Summer Body Prep: Slim or Supple?

The summer heat is already giving us a sneak peek of this year's climate, and while the weather might be hot, you're definitely hoping that the season's social activities are pretty cool.

What might not be cool, however, is how loosely you've monitored your dieting and exercise habits over the past few months. There's no doubt that you were one of the millions of people who, caught up in the enthusiasm of the new year made an ambitious promise toward a skinnier self in the months to come. Unfortunately, holiday leftovers and after-work drinks during happy hour got your diet off track, and now you're agonizing over your body image with just weeks before summer vacation.

Some people, however, may have adhered to their angelic dietary regimen, but are still not too impressed with the results. While their waistlines might be exactly what they'd hoped, their silhouettes are still lacking; they'll have not problem fitting into this season's swimsuit, in fact, they might even have trouble filling it out.

Regardless of which camp you fall into - the "too much" or "too little" - there is a bevy of sexy solutions to help you turn heads when it comes time to show off that bikini. Whether it's plumping up or slimming down, your summer body can benefit from each one of these procedures:

Petite or Plump?

• SmartLipo Laser Lipo: One of the newest developments in minimally-invasive cosmetic technology, SmartLipo Laser Lipo is sweeping the nation as this summer's quick solution to a few months of naughty dietary behavior. Whereas traditional liposuction will leave you with unpleasant scarring, SmartLipo only needs a dime-sized incision point to access that tenacious leg or tummy fat. By essentially melting the fat beneath the skin, the SmartLipo Laser makes it easier for your body to process the liquidated fat, and discharge it naturally; any remaining fat can be sucked out of the SmartLipo's precision cannula, much like it is in regular liposuction. SmartLipo are also excited to find out that the treatment even tightens the skin in the treated area, giving their bodies a total trim-down!
• Breast Augmentation: Plastic surgery's long-standing flagship procedure has been turning summer-lovers into beach babes for decades, and reasonably so: breast augmentation has seen some of the greatest developments in the entire field of cosmetic medicine. Whereas women originally had the choice of either Saline (salt water) or Silicone implants, they now have the added possibility of High-Strength Cohesive Gel implants. These new implants (humorously called the "gummy bear" implants because of their ability to retain their form) have been praised by patients and doctors alike for their ability to retain the most convincingly natural breast shape, and offer patients arguably the most realistic tissue feel. Additionally, the gel virtually eliminates the possibility of implant leakage, which is often something that deters women from requesting traditional silicone implants. This is one procedure that you can be sure your board-certified cosmetic surgeon is fluent in, and one that can seriously up the volume on your knockout summer body.
• Ultherapy Ultrasonic Facelift: If the thought of getting onto a surgeon's table before summertime is intimidating to you, that's completely understandable. Cosmetic surgery isn't for everyone, which is why the field of cosmetic medicine has rolled out a vast line of minimally- and non-invasive treatments to deliver the results of conventional surgery. One of the most popular non-invasive procedures is the Ultherapy ultrasonic facelift. Using ultrasonic technology (yes, the same ultrasonic technology that's used by your obstetrician), Ultherapy penetrates into the deepest layer of your facial skin to activate collagen production and disrupt residual fat tissue. The result is tighter skin around the neck and jawline that continues to tighten over the course of the next few months. Patients have even affectionately dubbed this procedure the "Up-lift" or "Lunchtime Lift" since it can be squeezed into just an hour of open time in your schedule. What's even better, is that you can go back to work (or the pool) immediately to show off your new look.
• Cellulaze Cellulite Treatment: Another of the newest minimally-invasive procedures, Cellulaze is currently the most effective solution for the cellulite problem that plagues, well, most of us. Cellulite problems are so discouraging because they typically can't be fixed from exercise and diet alone. Instead, cellulite results from the restricted fat tissue under the leg that results from the development of tough bands of tissue. These bands gather the fat unevenly beneath the skin, creating the unattractive "dimply" look that can compromise even the sexiest stems. Like SmartLipo, Cellulaze only needs a tiny incision to go beneath the skin, and break the bands of tissue that restrict fat relaxation. As the fat is able disperse evenly beneath the skin, your leg will look smoother than ever, and continue to improve during the months following treatment. As a summertime tune-up, Cellulaze is the best way to get your legs ready for some summer color.

Always think of your skin!

If shape isn't your concern going into the summer, consider something like Botox to help smooth out the wrinkles while your face is getting that summer glow; if you're worried about complexion, professional tanning is a great idea to help get that boost of bronze going into the sun-soaked activities. And regardless of how you try to impress the beach or poolside crowd always remember to wear plenty of sunscreen so that you can preserve your beautiful skin for decades to come!

Smart Lipo now offered in Dallas

The Dallas cosmetic specialty clinic FemSmart is excited to be leading its peers in offering the most advanced body contouring available with the minimally-invasive procedure, SmartLipo. With an extensive catalogue of cosmetic and injectable services at their Las Colinas location, the medical team at FemSmart agrees that SmartLipo lipolysis has the potential to make a huge impact on how aestheticians treat their patients.

The introduction of non- and minimally-invasive cosmetic solutions to traditional plastic surgery has created a new trend in how we shape our bodies. Previous and more primitive methods of plastic surgery typically would require that a person go under the surgeon’s knife for an augmentation or lift at the expense of scarring and considerable down time; your little “tune-up” would often cost you a few weeks of work and even a few months of regular activity, not to mention the time you would spend trying to conceal any kind of unsightly scarring – a certain clue to your surgery secrets.

The current lineup of minimally-invasive offerings from the cosmetic surgery world provides some of the most effective solutions to the problem of aging: skin tightening, fat reduction, collagen boosting, and cellulite elimination are just a few of the services that technology has afforded plastic surgeons. These procedures are just as effective as their fully-invasive counterparts, but minimize or completely eliminate the downtime experienced by the patient - some patients even report being able to go back to work the next day.

One of the most important procedures introduced in this technological renaissance of surgery equipment is without a doubt SmartLipo lipolysis, offered by manufacturers, Cynosure. SmartLipo – performed via the SmartLipo Triplex lipolysis workstation – proposes a minimally invasive alternative to liposuction. We all know that liposuction has long been enjoyed by men and women, alike, and has delivered satisfactory body-contouring for years. However, liposuction requires that surgeons make an incision large enough to actually remove fat from the patient, which necessarily leads to more noticeable scarring after surgery.

The SmartLipo procedure aims to offer the same results that one would experience from liposuction, but without the removal, or “ablative”, component. Rather than removing the fat from the patient, SmartLipo lipolysis allows doctors to coagulate the tissue with a precision laser, tightening the tissue and reducing the appearance of unattractive fat in the treated area. The use of a laser enables doctors to enter the subdermal tissue through a very small incision, which can be easily concealed and can’t be detected after healing. In short, SmartLipo essentially allows doctors to perform liposuction with no “suction”, whatsoever. Furthermore, the high-precision laser that is used automatically cauterizes any affected tissue during the procedure. This means that the patient experiences less blood loss, and can enjoy an overall safer procedure.

SmartLipo patients have reportedly been so pleased with their results that many of them have even returned to their physicians and requested a second treatment on a different area. With a noticeable transformation and unnoticeable scarring, SmartLipo looks to be one of the most revolutionary body contouring procedures that has ever been used. If you are interested in how SmartLipo can help you, contact the specialty clinic at FemSmart to learn more about this amazing procedure and how FemSmart provides the best SmartLipo Dallas has to offer.

Plastic Surgery Checklist

The decision to undergo a cosmetic procedure is definitely an exciting one. Cosmetic surgery can allow you to improve some of the features that have plagued your self-consciousness for years, so the possibility of a future without these bothersome features can be very appealing. Not only will you have a new look, but maybe new relationships, new personalities, and new experiences will result from the confidence you’ll have after the procedure is over. Cosmetic surgery really does have the potential to give its patients a new life.

While the notion of a renovated self-image can almost be intoxicating, you’ll want to make sure that you aren’t rushing into a procedure for the wrong reasons. Like any surgical procedure, cosmetic surgery is a serious decision and requires patients to take a serious look at what they expect to get form such a procedure. These decisions are permanent – very permanent – and evaluating a few things before you go under the knife is a wise decision if you intend on ending up with results that you can truly enjoy.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has released a checklist for what they call “Medical Tourism”. Medical tourism is what these organizations call the decision for people to go abroad to receive various cosmetic procedures. In America, this term refers to people who are traveling out of the country (presumably to a less-developed nation) to undergo a procedure. Medical tourism is apparently a multibillion-dollar phenomenon that is expected to grow in the coming years.

Although you probably aren’t looking to go out of the country for your procedure, the checklist devised by both the CDC and ASPS is still applicable to any cosmetic procedure – domestic or international. The checklist makes patients do some serious consideration about what they want from the procedure, so that they are fully prepared once they make their final decision. Here are some of the things that this checklist suggests that patients consider:

Do Your Homework: The Internet is your best friend before you walk into a doctor’s office for a consultation. There is such a wealth of information online that you should be able to get a pretty solid foundational understanding of the procedure that you are interested in rather quickly. Make sure to look over what the procedure entails, what are some of its success stories, but also what are the risks. Even though complications might be rare with a certified cosmetic surgeon, you should still know what to expect.

Have realistic Expectations: Plastic surgery is absolutely not a one-size-fits all industry. The reason that you are going in for surgery to begin with is because you want a unique look. Because there are so many variables in terms of shapes and sizes when it comes to patients, you’ll want to be sure that you discuss with your surgeon what is feasible in your case. If the exact look that you want isn’t possible, you’ll want to know that before you commit to a surgery.

Be Informed: Getting information on the web is one thing, but there’s nothing like a client review to help give a unique perspective on the surgical process. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or surgery forum online, use these voices to help you understand what the pre- and post-surgery experience is going to be like.

Require a Medical Evaluation: Make sure that you disclose your full medical history to give your physician the most information possible when he or she is evaluating you as a candidate for surgery. However, don’t be afraid to let your doctor know exactly what you want to get out the procedure. You’ll want to conduct a candid relationship with your physician so that you to arrive at the best solution for your cosmetic problem.

Choose an ASPS Member Surgeon: This isn’t some kind of hard-sell for ASPS surgeons – these people are qualified, trained, certified, and very experienced in the type of procedure that you are considering. They can ensure that you receive the best and safest surgery, not to mention that they only practice in accredited facilities. Ask Questions: Below are some of the questions that the CDC suggests that you ask your surgeon during a preliminary consultation:

• Are you an ASPS Member Surgeon?
• Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
• Do you have hospital privileges to perform this procedure? If so, at which hospitals?
• How many procedures of this type have you performed?
• Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
• What will be expected of me to get optimal results? Where and how will you perform my procedure?
• Is the surgical facility accredited?
• What are the risks involved with my procedure?
• How long of a recovery period can I expect, and what kind of help will I need during my recovery?
• Will I need to take time off work? If so, how long?
• How much will my procedure cost?
• Are financing options available?
• How are complications handled?

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should give you a solid starting point for learning about your plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is a great way to boost your confidence and self-esteem, but it isn’t always for everyone. An honest consultation with your surgeon is what you’ll need to decide if cosmetic surgery is right for you.

Miss America Contestant to Receive Double Mastectomy

America’s favorite annual contest of beauty and grace typically receives a lot of criticism from audiences. Berated for its objectification of women and its vapidity, the Miss America pageant has always had its share of opposition. The contestants are allegedly vain, and the recent emergence of child pageantry television tells us that they’ve been designed to behave that way since adolescence. But Allyn Rose, a contestant from Washington D.C., is about make these naysayers eat their words with the decision that she will be making following Saturday’s proceedings.

Rose is a Miss America contestant, but is prepared to part with the looks that are likely responsible for her selection as a finalist. The daughter of a breast cancer victim, Rose is unwilling to suffer the condition that claimed the life of her mother and because of this intends to undergo a double mastectomy after the contest. 

In a touching recollection of her mother, Rose said that her mother “would have given up every part of her body to be [at the pageant]”. Rose refuses to allow pressures and conventions of beauty dictate how her body should look. What’s even more shocking is that regardless of whether she wins or loses, she is certain she will go through with the procedure.

A sobering discussion with her father is what led Allyn to consider having the tissue removed. Her father suggested the idea of a double mastectomy, and essentially told her that she would suffer like her mother did if she chose not to have the procedure done. Allyn was only a freshman in college when she first considered the procedure, which was still something that seemed distantly in her future; it probably didn’t help that she was working successfully as a model and pageant contestant while she needed to consider this serious procedure. But now, 24-year-old Allyn is only three years away from the age at which her mother received her initial diagnosis: 27.

But there are plenty of things that are making Allyn’s decision to undergo surgery an easy one. Firstly, the possibility of reconstructive surgery could potentially return her to her original bust. Additionally, other women have undergone the procedure and claim that it provides enormous peace of mind; that the implications of the mastectomy far outweigh the physical and mental anguish that could result from developing breast cancer. Not to mention, supporters from all over the country are providing Allyn with a steady stream of letters and encouragement to help make her decision an easier one. Allyn even has support from the medical community; Dallas-area medical expert Dr. Charles Wallace thinks that Allyn is “courageous to speak about this subject. Her personal experience will raise awareness and she should be commended for her bravery [in sharing]…a personal and private health decision”. A cosmetic surgeon, himself, Wallace went on to describe some of the history associated with the procedure:

"In the 70’s and 80’s preventative mastectomy was a more common practice and today is an underutilized procedure for those that have a strong family history of breast cancer. It offers peace of mind for the patient, because although it isn’t a 100% solution, for a good majority, it is a 99% solution relieving the worry of if and when the cancer will strike. Reconstruction is easier and opens up your options when considered prior to mastectomy giving the patient more control in an situation that normally strips them of it.”

Still, Allyn is not alone in her decision toward a double mastectomy. The number of women deciding to undergo the surgery is currently ten times the number of women who had the surgery in 1998. This is primarily a result of advancements in technology: genetic testing is far more sophisticated than it was over a decade ago, and women can catch any genetic indicators of breast cancer early in life. Allyn even had a genetic analysis that revealed she doesn’t the actual breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) but she does demonstrate a rare genetic mutation that might make her predisposed to developing the cancer later on, a future that Allyn refuses to make a reality.

Similar advancements in the field of reconstructive surgery also have contributed to the rise in number of double mastectomies since the late 1990s. New approaches allow physicians to use artificial implantation devices or organic tissue from the patient’s back and abdomen to return the breast to its original form; Dr. Wallace sasys that "new Sientra implants offer...exceptional flexibility for one-stage reconstruction of these types of problems in most patients."

Allyn will use her position as a pageant contestant to empower women – cancer victims and non-victims alike – about their self-image. She is confident that her decision will be a potent demonstration of confidence for women everywhere, and will also be using her position to educate women about healthcare, and taking medical decisions into their own hands. However, her decision may also have some positive effects on the Miss America institution, itself. Just maybe, Allyn’s actions can rescue the pageant from stigmas of vanity, and enrich its reputation to be one of an event that celebrates not only superficial beauty, but also the inherent strength and courage of the feminine population.