Xeomin Wrinkle Treatment

Can I Take Care of My Children After Breast Augmentation?

If you have small children, it will be difficult to pick them up for the first two weeks. For some women, it may be impossible early-on. If you have a baby, it is important to have some help for the first few days.

If you have a baby, and he/she is young enough to allow you to leave the side of the crib down, you should be able to bend over, grab your child, hold them close to your chest, and then stand back up. By doing it this way, you're not using chest muscles as much. Instead, you are using your back muscles to lift the weight.

Toddlers are a bit easier to deal with when you're recovering from breast augmentation surgery. While all toddlers like to be picked up, you can get around that. For example, if your 18-month old is crying and wants to be held, you can squat down and hug them, or you can sit on the sofa or in a chair and have them climb up into your lap so that you can hold them.

If your child is not old enough to climb into their car seat, you will definitely need help.

Reference: http://www.simplybreastimplants.com/breast_augmentation/surgery_recovery.html

15 Daily Tasks Made Difficult After Breast Augmentation

Patients often ask about breast augmentation recovery especially when it comes to day-to-day tasks. How long will I need a babysitter? When can I go back to work after breast augmentation?

There are several things that we do on a daily basis that involve the use of our chest muscles. We use our chest muscles for things that never even occur to us until after having breast augmentation surgery. For the first two weeks after breast augmentation, you'll want to be careful doing the following:

Opening sliding glass doors Opening childproof medicine bottles Opening drink bottles (twist-off caps) Lifting anything heavy (even a gallon a gallon of milk) Opening car doors Shutting car doors Changing gears in a car with a standard transmission Driving (turning the steering wheel) Picking up your child/children Putting your child in a car seat Getting out of a recliner (may be impossible without help) Washing your hair Styling your hair Putting shirts/sweaters on over your head Bending over forward

Bending over, raising your arms to wash your hair, style your hair, and putting shirts on over your head stretches the chest muscles. Everything else on the list causes your chest muscles to flex. While it may not be impossible to do everything on this list, it will cause you discomfort.

Reference: http://www.simplybreastimplants.com/breast_augmentation/surgery_recovery.html

3 Tummy Tuck Facts

Like many cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, there are many rumors surrounding tummy tuck surgery. These unrealistic expectations are often a result of unreliable sources, and our board-certified Houston plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert Kratschmer helps abdominoplasty patients know the facts when considering tummy tuck surgery in Houston:

True or False: You'll be completely incapacitated for three to four weeks, not having the ability to function like your normal self.

False!  Tummy Tuck patients will feel groggy with the first few days of recovery and have swelling. Patients can resume many normal activities after one week. Work can commonly be resumed following your first week or perhaps two, depending on the type of work you do.

True or False: The abdomen are going to be completely flat subsequent surgery.

False! The body does not typically have a straight appearance, especially for ladies. It is important to understand that a tummy tuck can boost the shape of the abdomen by eliminating excess skin as well as to fat / tissue, there should certainly some curve and contrast for the body.

True or False: Liposuction can be performed combined with the tummy tuck surgical procedure.

Depends.  Dr. Kratschmer frequently does recommend liposuction to tummy tuck patients to help enhance the treatment area. He explains in which laser lipo or liposuction area is safe to perform combined with the surgery, and it gives additional contouring for the body.  Often times, Dr. Kratschmer will suggest doing liposuction under a local anesthetic on a different date as he is careful to maintain the integrity of the blood supply for proper tummy tuck recovery.

If you are considering tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) surgical procedure, or have any questions concerning the process, please call us today at 281-317-8179 to book your free consultation with Dr. Kratschmer in Houston.

13 Women Explain Why They Got Breast Implants

They’re doing it not to just look good, but to feel confident and correct body dysmorphic disorders. Check more out here on this Reddit thread.

1. She was depressed

I had breast augmentation when I was a sophomore in college. I was always very flat in high school, and disproportional (one side was totally flat, the other was sort of an A cup). I was also very thin so it never really bothered me. Once I hit about 17 or 18 though the rest of my body filled out and I became a lot curvier, but my chest never grew. It didn’t cause me to be extremely depressed or self conscious, but was more like one of those things that would be nice to change if I could. Like, hey, that would be pretty cool to have boobs. And guess what? Thanks to modern medicine and technique that is a pretty easy change. I thought about it for a while, talked to my parents, who were supportive, and talked to a few different plastic surgeons. I decided to go with the one who I felt understood what I wanted the most. I told him I would rather have no boobs for the rest of my life than have ones that were very large or looked unnatural. I actually said I wanted a full B, and he suggested a C instead based on my frame/ body shape. He did an excellent job, they look natural with my body shape, I love not having to wear a bra with certain things, and most of the guys I have been with have not even noticed right away that they are implants (they are just a little firmer than normal breasts, and don’t move in exactly the same ways).

Have they changed my life? No, not really. I am the same person I was before and have the same approach to life. Have they enhanced my life? Yeah! Just the same way that getting a tattoo makes some people happy, getting breast implants made me happy. It makes me happy that I was able to change a little something that bothered me. Plain and simple, my breasts are only a tiny part of who I am. Why not like them a little more if I can?

It should also be noted that in no way did I make the decision to get implants with the assumption that I would get more male attention. It’s really interesting to me that most people are so quick to bash girls with implants by saying it’s all about getting more attention. I don’t live under a rock, and am pretty aware that most guys are actually pretty critical of girls with implants (most guys also assume that natural breasts are all perky, proportional, and super fun to play with..but that’s another rant). If a guy isn’t going to be interested in me because my breasts aren’t “real”, that’s okay with me. He wasn’t really who I was aiming to please with the whole thing anyways. I would brush it off just as I would if a man was interested or not interested in me because I had small breasts, or large breasts, or vice versa, or whatever. I want to be with someone who I know will love me with implants, no implants, giant boobs, or no boobs at all. There’s so much more to a person.

Anyways, I could really go on about this topic forever. It’s been so interesting since my own surgery to experience all different opinions on the subject. At the end of the day, I think plastic surgery should be approached just like anything else in life. Everything in moderation, and always make sure you are doing what is right for you, not what is right for someone else.

2. Comfortable fit

I love being able to buy clothes off the rack and have them fit the way they should.

3. To make them look like the old ones

I had breast cancer and ended up getting a bilateral mastectomy. Prior to that, I had large breast (44 D) and then becoming flat chested was so depressing. A year in a half later, I finally got my implants. My breast implants are half the size of my natural breast, but I appreciate my new boobs.

4. For confidence

My wife got implants about two years ago. She always had a pretty good size rear end, and a skinny waist, and was flat chested. I found her to be perfect the way she was (we were together for a long time before her surgery), but she didn’t like the way it looked.

So we do some research and find a doctor. She was worried about the way they would feel, but this doctor places the implants behind the muscle, so you’re still feeling natural tissue, they are just larger and perkier.

She couldn’t be happier. She fills out her dresses the way she wants, and can wear whatever she wants without it looking wrong. She definitely didn’t do it for me, because I made it very clear that I loved her just the way she was. She did it to feel better about herself, and it worked perfectly.

I guess I’m really not complaining either, though.

5. Return to normalcy

I was burnt when I was 2 and as I hit puberty I noticed only one boob grew and the other didn’t, it was incredibly embarrassing as one boob was barely an A cup and the other was a D cup. I went to a plastic surgeon with my mum, got the procedure done even though the surgeon was all “wait until you’re 21” and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. So much confidence and it’s nice to be normal.

6. A disorder

My friend had it done in highschool because she was pretty much totally flat. They just didn’t develop.

I can’t say for sure because I’m not her, but we were tight and talked about it a few times. She told me the biggest change was people didn’t mistake her for a guy anymore. When we chilled in public I always noticed people calling her “dude” and it was always so awkward for me even. So I think that was the biggest thing from my perspective.

I know she got hit on more. It made her attractive. She had a boyfriend just a few months afterwards if I remember right.

7. Clothes

Mostly they have made me more self conscious, more or less.

Before my implants, I never really cared about what I wore, did, said. I always had really high self esteem (thanks awesome parents!), but I just HATED the way clothing fit me and I was mortified whenever I had to take my shirt off places (locker room, with boyfriends) or wear swimsuits. I didn’t even fit into most training bras, didn’t even fill out an A cup. But I always had boyfriends, guys flirted with me, no big deal, I didn’t get them to attract more male attention.

I finally got them when I was 23 (32D), and immediately I regretted the decision. My doctor went bigger in surgery than we had initially agreed (which a lot of docs do). I ALWAYS felt like people were looking at my cleavage. As a professional woman who cares about being taken seriously, I think I was mostly afraid of being thought of as “that girl with the fake boobs.” I didn’t want to be discounted or thought less of just because of this decision I had made.

Four years later, I love them. I got over thinking about whether people are looking at my chesticles (though I do dress MUCH more modestly). All my clothing really does look so much better on. If I had the chance to re-do them I would probably go a little smaller, but they are mine now, so I just avoid push up bras.

8. She gained confidence

My breasts developed very strangely. They were extremely saggy (they looked like a 90 year old woman’s breasts, my nipples literally pointed down) and my areolae were about the size of my palm.

Coupled with the fact that I have extremely large labia (I’ve learned to deal with that though), I had absolutely NO sexual confidence. When I was 18, I went in looking for only a breast lift. I didn’t want my breasts any larger, just not saggy monstrosities. The surgeon recommended small-ish implants in addition to the lift to maintain perkiness.

Overall, they didn’t turn out perfect but they are night and day from my previous breasts. The operation completely changed my confidence, I am not ashamed for men to see my chest now. I am ashamed of the fact that I do technically have “fake breasts” since you always hear men saying how they hate fake breasts, but it was way better than the alternative. I have no regrets.

9. Lifechanging

Ever since I was 13, one of my breasts were bigger than the other, and I’m talking about a huge difference, like one was an A cup while the other was a DD. I am almost 22, and I got an implant in the smaller one on my 21st birthday. My doctor did an amazing job, you can’t really tell they are fake apart from the tiny scar. It was the best thing I’ve ever done. They are not completely perfect yet. I am going to get the bigger one reduced soon and as soon as that heals, get an implant in that one as well to even them out. Words can’t describe how happy and excited I am. Surgery and recovery sucks, but it will all be worth it in the end. Clothes already fit better, I have better self-confidence, and my life is just overall better. I have a lot of problems with anxiety/depression/body dysmorphia and I think my breasts were the cause of those issues. They have honestly changed my life for the better.

10. Better fit and better life

Changed my life for the better in terms of how much I could wear – I could finally fill out those shirts and dresses well! I don’t look like I have a body of a 10 year old anymore.

I was really flat. While everyone else eventually got their breasts, mine didn’t grow at all. I couldn’t fill a AA cup, no push ups helped because I had no breast tissue to push up. All the bras ever did was only cover my boobs and left a huge gap between my boobs and the bras. All throughout high school I thought about eventually getting surgery if my boobs never grew. I was desperately clinging on to the hope that I was one of the late bloomers. (Surprise, surprise, they stayed the same!) It was something I openly spoke about to my mom who was understanding but also very wary about the consequences and potential risks of the medical procedure.

A few years down the road after I graduated from college, I’m still thinking about surgery. I did my research, read over some pamphlets that were given to me, talked to people. I was ready. I spoke to my mother about it who was skeptical at first, but was understanding. She supported my decision. Now it was time to tell my dad. He was livid. He told me I was beautiful as I am and I shouldn’t let anyone tell me how my body should look. But getting implants wasn’t an issue of of striving to look like the quintessential skinny girl with boobs. I wanted to fill in my clothes, it was something for me and my decision was not dependent on anyone else’s vision of beauty. I had a long talk with my dad and he eventually got to see it from my perspective and was really supportive. It made me really relieved and happy to know that the two people whom I care about the most were on my side.

After the surgery I was so excited now that I could fill out my clothes. I didn’t have to buy any new shirts and only had to buy new bras. It was great! I don’t wear many shirts that show my chest, but now I am more confident and can wear form fitting shirts and dresses.

I don’t elicit attention from men because my surgeon used implants that suited my small frame which made my new boobs look proportionate to my body. I still haven’t entered a new relationship or went on any dates since surgery last July.

I’m still the same person, but with boobs that match my body.

11. Better fit into wedding dress

I’m gonna throw this out there to contrast the replies that say “I got so much more attention!” I don’t have anyone fixating on my fake tits. Why? Because I don’t really emphasize them. They are great, but my legs, shoulders, neck and hands still garner more compliments.

I am very happy with this. I didn’t not get massive stripper boobs for attention, I got cute girl-next-door tatas. It was the one body part I couldn’t alter by diet or exercise- the missing puzzle piece.

And no, I didn’t get them for male attention. I actually got them after I became engaged, because I knew it would make trying on wedding dresses a much happier experience. My fiance and I made a deal that he would never comment on whether he liked my body better before or after.

12. For the experience

I’ve been petite (5′ 0″ 98 lbs) my whole life with an A cup. Since I was 16, all I wanted was to be able to shop and try anything on and have it fit the way it’s supposed to. So when I turned 27 I went for it. I didn’t tell anyone what I was doing because I didn’t want to hear “you don’t need to do that” “you look good the way you are”. It was happening no matter what so I set up the consultation and 2 months later I went and had the procedure done. I can’t begin to tell you how strange it was to wake up and realize that there were now two giant foreign objects front and center under your skin. But I got over that quickly and I was totally excited. It took a week to get back to normal but as soon as I was able to shop it was a whole new enjoyable experience. Especially trying on bathing suits. I’ve never had so many options!

13. Self-esteem

When I got pregnant my boobs ballooned in size literally overnight. This caused me to develop stretch marks, which after I was done being pregnant/breast feeding and they shrunk back to their pre pregnancy size, caused them to be quite saggy. Not only were they aesthetically unpleasant, they were very uncomfortable. I could feel them lying up against the skin below my boobs, something I had never felt before. Because of the way my skin had been damaged I was not a candidate for a regular lift, so I got a very small implant. I’m not too far off of where I was before kids. The benefits they give me is having my bodily self esteem back. 

Reference: http://thoughtcatalog.com/hok-leahcim/2014/05/13-women-explain-why-they-got-breast-implants/

21 Things You Should Know Before Getting a Boob Job

From Cosmopolitan magazine

According to statistics by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentations were the most requested cosmetic surgical procedure in 2014. Double board certified New York plastic surgeon Adam R. Kolker, M.D. who specializes in breast enhancements, shares his insider tips on what you should know before getting breast surgery.

1. Your first breast surgery probably won't be your last. Twenty-five percent of women will need another surgery after 10 years because implants don't last forever. The implant could begin to leak over time or a "scar shell" could develop around it, warping the shape and causing a need for new implants. Weight loss, pregnancy, and change in preference are other factors that could lead the patient having another surgery after a few years.

2. It will cost you around $3,678. This average total, according to the 2013 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, is based on the surgeon's fee only and does not include the cost of anesthesia, facilities, and materials (stitches, bandages, drapes, etc.). The price will also depend on doctor, patient, and region. The cost of reduction, though, varies greatly patient to patient. A reduction procedure could take three to four times longer than an augmentation, and the cost would reflect that.

3. Generally, patients will only have to take five to seven days off work for a breast augmentation and about the same for a reduction. You won't be feeling 100 percent after that week, but you'll be in good-enough shape to head back to the office if your job doesn't require manual labor. However, if the implant is placed behind the muscle instead of on top (many women choose to do this for a more realistic look and less chance of a scar shell forming around the implant), recovery will be a little harder and you might be sore longer.

4. Breasts with implants feel different to the touch than real breasts. Although silicone breasts feel similar to real breasts, they are still manmade and don't feel like natural breast tissue. You'll be more likely to notice there's an implant in a woman who began with little breast tissue than a woman who had more breast tissue to begin with. Smaller implants and those that are placed below the muscle are harder to detect.

5. You can try on different boob sizes before deciding on one. Using "sizers," a bead-filled neoprene sack, you can stuff your bra to give you an idea of the size you might like.

6. You can't go from small to huge all at once. If you're starting with a small A cup, don't expect to go up to a DD cup in one procedure. It's important to set realistic goals. Your body and skin need time to adjust to drastic changes, so a surgeon will likely suggest going up only a couple cup sizes at first, then increasing the implant size over the course of a few years.

7. Breast augmentations and reductions could possibly affect your ability to breastfeed in the future. Women who have implants oftentimes choose not to breastfeed so the data sets on these women are unclear. However, if you have an areola incision, there's a small risk you could damage minor ducts and could disconnect the areola complex with the main portion of the gland, hindering your ability to breastfeed. Women who have underarm incisions or incisions in the crease of the breast should not have a problem.

8. You might lose feeling in your nipples after a breast augmentation or reduction. Loss of sensation in the nipples can occur whenever there is surgery to the breasts. This depends on a number of factors, including breast shape and surgery type. Even if you lose sensation in your nipples, they will still respond to cold and stimulation (aka they will still be able to get hard even if you can't feel it).

9. You're not a great candidate for a breast augmentation if you have a very strong family history of breast cancer, are obese, or smoke. All these factors increase risks and complications during and after surgery. If you have any significant medical issues, you need to be evaluated and cleared before surgery.

10. Not all "plastic surgeons" are board certified and trustworthy. Thoroughly research surgeons that meet certain criteria before settling on one. First, make sure the surgeon is certified from the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Be wary of other "boards" that are not legitimate. Your doctor should also be a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, both of which have a very high standard of criteria and maintenance. Then make sure that surgeon has experience in the type of surgery you're wanting. Ask to see a body of their work and before-and-after photos. Speak to other patients. Schedule a consultation and get a feel for the surgeon's approach.

11. You have a choice of two different implants: silicone and saline. Seventy-seven percent of implants used in 2014 were silicone and the rest were saline. Both implants have upsides and downsides. Silicone implants look and feel more realistic, but it's harder to detect if there are ruptures in the implant due to its gel-like consistency. Saline implants, on the other hand, will show ripples in certain areas of your breasts, but since they have a water-like filling, they will sooner alert you if there is a leak by visibly decreasing in size over time.

12. You can move fat from elsewhere on your body to your boobs. It's a new process called autologous fat transfer. Few people are candidates for this procedure.

13. You can get an areola reduction. This is also called a mastopexy. Oftentimes women who get a reduction will also have an areola reduction so the areola is proportional to the new size of the breast. The area around the nipple is very forgiving when scarring.

14. You can't walk in to a consultation and say you want X implant type through X incision location. You and your surgeon will together decide which incision choice is best for you: underarm incision, incision in the crease of the breast (inframammary fold), or through removal of the areola. Your doctor will take into consideration your beginning breast size and shape, breast tissue, and a number of other factors before recommending which options are best for you and your body.

15. Any breast surgery can have a small effect on breast cancer screening in the future.Breast health is important. Before the surgery, have a proper breast exam with your gynecologist. If you're of age, get a mammogram. Most mammographers don't have an issue if the implant is placed behind the muscle, but it is important to discuss with your surgeon.

16. Exercise, especially cardio that involves bouncing, is restricted after surgery. Although you can start doing light cardio again after a week, most women will need to limit their exercise for up to 12 weeks.

17. Implants are more comfortable if the procedure is done postpartum rather than before the patient has kids. But any implant placed under the muscle will increase the discomfort levels.

18. Augmented breasts will affect your posture just like the weight of natural breasts would. The weight difference between equal volumes of saline, silicone, and breast tissue is slim to none, so a natural C cup and an augmented C cup are very similar in weight. If you choose an implant size proportional to your frame, you will see little effect on your posture. However, if you choose large implants, you will feel the effects.

19. Your boobs do not need to be a minimum size for a reduction. This is all based on personal preference. Think of boob size in terms of a scale from small to large. Based on breast size before the procedure and desired breast size afterward, there are a number of incision options for a reduction for a huge range of results. You can even choose to get a reduction and an implant to replace some of the volume that you've lost over time.

20. It is possible that your boobs can grow back after a reduction. However, if the procedure is done after pregnancy and your weight stays consistent, your breast size is unlikely to change.

21. Ask yourself the following questions and be comfortable with your answers before going through with the surgery:

• How much does my current situation bother me?
• Why do I want this procedure?
• How excited am I to go through with this?
• Can I handle the time off from work and exercise?
• How much am I willing to expose myself to certain risks?

Reference: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/advice/a38708/things-you-should-know-before-getting-a-boob-job/

Laser Liposuction for the Chin / Neck

Dr. Kratschmer performing laser liposuction to the chin / neck using the Smartlipo Triplex laser system.  For a free liposuction consultation, call us at 281-317-8179.

FDA Speaks: 5 Things to Know About Breast Implants

Should I get breast implants? Are there alternatives? Will they need to be replaced?

And if you decide to get implants, there are even more questions. Saline or silicone? What style? How much monitoring is needed?

Researching breast implants can be overwhelming and confusing. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has online tools available to help women sort through the information and provides questions to consider before making the decision.

Know the Basics

FDA has approved implants for increasing breast size in women, for reconstruction after breast cancer surgery or trauma, and to correct developmental defects. Implants are also approved to correct or improve the result of a previous surgery. 

A number of studies have reported that a majority of breast augmentation and reconstruction patients are satisfied with the results of their surgery.

FDA has approved two types of breast implants for sale in the U.S.: saline (salt water solution)-filled and silicone gel-filled. Both have a silicone outer shell and vary in size, shell thickness and shape.

Know the Risks

Silicone implants sold in the U.S. are made with medical-grade silicone.  These implants undergo extensive testing to establish reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. Nonetheless, there are risks associated with all breast implants, including:

• additional surgeries
• capsular contracture—scar tissue that squeezes the implant
• breast pain
• rupture (tears or holes in the shell) with deflation of saline-filled implants
• silent (without symptoms) rupture of silicone gel-filled implants

FDA experts suggest five things women should know about breast implants.

1. Breast implants are not lifetime devices. The longer a woman has them, the greater the chances that she will develop complications, some of which will require more surgery.  The patient can also request additional surgeries to modify the aesthetic outcome, such as size or shape.

“The life of these devices varies according to the individual,” says Gretchen Burns, a nurse consultant at FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH).  “All women with implants will face additional surgeries—no one can tell them when.” While a few women have kept their original implants for 20-30 years, “that is not the common experience.”

2. Research products.  Review the patient labeling. FDA advises that women look at the Summary of Safety and Effectiveness Data (SSED) for each implant to learn about their characteristics and the fillers used. SSEDs have been produced for all approved saline and silicone gel-filled breast implants. These summaries provide information on the indications for use, risks, warnings, precautions, and studies associated with FDA approval of the device. Look at the frequency of serious complications found in the SSED. The most serious are “those that lead to further surgeries, such as ruptures or capsular contracture,” says Tajanay Ki, a biomedical engineer in CDRH.

FDA advises health care providers to give women the full labeling—all of the patient information from the manufacturer—for an implant. Ask your surgeon for the most recent version of the labeling. You should have at least 1-2 weeks to review the information before making a decision, but with some reconstruction or revision surgery cases, it may be advisable to perform surgery sooner.  

3. Communicate with the surgeon.  Surgeons must evaluate the shape, size, surface texture and placement of the implant and the incision site for each woman. Ask the surgeon questions about his or her professional experience, the surgical procedure, and the ways the implant might affect an individual’s life.

Also, tell the surgeon about previous surgeries and your body’s response—for example, whether surgeries resulted in excessive scar tissue—and discuss your expectations. This helps the surgeon make operative decisions that achieve the desired appearance (i.e., incision location and size, implant size and placement).  Many women undergo reoperation to change implant size.  To achieve optimal results after the first procedure, careful planning and reasonable expectations are necessary. 

4. Learn about long-term risks. Some women with breast implants have experienced connective tissue diseases, lactation difficulties or reproductive problems. However, current evidence does not support an association between breast implants and these conditions. FDA has identified a possible association between breast implants and the development of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Women who have breast implants may have a very small but increased risk of developing ALCL in the fluid or scar tissue surrounding the implant. Like other lymphomas, ALCL is a cancer of the immune system and not of breast tissue.

5. Monitoring is crucial. FDA recommends that women with breast implants:

• promptly report any unusual signs or symptoms to their health care providers, and
• report any serious side effects to MedWatch, FDA’s safety information and adverse event reporting program.

Furthermore, women with silicone implants should get MRI screenings to detect silent ruptures three years after their surgery and every two years after that.  Insurance may not cover these screenings.

Burns recommends that women with breast implants continue to perform self-examinations and get mammograms to look for early signs of cancer. “Just because you have implants doesn’t mean you can ignore other breast health recommendations,” she says.

FDA’s Online Resources

FDA has a breast implants web page (www.fda.gov/breastimplants) with resources that include:

• Links to patient information and data for each product.
• Information about risks and complications
• Questions to ask health care professionals regarding breast implant surgery
• Contact information for manufacturers of FDA-approved breast implants and related professional organizations

This article appears on FDA's Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

Reference: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm338144.htm

The Surprising Thing That's Ruining Your Botox

From New Beauty magazine

The sun gets a bad rap for so many skin-aging issues, and now there might be a new negative side effect to add to the list: The cause behind Botox breaking down. Here, the experts debate this snag in anti-aging—and make the case for one more reason you need to be wearing sunscreen.

It might make it metabolize quicker.
According to New York dermatologist Jody Levine, MD, at certain times, a patient may metabolize Botox quicker than other times—meaning, it doesn’t last as long as it had in the past. “There may be many factors responsible for this, one of which is ultraviolet exposure, which increases the metabolism of Botox,” she says.

It’s the loss collagen that’s doing the damage.
“The sun does not directly affect Botox,” says New York dermatologist Marina Peredo, MD. “It’s the UV radiation inducing collagenase in fibroblasts, which in time causes degradation of collagen. This is what leads to lines and wrinkles.” One thing Dr. Peredo says she does see shorten the duration of injectables at certain times: Concomitant treatments (procedures performed at the same time, such as lasers), when performed in the same area on the face.

Either way, you need SPF.
Regardless of whether or not you are worried about your injectable treatments having a shorter span because of the sun, the American Academy of Dermatology stands by its recommendation that you should wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30 or higher, every day, rain or shine.

Reference: https://www.newbeauty.com/hottopic/blogpost/8976-can-the-sun-break-down-botox/

Lipo B12 Injection for Weightloss and Energy

The Treatment That Will Enhance Your Anti-Aging Routine

from New Beauty magazine

When it comes to rejuvenating the skin, nothing does the trick quite like what’s offered at dermatologists' and plastic surgeons' offices. These doctors are privy to all the new technologies, but despite what’s groundbreaking and trendy, there’s something to be said about the tried-and-true treatments that have staying power, such as Intense Pulsed Light (IPL).

IPL is a light-based treatment (even though it’s often grouped into the laser category) that is used to erase discoloration—think freckles, sun damage and brown spots—as well as rosacea, acne, broken capillaries and unwanted hair. “Current IPL systems are very versatile, allowing us to cover a lot of the skin's surface while treating a variety of skin conditions,” says Miami dermatologist Adriane Pompa, MD.

It's often the weapon of choice when dealing with pigmentation issues because it targets melanin in the skin. “Melanin increases from chronic sun exposure, as do the freckles that result from it,” says Dr. Pompa. “With just a few treatments (three to five) of IPL, dark spots can improve dramatically. The treatment is able to cover a large area and there is little downtime associated with it.” Each session, according to Dr. Pompa, feels like a hot bright light on the surface of the skin, similar to a bright flash being fired. IPL is also said to feel like a rubber band snap, too. A few days post treatment, the treated areas become darker (like a coffee grind) before they naturally fall off and fade. “After about two to three treatments, the results will be noticeable, but many patients notice a difference after the first treatment.” 

Because IPL relies on the power of a broadband light source plus filters, Dr. Pompa says that different molecules in the skin can be focused on to selectively treat a specific target with minimal impact on other skin structures. “That’s why it works best on benign pigmented skin lesions.”

In addition to all the benefits that IPL offers—did we mention it also stimulates collagen production—it can be used to rejuvenate the skin from a textural standpoint, too. “We’ve seen that IPL patients' skin looks younger and tighter after treatment,” says Dr. Pompa. In the future, Dr. Pompa says IPL may be used to treat stretch marks, scars and atopic dermatitis, and even nail and plaque psoriasis.

Call us today at 713-909-3088 to learn if IPL is right for you.

Reference: https://www.newbeauty.com/hottopic/blogpost/8639-benefits-of-intense-pulsed-light-treatment/