This New Year’s, why not do something for yourself that you know will have you feeling great for the next 365 days? Many women will be making the decision to undergo breast enhancement surgery to start 2014 with a boost in self-confidence and a positive self-image.
Most Women are Unhappy With their Current Breasts
It’s a fact. Whether they’re too small, have lost shape or volume after pregnancy or weight loss, are asymmetrical or even too big. This can often lead to a negative self-image and a lack of confidence in both one’s personal and professional life. Breast augmentation continues to be the most popular cosmetic surgery in the United States since 2006 because many women – around 300,000 a year – are doing something about it.
Breast enhancement procedures like augmentation have also been tied to an increase in self-confidence both in a woman’s personal and professional life. Why? When someone feels good about the way they look, it often translates to being more comfortable dealing with the everyday aspects of life.
Isn’t that what New Year’s resolutions are all about? Doing something to make sure you feel better during the next 365 days than you did the last?
Breast enhancement surgery has helped many women feel more confident and happy with their everyday lives. The New Year is the perfect time to start with your ideal breasts, because you have enough time to heal and look great for Valentines as well as the upcoming bikini season.
Ninety-eight percent of women undergoing breast augmentation surgery say the results met or exceeded their expectations, according to a prospective outcome study published in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Women also report improvements in self-esteem and quality of life after breast augmentation. The study adds high-quality information regarding expected outcomes after breast augmentation – including recovery time and psychological benefits.
On a 10-point scale, the women reported an average pain score during recovery of 5.9. On average, they used prescription pain medication for five days and were off work seven days. Patients felt they were “back to normal” about 25 days after surgery.
Eighty-five percent of women rated their new breast size “just right.” Thirteen percent would have preferred a larger size and less than two percent a smaller size. Only one percent expressed dissatisfaction with their scars, which were usually located in the crease under the breast. Seventy-five percent of women rated their breast firmness “just right.” When asked to rate the result, over half of the patients gave it a perfect 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. Almost all patients (98 percent) reported that the results met or exceeded their expectations.
Breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in the United States – approximately 286,000 operations were performed in 2012, according to ASPS statistics. The study results provide new information for women considering breast augmentation, particularly in terms of their expectations of the recovery and results. “This study is valuable in providing information from the patient’s perspective, not the surgeon’s,” according to Dr. Swanson. “Patient satisfaction is the most important measure of surgical success.”
This news is brought to you courtest of Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragone Plastic Surgery & Med Spa
Dr. Bishara, with offices in Mansfield and Southlake, TX- provides a wide range of cosmetic procedures to help patients look and feel their best. These procedures are designed to improve the appearance of the face and body through minimally invasive techniques that provide highly effective results. Many of these procedures can be combined in order to achieve your desired appearance. Please call our office for more information at (817) 473-2120.
Many myths surround the seemingly glamorous world of plastic surgery. But in fact, plastic surgery is a lot like every other medical specialty with highly-trained physicians providing many different services. Here are the Top 5 Plastic Surgery Myths.
#5 Plastic Surgery is All About Beauty and Vanity
Although breast augmentations, Botox and facelifts get all the press, plastic surgery encompasses everything from correcting birth defects such as cleft palates to post-cancer breast reconstruction and work-related hand injuries.
Plastic surgeons care about the functional and overall results after surgery, not just the aesthetics (although we are specifically trained to optimize those, as well). When a patient does choose to have surgery for cosmetic reasons, it is often to correct areas which are not amenable to diet, weight loss or nonsurgical procedures.
#4 Plastic Surgery Patients are the Rich and Famous
If plastic surgeons only operated on the 1%, we wouldn’t have a thriving plastic surgery industry.
Most aesthetic patients are not the rich and famous, but are average people who simply wish to restore confidence, enhance their overall appearance and improve their lives.
#3 Only Women Get Plastic Surgery
Although women have been the traditional customers of plastic surgery, men are turning to plastic surgery in increasing numbers.
Less invasive procedures such as Botox, laser treatments and dermal fillers can give men a rejuvenated and naturally youthful appearance without any downtime and at relatively low costs. These, along with liposuction, are the most popular cosmetic surgery treatments for men, with many men reporting a need for a competitive edge in the workforce as the reason they have pursued cosmetic treatments.
#2 Plastic Surgery Leaves No Scars and Lasts Forever
Plastic surgeons are great at making scars look better, more refined and smaller, but all types of plastic surgery will generally cause some type of scar formation. We can often recommend the best way to minimize scarring, and give advice and treatments on how to make your scar look as great as possible after surgery.
And while many plastic surgery procedures are long lasting and can give you years, if not decades of personal satisfaction, many factors determine how long the results will last. Plastic surgery can turn back the hands of time – but the clock keeps on ticking. Great skin care, less-invasive office procedures, surgical touch-ups, and your overall health are all important to maintain your natural good looks.
#1 Plastic Surgery is the Same as Cosmetic Surgery
All plastic surgeons do not have the same training. Many doctors trained in, and board certified in, other specialties such as gynecology or family medicine have ventured into plastic surgery, causing what is known as “white coat confusion”. Yes, they are board certified – but not in plastic surgery.
Being board certified in plastic surgery means that a physician has undergone years of specific training related to all the nuances of cosmetic and plastic surgery. Patients choosing a surgeon for their cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures should always inquire about a doctor’s specific board certifications.
This information is brought to you courtesy of Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa with offices in Mansfield and Southlake, TX
A new study published online recently in the American Journal of Health Promotion suggests that keeping to a consistent sleep routine may help people maintain a healthier weight.
Bruce Bailey, a professor in exercise science at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, and colleagues found that women who woke at the same time and went to sleep at the same every day had lower body fat.
Prof. Bailey suggests going to bed late and sleeping in may do more harm than good:
“We have these internal clocks and throwing them off and not allowing them to get into a pattern does have an impact on our physiology.”
Researchers found that women whose sleep routines are more consistent have the least amount of body fat.
Prof. Bailey suggests going to bed late and sleeping in may do more harm than good:
“We have these internal clocks and throwing them off and not allowing them to get into a pattern does have an impact on our physiology.”
Researchers found that women whose sleep routines are more consistent have the least amount of body fat.
While previous studies have looked at sleep patterns and weight, this is the first study to look at the link between consistency of bed and wake time and body fat.
For their study, the researchers examined data on more than 300 young women aged between 17 and 26 attending two major Western US universities.
At the start of the study period, the women were assessed for body composition and were then given activity trackers to record their movements during the day and their sleep patterns at night for 7 consecutive days and nights.
The results showed that:
- A consistent bed time, but particularly a consistent wake time, were linked to lower body fat.
- Sleeping less than 6.5 or more than 8.5 hours a night was tied to higher body fat.
- Sleeping between 8 and 8.5 hours a night was tied to the lowest levels of body fat.
- Quality of sleep also appears to make a difference to body composition.
- Participants whose wake and sleep time varied by more than 90 minutes had more body fat than those whose variations were limited to 60 minutes.
The researchers said they found wake time was particularly tied to body fat. The participants who consistently woke at the same time every day had the least body fat.
Prof. Bailey suggests consistent sleep patterns are probably closely tied to good sleep hygiene.
Altering sleep hygiene likely changes patterns of physical activity, which in turn alters hormones involved with digestion, with a knock-on effect on body fat.
Prof. Bailey’s recipe for improving sleep quality is to exercise, keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet, and only use your bed for sleeping in. He adds that:
“Sleep is often a casualty of trying to do more and be better and it is often sacrificed, especially by college students, who kind of wear it as a badge of honor.”
In 2010, researchers reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine that insufficient sleep can make dieters lose muscle instead of fat.
They found participants on a low-calorie diet lost the same amount of weight whether they slept an average of 8.5 hours or 5.5 hours each night. However, while they lost the same amount of weight, the composition was different.
This news is brought to you courtesy of Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa
Holiday dinners are filled with heaping dishes of comfort foods, fattening favorites and savory treats. It is no wonder these meals often leave us feeling stuffed with guilt and holiday remorse.
Patricia Nicholas, a registered dietitian at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, says you can avoid this psychological turmoil by adding “new favorites” to the traditional dishes. “Have fun with your menu and include authentic Thanksgiving foods. Pilgrims didn’t have sugar, and potatoes had not been introduced to the area yet. Your new, healthy dish can be one actually served at the first Thanksgiving.”
Alissa Rumsey, a registered dietitian at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, says, “If you’re watching your weight, or just trying to eat healthy, you don’t have to deprive yourself of a great meal on Thanksgiving Day. However, you do need a plan so you don’t end up feeling stuffed – and remorseful – after dinner.”
The following is the holiday feast survival guide – a roadmap to keep you and your diet from straying too far this year.
- Re-think your appetizers. Incorporate healthier pre-meal snack options. Include a platter of beautiful berries, pineapple, and apples.
- Choose smaller portions. You can still taste all the foods in your holiday spread without overeating. Remember, an occasional indulgence will not destroy your weight-loss attempts, and if you don’t love something, don’t eat it.
- The only thing that should be stuffed during the holidays is the turkey! Just because there is more food sitting around, does not mean you need to eat more. A forkful of pie will do less damage than a whole piece.
- Have a calorie-free chat instead of second helpings. The holidays are a great time to engage in conversation with your loved ones – and this will not add inches to your waistline. Just be sure to move the conversation away from the food!
- Make sure you eat prior to a holiday party or dinner. You are less likely to overeat if you have eaten well throughout the day.
- Include your exercise program as one of your holiday activities. Bundle up and take a walk after your holiday meal – this not only can prevent you from overeating and picking at leftovers, but is also a great way to burn off some of the extra calories you may have consumed.
This news is brought to you courtesy of Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa
A new study of twins demonstrates how smoking causes premature aging of the face, causing more wrinkles around the lips and sagging under the eyes
Researchers led by Bahman Guyuron, M.D., of the department of plastic surgery at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals, Cleveland, set out to identify specific components of facial aging secondary to smoking. They did so by identifying 79 pairs of twins in which only one twin smoked or where one smoked at least five years longer than the other.
Participants completed questionnaires, and professional photographers took standardized photographs of the twins. A panel of three blinded judges analyzed the twins’ facial features and graded wrinkles using the Lemperle Assessment Scale, then ranked age-related facial features on a four-point scale.
According to the study, which was published in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, twins who smoked compared significantly less favorably to their non-smoking siblings in scores for upper-eyelid skin redundancy, lower-lid bags, malar bags, nasolabial folds, upper lip wrinkles, lower lip vermillion wrinkles and jowls. Lower-lid hyperpigmentation in the smoking group fell just short of statistical significance. There was no statistical difference in transverse forehead wrinkles, glabellar wrinkles, crow’s feet and lower lip lines accentuated by puckering.
Among twins with greater than five years’ difference in smoking duration, twins who had smoked longer had worse scores for lower lid bags, malar bags and lower lip vermillion wrinkles.
“The most important finding is confirmation of what was assumed to be the aging changes as the consequence of smoking in a scientific manner,” Dr. Guyuron tells Dermatology Times. “The malar bags and hyperpigmentation of the lower lids seem to be the most common features of the ‘smoker face.’”
This news is brought to you courtesy of Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragon Surgery & Med Spa
Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Mark A. Bishara, M.D., serving Fort Worth, Arlington, and the surrounding area.
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