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.:

Liposuction Deaths in Arizona

A massage therapist performed a liposuction procedure in which a woman died.
A homeopathic physician who was denied a medical doctor's license by the state board did another procedure in which a patient died.
Others who performed cosmetic surgery did not have formal medical training, including a bookkeeper and a former restaurant owner.
(from the Arizona Republic)

These incidents occurred in the office of an Arizona-based internist/emergency physician who fancied himself a cosmetic surgeon . In this tragic piece of news, three people have died from complications of liposuction surgery at his clinic since December.

This sad case is an important reminder to everyone interested in plastic surgery to realize two facts:

1. Plastic surgery is serious. Make sure your plastic surgeon takes his or her job as seriously as it should be taken. While I make this blog for mainly entertainment purposes, I do take my job and caring for my patients very seriously. If your surgeon doesn't appear to have safety in mind, run away.
2. There are unfortunately a number of people masquerading as reputable plastic surgeons when in fact they are not plastic surgeons at all. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has very stringent guidelines to which its members are held, so as to maintain a 'culture of safety.' This includes performing surgeries in an accredited setting.

For news articles on the Arizona liposuction deaths, click here and here and here
To visit the internist/ER doc/cosmetic surgeon's website, click here. (looks pretty legit, right?)
To visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeon's page on safety for outpatient surgery, click here.

As always, do your homework and research your surgeon. For any procedure, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

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

Ethics of Medical Blogs

There is an interesting article in today's Detroit Free Press about medical blogs and the ethics surrounding them. There are numerous physicians who have had their blogs shut down due to ethics violations. The question of ethics and this blog has always concerned me. While you can't please everyone, I hope that this blog is never considered "unethical."

For a link to the article, click here.

Thanks for reading.

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

Thermage Complications

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the main medical journal for plastic surgeons, has published a letter in this month's issue I wrote regarding possible complications of Thermage.


Thanks for reading.

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