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Bringing up the Rear

Low-riding junk in the trunk? Here’s how to jack it up. Denise Bates Enos

Blame it on Jennifer Lopez. She’s almost as famous for her rear assets as she is for her singing and acting. and her prominent derrière has a lot of women (and some men) considering plastic surgery to get the same higher, rounder look with a butt lift.

Dr. Jeffrey M. Hartog, director of the Bougainvillea Clinique in Winter Park and a board-certified plastic surgeon, explains that “the new or modern concept of a butt lift is not your mother’s butt lift.” a traditional butt lift, sometimes called a lower body lift because it involves the thighs, is a complex surgical procedure that requires general anesthesia and surgically removing excess skin to lift and tighten the buttocks.

“This, of course, was a big procedure with significant recovery and scarring,” he says. “the modern concept of a butt lift, or ‘Brazilian butt lift,’ essentially involves reshaping the buttocks using a combination of liposuction and reinjecting the fat as a fat graft to the buttocks to selectively enlarge the buttock and reshape it.”

This approach can be performed with tiny punctures that may require only a single dissolving stitch. the procedure can be done under either local or general anesthesia, and the back-to-work recovery time is typically one week or less. the two-part procedure includes liposuction to reshape the buttocks, thighs and hips, then fat is injected as needed into targeted areas of the buttocks.

only part of the injected fat—approximately 30 to 50 percent—becomes a permanent part of the reshaped rear, says Hartog. Ideal candidates for a Brazilian butt lift are patients with good skin tone who desire only a moderate enhancement, not a dramatic enlargement. those who want a noticeable badonkadonk may want to have implants surgically inserted, and patients with loose

or sagging skin on the buttocks may require the traditional surgery-and-sutures operation, both of which ratchet up the recovery time, risk and complication rate. the cost of the updated butt lift approach can vary depending on the amount of liposuction. Locally, patients can expect to pay between $3,000 and $6,000, according to Hartog; the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery puts the national range at $8,000 to $10,000. Hartog has seen an increase in the procedure’s popularity, thanks in part to certain booty-blessed celebrities like J.Lo and Kim Kardashian and the styles they set. “Fashion dictates a fuller, rounder and more shapely buttock,” he says.

Bringing up the Rear

New Procedure Makes Bigger Breasts Without Implants

Women who want bigger breasts without implants or scars now have another option, but it can take weeks to get the final results.

Brava, invented by Dr. Roger Khouri of the Miami Breast Center, is a bra-like suctioning device used before and after fat injections into the breasts. Research done in this month’s Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery showed Brava gave women larger results than fat injections alone.

“They’re large enough for my friends to notice, but they are also natural enough that I can deny it,” said a 33-year-old patient who did not want her name revealed.

She wore the Brava daily for a total of three and half months.

“It has a little bit of suction,” she said. “It just kinds of grabs onto the skin and stays there with a light type of pressure, like a little suction pressure.”

The Brava allows more fat, harvested from the patient during liposuction, to be injected into the breasts by expanding the breast tissue.

“In a small breast, there’s no room to cram a lot of fat cells,” said Khouri. “People historically have tried to stuff it and the capacity is not there. If you crowd them, they all die and you’ll fail. The graft won’t survive.”

Click here to read how a doctor says breast implant trends are changing.

The Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery looked at 81 women ages 17 to 63. It said the 71 who were compliant with Brava wear saw larger breasts, higher fat graft survival and minimal complications.

“We wanted to prove that it actually works,” said Khouri. “There’s no reason not to do if you do it right.”

Doctors say that women who want to see the tissue expansion should wear the suctions cups for ten hours a day for four weeks and then continuously for two days prior to the procedure. The cups also need to be worn 24 hours after the fat is injected.

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New Procedure Makes Bigger Breasts Without Implants

Plastic Surgery – Will It Be Covered By Insurance?

Plastic surgery is a vast area of medicine that encompasses many procedures. The field is traditionally divided into two categories: reconstructive and cosmetic.

It is imperative that you know into which group your perspective surgery falls in order that you are prepared for the cost. Sometimes the two categories overlap, but the main consideration is whether or not the procedure is a medical need or is the result of a medical need.

Reconstructive procedures are usually billable to insurance which means that these operations are considered medical needs. If a natural ability is being hindered or if a trauma or accident has caused a cosmetic need, you may be able to claim the procedure on your health insurance.

The most common reconstructive surgery is a breast reconstruction due to a mastectomy. Women who have survived cancer and undergone this breast removing procedure who wish to have a reconstruction are likely to be able to claim the procedure as a medical need because it was ultimately induced by a medical need. Burn surgery is another area that walks the line between cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. Burn patients must have surgeries to graft the exposed areas, but it is sometimes simultaneous that the scars are cosmetically treated as well.

Hand surgery also falls into the expertise of a plastic surgery. Reconstructions undergone due to congenital conditions such as cleft lips and palates, facial or skull abnormalities, and hand or foot malformations will be considered non-cosmetic if the condition was endangering the patient in any way, for example if a cleft lip or a short frenula was inhibiting a child’s ability to nurse or take a bottle or consume other nutrition. Carpal tunnel or other hand syndromes may be corrected with the help of a professional in the field as we. Removal of certain types of moles or skin lesions may also be done by a plastic surgeon.

Cosmetic surgeries are purely elective or non-medically necessary. At the top of the list for decades has been the breast augmentation or implant surgery and/or the mastoplexy or lift. Nose jobs, also called rhinoplasty, are usually considered elective though a broken nose or a deviated septum can sometimes result in a reconstruction that is unintentionally cosmetic.

The list of elective cosmetic operations and procedures is nearly infinite with numerous dealing with the face alone, and with the growing popularity of embracing transgender operations, the list of possibilities for total body transformation is growing rapidly. If there is any part of your body that you are mildly displeased with, you can bet that there is a procedure to be had to help you regain your self-confidence.

When considering plastic or reconstructive surgery, be sure to take the professional advice of your plastic surgery professional. He will help you make choices that are better suited to your body both aesthetically and medically. You should also do thorough research on the investment involved. Do not wait to get the declined billing letter to realize that your reconstruction is considered elective; fight the good fight before going under the knife.

Plastic Surgery – Will It Be Covered By Insurance?

Common Procedures in Cosmetic Surgery

Plastic and cosmetic surgery has evolved over the years from a reconstructive procedure that repairs defects of form or function to an aesthetic surgery that molds and shapes specific body parts to maximize appearance and self-confidence. the entire field of cosmetic surgery has seen much technological advancement over the years, significantly advancing the trade by bringing new products to the market and new procedures to patients. many cosmetic procedures can now be done on an outpatient basis, while the more complex surgeries have become more streamlined to accelerate recovery.

There are many plastic surgeries and cosmetic procedures that can be done, depending on the doctor’s recommendation and the patient’s specific needs. These are the most common:

Abdominoplasty: Otherwise known as a tummy tuck, an abdominoplasty firms and shapes the abdomen.

Breast Augmentation: This procedure enhances or enlarges the breasts, either with silicone or saline implants. it is also possible to graft fat from other parts of the body into the breast area for augmentation.

Breast Reduction: the removal of tissue, fat and skin from the breast area in order to reduce back pain and promote healthy movement. This procedure can also be done on men with gynecomastia. (A Mastopexy, also known as a breast lift, is the lifting and shaping of the breasts without implants or removal of glandular tissue.)

Chemical Peel: a skin treatment that minimizes the appearance of wrinkles, acne, pockmarks, scars, age spots, and freckles. Chemical peels use trichloroacetic acid, carbolic acid, glycolic acid or salicylic acid as the active agent in removing skin blemishes and imperfections.

Rhinoplasty: Commonly known as a Nose Job, a rhinoplasty is the reshaping and reforming of the nose. This can be done for self esteem and appearance purposes or to fix nasal breathing problems.

Rhytidectomy: Another common procedure known as a Face Lift. a rhytidectomy removes wrinkles from the face by tightening the facial tissue and removing excess skin.

Collagen Injection: Collagen is a fatty, natural filling agent, most commonly used in the lips or other areas of the face to shape and sculpt appearance.

Implants: There are many areas of the body than can be enhanced by implants. the most common is the breast, however the chin, cheeks, pectorals, and buttocks can all be made more appealing with implants.

If you are considering cosmetic surgery, research all options and talk it over with your doctor or cosmetic surgeon. Explore all options to see if a cosmetic procedure is right for you. Research the methods that your cosmetic surgeon plans to use, making sure he or she is using proven and effective techniques. Cosmetic surgery is an important decision that will forever change your appearance, so make a decision that you’ll be comfortable with for the rest of your life.

Common Procedures in Cosmetic Surgery

FUE vs FUHT – pros and cons

Author: Dr Amit GuptaFUE vs FUHT – pros and cons

With the massive increase in demand for hair transplant, there is a need to access new technologies and improve results further to make them look more natural. the time tested FUHT (strip) procedure is being challenged by the new FUE procedure. we at our centre Divine Cosmetic Surgery, routinely perform both the procedures and often in conjuction to  achieve the best results. let us have a look at the relative advantages , disadvantages and in the end indications for both these procedures

FUHT vs FUE – advantages of each

The FUE procedure is the most minimally invasive of the hair transplant procedures, the procedure being done under local anesthesia. this involved, harvesting each single graft one by one using special FUE devices. as long as the mico punches are less than 1.2 mm they barely leave and scar at all. in fact we perform FUE with 0.8 mm punches and these marks are not seen even as early as 2 weeks. FUE grafts are very thin, consisting of only the hair follicles, thus it is possible to achieve higher per square cm distribution of grafts with FUE. FUE grafts are excellent for the hair line, since almost 750-800 follicles can be implanted in the first line itself, giving almost the natural density. the process is essentially painless even in the post procedure period, with most patients taking only 1-2 pain killer tablets at most. the maximum number of follicles which are possible is between 4500-5000

The FUHT procedure involves a surgical incision and removal of hair strip which is then closed with fine sutures, this line is very fine, and is not visible from within the hair. the grafts wastage rate is less than 1% and the number of follicle per graft ratio is higher than FUE since each hair is visualized under vision and preserved. so a higher number of follicles per graft is achieved in FUHT grafts. it is excellent and has much better results in people who have curly hair and those with thin hair, where use of FUE results in graft wastage. the maximum number of follicles that is possible is about 6500

FUHT vs. FUE – disadvantages

Since FUE is a blind procedure, using a high speed FUE drill, it is likely to cause hair wastage,. in fact world wide the wastage rates are 10-30% of grafts harvested, further in multi follicular grafts, there is a definite chance of a follicle getting injured, leading to a less follicle per graft number. in very thin hair and curly hair, the wastage rated approximate 25% and in very thick hair a thicker punch is required, which may leave a scar. Particularly in curly hair, a thick punch is advised, and this may lead to visible dotted scar appearance.

The FUHT procedure is a surgical procedure, not easily done by deramtologists. it is a highly technical process, and can have prolonged recovery time, if done by a new

surgeon or someone who is not properly trained. the pain factor persists for 2-3 days. the line at the back is a permanent feature.

Combination of FUE and FUHT

The combination of both techniques is now being used to extract 9000-10000 follicles. it is thus possible to cover nearly the entire head portion even in stage IV and V of hair loss. Here the strip is taken first and then FUE is done above the strip segment.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hair-loss-articles/fue-vs-fuht-pros-and-cons-5604274.html

About the Author

Dr Amit Gupta is a Plastic Surgeon from Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi, who has specialized in the fields of Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Surgery, Microfollicular Hair Transplant, and Lasers. He joined Maulana Azad Medical College in 1994, and completed his MBBS in 1999, with University Honours. He was awarded with Gold Medal during his training for his academic excellence. He was awarded with the Lt. Governor’s Trophy for the Best All Round Medical Graduate in the year 1999, and Dr KB Sharma Shield for Best Contributor to Corporate Life of College. He participated in various co-curricular activities in his college days, and was instrumental in furthering stage activities in MAMC. He was awarded Silver Medal in Gynecology and Obstetrics also. He joined General Surgery in the same Institute and completed the course in his first attempt in 2003. Dr Amit Gupta joined the superspeciality course of Plastic Surgery at Maulana Azad Medical College which he cleared in 2007 in his attempt. during his training he underwent training in Burns Trauma Management Cancer and Microvascular Surgery Reconstructive and Congenital Defect Correction Surgery. He then pursued specialized fellowships in Cosmetic Surgery in Belgium (Europe) and Brazil. He has trained with Dr Patrick Tonnard in Belgium where he was trained in MACS Lift Surgery which is the most current development in the field of Facial Rejuvenative Surgery in Europe. He then pursued fellowships in Cosmetic Surgery in Brazil where he trained with the likes of Dr Ruth Graf and Dr Ana Zulmira who are regarded as icons in Cosmetic Surgery

FUE vs FUHT – pros and cons

UCLA Performs First Western U.S. Hand Transplant

UCLA performs first hand transplant in the western United States

Patient hopes procedure will enhance her ability to care for her daughter

(Editors: Video b-roll and still photographs of the surgery are available upon request.)

Newswise — Surgeons at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center performed the first hand transplant in the western United States in an operation that began one minute before midnight on Friday, March 4, and was completed 14-and-a-half hours later, on Saturday, March 5.

The transplant was performed on a 26-year-old mother from Northern California who lost her right hand in a traffic accident nearly five years ago. UCLA is only the fourth center in the nation to offer this procedure, and the first west of the Rockies. This was the 13th hand transplant surgery performed in the United States.

A team of 17 surgeons, anesthesiologists, operating room nurses and technicians were involved in the effort to graft the hand onto the patient. The operation began with two surgical teams working simultaneously to prepare the donor graft and the recipient. At 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, four-and-a-half hours after the operation began, the donor limb was joined to the recipient. The surgeons then began the complex work of attaching tendons, blood vessels and nerves to complete the surgery, which concluded at 2:30 p.m.

Following the surgery, the patient was brought back to her room, where she was met by grateful members of her family. She remains at the medical center and will begin extensive physical rehabilitation and a regimen of immunosuppressant medication to help prevent her body from rejecting the new appendage.

“I am ecstatic with the results — a little tired, but ecstatic,” said lead surgeon Dr. Kodi Azari, surgical director of the UCLA Hand Transplant Program and associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and plastic surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, at the conclusion of the marathon surgery. “Everything went well. The size, color and hair pattern match between the donor and recipient is nearly identical. we are so proud to have been able to give our patient the gift of a new hand.”

Azari was a surgeon in four previous hand transplant surgeries performed in the U.S. prior to coming to UCLA.

The transplant was made possible by the generosity of the family of a deceased donor in San Diego. The donor’s family worked with the staff at Lifesharing, who had been briefed last week by the transplant team at UCLA. Lifesharing, a division of UC San Diego Medical Center, is a nonprofit, federally designated organ and tissue recovery organization serving San Diego and Imperial counties.

The transplant surgery is part of a clinical trial at UCLA intended to confirm that surgical techniques already established in hand transplantation are successful. The trial also aims to study the return of function in transplanted hands and to assess the effectiveness and safety of a less toxic anti-rejection medication protocol.

The transplant team will closely monitor the patient’s progress and how well her body adjusts to the new hand. As part of this, doctors will map her brain at key points in her recovery, observing which parts light up when she is asked to move her fingers or other parts of the new hand.

“This surgery is part of the UCLA tradition of excellence in transplantation, and this is clearly a landmark event,” said Dr. Ronald Busuttil, executive chair of the UCLA Department of Surgery, chief of the division of liver and pancreas transplantation, and a groundbreaking transplant surgeon who 27 years ago established the world-renowned UCLA Liver Transplant Program. “We now are the first center in the western United States to be performing composite-tissue transplantation. everything necessary for this procedure has been aligned perfectly, with outstanding planning and teamwork. it has come together beautifully.”

The UCLA Hand Transplant Program is aimed at helping those who have suffered the traumatic loss of a hand or forearm, allowing them to regain function and improve their quality of life. it is a partnership between UCLA’s transplantation services and its hand surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, orthopaedic surgery, psychiatry, pathology, anesthesia, internal medicine, radiology, neurology, ethics and rehabilitation services.

Eligibility criteria for the hand transplantation study include:

• The patient must be between 18 and 60 years of age. • The amputation must have been at the wrist or at the forearm level. • The patient must have no serious infections, including hepatitis B or C, or HIV. • The amputation was not due to a birth defect or cancer. • The patient is otherwise in good general health. • The patient will commit to extensive rehabilitation, will adhere to an immunosuppressant medication regimen, and will participate in follow-ups with the transplant center.

Patients interested in participating first have to undergo a careful evaluation to determine if they meet the conditions for participation in the program. The evaluation includes taking a detailed medical history, a physical examination and lab tests, X-ray tests, and a psychological examination.

After successfully completing a screening and medical evaluation, the patient is placed on a waiting list until a carefully matched hand from a deceased donor is found. After the transplant surgery, the patient will take immunosuppressive medicines for an indefinite amount of time to prevent rejection. Patients will also undergo an intensive rehabilitation regimen to restore function to the transplanted hand.

Lifesharing is one of four federally designated organ recovery organizations serving the state of California. Collectively known as Donate Life California, these nonprofit organizations administer the state’s official pink dot Donate Life California Registry. As of early March 2011, more than 8 million Californians had signed up at the Department of Motor Vehicles or online at www.donatelifecalifornia.org to be organ and tissue donors after they are deceased. The Donate Life California Registry is now the largest in nation, which is critical because California has the largest number of people on the U.S. waiting list.

The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA ranks among the nation’s elite medical schools, producing doctors and researchers whose contributions have led to major breakthroughs in health care. with more than 2,000 full-time faculty members, nearly 1,300 residents, more than 750 medical students and almost 400 Ph.D. candidates, the medical school is ranked seventh in the country in research funding from the National Institutes of Health and third in the United States in research dollars from all sources.

The UCLA Health system, which comprises the UCLA Hospital system and the UCLA Medical Group and its affiliates, has provided the best in health care and the most advanced treatment options to the people of Los Angeles and the world for more than half a century. UCLA’s preeminence in health care — a strength that comes from the union of research, teaching and excellence in patient care — continues to be recognized nationally, internationally and in numerous forums. The clinical programs of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica–UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital, the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA, and Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA have produced a system of hospital care that is unparalleled in California. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is consistently ranked one of the top five hospitals in the nation and the best in the western United States by U.S. News & World Report, and the UCLA Medical Group has been ranked among the best in Southern California for four successive years by the Integrated Healthcare Association. UCLA physicians and hospitals will continue to be world leaders in the full range of care, from maintaining the health of families to the diagnosis and treatment of complex illnesses.

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UCLA Performs First Western U.S. Hand Transplant