Researchers examined whether television shows about cosmetic surgery have an influence on teens’ interest in changing their own physical appearance with cosmetic procedures in a recent issue of the journal Body Image.
Their article reported that teenagers who watch cosmetic surgery reality shows, like Extreme Makeover, are more likely to have an interest in cosmetic surgery for themselves.
In one study, Charlotte Markey, a psychology professor at Rutgers–Camden, and Patrick Markey, of Villanova University, surveyed 170 teens (average age 19.77, 59% female) to assess their impression of reality TV shows that feature cosmetic surgery, appearance satisfaction, self-esteem, and their interest in cosmetic surgery.
“Participants who reported favorable impressions of reality television shows featuring cosmetic surgery were more likely to indicate interest in pursuing surgery,” the researchers wrote.
Their second study divided 189 participants into two groups (average age of 19.84, 51% female); half were shown an ‘extreme makeover’ program and the other half a show with a neutral message.
The researchers found that women were more likely to want cosmetic surgery than men, and that the viewers of the cosmetic makeover show were more inclined to consider the procedure for themselves compared those who didn’t view the show.
The two studies were done to “examine the influence of media messages about cosmetic surgery on youths’ interest in altering their own physical appearance,” wrote the researchers.
“There is a cultural context to never be satisfied with our physical selves. It’s the rare person who is either completely oblivious or has developed such a strong counter message to not be affected,” said Dr. Charlotte Markey.
“A correlational and experimental examination of reality television viewing and interest in cosmetic surgery,” is available for purchase at Science Direct.
Earlobe repair surgery is becoming more common as patients are seeking out cosmetic surgeons to reverse gauging, a procedure where the earlobes are deliberately stretched and widened. The surgery is being requested by patients who regret having their lobes stretched, reports msnbc.com.
Dr. Angelo Cuzalina, president-elect of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, says that those who are looking for new jobs and going on job interviews often want the surgery.
“It’s almost becoming a fad. People have the gauging procedure where they gradually stretch out their lobe so it has a giant hole that’s larger than a quarter. But then they want to join the workforce and think their chances for a job might be better if they didn’t have this,” he says.
Dr. Brian Glatt, a plastic surgeon, agrees, saying that he is seeing more patients who gauged their ears as teens but are now outgrowing the trend.
Dr. Patrick Carney performs the surgery using a local anesthetic; he removes any skin surrounding the split to create a clean edge and then stitches the ear back together. Sutures will be put into the lobe and removed within a week.
While patients can expect some scarring, says Dr. Cuzalina, patients should be able to wear regular earrings again after a few months, if desired.
“It’s not a really painful operation to have done, but you may never get the lobe back to its original shape,” Dr. Cuzalina says. “But more people are doing it. It usually takes some change in a person’s life to force them to come in and get the surgery.”
The popular Dysport Challenge — in which consumers can save $150 when they try the botulinum toxin wrinkle filler for their frown lines — now has over 100,000 registrants. Originally it was to run March through April 2010, but due to its success, it’s been extended through September 2010, so more patients can take advantage of the offer.
The challenge allows patients to save $75 when they try Dysport. If they “love it,” they receive $75 off their next Dysport treatment; if they don’t, patients receive a $75 rebate off another botulinum toxin type A product, such as Botox.
Over 91.2 percent of 22,416 patients who took the challenge from March 1 through May 9, 2010, made “Love It,” according to Medicis, the maker of Dysport. Only 2.6 percent of all registered patients have made a selection to “Leave It” since the program began.
When the challenge started, Jonah Shacknai, the chief executive of Medicis, said,“We are so confident that we are literally willing to bet our money that patients will love their Dysport treatment.”
Approved by the FDA in April 2009 to treat frown lines between the eyebrows, Dysport works much like Botox and is Botox’s first comparable competitor in the U.S. cosmetic market. Dysport works by a process called neuromuscular blocking, which relaxes small muscles in the face and forehead that cause wrinkles to form.
In the release on passing the 100,000 registrant milestone, Shacknai said:
“We are pleased to announce this tremendous support by both physicians and patients for the Dysport Challenge. Medicis made a bold statement of confidence in the brand by offering patients the opportunity to try Dysport and save up to $150 total.”
Open to patients 18 and older, complete Dysport Challenge details are available at www.DysportUSA.com. Advancements in Dermatology and Skin Speaks Spa M.D. offers Dysport to patients in the Twin Cities area.
More than half of survey respondents think the popularity of cosmetic surgery has grown among members of their racial / ethnic group in the last five years, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, which conducted the survey of over 1,300 people.
An estimated 6.9% of all minority respondents and 9.9% of white respondents indicated that they have had an invasive or non-invasive cosmetic surgery procedure. Asians were most likely to report having had cosmetic surgery (11.1%), followed by African-Americans (7.1%), Hispanics (4.6%), and other races (6.2%).
The most common non-invasive cosmetic procedures that Asian respondents reported having were fat injections, dermabrasion, and Botox. Black and Hispanic respondents reported the most common procedures they had were laser hair removal, Botox, and chemical peels.
For invasive procedures, the survey found the most common procedures were facelift (among Asian respondents); tummy tuck (among Hispanic respondents); and liposuction (among African-American respondents).
The survey also revealed that Asian and Hispanic respondents were more likely to indicate cosmetic surgery was popular among members of their racial/ethnic background when compared to African-Americans and all other races. Almost a quarter of those surveyed said they knew someone of the same racial/ethnic background who has had cosmetic surgery.
While more than 30 percent of those surveyed said they would seek out a cosmetic surgeon of the same race/ethnicity as themselves, over half (56.6 percent) said they thought it would be difficult to find a surgeon of the same race/ethnicity as themselves.
Dr. Mark Berman, president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, says, “Cosmetic surgery is en vogue no matter who you are. Feeling better about yourself and making improvements to your looks is thankfully not limited to a specific race or culture.”
A new special report titled “The Beauty Advantage” on Newsweek.com argues that the quest to look good isn’t just a vain pursuit.
Newsweek surveyed 202 corporate hiring managers and found that 56 percent of them said qualified but unattractive candidates are likely to have a harder time getting a job. More than half recommended spending as much time and money on “making sure they look attractive” as on perfecting a résumé.
When the hiring managers were asked to rate nine character attributes in order of importance for job candidates, looks came in third, after experience and confidence—and before where an applicant went to school.
The report also includes an interactive feature called “The Beauty Breakdown,” which estimates what a lifetime of cosmetic maintenance will cost a “modern diva.” Gathering data from a number of sources—including the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and Allure magazine—it looks at beauty costs from the tween years through 50 plus for American women, coming up with a lifetime total of $449,127.
For the lifetime total, the amount spent on the face was estimated at just over $314,000, more than treatments on hair, the body, and hands and feet combined.
In today’s economy, spending money on these treatments may not be “frivolous,” the magazine notes.
“Economists have long recognized what’s been dubbed the ‘beauty premium’—the idea that pretty people, whatever their aspirations, tend to do better in, well, almost everything. Handsome men earn, on average, 5 percent more than their less-attractive counterparts (good-looking women earn 4 percent more),” the report says.
Dr. Carney’s Skin Speaks Spa M.D., with five locations in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, offers a range of treatments to help you look your best, including Botox, chemical peels, and wrinkle fillers. (image via Newsweek.com)
Most collagen fillers will be gone from the market at year’s end reports the latest issue of Dermatology Times.
Late last year Johnson & Johnson announced that it was discontinuing its collagen filler Evolence, and in January Allergan announced it would be discontinuing its collagen fillers at the end of the year. Allergan halted production of the products in 2009, but manufactured enough inventory to meet estimated market demand through the end of 2010, according to Kelly Lao, manager of corporate communications.
As for Allergan’s collagen fillers, which includes CosmoPlast, CosmoDerm and bovine products Zyderm and Zyplast, Lao explains that “the discontinuation of the sale of our collagen products … is in response to declined market interest … since the introduction of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers like Juvéderm have become more popular.”
Seth L. Matarasso, M.D., clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, agrees with Lao’s assessment. “There is an overwhelming popularity of the new kid on the block: the hyaluronic acids. They have been embraced universally, and suddenly collagens aren’t as popular,” he says.
Hyaluronic acid products have several advantages, including:
Longer-lasting results
Appear to give a better fill
Some contain lidocaine for less painful injections
Future improvements will allow hyaluronic acids to provide more volume and contour-changing ability and the ability to fill deeper lines, reports Dermatology Times.
NBC’s Today Show profiled four women on July 2 who received noninvasive treatments, including Fraxel and Thermage, to treat a variety of skin problems, such as skin laxity, acne, and sun spots.
Jill, a 40-something with years of skin damage from the sun, received Fraxel restore treatment. Dr. Chapas, a dermatologist in New York City, explained to Meredith Vieira that Fraxel gives energy that stimulates new skin cells to grow and makes skin look refreshed and more youthful.
“I’m thrilled. It really got rid of so much of the sun damage that I could see. It just makes me feel like I have fresh, new skin,” Jill said of the treatment.
Dr. Chapas said it usually takes 1 to 3 treatments to see results. After treatment, patients may have a few days of redness and a little dryness, according to the doctor.
Thermage is a treatment to tighten, “lift”, and contour skin, with improvements in tone, shape, and texture.
Lisa, a mom of two, received Thermage on her stomach. She says that Thermage tightened her belly and helps her fit better in her clothes.
Lisa B. received a combination of Thermage and Fraxel on her face. She was suffering from skin discoloration, breakouts and blotches, and looseness. She received Thermage to tighten her skin and build collagen, followed by Fraxel the next week to help even out her skin tone.
Dr. Carney offers Fraxel, Thermage, and ThermaFrax, which is a combination treatment, offering a skin tightening procedure, followed by a fractional resurfacing treatment to attack the skin laxity, fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation and surface imperfections at once. Advancements in Dermatology has five locations in the Twin Cities—in Edina, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Woodbury, and Crystal.
Don’t forget about ways you can fight aging between cosmetic procedures. There are many simple things you can make part of your routine that pay off in the long run, such as wearing sunscreen.
Flossing daily may also help fight the effects of aging over the long-term. If you don’t floss, you leave 40 percent of your teeth dirty with bacteria, which causes staining and yellowing, Dr. Eugene Antenucci, a spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry, told MSNBC for a recent article.
Too much plaque can lead to gingivitis, which is the first stage of gum disease. Symptoms of gum disease include swollen or bleeding gums, receding gums, and the formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums, according to WebMD. If left untreated, it can end with tooth loss due to destruction of the tissue that surrounds your teeth.
“You register an older look because you see more spaces, less and uneven gum tissue,” says Antenucci.
Gum disease can eventually cause the bones underneath to dissolve away, explains Dr. Donald Clem, a dentist in Fullerton, Calif. “In later stages of periodontal disease we would see disfigurement in terms of caving in of the lips and cheek and wrinkles around the lips and cheeks.”
Furthermore, a recent study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal looked at issues related to how specific bony aspects of the face change with age and what implications these structural changes may have on the techniques used in facial cosmetic surgery, according the abstract.
Don’t forget that in addition to your dermatological and cosmetic procedures—whether it’s a chemical peel or Botox—simple things you can make a habit, such as flossing daily, can go a long way in helping you age well.
The July 2010 issue of Cosmetic Surgery Times reports on some of the latest news in the U.S. injectables market, including FDA-approved lidocaine hyaluronic acid fillers and fillers that may soon reach the American market.
Three injectables received FDA approval in February 2010 for lidocaine versions in the U.S.: Juvederm XC, Restylane-L, and Perlane-L. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that is injected directly into the body and decreases pain by temporarily numbing the injection area, according to WebMD.
Dr. Michael H. Gold, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and School of Nursing, says that the products performed similarly to their lidocaine-free predecessors in terms of efficacy and safety. “The incorporation of lidocaine has surely provided a higher comfort level for patients [in the clinical trials],” he adds.
Based on his clinical experience, Dr. Gold reports that when a patient undergoes an injection that includes even a small percentage of lidocaine that most patients say they barely feel the second injection. “To me that is the home run of lidocaine in these fillers,” he says.
In other injectable news, a filler that will soon reach the American market is Belotero Balance for nasolabial folds correction, which Dr. Gold says is awaiting FDA approval. Belotero Balance was first introduced in Germany in 2005.
Learn more about Juvederm and Restylane in the Twin Cities.
Botox is known for its ability to smooth wrinkles when injected into the face, but Johns Hopkins researchers may have found another use that goes beyond the cosmetic.
The researchers found that patients with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), a painful and debilitating nerve compression disorder, reported a significant reduction in short-term pain after receiving a single, low-dose injection of Botox in a neck muscle.
Researchers say the study suggests that Botox could be a noninvasive alternative to rib-removal surgery—the syndrome’s treatment of last resort.
“There haven’t been many alternatives to the use of surgery to treat this syndrome,” says Paul J. Christo, M.D., M.B.A., an assistant professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the study’s lead author. “Botox seems to be an effective treatment that avoids surgery’s obvious drawbacks, such as its invasive nature and long recovery time.”
Since the effect from Botox lasts only a few months, repeated injections would be necessary to maintain the results, and repeated treatments may lead to development of antibodies to the compound in some patients. That would mean the toxin would no longer block pain, and therefore not all patients are candidates for Botox, says Christo.
As potential therapeutic uses grow, Botox’s use as a cosmetic procedure remains popular. According to 2009 statistics from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery it was the number one less-invasive cosmetic procedure performed last year in the United States and is one of the procedures Dr. Carney performs in his Twin Cities locations.
Researchers examined whether television shows about cosmetic surgery have an influence on teens’ interest in changing their own physical appearance with cosmetic procedures in a recent issue of the journal Body Image.
