Shaping, Sculpting, Lifting, Reducing, Resurfacing…

This may be a banner year for cosmetic surgery. Despite a sputtering economy, experts expect growing numbers of people will seek out aesthetic procedures in 2012. The economy may be partly responsible, as a competitive job market encourages people to do everything they can to feel confident and look their best.

Younger people are also a factor in the rise, according to Devonne LaBonte, CEO of Sarasota Plastic Surgery. LaBonte reports that “the X Generation is fast approaching baby boomers in terms of how many are seeking cosmetic/plastic surgery.”

Of course, a boom in patients is always accompanied by a new menu of procedures—everything from laser-assisted jowl sculpting to non-invasive fat reduction to saline-assisted healing. In April, Dr. David J. Holcomb of Sarasota’s Holcomb Plastic Surgery will be speaking about state-of-the-art Celleration MIST Therapy, among other topics, at the Aesthetic Show in Las Vegas. After skin resurfacing procedures, the MIST Therapy uses saline mist to deliver ultrasound energy to the skin to aid in recovery. “The benefits are reduced redness, reduced chance of infection and faster healing,” says Holcomb.

But aesthetic improvements are still medical procedures. You should always be aware of the potential for faulty procedures and under-qualified practitioners. “A lot of gimmicks and new machines always come out on the market each year,” says Plastic Surgery Center’s LaBonte. “The question is, do they work?”

Before you decide to have work done, be sure you’re informed and comfortable both with the procedure and with the doctor who’s performing it. Know what you want, do your homework, ask questions, check references  and become informed, says LaBonte. “You will have to live with the results of the practitioner you chose.”

 

Top Five Male Cosmetic Surgery Procedures

Hair transplants

10 percent

Eyelid surgery

23 percent

Nose reshaping

48 percent

Liposuction

18 percent

Breast reduction

1 percent

Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons

In 2010, men had more than 750,000 cosmetic procedures, 8 percent of the national total.

 

“Your health is not something you biologically lose as you age. It is something you build or give away a little each day, in what you do and what you don’t do.”

–From Naked Calories: Discover How Micronutrients Can Maximize Weight Loss, Prevent Disease and Enhance Your Life, by Sarasota husband-and-wife duo Dr. Jayson and Mira Calton.

 

The Sooner, the Better

Thinking about a facelift? Don’t wait too long: A recent study published in the medical journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that 10 years after surgery, patients who had facelifts when they were under 50 years old were more satisfied with the results than older patients. According to the study, facelift patients in the under-50 age group “have the longest-lasting results with less noticeable postoperative changes.”

 

New on the Menu

Dr. David J. Holcomb reports on three procedures he’s recently incorporated into his practice.

Structural Micro Fat Grafting Alternative to artificial fillers. “Many patients are resistant to using fillers because of their temporary nature and/or because they’re not natural,” says Holcomb. “Structural micro fat grafting is a natural alternative that uses the patient’s own tissue and that can provide very natural-looking as well as long-term improvements.”

CoolSculpting Non-invasive body sculpting with no downtime. Cool-Sculpting uses cold technology that causes fat cells “to permanently self-destruct,” says Holcomb.

Celleration MIST Therapy Saline/ultrasound treatment that helps patients recover more quickly after laser skin resurfacing procedures.

 

What You’ve Been Krav-ing

Need some aggression in your exercise? Krav maga, the official self-defense system of Israeli forces, is the next frontier beyond boxing and boot camps. Combining real-world, no-rules self-defense techniques (think elbows, knees and a “whatever it takes” mindset) with a heart-pumping adrenaline rush of aerobic activity, krav maga is already taught to law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. Now it’s gaining momentum as a hardcore workout with a practical edge. Check it out at kravmaga.com; find classes locally at manateefitness.com.

 

Run the Race

March 11: First Watch Sarasota Half-Marathon and Relay. sarasotahalfmarathon.com

March 24: SpringFest 5K and 12K. sarasotaspringfest.com

Before You Run Molly Jackson from New Balance Sarasota and Fleet Feet Sarasota has a couple of important tips for first-time racers:

Do a trial run to prepare for the big day. Lay out all your supplies the night before your practice run, wake up like it’s race day, dress and fuel like you plan to do on race day and go out for your run. This lets you test out your evening meal, morning meal, clothing and shoes to ensure they’ll be optimal for your performance.  

Dehydration:  Expect it, prepare for it, educate yourself about it and address it. As the weather changes and the temperatures increase, runners increase their distances. They have to increase their hydration, too, and they also may not be taking enough electrolyte supplements. A thirsty muscle is a tight muscle. And tight muscles can lead to painful joints and unhappy runners.

 

Conquering Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect early, and it’s deadly, causing approximately 15,000 deaths a year. But there’s new hope in the fight against this disease, and Sarasota Memorial Hospital is on the front lines. In January, SMH was the first site in the world approved to begin enrolling patients to test a breakthrough vaccine targeting women recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Intended as a post-surgery, post-chemotherapy treatment, Cvac, created by an Australian biotechnology company, uses each patient’s own white blood cells in order to bolster her immune system and prevent the cancer from recurring. The dendritic cells are combined with a protein from the patient’s tumor to create a personalized vaccine that’s administered once a month for six months.

Led by Sarasota Memorial oncologist James Fiorica, in partnership with Suncoast Communities Blood Bank, the Sarasota Memorial study will soon be joined by similar studies on multiple continents as part of the international clinical trial.

 

Estimated annual ovarian cancer stats:

22,000 women diagnosed

15,000 deaths

90 percent of early detected cases can be cured with surgery and chemotherapy

37-52 percent of patients with advanced disease are long-term survivors.

Source: American Cancer Society

 

March is National Nutrition Month

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers the following tips for reducing your caloric intake, “possibly without even noticing.”

Downsize your dishes. Use smaller plates and bowls to help you eat less. We tend to fill up the dish we’re using and then eat it all. Our brains also think we’re getting more when the same amount of food is placed in a smaller dish.

Savor your meals. Eating slowly helps you consume only what your body needs to feel satisfied. Eating too quickly, in less than 20 to 30 minutes, can lead to overeating and feeling uncomfortably full afterwards.

Leave some food on your plate. By leaving even a few bites, you can focus more on your internal signals of satisfaction and less on eating food just because it is there.

Don’t eat out of a bag or box. When you eat out of a package, you’re likely to keep eating until it’s all gone—no matter how many servings the package actually contains. Measure out one serving and pour it into a small bowl.

Choose your glass wisely. When glasses are wide, we tend to fill them with more fluid and then drink more. Use a slender glass for any beverage except water.

Rethink your drinks. High-calorie beverages like soft drinks, juice drinks, energy drinks, specialty coffees and alcohol add calories just like solid foods. Whenever possible, replace these drinks with plenty of water.

eatright.org