Did You Get The Botox® Wonder Shot?

In its original state, Botox® is one of the most toxic proteins found naturally in the world. In its adapted state, Botox® was used in the 1980’s to treat conditions like Blepharospasm [uncontrolled blinking] and Strabismus [cross eyes]. An accidental discovery led to this protein’s rise as the most popular non surgical treatment in plastic surgery. Doctors realized that Botox® could be adapted to temporarily erase frown lines, crow’s feet and laugh lines from a patient’s face. Studies also pointed to the efficacy of Botox® in relieving migraine headaches and excessive sweating among other minor complications.

Initially a very expensive plastic surgery option, Botox® was made popular by celebrities and socialites alike. However, the speed with which Botox® treatments were administered and the minimal recovery time expected, the success and easy availability of Botox® was ensured. Today, the treatment takes as less as ten minutes and results are noticeable within twenty-four hours.

The entire treatment is administered through just an injection, the repetition of which is recommended regularly for better results. All the fuss that a plastic surgery procedure like a facelift or a neck lift causes a patient is eliminated. There are no scars, no bruises, no bandages, no stitches and no post- procedure precautions that have to be taken care of with Botox®.

If these aren’t reasons enough to opt for the magic injection, then the cost factor certainly is. Botox® treatments are available at a fraction of the cost that cosmetic surgery procedures usually entail. With such a painless option available to patients, Botox® injections are as enjoyable as a trip to your beauty salon- which you might no longer even need to patronize.

Contact the Plastic Surgery Institute of California to avail of safe and expertly administered Botox® treatments today.

Money Matters And Quality Standards:

Paying through the nose for a new nose? The plastic surgery scenario in 2007 has made this passé. Television shows as old as “The Bold and the Beautiful” and as recent as “Sex and the City” and “Desperate Housewives” claim to be for the new woman. The plastic surgery mindset has taken a leap from the backyards of the rich and famous to the living rooms of the working class. And why not? It was just a matter of time. This branch of medicine is no longer shrouded in exclusivity. The masses have taken to such procedures with enthusiasm. With the promise the knife seems to hold for an average American in improving a daily humdrum existence, money has ceased to be a concern for a more aware public.

Though procedures for correcting disfigurements and reconstructive surgeries are covered by health insurance plans, plastic surgery procedures undertaken for aesthetic enhancements face a drawback. After deciding upon the type of surgery procedure you want to go ahead with, shortlist the surgeons you have decided upon and run a check on their respective credentials and their costs. The plastic surgeon having the best credentials most probably won’t be the cheapest and vice versa. Try looking out for a good combination of both. At the Plastic Surgery Institute of California, you can be assured that you have met such a balanced combination.

Our prices are quoted after a careful examination of your requirements, the type of surgery you want, the time and effort that your desired procedure will require and the complexity of the procedure beside other supplementary costs. We also offer a range of attractive discounts and offers at our facilities in Newport Beach, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Huntington Beach. Financing is offered through both CareCredit as well as MediCredit. We assure you an unbiased opinion and competitive prices.

Before Surgery, Consider This:

Your dream of looking and feeling better, is what your plastic surgeon is going to mould, sculpt and bring to life for you. If you are going to entrust your body to him, a number of vital questions have to be answered before going ahead with the processes that lead up to your desired procedure.

Do you really need it? is the first vital question you will need to consider. And if you do, what surgery is the one that is suitable for you. Breast augmentations, Lifts, reductions, or reconstructions are procedures you can opt for if enhancing your breasts is what you want. But if its enhancing or reconstructing your face, then any of these options like a cheek, chin or lip augmentation, or a rhytidectomy, or a rhinoplasty, or ear correction, etc. Then again there are also thigh & buttock lifts, buttock and calf augmentations, liposuction, pectoral implants (for men), tummy tucks, etc. which are the surgery options available if you want to re- shape other parts of your body.

Excellent credentials and experience maketh a praiseworthy surgeon.
Before contacting any surgeon you have been referred to by a friend, aquaintance or maybe even your own physician, play safe, run a check on him. Don’t appease your friends’ concerns, satisfy yours first. Check up on the surgeon as well as his clinic’s certification. One legitimate board that can be trusted is The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, whose members are trained exclusively in plastic surgery. The Plastic Surgery Institute of California is one such institute affiliated with this association.

Discuss the implications and possible complications that may arise.
Clinics often boast of their success in radically changing people. ‘Before surgery’ and ‘after surgery’ photographs make plastic surgery look very appealing and uncomplicated at the best of times. Risks and precautions, however, have to be something that your surgeon has to discuss with you. If you are comfortable with the clinic and surgeon you have chosen, you can rest easy with the assurance that your surgeru will be a smooth process.

Techniques and processes.
Make a point to understand what you will undergo under the knife. It can be quite useful- both emotionally as well as physically, in helping you deal with the change.
A new persona has to be nurtured and understood well to allow it to reach that added glow which cosmetic surgery seems to bring.

Our team of qualified and experienced surgeons at the Plastic Surgery Institute of California takes every effort to provide you with detailed advice on procedures like rhinoplasty, breast augmentations and reductions, tummy tucks and nose and face lifts with ease.

Gastric Bypass Procedure + Plastic Surgery = Rejuvenated Body:

Gastric Bypass Procedure [GBP], a procedure applied to address the severe condition of morbid obesity, is an option that more and more obese Americans are turning to save a deteriorating body. Recent statistics in the United States have come up with staggering figures. From the 58 million people who number as overweight, 3 million are morbidly obese. This condition comes with its own set of complications, like fatigue, asthma, sleep apnea, etc.

GBP not only improves the overall physical appearance but also restores the individual’s inherent vigor. In a GBP, the stomach is induced to decrease its intake of food as the stomach size is reduced by about 90%. This allows for food to remain for a longer time in the stomach and reduces the urge to eat.

The morbidly obese after undergoing this procedure, find a lot of their health problems dealt with. Though the surgery itself is complicated and involves multiple procedures performed over a period of months, the results of the surgery are definitely positive. Longevity is one of the most incredible outcomes of this procedure, as it, by default, does away with about host of the complications that obesity comes with.

After effects of Gastric Bypass Surgery, like sagging skin which can lead to physical restrictions, can be corrected by body contouring procedures like buttock lifts, thigh lifts, tummy tucks etc. At The Plastic Surgery Institute of California we consider your weight losing goals and work diligently to help you in achieving a fit and healthy constitution.

Post Surgery Care:

You have just had a neck lift surgery a few days back. You had been expecting to look younger and feel amazing. But instead what you see in the mirror is ugly swelling and bruising, and what you feel is not really close to amazing. If you have selected a good surgeon, chances are he has already informed you about such conditions, and advised you on methods and therapy to deal with it.

It takes an average of 6-12 months and sometimes longer for a scar to "mature". Unsightly scars may be improved by changing their width, length, direction or plane. More than one surgical procedure is frequently necessary. Post surgery depression is a normal condition which patients go through. In order to achieve optimum results, it is important for patients to follow pre and post operative procedures properly.

The post operation procedures usually involve different directions for different people, as each individual tolerates pain differently. The length of recovery period too differs. A child may take less time to recover physically from a surgery than an older person; however, the latter is better equipped mentally to recover from the surgery. Different procedures again have different recovery periods. For instance, blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery enables a person to move about independently by the second day itself; whereas patients who have had an abdominoplasty may take around two days to get around to moving about independently.

Take care to discuss with your surgeon the pre surgery requirements and follow them carefully. If these are paid proper attention to, then the post surgery risks will be minimized significantly. Good communication between surgeon and patient comes into use here.

Contact us here for any queries you might have regarding pre and post surgery procedures. Our team of qualified doctors at The Plastic Surgery Institute of California aims to provide you with all the help to appreciate and nurture a new stage in your life.

A Plastic Vacation:

It does have a funny ring to it. But plastic vacations or as the travel business fondly refers to it, ‘facelift holidays’, are a serious money raking option. For a large number of men and women seeking a change in personality along with looks, a ‘facelift holiday’ also has an interesting appeal to it. Not only does a tropical vacation provide some pleasure and relaxation to an individual, it also adds the glow of a completely re-vamped body to a vacation tan. Go away flawed and return a sensation. Sounds fun. But is it that simple?

The costs of plastic surgery in places like Columbia, Cuba, India, South Africa and Thailand maybe a fraction compared to the steep prices that are attached to cosmetic procedures in the west, but this is only due to the low cost of healthcare in these countries. But while you may be saving up on precious finances, are you compromising on personal health and safety?

An unknown country, especially an exotic one, has its share of problems, the foremost being tropical diseases, which the westerner is ill-equipped to physically resist. Another important risk factor is the environment. After certain procedures like face lifts, a patient is advised to stay away from the sun or else sunburn can leave dark scars; while a neck lift procedure requires a close watch to be paid on body temperature.

Besides the physical risks that a facelift holiday might involve, legal issues too are worth pondering upon. Medical tourists cannot take recourse to laws that are applicable in their home country in case of a malpractice. Moreover, the health standards that are available in a country like the United States are the best in the world, and developing countries with inferior infrastructure only strive to achieve that position.

At the Plastic Surgery Institute of California, the high quality services on offer at each of our facilities in Newport Beach, Pasadena, Beverly Hills and Huntington Beach are approved and attested by an illustrious board like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons [ASPS]. While there are no legalities and health problems involved in any of our procedures, your ‘facelift holiday’ in temperate California can actually take your body woes away.

Of Tupperware And Botox® Parties:

What is the connection you ask. Why dahlin’, they are so in. Well, maybe not Tupperware anymore, but Botox® parties are certainly a hip and happening reality post 2002 [which is when the concept originated]. A li’l French wine, exotic hors d'oeuvres, conversation, gossip, and instant makeovers; these parties began as a lucrative option for the cosmetic surgeon, the patient, and in most cases the accomplished hostess as well. Given the short shelf life botulinum toxin type A [Botox®] has, when doctors buy it in bulk, not only does it reduce purchase price for them, but it also serves as a spiffy marketing tool for their plastic surgery business.

One viewpoint sees Botox® parties as a great way for people to socialize with each other and lose any inhibitions they might have about the treatment. They know they are not alone, and the fact that their friends too are getting a shot along with them goes a long way in making them comfortable. Another viewpoint that is being expressed by a score of plastic surgeons criticizes such Botox® parties citing un-professionalism and lack of safety measures as their main arguments.

Whether they are a form of group therapy or complete lack of medical ethics, Botox® parties are very much a 21st century reality. However, it is important to keep a lookout for crucial elements which have to be considered when thinking about attending such parties. The FDA licenses Botox® and distributes it as vials which have to be used for only one patient and for just one treatment. Once opened and diluted, the drug has to be used within four hours. There are doctors who use a single vial of Botox® on multiple patients to save costs. The expected effects are thus not always attained.

A completely controlled environment too, is one essential factor which might be required by some patients who can be affected more by the side-effects of a Botox® treatment like nausea, muscle weakness, etc. At the Plastic Surgery Institute of California, we offer a controlled and safe environment for injectable treatments like Botox®. Cosmetic surgeons at each of our facilities follow strict medical ethics and procedures.

Mom Jobs:

A pregnancy should leave you with happier memories than post partum depression resulting from a sagging bust line and a bulky body. With more and more mothers opting to continue with their careers rather than stay at home and take care of the baby, a fit and toned body is a must have in order to retain that confidence and do away with bias at the workplace. The ‘Mommy Makeover’ is a godsend to cure most women’s post partum blues.

The ASPS reported a rise in demand for a combination of tummy tucks, liposuction and breast augmentation procedures by 11% for women aged 20-39 between 2005 and 2006. Mommy makeovers involve a combination of these three main procedures besides procedures like thigh and buttock lifts, injectable treatments, etc. The effects of all these cosmetic procedures separately as well as collectively are so wonderful that it has women who are way past their child-bearing years too opting for it.

Asymmetry in breast size, a bulging stomach, bulky hips, thick thighs, heavy bottoms, etc. can all be corrected with a mommy makeover. Besides solving appearance issues, mommy makeovers also have women claiming to have health benefits. Loss in weight helps maintain it easier. The motivation for following a healthy diet and exercising regularly to maintain that toned look, are the expected advantages of a ‘mom job’.

At the Plastic Surgery Institute of California, we offer mommy makeovers tailor-made for your body type. Our experienced plastic surgeons take into consideration essential factors like your age, weight, health problems, career, lifestyle, diet, etc. and after a careful examination, advice you accurately on the cosmetic procedures you can go ahead with to get our old body back in a new shell.

Breast Implants And Rising Suicide Rates:

A lot of controversies revolve around this particular cosmetic surgery. A recent study conducted by researchers at the International Epidemiology Institute in Rockville, Md., Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN; and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden showed that women who had breast implants exhibited stronger suicidal tendencies. Claims that women who have had breast implants are prone to low self-esteem, depression, mental illness, and are likely to have undergone psychotherapy also prevail.

However, the benefits of a breast implant cannot be ignored. Not only does a breast augmentation enhance the overall appearance of the body, but it has also led to an improvement in physical health, self confidence and sexual function. Patients who have had to have a mastectomy and those suffering from deformities especially are the ones benefiting the most from a breast augmentation procedure. Figures collated by the ASPS in 2006 show that breast augmentation is the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedure by Americans with 329,000 procedures performed in the U.S. itself.

Why then, is a breast implant viewed to be such a big risk? Women who have undergone a breast implant surgery are advised to stay in touch with their doctors for years after a surgery. The main reason being that most often more than one surgery is requiered as a follow up. Complications like ruptured or deflated implants, assymetry in breast size, hardening of the implant, difference in proportion between the breasts and the rest of the body, etc. occur frequently.

At the Plastic Surgery Institute of California, board certified doctors take care to ensure that your breast implant procedure is a safe one. We accept a patient only after a careful screening and an intense consultation process. Complications are kept to a minimum and as far as possible eliminated with. We take the time and care to follow up on each of our patients. A high self esteem and improved physical health is what we promise.

Is Your Rhinoplasty Surgeon Any Good?

You may not have Elisha Cuthbert’s wide nose, or Janet Jackson’s perfect [cosmetically enhanced] nose. The elegant Roman nose too may not be the one you have been born with. But these famous noses may not necessarily be the noses that will gain you fame in your workplace after getting them cosmetically enhanced. What is considered beautiful by some may turn out to be downright ugly from someone else’s viewpoint. A ‘nose job’ is a procedure that patients would consider getting when a rich lifestyle commanded them to look picture perfect. However, the health- improving options offered by a Rhinoplasty are what are being taken into account as well by more aware patients. Besides tackling breathing problems, Rhinoplasty also enables a patient to correct birth defects.

When going ahead with the decision of getting a ‘nose job’, consulting a surgeon certified with a board like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) [the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world] is recommended. Discuss the complications and after effects that may arise post surgery with him. How qualified your doctor is, directly influences the intensity of the complications that may arise, which could be anything from a nosebleed to a reaction to anesthesia. Get a Rhinoplasty because you want to improve your nose, not perfect it.

You can either find a good doctor on the internet at the sites of the respective boards, or you can contact the Plastic Surgery Institute of California by clicking here. We are members of the ASPS. If you are considering a Rhinoplasty, you can request a consultation with any of our highly experienced surgeons at locations like Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, Pasadena, San Diego and Huntington Beach. They can help guide you through the decision making process and answer any questions you may have.