Continuing our blog on laser treatments offered by us, here's a look of the rest of them:

Laser Genesis: This skin rejuvenation treatment helps improve the overall texture of your skin. It helps educe fine-line wrinkles, large pores, and scars. Laser Genesis may also stimulate growth of new collagen. We recommend a treatment every 4 weeks for 4 to 6 weeks. 

Titan
This is also a skin rejuvenation treatment where the focus is on improving overall skin tightness. This procedure can be performed on all skin types. This treatment also stimulates new collagen growth. We recommend two treatments separated by four to six weeks.
 
Pearl
This is an ablative skin resurfacing procedure which improves fine-lines, wrinkles, and uneven textured and sun damaged skin. Patients are given a topical anesthetic and we recommend 1 to 2 treatments spaced out over a four week period. This procedure does have a 4-5 day down-time when the skin peels off to expose new healthy skin from below.

Non-invasive skin resurfacing treatments are safe but you should always visit an experienced practitioner when getting these procedures done. Contact our office to schedule your appointment today and walk away with beautiful, healthy skin that will make you look younger.

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) has published their a survey of of plastic surgery procedures to coincide with their 20th annual congress held this week in San Fransisco.

The ISAPS Survey finds the following top 25 countries where the most surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures were performed in 2009.

No surprise to find that the US was number one followed by China, Brazil, India, and Mexico to round up the top five countries for cosmetic procedures. Now that's the interesting part, emerging countries like China and India making it in the top five.

Here's the complete list of the top 25 countries found in the survey by ISAPS:

1. United States
2. China
3. Brazil
4. India
5. Mexico
6. Japan
7. South Korea
8. Germany
9. Turkey
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Russia
13. Italy
14. France
15. Canada
16. Taiwan
17. United Kingdom
18. Colombia
19. Greece
20. Thailand
21. Australia
22. Venezuela
23. Saudi Arabia
24. Netherlands
25. Portugal

 
Also, the ISAPS Global Survey finds that liposuction was one of the highest performed procedures, followed by breast augmentation. Upper eyelid lifts, nose restructurings, and tummy tucks made up the rest of the top five performed cosmetic surgery procedures.

Botox was the leading non-surgical procedure in demand.

Interesting information eh?

Fat removal surgery also known as Liposuction is quite common and is considered relatively safe. Liposuction is widely practiced and has been around for and innovations over the years have led to the refinement of its procedures and techniques. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) published a study in their March 2010 Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery issue that a new innovation in conducting liposuction may be in the making. According to the ASPS, a noninvasive radio frequency device has shown promise in early research. Electrical energy that is delivered in the form of a high-frequency electrical current is known as radio frequency energy. In liposuction when radio frequency energy is used, fat cells are dissolved using an electrical current which is applied to the fat tissue creating a thermal effect. The procedure involves minimal trauma to the tissue that is being treated.

The pilot study was conducted by researchers from Argentina and California on a small group of patients. They performed liposuction using radiofrequency on 23 patients and found that there was no burning or scarring and patients also experienced less pain after the procedure. The researchers also found improvements in the body contour and significant weight and size reductions in all patients.

The ASPS study concludes that liposuction using radiofrequency may be a good option for removing moderate volumes of fat. That's good news.

However we all know that to safely implement a new procedure, a lot more studies with longer time periods of observation and follow-up of patients will be required to completely understand and validate the benefits of the radiofrequency device.
 

A tummy tuck is nothing more than the removal of excess skin and fat. Tummy tucks are popular and commonly done to create a smoother abdominal profile. Tummy tucks are also known as abdominoplasty.

Abdominoplasty requires general anesthesia or sedation through an IV. The doctor will make a horizontal incision between the navel and public hairline. This incision is different for different people and is dependent on the amount of fat removal or skin correction required. The doctor will then repair the weakened abdominal muscles or remove excess skin, tissue and fat as necessary, through the incision. Once the removal is complete, the doctor will suture the area up or use skin adhesives, tapes or clips to close the incision.

If everything goes well, the results are wonderful. Patients find themselves with a flatter and firmer abdomen once the incisions have completely healed. Abdominoplasty can be performed on an outpatient basis and may take a few weeks to completely heal.

As with any surgery, there are many risks with abdominoplasty too. They include:

• Scarring
• Bleeding (hematoma)
• Infection
• Accumulation of Fluid
• Numbness, pain, swelling, and nerve damage

Always, always, always retain a board certified doctor when you are considering any cosmetic surgery. And be sure to do your due diligence before undergoing any medical procedure.
 

Do you get admonished when you frown that you are getting wrinkle lines? Do the signs of aging seem to show up in the form of drooping brows or excessive wrinkling in that area?

A brow lift may help you if:

• You have creases on your forehead or between your eyes
• Frown lines between your eyebrows
• Sagging eyebrows for whatever other reason

Brow lifts are a very common cosmetic procedure which can restore the youthfulness of your face. Brow surgery is many times done in conjunction with an eyelid lift surgery or a face lift.

Brow lifts take about 8-10 days to heal but longer to completely recover. The bruises resulting from the surgery are normally easy to cover up with make-up.
 
As with any cosmetic procedure, there are risks of scarring, infection, and pain therefore it is important to weigh all your risks and be absolutely certain that this is something you want to do. Going to a board certified physician is imperative to getting your surgery done by a trained and experienced surgeon.

Cryolipolysis means, freezing off the body's fat cells. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Cryolipolysis for other uses but not for fat loss.

Some doctors are using cryolipolysis for fat removal based on their review of clinical data. But until the FDA approves of it as a fat loss procedure, patients should be extra careful when considering this procedure with any clinic that offers it.

Cryolipolysis is a non-invasive procedure that has been developed by doctors at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Basically fat cells are cooled down using a suction cup like device. Once they are cooled down, they break down and disappear after the exposure to extreme cold. 

Doctors who've participated in clinical trials are quick to caution that this procedure is not an answer to all patients seeking to look thin. There may be certain patients who may not be able to benefit from this procedure.
  
Cryolipolysis will require out of pocket expense because most insurances will more than likely not cover the treatment and this can be an expensive procedure to have. And last but not the least, note that your body may feel "sore and bruised" for a couple of weeks after Cryolipolysis. As with any procedure, think before you make your decision, get all the facts straight, AND be sure to only go to a board certified physician for your own safety.
 

Thread veins are tiny veins in the skin that are invisible. They are found on cheeks, legs, nose, etc. However too much exposure to sun, pregnancy, estrogen treatment, and other reasons may result in these tiny veins expanding and showing through the skin. When they expand, they may look purplish and give the skin an unhealthy and embarrassing appearance. Thread veins can also develop due to a skin condition known as Rosacea or from the continued use of steroid creams. Thread veins are also known as spider or capillary veins.
 
Some simple ways of treating spider veins are covering them up with a concealer or using an artificial suntan preparation.  Or you can have laser treatment to cure thread veins.

Laser treatment is a fairly simple procedure in which a light beam is pulsed on the veins to seal them off and causing them to dissolve. There are various lasers and light sources used to treat spider veins.

Make sure to find a licensed, board certified doctor when considering any cosmetic treatment. And before undergoing any procedure, be sure to ask detailed questions to make sure that you understand all the risks and benefits associated with the procedure.

The Orlando Plastic Surgery Center is not just for women. We offer a lot of services and products which can also benefit men. Whether you are a teen facing acne problems, or a man simply wanting to look more youthful, we can help you with all your cosmetic surgical and non-surgical needs. Here are some solutions for your consideration:

Skin Resurfacing or Micro-Dermabrasion is a non-surgical treatment to help clear up your skin and remove dead cells. After a series of micro-dermabrasion treatments, you'll find your skin feeling youthful and rejuvenated. Men can also get wrinkle fillers which provide a non-surgical alternative to create a youthful appearance.

LASER Hair Removal is a safe procedure to remove unwanted body and facial hair, permanently. Our laser hair removal procedures are comfortable and safe.

Laser Vein Removal is also not just for women. You can undergo a simple treatment to remove unattractive red-blue veins on your face and other parts of the body.

And who says wrinkles look good on men? Men can also benefit from BOTOX treatments to get rid of wrinkles and to soften those frown lines. Botox can also be used to treat excessive sweating of underarms, feet, head, and face.

So don't wait; call our office and schedule a consultation with Dr. Pope to see how cosmetic treatments can help men.
 

Fat-melting injections are under the scrutiny of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA wants patients to know that  Lipodissolve injections have not been proven safe or effective.

Basically  Lipodissolve injections are popular because they are offered as an alternative to cosmetic surgery to remove fat from the body. So instead of liposuction, Lipodissolve injections are "supposed to be" dissolving small fat deposits around the stomach and also around the arms and legs. But the FDA hasn't cleared these lipodissolve injections yet and so their safety and effectiveness cannot be proven.

The agency issued warning letters to a half-dozen spas that offer the injections, citing them for making unsubstantiated claims about lipodissolve therapy. All spas that are marketing and selling this treatment have been warned by the FDA to stop claiming these benefits.

FDA reports that patients who've gone through these treatments have complained about scarring and skin deformations.

Moral of this story is that patients need to be very careful when evaluating cosmetic procedures. Patients should also always, always, always choose board certified doctors for any cosmetic procedure they are considering. Also beauty spas are not medical facilities and may not always have a board certified physician on staff. To ensure proper care during and post-procedure, be sure to visit a qualified cosmetic surgeon. You'll be glad you did.

Botox injections are non-invasive and therefore are very popular with people. With Botox treatment, people can look younger and freshen up their look. A recent study shows that Botox treatments which eliminate wrinkles can also eliminate the ability to show appropriate emotions on your face. 

A study conducted recently showed that people who have taken Botox injections take longer to show emotions like sadness, glaring, or showing sympathy. The slowness of displaying those emotional reactions may lead to lost friendships if people misinterpret the reason for the lack of sympathy or lack of sadness on someone's face.

So Botox may be good for removing wrinkles but make sure that you are aware of its ability to also impact your social life too when people fail to understand why you appear "unsympathetic" in a particularly sad situation.