Last month, I wrote about the role of Botox in the physical rehabilitation of a British girl who suffered a stroke at the age of 15. But what are some of the other non-cosmetic uses for Botox?

A quick refresher: Botox Cosmetic is a popular nonsurgical alternative to facelift. Like Dysport, Botox is made from botulinum toxin, which has the ability to inhibit nerve signals at targeted muscles. Botox Cosmetic has become the most popular cosmetic procedure in the country since it was introduced in 2002. However, Botox is been used for therapeutic purposes for several decades.

Chronic migraines. These blinding headaches can often be caused by pressure on certain facial nerves. Botox relaxes certain muscles on the face, which relieves pressure on these nerves. Brow lift surgery, curiously enough, has also been shown to cure certain types of chronic migraines.

Teeth grinding. Can you imagine the shock of waking up in searing pain – to find a cracked or broken tooth? People often grind their teeth in their sleep, which causes serious wear and tear over time. Botox can relax certain jaw muscles to diminish or even eliminate involuntary teeth grinding.

Excessive sweating. Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition that involves severe sweating from the armpits. Antiperspirants are often unable to help. In the same way that Botox is able to block nerve signals to muscles, it can also block signals to sweat glands. This inhibits excess sweating at the source.

Overactive bladder. Recent research has shown that Botox may be able to treat people with urge incontinence. A new study of nearly 250 women showed that a one-time injection in the bladder worked as well as daily pills after six months.

Hay fever. Even I was surprised to hear about this one. Australian researchers are conducting a trial of a Botox gel that could provide relief to sufferers of hayfever for up to three months. By applying the gel within the nasal cavity, it penetrates the tissue and blocks local nerve endings. If successful, this treatment could provide relief for hayfever sufferers worldwide.

Over the past several years, shapely curves have supplanted stick figures in our popular conception of beauty. Butt augmentation is one of the fastest-growing cosmetic procedures in the United States, with fat grafting and implants being the most widespread methods. But which type of surgery provides the best results? Based on a study in the September issue of American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery, it seems that patients may be more satisfied with implants compared to fat grafting.

Butt Augmentation 101

Many of my patients, when they think of butt implants, imagine something akin to breast implants: a silicon shell containing liquid. In fact, buttocks implants are made of solid silicone. They are tough, durable, and yet also soft – so that the results feel natural. During augmentation surgery, these implants can be carefully positioned to improve the contour of your buttocks.

Fat grafting is also used by many cosmetic surgeons to enhance natural curves. This procedure uses your own natural body fat, which can be extracted through liposuction or a large-bore needle. After the fat is treated, it can be injected at numerous sites.

Butt Implants vs. Fat Grafting

This new study compared butt implants and fat grafting to determine whether one technique was superior to the other in terms of complications, postoperative pain, and overall patient satisfaction. It involved 129 cases between 2008 and 2011. Thirty-three of the patients had undergone fat grafting, while 96 received buttocks implants.

The researchers found that patients who received implants were significantly more satisfied (76 percent) than those who received fat grafts (69.7 percent). Naturally, with these different types of procedures, there are different risks involved. Implant patients proved more likely to develop seromas, while fat-grafting patients were more likely develop lumps or dents.

What Does this Mean for You?

According to the researchers, the results of fat grafting “are not as consistent as those seen with buttock implant augmentation. This consistency of results is offset by the risk of capsular contracture and dehiscence, which are seen in implant surgery.” There are significant differences between the risks and rewards of these different approaches to buttocks augmentation. Before committing to either approach, it’s important that you consult with a fully qualified cosmetic surgeon, to find the technique that fits your needs.

A stroke at any age is a traumatic experience. At the age of 15, however, it’s almost unthinkable. That’s what happened to Mel Strzebrakowska, a British girl who suffered a stroke while celebrating her father’s birthday at home. It may come as a surprise to many that Botox injections have proven to be an important part of her recovery.

Since 2002, Botox Cosmetic has been used to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles on faces around the world. Along with Dysport, it is highly popular as a non-surgical alternative to facelift. But many people don’t know that Botox has a long history of therapeutic applications. One of its original uses was to inhibit muscle spasms. The same properties that allow it to relax targeted facial muscles have proven invaluable for people with chronic illnesses – as well as those undergoing physical recovery.

Mel remembers nothing about the day that she suffered her stroke, except waking up in intensive care. “I tried to scramble out of bed, but my legs collapsed, and my right hand wouldn’t work either,” she told the Daily Mail. “I didn’t know what was wrong. Then the doctors told me I’d had a stroke.

“I couldn’t take it in. I was so young. I couldn’t believe it had happened to me.”

A stroke occurs when the rupture or blockage of a blood vessel results in a lack of oxygen in the brain. Normally this condition occurs in older people, as the risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Strokes in younger people are unusual. Mel had an abnormal connection between blood vessels in her brain; this malformation had ruptured and caused the stroke.

Mel’s physical recovery was long and slow. She experienced weakness along the entire right side of her body and was unable to walk. Even three months after her stroke, she still needed a wheelchair. Her right hand was continually clenched into a fist – a common condition known as post-stroke spasticity.

How did Botox help? Muscle-relaxing drugs can usually treat post-stroke spasticity, but these drugs usually have side effects. Many patients are unable to tolerate them. “The problem with medication is that the drugs are usually taken orally, so they affect the whole body and brain and can thus cause drowsiness, while Botox targets the stiff muscles directly and does not have these systemic side-effects,” neurologist David Werring, MD, told the Mail.

Mel is currently participating in a program that has combined regular Botox treatments with ongoing physiotherapy. Although the program is a clinical trial, so she may be receiving either Botox or a placebo, Mel has found that she is gradually regaining control of her right hand.

“Without the treatment, my hand is stiff and I can’t use it properly,” Mel told the Daily Mail. “Now, at last, I can use my right hand again, and can wash and grip and release small objects. And now that the right side of my body is much more flexible, at last I can enjoy going clubbing with friends.”

Photo credit: Chris Winter, The Daily Mail

When my patients ask how long their Botox results will last, I usually tell them between three and six months.

How long Botox will last naturally varies from person to person – depending on their skin type and physiology. But can your Botox results be extended through the use of dietary supplements? A small clinical trial seems to show that zinc can “keep wrinkles at bay for 30% longer,” according to the Daily Mail.

The trial, published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, found that 92 percent of patients taking a particular mineral supplement reported Botox results lasting several weeks longer than normal. The patients also reported that the Botox injection took effect more quickly.

The supplement, known as Zytaze, contains a dose of zinc combined with phytase (an enzyme that helps the body absorb zinc). The pill is being sold for significantly more than standard zinc supplements, according to the Daily Mail article. In fact, on a per-unit basis, it costs over 55 times more than the basic zinc supplements that can be found in British drugstores.

Why the high cost? According to the British distributor of the supplements, Eden Aesthetics, the pill is unique and is able to reduce the price of Botox for regular users. As well, they claim, cheaper zinc supplements don’t have the same effect.

How might this work? Many experts believe that zinc is required in order for products like Botox and Dysport to be effective. The phytase enzyme contained in Zytaze can reduce the time it takes for zinc to break down inside your body. By combining the two, it is believed that Zytaze may be able to boost the longevity of Botox.

Should you run out and buy zinc tablets? Probably not. The intrepid writers over at Nursing Times point out that the trial was small, with only 77 people receiving the Zytaze supplement. As well, some people experienced problems with the Botox working too well. Whenever I hear stories like these, my prescription is always the same: a grain of salt. Until further studies are conducted, you should consult your doctor before pairing zinc supplements with Botox.

Are facial implants better than facelift surgery? That’s the question posed by a recent post on RealSelf, an online community dedicated to health and beauty. While blogger K. Mathews makes some interesting points about the benefits of facial implants, it’s not really the case that implants are “better” than facelift surgery. Instead, these two procedures are aimed towards solving different problems.

Facial Contouring with Implants

Using solid silicone implants, cosmetic surgeons can recontour different facial features, such as the cheeks, chin, nose, and jaw. However, as Mathews notes, facial implants don’t have the same kind of wrinkle-fighting power that facelift surgery does.

Mathews identifies several reasons why many patients opt for facial implants. It is considered to be less invasive, and has a shorter recovery period. Patients can exercise greater control over their results, since they can choose the size and shape of the implant. As well, the implant can stay indefinitely, or be removed fairly easily. On the surface, then, facial implants seem to be preferable to a facelift.

Why Facelift?

It’s true that facial implants are excellent at restoring lost facial volume. They can also add balance and definition to your facial features. There is no question that, for many patients, facial implants might be better than facelift surgery. Patients who want to add volume without the use of facial implants may also benefit from injectable fillers such as Juvederm.

However, in many other ways, facelift surgery offers benefits that simply can’t be matched by facial implants. Sagging skin is one of the most recognizable signs of aging – one that cannot be concealed by adding volume. When it comes to sagging tissues, which cause prominent jowls and folds of skin, nothing can match the rejuvenative power of facelift surgery.

Stem cell facelift

Many cosmetic surgeons nowadays are advertising “stem cell facelifts,” which are often described as a new facial rejuvenation procedure. However, the stem cell facelift is actually a variant on something that surgeons have been doing for a long time – facial fat grafting. For the time being, it seems that this technique is more marketing magic than anything else.

It’s important to understand that a stem cell facelift is not the same thing as facelift surgery. During a facelift, excess skin is removed and tightened to provide long-lasting facial rejuvenation. In recent years, surgeons have begun to advertise “non-surgical” facelifts – procedures that can sometimes offer restorative results similar to facelift. Dermal fillers such as Juvederm are a great example of this.

Facial fat grafting involves removing unwanted fat from one part of the body, and moving it to the face. By adding volume and contour to the face, facial fat grafting corrects one of the most common signs of aging – the loss of facial volume.

How do stem cells come into the picture? There are many stem cells in your body fat. Transferring the fat to the face has a rejuvenative effect on the skin – since the stem cells help the fat integrate into its new position. Some surgeons isolate stem cells from one sample of fat, and then add them to another sample, to create “supercharged” fat.

There is not been enough research into facial fat grafting to show that stem cells make much of a difference. However, this is not prevented many cosmetic surgeons from advertising a “stem cell facelift.” Stem cells are widely recognized in the media for their rejuvenative powers, so that a stem cell facelift sounds more appealing than facial fat grafting. As Arthur Perry recently quipped on the Dr. Oz blog, “the words ‘stem cells’ seem to sell [cosmetic procedures] like the word ‘sex’ sells magazines.”

It’s important to take claims about the stem cell facelift with a grain of salt. While they may be effective, as many of their proponents claim, it’s simply too early to tell right now.

Strategic Edge: Body-Sitting &emdash;
After giving birth many moms are unable to loose the midsection they gained while being pregnant. Many of them are turning to a combination of cosmetic procedures dubbed the “Mommy Makeover.”

Charlotte, North Carolina’s WBTV 3 recently reported that hundreds of thousands of the Mommy Makeover procedures are being performed each year. The women who undergo the procedure typically range from the ages of 20 to 39.

Many would think that the Hollywood elite would make up the majority of the makeover procedures, but in this case the majority of patients are middle-class mothers. They are opting to get the procedure to bring their bodies back to the way they were before they had children.

Pamela Maple, 44, is a mother who underwent the procedure and told WBTV that she hoped it would give her back her pre-pregnancy body. “I was always covering my stomach and always had a muffin top,” she said.

The Mommy Makeover can include a combination these procedures:

After her procedure, Maple stated, “I feel great. I feel like me, but I feel like a better me.” Maple’s statement fits right in with the goal of the Mommy Makeover: not to get a perfect body, but to bring your body back to the way it was before having children.

Talking With Your Doctor

As with any medical procedure doing research before making a decision is extremely important. WBTV reinforced this point saying that, “Doctors say the most important questions, however, are not about their tools but about their training.”

WBTV went on and offered the advice that even though the Mommy Makeover includes multiple procedures as a package, make sure you’re only getting the procedures that you need for your situation.

If you would like to learn more about which of the procedures associated with the Mommy Makeover will make sense for your situation, contact Dr. Jacob Haiavy online, or at one of his four convenient Southern California locations.

Nadia Ilse, 14, was harassed about her large ears so badly at school that by the age of ten she had asked her mother if she could have her ears pinned back. In an interview with CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the Georgian teen said the taunting, “hurt so much,” and had turned her into a withdrawn person.

According to the Huffington Post, Nadia received the operation she asked her mother for. Her mother had contacted the Little Baby Face Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides free corrective surgery to children with facial deformities.

Not only did they pin her ears back, but they also provided Nadia with a chin augmentation and corrective nose surgery. The Foundation also covered the $40,000 estimated cost of the surgeries, as well as bringing Nadia and her mother to New York City.

“I look beautiful, this is exactly what I wanted, I love it,” Nadia said after the operations. Even though Nadia knows she should have been accepted the way she was, she has no regrets about the procedures because she knew the bullying wouldn’t stop without them.

As part of her treatment Nadia must undergo counseling to deal with the years of psychological stress the bullying at school has caused her. Little Baby Face board member Don Moriarity stated that Nadia’s new perspective about herself reflects the group’s mission. He stated, “We like to say that Baby Face transforms the lives of these children and gives them newfound confidence.”

Social Impacts

Recently, there has been a lot of focus on bullying in schools. According to the Huffington Post, between 1999 and 2010 more than 120 bills were passed on the state level to introduce or amend legislations regarding bullying and harassment in schools.

By December 2011, when the U.S. Department of Education released a study into bullying, 46 states had anti-bullying laws enacted, 36 states had laws focused on cyber-bullying, and 13 states had enacted laws that gave schools authority to address harassment when it occurred off of school property.

Couples SugeryWhen one thinks of being in a relationship, going on dates, vacations, and spending time together comes to mind.

According to recent stories from ABC and the LA Times, more couples are deciding to have cosmetic surgery together.

The stories mirror each other, profiling a couple who have elected to have cosmetic surgery.

One couple with four children had been together for 18 years. They said child-rearing had “taken a toll on our bodies,” David Robinson opted to have a chin lift done the same day his wife underwent an abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck.

After dating her boyfriend for 16 years, Reita Greene planned to have a procedure for several years. Maybe a chemical peel, Botox, or a facelift –and her boyfriend would follow suit.

Couples like these appear to be part of a rising trend, which coincides with the rise of procedures for men. Dr. Richard Chafoo, of La Jolla Plastic Surgery, said, “It’s a male ego thing. When a wife comes in and has work done and is delighted with the outcome, the husband or partner feels more confident and secure and more likely to ask questions.”

While the procedures typically selected between men and women differ, some of them include:

Most of these couples are finished having children, and are in their late 30s to early 60s.

If you’re interested in exploring or learning more about the available cosmetic surgery options, contact Dr. Jacob Haiavy online, or at one of his four convenient Southern California locations.

Sources: ABC News and LA Times

A new study found that after cosmetic surgery, patients look an average of nine years younger than they did prior to the procedure. Specifically focusing on facial plastic surgery procedures, the study’s results were published in an article online in the Archives of Facial and Plastic Surgery.

Photos in Study Reveal Younger Looking Faces

The study was done by the University of Toronto’s Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and used first-year medical students to rate before and after pictures of the study’s participants.

Before the procedures occurred, the raters estimated patients to be around two years younger than their chronological age. However, after the facial procedures the patients were estimated to be around nine years younger than they actually were.

The 60 patients who participated in the study were all undergoing:

Patients were placed into 3 groups based on the procedures they were to undergo. The researchers stated on their findings: “The effect was less substantial for group 1 patients (who underwent face and neck lift procedures) and was most dramatic for group 3 patients, who had undergone all 3 aging face surgical procedures.”

Mark P. Solomon, MD, a board-certified surgeon from Pennsylvania, who was not a part of the study, commented to Medscape, saying: “The study represents an attempt to quantify facts that have been apparent to plastic surgeons through their practices.”

It is hoped that the study will allow patients to be more realistic and have a better understanding of the outcomes and benefits of facial cosmetic surgery. While also, enabling patients to have informed discussions with their doctor before deciding which procedure, or procedures are best for their circumstances.

If you’re interested in exploring or learning more about the available facial cosmetic surgery options, contact Inland Cosmetic Surgery at one of our three Southern California locations.