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COSMETIC SURGERY TODAY (CST)

Creating the Benchmark for Quality and Safety

Helping You Make Informed and Safe Decisions

 February 1, 2001
Published by Pat Burgess/Cosmetic Surgery Consultants
© Copyright 2000

www.safecosmeticsurgery.com

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IN THIS ISSUE

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The Table of Contents is bookmarked for your convenience - You don't want no stinkin' scroll fatigue! 

  1. Special Deals For Your Peace of Mind - Can You Afford Not to Check Out Your Doctor? 

  2. Publishers Desk - Oh God No, Not the Sunlight!

  3. Nip 'n Tip of the Week - Pucker-Up...Options for Lip Augmentation

  4. Don't Ya Hate It When..."My Boyfriend Wants Me To Get Bigger Breasts"

  5. Horror Stories - Tummy Tuck and/or Lipo - Which Way to Go

  6. Success Stories - New Lasers - New Options

  7. Online Poll - What Are Your Motivations for Plastic Surgery?

  8. Feature Article - The Price of Vanity

  9. FAQ's - Pat Answers - Stretch Marks - Stretching The Truth

  10. Can We Talk? - Visit Our Message Board
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1. SPECIAL DEALS FOR YOUR PEACE-OF-MIND!

THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION…Can I Trust My Doctor / How Can I Check My Doctor's Credentials?
Now you can have peace of mind! Let us check your doctor and find out whether he has any disciplinary actions, or other license sanctions. $69.00 per doctor to access databases that the public DOES NOT have access to. Click here to learn more..... http://www.safecosmeticsurgery.com/medcheck.htm
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Is your plastic surgeon a "QUESTIONABLE DOCTOR"?
We'll look that up for you. Only $19.95 for a directory lookup this up for you! Click here to find out more...
http://www.safecosmeticsurgery.com/question_drs.htm
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Samui Villas offers Vacation Villa Rental of Private Ko Samui Holiday Villas and Luxury Beach Villas on Koh Samui - Thailand. The period from February to June is the time when samui Villas rental in Samui is in boom. Samui Villas resort are a superb Koh Samui accommodation for people looking to lose themselves in the beauty of Koh Samui's gorgeous beaches

THE BOOK, Cosmetic Surgery Without Fear, has launched thousands of beautiful new faces and bodies! Pat Burgess, the nations' leading cosmetic surgery consumer advocate and her book, have been featured on over 250 radio/TV shows, print stories and internet chats. This is the "must-have" guide for helping you through your cosmetic surgery process. Available in paperback or as an e-book. Order your copy today for $18.95 at:
http://www.safecosmeticsurgery.com/book/bookdes.htm
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NO SCALPEL PREVIEW OF THE NEW YOU!
Let us sculpt your face or body with a computer rendition of the new you. Click here to experience fun, fast and painless computer surgery! $49.00 is the best and cheapest cyber-surgery you'll find!
http://www.safecosmeticsurgery.com/before_after.htm

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PERSONALIZED TELEPHONE CONSULTATION
Have a confidential consultation with a CSC consultant. Ask questions, get answers, and maximize your chances of a successful surgical result! $175 for a full hour with a trained consultant, plus FREE book, Cosmetic Surgery Without Fear. Get the details here... http://www.safecosmeticsurgery.com/consult.htm  

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2. PUBLISHERS DESK - Oh God No-- Not the Sunlight!
Pat Burgess
Ladies, I know you'll get this.  Men,  I apologize if this is one of those "girl" things, but perhaps you'll gain a little more insight as to what we women put ourselves through (needlessly, I might add).  
I recently had the experience of finding myself in direct, bright sunlight, with no make-up, looking into the eyes of an attractive younger man.  Eeegads!  Even now, the thought sends chills up my spine.  Of course, my mind jumped right to..."Ohmygod, that look on his face means that he's inspected every blemish, pore and wrinkle that candlelight had previously obscured."
In a moment of transparency, I actually 'fessed up to the discomfort, and got a magnificent gift from his heart that truly penetrated my soul.  My friend smiled and lovingly remarked that those varied looks on a woman [make-up/no make-up], were akin to the difference between a red rose and a yellow rose--both just as beautiful, only different.  Ahhhhh... is that incredible or what?!  You see, that look on his face that I swore was scrutiny--was pure admiration.  Something in me had to make that exchange shameful, when in truth I was being adored.
The lesson I got that day will hopefully stick with me for a lifetime.  I came to understand that the voices in our heads are often old tapes running in an attempt to protect us from early wounds.  I also learned that those voices, although useful at one time, can block real joy and don't serve us well anymore.  No matter how much cosmetic surgery I've had or will have, it can never compensate for my illusory inadequacies.  Healing those early wounds is the key.     
Cosmetic surgery's impact on our imperfections has it's limitations.  We are blessed to have surgery as an option, yet a full experience of our beauty might be to spend time on why we cannot see ours.  You may have heard the term, "being present in your body"--which is a way of having us notice how disconnected from our bodies we really are.  Learning about this concept is a powerful tool for self-discovery.  I recently found a great quote  (originator unknown)--"If you lived in your body, you'd be home right now."  Do you remember how great it feels to go home?  

All the best, 
Pat

Note: If in Atlanta, make a point of checking out "The Body Wisdom Workshop" originated and facilitated by two incredible women:
Betty Anderson, certified in Dance Kinetics/Body Movement Therapy
Mary Kirley, Licensed counselor and hypnotherapist, specializing in women's wellness.

The Body Wisdom Workshop is a joyful way to reconnect your body and soul.

Contact Mary Kirley for details - 770-998-2022 x 16
Some additional body image resources for you--

http://www.bodypositive.com/

http://www.4woman.gov/BodyImage/

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~womenstu/body.htm

http://www.healthybodyimage.com/

All thoughts, suggestions, personal experiences, content contributions can be sent to: .Please let us know whether we may use your first and/or last name. You may also request complete confidentiality. 
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3. NIP 'n TIP OF THE MONTH - Options for Lip Augmentation
If you have a tip you'd like to share, please e-mail us at .Please let us know whether we may use your first and/or last name. You may also request complete confidentiality.

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While nature didn't grant us all the Angelina Jolie "bee stung" look, there are some options for more full and sensuous lips.  Most people who consider this option have a genetic predisposition to thinner lips or choose this procedure as a result of aging.  The interest in fuller lips is not confined to a certain age group.  Lip  augmentation is not as common a facelift or eyelid surgery, so it is imperative that you find a physician who has the training, technical skill and frequency of performing this  procedure to produce the best possible outcome.
The options for lip enhancement depend primarily on the degree of permanency you are seeking.  There are two basic categories of enhancement.
1) Liquid Form 
Once the standard of lip enhancement, the liquid form has fallen out of favor primarily due to the short-term effects.  Collagen and fat injections are the most widely used of this approach.  Both of these substances can be re-absorbed by the body requiring additional treatments that can be costly and time consuming. 
2) Sheet Form
Sheet Form is the most common type of lip augmentation.  Sheet form can include various material; Alloderm, Gore-Tex/SoftForm, and Fascia.
A) Alloderm is processed human collagen, harvested from deceased human donors.  It is prepared into sheets, rolled and placed at the location of the desired augmentation.  Alloderm is permanent, although may partially or fully re-absorb if placed too deeply under the tissue.  In most cases, a natural soft appearance is the final result.
B)  Gore-Tex/SoftForm - Synthetic materials.  Yep! Gore-Tex is that same material that is in your expensive raincoat, yet processed to  medical grade form.  Gore-Tex is a combination of both cloth and rubber, which gives it strength and durability.  Some surgeons are backing away from Gore-Tex as an implant choice because it has been known to extrude, change positions, or become infected. (a greater risk with synthetic material.  Another material often used is SoftForm, which is a synthetic, "biocompatible polymer".  SoftForm has a hollow design which allows the tissues to grow through it and actually hold the implant in place.  
C)  Fascia is the thick, strong, white connective tissue the covers our muscles (the white, rubbery sheath you find on chicken).  In some parts of our bodies, we do not have a "bio-need" for this tissue.  One of those areas is just above the ear into the scalp.  Use of that tissue in lip enhancement has it's advantages since it is your own tissue and there is no risk of incompatibility. The downside is that there are two surgeries; one for harvesting the fascia and another for the lip enhancement.  In addition, the tissue could shrink and re-absorb over time.  For these reasons, we do not see this approach performed  often.
Tip: If you are not sure whether you will like the final result of your lip augmentation, consider fat injections or collagen initially.  After that you may want to consider a more permanent option.
If you have a tip you'd like to share, please e-mail us at . Please let us know whether we may use your first and/or last name. You may also request complete confidentiality.
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4. DON'T YA HATE IT WHEN........"My Boyfriend Wants Me To Get Bigger Breasts"
When it comes to placing foreign objects in your body, you would think it would be YOUR decision, but sadly in some cases it is not.  We see many women who, at the urging of their significant other, ask for augmentations and changes of every kind.  This is a red flag for us as the consultant, and should also be addressed by the doctor.
Statistics show that disappointment is the likely result, if the reason you are having surgery is to please someone else.  Be clear on why you are seeking these changes.  Remember, YOU are signing the consent form, not your boyfriend.
If you have a gripe, concern, observation or vent, please e-mail us at .  Please let us know whether we may use your first and/or last name.  You may also request complete confidentiality.
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5. HORROR STORIES (and How to Avoid Them)
Tummy Tuck and/or Lipo - Which Way to Go

To share your horror story, please e-mail us at . Please let us know whether we may use your first and/or last name. You may also request complete confidentiality. 
The following story is excerpted from a great book that you may wish to check out.  The Smart Woman's Guide to Plastic Surgery.  It is written by a female plastic surgeon and is quite informative.  There are very few female plastic surgeons in the U.S. so this is a rare gift.

"Cindy, a 39 year old freelance photographer, requested liposuction of her abdomen.  On examination, however, she had excess fat, a lax inner girdle (muscles), loose skin and was better suited to a tummy tuck.  She was insistent on liposuction because she thought tummy tucks were too extensive and the scar too long.  She sought liposuction from another surgeon, and not surprisingly continued to have a bulging abdomen and loose skin.  She finally had a tummy tuck and has been satisfied ever since.  She regrets that she had not listened to the original advice."

When we are seeking a certain result, we may find ourselves in a trade-off position.  Cindy, in the story above, was not going to get the look she desired from liposuction alone.  Yet, she had to get comfortable with the scars associated with abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).  At different stages along the aging continuum, scars or tell-tell signs of a procedure might be worth the silhouette of our dreams.  In Cindy's case, there was no real downside except another operation and additional recovery time that could have been avoided.  When weighing your options, take the time to be quite clear with yourself and the chosen surgeon--sometimes the choices are not reversible.           
To share your horror story, please e-mail us at . Please let us know whether we may use your first and/or last name. You may also request complete confidentiality. 
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6. SUCCESS STORIES - New Lasers - New Options
To share your success story, please e-mail us at . Please let us know whether we may use your first and/or last name. You may also request complete confidentiality. 
In case you ever wondered about this, the word “laser” is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.  Aren't you glad you know that now?  That word also conjures up the image of space age technology that with the waive of a wand can remove facial wrinkles and turn back the hands of time.  Up until recently, the most available laser treatment was an invasive procedure with the potential for fairly serious complications if the surgeon was not skilled and post-operative care was not optimum.  
New lasers have emerged that make laser resurfacing virtually a "lunchtime lift experience". What used to be a 7-10 day cloistered, healing event, coupled with 3-6 months of redness, is now literally something you can do on your lunch hour.  One of these lasers called NLite by ICN Pharmaceuticals/Medical Alliance, has just recently been approved by the FDA for wrinkle reduction in the eye area.   
The press release states, "biochemical and clinical studies have shown that the NLite Laser can significantly increase the natural collagen production rate, thereby improving skin tone and reducing wrinkles without the side effects of traditional laser therapy.
Unlike traditional laser treatments, the skin remains in tact, and the activity of increased collagen production takes place beneath the surface.  All of the dreaded recovery of oozing, weeping and crusty lesions on the face are a thing of the past according to the inventors and marketers of this new hi-tech laser.  In clinical trials the NLite laser performed well, boasting a significant reduction in wrinkles, without complications in all of the test subjects.  The patients were assessed at varying intervals and improvements were still being achieved up to ninety days after treatment.
The FDA approval came in August of 2000, so many physicians are now being certified in the use of this laser.  Please remember that the laser by itself can be a tool or a weapon depending upon whose hands are working with it.  Be sure to ask about your doctor's certification with this equipment before you consider this technology. 

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To share your success story, please e-mail us at . Please let us know whether we may use your first and/or last name. You may also request complete confidentiality. 
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7. ONLINE POLL
What are your motivations for seeking cosmetic surgery.  Take our poll here at: http://www.safecosmeticsurgery.com/poll_020101.html

The last issue's poll revealed that the first body part noticed when you meet a person are the following: (in this order)

1.  Eyes
2.  Smile/teeth
3.  Skin
4.  Hands
5.  Buns - (although we had some commentary that the buns were what stirred the meeting in the first place! - Go figure)

If you have a topic you'd like to see polled, contact us at

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8. FEATURE ARTICLE -
The Price of Vanity
Questions about cosmetic surgery fees are always among the first to come up (after how to find a good doctor), but they should be the last ones you consider. We receive an alarming number of requests at our office from callers who blurt out--before we have any idea of their particular needs--"What does liposuction cost?" or "How much for a tummy tuck?" Sometimes we even hear, "Can I get a face-lift for $1,500?" I am surprised that cost would be the first question, but I suppose, as with any other purchase, these buyers are making a determination as to whether to proceed any further--and they won't unless the price is right.
The last response that any caller fixed on getting the right price wants to hear is "Well, that depends." Please don't hang up when we say that because it is the truth! Price does depend on a few variables.  First, a procedure like liposuction really does depend on how much fat is to be extracted and from what areas (the price is per pound!). Most doctors' offices are not able to quote exact prices until you are seen. The following are all areas that can be "lipo'ed": hips, thighs (inner and outer), upper abdomen, lower abdomen, buttocks, back, upper arms, knees, ankles. It is really a menu to be selected from with your doctor at the time of your consultation.
A tummy tuck, for another example, could involve a hernia repair (where the muscles are sutured back together, perhaps after the strain of childbirth), removal of skin, and/or possibly liposuction to better sculpt the area and achieve the desired result. Again, there are a lot of considerations.
Even something as common as a face-lift may have four or so different approaches, depending upon the areas of the face that are to be addressed and the physician's technique. The procedure could involve a cheek/neck lift, forehead lift, chin/neck liposuction, or laser resurfacing. 
Facility Fees
When people ask about fees, they are generally referring to the surgeon's fees. One must also take into consideration the facility and anesthesia fees. Sometimes these costs are bundled together; sometimes they are separate. Be prepared to allot an extra $1,500-$2,000. If multiple surgeries requiring more operating-room time are scheduled together, the cost could be even higher. Keep in mind, however, that having several surgeries at the same time is a money saver when it comes to the facility fees because you are already there. For example, in my case, I had five cosmetic surgeries performed at one time (face-lift, browlift, lower eyes, nose, ears). My facility fee, including anesthesia, in the doctor's accredited surgical center cost me $1,500 (six years ago). Had I had these procedures performed separately, my cost would have been five times $1,500, or $7,500, for facility fees alone. 
Lab Fees
Lab charges are generally minimal and can sometimes be covered under insurance when they are part of a general physical exam, which should always be performed so that your cosmetic surgeon knows the state of your health. These might involve blood tests, chest x-ray, or other diagnostics deemed appropriate by your surgeon based on your health and family history.
Overnight-Stay Fees/Nursing Care 
Do not scrimp in this area. Your perception of your cosmetic surgery experience begins the moment you awake from anesthesia and begin your recovery process. That first night of recovery is an important one. I highly recommend staying at the facility for at least one night so that you are comfortable and monitored. Overnight-stay fees can range from the cost of a hotel room to approximately $400 per night if staying at an outpatient facility. Around-the-clock nursing care is usually included and is well worth the investment. Nursing care at home can range from $10 per hour for a nurse assistant to $55 per hour or more for a Registered Nurse with plastic surgery training. Don't try to manage without help. Even if family and friends are your main caregivers, they will need a break so they can be refreshed and ready to be at your beck and call. 
If you're looking for a simple answer to the question of cosmetic surgery fees, you won't find one. When you add up the costs, you may think that cosmetic surgery is reserved only for the rich, but don't forget about the newest opportunity in cosmetic surgery--financing. Because there are so many options, financing surgery will be the subject of a separate article. For now, know that financing is an alternative you may choose to make your dreams come true.
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9. PAT ANSWERS - FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) 
Stretch Marks - Stretching The Truth
Question:  I've heard that there is a new laser on the market that removes stretch marks--is that true?
Stretch marks, along with cellulite removal, is one of the toughest areas to address in cosmetic surgery.  False claims abound as to what lasers, creams, and other treatments can do.  Sadly, there are no treatments today that can remove stretch marks.  Some physicians claim they have gotten results with lasers but no real clinical evidence supports those statements.
As laser technology continues to evolve, perhaps there will be a treatment in our lifetime that can repair the torn tissue that shows up as stretch marks.  In the meantime, prevention and attention to skin care is the best medicine.
Have a question? Please e-mail us at
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10. CAN WE TALK? Visit our message board at:

http://www.safecosmeticsurgery.com/wwwboard/board.htm

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This is an unmoderated board. Messages are posted in full immediately. Share your ideas and information with others who could benefit.  Please be respectful with your posts. Feel free to discuss your experiences. We ask that you refrain from naming doctors directly, whether for a positive or negative experience. Without all the facts from all parties, we feel that this would be unfair and disrespectful.  
Should you have a concern or praise about a doctor, please let us know. That will help us in our credentialing efforts. We may also be able to assist you in finding additional information not readily accessible to the general public.  
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This newsletter and resulting community is creating the "Benchmark for Quality". Please help us with that process. Tell us what you want, you interests, thoughts, suggestions or comments. Please e-mail us at

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