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by James E. White, M.D., F.A.C.S. osmetic surgeons combine knowledge, surgical skill, technical expertise and ethics to achieve their goal of providing aesthetic enhancement for their patients. When choosing a cosmetic surgeon it is important to select a cosmetic surgeon who is board certified. In most states it is legal for any physician who holds a valid medical license, with or without surgical training, to practice cosmetic surgery. Board certification is important because it makes certain that your cosmetic surgeon has the training, qualifications and experience needed to perform your cosmetic surgical procedure safely and skillfully. A board certified cosmetic surgeon has greater insight into your needs, has knowledge of state-of-theart techniques and the surgical skill and judgment to recommend and perform the cosmetic surgical procedure that will enhance your appearance effectively and safely. Having said that, board certification does not equal quality care or quality outcomes. Having a Tennessee drivers license does not make one a good driverit only verifies that they have successfully completed the examination and have been issued a license to drive. In order for a surgeon to become board
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Before the surgery, your doctor should explain the procedure. In addition, ask about the surgeons privileges in an accredited surgery center or a hospital to perform cosmetic surgery. As for how you should choose a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetic surgical center--- You should do the research locally and online. You can perform a standard internet search with the name of the doctor or the procedure about which you would like to receive more information. What do you see online? Negative or positive feedback or reviews. Make sure that your surgeon has a good reputation, a strong background in the surgical field, and above ALL ... that he or she produces good results. Training is important; board certification is important; but skill, judgment and artistic detail are evidenced by experience and outcomes not board examinations. n Dr. James E. White is board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery, in venous disease by the American Board of Phlebology, and in cosmetic surgery by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Voted Best of the Best in Cosmetic Surgery, in 2010 and 2011, his office, Advanced Surgical Concepts, 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Office Park, is fully accredited. He offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including laser skin resurfacing, facial fillers, minimal invasive cosmetic surgery and Botox. He may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
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Office-based surgery
a small area of the body, such as a dermatologist might use to numb the skin around a mole before removing it. Monitored anesthesia (sedation/analgesia), during which a patient receives medications that relieve pain and make the patient drowsy. During surgery, the patients vital signs, including heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen level, will be watched closely in order to avoid sudden changes or complications. Regional anesthesia, which can include spinal blocks, epidural blocks or extremity blocks. Spinal and epidural blocks involve interrupting sensation from the legs or abdomen by injecting local anesthetic medication in or near the spinal canal. Other blocks can be performed for surgery on your extremities, or limbs, blocking sensations from the arm or leg. General anesthesia, which involves the total loss of consciousness, pain sensation and protective airway responses. From the simple removal of a mole to breast augmentation/reduction, liposuction, hernia repairs or knee arthroscopies, a rapidly growing number of surgeries are being performed in doctors offices rather than in hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers. More complex procedures are likely to become common in the near future. At last review in 2005, an estimated 10 million procedures were performed annually in doctors offices twice the number of office-based surgeries performed in 1995. Today, about one out of 10 surgeries is performed in a doctors office. In considering your options when surgery is advised, here are some items that you should consider before undergoing surgery in a doctors office. Ideally, anesthesia during larger surgical cases should be
delivered or supervised by a person extensively trained in anesthesia techniques, like a Certified Nurse Anesthetist or Anesthesiologist. Anesthesia needs are determined by your medical condition as well as by the type of operation you will have completed. A doctors office should have the necessary emergency drugs, equipment and procedures in place to care for you in the rare event of a life-threatening complication. Many states require licensing or accreditation by a recognized agency. These agencies regularly inspect such offices to ensure that minimum standards of patient care and safety are met. Ask your doctor if their surgical office suites have been accredited. n Dr. James E. White is board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery, in venous disease by the American Board of Phlebology, and in cosmetic surgery by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Voted Best of the Best in Cosmetic Surgery, in 2010 and 2011, his office, Advanced Surgical Concepts, 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Office Park, is fully accredited. He offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including laser skin resurfacing, facial fillers, minimal invasive cosmetic surgery and Botox. He may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
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Neck liposculpture
available, the procedure itself, its risks and limitations, and costs. You should have a physical examination to evaluate your overall weight, your skin and muscle tone, and the pattern of distribution of fat deposits. Photographs should be completed for before and after comparisons. Be sure to ask all the questions you have about the procedure, and ask to see photographs of the doctors recent patients, before and after treatment. Learn everything you can about your options, risks and benefits. Before surgery, the surgeon will mark the precise areas of the body where the fat is to be removed. During the procedure, the surgeon makes tiny incisions [1-2mm in diameter] in the skin, typically in the crease just under the chin or behind the ear lobes and low in the neck. A thin tube called a cannula is inserted into the fatty area. The cannula is used to break up the fat deposits and sculpt the area to the desired proportions. The newest liposuction techniques involve the placement of a laser fiber or an ultrasound probe through an open-ended cannula. Laser energy or high frequency ultrasound energy is delivered directly to the fatty tissues. This focused high level energy causes the fat to be emulsified making suction removal easier. The unwanted fat is removed with a high suction vacuum, leaving the skin, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels intact. The high level energy delivered by the laser fiber or by ultrasound can also be used to heat the undersurface of the skin thus leading to skin retraction and skin tightening. Liposuction can give this area a new streamlined contour, enhancing the effect of facial features and
improving the facial profile. Patients who have been selfconscious about their bulging necklines often feel more comfortable wearing a range of clothing and jewelry styles after liposuction. Neck liposuction is minimally invasive with limited scars, produces consistently good results, and has a particularly high satisfaction rate among patients. n Dr. James E. White is board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery, in venous disease by the American Board of Phlebology, and in cosmetic surgery by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Recently voted 2010 Best of the Best in Cosmetic Surgery, his office, Advanced Surgical Concepts, 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Office Park, offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including laser skin resurfacing, facial fillers, minimal invasive cosmetic surgery and Botox. He may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
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It is wise to search the internet for effects and characteristics of the above listed facial fillers prior to a facial evaluation and treatment planning. Well educated, you will be better prepared to discuss options and choices with your physician artist. n Dr. James E. White is board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery, in venous disease by the American Board of Phlebology, and in cosmetic surgery by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Recently voted 2010 Best of the Best in Cosmetic Surgery, his office, Advanced Surgical Concepts, 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Office Park, offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including laser skin resurfacing, facial fillers, minimal invasive cosmetic surgery and Botox. He may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
esthetic surgery of the lips has evolved as the field of cosmetic surgery has evolved, as the study aesthetic finesse. Luscious full lips speak of youth and vitality. The lips thin as people age, and the wet line moves lower in reference to the dentition. In addition, the oral commissures begin to downturn. These thin, flat, and poorly defined lips impart a sense of age. Specific procedures address each of these labial-aging signs. Some of these procedures include augmentation to help restore full, well-defined, and proportional lips that impart a sense of beauty and youth. The lips are the most malleable and animate of all facial features. Many consider them to be the most pleasing feature of the lower third of the face. Many of the techniques used on other areas of the face may not work on the lips because of their 3-dimensional animate nature. With this in mind, many methods are used to augment the lips and to change their animate shape, repose shape, or both. The surgeon must always be aware of how static changes to the lip change the animate aesthetics and function of the lip. Patients occasionally refer to this as kissability. Initial attempts at beautifying the lips probably started with Cleopatra, who colored her lips red. Later, silicone was used to augment the soft tissue of the body
and face, including the lips. Other materials were then developed that could be used for lip augmentation. Some of these materials include collagen, facial fillers, fat, and acellular human matrix, just to name a few. Many new injectable materials used to augment the lips have become available, and many more are to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Temporary injectable materials are the most common method of lip augmentation and reshaping. The problem with temporary injectable fillers is the fact that they are temporary. The newest advanced lip augmentation procedures involve the placement of a solid silicon implant similar to silicon implants used in breast augmentation procedures. The solid silicon implant can be placed into the upper and lower lips through 3mm incisions in the corner of the mouth. These incision sites heal rapidly and are barely visible to inspection after placement. The silicon implants come in several different sizes for permanent lip enhancement. The old silicon injections, like the ones completed on Ms. Priscilla Presley, caused lip deformity with invasive growth into the lip tissues. Injectable silicon is difficult to remove without major surgical excision. Silicon implants, however, can be easily removed if the lip augmentation look is no longer desired. The silicon implants have a soft natural feel. All lip procedures may be performed in an office surgical suite with local anesthetic (field block, nerve block) and this is, in fact, an ideal way to work on the lips. With general anesthesia, the lips become flaccid and adynamic. The ability for the patient to move the lips during surgery is a great advantage during the sculpture phase. Again, well defined, full lips speak of youth and
Kissability
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the calf of the lower leg, and it can be quite painful. Symptoms also include associated warmth, redness and swelling. The swelling often extends to above the knee. Some patients are at higher risk for developing DVT. These include: Over 60 years of age Recent surgery History of prior DVT Prolonged immobility/paralysis Malignancy Blood Clotting Disorders Obesity Pregnancy and Postpartum Infection When a diagnosis of DVT is made, anticoagulation treatments are often started. Anticoagulation prevents progression of the blood clot, breaks up the clot and prevents the clot from traveling to the lungs. If a clot travels to the lungs it is called a pulmonary embolus and the outcome can be fatal. n Dr. James E. White is double board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and the venous disease American Board of Phlebology. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Recently voted 2010 Best of the Best in Cosmetic Surgery, his office, Advanced Surgical Concepts, 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Office Park, offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including laser skin resurfacing, facial fillers, minimal invasive cosmetic surgery, Thermage and Botox. He may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
the lines between the nose and the corner of the mouth increase in size. Good candidates for mid face suspension ribbon lift are those patients who are starting to see some droopiness of the brow, cheeks, jowls and/or neck and would like to see a lift effect, but do not want the risk, scars, or recovery of a real browlift, facelift, or necklift operation. The ribbon lift procedure can achieve 60-70 percent of what a real invasive surgical procedure can deliver without the need for hospital care or general anesthesia. During a midface suspension procedure, the surgeon makes small incisions in the area above the ear, and in some cases through the mouth. A surgical ribbon implant is then passed through the cheek tissue and secured to the soft tissues above the ear. Similar techniques were tried with suture suspension. The ribbon allows greater fixation than small sutures. In all cases, the surgeon relies upon the implant ribbon to temporarily fixate the suspended cheek in its new position. The ribbon material is slowly absorbed and the tissues created by the body hold the lifted facial tissues fixed in position. This restores cheek volume and establishes more youthful midface contours. The result will be a natural, revitalized appearance that doesnt appear overdone, plastic or pulled. When performed skillfully, a midface ribbon lift can deliver a natural but noticeable improvement. It is frequently performed with other procedures. However, for many younger patients, under 45 years of age,
Ribbon facelift
midface suspension is often a standalone procedure. Good candidates must have realistic expectations and be prepared to follow the postoperative recovery protocol and must be accepting of the risks. Poor candidates include those patients with unrealistic expectations, have uncontrolled medical illnesses that affect wound healing, are grossly overweight (with heavy faces) or are excessively thin, have loose skin. The mid face ribbon suspension may be combined with other, more minor surgical procedures, such as fat transfer, Botox, injectable fillers, fractionated skin resurfacing, deep chemical peel or photofacial intense pulse light treatments. All procedures can be completed using local anesthesia by a cosmetic surgeon as in-office minimally invasive facial rejuvenation. n Dr. James E. White is double board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and the venous disease American Board of Phlebology. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Recently voted 2010 Best of the Best in Cosmetic Surgery, his office, Advanced Surgical Concepts, is located at 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Office Park. Advanced Surgical Concepts offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including laser skin resurfacing, facial fillers, minimal invasive cosmetic surgery, Thermage and Botox. He may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans. Ultimately, cell regeneration is induced with production of new skin cells. Neuromodulators like Botox can also be injected to relax facial muscles. It is most beneficial for the treatment of lines caused by overactive muscles of the forehead, cheeks and mouth. This makes it an ideal treatment for frown lines, forehead furrows, and also crows feet. It can also be injected to reverse the downward turn of the angle of the mouth. As with any cosmetic procedure; choose your surgical artist well. The combination of minilifts, volume replacement, neuromodulators and skin resurfacing yield more lasting natural facial rejuvenation without the pulled or plastic look of days gone by. n Dr. James E. White is double board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and the venous disease American Board of Phlebology. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Recently voted 2010 Best of the Best in Cosmetic Surgery, his office, Advanced Surgical Concepts is located at 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Office Park. Advanced Surgical Concepts offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including laser skin resurfacing, facial fillers, minimal invasive cosmetic surgery, Thermage and Botox. He may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
rom "Twilight" to "True Blood," vampires were all the rage in 2010. And so are procedures that erase wrinkles from the face. Combine the two trends and you get the vampire facelift. Normal aging causes loss of skin elasticity and volume that encourages the formation of lines, wrinkles and folds. These changes often cause us to appear angry, tired or stressed even if we arent. There is now available an autologous platelet and fibrin processing procedure that uses your own blood to prepare a smooth gel for volume replacement, collagen stimulation and cell renewal. This procedure eliminates facial folds and wrinkles naturally, by using your own blood to stimulate collagen regeneration and volume replacement. Increased skin volume and amazing rejuvenation occurs as new collagen and blood vessels develop, while your own tissues reverse the signs of aging. There is no risk of allergic reaction, little to no bruising, swelling or lumping occurs and long lasting results are clearly visible within a short time period. A popular choice for men and women today who want to defy aging by looking years youngernaturally,... this procedure is todays safest, most effective way to naturally promote cell regeneration. It is considered the next best thing to a facelift without an incision. The system allows for the safe and rapid preparation of an activated platelet rich fibrin matrix (PRFM), in an easy
three step process. A small amount of your own blood is used to prepare the smooth gel that is injected into pre-targeted areas of the face and body. This stimulates new tissue growth and collagen renewal providing skin volume that eliminates lines, wrinkles and folds. Your own new tissues act to reverse the signs of aging. Treatment involves a fast, easy 20 minutes in the comfort of an office setting using local anesthetics. Many men and women get their desired results after only one treatment. Your cosmetic surgeon can personalize a treatment plan for you to optimize your desired results. Cost for the procedure ranges from $800-$1200. The system is FDA cleared and has been safely and effectively used to treat many thousands of patients worldwide. It contains only autologous [your own] active components and there are no risks of allergic reactions. It has been used extensively in cosmetic plastic surgery, orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery and for soft tissue regeneration worldwide.Treatments help to stimulate your bodys own collagen production which in turn provides a gradual increase in volume. One main benefit is that it isnatural.Plateletrich plasma has growth factors and those growth factors stimulate your own body to make collagen. A small amount of your blood is drawn and the platelets and fibrin are separated into a concentrate known as the matrix. This is then injected just below the skin to correct depressions, acne scars, folds and wrinkles. Upon injection, the platelets release growth factors that trigger
Vampire facelift
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cell proliferation thereby increasing volume and naturally rejuvenating the treated areas. Some results are seen right away, but the full effect comes in about three to eight weeks. Results can last up to two years with single injection. The vampire filler won't give one super powers, butit will keep patients looking younger, longer. It is the new eco-green, because it's truly recycling at the basic level. n Dr. James E. White is double board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and the venous disease American Board of Phlebology. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Recently voted 2010 Best of the Best in Cosmetic Surgery, his office, Advanced Surgical Concepts is located at 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Office Park. Advanced Surgical Concepts offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including laser skin resurfacing, facial fillers, minimal invasive cosmetic surgery, Thermage and Botox. To learn more about the Selphyl system (vampire facelift) described above, call 423-648-4011.
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and most people have fat to spare! The fat is harvested from some other spot on your body, such as you abdomen, and can be a by-product, if you will, of liposuction reduction of that area. The main downside to fat grafting is that the body tends to absorb the transferred fat at least to some degree. The amount of fat that is implanted and then absorbed by the body varies. Some older studies have found that almost all the fat is absorbed, but there has been a lot of recent improvements in techniques for harvesting, treating and injecting the fat. Many cosmetic surgeons are reporting very good, lasting results with the newer techniques. A lot depends on factors including how the fat was removed, how it was concentrated and treated, how much was injected, where it was injected. To be a good candidate for facial fat grafting, one has to be in good health, not have any active diseases or pre-existing medical conditions, and one must have realistic expectations of the outcome. One may not be a good candidate for fat grafting if there is a history of poor wound healing or if the overall health is poor. Fat grafting can be done on almost all areas of the face and body. However, the most common treatment sites are the areas under the eyes, the tear troughs under the eyes, the temples, the cheeks, the chin, the lips, the jaw line, the forehead, and the glabella (the area just above the nose in between the brows). Fat grafting has been used on the breast, buttocks and hips and the sternum. The site being treated must have good blood circulation and enough capillaries and larger blood vessels so that the injected fat cells are nourished and can form their
Fat transfer
own blood supply. This is a key factor in getting the best and longest lasting results. Surgeons are continuing to discover new methods of aesthetic improvements through fat grafting. Although fat grafting and other types of grafting are still not perfect, they have certainly come a long way over the last few years. n Dr. James E. White is double board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and the venous disease American Board of Phlebology. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons, a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Recently voted 2010 Best of the Best in Cosmetic Surgery, his office, Advanced Surgical Concepts is located at 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Office Park. Advanced Surgical Concepts offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including laser skin resurfacing, facial fillers, minimal invasive cosmetic surgery, Thermage and Botox. He may be reached at 423-648-4011.
re you thinking about undergoing cosmetic surgery? Do your homework! Cosmetic surgery is a subspecialty that uniquely restricts itself to the enhancement of appearance through surgical and medical techniques. It is specifically concerned with maintaining normal appearance, restoring it, or enhancing it toward some aesthetic ideal. Cosmetic Surgery is a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive approach directed to all areas of the head, neck and body. Cosmetic surgery is practiced by surgeons from a variety of disciplines including board-certified dermatologists, general surgeons, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, ophthalmologists, otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons and physicians from other fields. All of these disciplines have contributed to the vital growth of cosmetic surgery and its current practice. Unlike cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery deals with the repair, reconstruction or replacement of physical defects of form, defects from cancer surgery, trauma and disease processes. Cosmetic surgery deals with tissue arrangements by enhancement toward an aesthetic goal. When considering cosmetic surgery, people are almost universally unaware that there is a difference between cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery. For this reason, they may be easily misled to believe board certification in plastic surgery evidences a physicians competence to
Scar technology
by James E. White, M.D., F.A.C.S.
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s a natural part of the healing process, a scar forms as a results of injury and new collagen bers which reconnect damaged skin and create a seam or scar. The most common causes for scars include surgical incisions, traumatic injuries and inammatory scars. Your options for getting rid of that scar may depend on the type of scar that you have. Hairline scars are thin, at and easy to fade or hide. Good surgeons strive to place surgical scars in less conspicuous locations following tension lines of the body. Careful attention to detail allows for better nal cosmetic results. Unfortunately, we have no control over traumatic scars which seem to occur in areas of skin exposed without fabric protective covers. Atrophic or depressed scars have a sunken or pitted appearance. Acne is a frequent culprit. Hypertrophy scars are rm, raised accumulations of tissue that develop from an overabundance of collagen production and sometimes grow larger that the original wound or traumatic injury site. These scars are unsightly and can also be painful. Keloid scars are the largest hypertrophic scars, often time looking more like tumors than scars. African-American and patients of Mediterranean heritage
are very susceptible to keloid scarring. The key to minimal scarring is prevention. For acne patients, a qualied physician can put together an effective skincare regimen with specic products that will help to prevent acne scarring. Blue light therapy or photodynamic therapy is one of the current cutting edge technologic procedures for acne. If you are prone to poor healing with hyper tropic or keloid scars, protective dressings, suture techniques, compression therapy and steroid injections may reduce the risks. Advanced keloid scars may respond to radiation therapy in early stages of wound healing. Of key importance, ask your surgeon about his or her suturing techniques and inform the surgeon of any personal or family history of poor wound healing problems. Avoid surgeons who close wounds with wide suture techniques which often leave the Frankenstein railroad scars." Look for surgeons who use layer closure techniques with fast absorbing sutures supported by skin bridges or buttery bandages. Multiple techniques can decrease scarring after the initial skin injury. During the healing phase, simple topical treatments (ScarGuard, KeloCote, Mederma) and steroid injections can help to minimize the unsightliness of a scar. Scarabrasion by using a soft bristle babys toothbrush along with fractionated laser treatments to the healing incision is helpful in the rst six to
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Varicose veins
usual answer for a mechanical problem is a mechanical therapy. Premiere vein centers use endovenous laser techniques to permanently seal faulty varicose veins in a conservative non-surgical method. Advanced varicose veins may lead to vein inammation [phlebitis], deep vein thrombosis [blood clots] and non-healing ulcers and sores of the lower extremities. n Dr. James E. White is board certied in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery, is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology. His ofce, Advanced Surgical Concepts, PLLC, Varicose Veins Solutions & Aesthetic Skin Care, offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including facial llers, thermage and botox. Located at 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in Hamilton Ofce Park, he may be contacted at 423- 648-4011.
aricose veins, those unsightly twisting, bulging ropelike cords on the legs, anywhere from the groin to ankle affect an estimated 40 percent of women and 25 percent of men of all ages. The problem veins generally appear from age 20 and forward. Factors leading to varicose veins include heredity, gender, pregnancy, age and other factors. Some factors may speed up the development of this disease and make the veins worse. The major factors include: pregnancy, prolonged standing in one place, obesity, hormone levels, and physical trauma from previous episodes of deep vein thrombosis. Varicose veins of the rectum are called hemorrhoids and varicose veins of the esophagus are called esophageal varicies. While many people have heard of varicose veins of the legs, very few truly understand their underlying cause, and the potential they have for developing into a serious medical issues. Veins return blood back to the heart to be recirculated. To return this blood to the heart, the leg veins must work against gravity to lift the blood back to the heart. This gravity effect is multiplied when standing. Small, one-way valves in the veins open to allow blood to ow upward, towards the heart, and then close to prevent it from owing backwards. Muscle pumps in the lower limbs push the blood upward with each muscle contraction. Obstacles in the way of blood return to the heart [such as pregnancy or obesity] also decrease the ability of the veins to return the blood back to the heart efciently.
In addition to the visual appearance, many patients may experience pain (an aching or cramping feeling), heaviness/tiredness, burning or tingling sensations, leg swelling/throbbing as well as tender areas around the veins themselves. Varicose veins occur when the valves in supercial leg veins malfunction or cannot work efciently. When this occurs, the valve may be unable to close, allowing blood that should be moving towards the heart to ow backward (called venous reux). The vein blood becomes stagnate, backs up and pressure builds. Blood collects in your lower veins causing them to enlarge and become varicose. The veins are very thin walled and cannot tolerate the increased pressure; they enlarge in relationship to the added stress. The pressure maybe so great that uid can leak from the faulty veins causing leg swelling leading to dermatitis and skin ulcerations. Varicose veins have been shown to be the number one cause for restless leg syndrome. Conservative measures [like compression hose] do not treat the underlying cause of the disease process. Compression therapy helps adjust the supercial vein pressure to cause the vein blood ow to take other veins deeper in the limb. Without correction of the mechanical problem, varicose veins will usually enlarge and worsen over time. Legs and feet may begin to swell and sensations of pain, heaviness, burning or tenderness may occur. Twisted ropey varicose veins are related to mechanical problems and the
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ne of the rst places that our face can show aging is around the eyes the windows to the soul. Skin and soft tissues around the eyes start to loosen and sag in the mid 30s with loose, lax skin, hoods and wrinkles. Treatments for skin laxity and descent included blephroplasty, facial lifts and Thermage which effectively tighten and lift the skin. Blephroplasty is a surgical technique used to remove excess lax skin from the upper and lower eyelids. This surgical procedure is offered to the more severe cases of skin laxity around the eyes. The Thermage Non-Surgical System lifts and tightens sagging skin without surgery by radiofrequency heating of the skin. As we age, our skin loses elasticity and strength due to loss of collagen. This supporting material of the skin [collagen] deteriorates with time and age. If the body is tricked into replacing the collagen, the skin becomes thicker and rmer effecting a more youthful appearance. Most commonly used for face, and eyelid skin laxity, the Thermage procedure may also be used to tighten
loose and sagging skin almost anywhere on the body. The procedure employs a patented radiofrequency [RF] similar to microwave energy to tighten and gently lift skin to smooth out wrinkles and renew skin contours. The sophisticated treatment tip delivers controlled amounts of RF energy which causes our deteriorated collagen to contract and be replaced due to simple heat denaturation of the protein. With each touch to the skin, the RF device uniformly heats a volume of collagen in the deeper layers of the skin and its underlying tissue while simultaneously helping to protect the outer layer of the skin from heat with cooling. The technology is so precise, the outer skin is cooled while the deeper skin tissue is heated. This deep uniform heating action causes deep structures in the skin to immediately tighten. Without damaging the surface skin, the radiofrequency energy is absorbed by the deepest dermal layer of skin tissue where it tightens existing collagen and triggers new collagen production. Unlike lasers, the RF procedure can be performed on patients of all skin types. A single treat-
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ctinic keratoses (AKs) are rough, scaly tan brown patches on the skin, caused by excessive exposure to the sun, that can sometimes progress into dangerous skin cancers. More than 10 million Americans live with these skin lesions thinking that they represent age spots, and far too many people ignore them. Unfortunately, leaving AKs untreated can have serious consequences. Doctors estimate that 40 percent of skin cancers [squamous cell carcinomas, the second leading cause of skin cancer deaths in the United States] begin as AKs. For this reason, major medical groups The American Cancer Society, The Skin Cancer Foundation, and the American Academy of Dermatology all recommend that people with AKs seek review and treatment options for them immediately. AKs are very common on sun exposed parts of the face, scalp, ears, chest, back and extremities. They present as rough scaly patches of tan to brown skin. Sometimes these patches can become larger and thicker called hyperkeratotic. These enlarged lesions may then progress to changed to frank squamous cell carcinomas. Patients may notice increased redness, tenderness, itching, and burning associated with the thickened rough skin. However, these symptoms can be the same for either AKs or squamous cell carcinomas. This is what makes distinguishing between the two so difcult without a simple skin biopsy. Left untreated, squamous cell carcinomas may become larger, go deeper into the skin, and eventually spread to other parts of the body by the lymph nodes. This results in thousands of skin cancer deaths each year, many of which could be prevented with appropriate surveillance and early intervention. It is impossible to predict if an AK will evolve into a squamous cell carcinoma, or at which point it will happen. Many doctors believe that AKs and squamous
cell carcinomas are really the same condition at different stages of a continuing process. This process begins with minor cell damage and, over time, ultimately results in the cell becoming cancerous. These doctors believe that AKs occur in the early stages of the process; squamous cell carcinomas occur in the nal stage. One thing, however, is certain: a signicant percentage of AKs develop into squamous cell carcinomas. Estimates range from 10 percent to as high as 20 percent over a 10-year period of patients with known actinic keratosis. Long-term exposure to the sun is the single most signicant cause of AKs, so the best defense against them is a comprehensive sun protection program. This includes wearing protective clothing and a wide-brimmed hat, avoiding the sun at midday when ultraviolet rays are strongest, staying in the shade as much as possible, and wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Unfortunately many of us already have sun damaged skin and a more aggressive approach is needed. Surgical excision, freezing and electrodessication have been the main tools to deal with AKs. Advanced technology is now available with photodynamic therapy. Levulanic Photodynamic Therapy uses photochemical methods to target minimally to moderately thick Grade 1 or 2 AKs (AKs that have not yet become enlarged and thick). This therapy is unique because it uses light activated drug therapy to destroy AKs in their early stages. The 2-step process consists of treatment to the affected skin with a weak acid solution which is chemically altered by exposure to certain wavelengths of light. When levulanic acid is applied to Grade 1 or 2 AKs, the solution is absorbed by the AK cells where it is converted to a chemical that makes the cells extremely sensitive to light. Topical Solution is applied to the AKs with incubation for the recommended time in order to
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Spider veins
therapy solutions have been around since the turn of the century. Saline strong salt solutions were used until more advanced sclerosant medications have yielded better results. Small, ne spider veins or telangiectic matts can be addressed with topical lasers or intense pulsed light (IPL). Laser therapy for spider veins is mainly directed at post sclerotherapy clean-up to address veins that are so small a needle can not be placed into the vessel for solution injection. IPL uses intense light in the laser range to safely penetrate the outer surface of the skin. Varicose veins and spider veins have different coloration than the surrounding skin. Red and blue colors absorb the energy from the laser light, causing the vein walls to be super heated. The heat causes the veins to collapse and with compression stick together. Physician review and ultrasound mapping are primary to determine the best approach for the elimination of unsightly spider veins. n Dr. James E. White is board certied in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery, is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is a Diplomat of the American Board of Phelebology. His ofce, Advanced Surgical Concepts, PLLC, Varicose Veins Solutions & Aesthetic Skin Care, offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including facial llers, thermage and botox. He is located at 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in the Hamilton Ofce Park, and may be contacted at 423648-4011.
uring the height of summer, many of us put on short and bathing suits, eager to expose our lower limbs to the light of day that we have longed for all winter. But for the estimated 80 million adults in the Untied States who suffer from spider and varicose veins, summer may be a time to draw attention away from the legs. Spider veins, also known as telangiectasia, or broken capillaries, form when groups of blood vessels close to the surface of the skin dilate and break. As a result, ne-lined networks of red, blue or purple veins each barely more than the width of a hair appear on the thighs, calves and ankles. The veins may form patterns resembling a sunburst, a spider web, or a tree with branches, but can also emerge as short, unconnected lines. Although physicians don't know exactly what causes spider veins, they do know some risk factors for developing them. Spider veins tend to run in families. If your mother or sister has them, you likely will too. Estrogen also may play a role (by relaxing the vein walls), which could explain why women are more likely to get
spider veins than men. The upsurge of hormones at puberty, birth control pills, pregnancy and hormone replacement therapy all have been connected to the development of spider veins. Age also makes one ripe for the condition. And an injury, such as being hit in the leg with a softball, increases the chance of developing spider veins later in that same area even if that injury occurs early in life. Spider veins can be treated and eliminated with two major forms of therapy: sclerotherapy and surface laser light treatments. Before treatment begins, a plan of attack must be formulated. First a physical examination and ultrasound examination should be completed to determine the source of the spider veins. Often time patients have sclerotherapy or laser procedures completed with some results and decrease of the spider veins, just to have the veins reappear in a few months. In these cases, the source for the vein pressure wells from below the skin surface in a web of veins called reticular veins. If the larger reticular veins are not dealt with, the surface spider veins will never go away. Larger reticular veins and spider veins can be closed using ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy. A foamy sclerosant solution is injected directly into the larger reticular veins and spider veins. Ultrasound guidance is used for the deeper veins. The foam sclerotherapy solution causes a chemical burn to the small veins. The veins collapse and with compression stick together. The vein walls heal together causing the vein to no longer act as a vein. The body absorbs the tissue over a few months. Sclero-
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Neck liposuction
suction removal easier. The unwanted fat is removed with a high suction vacuum, leaving the skin, muscles, nerves and blood vessels intact. The high level energy delivered by the laser ber or by ultrasound can also be used to heat the undersurface of the skin thus leading to skin retraction and skin tightening. The face and neck are usually the rst features we notice when we meet someone new, so improvements in this area can create a dramatic change. A rm, trim neck gives the face a more youthful look. Sometimes just having this neck liposuction done provides an incentive to make healthier lifestyle choices and maintain tness in the rest of the body. n Dr. James E. White is board certied in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. His ofce, Advanced Surgical Concepts, PLLC, Varicose Veins Solutions & Aesthetic Skin Care, offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including facial llers, thermage and botox. He is located at 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in the Hamilton Ofce Park, and may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
s we age, certain areas of the body can accumulate fat that is hard to lose, in spite of a healthy diet and vigorous exercise. The neck is one such area. Fat deposits in the neck can detract from the appearance of the entire body, making a younger person seem older, or a t person seem out of shape. Liposuction can give this area a new streamlined contour, enhancing the effect of facial features and improving the facial prole. Patients who have been self-conscious about their bulging necklines often feel more comfortable wearing a range of clothing and jewelry styles after liposuction. Neck liposuction produces consistently good results and has a particularly high satisfaction rate.
During the initial consultation, your surgeon will talk with you about the changes you would like to make in your appearance. He should explain the different options available, the procedure itself, its risks and limitations and costs. You should have a physical examination to evaluate your overall weight, your skin and muscle tone and the pattern of distribution of fat deposits. Be sure to ask all the questions you have about the procedure, and ask to see photos of the doctors recent patients, before and after treatment. Learning everything you can about your options, risks and benets is the key to making an informed decision. Before surgery, the surgeon will mark the precise areas of the body where the fat is to be removed. Before and after photographs should be taken. An intravenous (IV) line will be inserted in a vein in your arm to make sure the uid level in your body stays within healthy limits throughout the procedure. Neck liposuction is very safe and can be completed in an ofce setting surgical suite. You may be given sedatives for relaxation in addition to numbing medications for local anesthesia. During the procedure, the surgeon makes tiny incisions (1-2mm in diameter) in the skin, typically in the crease just under the chin or behind the ear lobes and low in the neck. A thin tube called a cannula is inserted into the fatty area. The cannula is used to break up the fat deposits and sculpt the area to the desired proportions. The newest liposuction techniques involve the placement of a laser ber or an ultrasound probe through an open ended cannula. Laser energy or high frequency ultrasound energy is delivered directly to the fatty tissues. This focused high level energy causes the fat to be emulsied making
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umescent liposuction of the face and neck are less complex surgical procedures completed in the ofce to remove unwanted fat deposits. The phrase liposuction of the face and neck is somewhat misleading. To be more specific, liposuction in this general area involves the submental (below the jaw) chin, the jowls and a small area of the cheeks. Women who have local deposits of subcutaneous fat in the face and neck and who have excessively wrinkled skin will often get better results from liposuction combined with either a laser resurfacing or a chemical peel, than they would from a facelift. Younger women who have good skin elasticity, liposuction alone can also produce dramatic improvement and is a much simpler and safer procedure than a facelift. Men often choose tumescent liposuction over a facelift because the tell-tail scars and the surgical-look of a facelift are difcult to hide with short hair and are not acceptable for a man. Not all patients are good candidates for liposuction of the face and neck. For some patients a mid-face lift would be
the preferred procedure according to the goals for facial rejuvenation. Short scar mid facelift may be pre- ferred by a woman who has large folds of skin on the neck with little subcutaneous fat. Submental chin includes the area below the margin of the jaw, and extends onto the front of the neck. Regardless of ones age, an inherited localized collection of excess fat beneath the chin makes one look chubby, older and less athletic. Liposuction is usually the simplest, safest and least expensive way to treat this cosmetic problem. Jowls represent a small focal accumulation of fat on the lower cheek overlying the jaw bone. Prominent jowls make a person look old and are a cosmetic concern for both women and men. Cheeks with too much subcutaneous fat can make a person appear chubby. These types of fat deposits are usually the result of an inherited tendency that is resistant to exercise and diet. Tumescent liposuction using very small cannulas (less than 1.5 mm in diameter) can correct this cosmetic problem totally by local anesthesia and with virtually no scars. Liposuction does not eliminate facial wrinkles, but there are modern cosmetic facial resurfacing techniques that do. Facial wrinkles, blotchy pigmentation and acne scars can all be treated by any one of several techniques, including laser resurfacing, chemical peel, dermabrasion or a combination of these techniques. A combination of liposuction plus wrinkle removal can often provide a better overall cosmetic improvement with less down time than a formal facelift. The tiny incisions used for liposuction of the neck
Dr. James E. White is board certied in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. His ofce, Advanced Surgical Concepts, PLLC, Varicose Veins Solutions & Aesthetic Skin Care, offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including facial llers, thermage and botox. He is located at 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in the Hamilton Ofce Park, and may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
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kin that is smooth and supple with a warm glow is a sure sign of youth. As we age, our skin is marked with reminders of our past experiences. The canvas of skin tells a tale of our sun exposure, wrinkles, superficial scars caused by acne, surgery or trauma. The etched skin surface is then painted by color (pigment) changes or defects in the skin, such as liver spots or coffee spots and tattoos. Stressed by smoking and environmental chemicals, all combined, our skin shows the signs of aging. Skin repair techniques have been around for centuries: chemical peels were very popular in the early part of the 20th century, but with a price: scarring and pigment changes. Now safer high tech laser resurfacing techniques result in consistent skin resurfacing, also with a price: the cost of technology. Each technique, from chemical peels to laser resurfacing, have similar properties. They cause controlled damage to the skin, causing the underlying skin to rapidly reproduce and slough off the old damaged skin, resulting in new, more youthful skin in place of the timeworn and etched skin. Laser resurfacing uses heat induced by laser light to destroy and remove (vaporize) the upper layers of the skin. This causes new skin to grow. It is typically used to remove or improve the appearance of wrinkles, shallow scars (from acne, surgery or trauma), tattoos and other skin defects. The laser sends out brief pulses of high-energy light
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efore embarking on your search for the right doctor for your surgery whether elective for cosmetic reasons or necessary for medical reasons there are some steps you should take. The rst step to choosing your doctor is to develop a list of names. Where should you begin to look? There are a number of ways to build your list of doctors, and these include asking friends, other doctors you trust, hospitals and ethical cosmetic medical surgery associations. When acquiring names of doctors from friends, it is wise to remember that every surgery is unique just as every person is unique; therefore, your surgery may not turn out the same as your friends. The most advanced source to find surgeons is on the Internet. Why? People can determine a lot about their potential doctor without having to leave their home. This
information is literally at their ngertips. Now with your initial list in hand, begin to cross off unsuitable candidates. Youll want to check all the credentials of the doctors on your list so you should be prepared for some time-consuming work. Good credentials are essential. The letters FACS indicates that the surgeon is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is board certied. When checking prospective doctors training, remember that training is important; but even poorly trained surgeons can be board certied. You should also check the facility in which the doctor does his/her surgery. Most doctors who perform surgery will do so in an appropriate setting. Some procedures can be very successfully and safely performed in a non-hospital surgical ofce facility. Other more advanced procedures are usually performed in an out-patient surgical facility (hospital or medical surgical center). Now that you have narrowed your list to a handful of potential doctors, the next step is to set up a consultation appointment. This is your chance to ask questions and take notes, so bring a notebook and pen. You will need your notes for comparison later. During your consultation, you will be given the opportunity to ask questions, so whatever you do, dont miss out on this crucial way to get the information you need. Prepare your questions beforehand.
Dr. James E. White is board certied in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. His ofce, Advanced Surgical Concepts, PLLC, Varicose Veins Solutions & Aesthetic Skin Care, offers a variety of cosmetic procedures including facial llers, thermage and botox. He is located at 7446 Shallowford Road, Suite 205 in the Hamilton Ofce Park, and may be contacted at 423-648-4011.
iposuction is the most commonly performed cosmetic procedure in the United States. Liposuction or liposculpture is dened as the removal of fat from deposits beneath the skin using a hollow stainless steel tube (called a cannula) with the assistance of a powerful vacuum. Liposuction can be accomplished either with the use of general anesthesia in a hospital/ outpatient surgery center, or with heavy IV sedation, or totally by local anesthesia in a surgery ofce setting. Tumescent liposuction refers to a technique of liposuction that uses larger volumes of very dilute local anesthesia uid which is injected into the fat, causing the targeted areas to become tumescent, or swollen and rm. Along with the tumescent effect, the area and covering are anesthetized or totally numb. If used in safe doses, large areas of fat can be removed using local anesthesia alone in a surgery ofce setting without the need for general anesthesia. The ideal candidate for tumescent liposuction is physically t and eats well-balanced meals, but is unable to reduce a fatty deposit that is well localized and often seems to involve a genetic susceptibility. In the past, surgeons completed liposuction under general anesthesia removing large volumes of fat at one mega surgical session; the surgery required blood transfusions because blood loss in the aspirate was signicant. Dr. Jeffery Klein, a dermatologic surgeon, is credited as the originator of the
p to 40 percent of women and 18 percent of men have problems with severe varicose veins. Slow stagnate venous blood return to the heart often causes leg aches, burning pain, stinging pain and, with time may lead to nonhealing skin ulcerations of the distal limbs. The bulging blue and sprawling ropy varicose veins that prompted your no shorts rule can now be effectively resolved without fear of surgery, pain or long recovery periods, thanks to endovenous laser treatment (EVLT). Before EVLT, vein stripping surgery was the mainstay of vein therapy, along with compression stockings. In place of the stripping surgical procedures that required the leg to be cut open and faulty veins to be cut out, the new EVLT laser procedure is minimally invasive and neither is necessary. Evaluation of symptomatic varicose veins starts with a detailed history and physical examination. A detailed ultrasound review of the lower extremities is completed to map out the limb veins to determine the site of the faulty valves and their relationship to the varicose veins. The veins are not constant like arteries; each person has unique vein patterns and unique varicose vein problems. A personalized
attack plan is necessary with ultrasound mapping to plan efcient eradication of the problem varicose veins. The endovenous laser treatment costs less than traditional stripping surgery for varicose veins and usually takes less than two hours to complete. EVLT can be administered in an outpatient setting without general anesthesia and minimal scarring. Ultrasound is used to map out the main veins at the time of EVLT. After a local anesthetic is applied, a thin laser ber passes through a needle injected into the leg (usually near the knee). The faulty vein or veins are then sealed using high energy laser techniques. The limbs are then wrapped for a short period of time with compression wraps. Sometimes, EVLT is used in conjunction with sclerotherapy where a sclerosing solution is injected into small spider veins. This causes the small veins to seal, allowing for a better cosmetic nal result. But, before you stop shopping for shorts again, your condition rst needs to be properly evaluated to ensure that you are a candidate for EVLT laser therapy. This procedure is not for spider veins or for cosmetic reasons. The patients who are best candidates for EVLT laser therapy have significant ropy varicose veins which cause the symptoms of burning, stinging, heavy leg sensations along with leg swelling, and who have failed more conservative treatment options. Not every patient is a good candidate for EVLT, but it does work well for most. Traditional surgery still has its advantages for some (more severe) cases. Based on physical exam and a detailed ultrasound, your physician should be able to nd out if the EVLT procedure would
Hope in a jar
by James E. White, M.D., F.A.C.S.
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ew anti-aging skin creams claim to do as much as medical and surgical procedures, but can they really deliver the same wrinklerelaxing, age-defying re-sults as some pricey ller injections, Botox or surgery? If youre skeptical about what you see in print or on the internet, youre not alone. Unlike medications, cosmeceuticals are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Drug companies are required by the FDA to perform extensive trials and testing prior to claims of performance or efcacy of the medication. The cosmetic industry has little or no regulations; making it difcult to nd substantial trials and testing of creams, serums, potions and cosmeceuticals, having stated the disclaimer for testing. Skin cream technology for the most part is focused on a few areas: collagen production, healing and antioxidants. One of the major ways our skin ages is through the loss of collagen, a naturally occurring substance that keeps our skin looking plump, lifted and smooth. The collagen is a scaffolding which supports our skin. As time ticks by, we
lose some collagen because of natural aging, sun exposure, smoking and pollution. These exposures increase the rate at which our natural cellular process occurs. The cell aging process releases molecules called free radicals or oxidants into the skin. The link to aging? Free radicals attack and destroy additional collagen support structures, and without that support, skin sags and forms wrinkles. Many creams claim to increase the collagen content of our skin. One problem, penetration of the outer skin. Our skin is a barrier maintained between us and the environment which makes us water tight, limiting water based liquids from entering or exiting the body. So how do creams penetrate the skin? Water based moisturizers stay on the surface with little penetration of the outer surface of the skin. Deep penetration into the skin requires more expensive synthetic peptides with fatty acids. The fatty acids allow products to be transported to the deeper layer of skin. Once the product is delivered to the skin, companies claim increased collagen production in 4-12 weeks. Limited studies have shown that collagen is produced with the creams, but not anywhere near what happens during collagen production with wound healing. On the front lines of anti-aging is a group of antioxidants. Antioxidants attack oxidants, free radicals before they have a chance to destroy our collagen supply. An ingredient derived from the coffee berry is now hailed as the strongest antioxidant with the most powerful anti-aging ingredient to date. The same coffee which wakes you up in the morning, may also add a kick to your complexion.
bout a million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every year. According to current estimates, 40 to 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once in their lifetime. Although anyone can get skin cancer, the risks are greatly increased if you have fair skin that freckles easily often with red or blond hair and blue or lightcolored eyes. Fortunately, even though skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, it is not the reason for most cancer deaths. The two most common kinds of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma often called non-melanoma skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma accounts for more than 90 percent of all skin cancers in the U.S. It is a slow-growing cancer that seldom spreads to other parts of the body. Squamous cell carcinoma also rarely spreads, but does so more often than basal cell carcinoma. Melanoma is another type of cancer that occurs in the skin in the melanocytes or the pigment cells. Of the three, melanoma is the most aggressive, and with metastasis can result in death. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancers. Even articial sources of UV radiation, such
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elasma is an acquired hyperpigmentation of sunexposed skin areas, or in plain English, dull brown spots. It presents as symmetric hyperpigmented spots which can be separated or bunched together along the cheeks, nose, the upper lip, the chin and the forehead, and can occasionally occur in other sun-exposed locations. Melasma spots are dark, irregular brown-toblack patches that gradually, over time, may develop into mask-like patterns. The exact cause of melasma is uncertain. In many cases, there is a direct relationship with female hormonal activity because melasma occurs with pregnancy and with the use of oral birth control pills. Other factors related to melasma include sun sensitizing medications, mild ovarian or thyroid dysfunction, and certain cosmetics. Yet the most important factor in the development of melasma is exposure to sunlight. Without the strict avoidance of sunlight, potentially successful treatments of melasma are doomed to fail. Tanning bed exposure has increased the incidence of melasma in the United States. Melasma, though distressing, is a benign process. Melasma is rare before puberty and most commonly occurs in women during their reproductive years. Although it can affect anyone, melasma is particularly common in women, especially pregnant women and those who are taking oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy
(HRT) medications. It is much more common in women than in men; in fact, women are affected in 90 percent of cases. When men are affected, the clinical presentation is identical. Melasma does not cause any other symptoms beyond the cosmetic discoloration. However, the facial discoloration can be devastating. Persons of any race can be affected by melasma, however, it is much more common in people of darker skin types than in lighter skin types, and it may be more common in light brown skin types from areas of the world with intense sun exposure. Melasma is also prevalent in men and women of Native American descent (on the forearms) and in men and women of German/Russian Jewish descent (on the face). Melasma is usually diagnosed by a physician visually or with assistance of a Woods lamp (black lamp). Under the Woods lamp, excess melanin pigments in the epidermis can be identied. Some melanin deposits are supercial in the skin while others may be deep in the dermis. The deeper the pigment deposits, the more difcult it is to treat. The discoloration of melasma usually disappears spontaneously over a period of several months after giving birth or stopping the oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy. Treatments to hasten the fading of the discolored patches include; topical depigmentation creams, acid peels, and laser skin resurfacing. Depigmentation creams such as hyproquinone (HQ) can be used directly on the dark spots. HQ is a chemical that inhibits a specic enzyme involved in the production of melanin pigments. Acids ointments are used to increase skin cell turn-over, pushing the brown discolorations to the surface so rapidly that it results in pigment fading. Other acid treatments are thought to decrease the activity of melanocytes or pigment cells. When topical treat-ments fail, most patients proceed
s we age, the accumulative effects of wear and tear damage begin to show in our skin. We loose the glow of youth to be replaced by aged leather-like skin with areas of color blemishes. Skin resurfacing has been used to trick the body to replace the old skin with new skin. Deep chemical peels and CO2 laser skin resurfacing are techniques that have been used as ablative skin resurfacing. Basically, the upper layers of the skin are burned by the chemical peel or laser like a second-degree burn. The upper layers of skin slough off over three to four weeks, being replaced by new pink, smooth skin. The results are impressive; however, the down time and pain involved is extensive. Recent technology with laser fractionation has decreased the down time to a minor outpatient procedure with minimal discomfort, resulting in 12 hours of skin pinkness without all the slough. Laser energy is passed through a special lens causing the laser energy to fractionate into thousands of microbeams. These microbeams penetrate the upper layers of the skin surface to cause areas of microtreatment zones which the body replaces with new skin. Think of pixels in a digital photograph when you think of fractionated skin resurfacing. If you look at a
digital image in extreme magnication, youll see that the image is actually comprised of thousands of tiny spots of color (pixels). Similarly, fractionated laser skin resurfacing produces thousands of tiny treatment zones on the skin known as microthermal zones. These laser microbeams penetrate deep into the dermis and eliminate old epidermal pigmented cells. The fractionated laser is so precise that it penetrates through the outer layers of the skin as if it were a window and leaves it and the surrounding tissue completely intact. This fractional treatment allows the skin to heal faster than if the entire area were treated at once, using the bodys natural healing process to create new, healthy tissue to replace skin imperfections. Just as a damaged painting is delicately restore one small area at a time, or a photographic image is altered pixel by pixel, fractionated laser treatments improve your appearance by affecting only a fraction of your skin at a time with thousands of tiny microscopic laser spots. Fine to deep wrinkles, acne pitting scars, old surgical scars, discolorations and rough skin texture are just a few of the areas improved by fractionated laser treatments. Laser treatment targets between 20 and 25 percent of the skins surface at each treatment. Clinical studies suggest that, on average, an effective treatment regimen is four to six treatment sessions spaced about two to three weeks apart. Depending upon your condition and schedule, you and your physician may choose to space treatment sessions even further apart. Results are immediate and progressive. Optimal improvement is usually visible in four to six months after completion of the treatment series. Because fractionated laser treatments spare the healthy tissue, it is
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egradation of skin elasticity, deation of facial volume and descent or falling of facial structures are an unfortunate effect of aging. The traditional facelift addresses each of these issues, but with a price: down time and expense. Many men and women 40 to 65+ who dont wish to look their true calendar age consider facelift procedures to erase sagging jowls and that loose, draping, wrinkled skin under the chin. The ofce-based mini facelift is a mid-range mini surgical facelift to address the mid to lower face. The post operative effect provides a more natural appearance with limited down time when compared to other formal facelift procedures. Most traditional facelifts are performed with general anesthesia and involve multiple weeks of downtime and a long incision beginning at the upper temple and extending behind the hairline on either side of the face to the nape. The minimal incision mini facelift, which has been performed since the late 1990s, is the basis for the ofcebased mini facelift. The mini facelift proves an overall lift to the lower region of the face and upper neck, offering signicant age-diminishing effects with minimal downtime and lasting results.
The mini facelift is designed for men and women who want to stay ahead of the Ds of the aging process: Degradation, Deation, Descent. As we age, most individuals lose elasticity in their skin and develop varying degrees of descent along the jaw line and beneath the chin. The mini facelift not only tightens skin, it is designed to suspend the underlying structures of the lower face and upper neck. This suspension of the lower face offers the benet of a more youthful appearance without the wind blown look of a formal facelift. This turn back of time from the mini facelift will last until the normal aging process resumes for the individual. Lifestyle choices, heredity, bone structure, skin type and sun exposure all play a part in determining how long the mini facelift surgical results will last for each individual. The mini facelift is an outpatient procedure that usually takes one to two hours to perform, depending on age of the patient and the degree of facial correction desired. Oral pre-medications are given to help relax the patient, local block is used for the skin. A small, relaxed S-shaped incision is made beginning along the sideburn, extending along the front of the ear, around the earlobe and up to the hair line back from the ear toward the nape of the neck. Great attention is given to the placement of the incision line to provide an inconspicuous scar after healing. Short skin aps are created with meticulous care. The underlying connective tissues and facial musculatures are gently lifted and tightened using a simple suture technique. The sutures are anchored to dense tissue around the facial bones to suspend the sagging facial tissues. This suspension enhances the appearance of the jaw line and