Cosmetic Procedures

Like it or not, plastic surgery is here to stay. Sure, some people will tout the virtues of self-acceptance and aging gracefully and lament that the rise of cosmetic procedures (including fillers, Botox and the like) signifies the swift decline of civilization. But in reality, as long as people see a benefit -- be it in their work, personal or sex lives -- from looking younger or correcting perceived flaws, plastic surgery will continue to be a solution. According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 13,828,726 cosmetic procedures -- including the minimally invasive as well as the surgical -- were done in the U.S. last year.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported Monday that chin implantation -- a.k.a. the "chinplant" -- was the fastest-growing cosmetic plastic surgery procedure in 2011.  "The chin and the jawline are among the first areas to show signs of aging," Dr. Malcolm Z. Roth, the organization's president, said in a statement. "People are considering chin augmentation as a way to restore their youthful look just like a facelift or eyelid surgery. " Overall, chin implants were up 71% over 2010, with procedures split more or less evenly between men (who had 10,593 of the surgeries)

A $500 mini-makeover You're on a budget but still want to look your best. We asked cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists and aestheticians to weigh in on how you can get the most value for your beauty buck. "I have patients coming in and saying, "I've saved up $500. What can I do with it?" said Dr. Glynis Ablon, a dermatologist and assistant professor at UCLA. Her recommendation: Go for the treatment with the most obvious effect -- a laser session or combination of facial peel with Botox.

When John Tlapa looked in the mirror, his nose looked like he "could pick a door lock," he said. It resembled "a hook with a point on it. It was pretty ugly. " So two years ago, the San Diego-based screenwriter underwent rhinoplasty to improve his profile and fix a deviated septum that had plagued him for almost 40 years. Tlapa, 54, is part of a trend that, in recent years, has seen increasing numbers of men seeking cosmetic surgery. In 2011, 9% of surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in the U.S. were conducted on men, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery - a 121% increase since 1997.

In better economic times, some in search of youth and beauty thought nothing of plunking down thousands of dollars for a cosmetic procedure. These days, tummy tucks are on sale. What's more, recent figures from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery say the number of cosmetic procedures in the U.S. -- such as eyelid lifts and liposuction -- fell 17% from 2008 to 2009. "It's the economy. People don't have the disposable income," said Dr. Darryl Blinski, a Miami plastic surgeon.

Vanity, thy name is: dude?  Sort of, new statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show.   Men are getting more plastic surgery, the organization trumpeted in a news release.  But women still receive 91% of cosmetic procedures. First, the guys:  Plastic surgery is up. The total number of surgeries performed on men increased 2% from 2009 to 2010, to 1.1 million.  The fastest-growing procedure?  Face-lifts, which went up 14% to 10,903 performed.   Men also got 10% more filler treatments (78,472)

When John Tlapa looked in the mirror, his nose looked like he "could pick a door lock," he said. It resembled "a hook with a point on it. It was pretty ugly. " So two years ago, the San Diego-based screenwriter underwent rhinoplasty to improve his profile and fix a deviated septum that had plagued him for almost 40 years. Tlapa, 54, is part of a trend that, in recent years, has seen increasing numbers of men seeking cosmetic surgery. In 2011, 9% of surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in the U.S. were conducted on men, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery - a 121% increase since 1997.

Americans are not shying away from cosmetic procedures, according to new statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The number of adults having some type of cosmetic procedure increased 25% between 1999 and 2000, to 5.7 million procedures. Botox injections have become the most popular cosmetic option, increasing 120% in one year. About 1.1 million shots of botox were given last year.

When Margaret first met her boyfriend, she weighed 105 pounds and wore short crop tops. But after 13 years together, the 55-year-old retiree from Torrance developed a "muffin top" that she just couldn't eliminate. So she did what so many other women do to get their bodies back: She had lipoplasty on her waist, hips and upper and lower abdomen in September. One week later, her boyfriend had lipoplasty for himself. "He hadn't thought about getting anything done, but after hearing how I would look afterward, he decided he should probably go ahead and have a little something done too," said Margaret, who asked that her last name not be used for privacy reasons.

Botox injections can erase the effects of years of emotional expression on a person's face. But the cosmetic procedure that unfurrows brows, smoothes laugh lines and unwrinkles crinkles appears to come with an unseen price: an impaired ability to read others' emotions. A new study has found that when it comes to reading expressions of emotion on the faces of people in photographs, women who received Botox injections in their face were less accurate than those who had their facial lines plumped with an injectable cosmetic filler. The research contributes new evidence to a key theory about communication between humans: that we unconsciously use facial mimicry to help discern and interpret the emotions of others.

When Margaret first met her boyfriend, she weighed 105 pounds and wore short crop tops. But after 13 years together, the 55-year-old retiree from Torrance developed a "muffin top" that she just couldn't eliminate. So she did what so many other women do to get their bodies back: She had lipoplasty on her waist, hips and upper and lower abdomen in September. One week later, her boyfriend had lipoplasty for himself. "He hadn't thought about getting anything done, but after hearing how I would look afterward, he decided he should probably go ahead and have a little something done too," said Margaret, who asked that her last name not be used for privacy reasons.

Like it or not, plastic surgery is here to stay. Sure, some people will tout the virtues of self-acceptance and aging gracefully and lament that the rise of cosmetic procedures (including fillers, Botox and the like) signifies the swift decline of civilization. But in reality, as long as people see a benefit -- be it in their work, personal or sex lives -- from looking younger or correcting perceived flaws, plastic surgery will continue to be a solution. According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 13,828,726 cosmetic procedures -- including the minimally invasive as well as the surgical -- were done in the U.S. last year.

Botox injections can erase the effects of years of emotional expression on a person's face. But the cosmetic procedure that unfurrows brows, smoothes laugh lines and unwrinkles crinkles appears to come with an unseen price: an impaired ability to read others' emotions. A new study has found that when it comes to reading expressions of emotion on the faces of people in photographs, women who received Botox injections in their face were less accurate than those who had their facial lines plumped with an injectable cosmetic filler. The research contributes new evidence to a key theory about communication between humans: that we unconsciously use facial mimicry to help discern and interpret the emotions of others.

"Trout pout" ? overly plumped lips that are ubiquitous on Hollywood's red carpets ? can afflict any woman who has tried to enhance naturally thin lips. But a technique from Europe that's rolling out across cosmetic surgery practices in Beverly Hills and beyond aims to counteract the billowy, bee-stung lips that are the result of having fillers, collagen and fat injected into the area. PermaLip, an Food and Drug Administration-approved implant that looks like a clear-colored piece of elastic, is now being used in practices in Florida, Texas, New York and California.

Vanity, thy name is: dude?  Sort of, new statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show.   Men are getting more plastic surgery, the organization trumpeted in a news release.  But women still receive 91% of cosmetic procedures. First, the guys:  Plastic surgery is up. The total number of surgeries performed on men increased 2% from 2009 to 2010, to 1.1 million.  The fastest-growing procedure?  Face-lifts, which went up 14% to 10,903 performed.   Men also got 10% more filler treatments (78,472)

The makers of the miracle toxin that erases frown lines by paralyzing facial muscles won the Food and Drug Administration's blessing on Friday to market Botox for the prevention of chronic migraine headaches. The FDA's decision expands the potential market for Botox, which burst upon the American cosmetic scene in the late 1980s, to 12% of the U.S. population -- the proportion of Americans thought to suffer from the throbbing, pulsating pain of migraine headaches . The agency's approval Friday allows Allergan Inc., which produces a purified version of the botulinum toxin, to advertise to consumers and promote to doctors the use of Botox for chronic migraine, defined as migraine headaches that occur more than 14 days per month.

Several studies show that some people who repeatedly seek cosmetic surgery are afflicted with a mental disorder called body dysmorphic disorder. But undergoing a nip here, tuck there or a poke between the eyes does nothing to improve the mental condition of these people, according to a new study. Body dysmorphic disorder is a condition in which people become preoccupied with their looks to the point of being obsessed over minor flaws or perceived imperfections. They often become so addled by their obsession over physical beauty they become dysfunctional in other aspects of their lives.

Hard-hit last fall by the economy, cosmetic surgery has been making something of a comeback lately. The most popular procedures are (relatively) low-cost, noninvasive and have the added benefit of reduced recovery times that won't keep patients away from work so long that their jobs are on the line. Though the popularity of procedures varies by age, what follows are definitions for some of the most common cosmetic surgery treatments: Botox The No. 1 noninvasive procedure for patients 30 and older, Botox is a botulinum toxin that is injected into wrinkles, lines and creases in the face or neck to reduce their appearance.

When doctors, researchers and celebrity lobbyists talk about the amazing potential of stem cell therapy, their discussions usually center on big-ticket items such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, cancer and spinal cord injuries. They don't, as a rule, talk about wrinkles and crow's feet. But could stem cells be the next frontier in anti-aging medicine? Though most stem cell therapies are still in their infancy, a small number of plastic surgeons across the country are already offering so-called stem cell face-lifts, cosmetic procedures that use a person's own stem cells to supposedly bring new life to aging, sagging skin.

Several studies show that some people who repeatedly seek cosmetic surgery are afflicted with a mental disorder called body dysmorphic disorder. But undergoing a nip here, tuck there or a poke between the eyes does nothing to improve the mental condition of these people, according to a new study. Body dysmorphic disorder is a condition in which people become preoccupied with their looks to the point of being obsessed over minor flaws or perceived imperfections. They often become so addled by their obsession over physical beauty they become dysfunctional in other aspects of their lives.