Patient Portal

Ezine 68 July 2008

Skin Care Tip:

Cover Up!

Well Toned Means Your Skin Is Happy! Toners seem to be one of those products that a great many of you leave out of your beauty regimen, and not due to laziness! The reason many people do not use one is simply the common misconception that it is not that important. Many people do not even know what a toner does. So what is a toner?

Contrary to what most people believe, the primary function of a toner is not to remove your cleanser or tighten your pores. The main function of a toner is to bring your skin back to a normal ph balance. The normal ph of your skin is about 5.5. Removing any residue and preparing the skin for the next product, usually a moisturizer, is the next important function of a toner. Some toners are now as important a factor to your skincare regimen as other steps. Toner can refine, exfoliate, moisturize, control shine, regulate hormonal activity, purify, promote anti-aging and simple rebalance your skin. So go get your skin toned!

Anti-Aging Tip:

Steroids Are Still Bad!

In your hearts of hearts, you know steroid abuse cannot possibly be good for you. Even when used to treat medical conditions, anabolic steroids have all kinds of common side effects that are harmful. What are steroids? Do not confuse anabolic steroids with corticosteroids. Anabolic steroids are used to build up muscle. Corticosteroids are used to dampen an overactive immune response and reduce swelling. Anabolic steroids abused by athletes are synthetic versions of testosterone, a male hormone. Both men and women naturally produce testosterone. Throwing ones testosterone out of balance can have a wide-range of consequences, both short- term and long- term. Both men and women taking anabolic steroids may suffer with:

  • Acne Breakouts
  • Oily scalp and skin
  • Enlarged heart
  • Delusions and Mood swings
  • Liver Damage
  • Heart Attacks
  • Worsening Baldness
  • Congestive Heart Failure
  • The risk is simply not worth the gain!

Plastic Surgery Tip:

Fat Injections Are Still In Vogue!

You can forgo the pharmaceutical fillers route and use your own body fat as a filler. Autologous fat injection or fat transfers are terms used to define injectible soft-tissue augmentation using your own fat. More commonly used in conjunction with other surgical procedures (why throw it out?), your fat can be extracted, processed and reinvested into lips, facial creases or hands. There is no risk of allergy since those are your own cells. Typically, the fat is extracted from the abdomen, buttocks or thighs through safe liposuction techniques. Fat transfer requires local anesthesia at a minimum. There can be some downtime with swelling and bruising when larger quantities of fat are removed. If fat is harvested from a small area, the recovery time will usually be quicker. Some fat injected will be reabsorbed over time, so you may need more than one treatment to achieve your desired result. You will need to discuss expectations with your surgeon.

To see before and after patient pictures, please click here.

During your consult with Dr. Speron, the patient will discuss their desired goals on an individual level. Then they will further discuss the course of treatment and potential complications at the appointment time. Please check out the wealth of information on our site by clicking here.

Make sure you chose a board certified plastic surgeon. A call to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons or ASPS at 1-888-4-PLASTIC (ie. 1-888-475-2784) can tell you which doctors are legitimate plastic surgeons with outstanding qualifications. You can also visit the ASPS web site at www.plasticsurgery.org. The ASPS is the only one of the 24 boards approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties that certifies physicians in plastic surgery of the face and all areas of the body. When considering a cosmetic surgeon, you should also make sure your surgeon is a member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS). A call to ASAPS (1-888-272-7711) or visiting the ASAPS website (www.plasticsurgery.org) can help you verify your plastic surgeons membership.

To help you in making your decision, please click here to check out the 7 critical questions to ask any plastic surgeon before letting them touch you!

By far, the most important factor in the success of your procedure is the surgeon you choose. So please choose wisely...

In The News

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