Beautician Poses As A Cosmetic Surgeon

The National Bureau of Investigation has filed charges against a beautician allegedly responsible for a botched cosmetic operation on a man who suffered infection reportedly from silicone injections.

Now this occurred in the Philippines but do not think that it cannot happen here in the United States. I am amazed daily when I meet clients who have gone elsewhere and come to me with complaints. Some have gone to a well known cosmetic surgeon's office only to have injections performed by someone else. Who? The client has no idea nor do they ask! Others have gone into an office where they never meet the doctor or the doctor's specialty has nothing to do with cosmetic work. So can this occur in the United States? You bet! Before you have that procedure ask: Who are you and what are your qualifications to perform this procedure?

Wrinkle-rexia Story about Botox Overusage is Rediculous

A medical group out of UK has created a non-story about Botox. Any procedure can have its devotees and its abusers. The same is true for Botox. Cosmetic Botox is safe for the reduction of facial wrinkles. People can become obsessed with any procedure. It is up to the cosmetic or plastic surgeon to educate the patient on the proper treatment. At Accents Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa in Sterling Heights , Michigan, I (Mark N Berkowitz, MD) meet with each individual client to discuss their needs and direct them to the proper procedure. Medical spas and surgeons' offices are not cookie cutter places. The physician should be able to individualize each client's treatment. This means at times directed patients away from treatments that will not give them benefit.

www.AccentsCosmeticSurgery.com Located in Sterling Heights, Michigan Macomb County is suburban Detroit

Detroit Cosmetic Surgeon Questions Senator Biden's Botox Usage

Anyone who watched the Vice Presidential Debate cannot deny that Senator Biden's middle forehead had minimal movement. This can be accomplished through Allergan's Botox Cosmetic as well as some other surgical and non- surgical procedures. Senator Biden did have movement of his crow's feet which is another popular place for placement of Botulinum toxin. If he did have the injection he may have chose the glabellar lines ( 11 lines between the brow) so it did not appear as if he was angry or questioning Govenor Sarah Palin.

Botox Cosmetic is a purified protein thati is used too temporally relax muscles. It only takes 5 minutes for this minimally invasive procedure that can make you look younger and refreshed. During these tough economic times it is a small investment that can bring you month's of happiness!

Saving the economy, one face-lift at a time

Can a $5,000 investment boost your likelihood to find a job, earn more money, or make people drawn to you? Studies show the answer is positive. Read this article written in a sarcastic tone and you will see that people perform cosmetic surgery for more than vanity!

Want a Face Lift? Quit Smoking First

Anyone familiar with my practice knows that I have been testing patients for cigarette smoking prior to and after face lift surgery for years. My patients sign a release that they will stop smoking. This is for their best interest. Smokers are much more likely to have side effects from face lift surgery. This is especially true for the skin flap that is created. This flap may get less blood flow in a smoker and cause it not to heal well.

5 Minute Hand Rejuvenation with Radiesse

This is a 5 minute procedure to rejuvenate the hands. It is painless fast and effective. The before picture (top) was taken 5 minutes prior to the after( bottom). The results will further improve over the coming weeks. I will post the video of this procedure on YOU TUBE in a few days.

Question About Facial Scars From Acne

A young woman Chicago, Illinois with facial scars resulting from acne asks: I have some relatively deep scars on my face and have been told that a micro fractional laser skin resurfacing CO2 procedure would help. I am wondering how much it costs for only one treatment. Could you please keep me informed?

Dr. Mark Berkowitz, Medical Director of Accents Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa in Sterling Heights, Michigan, responds: The scars you describe as relatively deep may possibly be smoothed with laser resurfacing. Without seeing the scars it is hard to say, however. Fractional resurfacing is not as aggressive as traditional resurfacing and for most patients with fine lines or discoloration, 1 fractional treatment may be adequate. Scarring is an entirely different issue and is less likely to be improved with a single fractional session... more likely several sessions spaced 6 weeks apart. A traditional CO2 laser peel (performed under anesthesia and requiring up to 2 weeks of healing before you can even wear make-up) would likely take just 1 treatment. That stated, neither treatment would "iron" out the skin and get rid of 100% of the scars. Most patients with acne scarring are thrilled with a change that normally ranges 30 - 70 % improvement. Anyone that suggests a single fractional peel will work is likely to disappoint you so please ask to see photos of patients with similar concerns to yours.

African Americans Show Facial Aging In Eyes Earlier Than Caucasians

I recently came across an article I found interesting – which is why it is now appearing on my blog. The article, published in March's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® (PRS), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), explains the value of paying particular attention to ethic characteristics. It states: While it is no secret African Americans' skin may keep its youthful appearance longer than other ethnicities, many people don't know African Americans show facial aging in the outer corner of the eyes earlier than Caucasians and this requires extra attention to maintain their ethnic integrity.

"African Americans have a slight slant to their eyes, much like Asians do but not as pronounced," said Julius Few, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and study co-author. "During aging, we found not only do the outer corners of the eyes of African Americans droop lower than Caucasians, they also droop sooner."

In the study, the median eye slant for African American women aged 45 years or younger was 3 degrees and decreased to 1 degree for those older than 45. The median eye slant in Caucasian women aged 45 years or younger was 1.3 degrees and decreased to 0 for those older than 45. While the forehead and eyebrow areas of Caucasian women tend to drop a decade earlier than African American women, the aging effects to the outer corner of the eye is exactly opposite.

With aging, the outer corner of the eye droops down, making under-eye bags more noticeable, lower lids looser and aging more evident. During an eye lift, if the outer corner is not raised up enough to recreate the slant, many African American patients will feel their ethnically unique features have been changed.

"On top of honoring their ethnic uniqueness, one of the biggest concerns African American women have is their tendency to show scars," said Dr. Few. "By going through the inside of the lower eyelid and hiding a small scar in the upper eyelid crease during a lift, the scarring will not be visible."

I have been performing eyelid surgery in this fashion for more than a decade and can assure you that patients of all ethnic backgrounds appreciate hidden cosmetic surgery scars!

Have you heard about DOTS?

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Have you heard about DOTS?

DOT therapy is all the rage in aesthetic journals thanks to some savvy public relation experts. DOT, short for Dermal Optical Thermolysis, is the brand-name for SmartXide, an FDA-cleared fractional laser resurfacing procedure.

It works much like the MIXTO fractional laser facial I offer at my Sterling Heights medical spa, ACCENTS. This technology precisely delivers CO2 laser energy to targeted areas on the face, neck, chest – and can even be used to rejuvenate aging hands.

Both DOT and MIXTO place a pattern of tiny, micro-sized dots to speed healing and reduce downtime by leaving some of the skin untreated. The dots stimulate new collagen growth to:

• Reduce sun damage
• Blend blemishes and dark spots
• Smooth rough, uneven skin texture
• Control signs of aging
• Fade acne scarring
• Soften laugh lines, crow’s feet and wrinkles

Unlike traditional CO2 laser resurfacing, MIXTO laser facials are quite tolerable and most patients do not need any type of anesthesia or topical numbing prior to treatment. After treatment, most people report feeling a sun-burned sensation and say there skin feels tight. Their skin also has a dot-covered appearance and may be darker or redder than normal for a few days following each session. MIXTO treatments can safely be repeated about 6 weeks apart. Each additional session should yield even nicer changes in skin texture and tone.

At ACCENTS, we have been watching this type of fractional laser technology for awhile. In late 2007, we introduced MIXTO to our patients. Shortly after this, WebMD declared fractional laser peels to likely be the most popular skin rejuvenation procedure for 2008. Our patients love these treatments and we are thrilled that more and more celebrities and beauty buzz-makers are learning about our secret beauty booster.

Comparing apples to oranges? Price shopping for plastic surgery proves tricky.

Comparing apples to oranges? Price shopping for plastic surgery proves tricky.

As you may be noticing, cosmetic plastic surgery is truly not just for the rich and famous anymore – and with today’s financing options it becomes easy to see how just about anyone can afford a facelift, Botox, laser peels, breast implants, and any other procedure surgery available.

However, when price shopping, make sure you understand that a low price may equate to substandard service, poor quality materials or other corners being cut. A lower price may also simply mean you aren’t comparing apples to apples.

Surgeons concerned with quality, safety, and minimizing your risk will likely perform surgery in a surgical environment… not in an exam room with less than sterile surroundings. The cost of surgery will vary based on your needs and the complexity of your desired procedure. The cost is also comprised of different elements, including:

• Surgeon’s Fee – which will vary based upon the complexity of your case and the length of time your case will take.
• Facility Fees – whether your surgeon prefers a hospital surgical suite or a free-standing, outpatient surgical center, the surgical staff expects to be paid for their work and the facility for its space – which may cost $600-900 per hour.
• Anesthesia Fees – when a licensed professional is contracted to administer anesthesia, just like the facility staff, he or she expects to be paid – which may be $200-350 per hour.
• Material Fees – though all procedures require a certain amount of suturing materials, medications, dressings and other standard materials, some procedures require “extras” like implants, cosmetic fillers, and non-standard materials that may be billed separately.

Your surgeon may ask you to pay each of these individually or combined but be aware that somebody will be asking you for the money they have earned. It’s only logical… and it’s only fair… but some practices may not tell you about these other fees and you’re sure to get a surprise either on the day of surgery or shortly after when you get a bill by mail.