Plastic Surgery Blog

If she's like millions of other U.S. mothers, she just may be longing for perkier breasts, a flatter tummy, and smoother thighs. Motherhood takes a heavy toll on the body, often in the form of the stretching, sagging, dimpling, expanding, and spreading of various body parts. Furthermore, for every gray hair that Mom says you've given her, you've probably given her a wrinkle or age spot as well.

While I'm sure Mom wouldn't trade you for all the Hollywood "perfection" in the world, she may secretly wish for a magical youth-giving elixir that can bring her looks back to pre-mommy days. And while plastic surgery may not be within your Mother's Day gift budget, perhaps a less-invasive anti-aging procedure (or even a great facial!) is...something to think about...

To be honest, it's easy to feel guilty writing about a topic like plastic surgery in the wake of tragedies like the cyclone disaster in Myanmar. However, a colleague (Patricia Ribeiro, About.com's guide to Brazil Travel) reminded me today about all the good plastic surgery does in the world.

There are many plastic surgeons worldwide who dedicate countless hours and resources to reconstructing the faces of victims of domestic violence, war, birth defects, and tragic accidents. Operation Smile is one good example of this phenomenon. In addition, breast reconstruction for cancer survivors is undoubtedly a worthwhile effort on the part of the plastic surgery community.

Furthermore, before we judge those who have plastic surgery for purely cosmetic reasons, let us not forget that it is largely the money made off of those procedures that enables surgeons to donate their time free of charge to those in true need of their unique skills.

Are you one of the millions of women who is wishing for a little nip and tuck before bathing suit season? Well, if you're thinking about it, start doing your research now, because summer is coming fast!

From laser hair removal to liposuction...to breast lifts and more, body-enhancing procedures become more and more popular in the months leading to the dreaded bikini-shopping experience.

Of course, there's always diet and exercise...oh well, maybe next year!

Here's your chance to weigh in on the most awful celebrity plastic surgery disasters. Please submit your nominations for the worst, and once I have a decent number of nominations, I'll post a poll to crown the king or queen of bad celebrity plastic surgery. You may submit your nominations by emailing me at plasticsurgery.guide@about.com, by commenting on this post, or by visiting the plastic surgery forum here at About.com.

In the meantime, why don't you take a minute to read about the "red flags" to look out for to make sure you don't become a plastic surgery disaster story.

Doctors say that the sluggish economy is adversely affecting the number of new patients coming in for cosmetic treatments like Botox. Interestingly enough, it hasn't had any noticeable effect on the frequency of maintenance visits by existing Botox patients. Perhaps those patients are so happy with their results that their budget cutbacks are coming from other areas, leaving the pursuit of youthful beauty untouched? Or perhaps those Botox "regulars" come from a strata of the socio-economic landsacape which is less affected by the economic downturn? Or perhaps Botox is simply the drug of choice for people whose financial worries give them more reason than ever to seek out something that makes them feel good?

Okay, so I'm a day late with this, but Earth Day had me looking for a link between plastic surgery and greener living, and by George, I think I've got it! Go with me here, even if it may seem like a bit of a stretch...

I give you....fat recycling! You know---you suck some fat out of here, inject it into there, and voila! Less unwanted fat in the landfill!

Options for fat recycling range from the Brazilian Butt Lift/Augmentation to lip augmentation to autologous fat transfers used in a liquid face lift. Obviously, I'm not saying fat recycling will save the planet...but it couldn't hurt, right?

There has been much media hoopla recently about the safety and effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the supposed "fat melting" procedures known as Lipodissolve and mesotherapy. In fact, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has recently issued a statement warning patients about the dangers of these as of yet unproven techniques (which, by the way, are not FDA-approved, despite the claims of some unscrupulous practitioners).

Of course, like any fad, these procedures have their devotees who swear by the results they have achieved with their treatments. However, there are many who have been harmed, some irreparably, by these treatments as well.

My two cents? Stick to procedures with a more proven track record. Why pay thousands of dollars to be a human guinea pig? Some of the newer (but better documented and safer) less invasive liposuction alternatives to consider are smart lipo and acoustic wave therapy.

Well, it's finally happened. Someone wrote a book to explain to kids why mommy is having work done. The book, "My Beautiful Mommy", by Dr. Michael Salzhauer, attempts to provide both explanation and reassurance to young children whose mommies are about to undergo plastic surgery. With the burgeoning popularity of the "mommy makeover", it was only a matter of time.

The classic mommy makeover consists of a tummy tuck along with breast augmentation and/or a breast lift, although many women take it a step or two further to turn back the hands of time, adding a brow lift, a little smart lipo, or any number of procedures designed to rejuvenate the appearance. With more and more moms undergoing cosmetic surgery, it makes sense that some kids may be confused or anxious about the idea, whereas I would guess that others are being left in the dark altogether about mom's nips and tucks.

So, what do you think? Is this a good idea? Should children be privy to the ins and outs of mom's cosmetic surgery? Feel free to share your thoughts on the plastic surgery forum here at About.com.

Ah, gravity! Our undeniable foe!

For women, it seems the first part of the body to go south is almost invariably the part that Stacey and CLinton from TLC's "What Not to Wear" affectionately refer to as "the girls".

Unfortunately, all the workouts and supportive undergarments in the world can only do so much. If a woman really wants to hoist the girls up to their original position, she might begin to consider surgical intervention in the form of a breast lift.

April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day, which brings me to a subject nobody wants to think about, yet everyone should: an advance directive. Basically, this means that you have something in writing that spells out your wishes for your medical care and treatment in the event that you are left unable to make the decisions yourself at the time.

The risks of plastic surgery are relatively low compared to most types of surgery. However, there are risks inherent to any surgery. Therefore, proper advance planning can ease the minds of both patients and loved ones---something to think about!