It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman?

When Clark Kent wanted to transform into his heroic alter-ego, Superman, all it took was a quick whizz round inside a phone box.  In real life, things are rarely so easy as I read on an ABC news article! A 35-year-old man has had extensive cosmetic surgery to make him look more like the comic book character.

Herbert Chavez, from the Philippines, has dramatically altered his appearance to look more like the famed Man of Steel. In his quest to emulate his favorite superhero, he has undergone a variety of procedures ranging from chin augmentation to thigh implants.

Mr Chavez, whose profession is given as 'pageant trainer', has been going under the knife since 1995 to achieve the transformation.  So far Mr Chavez has admitted to having a chin augmentation to give him Superman's iconic cleft; Rhinoplasty to transform his Asian nose into one more closely resembling Superman actor Christopher Reeves; silicone injections to his lips to make them fuller and thicker; and thigh implants to make his legs appear more muscular.  

Based on the before and after photos, I would also suspect eye surgery, cheek augmentation and a jaw augmentation.  His look appears to be an amalgamation of all the actors who have played Superman, as well as comic book depictions of the fantasy character.  Surely an interesting yet extreme look at what plastic surgery can do.  Although I wouldn’t necessarily advocate plastic surgery to become your favorite super hero.  

Can lipo make you healthier?

On today’s blog I wanted discuss a new study recently presented at this years the annual conference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has found that liposuction can not only make you thinner, but could possibly simultaneously decrease the triglyceride content in your blood.

 

According to ABC News:

Researchers studied levels of cholesterol and “bad” fats called triglycerides in the blood of more than 300 patients who were undergoing liposuction. Patients who had elevated triglyceride levels before the procedure showed an average 43 percent reduction in their triglyceride levels after they had liposuction.

The patients showed no changes in their cholesterol levels, but researchers did find a post-liposuction reduction in counts of white blood cells, which are associated with heart attacks, obesity, strokes and high blood pressure.

This is the first study that has shown any beneficial health effects of liposuction removing subcutaneous.  However, I would still say it’s a stretch to say that lipo alone will make you healthier.   There are fats that cannot be removed via liposuction such a visceral or intra-abdominal fat.  Unfortunately, these carry with them a higher risk of heart disease, unlike subcutaneous fat. 

There is a place for liposuction.  But it won’t  be a substitute for a good diet and regular exercise.  It’s purpose is to treat stubborn areas of fat in people who have a healthy body weight.

Beauty sleep is not a myth

Want a free a simple idea to improve your appearance?  My answer:  Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.   The idea of people needing "beauty sleep" has acquired some scientific backing, according to a Swedish study.

The study, led by John Axelsson of Sweden's Karolinska Institute, was published Dec. 14 in BMJ, a British medical journal. It set out to explore the effect that sleep has on how one is perceived, specifically on others' judgments of an individual's attractiveness and health.

People deprived of sleep for long periods appear less attractive and more unhealthy than those who are well rested, say researchers.  Volunteers were photographed after eight hours sleep and again after being kept awake for 31 hours.Observers scored the sleep-deprived participants as less healthy and less attractive, the BMJ reports.

The concept of beauty sleep is well known. But, according to researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, it has lacked scientific support. The team asked untrained observers to rate the faces of 23 young men and women who had been photographed after a normal night's sleep and then after a night of sleep deprivation.  The photographs were standardized so that people were the same distance from the camera, wore no make-up and used the same expression.

The authors wrote in their paper published in the British Medical Journal: "Sleep deprived people are perceived as less attractive, less healthy and more tired compared with when they are well rested." They say the results may be useful in a medical setting, helping doctors to pick up signs of ill-health in their patients.

Commenting on the study, Derk-Jan Dijk, Professor of Sleep and Physiology at the Surrey Sleep Research Centre, said the effects of sleep loss on beauty may be even more dramatic than the photographs show. He said: "The photographs were taken during the daytime when the biological clock promotes wakefulness.  Can you imagine how sleep loss makes you look at night or early in the morning when the circadian clock (body clock) promotes sleep?"

Findings showed that sleep-deprived people appear less healthy, less attractive and more tired compared with when they are well rested," wrote the researchers. This suggests that humans are sensitive to sleep-related facial cues.

 
While the long-term effects of poor sleep on overall health have been widely researched, this is the first study to provide evidence that in the short term, sleep deprivation does in fact show up as a discernible change in facial appearance.

So, get some sleep and go from rough to ravishing!

Should you Combine Plastic Surgery Procedures?

One of the questions I’m most often asked by patients: “Is it possible to have more than one surgery at the same time?” This has been a particularly growing trend in the past few years.   Over the last several years more and more patients come to the office wanting to address more than one problem area at the same time.

For many years plastic surgeons have been combining facial rejuvenation surgical procedures because as we all know, humans don’t age one facial part at a time.  We commonly perform eyelid surgery and facelifts surgery simultaneously   They are even combined with other rejuvenation surgical procedures because they can be done so safely.    Patients are recovering at one time, and they end up with a more harmonious result.

As long as sound judgment and safety are the primary focus of all consideration, then even larger operations on the body can be accomplished in one operative visit. Preoperative screening should always be completed prior to an operation of larger magnitude or other longer and delicate procedures.  The pre-op assessment will be a good indicator of what the patient will be able to safely handle.  It is also important to make sure that you are choosing a plastic surgeon with proper credentials and plenty of experience as well as one that performs their surgeries in a certified operating facility. 

As a double board certified surgeon, I say safety first! 

Breast Reduction

Breast reduction is often misunderstood online. The operation is defined as the reduction and lifting of breasts. This is not the same as removing or reducing the size of breast implants in a woman’s breasts. That is called an implant exchange.

Implants are not usually involved especially when an insurance company is scheduled to pay for it with the possible exception of surgery to reconstruct a woman’s breasts after breast cancer surgery.

It is difficult enough to get most insurers to pay for “clear cut” medically-necessary plastic surgery. Breast reduction surgery is the reduction of naturally enlarged breasts and that is all.

Breast reduction used to be one of the more common insurance-covered procedures. With the economy as of late, insurers are not always so quick to approve them, but for the right patient they are still do-able.

Usually we see our patients for a consultation and then apply to their insurers for pre-approval if the case seems reasonable by insurance company standards. We don’t make the rules on approval, but we do know the game. Appeals are not uncommon.

These days, insurers are looking for a certain amount of breast gland to be removed in a certain sized woman in order to allow coverage. In addition they like to see documentation of things like bra strap furrows, the “dents” some larger breasted women get in their shoulders from breasts weighing against them throughout the day. Insurers don’t tend to like claims where liposuction has been involved. This can trigger denials on cosmetic grounds at the time of billing.

Insurance pre-approval usually covers surgery for a 90 day period. The exact nature of that coverage varies by the plan.  Be sure to talk to your surgeon about what your options are and what the best plan of action is for you.

What to do when finding a surgeon.

As a plastic surgeon, people often share their fears of surgery.  Sadly, they also frequently share horror stories of botched surgeries, terrible results, and even the death of someone they knew.   Some of these fears were captured by a US Today article I read recently that showcases the story of the Howards, local to our very own South Florida.

It would be irresponsible of me to say that there aren’t risks in plastic/cosmetic surgery.  There are risks involved every time you go under the knife for sure.  However that doesn’t mean you should allow that to scare you from looking into the surgeries you would like performed to achieve the results that you desire. Unfortunately, you only hear about the bad or “horror” stories. There are plenty of plastic surgery “wows” that are unseen because the patients look so good. They look so natural, no one would know anything was ever done.

There is plenty that you can do to put yourself in the best possible hands to ensure not only your safety, but results you’ll be happy with.  

I feel that the most important thing you can do is to do you homework.   First, think long and hard about exactly what you want improved or what you’d be interested in.  Then form an idea of the results you’re expecting.  Once you’ve done this, find a few surgeons via credible recommendations.  Please do yourself a favor and check the surgeon’s web presence. Do you like the feel you get when you see the website? How glitzy? What’s the environment like? Can you see that Doctor treating you? Next, schedule your consultation. Don’t be afraid to ask the doctor about their experience, ask to see testimonials.  Most importantly ask questions. What are your different options? What exactly will happen during the surgery? What can you expect during your recovery time?  It is paramount that you do your due diligence and stay safe while seeking out the new you!

Safety is job one!

Insurance Dollars for Rhinoseptoplasty

In recent years many celebrities have explained going under the knife for a nose job by stating it was a performed for medical purposes.  So it’s no surprise that I have been asked various times by patients about the likelihood that their insurance plan would cover the surgery. 

It has been my experience that it behooves the surgeon to obtain pre-authorization for the surgery from the specific insurance company as they all have varying policies.  The third party will usually pay for medically necessary surgery, provided that the appropriate medical documentation to support necessity of the proposed surgery is available.   If there is associated trauma to the nose, the third party will often pay for reduction of a nasal fracture more readily than pay for a rhinoplasty.   Third parties typically deem rhinoplasty a cosmetic surgery.  They regard septoplasty and turbinectomy as medically appropriate surgeries performed for medical necessity.

Septoplasty and turbinectomy procedures are performed to improve breathing; therefore third parties tend to pay for these procedures.   However, if a rhinoplasty is performed at the same time, the third party will deny payment for the cosmetic portion of the surgery---- the rhinoplasty, including anesthesia and operating room fees incurred during the cosmetic portion.

There are always exceptions to the rule, but it is better to expect that there is a very small likelihood that your insurance will cover your rhinoplasty.   The best course of action is to talk to your surgeon about what your options are and what payment alternatives exist.