Blog

Political blogs and news providers around the country are buzzing about the idea of a cosmetic surgery tax being introduced to finance health care reform.

Writers of the Speaker’s Lobby say the idea came from a treasury department official, and that the tax proposal is “off the table” for now.  Apparently, most finance committee members are not even aware of the tax proposal.  LA Times blog Top of the Ticket reports the tax would be a 10% charge tacked onto elective procedures like a liposuction, breast augmentation, a facelift and other popular cosmetic enhancements.

Two strong objections can be leveled against this proposal:

First and foremost, such a tax would be paid almost entirely by women.  Despite the growing popularity of cosmetic procedures for men, women still make up over 90 percent of the patient demographic in the United States.  Obviously, imposing a tax such as the one in question would unfairly discriminate against women.  Think about it this way: would a tax be imposed on men who purchase expensive tattoos, fashionable clothing, or bodybuilding equipment?  It doesn’t seem likely.

Second, a common misconception that’s probably at work here (which may have been true in the past) is that only the rich and famous pursue cosmetic surgery.  Maybe you can remember the New York Times story by Natasha Singer titled “Who Is the Real Face of Plastic Surgery?” in which Ms. Singer discussed the fact that a large number of patients choose to finance cosmetic surgery, just as they would a new car.  Also, let’s not forget the 2004 survey conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons; it revealed that nearly “a third of people considering plastic surgery reported average household incomes below $30,000.”

Hair is sexy isn’t it? That’s especially true when it’s on top of your head. Anywhere else, it’s another matter entirely. These days, there are many ways to remove hair from your face, legs, back, arms and even underarms.

Shaving, plucking, electronic tweezers, radiofrequency tweezers, waxing, depilatories, and electrolysis are all options that temporarily remove body hair. The only permanent and effective treatment to remove unwanted hair is with laser hair removal.

Lasers send a low-energy beam through the skin. The dark pigment (melanin) present in the shaft of the hair follicles absorbs the laser beam. Initial hair reduction is seen immediately after treatment. Permanent results require repeated treatments because of the hair growth cycles.

There are different types of lasers that can be used to remove unwanted hair. The first lasers approved for hair reduction by FDA were the ruby, alexandrite and diode lasers. But these could only be used on select individuals – not those with tans or ethnic skin.

The newest lasers – our YAG laser for example – have longer wavelengths and therefore, the ability to treat darker skin types, including African-American skin, Asian skin, and those with a tan. One of the biggest benefits is the convenience; immediately following your hair removal treatment you can return to work, school or any of your regular activities.

Here’s the third installment in the breast augmentation video series brought to us by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. In this segment, a patient discusses her satisfaction with breast implants and the reaction she got from friends and family. See our post last week for the previous episode.

If your eyes appear puffy morning and night and people constantly ask if you’re tired or stressed out, perhaps it is time to make a change.  When treatments are so readily available, nobody should have to live with such conditions.

Dr. Dreyfuss and Gelman are a board certified plastic surgeons who can recommend treatment options like as the following:
•    Upper and/or lower eyelid surgery
•    A brow/forehead lift
•    Injection with Botox cosmetic
•    Injection of a dermal filler to add volume to sunken eye troughs

In some cases, patients benefit from a combination of the above options.  Many choose to combine eyelid surgery with a brow lift.  Choosing to undergo surgery (or even a non-surgical procedure) is a significant decision, so try to gather as much information as possible.  View before and after photos of patients like you, or speak to former patients and ask them questions like these:

• How was the procedure beneficial for you?
• Were you comfortable with your surgeon?
• Would you do it again?
• Would you do anything differently?

The eyes are one of the first features on the face to which most of us respond. You deserve to have eyes that radiate, eyes that brighten your face and eyes that reflect how young and energetic you truly feel.

If you’re ready to discuss your options, contact the Plastic Surgery Experts in Illinois and Indiana today.

Smile Train is a charity on a mission to treat cleft lip and palate for children in developing countries.  Cleft lip is a birth defect recognizable by an opening in the upper lip, and millions of children are suffering from the condition. Over the course of ten years, Smile Train has helped thousands of children by empowering local doctors and organizing volunteers.

With the help of Smile Train regional director Francisco Flores and surgeon Rafa Ruiz, our own Dr. Gelman and his daughter Katie are on their way to southern Mexico to help in the mission.  In fact, they should already be close to their destination, Comitan, today.

We’re all excited to hear back from them and bring you updates about the trip!

Why go through with breast augmentation surgery? In this brief video segment, a patient discusses her reasons for receiving breast implants. Perhaps the most important point she touches on is concerning her understanding of the procedure: “I had fears to begin with, but my fears lessened the more information that I gathered.”

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery produced this educational video, and is devoted entirely to advancing the field of cosmetic plastic surgery through education and research. Check out our breast enhancement pages with before and after pictures or the ASAPS site for more on breast augmentation.

People have called it “the ultimate acid test,”but we like to refer to it as a facial peel.  Today’s advanced peels have made the aesthetic results outstanding. Now, peels can actually tighten the skin as they peel away layers and brighten sun-damaged skin. Yes, you do need to be prepared to undergo some tingling upon application (less discomfort than waxing), outlay some money and be out of action for three days, but the results will be worth it – your skin will never look better!

Everyone will comment that you glow. Your skin will look dewy and soft, because let’s face it ladies, at age 50 your skin doesn’t look dewy without doing something! So if you’re not ready for surgery this is the best place to start by trying a safe and effective treatment under medical supervision.

To prepare for the peel and get the best results, you should begin using a range of day and night medical grade skin care products. They can stimulate collagen production and cell turnover and put some elasticity back in your skin.
Plan ahead and be ready to hunker down for three days (post-peel) with some wine, old movies, TIVO or DVR some of your favorite shows, catch up on some good books or magazines and have some great food in the fridge – be prepared not to answer the door unless you know who it is. By day five, you should be wearing makeup again and be resuming your normal activities.

At Plastic Surgery Experts we use TCA (trichloroacetic acid) and the special Obagi ‘blue peel.’ These peels work to reduce the appearance of facial blemishes, wrinkles and uneven skin pigmentation.  Call us for more information.