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Butt Augmentation Injections: The Truth Behind The Horror Stories

Tag Archives: Plastic Surgery Atlanta

Butt augmentation is hugely popular right now, and unfortunately there are some people looking to make a quick buck from the overwhelming demand. This just compounds why it is critical to research any doctor you consider visiting and make sure they are a certified physician. I don’t do “butt injections” or biogel or hydrogel injections. I will work with patients who have had these injections and would like the injected material removed. Unfortunately I frequently see patients who ask me if I can recommend someone that will do buttock injections. I urge my patients not to undergo these injections. I’ve sat with many women who come to me in tears with lumpy, deformed, and discolored buttocks who now want the material removed. Many of them want to sue the person who injected the material but this person is typically someone who performed the injections at a home or hotel room under a veil of secrecy. These injectors run a word of mouth business, sometimes through internet message boards because it is illegal to inject unknown substances into people. No licensed provider can legally perform these injections. We have no way to control or determine the identity of the injected substance.

Let me rephrase this and address those who still aren’t convinced.
When you seek out and undergo these hydrogel butt injections you have no idea what they’re injecting into your body, and guess what? The person injecting the material has no idea what they’re injecting into you either. That clear substance in the 60cc syringe could be rubber cement, or caulk or fix-a-flat, or it could be industrial grade silicone or industrial grade poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA). The FDA does not control or regulate these injections because they are not legal – this is why those who are caught performing these injections for money (ie. providing a “medical service”) are prosecuted as criminals. So just because a few of your friends loved the results of their “butt injections” and it doesn’t go away like fat doesn’t mean it’s safe or healthy. The Fix-A-Flat website does not mention buttock injections as a possible use for the material, but it does say that Fix-a-flat is recommended for use on (non-Z rated, non motorcycle) tires only. Also, consider this: the patients who come to me for removal of the injected material or repair of the deformities caused by these injections are the lucky ones. There are numerous recent stories (such as the woman pictured above) in the news of deaths resulting from these injections. When I tell you, as my patient, that these injections are illegal and dangerous, I am doing so out of concern. I am not trying to keep you from going elsewhere for injections or to prevent you from achieving the results you desire – I am trying to say in the nicest way that these injections kill people and it’s not worth the risk!

Also consider that these injections are rarely performed under sterile conditions. Recently I’ve treated a number of patients for mild to severe infections from buttock injections. It is clear that the injections were either not performed in a sterile fashion, or the material itself is either contaminated (it is by definition a contaminant) or it causes a severe inflammatory reaction. I have successfully treated a number of these patients with either systemic antibiotics or corticosteroids to resolve infection & inflammation.

For patients seeking an alternative to dangerous butt injections please call my office for more information. If nothing else we just want you to have the tools to make an informed decision. If you’ve already had buttock injections and you’re having complications such as lumps, deformities, dimples, pain, infection, or discoloration I welcome your call as well. I cannot promise that I will be able to remove the injected material but we can help you and there are a number of treatment options to alleviate some of these complications.

For information on more procedures offered by Dr McCluskey visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/

It’s getting colder so we’re going to shift away from breast topics and talk about butts. What do butts have to do with it getting colder? Absolutely nothing but it’s always a great time of year to talk about butts. The Brazilian butt lift procedure is wildly popular in Atlanta. My plastic surgery office receives multiple calls every day requesting information about the Brazilian Butt Lift and it is now one of my most popular operations. Because of the popularity of the Brazilian butt lift we’ve gained a great deal of experience in properly contouring & sculpting the buttocks based on the unique desires of our patients. I love this procedure because it corrects and enhances multiple areas of the body with minimal risk and easy recovery.

Brazilian butt lift

In a typical Brazilian butt lift case I remove fat from the abdomen and waist (and possibly other areas such as inner and outer thighs, back, or arms) via liposuction. I then process the fat, removing excess fluid from the aspirate to yield purified fat for injection. This fat is placed both subcutaneously and submuscularly in multiple layers to build and sculpt the buttocks to a desired shape and size. Depending on the amount of fat I’m able to aspirate from the patient I’ll typically transfer 400-1000 cc per side (cheek) and I’ll transfer 200-300cc into each hip region to provide a rounder contour.

Keep in mind that there are two parts to the Brazilian Butt Lift procedure:

1) Liposuction and liposculpture of the waist and lower back, and 2) Transfer of fat to the gluteal and hip region to enhance and sculpt the buttocks. My aim with this procedure is to suction as much fat as possible to achieve a beautiful even contour with a slim waist and mid-section. I often perform liposuction of the outer thighs, or “saddle bags” as well to further enhance the appearance of the buttocks. Patients have a variety of goals with the Brazilian Butt lift procedure. Some patients have always had what they describe as a flat butt and by slimming the waist with liposuction and transferring the fat to the buttocks I can give them that natural gluteal contour that they’ve always wanted. They’ll look better both in and out of clothes and there won’t be any residual or noticeable scars.

Celebrity Butt Lift Pictures

Other patients who seek the Brazilian Butt Lift procedure want a significantly larger gluteal contour. These patients often bring pictures of celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez (JLo), Nikki Minaj, or Kim Kardashian. These women, whether their appearances are natural or surgically enhanced, have become known for their humongous derrières. Kim Kardashian even underwent an X-ray on her television show to prove that her posterior assets are God-given and Jennifer Lopez recently had a Twitter feud with a fan about whether or not she’s undergone plastic surgery. Whether or not she’s been enhanced by a plastic surgeon, she looks fantastic and her fans & followers both admire & seek to emulate her curves. Call me for more information on the Brazilian Butt Lift or schedule a consultation to come in & see some of our amazing before/after photos.

Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta is a premier practice providing proven and effective aesthetic and reconstructive surgery procedures of the breast, body and face. Led by Dr. Paul McCluskey, an experienced plastic surgeon, the practice focuses on meeting patients’ expectations in a safe and satisfactory manner.

Patients in and around Atlanta, GA can receive a wide range of treatment options from Dr. McCluskey. As a cosmetic surgeon, he understands each patient’s aesthetic goals are unique, and ensures that customized treatment options and approaches are followed to suit their needs in the best possible way.

Range of Procedures

The Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta provides the following main surgical treatment options:

Body

Arm Lift
Thigh Lift
Brazilian Butt Lift
Body Lift
Tummy Tuck
Liposuction
Mommy Makeover

Breast

Breast Augmentation
Breast Augmentation with lift
Breast Lift
Breast Reconstruction
Breast Reduction
Breast Revision
Male breast reduction for gynecomastia

Face

Browlift
Ear Pinning Surgery (Otoplasty)
Eyelid Surgery
Facelift
Mid-Facelift
Facial Implants
Necklift
Revision Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty

Cost Difference in Procedures

The cost of each of the aesthetic or reconstructive procedures performed by a plastic surgeon is likely to be different. The treatment approach, technology involved and skills, efforts and time required to complete a procedure successfully will usually vary from one procedure to another. All these inputs have a direct bearing on the overall cost of the procedure. For example, a full tummy tuck surgery or abdominoplasty is likely to cost more than a relatively smaller procedure such as neck lift.

Similarly, a comprehensive mommy makeover, which includes tummy tuck, liposuction, breast augmentation or reduction and breast lift, can be a costly affair because of the extensive treatments involved. However, in terms of cost effectiveness, a mommy makeover may prove to be more cost effective compared to each procedure performed individually. Surgeries that involve functional correction, reconstruction, repair or revision over a previous surgery may be more expensive because they are usually more intricate and complex.

The cosmetic surgeon will usually discuss the cost aspect in detail with the patient beforehand, and help the patient make the right choices. Sometimes a patient may just need a minor improvement in the chin, nose, lips, brows or eyelids, and a surgery such rhinoplasty, brow lift, eyelid lift or chin or lip augmentation may be sufficient to achieve the purpose. In such case, the surgeon may advise the patient to avoid a complete facelift surgery, which may be more costly as well as unnecessary from the patient’s point of view.

Strategic Factors that could Impact the Price

Procedures that do not involve general anesthesia may cost slightly lower because the costs of anesthesia are excluded. When it is safe and convenient for the patient, Dr. McCluskey performs procedures on an outpatient basis. This also brings down the overall cost of treatment because overnight stay and care expenses are avoided. Efficiency of a practice, support of the staff members and cost-reduction efforts of the plastic surgeon may sometimes help bring down the costs to an extent.

Other Factors Influencing Cost

Some common factors are likely to impact the cost of every procedure in a uniform manner. Some of the key common factors include the following:

The skills, experience, and reputation of the cosmetic surgeon are likely to have a bearing on the surgeon’s fee.
Geographical location of the practice will impact the cost because the general cost of living varies in each place. For instance, the cost in Mobile, AL may be different from the cost in Manhattan, NYC for the same procedure.
Quality of facilities and services provided at the surgical facility or hospital, including the expertise of support staff.

Actual Cost of a Procedure

The actual cost of a procedure will differ from one location to another and even from one practice to another within the same location due to so many cost influencing factors involved. However, to provide an indication to new patients about the expected costs of various plastic and reconstructive procedures, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) compiles cost data across the United States each year.

According to the data released by ASPS for 2012, for instance, the average cost of abdominoplasty or tummy tuck surgery was $5,241. This is the basic national average figure, and does not include the costs of anesthesia, operating room facilities or additional costs. The cost of breast augmentation in 2012 on a national average basis was $3,543, but ASPS indicates that costs would vary depending on the type of implants used and several other factors. For breast lift surgery in 2012, the national average cost was $4,332, and the cost for liposuction surgery came to $2,852.

For more information on treatments and procedures offered offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey visit:

As a divorced dad maybe I can offer a little insight on this topic. I see a lot of patients who are either post-divorce or in the midst of a divorce or some other life-changing event. I’m going to speak on the premise that there’s no right or wrong answer here. Divorce sucks. I don’t care what anyone says and I applaud those who try to smile and act like it’s no big deal but divorce is really hard on everyone involved, except for the lawyers of course. Divorce breeds bitterness and hurt and it really brings out the worst in people – believe me, I know! What I’ve found as a plastic surgeon, especially with my female patients, is that as the dust settles on major events like d

mommymakeover

ivorce, and sometimes it takes months to years, and people resume normal life they’re ready for positive change. This positive change could mean getting a new job, moving to a new city, meeting a new special someone, or buying a

new house or car. As those things change, patients also seek to lose weight, eat better, exercise more, and in many cases have cosmetic plastic surgery. This is one of those instances in which I really take issue with those who say that cosmetic surgery is all about vanity. If a woman has had 2-3 children and she’s doing the best she can to look and feel good, then she deserves to get rid of that baby belly (extra fat, “the pooch”, extra skin, stretch marks) through a procedure like liposuction or a tummy tuck so that she can have a beautiful, flat tummy and feel better about herself both in and out of clothes. Likewise if that baby weight has been tough to shed or maybe she’s dealt with feelings of depression that have caused some weight gain, then she deserves the immediate gratification of a procedure like liposuction. Yes, it’s a quick fix & healthy weight loss requires a lifestyle change – I hear it all the time – but sometimes people just need a little boost or kickstart. It’s amazing to me how many of my p
So that’s my little spiel on plastic surgery and major life events such as divorce. Plastic surgery doesn’t fix the emotional pain of divorce, and I would never recommend it to a patient as a way to get past any form of psychological pain. But for many patients it’s the first time in many years they’ve felt like doing something entirely for themselves and I completely applaud any effort to pick oneself up and make some positive changes, whatever they may be.ost surgical patients make drastic lifestyle improvements. Finally they’re happy with their appearance and they’ll do everything they can to maintain it.

I recently saw a Dr. Oz episode about plastic surgery and discounts for divorce. I would never try to attract people to my practice as a result of some personal tragedy (or victory depending on your perspective). Here’s a clip from that show and on this topic I have to completely agree with Dr. Oz’s opinion. I love to offer discounts to military service people, teachers, and medical personnel but I do not offer discounts for divorce and the idea of such discounts just doesn’t sound ethical.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/post-divorce-discounts-plastic-surgery-pt-1

Source: mariakang.com

Wow, did Maria Kang (@mariakangfitness on Instagram) polarize social media world with three short words! I have an Instagram account that I’m still figuring out but I’ve had the chance to look through Maria Kang’s photos. I’ve never met this person so I can only make conclusions based on social media but @mariakangfitness has built an incredible following of “fans” or “likes” by simply living a healthy life and documenting it for the world to see. She has 3 boys, born in 2009, 2010, and 2011 as she states in her profile. She exercises at night or early in the morning when the kids are tucked in their beds and she combines plyometric training, weights, and cardio. She has great taste in music, a supportive husband, and she is determined to maintain her fit lifestyle. She speaks briefly about a history of bulemia and discusses her personal insecurities with her body. She points out that she doesn’t have the thinnest waist, she doesn’t have six-pack abs, and she occasionally splurges on junk food. She even includes a photo of a hot dog that a friend included in a box of donuts as a gift for her. I can appreciate this. There are other fitness gurus online who seem to live a life devoid of fun or guilty pleasures. While occasionally splurging on junk food isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, it at least demonstrates that Ms Kang gives in to cravings just like the rest of us.

Maria Kang posted a photo on Instagram of herself in workout gear with her three baby boys with the caption, “what’s your excuse?” and people are offended? Would people be happier if she was fat, eating a pizza, and posted a photo with the caption “I have no excuse!” I heard this now infamous Instagram post discussed on the radio and I couldn’t believe how quickly people jumped to the conclusion that it’s easy for her but “based on my life & circumstances I can’t look like that.” First of all, yes you can. If you really want to commit to a healthy, fit lifestyle then you can look like that. No matter what your age or health status or circumstances, if you improve your diet and exercise habits then you can “look like that.” But more importantly I don’t think she’s challenging anyone to look like her nor is she saying that she has it tougher than anyone else. Her point is that we can all make changes – either subtle or drastic – to improve our fitness levels, our appearance, and how we feel about ourselves. Rather than get upset or argue over this post, get out and walk or run a mile. You’ll be done in 15-30 minutes and I’m sure that many of those who’ve weighed in on Maria Kang’s story have spent at least that long discussing it.

Here’s my own little struggle with weight gain & changes in metabolism. As a divorced dad when my son is with me I put everything else on the back burner. So when I have him I don’t exercise and I typically don’t eat very healthy – if the boys are eating pizza I might eat a salad but I’ll still have a couple of pizza slices. The rest of my time is spent operating, seeing patients, and managing my practice. I don’t have much free time and I eat meals on the go – but I don’t have an excuse! I gained some weight this past year and it’s a direct result of exercising less and making poor diet choices. I changed those habits over the past few months and I’ve lost almost 20 pounds. I still have work to do but in answer to @mariakangfitness I have no excuse! We’re all busy and we all have family and work commitments that get in the way. But eating healthy doesn’t require extra time. I know I can do better but I’m not going to take it out on someone like Maria Kang who is doing her best to be a great working mom and maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you’re overweight or out of shape or munching on french fries while you’re reading this then you shouldn’t be upset at Maria Kang. Instead, take it as a personal challenge. Get up now, go into your bedroom or bathroom and take a before pic of yourself, a “selfie”. Commit yourself to 4-6 weeks of better diet and as much light exercise as your schedule permits (3-5 times per week) then take another photo after that time period. Your appearance will improve – if nothing else, you’ll feel better and if you feel better you’ll look better. And you’ll realize that like me you have no excuse. Life gets in the way sometimes but the only person who can help you make more time for yourself is you. Make the time, eat better, exercise more and you may change your mind about people like Maria Kang.

@mariakangfitness on Instagram

mariakang.com

For more information on procedures offered by Dr Paul McCluskey, visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/

Sometimes breasts hurt. This is just a fact of life for women. A search for “breast pain” on Google immediately pulls up 61,700,000 results. A great deal of content on the major health sites is devoted to the subject of breast pain. Breasts are glandular and glandular tissue responds to changes in hormone levels. Changes in the body are often accompanied by aches and pains. We’re not talking about fall on the ground in agony pain, but it’s enough to drive many women to the doctor to inquire as to the cause of this pain. The most common cause of breast pain is probably associated with hormone changes from monthly periods. This is called cyclic pain and it typically subsides as a period ends. Cyclic breast pain affects both breasts and tends to occur in younger women. Cyclic breast pain is considered a normal part of monthly hormonal changes and with menopause this type of breast pain will cease to occur. Noncyclic pain is more common in women 30 to 50 years of age and it may occur in only one breast. It is often described as a sharp, burning pain that occurs in one area of a breast. Occasionally, noncyclic pain may be caused by a fibroadenoma (mass) or a cyst. If the cause of noncyclic pain can be found, treating the cause may relieve the pain.

Breast pain can get worse with changes in your hormone levels or changes in the medicines you are taking. Stress can also affect breast pain. You are more likely to have breast pain before menopause than after menopause.

As a plastic surgeon I don’t typically treat cyclic/noncyclic breast pain unless it occurs in one of my breast augmentation patients. If a patient arrives in my office with complaints of breast pain I recommend some over the counter treatments and refer her to either her primary care physician, an OB/GYN, or a breast doctor. I still take the time to reassure these patients that it’s likely nothing serious but especially in patients with cyclic pain, there are other specialties who more commonly treat breast pain.

Other ways to relieve breast pain include:

NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen, or Aspirin are the most common medications for treating breast pain.
Danazol and Tamoxifen are treatments reserved for severe cyclic breast pain but these medications are rarely used for this condition.
Birth Control Pills (oral contraceptives). OCPs can relieve cyclic breast pain and lessen breast swelling. OCPs can also cause breast pain as a side effect .
Magnesium supplements have been shown to relieve premenstrual symptoms and cyclic breast pain.
High fat in the diet is a potential cause of breast pain so reducing dietary fat can help to relieve this type of pain.
Reducing caffeine intake in the diet can reduce breast pain as well.

When patients ask me about breast pain I know that underneath it all they’re concerned about the possibility of breast cancer. Breast cancer is not often associated with pain and breast implants do not cause breast cancer. A painful mass is not usually breast cancer but it can be. This is one of those frustrating, ambiguous things that doctors often say to patients – so is it or isn’t it? The only way to know with 100% certainty if a mass is benign or malignant is to perform a biopsy. But if a young patient has cyclic pain for example, and she can feel painful cysts there is usually no indication to biopsy these as long as they change with the cycle. The take home message is that breasts can hurt and most of the time it’s nothing to be concerned about. Breast implants do not cause cancer and often times when a patient has pain months or years after breast augmentation, this pain is a result of cyclic/noncyclic breast pain, and not caused by the implants themselves.

For more information on other services offered by Dr McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/

“What happens if my breast implant breaks?”, “What does it take to break a breast implant?”

These are two commonly asked questions that patients ask plastic surgeons during consultations for breast augmentation. I’ve been told that the Mythbusters television show demonstrated that a breast implant can survive being run over by a car and I’ve relayed this information to a few of my patients. But when we searched for a clip from that show we were unable to find any evidence of this experiment. So we thought we’d give it a shot by running over a saline breast implant with my truck. Not that it makes a huge difference but I drive a large truck (Ford Raptor SVT) so this is a true test of the implant’s strength.

Most implant ruptures or breaks are spontaneous and are likely a result of what the breast implant companies have coined a mechanical failure, or a manufacturer defect. This explains why when I remove a ruptured saline implant from a patient I am often unable to find a leak in the deflated breast implant after it is removed.

Although our little test has zero scientific validity it is not a gimmick. As a plastic surgeon I was quite curious about whether or not the implant would remain intact.

Results: When part of the saline-filled breast implant is outside of the tire base the implant stretches and remains intact. The test was repeated many times on hard pavement with the implant sitting on a blue towel like the ones I use in surgery. When the entire breast implant is placed under the tire the implant ruptures. We filmed this second test in slow motion.

What does this test prove? The test demonstrates that these are very strong, pliable medical devices. Obviously no situation in normal daily life mimics this test but I found the results very interesting. I can now honestly tell my patients that the implant was undamaged after being repeatedly smashed into the pavement. And this isn’t as ridiculous as it sounds. I have a patient who is a professional soccer player and she was very concerned about her risk for rupture while playing soccer. This test helped ease her concern.

So enjoy the video and let me know what you think!

For more information on treatments and procedures offered offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey visit:

“Oh my God my mom has breast cancer.” That’s all I remember thinking.

I had just started my internship after graduating from medical school when our family received the news. My mother had undergone a breast biopsy that revealed cancer cells. I had grown all too accustomed to hearing and relaying tough news to patients and families. With my medical career in it’s infancy I had already uttered the fateful words, “I’m sorry, we did everything we could do, but…” all too many times. Trauma surgery in a major metropolitan university medical center is just that way – not everyone makes it. So here I was a young, “battle-hardened” trauma intern and my parents call to inform me that my mother has breast cancer. With the over-confidence that my shiny brand new M.D. degree afforded me, I knew all of the percentages about breast cancer survival, and I quickly deduced that my mom would be fine. It’s not that I was insensitive, but at that point I only knew cancer and major illness as academic disciplines. I knew the causes, treatments, and treatment success rates, but I didn’t really know the patients. Except now this wasn’t about a patient, this was my mom. And over the next few days it really hit me – forget all the numbers and the big doctor words and the treatment options – this was life or death. This was surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hair loss, puking your guts out, then praying to be among the lucky who don’t relapse. And this wasn’t one of the 30 patients I rounded on at 5am, hoping to catch them before they were awake enough to ask a lot of questions. This wasn’t one of my nervous preop patients from whom I really just wanted a signed surgical consent. This was my mom. She would have surgery within the week and she had already chosen to undergo mastectomy on the affected side. Again I turned to the numbers, and my limited knowledge of breast surgery to conclude that everything was going to be fine. Not until I met my family at St Thomas hospital in Nashville before surgery did I realize how little I knew. The truth is that the numbers, stats, and rates of complication, cure, and relapse, are incredibly important and they paint a pretty clear picture of how the average patient will do. But this wasn’t an average patient. This was my mom and she had breast cancer and despite having watched a few mastectomies I was scared to death about what was about to happen. I had no idea if the surgery would “work”, as in would it cure the cancer, and what would have to happen afterward. I was an intern – basically a fourth year medical student with an MD next to my name. My family looked to me for some insight and I tried to be strong and reassuring but I had no idea what I was talking about. I just wanted her to be ok and for this to all be over.

Fortunately everything went well. St Thomas is a fantastic hospital and her breast surgeon, Dr Kathleen Crews Williams did a wonderful job. The surgery took much longer than I had expected and the reason for that was simple – my mom underwent an immediate breast reconstruction by Dr Bryan Oslin, a Nashville plastic surgeon, after Dr Williams completed the mastectomy. Dr Oslin performed a latissimus dorsi musculo-cutaneous flap reconstruction with a tissue expander. In essence he raised and released the latissimus muscle from the back, rotated it through the underarm, and then used this large flap of skin and muscle to cover the mastectomy site. He placed a tissue expander underneath the muscle. This is a device similar to a saline breast implant that can be filled during and after surgery until it reaches a specified volume. Once it reaches that volume and the tissue has had a chance to expand over it the tissue expander is removed and exchanged for a silicone gel breast implant.

I often think back to the image of my mom being wheeled from recovery to her hospital room. I had never seen or even imagined her in this state, pale, & groggy, with tubes and IV’s, drains, and monitors all over the bed. I knew what every tube, monitor, and drip represented but at that moment it was all a blur to me. She was fine but she didn’t look fine. None of my limited medical knowledge or experience mattered at that point – my mom was a postoperative patient and I was just one of her frightened, hopeful family members.

My mom was after all one of the lucky ones. Her cancer was stage 1, her sentinel lymph node biopsy was negative for cancer, and after surgery she did not require radiation or chemotherapy. She was placed on a medication called Tamoxifen that had been shown to prevent relapse. She healed great from the surgery and always gives glowing reviews of her medical team including Drs Williams and Oslin.

That experience affected me profoundly in two ways – 1. It changed my entire approach to patient care and especially my approach to patients and families before and after surgery. 2. I wanted to learn everything possible about breast cancer diagnosis and breast reconstruction.

Nancy Brinker’s sister was named Susan G Komen. Susan G Komen developed breast cancer at a time when much less was known about the disease and she died from metastatic breast cancer. Nancy Brinker thus started the Susan G Komen foundation in her sister’s name, dedicating this hugely successful charitable organization to breast cancer awareness & research. My story about my mother’s breast cancer pales in comparison to this, but it changed my life. My mom was “cured” and she recovered flawlessly as a vast majority of women do these days. We have all been affected by this disease and through greater awareness more and more women have good outcomes. My mother’s experience with this disease revealed to me just how little I knew about breast cancer and it changed the course of my career.

-Dr McCluskey

For more information on treatments and procedures offered offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey visit:

Dr. Paul McCluskey, an experienced plastic surgeon in Atlanta, GA, provides cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries of the face, breast, and body. People in Atlanta who are looking for a cosmetic treatment for eyes may not consider Botox treatment to reduce crow’s feet. Botox can make the eyes appear youthful and rejuvenated, and now the treatment has the stamp of approval from the FDA for removing crow’s feet around the eyes.

Since eyes the most delicate external organ of the body, it is always a fantastic idea to choose an experienced cosmetic surgeon or a certified Botox provider in Atlanta or other places to receive Botox cosmetic treatment. Botox is made from botulinum toxin, which is a powerful biological agent that can be used to reduce facial wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes. Refreshed and rested eyes can remove the tired or old look from the face, and make a person appear more youthful.

Cosmetic Application of Botox

Crow’s feet around the eyes are technically called lateral canthal lines, which occur due to the repetitive action of eye muscles over a period of time. Repetitive muscular action that is caused by certain facial expressions such as frowning, smiling, or squinting can lead to lasting wrinkles or lines in the long run. Botox was approved several years ago for the cosmetic treatment of frown lines. It is also approved for the treatment certain medical conditions such as eyelid twitching or blepharospasm.

Chronic migraine and excessive underarm sweating can also be treated with FDA approved Botox treatments. Now the FDA has announced its approval for Botox as an effective temporary treatment to reduce the formation of fine lines and wrinkles around the aging eyes, which are commonly known as crow’s feet. Patients who are bothered by the appearance of crow’s feet around the sides of the eyes can now achieve a smoother and more rejuvenated look with Botox treatment for crow’s feet.

Successful Botox Test Results

Botox treatment for crow’s feet received the approval from FDA only after an extensive study conducted by Allergan, Inc., the drug’s Irvine, CA based manufacturer. The study was conducted on a group of 833 adults. People who participated in the study were selected at random for receiving a Botox placebo injection.

The group which was treated for crow’s feet with Botox revealed a noticeable reduction in crow’s feet compared to the other group that was not treated. Botox treatment may be received from a plastic surgeon in Atlanta, GA or other areas. The effect of the treatment may last for about three to six months. Patients should have realistic expectations in order to achieve better satisfaction from the results.

Crow’s Feet

Due to aging or other factors, fine lines may develop around the eyes that shoot out from the far outside corners of the eyes. These lines are commonly known as crow’s feet. These lines become more visible when we smile because the facial muscles in that area become active on smiling. Skin folds and wrinkles can occur naturally when the contraction of muscles occurs underneath the skin. The skin folds become deeper, depending on the frequency of the smile, and as skin elasticity becomes weaker with age.

Botox can temporarily reduce these fine lines around the eyes. Botox chemical is injected directly into the affected muscles that are causing the formation of lines. The chemical works immediately to block the neural passage between the muscle and the nerve and prevents the muscular contraction. This enables the skin to appear smooth even when a person smiles because the treated muscle does not contract. As a result, the appearance of crow’s feet around the eyes can be diminished significantly.

Precautions

A qualified cosmetic surgeon in Atlanta, GA or other areas may be in the best position to provide Botox treatment. Safety should be the top priority in any cosmetic treatment, and eyes in particular need special care because they are the most sensitive external organ. The FDA warning is included in the Botox label, which says that the toxin’s effect has the risk of spreading to other areas of the body from the injection site. This may lead to symptoms akin to botulism.

The FDA warning also provides an assurance that when Botox is used in recommended dosage, it has never been known to cause such an adverse event. Therefore, signing up and scheduling a Botox treatment session with the precise dosage is the key. Secondly, the toxin must be injected into the targeted muscle with accuracy to achieve the specific, desired results.

Source of News: FDA Press Release

For more information on other services Dr. Paul McCluskey provides visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/

A Silicone Implant

Choosing between the two competing types of breast implants can be a difficult task, but help is at hand! At the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, helping you to achieve the look you desire in the best and safest way possible is our priority. The two choices available to you are saline and silicone implants. Both have a silicone casing, but it’s what’s inside that counts! The number of silicone implants has been on the rise since their FDA approval in 2006 but plastic surgeons continue to use both as they each have their advantages.

Silicone implants are pre-filled with a cohesive silicone gel and resemble the natural feel of breast tissue. Although ruptures can still occur, with silicone implants they are usually undetectable with out use of an MRI, this is known as a “silent rupture”. The FDA recommends an MRI three years after insertion, and every two years after that to check for ruptures. Because they are prefilled, silicone implants (especially of the textured or ‘gummy’ variety) do require larger incisions for insertion.

Saline implants, however, are not prefilled and are filled after insertion by the surgeon, allowing for a smaller incision to be made. Saline implants are filled with saline solution (sterile salt water) similar to fluid already inside the body. In the case of a rupture, saline implants are a lot more noticeable as the saline solution will leak in to the body with out harm causing an obvious change in the size and shape of the breast(s).

Here’s Dr McCluskey’s thoughts on the choice between saline and silicone:

“When a patient arrives for consultation I want to discuss her interest in breast augmentation – why does she want breast augmentation, what are her goals in terms of size, fullness, lifting, or correction of asymmetry? I then show my patients samples of both silicone gel and saline implants. The two types of implants have a distinctly different feel and it is important that the patient knows the difference. Silicone gel implants in my opinion feel more like natural breast tissue and it is less likely that the patient will be able to see or feel ripples. Rippling can occur with either saline or silicone gel breast implants and in many cases it is a result of the patient having very thin skin.

Patients typically arrive at a consultation with a preconceived idea of which type of implant they prefer. Some patients only want saline because that is what their friends have and their friends are very happy. Others like the feel of silicone gel implants and have no interest in a saline implant. Despite these preferences the patients still want to know my opinion about which implant is best for them. As stated above, one of the key deciding factors relates to the thickness of the skin and breast tissue. If the patient has very thin skin then I’d likely recommend a silicone gel implant to avoid rippling. If a patient is concerned about the appearance of the inframammary incision and she prefers the axillary (underarm) incision then I recommend saline implants. On that note, I consider both the axillary and the inframammary to be well-hidden, nearly invisible incisions.

Ultimately deciding between silicone gel and saline implants comes down to patient preference. The good news is that there is no wrong decision. Our experience with these implants shows that patients are typically highly satisfied with breast augmentation surgery regardless of implant style. That said, I’ve had many consultations end with the patient asking me this question: If I performed breast augmentation on my wife or girlfriend which implant would I choose? If left up to me I’d choose high profile silicone gel implants. They mimic the feel of natural breast tissue and I like the projection of high profile implants.”

For more information on other services Dr. McCluskey provides visit sexualaesthetics.com