The Truth about the New Lifestyle Lift Craze

Under the name “Lifestyle Lift”, different surgeons use different techniques. It is more a marketing than technical term. Often times it is performed by surgeons who are not trained in plastic surgery in the conventional manner, and many times “this training” is merely a weekend course. Most properly trained and board certified plastic surgeons, including myself, have seen patients who are less than satisfied with the results of the Lifestyle Lift because of the short term duration of the results, excessive scarring, ear and sideburn deformity, etc. Corrective surgery after a Lifestyle Lift can be very challenging. 50% of my practice is now dedicted to these types of cases–patients come to me in Los Angeles on a nationwide basis. If you would like more information, please contact my office: 310.203.9818.

Laurie Pehar Borsh chats with Century Cosmetics Medi-Spa Director and head Esthetician, Judy Karp

Be Good to Your Body–You Are What You Eat

-by  Judy Karp, Century Cosmetic Medi-Spa

As an esthetician and a certified nutritionist, I truly believe we all “are what you eat.” Often times when I am working on a client at the Century Cosmetic Medi-Spa, I will often ask them about their eating habits. For instance, congested skin is very often it’s the result of too much cheese or too many sodas or fried foods. It does not matter how many facials you treat yourself to, how often you get a glycolic peel or what products you use on your face, if you aren’t filling up on fruits, veggies, fish, chicken and whole grains, along with a good amount of filtered water, your skin cannot look it’s best.

The anti-oxidants in fruits and vegetables will not only reduce the risk of certain cancers, lower cholesterol, and help repair cellular damage, but also help reduce the damaging the effects of stress, sun exposure, pollution and age. Since our bodies don’t naturally produce anti-oxidants, we must depend on fruits and vegetables to provide us with these important elements!

A few anti-oxidants that studies suggest may be the most beneficial to the skin are Vitamin E, Flavonoids and VitaminC.

Vitamin E, which is also called tocopherol, is an anti-oxidant that may benefit the cellular membranes and “oily” structures of the skin.Our skin is high in unsaturated fatty acids, which are especially susceptible to oxidation That’s why there is speculation that Vitamin E , which is fat-soluble, aids in skin protection and fighting free-radical damage, the main purpose of anti-oxidants.

The best anti-oxidants for fighting damage that results from the sun’s UV rays are Flavonoids. Green tea, grapes and grape juice, red wine and all the berries, such as blueberries, black berries, and strawberries are part of the Flavonoid family—as well as pomegranates. A few other foods to add to the flavonoid list are: artichokes, red and black beans.

Last, but certainly not least is Vitamin C. We already know that Vitamin C helps neutralize cell-damaging free-radicals. We are now also discovering that it may also aid in the production of collagen. This vitamin works synergistically with Vitamin E and Flavonoids to improve the anti-oxidant actions of each substance. The foods highest in Vitamin C are; oranges and all citrus fruits, strawberries, avocados, tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, yellow, red, and green peppers, apples, and peaches. There are also many vegetables that are high in Vitamin C; artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, spinach, onions, summer and winter squash and sweet potato.

The easiest way to know that you’re getting the anti-oxidant power you need from your diet, is to think about all the colors of fruits and veggies…you know, red, green, yellow ,orange and even purple (think about eggplant).  Make sure you have a variety of these colors on your plate every day. Your body will thank you and your skin will thank you. Don’t forget that many of these fruits and vegetables, in addition to nourishing the inside of your body, also make great masques to apply to your face.

I’ll have recipes for you very soon.

Complimentary Phone Consultation with the purchase of my Book: Be Your Best: A Comprehensive Guide to Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Written by the Experts®

Pick up a copy of the book “Be Your Best: A Comprehensive Guide to Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Written by the Experts^®” on Amazon.com: http://bit.ly/35AhZy or contact Rana Davidson at the offices of Dr. Peter B. Fodor: 310.203.9818.

Dr. Fodor is also including a complimentary phone consultation* with each book purchased through the Amazon.com (http://bit.ly/35AhZy) or his offices.  (*Upon arrival, the book will include instructions on how to book this appointment.) Those who buy Be Your Best via Dr. Fodor’s Amazon.com page or his office will receive a new and original copy. He will also personally sign each book prior to shipment.

- Laurie Pehar Borsh

Presentation of current techniques and emerging technologies for liposuction

The Los Angeles Society of Plastic Surgeons held its Thirty-First Annual Plastic Surgery Symposium Friday, September 26th.  Featured in the Scientific Program were several Visiting Professors, including the President-Elect of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Michael McGuire from Santa Monica, CA;  President-Elect of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Dr. Felmont Eaves, III, from Charlotte, North Carolina; President of the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation, Dr. Laurie Casas from Chicago, IL; President of American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc., and Dr. Lawrence Reed from New York.  All of these exceptional surgeons addressed the group on various topics relating to principles of aesthetic surgery, breast surgery and arm lift surgery.

As the Past President of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, I addressed the group about the history of current techniques and the emerging techniques and technologies in the area of  liposuction and body sculpting.  My particular presentation placed emphasis on The Body Jet—-one of the industry’s newest and most novel liposuction techniques, as well as on other non-surgical approaches to body sculpting such as LipoSonix and The Beam procedure(or Ultrashape Body Contouring).  Both LipoSonix and Body Beam methods also remove unwanted fat deposits without surgery. These methods use painless high intensity focused ultrasound energy which destroys fat cells without injuring the skin or other structures.  I am happy to report that my presentation was extremely well received by the audience.

A Body Lift can dramatically change a person’s life…

People who have been obese for much of their lives often perceive bariatric surgery as the doorway to a new life, yet they are frequently unprepared for the next challenge facing them. They may feel exhilarated by the feat of having lost massive amounts of weight, but at the same time their hopes of looking as good as they feel are marred by the vast quantities of hanging skin that remain.

Massive weight loss patients, often having rid themselves of 100 pounds or more, still can’t feel comfortable wearing form-fitting clothes or a bathing suit; even their ability to exercise is compromised because of excess skin — loose, sagging tissue cascading over the abdomen, groin, arms, legs and back — that inhibits physical activity.

“A bariatric (or body lift) procedure is sort of a ‘miracle’ — it dramatically changes a person’s life,” says Adam L. Basner, MD, of Lutherville, Maryland. “Patients who have undergone successful bariatric surgery are happy and grateful, and they feel so much better about themselves both medically and physically. Unfortunately, though, after the weight is lost they are still burdened by tremendous amounts of loose skin. Taking care of that problem is the final step in the transformation of their lives.”

“Patients often present with a very challenging group of physical concerns following significant weight loss,” adds Scott Holley, MDv, of Portage, Michigan, “but the typical weight-loss patient already possesses the critical ingredients for success: the determination and resolve to transform his or her appearance and well-being. I particularly enjoy the opportunity to apply traditional techniques in new ways to help patients achieve dramatic change.”

Read the full section in my book:  Be Your Best–A Comprehensive Guide to Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Annual Meeting of the Los Angeles American Society of Plastic Surgeons

The Annual Meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons – Los Angeles is taking place this Saturday, Sept 26, 2009.  At this meeting there will be three Visiting Professors from various parts of the country lecturing on various aspects of plastic surgery.   Practicing locally, I have been invited to give a presentation entitled: “The History of Liposuction A-Z. “  I will be talking about and analyzing all the currently practiced techniques, as well as what is on the horizon as emerging techniques.  Part of my time on the podium will be also devoted to a talk on my extensive experience with secondary or “re-do” body sculpting with liposuction.

Clinical Study with Liquid Heat in Motion – new Liposuction approach.

Within the next 30 to 60 days,  I will be conducting a clinical study with Liquid Heat in Motion and possibly another with Body Jet, once we conclude our assessment of the benefits of these novel liposuction approaches.  We have begun enrolling patients at a highly reduced fee schedule (cost of anesthesia and OR only, my fees and the equipment fees will be waived in consideration for participation in this study).   I do have few spots left, if anyone is interested in participating please contact my office: 310.203.9818.

Embarking on a social media and communication revolution to help you stay informed.

As my staff and I embark upon the process of adopting a new digital/social media approach to staying in touch with our current and past patients,  current and new patients are welcome to provide my office with an email address as well as an indication from you whether you would welcome occasional (email news) updates about our practice and on what I consider noteworthy developments in aesthetic plastic surgery:  

• Networking and Event Invitations
  • We are also starting to have a presence on such networking and group forum sites as Facebook, Plaxo, Twitter and others – and would like to invite you, if you are so inclined and choose to participate, in this effort with us.  We are planning on starting a new forum that will provide information as well as support and answers to questions relating to cutting edge surgery.
  • To start with, you can also join in on my Blog Feed to get news and stories about new procedures, educational and training notices and more.
• Updates and Notices
  • We are getting ready to launch our Patient Referral Rewards Program (Practice and Spa) this fall.
• News/Media and other Personal Facts
  • Special appearance notices with regard to my ongoing work, education and training.

• Information on the lay book on aesthetic surgery we recently published is currently available:  Be Your Best: A Comprehensive Guide to Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Written by the Experts^®  plus more…. on my website*:  http://www.centurycitycosmeticsurgery.com/ which is in the process of undergoing an aesthetic revision that we are all very excited about.

Kindly send your email address to us and any questions you might have to Rana Davidson rana@centurysurgery.com.

If you would rather call our office to provide such information, please contact Rana or my assistant Liz Wagner  at 310.203.9818 between the hours of 10 and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

If you have other ideas or questions with regard to Century Aesthetics, Century Cosmetics Medi-Spa, my guest speaking, education and clinical study work, etc. you are always welcome to reach out directly to our staff at any time.   Our email is info@theplasticsurgeon.net. 

Warmest Regards,

Peter B. Fodor, M.D., F.A.C.S.

About the LipoSonix System: Body Sculpting Without Surgery.

The LipoSonix system is a high frequency focused ultrasound energy application for body sculpting (or liposuction) without surgery. 

 

We have been working on this method for over six years now and the FDA preclinical studies are scheduled to finally begin. 

I’ve been the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board for the company that now owns LipoSonix (MedicisTechnologies) and have been granted the right to perform independent studies during the FDA approval process (more on this later). The first study we will most likely carry out will be to see how much skin contracture we can obtain with the device in addition to volume (fat) removal. 

The LipoSonix treatment can be performed with the patient totally awake–and most of the time without any sedation.  The fat cells affected by the ultrasound energy are eliminated by the body’s normal metabolic functions without any toxicity (this has already been proven in a number of studies already conducted by in Mexico and Canada).  

A LipoSonix treatment can be performed in a short amout of time (i.e. during a lunch break) allowing the patient to return to work or a daily routine immediately following the procedure. The results can then be noticed within just a couple of weeks post treatment.   For more in formation go to: LipoSonix FAQ- at OnlineSurgery.com.

More information to follow.