkles are the ones that develop as we get older when natural substances like collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid decrease in production.

2) Even in the car, you still run the risk of developing sun-related wrinkles. Though it might feel like you’re protected, a car window isn’t enough to shield your skin from harmful UVA rays – regardless if it’s sunny or not. Wearing sun screen on a daily basis is the best way to prevent sun damage while driving.

3) Smoking can cause wrinkles and skin damage. We all know smoking is bad for our health, but did you also know it’s bad for your skin? Nicotine deprives the skin of oxygen, causing it to deteriorate over time. Other chemicals found in cigarettes can cause damage the skin’s underlying elastin and collagen. While the physical act of smoking can result in dynamic wrinkles over time.

4) Frown lines may mean vision problems. Rather than indicating age or sun damage, frown lines might actually mean it’s time for an eye exam. Many people overcompensate for poor vision by squinting. This repeated contraction can cause wrinkles to develop on the forehead and between the brows over time. If you address eye issues soon enough, you’ll be able to soften the appearance of fine lines on the upper face.

5) Poor diet can contribute to wrinkles. Unhealthy foods that contain excessive sugar can cause the protein fibers of your skin (including collagen and elastin) to become stiff over time – eventually resulting in wrinkles. Avoiding sugary foods and sticking to a diet high in fruits and veggies that contain antioxidants can help repair and protect your skin.

FDA Approves New Silicone Breast Implant

There is a new breast implant choice with the FDA’s approval of Sientra Inc.’s silicone gel breast implant.

Sientra’s implants have been approved for breast augmentation in women 22 years and older and for breast reconstruction in women of any age.

With the latest approval, there are now three silicone gel-filled breast implants approved by the FDA in the U.S. They are manufactured by Allergan, Mentor and Sientra.

“Sientra has successfully broken the existing duopoly in the U.S. by offering surgeons and patients a new choice,” said founder and CEO Hani Zeini, in a statement.

Zeini also said that the company will offer shaped implants in addition to standard round implants.

The approval was based on a three-year clinical trial of 1,788 participants. The trial had similar complications and outcomes found in studies of other breast implants.

“Data on these and other approved silicone gel-filled breast implants continue to demonstrate a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness,” said William Maisel, MD, deputy director for science in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

Maisel stressed that women should be aware that breast implants are not lifetime devices and recognize that long-term monitoring is essential.

Post-approval, Sientra will continue to monitor the clinical trial participants for seven years. In addition, they will have a 10-year study of 4,782 women who receive Sientra silicone implants to collect data on long-term complications and outcomes. Finally, Sientra must also conduct case studies to evaluate the association between their implants and five rare diseases, including brain cancer, cervical/vulvar cancer and lymphoma.

Learn more about breast implant choices and breast augmentation. For more on the breast implant approval, read the press release from the FDA.

Study Examines Nasal Deviation and Quality of Life

While many patients undergo rhinoplasty to change the shape of their nose for purely cosmetic reasons, others may choose nose surgery to help relieve nasal obstructions or after a facial injury.

Nasal obstructions are a result of nasal deviation, which is when the nasal septum is not in the midline of the nose. The deviation of the septum may be present at birth (congenital) or be a result of injury. In addition to causing impairment in nasal function, it can also affect the person’s quality of life.

A new study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal looked at health-related quality of life, as well as self-esteem and depression in patients with nasal deviation and found depression was more common among those with nasal deviation.

The study had 66 participants: 32 patients with congenital nasal deviation (mean age of 27.5 years) and 28 without nasal deviation (median age, 29.5 years) as a control group. The patients’ quality of life was measured by several questionnaires, which evaluated characteristics such as general health, social functioning, mental health and self-esteem.

The results showed there were significant differences between the groups in physical functioning and general health. In addition, depression was detected in 34 percent of nasal deviation patients, compared with just 7 percent (2 people) of the control group.

The researchers concluded that nasal deviation is a scope of rhinoplasty that the surgeon should be aware of, as this group has significantly worse quality of life and is more prone to depression.

View before and after photos of nose surgery.

Part I — The Many Forms of Facial Rejuvenation: Exploring Facelifts

From fine lines and wrinkles to loose and crepe-like skin, it is inevitable that over time, our facial appearance changes. As even the slightest facial aging can add years to an individual’s appearance—it comes as no surprise that facial rejuvenation continues to be a patient favorite at Will Surgical Arts. Hoping to revitalize their look, men and women seek out Dr. Will’s expertise.

Along with the traditional facelift, Dr. Will can perform a number of variations that can restore a youthful appearance. Here, we explore the ever-popular full facelift and its lesser-known counterpart, the mini facelift.

Continue reading “Part I — The Many Forms of Facial Rejuvenation: Exploring Facelifts” »

17 Million Cosmetic Procedures Performed Last Year

Over 17 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the U.S. last year, according to a procedural survey conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

The survey, which was different from any previous study by the Academy, posted numbers higher than ever seen before.  To gather data for the survey, they polled AACS members as well as random physicians across the United States.

The past two years have brought an 8% increase in cosmetic procedures for AACS members, despite the economic recession.

Procedures that increased markedly include eyelid surgery, abdominoplasty, rhinoplasty, chemical peels and dermal fillers.

Dr. Mark Berman, President of the Academy, offered his optimistic view of the situation: “As the economy recovers slowly but surely, we are seeing patients come back and feel better about doing some things for themselves that maybe they’d been putting off for a while.

New Study: Aspirin May Prevent Skin Cancer

Proper skin care and sun protection aren’t your only means of preventing skin cancer.

Another new study has come out claiming that aspirin may actually have the ability to inhibit melanoma.

The study, which was published in the medical journal Cancer, is by far the largest of its kind. Researchers at the Women’s Health Initiative were able to gather data from nearly 60,000 post-menopausal women over the course of 12 years.

During their enrollment, these women regularly answered questions about their diet, lifestyle habits (including sun exposure) and medication use.

Aspirin and Melanoma Risk

What researchers found was that women who took aspirin at least two times per week showed a nearly 21 percent lower risk of developing melanoma (the most deadly form of skin cancer) than women who didn’t take the pain killer.

“We’re really excited aspirin could be used as a potential preventive agent for melanoma,” the study’s senior author Dr. Jean Tang of Stanford University said in a recent interview. “In terms of cancer prevention, a lower melanoma risk by 20 percent is very large and significant.”

And the longer women stayed on a regular dose of aspirin, the lower their risk. In fact, women taking aspirin for five years or longer had a 30 percent lower risk of developing melanoma.

Additional Research is Necessary

Despite the results, the study’s senior author was quick to point out that this type of observational study isn’t enough to prove anything in concrete terms.

“We would have to do a large clinical trial, randomizing women to receive aspirin versus placebo, following them for 10-plus years.”

So the question remains: Should you start popping a couple aspirin tablets a week to lower your risk?

Opinions are certainly split on the matter, but Tang had this advice to offer women:

“In somebody who’s at high risk for melanoma, I would say that taking aspirin is a good idea.”

High risk means anyone who has previously been diagnosed with skin cancer (whether it be melanoma or a less dangerous form) or individuals who sunburn very easily.

Can Diet Help with Healing after Cosmetic Surgery?

According to a new study from Brazil, adding more fruits and veggies to your diet after cosmetic surgery may help the healing process. The researchers wanted to see if the additional intake of fruits and vegetables would result in a reduction of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation and infection.

Researchers asked 60 women (age 25-60) undergoing cosmetic abdominal surgery to eat six servings each of fruits and vegetables a day during the first month after surgery. According to the researchers, “fruits and vegetables are attractive tools for the combat of inflammation because of their rich endowment of anti-inflammatory vitamins.”

Participants started the diet three days post-surgery and continued it for four weeks afterward; participants were interviewed during the second and third week to rule out changes in dietary habits and to reinforce compliance with the diet.

The supplemented participants had more substantial fruit (5.2 vs. 3.9 servings, approximately) and vegetable (5.9 vs. 3.4 servings) consumption compared to the control group.

Results showed that C-reactive protein diminished in both groups, but a “more expressive decrease could be demonstrated for the high fruit and vegetable participants.”

The authors wrote that increasing servings of fruits and vegetables after surgery can be a feasible strategy to reduce C-reactive protein in adults. They recommended future studies that focus on additional inflammatory markers, different disease contexts and longer periods of supplementation and follow-up.

The study is available through Pubmed.

Women Say Breast Surgery Improved Their Sex Lives

Women say their sex lives improved after breast augmentation and breast lift surgery, according to a January 2012 survey by RealSelf.com.

The poll of 55 women who had breast surgery reported a 34% increase in overall satisfaction with their sex life after surgery on average.

The poll also found:

• 61% of women said they had sex more often after their breast procedure.
• The average post-surgery sex life satisfaction score (8.13, on a 10-point scale) jumped two points compared to the average pre-surgery score  (6.07).
• 70% of respondents said their overall sex life satisfaction improved after the procedure.

While the poll was not scientific, a previous study did have similar findings.

A 2007 study from the University of Florida found that women reported improved self-esteem and enhanced sexuality after breast augmentation surgery. In this study, there was an increase for ratings of sexual desire (78.6%), satisfaction (57%), and arousal (81%), compared to initial scores before surgery.

The 84 women in the study did not have low self-esteem or poor sexual function before surgery. “They were already OK with self-esteem and sexuality — they just wanted larger breasts,” said researcher Cynthia Figueroa-Haas, PhD. “They got increased levels of self-esteem and sexuality.”

While it appears that breast surgery may enhance a woman’s sex life, researchers and surgeons warn that it cannot help those women who have serious underlying psychological issues, such as body dysmorphic disorder.

Learn more about breast augmentation or breast lift surgery in Frederick County, Maryland.

New You Goes Live With New Website

The website of New You magazine went live this week, and it provides some excellent resources on skin health, physical fitness, nutrition and cosmetic surgery. The articles this month are very well written, especially the piece by Dr. Mark Berman and the fitness article about posture by Maria Mercedes.

One section of the site titled Inspired features several patient profiles in which men and women of different ages discuss the impact a cosmetic surgery procedure made on their lives. Another section is about Achieving the Look with cosmetic procedures such as arm lift surgery, laser treatments, vein treatment, the tummy tuck, and the Brazilian butt lift.

In the future, the site should allow readers to upload a photo to the website and then use software to visualize results of a basic procedure, but that feature must still be under development.

Click here to see the New You website.

Lose the Bulges Before Spring with Liposuction

Are you tired of hiding those bulges and stubborn pockets of fat? With bathing suit season right around the corner, you may be feeling more self-conscious about your appearance and are busy working off those excess inches. Even if you are at a healthy weight and live an active lifestyle, you may have a few areas of fat that are not responding well to your efforts. Liposuction is a popular body contouring procedure that can get rid of the excess fat in those problem areas and help you achieve the figure you’ve always wanted. Let Dr. Will put together a custom treatment plan that will help you slim down just in time for spring!
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