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The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery released the results of its annual survey this week for 2009, revealing a small increase in the number of non-surgical procedures and a moderate decrease in cosmetic surgeries such as abdominoplasty, liposuction and breast augmentation.
According to the aesthetic society, overall demand for cosmetic treatments dropped only two percent [...]

all cancers, whether breast, brain or blood, start when a single cell’s DNA gets a mutation or is damaged. This means that a normal gene, that produces a protein that goes on to provide a certain function, becomes abnormal. This abnormal gene produces an abnormal protein. Now our cells are really smart and there are other proteins that detect abnormal genes and remove them or even signal for the entire cell to be destroyed. However, it’s often these removing genes, known as tumor suppressor genes, that are abnormal…..

You might remember our 2008 post about the “near-total face transplant” performed by surgeons and doctors at the Cleveland Clinic.  It took 22 hours to restore a patient’s face. She had suffered severe facial trauma years before the operation.
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, doctors and plastic surgeons at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are [...]

So you’ve met the parents.  Now I guess if you twist my arm I’ll talk about myself.  Remember this wasn’t my idea!
As I’ve said, I’m the youngest of four.  The “baby” of the family is the end of reproductive life of the mother.  So my theory is that the youngest gets spoiled because the mother [...]

1. Hip fat is healthier than tummy fat. Fat around the hips, thighs and buttocks may work advantageously against heart and metabolic diseases. In contrast to tummy fat, hip fat burns slower, thereby releasing fewer pro-inflammatory cytokines, hormones that are linked to heart disease and diabetes. Also known as visceral fat, this dangerous fat lies closer [...]

Okay I have my bottle of wine, a Valium and the encouragement from my therapist who says that talking about my mother is therapeutic.  Hmmmmm.  I’m just kidding, mixing Valium and wine-that’s just crazy.  Don’t get me wrong, this is no celebrity “I blame my mother for everything,” sob story.  My mother did the best [...]

There’s no doubt about it, I am no “private person.”  You ask me pretty much anything and I’ll tell you.  I’m strong in my personality and convictions so I’ve got nothing to hide.
Many physicians take great care to never discuss their personal lives with patients.  And while it’s true that there must always be a [...]

A recent CNN article about the unfortunate death of Solange Magnano offers some useful advice for anyone considering plastic surgery.  We’re giving you the rundown here in compressed form, but you can read more in the link below:
What really killed the beauty queen?
1. Don’t seek out unapproved medical procedures.
The “Argentine beauty queen” may have requested [...]

Dr. Alan Gold describes it best as “the blind leading the blind” in this piece about do-it-yourself cosmetic procedures.  Apparently, a woman in Texas was posting instructional videos on how to self-inject substances purchased from her company website, Discount Medspa.
Chemical peels, botulinum toxin and cosmetic wrinkle fillers were all available without a prescription or a [...]

We made this poll to get an idea of what patients and non-surgeons think of the proposed “Botax” or elective cosmetic medical tax, because for the most part, that’s who could end up paying for it.
As posted last week, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, as well as other groups like the ASAPS and AACS, [...]