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.

It’s true – we’re carrying the brand new Botox competitor, Dysport. Dysport is marketed by the pharmaceutical company Medicis, the same company that brings you Restylane and Perlane.  We weren’t expecting it until mid-July but it’s available in our office as of today. 

If you’re interested, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Dysport is a neuromuscular wrinkle blocker that has been used in the UK since the 90s.  In clinical studies, Dysport acts much like Botox, though in some areas it is said to work even faster. Dysport was found  safe and effective in a study of over 2,900 patients in 80 clinical studies throughout the country, which led to its FDA approval in May. 

We’re passing some savings along to our patients with the launch of Dysport.  The current price is $4 per unit.  It should be noted that dosing is slightly different for Dysport.  For glabbelar lines (frown lines) the cost is $200. Availability is somewhat limited, so please call our office to schedule treatment now. At Inland Cosmetic Surgery, we will always try to pass on savings from the manufacturers, but we can’t promise how long they’ll last.

During the current economic slump, permanent makeup has emerged as an excellent alternative for people to enhance their looks on a budget.  

Permanent makeup artists create the illusion of bold features. They embed  colored pigment into the skin to create perfectly shaped eyebrows, enhance the eyelids with permanent eyeliner, or create the illusion of fuller, younger-looking lips by ‘filling them in’ with a shade of pink or red. 

The procedure creates a subtler look than a traditional tattoo and allows many people to enhance the vibrancy of facial features that have diminished over time.

For pure convenience, permanent makeup shortens the daily ritual of applying makeup before work or other social functions.  Patients say they especially love it in the summer months because it’s waterproof, so their eyes still look attractive and vibrant after activities like swimming or exercising.

To minimize risks, you should always choose a physician with several years of experience in permanent makeup application. Ask to see photos of other patients who received the same treatment, or talk to former patients if possible.

Permanent makeup only requires a topical anesthetic. Healing can take up to two weeks depending on the type of tattoo. For more information, see our permanent makeup web page, or call our skin care counselor Marlene at 909-987-0899.

There’s nowhere I’d rather be in the summer time than California.  While we’re at the pool, the golf course, or the barbeque with our friends, let’s remember to use sun protection.

This season, you may also want to choose the right cosmetic treatments to prevent premature aging, so you stay healthy and look your best. If you’re heading out for some fun in the sun this summer, here are a few skin management tips and procedures that can keep you looking hot while you’re out in the hot sun.

Sunscreen is important any time of year, but especially now. You should use sunscreen daily, but choosing the right type for your face – one that addresses your skin type and skin conditions – is not always easy.  . For days spent mostly indoors, use a foundation with an SPF15 or higher. For outdoors you want at least an SPF45 that is waterproof or water-resistant. The right sunscreen can prevent sun damage, skin problems, and even skin cancer.  Harmful UV rays can damage skin cells deep within the skin’s surface, making your cells vulnerable to toxins (free-radicals) in the environment.

If you exhibit age spots, zap them away with one of our laser therapies or a Chemical Peel. Rejuvenate your skin while reducing or removing age spots.

Ultrasonic Facials are another great way to remove dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, and they feel great! If you don’t need an intensive treatment but want to freshen up your look, a facial may be the right treatment choice.

Let us help you maintain the health of your skin. Come visit us at Inland Cosmetic Surgery to find out which treatment will work best for your skin type; then look forward to looking hot all summer long!

In the United States, it seems that many drugs become hugely popular for uses that were never intended; such is the case with Allergan’s new eyelash enhancement drug, Latisse.  The hot new eyelash enhancer was born out of a group of medications called topical prostaglandins, drugs frequently used to decrease intra-ocular pressure in glaucoma patients.

What was first labeled a ‘complication’ or side effect of using these topical agents was “hypertrichosis,” a condition characterized by darkening, thickening, and lengthening of the eyelashes.   

 Allergan offered the topical prostaglandin Lumigan in 2001, a drug that contained the active ingredient bimatoprost. Two important precursors to Latisse occurred after the FDA gave clearance for Lumigan.

• Jan Marini Skin Research Inc had over $2 million worth of product seized by the Food and Drug Administration.  The product, Age Intervention Eyelash, evidently contained bimatoprost, which was unapproved for cosmetic use at the time. Allergan later filed a patent infringement suit against Jan Marini and several other companies that had tried to market bimatoprost in their eyelash enhancing drugs.
• Some doctors started prescribing Lumigan off-label to enhance eyelashes.  Knowing the desirable side effects it could produce. But Lumigan wasn’t formulated for cosmetic use and many believed more research was needed to confirm the safety of topical prostaglandins for cosmetic use.  

Clinical trials and further research is exactly what Alllergan Inc did.  In one early study, 278 healthy adults with minimal to moderate eyelash prominence applied bimatoprost or a placebo to their lash line.  The results were favorable; researchers observed that the average patient’s eyelashes were 25 percent longer, 106 percent fuller, and 18 percent darker, while only 3.6 percent experienced itchy eyes and redness, and only 2.9 percent experienced skin hyperpigmentation.  

Latisse received FDA approval late last year for the treatment of ‘inadequate’ eyelashes.  Allergan now owns the patent on use of bimatoprost for eyelash enhancement.

Contact Inland Cosmetic Surgery for more information on Latisse in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

A survey conducted by researchers from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) has given us some insight about patients who choose wrinkle treatments. Researchers sent questionnaires last March to 687 patients who had received Botox and/or dermal filler treatment.

The following statistics illustrate the motivations of the ‘typical’ patient. Who is the ‘typical’ patient?  According to the survey results, she is “a married, working mother between 41-55 years of age with a household income of under $100,000.”

• Roughly 70 percent of the respondents claimed that Botox and dermal fillers play an important role in their cosmetic routine.  About the same number of respondents said they used both treatments.
• When asked what their motivation was for pursuing Botox treatment, 34 percent said their appearance looked “stressed” or “angry”. Others said that a friend, family member, or their physician had recommended it, or they were preparing for a social event. 66 percent said they received Botox treatment 2-3 times per year. 72 percent of the respondents chose Botox to treat glabellar lines – the vertical lines that appear between your eyebrows.
• When asked about their motivation to use hyaluronic acid fillers, the majority (63 percent) of patients reported a desire to remove facial wrinkles and folds – mostly the nasolabial folds that travel from the nose to each side of the mouth.

A full summary of the survey results is available (in an MS Word doc) here.

As reported by the New York Times, medical practices in Prague are offering free surgical enhancements to nurses as an employment incentive.  One nurse opted for breast augmentation and liposuction, free of charge.  

The piece raises some interesting ethical questions: While the procedures could certainly be beneficial to individual nurses in the short term, would such a practice harm the nursing profession as a whole?  

According to reporter Dan Bilefsky, nurses in the region “insist they are under enormous pressure to look good in a society where attractiveness is often as highly prized as clinical skills.”  Critics argue that the incentives could promote an idealized body image for nurses, in a profession already suffering from misconceptions about technical competence.  A spokeswoman from the Czech nurses association argues that nurses are still perceived as “low level workers” with little to offer besides manual labor.  Nurses after all, aren’t intended to be models, but caregivers that provide an enormous benefit to the medical profession and the public they serve.  A misplaced emphasis on their physical appearance could undermine public perceptions of their competence and value.

Still, others see no ethical problem; perhaps breast augmentation or rhinoplasty is analogous to employee discounts at a retailer, employee vacation packages, or other career perks.  

The supposed ethical problems brought by these surgical incentive programs probably shouldn’t be directed at the programs alone, but rather, toward the sexism and discrimination that underlie them.

Last week The Doctors featured the endoscopic brow lift, a favorite of Dr. Haiavy. The endoscopic brow lift is a facial plastic surgery procedure that slightly raises the eyebrows and alleviates ridges and furrows on the forehead, providing the patient with a more pleasing facial expression.  In some cases, it even improves the patient’s vision.

The term ‘endoscopic’ refers to the surgical endoscope – a specialized instrument that we introduce into the body to view its internal parts and aid in surgery.  Endoscopic techniques have improved the brow lift dramatically: they have allowed us to use smaller incisions, which expedite the healing process and reduce residual scarring.

Many patients choose to combine the endoscopic brow lift with other procedures, like blepharoplasty for example.  At Inland Cosmetic Surgery, we understand this is no easy decision.  Patients should heed the advice of Dr. Travis Stork on The Doctors; he says, “If you’re considering going under the knife, stop smoking, improve your diet, always follow your doctor’s instructions, and do your homework before deciding to undergo surgery.”

For more information on the endoscopic brow lift, see our home page.

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.”

Many patients ask, what is the best time to get breast implants? Women across the United States and Canada seek breast augmentation with either silicone or saline implants to enhance the look of their breasts at many different stages in their life. Thousands of breast augmentation procedures are performed each year as more women are realizing benefits such as increased confidence and better fitting clothes.

As our society becomes more health-conscious, women try to determine if they are an ideal candidate for breast implants by asking their surgeon many qualifying questions regarding their age and medical history. When determining whether or not you are an ideal candidate for breast augmentation, only a consultation with a qualified cosmetic surgeon can help you learn what’s best for you. However, as a safe rule, breast augmentation is appropriate for healthy women between the ages of 18 and 50. While this is a large age range, it is up to the individual and their surgeon to determine when to choose breast augmentation surgery.

Can Teenagers Have Breast Implants?

Yes. While the Food and Drug Administration does not recommend breast implants for anyone under the age of 18, there are no strict laws preventing younger patients from having breast augmentation surgery. In general, it is advised that women wait until their breasts are fully developed to realize the most benefits from getting breast implants. For many women, breasts continue to develop through the teen years until their early 20’s. However, depending on your particular situation, your surgeon may develop a customized plan of care for you at any age.

What is the Most Common Age for Breast Implants?

Most breast augmentation procedures are performed on women between the ages of 20 and 35. While most women get breast implants during this age, there are many things to consider before moving forward with surgery. First of all, women in their early 20’s may still have developing breasts. Getting breast implants too early in the developing stages, may result in stretch marks or sagging breasts.

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