Posts Tagged ‘FUZION’

“Don’t ask…don’t tell!”

This is the motto of many of my patients. Their aesthetic lives are very private. Often making up stories to explain away bruises or swelling. I think I have heard them all – even the sketchy “shark-bite” story, or “banging their lip on a bottle, or ‘oh, I just had dental work…’” But change is in the air!

June is National Gay Pride month and in the fight for equal rights, President Obama will be lifting the military policy of “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” This would allow all dedicated Americans serving in the armed forces to be open and honest. The revocation of this policy will eliminate the ‘dishonorable discharge’ of many highly decorated servicemen and women. Their dedication should be revered – even more than we do celebrities or politicians. We preach to our children about individuality and strength and yet there is tolerance of hate and intolerance.

As a business owner, we are told that we are “not allowed” to discriminate for reasons of race, religion or sexual orientation; as a matter of fact, we are required to hang posters for all employees to see and can be prosecuted if we don’t abide by these laws. I would ask that we open our minds, as human beings, to find tolerance and preach understanding. Find the beauty – inside and out! We at FUZION are dedicated to helping you polish the outside.

The times, they are a changin’! I challenge you to “TELL when you are ASKED!” If you are proud of your life choices, as I am of mine, don’t hide behind silly untruths. You are improving yourself, empowering yourself and practicing the art of anti-aging. Be proud of your intervention! Underneath it all, we do aesthetic procedures for ourselves.

There is a movement in Hollywood, and across the country, for “transparency” and “going bare.” I have two feelings about this. First, all of the “stars” who are going bare, or being photographed without makeup typically practice regular peels, laser treatments, injectables or chemical peels. Is this truly bare? Secondly, if you agree with this practice, then you should have great skin! Artists start with a fresh canvas – your skin is your canvas.

I urge you to be open, honest and transparent! ASK, TELL and support the fight of millions of people for equality.

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Trends in Facial Plastic Surgery

The number of non-invasive cosmetic procedures rose 47 percent according to new survey results released by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS). The results show a continuation of the trend from the previous year, where consumers are opting to have less invasive procedures to look and feel refreshed. The economy is playing a large role in the growing trend. Not only are consumers having less-costly procedures, but 80 percent of physicians surveyed say patients are making these choices in order to remain competitive in the workplace.

The increase in non-invasive procedures administered by facial plastic surgeons was seen across the spectrum of treatments with the greatest increase being Sculptra, poly-l-lactic acid, (up 71 percent). Other increases include chemical peels (up 52 percent), hyaluronic acid (up 48%) and BOTOX® (up 45 percent).

The survey also showed that 77 percent of physicians agree that patients are more educated about plastic surgery options. With more people wanting to look younger, feel better and take an active role in their health, patients are researching different physicians and treatments to find the best one suited to meet their personal needs. Awareness of various procedures, appropriate physicians, best results and recovery times play an important role in the decision-making process.

“We are excited to see patients making educated choices. They are now open to newer, novel treatments and are making smart decisions that are tailored to their needs,” said Daniel Rousso, MD, President of the AAFPRS. “The overall rise in these procedures also shows that more patients are trusting their face to facial plastic surgeons who are trained and focus solely on the face and neck. Because of this, patients are seeing better outcomes.”

In 2009, women continued to be the most likely candidates for facial plastic surgery making up 84 percent of all surgical and non-surgical procedures. However, men and women are equally split when it comes to reconstructive procedures.

Surgical Procedures

In 2000, facial plastic surgeons reported the facelift as the most common cosmetic surgical procedure, followed by blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), rhinoplasty (nose surgeries) and ablative skin resurfacing. These procedures are most commonly performed on patients between the ages of 35 and 60 years of age. For female patients under age 35, the most common procedure performed was rhinoplasty.

The surgical procedures with the largest increases over the past year were ablative skin resurfacing (up 57 percent), revision surgery (up 18 percent) and facelifts (up 14 percent). Decreases were seen in lip augmentation (down 52 percent) and rhinoplasty (down 13 percent).

Medispa Findings

Physicians continue to express concern over procedures performed at medical spas (medispas). 76 percent of facial plastic surgeons surveyed say they are aware that medical directors of medispas are not actually on site for medical treatments. Most cosmetic procedures are performed in a private office (54 percent) setting. Procedures performed in a hospital came in at 23 percent and the number of procedures performed at medical spas or medispas remained unchanged (2 percent). Half of the physicians surveyed are aware of misleading advertising involving injectables, lasers and other cosmetic therapies. 35 percent of physicians believe medispas will become a more popular location for patients undergoing treatments.

Other Facial Plastic Surgery Trends

The facelift is the most common procedure performed on Caucasian patients, African Americans and Hispanics are most likely to have rhinoplasty while Asian Americans get blepharoplasty most often. Overall, 80 percent of AAFPRS members who participated in the survey feel that the future holds more cosmetic surgery for ethnic populations.

In addition, more facial plastic surgeons will offer wellness and lifestyle techniques to enhance the patient experience and to provide a more comprehensive approach.

FUZION takes the guess-work out of finding a qualified expert who understands your needs. Consultations are always complimentary and include a full overview of your concerns and a variety of treatment options. Please let us help you find your beauty.

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Beauty Below the Belt

Let’s be honest, there is a lot going on down there and it’s not always pretty! Over the last five years the interest in vaginal rejuvenation and labiaplasty has skyrocketed. Professional websites, such as labiaplasty.com are reporting a monthly average of 40,500 visits in 2007 compared to a monthly average of only 8000 visits in 2002. Laser hair removal visits have increased by 700% in ten years. Feminine hygiene products as well as “HIS AND HERS” sexual lubricants are now prime time mainstream commercials. Whether your issue is laxity, asymmetry, excess skin, an abundance of pubic hair, hyperactive sweat glands or odor it is safe to say that our panties may be hiding more than we care to admit!

The smell of sweat might be an aphrodisiac to some, but “sweaty Betty” does not do it for most. Controlling odor and excessive sweating is now a multi-million dollar industry. Over the counter lubricants, hygiene products bring in revenues of $105 million annually. BOTOX has been effectively used to control hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) for years. It has now reached new “lows” currently being used to treat perineal sweat glands. Sweet Spot™ Labs has created a line of personal care items to keep you clean, refreshed and smelling your best. Their “on the go wipettes” are a must have for any woman who enjoys spontaneous fun! I will bet everyone who works at FUZION has them in their handbag AT ALL TIMES! Sweet Spot has a full line of pH balanced products made specifically for your most intimate areas. These products are designed not to irritate, dry or abrade your skin. As they say “cleanliness is next to fabulousness!”

This is not the sexual revolution where “au naturale” rules the roost, we live in an era when grooming is queen. The days of the “thigh coat” are long gone (thank goodness), now women, and men, are trimming up and lasering down. Laser hair removal is an effective way to permanently reduce hair growth all over the body. Laser technology is more cost effective in the long run than electrolysis or waxing and significantly reduces the risk of unsightly ingrown hairs. There are some things that you should know prior to embarking on a laser hair removal journey. It does not treat white or gray hair. It requires a series of six, or more, treatments. Hormones play a part in hair growth cycles. Pregnancy, menopause and changes in estrogen will affect your results. Laser hair removal, with FUZION’s technology, can treat all skin types safely – you can even be tan! The most common nether-region treatment is the “brazillian,” my only word of caution is that you will not have any hair; not now or when you are older so make sure it is a look that you want to live with.

The feminine wrinkles and folds that make up our external genitalia are formed early in fetal development. They are about as unique as a fingerprint. The old line “you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all” does not hold true here! Typically, the labia majora, or the most outer set, is larger and bears hair. The labia minora are the smaller, internal lips. In some women the inner most set is larger and often asymmetrical. Aging affects your vagina too! The drop off in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone can wreak havoc on your vaginal health. I am not writing to depress you, but declines in hormone levels can cause dryness, laxity, incontinence, vaginitis, loss of libido… and the list goes on! At FUZION we offer full service vaginal rejuvenation programs these include: Mons pubis liposuction, surgical labiaplasty, laser labia tightening and non-surgical clitoral or labial enhancement. Some of these issues require surgical intervention, but when it comes to intimate pleasures we do what we have to do!

Labiaplasty:
Labia minora reduction: Reduction of the inner lips or labia minora is the most commonly requested procedure in female aesthetic genital surgery. There are two commonly used procedures which consist of trimming the excess labial tissue along the edge of the labia minora which is often actually a “Y” shaped incision line as frequently the excess labia minora extend toward the clitoral hood. This procedure is best for more complicated or extensive surgeries or in patients who have longer labia minora. For patients with shorter labia minora, there is another procedure which involves taking a V-shaped section out of the most prominent portion of the labia then suturing the incision closed. Both procedures are usually performed with absorbable sutures. Either general anesthesia, local anesthesia with sedation, or local anesthesia with topical anesthesia prior to injection can be used.

Labia majora reduction:
Reduction of the outer lips or labia majora is less commonly requested but patients with this request often complain of an abnormal bulge in swimming suits or tight jeans due to overly large labia majora. Reduction of the labia majora can be performed using a wedge excision of the excess tissue with the incision along the length of the labia minora.

Clitoral hood reduction:
Reduction of the clitoral hood is usually performed for functional reasons with the goal to allow increased clitoral stimulation for sexual pleasure, or to improve the appearance of the genital area. It is a good idea to only reduce the outer hood and to do so in a fashion whereby scar contracture would not lead to problems near the clitoris. It is important for sexual functioning that the clitoris not be encumbered by thick or scarred tissue. It is also advisable to avoid scars close to the clitoris if possible.

Mons pubis reduction or SmartLipo MPX:
Reduction of the mons pubis is generally requested by patients who have massive weight reduction often after gastric bypass surgery. They have ptosis (drooping) and excess tissue in this area which requires direct wedge excision usually in a transverse direction. For those without skin excess, liposuction of the mons pubis is effective. SmartLipo MPX is an effective way to reduce the prominence of the mons while tightening the overlying skin. If the patient is undergoing an abdominoplasty, wedge resection of the fat pad through the lower abdominal incision is effective.

We understand that women are complicated, but treating your sweet spot right doesn’t have to be! FUZION’s medical professionals are capable of answering your most intimate questions. Beauty should come from within so start at the bottom!

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