New York Plastic Surgery News: Medical Tourists Beware of Drug-Resistant Superbug NDM-1

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ — The World Health Organization has issued a warning to medical travelers: let the buyer beware. This warning comes on the heels of a growing threat of an antibiotic-resistant superbug, known as the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM-1), named after the region in India where it was discovered. “Many medical travelers go overseas for procedures such as hip or knee replacements, ACL surgeries, root canals and spinal fusions,” explained Dr. R. Michael Koch of the New York Group For Plastic Surgery, a New York plastic surgery practice. “However, many medical tourism patients who seek cheaper plastic or cosmetic surgeries abroad such as breast augmentation, reconstructive surgery and liposuction, may be getting more than they bargained for in the end with this superbug.”

Do-it-yourself Botox injections risky

Do-it-yourself Botox injections are the latest wrinkle in the pursuit of beauty on a budget.

Catherine Maiorino, 54, started thinking about buying Botox over the Internet when the creases between her eye brows began to needle her.
“So I went and found a website where I could order it,” recalls the vocational school teacher from Pennsauken.
She paid $200 to a spa in California for a vial of what was labeled as Dysport, which contains the same active ingredient as Botox. The price was about one third of what she expected to pay at a physician’s office.
Maiorino figured her daughter, a phlebotomist, could do the injections.
“She is the most excellent sticker in the whole world,” she says.
When the substance arrived in the mail, Maiorino was disappointed to find only a few freeze-dried crystals in the vial, to be reconstituted with saline solution.
“There were no actual instructions in the package, no way to determine what the proper consistency should be,” she says.
Her daughter balked — “she said I was crazy” — and insisted Maiorino take the vial to a doctor.
Meanwhile, the spa website vanished.
Maiorino consulted Steven Davis, a plastic surgeon from Cherry Hill who persuaded her not to attempt injections.
“Botox has become so accessible people think they can inject it themselves,” Davis says. “The truth is it requires sophistication to know how to reconstitute it, how to inject it and how much to use.”
Lynn Tibbets, a 50-year-old teacher from Ocean City, injected a small pockmark on her cheek with Restylane, a facial filler. She had learned how to give herself needles years before when she developed gestational diabetes and allergies.
For two years, she obtained the filler online from suppliers in Canada and Switzerland, paying about $185 per order, which she figures was about half what it would cost in a doctor’s office.
“It saved me time and money,” she recalls. “I thought things were working out quite well.”
But one day, Tibbets injected too much Restylane. The result was a large, doughnut-shaped mass on her face.

What Is The Best Thing About Plastic Surgery?

Body builder Arnold Schwarzenegger once said that one of the best things about weight lifting was that you carried your success with you where ever you went. The same thing can be said about a successful plastic surgery procedure. If you had a successful surgery, the improvements in your appearance would be with you all the time, and you would be constantly reminded of this by the way people treated you.

Our society greatly values physical appearance and we all know that more attractive people are generally treated better by many people. In our culture attractive people receive positive treatment and this helps them become more successful in their relationships. After a successful plastic surgery had improved your appearance, you would probably notice improvements in both your social and business relationships.

But the improvements do not stop there. Improved appearance also tends to have a positive effect on self confidence and self image. These internal improvements are also with you all the time and, for some people, they can produce amazing life changes.

One note of caution, though, before you dash out and get something done. You must also remember that the results of an unsuccessful surgery would also be with you all the time. You will find that a skilled plastic surgeon is really part artist and they have learned how to improve a person’s looks without making them look like they have had work done. Finding a surgeon like this requires you to take the time up front to do research into qualifications and do multiple surgeon interviews.

Also remember that if you choose a surgeon based on the price of the surgery you are risking an expensive disaster. My research turned up several plastic surgery clinics with surgeons with the proper certifications that were qualified to do my procedure. Some of the surgeons I found turned out to be liposuction specialists, so you should make sure that you check for specialists in your area.

After specializsing in websites on weight control, fitness and internet marketing, Jon Heindriche has investigated Raleigh Plastic Surgery which includes a review of Raleigh liposuction options.

Be the first to rate this [?]

Is Plastic Surgery An Exercise In Vanity?

The rate of cosmetic procedures is increasing rapidly, and many people have found it to help them to have a happier and healthier life. Advances in technology and techniques have reduced costs over the last ten years, so the procedures are more affordable to most people. Plastic surgery is no longer the domain of celebrities and the entrance of these procedures into the mainstream are evident in surgery statistics.

In 2009 there were around 10 million cosmetic surgeries performed in the United States, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The growth in the number of surgeries should be no surprise since there are many people who have some feature or features that have always bothered them.

Even though many people still think plastic surgery is an exercise in vanity, studies are consistently indicating that successful procedures often produce positive impacts on personality as well as correcting the physical problems. So is having plastic surgery really vain? If so, then why do we not think about people who get braces on their teeth as being vain. So many more people each year are beginning to realize that they no longer have to put up with that little defect that has always bothered them.

If you have issues with something about your appearance, like a nose that you feel is too large or wrinkles that make you feel old, plastic surgery can make you feel better about yourself. Many cosmetic surgery patients report the feeling of being reborn after their procedure, and many of them regret not having done it sooner. Patients often state that they feel better, more confident, and comfortable because of their new appearance.

People who have always been held back by their physical appearance can often make sweeping positive changes in their social and work lives after surgery. Some patients who were formerly standoffish and viewed as anti social have made amazing transitions into socially active and confident people.

If you have physical attributes that have always bothered you, you may want to check out plastic surgery.

BOTOX® Cosmetic May Be the One for You

Discover the proven results that 11 million women and men have experienced.

With real, noticeable results, no surgery and no recovery time, there are many reasons why BOTOX® Cosmetic has been chosen by millions of women and their doctors.

BOTOX® Cosmetic may be the one for you. You may feel that the moderate to severe glabellar lines between your brows make you look tired or unapproachable, or have other reasons for being curious about BOTOX® Cosmetic. Ask your doctor about BOTOX® Cosmetic to find out if it is right for you.

The Origins of Latisse…The Story Behind the Discovery

It’s remarkable how one great product can lead to another. Such was the case with LATISSE®.
Allergan, a leader and pioneer in eye care, dermatology and medical aesthetics, has introduced the world to a range of products, including LATISSE®, the first and only FDA-approved prescription treatment for inadequate or not enough eyelashes, growing them longer, fuller and darker. But its origin wasn’t completely new.

Back in 2001, Allergan developed a medicated eye drop used to treat ocular hypertension. In addition to successfully lowering eye pressure (the only treatable risk factor for glaucoma), many patients using this medication experienced a side effect — they began to grow longer, fuller and darker lashes.

This led Allergan to begin its study of this medication’s active ingredient, bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03%, for the sole purpose of generating lash growth. After conducting a clinical trial on safety and efficacy for 4 months on 278 patients, LATISSE® earned its FDA approval in December 2008. Since then, Allergan has sold approximately 1.5 million bottles of LATISSE® solution.

LATISSE® Indication
LATISSE® solution is a prescription treatment for hypotrichosis used to grow eyelashes, making them longer, thicker and darker.
Eyelash hypotrichosis is another name for having inadequate or not enough eyelashes.
LATISSE® Important Safety Information
If you are using, or have used, prescription products for any eye pressure problems, only use LATISSE® under close doctor care. Although not seen in LATISSE® clinical studies, may cause increased brown pigmentation of the colored part of the eye which is likely permanent. Eyelid skin darkening may occur which may be reversible. Only apply at the base of the upper eyelashes. DO NOT APPLY to the lower eyelid. Hair growth may occur in other skin areas that LATISSE® solution frequently touches. If you develop or experience any eye problems or have eye surgery, consult your doctor immediately about continued use of LATISSE®. The most common side effects after using LATISSE® solution are itchy eyes and/or eye redness. If discontinued, lashes will gradually return to their previous appearance.

7 Days until you can get your Latisse prescription at Cosmedica…call us today! 514-695-7450

NJ mom makes progress after hand transplant

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – November 1, 2010 (WPVI) — Six years after losing her feet and parts of both hands due to an infection, 27-year-old Jessica Arrigo of Millville, New Jersey, is now wasting no time getting used to the new right hand she received in a transplant September 11 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

“I woke up, and there it was!” says Jessica describing the moments after she woke up with the new hand after the 10-hour transplant operation.

After the initial recovery, she started therapy – 4 hours a day – to learn how to make maximum use of the new hand.

The everyday tasks we take for granted are major milestones for Jessica, and other hand transplant patients.

“One of my goals, I’ve already accomplished,” crows Arrigo. “I held a cup of coffee.”

She goes on, ” I’m a big coffee drinker, and I’m allowed one cup a day, and I make sure to take advantage of that, and like hold it with my hands.”

Indeed, when Jessica first got onto the transplant waiting list in early 2009, she told Action News she dreamed of the day she could go into Wawa, and walk out with her coffee in one hand.

Jessica says her new hand, received from a 38-year-old woman from Erie, Pennsylvania, feels much like the one she lost 6 years ago, when an infection sent her into septic shock, and nearly killed her.

“It looks so much like my hand, that it just doesn’t feel foreign,” she offers.

She also lost both feet during that infection, and wears prosthetic feet today.

Jessica is only the second American woman to received a hand transplant, and the first for the transplant team at UPMC. Doctors say it’s because it’s much harder to match the hand size, color, and characteristics between donor and recipient women. In addtion, there are fewer potential donors. Most donors come from trauma incidents, and women are involved in fewer of them.

The transplant is done with 2 teams, working simultaneously in the same operating room. The preparation takes about 3 hours.

When the actual transplant is done, Dr. Joseph Imbriglia, an orthopedic surgeon, says, “The hookups begin by putting the bones together first, then the tendons, then the nerves, then finally, the blood vessels and the skin.”

He describes Jessica as an “ideal patient,” because her arm was transplanted about 2 inches above her wrist. He said that made the transplant easier.

Dr. Joseph Losee, a plastic surgeon who heads the transplant team, says UPMC has done 8 patients in 18 months, and is now screening patients for the center’s first face transplant.

“It’s life-changing medicine. and it allows patients who could not feel their children, or who could not go out in public because of facial deformity a new lease on life,” he says.

Jessica is now working towards her next goal – being able to do every day things with her 11-month-old daughter Cody.

“I really, really want to be able to get Cody dressed, and like do her hair, that’s what I’m really, really looking forward to doing,” she told us.

Real Housewife Leaks Info on Cosmetic Surgery

Celebrity plastic surgery is often among the worst kept secrets. This may be why NeNe Leakes decided to own up to going under the knife back in April. She admitted that she had breast reduction and a breast lift, nose job and liposuction according to online reports. She explained it by saying, “I`m very comfortable and confident in myself. I just wanted a tune up.”

Leakes also went in for a bit of cosmetic dentistry, having veneers put in. She has shed 15 pounds thanks to a new diet. She responded to her critics by adding, “I still wanted to look like NeNe, the black woman that I am, but a better version. I love what I did.” Her TV show The Real Housewives of Atlanta featured her cosmetic procedures in October.

Post-Divorce “Vengeance” Plastic Surgery Is On The Rise

In today’s Botox era, women coming out of nasty break-ups are increasingly turning to cosmetic surgery for a glossy pick-me-up and fresh start in a newly single world, not to mention revenge against their former husbands.

“When breakups get real ugly, husbands can get abusive,” says New York plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Freund.

“I had a patient a couple years ago who was a very accomplished and attractive woman, but her divorce did a number on her. Her husband turned to insidious verbal abuse, saying things like, ‘I always thought you had lousy breasts and that they would sag.’ I think it’s testosterone-fueled — it’s like some of these men feel they have to get back at the woman,” he tells StyleList.

Natalie from Boca Raton, Florida found herself in a similarly distressing situation.

“My husband of 26 years cheated on me with a real estate agent who I had hired when we were buying a house. She was 35, and married too. I knew I deserved better, so I filed for divorce. He tried to kick me out of our home and cashed in our 401K among other things. He financially ruined me. I was a stay-at-home mom, and had to scramble to find work. I’m a nanny now,” says 50 year-old Natalie, who was rocking a baby to sleep as she spoke on the phone.

With her daughter currently engaged, Natalie realized she would have to spend the December nuptials with her ex-husband — and his new wife, the real estate agent. That’s when Natalie knocked on the door of Florida plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Pozner in search of a cosmetic surgery makeover that would give her the self-assurance to attend the wedding.

“I can only imagine the stories he’ll be telling people about me. I want to walk in there and be there for my daughter, and I want to sit in that room with confidence and be very proud of her,” says Natalie.

As to how the financially-strapped divorce could pay for a full facial and neck rejuvenation, the Floridian says it all cost less than she would have guessed.

“Cosmetic surgery was more affordable than I thought. I went to three plastic surgeons, and Dr. Pozner’s costs were a little higher. But I realized it was my face, and you can’t replace your face if something goes wrong. They were very interested in helping me, and worked out a plan with me,” says Natalie.

Meanwhile, Dr. Pozner says the coin flips both ways in sunny Florida.

“The men come in also! They’re mainly interested in liposuction and facelifts — especially facelifts for the guys who are 50 and chasing after women in their 20′s and 30′s,” he says.

In flashy Beverly Hills, cosmetic surgery after a break-up is almost a given.

“One third of my patients are immediate post-divorce cases,” says Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. John Anastasatos. “Divorce is the second major stresser in life after death. It crushes you. It makes you feel like a failure.”

“The effects of plastic surgery are not only skin deep; they have a profound emotional and psychological uplifting effect. People feel reborn after,” he adds. “They feel like they can have a second shot at their personal lives.”

One of Dr. Anastasatos patients, Alison, turned to cosmetic surgery after two divorces and the responsibilities of caring for a family had her feeling run down.

“In my adulthood, I had spent the majority of my time serving others. I allowed the needs and wants of others to become more important than any need or desire of my own,” says the professional psychologist. “Then I began to listen to my own advice. ‘What benefit are you to others if you don’t place value on yourself?’”

Alison created a wish list for Dr. Anastasatos, and they worked towards achieving a fresher look.

“The results have enabled me to feel the confidence of my youth,” says Alison of her procedures, which have included liposuction, fat injections to the lips, arm and thigh lifts, a face lift, earlobe repair and a calf reduction.

“Women spend their life uplifting others. They deserve to have an appearance they desire,” she adds.

In some cases, women turn to cosmetic surgery before a divorce is even initiated, in order to help gain the courage to leave a bad situation or an abusive man.

“It’s common in my practice to see women who seek plastic surgery while contemplating divorce or separation,” says New York plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Tornambe. “They don’t immediately volunteer the fact that the divorce is imminent, and sometimes even arrive with their husbands for the initial consultation.”

Months later, during subsequent post-op visits, is when many inform their doctors about the breakup. Some cite instances of verbal abuse, but most simply state that their husbands stopped caring about them.

“Often, they say that the surgery helped build their confidence to take the final step to leave their spouse,” he adds. “Now they feel feel confident enough to get back out to the dating scene.”

The most popular procedures women go for right before a divorce are the ‘mommy makeovers’ that include breast augmentation and lift, plus an abdominoplasty to recover the tighter body they had before childbirth.

Washington, D.C. cosmetic surgeon Dr. Hema Sundaram says she sees a lot of post-divorce surgery in her town, where single women highly outnumber men.

“I often see patients electing to have cosmetic surgery to regain self-esteem when they have been psychologically or physically abused. I think it’s an issue of taking control of at least one aspect of your life when you have been powerless in other aspects. With break-ups of course, there is also the issue of being ‘back on the market!’” says Dr. Sundaram, who has authored Face Value: The Truth About Beauty and a Guilt-Free Guide to Finding It.

In Hollywood, where aging trophy wives are often unceremoniously dumped for younger women, the concept of post-breakup surgery has even taken on a diabolical level: they call it ‘vengeance plastic surgery.’

“After knocking at their attorney’s door, a growing number of women are then strolling down Bedford Drive in Beverly Hills looking for a plastic surgeon. They want to put their best face forward after finding out about their husband’s infidelity. And guess who’s footing the bill? You got it, their cheating husbands!” says Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Renato Calabria.

But the experts say that time is essential for the soon-to-be ex-wife who wants her husband to pay.

“I once had a patient who did not time it right and her temporary alimony cut off just a day before she was going to have her surgery, and she had to post-pone. She never came back.” recalls Dr. Calabria.

When Elizabeth, a patient of Dr. Calabria, was left for a younger woman after 20 years of marriage, she had to sell a home she could no longer afford to live in and enter a job market with little experience — all at the age of 50+.

“We had the perfect life — my ex-husband is a urologist, we had a beautiful home in Beverly Hills and three great kids. We never fought. He started acting funny, and I remember asking him if he was having an affair – but he told me I was crazy for thinking that, and I felt embarrassed for even asking that kind of question. Then sometime later when he took me to the Four Seasons for my birthday, he decided to tell me over dinner that he had met someone else. It was my worst nightmare. I literally threw up,” says Elizabeth.

And she discovered a clever way to make her ex-husband pick up the cost of her ensuing cosmetic surgery refresher.

“I was so depressed and lost lots of weight. I overall looked like sh-t and went in to see Dr. Calabria on a friend’s recommendation. He instantly made me feel better by saying I was fit, had never smoked and had a young attitude — and would be a perfect candidate for surgery. I saw the estimate and wondered how I could pay for it. I went right home and sold my wedding ring to finance the whole thing. I couldn’t do it fast enough!” says Elizabeth.

An invigorated look not only made Elizabeth feel better, but it initiated a second act to her life that has made her happier and feel more empowered than ever before.

“I was drawn, I was tired-looking. Everyone who knows me says I look ten times better now. I glow and am happier. I’m no longer the little wife either – I literally couldn’t even order myself a glass of wine, my husband would do it for me. I’m now enjoying a successful career as a wardrobe stylist, and I work with young girls that are darling and I feel great and totally at ease around them. And I’m dating someone who I’m crazy about. My revenge is my success!” says Elizabeth.

As for the younger woman, even she’s wondering what is going on.

“My daughter visited her dad recently, and the other woman asked my daughter what I’ve had done. ‘Why does she look so good?’ And then my mother-in-law started asking the same thing. My daughter just told them all that I had a peel because I didn’t want my husband to know all the details. So I guess they’re all going to run out and try a peel now!” laughs Elizabeth.

Some divorces have such an energy boost from the cosmetic surgery, that they start dating much younger men. And they keep mum on their true age.

“I’ve actually had a few ladies who always call first before coming back into the office with a new partner, to make sure their true ages and surgical history are not details to be shared in the consult room,” says Dr. Calabria.

Yet Washington plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Baxter emphasizes that while cosmetic surgery can help boost self-image and confidence, it won’t fix life’s problems.

“There is no question that surgery helps self-esteem and confidence when it’s done for the right reasons. The very tricky part is to avoid what we call ‘expectations for secondary gain.’ In other words, while we expect people to feel better about themselves as a result of ‘having a little work done,’ it can’t fix a failing relationship or promise specific changes in their lives,” says Dr. Baxter.

New Jersey plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Zubowski has operated on certain cast members of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and says that he even screens patients for unrealistic expectations.

“When someone tells me they’ve just had a divorce, I make sure the motivation is from within and not because they were led to believe by an ex that they were ugly, inferior or had a bad feature, and I turn down plenty of patients. If they legitimately want to move on with their life and improve something, that’s a go,” he says.

From a pick-me-up to plans of revenge, post-divorce plastic surgery intentions can run the gamut; yet the most common reason newly single women line up at the door is to regain the physical confidence of their youth in order to prepare for a potentially new intimate partner.

“You can’t deny that having babies affects the body. When you’re intimate with the man who you had children with, most people see those changes as a part of the parenthood experience. But with a new man, many women fear that they may not be as forgiving with the ravages of time, especially if the children aren’t biologically theirs,” says Dr. Freund.

For these women who are waking up to tighter and firmer faces and bodies, many say the chance to revisit youth is better the second time around — as it’s now combined with the wisdom of maturity and living a life rich with experiences and lessons.

But the cherry to top it all off is having the last laugh at the ex-husband, says Elizabeth.

“When I go to events or functions, people now come up to me and say, ‘Oh my God! What the hell was he thinking?