Inland Cosmetic Surgery

We haven’t heard much feedback from patients regarding the proposed tax on elective cosmetic procedures, unveiled in the Senate health care reform bill.  Plastic and cosmetic surgeons have publicly opposed the bill, but the patients are the ones who will likely pay this tax if it becomes law.

So what do you think?  Is a tax on cosmetic surgery a proper way to pay for health care reform in the United States?

If you’re interested in the mommy makeover procedures we perform here in Rancho Cucamonga, you may want to view the video below from Fox News Charlotte.

The “mommy makeover” is a series of cosmetic surgeries intended to help women regain their pre-baby body. The most common treatments included in the package are the breast lift, tummy tuck, and liposuction.

In the video below, Fox news Charlotte speaks with Dr. Kevin Smith and one of his patients about some of the risks, benefits, and cost of a mommy makeover.

Click here to see our mommy makeover web page.

Cosmetic surgeons here in California and elsewhere know healthy patients typically have more successful surgery outcomes. That’s why many will decline to operate on an obese patient or one who engages in unhealthy habits like smoking.

People who are interested in facial cosmetic surgery should first go through a sort of ‘lifestyle makeover,’ modifying their habits until they have reached a satisfactory state of health. At Inland Cosmetic Surgery, we want our patients to have the best surgical experience and results possible, so we also ask them to focus on being healthy. The ideal patient refrains from smoking or using illegal drugs, has a stable weight, and realistic expectations about cosmetic surgery.

Contact us for a consultation and we can provide more specific information on health and surgery outcomes.

Cosmetic surgery procedures on men have declined during this recession, despite their growing popularity in the past decade. Women are of course, still actively seeking cosmetic enhancement and surgery.

Cosmetic procedures on men dropped 2 percent last year, while the number of procedures done on women increased by 29 percent, according to statistics from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

“For the time being, males and females are beginning to separate themselves in regards to cosmetic surgery,” said AACS president Dr. Patrick McMenamin. According to Dr. McMenamin, women’s acceptance or willingness to try non-invasive cosmetic procedures like dermal fillers, Botox and laser treatments, may explain the percentage gap.

More widespread economic trends could be a more primary cause. In February, The Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that men lost 2.7 million jobs since the start of the recession – a figure that represents 82 percent of the total number of jobs lost. The New York Times opined that given this situation, “women are poised to take a greater share of the nation’s jobs.”

The United States’ foremost breast implant maker Mentor Corp. (MNT) succumbed to Johnson and Johnson (JNJ) at the stunning price of $1.1 billion on December 1, 2008.

With the declining market, Mentor tried to boost sales of silicone breast implants, which have typically generated twice the revenue as saline implants once the FDA had lifted the fourteen-year ban on them two years ago.

Michael Weinstein, a JP Morgan analyst, believes that the recent economic plunge has forced Mentor Corp. to give way to J&J, even though they will continue to stand alone.

Although 90% of Mentor’s income is generated from breast implants, they have decided to increase their profile by adding another product to their line – PurTox.

PurTox is a neurotoxin that fights facial wrinkles and the FDA is estimated to give it approval by mid to late 2010. When this happens, Allergan, the makers of Botox, will be in competition with whatever cutting edge or price break that PurTox has to offer.

CNN News reports this week on the new breast augmentation method that is gaining ground in Japan and worldwide; stem cell assisted lipotransfer uses a combination of the patient’s own fat and cells to successfuly perform breast augmentation.

A surgeon in Tokyo, Japan has received a certain amount of notoriety in the industry for this
method. He appears in the news segment, as well as a cancer survivor that was apparently one of his patients. She says “I hope women are able to choose this type of surgery.”

According to the news program, clinical trials are underway in the United States.

Orlando plastic surgeon, Richard Bosshardt recently outlined the status of modern breast cancer treatments and the medical efforts to minimize negative effects associated with the disease.

Most women know that early detection is key and many are aware of the statistics – For example:  “about 1 in 8 women will have to face breast cancer in their lifetime.”  However, there are new reasons to be optimistic: Doctors have begun practicing “breast conservation” rather than outright removal, chemotherapy is more advanced and reconstruction has become more sophisticated than ever, with patients often improving their appearance as a result.

Also, family ‘genetic markers’ have become excellent risk indicators, narrowing the search for a definite cause.  Of course, as Dr. Bosshardt says, breast implants, the choice to wear (or not wear) bras and high-fat diets have never been shown to have any correlation with increased breast cancer risk.

Read Dr. Bosshardt’s original article at the Orlando Sentinel here.