Queen Latifah on her Breast Reduction

The latest issue of People magazine has an interview with Queen Latifah, where she discusses her breast reduction surgery in 2003:

What were you before? "An E or an F cup. I was pretty big. Now I'm like a DD. I wanted to be a triple. They took one D too many! So that was hard to deal with. And there's scarring and stitches."

I find it unusual that a breast reduction patient asks to be a DDD after surgery. Most of them ask me to be a C or even a B, which often doesn't proportionally match the rest of the body. Health insurance will often pay for this surgery, but most patients need to have documented pain with removal of over a pound off each breast to be approved. Women who have less than a DD or DDD cup size usually don't get insurance coverage.

I think Queen Latifah's breasts look good. They seem to match her body. She does probably have scars which extend around her areolae, vertically down to her breast crease, and horizontally under her breast. Most scars fade considerably with time, and often end up as a faint line.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.

Hot Topics in Plastic Surgery

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. My wife and I spent the weekend in Baltimore, where I attended part of the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. I presented a talk on "Lunchtime" facelift surgery at the "Hot Topics" seminar, which covers new and emerging trends in plastic surgery. Some of the other interesting topics included:

1. Mesotherapy and Injection Lipolysis - separating the hype (a lot) from the science (pretty little). Most physicians agreed that practitioners who are performing these treatments on patients were basically conducting their own human experimentation, since these substances are not standardized nor are they approved by the FDA for this purpose. More on this later.
2. Smart Lipo - no scientific evidence was presented that it actually VISIBLY tightened up skin, in contrast to some misleading advertising. I prefer VASER LipoSelection.
3. Stem cell advances - the wave of the future. The Distant future.
4. Fat grafting to the breast - very controversial, as it may create calcifications which can mimic breast cancer on mammograms. Often used in breast cancer reconstruction, though, after the breast tissue is removed via a mastectomy.
5. Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Therapy for postoperative pain - by Ivivi Technologies - has some promise. I used the Actipatch in the past and didn't notice any change. However, Ivivi is a different product and a different company, so there can definitely be some merit here. A friend of mine, Dr. Rob Oliver, has some good information about it. Check Plastic Surgery 101 for more info.
6. "Lunchtime" Facelifts - This trend often involves misleading advertising and deceptive marketing tactics. In contrast to what many of these companies will tell you, the procedures are not innovative or new, and in fact have been around for decades. Most of these types of "mini-surgeries" have been long abandoned by reputable plastic surgeons since they just don't work very well. A mini facelift has mini results.
7. GFX - Radiofrequency waves which ablate nerves, thereby reducing wrinkles. Nicknamed "the permanent Botox," this treatment has potential to do what Botox does, but permanently. Not FDA approved yet.

These are just a few of the many very interesting 'hot' topics in plastic surgery today. Thanks to renowned plastic surgeons Dr. Joe Gryskiewicz, Dr. Bill Adams, and Dr. V. Leroy Young for inviting me to be a presenter.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Britney's Lips Still Look Overdone

It's been several days since Britney Spears appears to have had her lips augmented. They are still puffy, with obliteration of the cupid's bow of the upper lip. Her lips are also out of proportion, looking unnatural. This type of swelling is unlikely to be caused by collagen, since it usually creates less initial puffiness than Restylane, a more likely culprit.

US Weekly has a nice article on Britney's lips in this week's issue.

Somebody help her.

For more on lip augmentation and celebrities, visit cityrag.com

Photo credit: dlisted.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Marie Osmond : A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Plastic?

Marie Osmond is making news lately for fainting on live TV last night during Dancing with the Stars. She made waves a few years ago sporting what appeared to be a browlift. In the second photo you can see that her brow is excessively elevated, a possible consequence of a recently performed browlift. It appears to have settled down quite a bit over time, and looks pretty good now. Some of my endoscopic browlift patients look a bit over-elevated in the initial postoperative period, but never to the extent that we saw with Marie Osmond. It's possible that her surgeon may have released some of the fixation to her browlift (allowing it to drop) after the public backlash against her appearance.

I hope her health is fine after her abrupt face plant on TV last night. I don't watch the show regularly, but have always been partial to Jane Seymour. She looks fantastic! Not an ounce of Botox on her beautiful face! She looks almost as good as she did in that great classic movie filmed here in Michigan, Somewhere in Time.

Photo credit: francesfarmersrevenge.com by way of AwfulPlasticSurgery.com?, prphotos.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

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Georgio Armani = Sun Damage Galore

Calling Obagi! Dr. Disaia's blog has a post on the sun damage which is evident in Georgio Armani's face. The dark skin and age spots can be nearly completely reversed by a strong course of the Obagi Condition and Enhance Program. This is the only skin care line that I've seen to effectively reverse damage as bad as his without chemical peels or laser resurfacing. It takes some time (months) and usually creates some skin reaction (like dryness and flaking) but it does seem to do the trick. With skin like his, I would anticipate a good chance of skin cancers in the future which could have some devastating consequences. Click here to see that!

Stay out of the sun everybody! (Or at least use good sunblock)

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

This Season on Dr. 90210

I have really been enjoying this season's Dr. 90210. It's been nice seeing my friend Dr. Gary Motykie get a good deal of airtime, and for some reason I find Dr. Will Kirby fun to watch. Maybe it's because he does such simple things (Botox, lip injections, chemical peels, laser tattoo removal) that I am astounded the show is spending so much time on procedures so basic and less interesting (at least to me).
This past week's episode left me in stitches (sorry about the pun) with Dr. Robert Rey and his family's terrifying camping trip. If you catch any episode this year, see this one or the one where Dr. Rey goes back to Brazil to meet his dad. You'll see that there is much more to the good doctor than you've seen on TV so far.
Overall, I think this season may be the best one since the first season 3 years ago. It only seems to be missing one thing...hmmm....me! jk

To view a clip of my appearance on the first season of Dr. 90210, click here.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Chuck Hagel - Politician Most in Need of Plastic Surgery

I recently had a magazine ask me which male celebrities are most 'in need' of plastic surgery but haven't had anything done. Lots of politicians came to mind, including Bill Clinton (lower eyelid bags), John Kerry (oops, he already had Botox), and John McCain (saggy neckline). It seems that politicians don't appear to get as much plastic surgery as most other famous people (with the possible exception of Nancy Pelosi).
The person who always struck me as being a great candidate for plastic surgery is Senator Chuck Hagel, he with the hound dog eyes. Everytime I see him on Meet the Press or the Evening News, I can't help but think how much more awake and alert he would look with an upper and lower blepharoplasty. Heck, his upper eyelids are so droopy his congressional health insurance plan would probably cover his upper blepharoplasty anyways!

Upper blepharoplasty is one of the only aesthetic plastic surgeries that can, at times, be covered by health insurance. If your eyelids are so droopy that you have problems seeing due to the hanging skin, you may be a candidate for an insurance upper blepharoplasty. I quite often refer potential patients to an optometrist for evaluation first, as the visual field testing they perform is key to determining benefits. I expect someday the insurance companies will find a way to get out of paying for this surgery.

Photo credit: View Images.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Demi Moore Laughs Off $3 Million Plastic Surgery Rumor

According to Daily India.com, Demi Moore has laughed off rumors that she's had 3 million dollars worth of plastic surgery. She apparently stated:

"I was in getting a facial recently and there were reports that I had been in there for countless hours, saying I'd had surgical procedures. Am I going to sue? Do I really care?"

Three million dollars worth of plastic surgery is crazy. Currently I charge about $7000 for a breast augmentation (gel implants). If you divide that by $3 million, that means she'd have the equivalent of... a ton of breast augmentation surgeries! Now, some other surgeons charge more than me (the Michigan economy is currently in the toilet so I don't charge exorbitant fees), but I still believe the rumor is likely false.

Photo credit: pr photos.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Ashlee Simpson - Botox Injections

The new issue of In Touch Weekly magazine claims that Ashlee Simpson has been getting Botox injections from a Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon. Twenty-three years old is a bit young for Botox, although I do occasionally perform it on people in their twenties. My average Botox patient is in their thirties to fifties, with visible frown lines and crow's feet not usually present in a twenty-something.
Botox is now the number one cosmetic treatment today, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Last year over 4.1 million Botox procedures were performed, with the next most common treatment being chemical peel at 1.1 million. Whether Ashlee is having Botox or not, she does look good as long as she is conservative with the Restylane lip injections.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Jessica Simpson Re-signs with Proactiv for $3 Million

According to Hollywoodrag.com, Jessica Simpson has recently re-signed to be the face of the anti-acne skin system Proactiv. According to their site:

The blond actress - who angered Proactiv bosses in 2005 when she put her clear skin down to prescription medicine Accutane - has filmed new TV adverts for the company. Jessica previously praised the treatment, saying: "I just had so much build up and so many clogged pores that once I started using Proactiv Solution, my face was just shining." Jessica is one of many female celebrities to promote the "three-step treatment system", others have included Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Proactiv contains benzoyl peroxide, which is a common ingredient in over-the-counter anti-acne skin products (such as Oxy). For my patients who ask about acne treatment, I recommend that they consult with my skin specialist Otilia Wingert. She usually starts them on a medical grade skin care regimen, like Obagi's CLENZIderm M.D. system combined with Retin-A or a retinol product. We've been really happy with what we've seen with this. Laser treatments can also help some people with acne problems.

Severe acne may be best treated with Accutane, which is a prescription medication that decreases the oils produced by the sebaceous glands. It can cause serious side effects, however, and should not be taken by someone who is trying to get or is pregnant. Accutane is usually prescribed by a dermatologist and can create some amazing results, but with a price.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Kimberly Stewart - Rhinoplasty?

Cityrag.com revealed this very convincing before and after photo set of Kimberly Stewart's possible rhinoplasty. If she has indeed had the surgery (which looks like it to me), the surgery was a success. I always say that a good rhinoplasty de-emphasizes the nose and allows other, more attractive parts of the face to be more noticeable. This looks to be a great example of that.

It also helps that her hideous 'Mo' / Bowlcut was restyled...

Photo/story credit: cityrag.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Janice Dickinson Has Had More Plastic Surgery

It's been recently reported that "The First Supermodel" Janice Dickinson has had some more plastic surgery. While she has admitted to having various other plastic surgeries such as breast augmentation, browlift, botox, and blepharoplasty (check out that alliteration!), apparently she's recently undergone a tummy tuck and mini neck lift.

She never looked to me like she needed those surgeries. I probably would have turned her down for everything except a psychiatry referral...

Story credit: dailyblabber.com
Photo credit: pr photos.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Angelina Jolie - Plastic Surgery?

Much has been made about Angelina Jolie's possible lip augmentation. Here are some photos that were sent to me by a reader which appears to depict a rhinoplasty (very tastefully done) and maybe even a browlift (although I doubt this). I have no definite proof the 'before' photo is legit (comments are welcome) but if it is, her nose looks quite a bit different.

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

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Ryan Gosling - Rhinoplasty?

Has Ryan Gosling had a rhinoplasty? According to Starpulse.com he has recently denied having the bump on his nose shaved down, but the photos on GoodPlasticSurgery.com appear to show otherwise. However, according to his rep,
"It's ridiculous. There is no truth to it."

His nose looks pretty darn good from here, and much smaller than the 'before' photo.

Photo credit: prphotos.com


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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

His Other Eye Shoots Out Cookies!

I saw this photo on Dlisted.com and had to comment on it. How is this guy shooting milk out of his eyelid?
There is a small drainage duct, or punctum, in the inner aspect of each upper and lower eyelid which drains tears out of the eye and through the nose. This is one reason why your nose runs when you cry. Although this duct mainly runs in one direction, I suppose it is possible for a dumb fool to stick milk up his nose, plug his nostrils, close off his palate and push the milk back through his punctum and out his eye...giving him his two seconds of fame on blogs like this one.
What a hideous sight.

Photo credit: dlisted.com
Thanks to Ryan Desmond for the Title

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Jai Rodriguez Gets 'Toxed

The latest episode of Dr. 90210 has Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's Jai Rodriguez getting some Botox, collagen (or so it looked), and a mild chemical peel from dermatologist Will Kirby. He looked good afterwards, and the segment was an entertaining, funny diversion. It was nice to see Dr. Kirby perform a procedure on someone other than a good friend or his mom, too.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Dr. Terry Higgins - Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

A few months ago I wrote a post on one of the plastic surgeons who has served as one of my mentors, Dr. Richard Ellenbogen. Every so often, I'll post on a plastic surgeon who I know well and can vouch for. Dr. Terry Higgins is one of them.
Dr. Higgins is one half of a prominent plastic surgery practice in Las Vegas. We went to residency together and he is one of my good friends, as well as an outstanding plastic surgeon. Dr. Higgins is probably the most gracious plastic surgeon I've ever met. He is one of very few plastic surgeons whom I would consider going into practice with, and I would trust him to operate on me if I needed it. I think this is one of the best compliments a surgeon can give to another surgeon.

To visit Dr. Higgins' website, click here.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Wayne Newton - Plastic Surgery?

While switching channels past Dancing with the Stars, I couldn't help but notice Wayne Newton's odd, odd appearance. What is going on here?

It appears to me that his eyebrows are elevated and don't move. At all. This is a possible consequence of Botox, which if overly injected can create a "frozen forehead.' However, while it does smooth the forehead wrinkles, it doesn't create elevated eyebrows like his. That is a possible consequence of a browlift. He also has very little excess skin of his upper eyelids, a possible result of an upper blepharoplasty. His jawline is also extremely sharp for a 65 year old man. This could be due to a facelift. There are some other things that may be going on here, but I think these are the most obvious. As a plastic surgeon I would recommend that he let the Botox wear off a bit, avoid the sun and tanning, and focus on his great voice, not his dance moves.

To view a segment I did on Fox News regarding Awful celeb plastic surgery, click here.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

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