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5 Ways to Look Better on a Budget

August 29th, 2011 by newseditor

If you’re a cost conscious consumer, but like to look your best, read these 5 inexpensive ways to look better without busting your budget.

1. Better Diet: Start Editing Your Grocery List

It shouldn’t cost you more money to eat healthier. It all starts with a good grocery list. Start editing your list today, and cross off all the junk food. Then replace those items with vegetables, fruits and lean meat. Be wary of anything that comes in a cardboard box; if it does, remember to read the nutrition information. To keep costs down, track prices on your grocery list; when you find a cheaper or healthier option, then it’s time to edit your list again.

2. Find A Tailor and Personal Shopper

Don’t underestimate the importance of clothing fit. A personal shopper can help you understand your body proportions and then show you how to buy clothes that flatter them. Finding a great fit off-the-rack can be difficult, so find a good local tailor who can make the right adjustments to your new (or old) clothes.

3. Find the Right Bra

For whatever reason, many women wear the wrong bra size. No matter what type of bra you wear, it’s a great idea to get it fitted to match your current size. A local store or boutique should be able to help you with this.

4. Consider Injectables for Wrinkle Reduction

Injectable products like Botox, Juvederm and Restylane can quickly (although temporarily) correct wrinkles and folds. With a simple injection, many people can lose their unsightly smile lines, frown lines and crow’s feet. Today’s injectables come with lidocaine, so they’re more comfortable. If you’re concerned about the cost, keep an eye out for specials offered by your local cosmetic surgeon.

5. Use Medical Grade Skin Care Products

Start a daily routine that includes the best skin care products for you. Start by talking to an aesthetician or cosmetic surgeon, so they can guide you toward a good regimen. Choose a product line that is designed to meet your needs, whether that means anti-aging, skin lightening, sun protection or any of your other appearance goals.

3 more free ways to look better: don’t smoke, avoid sun exposure and get plenty of sleep!

High Patient Satisfaction With New Laser Facelift Procedure

August 24th, 2011 by newseditor

During the laser facelift, energy was applied in grid pattern, with squares of the neck and lower face treated individually. This picture is of one 54-year-old female patient who was about to undergo the procedure.

A well-known cosmetic surgeon recently published a study that explains a new laser facelift technique.

As so many technological advancements change the field of cosmetic surgery, patients who desire a short recovery have an increasing number of options.

Lasers have been instrumental in the shift toward these procedures. They’ve been used to dramatically transform techniques in skin resurfacing, liposuction and incisions.

Just five years ago, Cynosure’s 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser received FDA approval for performing surgical incision, excision, vaporization, ablation, and coagulation of soft tissues. Since then, surgeons have continued to implement laser technology in new and interesting ways.

Dr. Patrick McMenamin,a facial plastic surgeon in Sacramento is performing a “laser facelift” procedure that he says can provide high patient satisfaction and short recovery time. He explains the procedure in a new issue of the journal Facial Plastic Surgery, comparing it to the traditional facelift that he also performs.

The laser facelift procedure was partly inspired by findings from surgeons on the east coast who found that dual wavelength laser lipolysis could provide significant improvements in skin elasticity. Rather than fat removal, Dr. McMenamin’s goal was to achieve facial skin contraction and tightening.

Between May 2008 and May 2010, 40 patients underwent a laser facelift in the doctor’s Sacramento office surgery suite. Patients had different needs, so their procedures were tailored accordingly, with some patients receiving a full facelift or neck lift.

During the surgery, laser energy was carefully applied to the patient’s face in a grid pattern, while a minimal amount of fatty tissue was removed.

Most patients were back to work within 7 days, compared to the 10-12 day recovery period Dr. McMenamin typically sees with his traditional facelift patients. They also showed high satisfaction. “Although numerical data are not available and the number of patients is small, these patients appear to have been more satisfied than those undergoing non-laser face-lifts in my practice,” the doctor writes.

So is the laser facelift superior to a traditional facelift? According to Dr. McMenamin, it is a better procedure for addressing certain conditions. “I can now get better results in the nasolabial fold area, the lower part of the lip, and the jowls,” he says, and “using this laser on the neck yields results that can be as good as those achieved by doing a traditional facelift.”

It also seems to be an excellent procedure for patients who are a) not yet ready for a full facelift, and b) would like a shorter recovery period. You can read the study abstract on Pubmed.

Tags: facial plastic surgery clinical study
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FAQ: Breast Feeding and Breast Augmentation

August 23rd, 2011 by newseditor

breastfeeding Some of the most common breast augmentation questions are about breast feeding, both before and after surgery.

To answer these questions, you should have an in-depth discussion with your cosmetic surgeon. Here are some general answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Can I breast feed with implants?

The presence of a saline or silicone breast implant does not typically disrupt breast feeding, and there’s no evidence that it creates a risk for a newborn.

Can I undergo breast augmentation after breast feeding?

Yes, but your surgeon will advise you to wait 3 to 6 months. This is necessary to get a good estimate of your starting breast size. Lactation should also be over by this time.

Can breast feeding affect my results?

Breast feeding won’t have a major effect on breast augmentation results. However, breast droop can occur after pregnancy, for patients who have breast implants as well as those who don’t. This is because your breast skin will often stretch during pregnancy as the breasts naturally get larger.

After childbirth, when your breasts shrink in size again, your skin tone might not recover, resulting in breast droop or deflation. Although breast droop can usually be corrected with a breast lift, you may want to plan your surgery accordingly to avoid these changes.

Which incision is the best if I plan on breast feeding?

If you want to minimize your risk for disruption of breast feeding, ask your surgeon about breast augmentation incisions below the breast, near the underarm or through the navel.

Still Have Questions?

Remember that a consultation with Dr. Mandell-Brown in Cincinnati is an excellent opportunity to get answers to these and other in-depth breast augmentation questions. Contact our office to inquire about an appointment.

Tags: Breast Feeding and Breast Augmentation
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What Makes People Look Older?

August 8th, 2011 by newseditor

Lines, wrinkles and sagging skin are facts of life. But are the causes of these conditions the same for every aging person?

Contributing factors (i.e. causes) actually vary from person to person.

A recent New York Times article recently explored this topic, and it details how people of different ethnic backgrounds show age in different ways. Factors that make people look older can be grouped into a “trinity” of changes, including:

Wrinkles and age spots
Loss of tissue volume
Overall sagginess of the skin

Generally speaking, those with darker skin tones show aging a little slower. Because dark skin has more pigment in it, it is better protected against the aging effects of the sun. Dark skin also tends to be oilier and thicker, making it more resistant to the signs of aging.

Also, round faces show the signs of aging more slowly than those with thinner faces, as more youthful volume tends to be preserved.

Another contributing cause of what makes people look older is loss of skin volume, which eventually begins to droop. This leads to bagginess around the eyes and the appearance of jowls, among other issues.

Excessive frowning and other extreme facial expressions can add to the problem as well. These actions can cause lines to form in areas of the face like the brows and nasolabial folds.

Cincinnati cosmetic surgeon Dr. Mark Mandell-Brown has a wealth of options for facial rejuvenation, both surgical and non-surgical. Contact us at 513-984-4700 for a consultation.

Tags: aging, makes you look older
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Reasons for Reducing Breast Implant Size

July 1st, 2011 by newseditor

When you think about breast implants, perhaps you picture noticeably large breasts, such as Pamela Anderson’s famous double-Ds. But not so fast: the dramatically-large look that was once so popular may be going out of style, with more starlets reducing their breast implant size.

In recent years, celebrities who may have downsized include Denise Richards, Victoria Beckham, and Drew Barrymore. Together they signify a trend toward smaller, more manageable breast implants.

Everyday women who are tired of having extremely large breast implants may be choosing a revision surgery to reduce size, according to CBS News health.

Why some women reduce their breast implant size

Too much attention to bust size
Desire for a more proportional (natural) appearance
Very large breasts can make exercise or physical activities more difficult
Back or neck pain (symptoms that indicate breast reduction)

While surgery to reduce implant size involves simply exchanging one implant for another, there’s usually some reconstruction required, since the pocket housing the implant needs to be modified. Risks of the surgery are similar to regular augmentation surgery, but the recovery time is typically shorter.

Harriet Bleiman, a breast implant reduction patient who spoke with CBS, loves her reduced bust size. “I just feel like this is the right proportion for me… I liked them at the beginning, and after a couple of years they felt like two large, standing out, almost cantaloupes, and that made me very uncomfortable.”

Now, Harriet says, it actually feels as if having a smaller breast size has helped everything from her self-confidence to her golf game.

Cincinnati breast surgeon Dr. Mark Mandell-Brown offers breast reduction surgery and breast augmentation. Contact us at 513-984-4700 for a consultation.

Tags: reduce implant size
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FDA Update on Silicone Gel Implant Safety

June 24th, 2011 by newseditor

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a new white paper about silicone gel breast implant safety. Now available on the FDA website, you can download the full white paper or the executive summary and read findings from the latest research.

For patients and consumers, the most pertinent aspects of the document include the “Summary of key findings” and the “Recommendations for Patients Who Have or Who Are Considering Breast Implants.”

Some of the FDA’s silicone implant safety findings are as follows:

When used as labeled, silicone implants “have a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness.”
No association has become evident between silicone implants and connective tissue disease, breast cancer, or reproductive problems.
An MRI is still the recommended method for detecting silicone implant ruptures.
The longer you have silicone implants (or saline implants), the more likely it is that you will experience a complication or adverse outcome. Choosing breast augmentation or implant-based breast reconstruction means monitoring your implants for a lifetime. “Between 20 to 40 percent of augmentation patients and 40 to 70 percent of reconstruction patients had reoperations during the first 8 to 10 years after they received their implants,” the FDA reports. Although “routine replacement is not necessary,” a revision is necessary for many women.
Women who have breast implants have a very small, but increased likelihood of receiving diagnosis of analplastic large cell lymphoma.

The FDA continues to monitor the safety and effectiveness of silicone implants. For updates on the latest findings, visit www.fda.gov/breastimplants.

Tags: safety of silicone implants
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8 Great Sites to Learn More About Your Procedure

June 24th, 2011 by newseditor

Our website provides excellent information for anyone considering cosmetic surgery in Ohio. Nonetheless, it is wise to do your own independent research. You will feel more confident in your decision, and you’ll know the right questions to ask Dr. Mandell-Brown if you decide to schedule a consultation.

Here are 8 great websites to start researching your cosmetic procedure:

Tip: The resource that is best for you will probably depend on your communication style. If you enjoy an objective and comprehensive source, then start with journals or society sites. If you want patient stories and informal discussion, try a forum.

1. Medscape by Web MD

Medscape has compiled hundreds of clinical articles pertaining to cosmetic surgery, reconstructive surgery and dermatology. While most resources of this caliber require payment or subscription, Medscape is open access. The writing can be difficult to digest at times, but in return you get more detailed information.

2. Realself.com

Realself is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery forums on the web, if not the most popular. You can browse a seemingly endless number of questions, reviews and photos. What sets realself apart is the transparency of the doctors who answer your questions.

3. Cosmetic Surgery Times

Although written for physicians and industry types, Cosmetic Surgery Times offers cutting-edge content on the latest procedures. If you like to stay on top of trends and new technology, it’s worth a read.

4. New You Magazine

New You is a newcomer on the scene, so expect to see more content coming to their website and more copies of the magazine in your cosmetic surgeon’s office. The site contains some good patient stories, Q&A and online access to the latest articles. Check out the summer 2011 stories.

5. Make Me Heal Forums

Make Me Heal has very active forums where patients discuss the pros and cons of their cosmetic procedure, helping others plan their own. Beware: forums can be addicting, so don’t be too surprised if you end up browsing the site for several hours.

6. Just Breast Implants Forum

If you’re looking for personal stories about breast augmentation, this is the site to browse. Women share the finer details of their breast augmentation, so women planning their own procedure know what to expect.

7. Medline Plus

Medline offers a directory of trustworthy resources about cosmetic plastic surgery. It’s described as the “National Institutes of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends.” The layout isn’t flashy, but the resources listed on Medline are well curated and very educational.

8. Cosmeticsurgery.org

The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery is a society of with members in many different surgical specialties. Their website has excellent descriptions of procedures and a physician locator to find a cosmetic surgeon in your area.

Keep in mind: the web is always changing. These sites will inevitably improve or decline in quality after the time of this writing, and more valuable resources may come online in the near future.

Also remember that none of the sites listed here are a substitute for a surgeon’s expert opinion.

Tags: best plastic surgery websites
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Allergan Offers Latisse Discount with Make-A-Wish Donation

June 7th, 2011 by newseditor

Once again, the maker of Latisse® eyelash solution is raising money for the make-a-wish foundation. This year, they’ve enlisted the emmy-nominated actress Christina Hendricks to spearhead the Latisse Wishes Challenge. This year, participants can donate to Make-a-Wish through the campaign and receive discounts on Latisse eyelash solution.

You can participate in the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge too. Just donate a minimum of $20 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation through the campaign’s website, www.LatisseWishesChallenge.com. Through November 30, 2011, Latisse® will double all donations up to $250,000.

Get Latisse Discounts Through Your Donation

If you’re one of the first 10,000 people making the minimum donation to the Latisse Wishes Challenge, you will receive a free trial certificate for Latisse®. Bring it to your cosmetic surgeon and he or she will determine if Latisse® is right for you.

Also, if you invite two friends to join you in the campaign, they too will receive a $20 rebate off their next purchase of Latisse®.

Ms. Hendricks, along with Claire Daines and Brooke Shields, is the latest spokesperson and user of Latisse. During the Latisse Wishes Challenge, she will be sharing her eyelash-growing experience. About the campaign she says: “Latisse® is also a brand that contributes to children, and I couldn’t think of a better cause to support than the Make-A-Wish Foundation. When I was seven years old, I saw firsthand the difference a wish can make in the life of a child when a girl in my class got her wish to meet Erik Estrada.”

Tags: latisse discount coupon
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Research Explores Best Age for Facelift Surgery

June 7th, 2011 by newseditor

People considering facial plastic surgery often ask: what is the best age for a facelift? A new study from Cleveland Clinic shows that with proper screening, a facelift after the age of 65 can be just as safe as one performed for younger patients.

Researchers followed 216 women for three years, comparing their facelift results based on their varying age. 148 of the patients were under the age of sixty-five, while 68 of them were over the age of sixty-five. They tracked their progress, including results, complications and other facelift outcomes.

Age alone should not be considered a predictor of facelift risk, the study suggests. The authors stress that good screening is a critical aspect of the procedure. Many older men and women considering facelift surgery may not be good candidates because of health problems. “Careful screening of the elderly patients, and excluding those with significant co-morbidities, led to the low complication rate, ” explains the author of the study.

The best age for a facelift varies

For most patients, the best age for a facelift is some time between ages 40 to 60, when wrinkles and folds begin to appear on the lower face and neck. While younger people might address cosmetic problems in this area with neck liposuction or a chin implant, an older patient typically has loose skin that needs to be tightened.

Is there an age limit for facelift surgery?

According to the authors of the study, The Safety of Rhytidectomy in the Elderly, more research is needed to determine if there should be an age limit for facelift in patients over 65 years of age. In the study, the average age of their elderly group was 70 years.

To learn more about the best age for your facelift, contact Dr. Mandell Brown in Cincinnati, Ohio.

View our facelift before and after photos

Tags: best facelift age, too old for facelift
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Spring is Body Contouring Season: Who’s Beach Ready?

May 18th, 2011 by newseditor

Cosmetic surgery requires recovery time, and summer is almost here. Soon, thousands of Cincinnati men and women will flock to their backyards, local beaches, and pools in various states of relative undress.

To prepare, some are hitting the gym and others are considering a body contouring procedure. If you fall into that latter category, then this short guide is for you.

If you’re looking to get thinner, the most popular option is liposuction, a surgery that requires only a small incision and uses a tube that sucks fat from the body. It’s especially effective on those areas of the body where pockets of fat don’t respond to good diet and regular exercise, such as the upper arm, tummy, butt or thighs.

Depending on the extent of your liposuction, signs of surgery can endure for a few weeks after the procedure, so it’s best to schedule your procedure at least a month before you hope to show off your figure.

Another popular procedure is the tummy tuck, which flattens the abdomen, giving it a tighter appearance after being stretched out by pregnancy or weight loss. Many women find the tummy tuck extremely effective when used in conjunction with liposuction. After tummy tuck surgery, patients must wear compression garments for several weeks. While the scars from tummy tuck surgery will appear most prominent about three weeks after the surgery, your doctor will likely be able to position them below your bikini line, so that no one will be able to tell. The scars will gradually fade and flatten out during the summer.

Other procedures that remove excess skin, such as the arm lift, thigh lift, and body lift, require different recovery times. The arm lift may take 2-4 weeks to recover, while the thigh and body lifts may take 6 weeks.

If you’re considering having a procedure done in time for sun and sand, make sure to call your a qualified Cincinnati cosmetic surgeon and find out how long your recovery time will be, and how soon you might be able to show off your new body.

Tags: liposuction, recovery from body contouring, tummy tuck
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