Gynecomastia and Liposuction

You're ready to make the move. The move to gynecomastia surgery, so that you can make a move without feeling self-conscious. But you've heard the move may involve a new groove--liposuction. What do you tell your friends? Liposuction as a gynecomastia treatment is nothing to worry about, and doesn't cause excess scarring.

In general, surgeons try to minimize scarring so that you can go shirtless or wear a light shirt--scars typically fade within six months. Tumescent liposuction will remove excess fat from one or both of your breasts during gynecomastia surgery. A small scar around the nipple as well as scars where rods were inserted will be the only marks to indicate you've had gynecomastia treatment--as if a reduction in cup size weren't enough. You don't have to tell anyone you're having lipo and gynecomastia surgery. It's up to you. Plastic surgery is supposed to make you confident, so you can make the move and be in the groove.

Cancelled Extreme Makeover

Unless you've been living TV-free, and even if you have pop culture is all-pervasive, you know about the cancelled "Extreme Makeover" TV show on ABC-TV. While ABC's Web site still advertises for various candidates, the show is not in production and isn't on ABC's fall schedule. You might have been lured into a "Maybe I could do that" state of mind, but ABC's cancellation has caused you to rethink your plans.

Still, you think, there are local makeover shows that have sprouted up. There are makeover segments on "The View," "Oprah," and other talk shows. There's even the celebrity makeover show "I Want a Fanous Face" on MTV. Should you choose to have a partial makeover or extreme makeover? While the answer isn't firmly "no" (people have appeared on "Oprah" and been happy, as opposed to several "Extreme Makeover" show scandals), you need to think twice about transforming yourself on-camera.

Unlike "Extreme Makeover," women's talk shows won't show you going under the knife or give you a false impression of plastic surgery, but to put yourself in the spotlight on national TV takes careful thought. Some of our hints:

• Don't do it to become famous. The careers of reality TV stars are often short. Guests on "Oprah" might be called back for a "Where are they now" show and be featured in video on Oprah.com, but that's about it.
• Approach it the way you would a motivational seminar, a retreat, or a fitness regimen. Have a positive attitude going in.
• Don't be upset if they can't use your segment or if it doesn't work for them--this is television. It's selection, not rejection. Besides, do you want less-than-flattering footage of yourself posted on the Internet?
• Your dissatisfaction with your appearance may point to deeper life problems that may be solved by talking with a friend, spiritual counselor, life coach or psychologist rather than sitting on a talk-show couch.
• Talk to a plastic surgeon to see whether you really need extensive changes in your appearance. You may need a simple brow lift (or visit to a cosmetologist).

If you're still determined to send in that videotape, good luck--but sometimes it helps just to turn off the TV and ignore all those media messages.

What Is the Brazilian Butt Lift?

If you think to lift your buttocks the Brazilian way, you do the samba in Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro at Carnevale, think again. The Brazilian butt lift, patented by "Extreme Makeover" celebrity Dr. Anthony Griffin, is the newest technique in butt augmentation for those who wish their rear end didn't droop. Not everyone can be J.Lo.

However, the Brazilian butt lift gives you the flat smooth curves you see in women on Brazilian beaches, and thanks to J.Lo, it's gaining in popularity. Your surgeon will take fat from your abs and chest, then inject it in the buttocks to flatten the bottom. She'll tighten weak muscles and loose skin. Voila, instant buttock augmentation, without a trip to South America. Now you're disappointed--you were looking forward to the samba. You can still buy that ticket to Brazil and pretend you're Jenny from the Beach.

Breast Implants and Capsular Contracture

It hurts to wear a bra and despite the admiring looks you're getting, you just want to hide in a closet. Aren't breast enhancement and breast enlargement supposed to make you more confident? Your breasts may have become hard because of capsular contraction around breast implants after breast surgery. Scar tissue tightens around your new breast implants. How can your breast surgeon prevent capsular contraction?

• Some Breast augmentation experts think that placing breast implants closer to the breast wall will eliminate capsular contraction.
• Rounded breast implants under the tissue, sub-mammary, reduces the risk of capsular contracture by over half.
• Massage after breast surgery can help if you have soft silicone or saline implants.
• If you take Vitamin E, except two weeks before surgery, you may avoid capsular contracture.
• Textured implants over the muscle resist capsule contracture after breast augmentation.

Surgeons can treat the problem, should it occur, with antibiotics and/or a capsulectomy to remove the scar tissue. Your breast surgeon may not charge you for this corrective surgery. You don't want to hide away--you want to show off your new look. Some pre-planning can help you face the world happily.

Reconstructive Cosmetic Surgery

You never thought you'd be caught in a fire, or have scarring from a car accident. While you recover, you consider your options to rebuild your life. One of the bright sides of trauma or injury, other than that you're alive of course, is that no one can question your decision to have cosmetic plastic surgery. If you have burns, you'll probably have skin graft plastic surgery. If your nose is broken, rhinoplasty is essential both for your appearance and, more importantly, your breathing. If you have scarring, laser resurfacing and dermabrasion are ideal.

Many times the reconstructive cosmetic plastic surgery or facial plastic surgery will be done in the hospital where you're recovering. Sometimes surgeons will perform cosmetic surgery on an outpatient basis. It depends on the injury and on the surgeon. If you're considering an outpatient cosmetic surgery center, ask to see before and after pictures of reconstructive body and facial plastic surgery.

Listen to your primary attending physician, and follow the recommendations. Your body has been through trauma--give yourself a chance to recover emotionally and physically. On the other hand, if reconstructive plastic surgery will speed your emotional and physical wellness, go for it. Be sure not to make major decisions about your appearance if you haven't dealt with the emotional fallout from the accident. Also, make sure your insurance covers reconstructive surgery before your proceed--some insurance providers don't pay for plastic surgery under any circumstances. Many surgeons offer alternate financing. You had an accident or a tragedy. Take care of yourself--you fully deserve it.

The (Would Be) Presidential Treatment

Botox can't give you everything and it certainly can't help you hold up under scrutiny. Just ask former presidential candidate John Kerry, whose Botox injections got lampooned by the multimedia satirists JibJab. A Botox injection can block pressure on the nerve endings--useful when you're losing a presidential debate. The Botox treatment does smooth out fine lines, wrinkles, frown lines and crow's feet. However, it can't help you if you rub your forehead after treatment, which Senator Kerry probably did between debates ("Why did I say that about Dick Cheney's daughter?").

More bad news for Kerry from Ohio: The Mandell-Brown Plastic Surgery Center in Cincinatti, Ohio says that multiple Botox injections don't necessarily make the effects last, since "for one patient the wrinkle smoothing effect may last 3 months and the next injection may last only 1 to 2 months, and a third injection may last 4 months." Particularly if you're under presidential-size stress. However, Botox can be effective for migraines, backache and underarm sweat--useful to know if you're planning your next presidential campaign. It's too late for John Kerry, but not for Hillary.

Microdermabrasion Success Tips

You keep an umbrella in your car and back up your computer data. You're always prepared. So when you decide to have microdermabrasion, you want to know what you need to do to guarantee a successful microdermabrasion treatment. Some hints from physicians:

• Dr. Martin A. O'Toole of Los Angeles cautions that depending on your treatment, you shouldn't wear makeup for seven to ten days or longer. Also, you shouldn't sunbathe or go ice fishing for several months after your microdermabrasion procedure.
• Dr. David Broadway of Denver-Boulder, Colorado, uses Diamond Tip Microdermabrasion, a "gentler" microdermabrasion treatment, in conjunction with a natural facial with elements such as green tea that promote skin wellness. He promotes facial and body massage therapy after treatments to relax you and spped your recovery.
• Dr. Scott Greenberg of Orlando/Winter Park, Florida, recommends microdermabrasion treatments one to two weeks apart for best microdermabrasion results in conjunction with his skin care system.

Different surgeons have different methods. You should always shop and compare the cost of microdermabrasion and the method of microdermabrasion, including whether you should combine microdermabrasion treatment with a glycolic peel or facelift. But you've researched all the methods in between backing up your data and putting snow tires on your car, so you're ready to refresh your skin!

Non-Surgical Facelifts

Everywhere you go, ads tout a "non-surgical face lift." True? No facelift surgery, just treatments of:

• Thermage
• Restylane
• Radiance

Do these facelift alternatives work? Sure. And you can be a model or just look like one. Not so fast, cynical unbeliever. For thousands of people, yes, non-surgical treatments work. "Fillers" are supposed to restore the fullness in your face, and microdermabrasion promotes collagen growth--some beauty experts recommend against collagen injections.

But some patients are wary of new methods, so if you want to experience a non-surgical facelift, you can try a thread lift. A surgeon inserts tiny threads under the skin while you chill thanks to local anesthetics. A thread face lift is ideal if gravity weighs on your brows, cheeks, jowls and/or neck. Surgeons tout the advantages of this mini face lift: immediate results with minimal results and swelling, little recovery time.

If you need more intense facelift surgery, a thread face lift isn't for you. Consult your doctor, and ask about the other facelift surgery alternatives available. But if your doctor says, "You can be a model or just look like one," change specialists. Some disbelief is healthy.

Those Eyes, Those Lips

It's not enough to dress like celebrities. In our media-saturated culture, we want to steal their body parts. An ABC News report revealed the most coveted celebrity assets:

• Nicole Kidman's nose (that she twitched in "Bewitched")
• Cate Blanchett's jaw
• Heather Graham's eyes
• Halle Berry's cheeks
• Denise Richards' lips (sorry Charlie, er, Angelina)
• Britney Spears' body
• Edward Burns' nose
• Johnny Depp's jawline
• Will Smith's body

While a celebrity surgeon says having cosmetic surgery to achieve Nicole Kidman's nose is realistic, the report also cautions that the celebrities themselves weren't born with those body parts. In other words, you may not know what they started with. You can check the before and after celebrity plastic surgery photos on the Internet, since celebrities don't talk about their cosmetic plastic surgery: "No really, I owe this all to Kabbalah." (Sorry, Madonna, we don't think so.) You don't want Nicole Kidman's nose to be so glaringly obvious on your face that you start twitching it uncomfortably.

Equally important, you don't want people saying, "Did your plastic surgeon give you Nicole Kidman's nose?" Although people may have those did-you-or-didn't-you suspicions, you don't want plastic surgery to be too obvious. Let them think that it really is the yoga or Kabbalah as well as the Desperate Housewives makeup.