People are living longer healthier lives. Facial aging can be emotionally difficult. It has manifestations on our professional and social lives. Patients often express that they no longer can recognize the face in the mirror. Or they feel younger than they look. Unfortunately, eventually, they begin to feel as old as they look and this is when their quality of life is affected.

The great news is we live in a time that many safe and effective things can be done to turn back the hands of time. In this section you will find a variety of non surgical and surgical approaches designed to give you control of the aging process and once again leave you looking as young as you feel!

The field of facial rejuvenation has advanced tremendously in the last 20 years. Until recently, when a patient walked into a plastic surgeons office they were offered surgery and nothing else. The surgical approaches were deeply invasive and the recovery took months. Often as a result of overly aggressive surgical approaches to rejuvenate the eyes, forehead, cheeks and neck, patients ended up looking distorted, pulled and unnatural. Unfortunately, many prospective patients today still have a vivid memory of these faces and they think twice about having facial surgery to refresh and rejuvenate their look. Who can blame them?

Today, things have changed dramatically. Now the modern and advanced facial surgeon will put together a customized and comprehensive plan that incorporates both surgical and non-surgical modalities in an effort to offer the most natural and minimally-invasive approach to facial rejuvenation. Even the surgeries are significantly less invasive. For example, many surgeons will perform a short incision short flap facelift which gives maximal correction of the jaw line and neck while yet allowing the patient to recover in about 1 week. The midface and eyes are treated with volume augmentation (with fat transfer, Restylane or Juvederm, and Botox) as opposed to aggressive mid face lifts or eyelid surgery. The skin is treated with conservative peels or advanced lasers that refresh the skin without permanently changing the tone and texture like many of the previous approaches.

With the availability of more tools, the artistry of the field has improved so that patients can be offered a range of procedures that can produce subtle to substantial changes in their facial appearance. The net result of the facial rejuvenation has less down side but a much higher upside with respect to a natural rejuvenation and restoration of facial youth.

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in San Diego, California and plastic surgery procedures such as San Diego Facial Rejuvenation, tummy tuck, facelift, arm lift, liposuction, and nasal surgery.

Technorati Tags: Facial Rejuvenation, San Diego, Plastic Surgery

When the facial aging process begins to take place and the face is sometimes out of harmony with the eyelids or forehead, some patients become self-conscious. And when patients state that they look older than they truly feel or their friends tell them that they look tired and not well rested, a facelift or a neck lift is performed. The face/neck lift is a very popular procedure done frequently in the United States and it is in the top 1/3 in popularity of all cosmetic procedures performed on the face.

The facelift is done for cosmetic reasons, and it is a procedure that is done on the face and neck to rejuvenate the face. This procedure tightens up lax facial skin, neck skin and muscles, jowls, and addresses neck fat as well. It also tightens the muscles in the face, the posterior portion of the neck and the front portion of the neck. Excess skin is removed around the ears and fat is removed underneath the neck.

There are three components that are addressed with a facelift. The first one is the fat in the neck, which is removed with both direct and indirect liposuction and fat sculpting. The second component is muscle, which is tightened underneath the neck to redefine the jaw line, tighten behind the jaw line to accentuate the posterior portion of the jaw line, and it is tightened up at the cheek area to lift the jowls. The third component is excess skin. Once the muscles have been tightened and the fat has been removed, there is usually excess skin that has to be trimmed in a very conservative fashion.

All three of these components must be addressed to have a very natural and good looking symmetrical facelift. Most close family members and friends do not even recognize the fact that a patient has had a face or neck lift. They just look more well rested, refreshed, and look as though they have lost weight. The weight loss appearance comes from the removal of fat in the neck.

There are different types of facelifts that are performed. There is a traditional facelift, which addresses a full face and neck lift. This addresses facial skin laxity, the jowls and all of the neck fat and laxity of the muscles in the neck. There is also a mini lift, which is done for simple facial laxity to lift the jowls only and does not address the neck area.

This is typically done on younger patients less than 50 years old who just have jowling but have an adequate jaw neck line. There is also a neck lift alone, which can usually be done on patients who are less than 50 years old, to address only neck fat and redefine the jaw line, but it does nothing for the jowls and facial laxity.

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in Seattle, Washington and cosmetic surgery procedures like seattle facelift, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, brachioplasty, liposuction, and ear pinning.

Technorati Tags: facelift, face lift, rhytidectomy, plastic surgery, plastic surgeon, cosmetic surgery, seattle

Large breasts can cause multiple problems, including neck, back, shoulder pain, headaches, shoulder-grooving (bra-straps digging in), interference with activities and exercise, rashes under the breasts, inability to find clothing that fits properly and psychological problems with self-image. As a result, women with large breasts are often in chronic pain, have little energy and may be overweight because they are unable to exercise, which prevents them from enjoying a higher quality of life.

While weight loss and exercise are often suggested by most physicians prior to surgery, these efforts are often futile. Weight loss usually does not alleviate the symptoms of large breasts. Medications may be of some benefit, but usually the effect is limited. Invariably, surgery is the most effective, efficient and most successful way to treat problematic large breasts.

Breast reduction can be performed at any age, but plastic surgeons usually recommend waiting until breast development has stopped. Breast reduction is a surgical procedure in which breast tissue and skin is removed, resulting in a smaller breast. Removal of excess skin results in a breast that is higher on the chest and has a more pleasant appearance. This is an important component of the operation, because it allows the breast to be restored to a more youthful appearance and shape. During the operation, the nipples-areola complex is moved to a higher position on your breasts. This is usually accomplished without removing your nipples.

The technique used to do this is called breast transposition, in which the nipple stays fully attached to the breast and only the surrounding skin is moved. As the nipple preserves its attachment, most women retain nipple sensation and the ability to breast feed. Only in cases where the breasts are severely enlarged do the nipples require free grafting (completely detached from the body). Childbirth and breast-feeding may have significant and unpredictable effects on the size and shape of your breasts. Nevertheless, many women decide to undergo breast reduction before having children and feel that they can address any subsequent changes later. If you plan to breast-feed in the future, you should discuss this with your plastic surgeon.

No one can guarantee your final cup size, simply because cup size is not standardized. Have a detailed discussion with our plastic surgeon prior to surgery to communicate your desired size. Explaining your preference in comparison to your current size is very helpful. For example, you might want to be somewhere between one third and one half of your current size. Realize that this operation involves scars. If you are unwilling to accept scars, you should not have this operation, as no surgeon can predict how scars will heal on you. Quit smoking for at least eight weeks before surgery.

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgeons in Phoenix, Arizona and breast contouring plastic surgery procedures such as phoenix breast reduction, breast lift, breast augmentation, and breast reconstruction.

Technorati Tags: breast surgery, breast reduction, reduction mammoplasty, breast augmentation, mammoplasty, faclift

The skin does not always fully conform to the body’s new shape following significant weight loss. The skin may lose elasticity and begin to sag. One of the areas of the body most affected by this problem is the thigh area.

Thanks to thigh lift surgery, a highly effective cosmetic surgical procedure that removes excess fat and skin from the thighs, a solution is available. A thigh lift can dramatically improve the thigh area, as well as enhance the overall appearance of the figure. After working hard to lose a significant amount of weight, developing a secondary problem such as excess, sagging skin can be very frustrating.

You may be a candidate for a thigh lift if you have experienced a loss of skin elasticity of the thigh, hip, or buttock areas. You may also desire a thigh lift if your skin in the thigh area is saggy, has an orange peel, flabby and/or dimpled appearance. A thigh lift may also be indicated if your thigh appearance improves dramatically when you lift the lax skin. If you are self-conscious about your lower body appearance you may also want to look into a thigh lift. A thigh lift is intended to produce tighter, more attractive thigh and buttock skin with improved contours. It is also intended to decrease irregularities in skin surface.

A thigh lift is performed under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis unless otherwise advised by your plastic surgeon. Wide variations in the design of the incisions to meet clothing or personal desires are possible. Lifting the inner thighs requires only short incisions extending from the anterior part of the thigh/groin crease around to the buttock crease. Lateral or anterior thigh lifts can be performed as separate procedures if desired. The buttocks can be lifted with upper or lower scars. The doctor will show you what specific procedures are available to solve your particular problem.

The patient is placed in a compression garment (similar to a long-line elastic support girdle) at the end of surgery to reduce swelling and assist in the natural shrinking and tightening of the skin. With a smaller thigh lift, initial discomfort is usually easily controlled with prescription pain medication. With larger thigh lifts, one or two nights care in a skilled nursing facility or hospital are usually required. This allows for pain injections, intravenous catheters, etc. Bruising and swelling usually subside within a month, strenuous activities are usually possible in six weeks and almost all symptoms are gone in four to six months.

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in Atlanta, Georgia and plastic surgery procedures such as atlanta thighplasty, liposuction, abdominoplasty, brachioplasty, male breast reduction, and breast augmentation.

Technorati Tags: thigh lift, thigh plasty, body contouring, atlanta, georgia, plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery

Otoplasty (Cosmetic Ear Surgery) is a surgical procedure used to improve the appearance of protruding ears or to reduce the size of large ears. It can also help correct ear deformities such as “lop ear,” “cupped ear,” or “shell ear.” Otoplasty can be performed on children and adults, however children need to wait until the ears are almost fully grown. This usually occurs by the age of 4 or 5.

With any operation, there are associated risks. These include infection or a reaction to the anesthesia. A small percentage of patients may develop a blood clot in the ear and this can either dissolve naturally or may need to be aspirated. Occasionally an infection can occur in the cartilage, which will cause scar tissue to form. These infections can be treated with antibiotics.

At your initial consultation, your plastic surgeon will evaluate your general health, examine your ears, and explain the procedure to you along with the risks of the procedure. In addition, your doctor will give you different options based on your particular situation. At this time, your doctor will also discuss with you the types of anesthesia and risks involved, the estimated length of your ear surgery, and what your healing period will be like. Feel free to ask any questions you might have. You plastic surgeon wants to be sure you have a complete understanding of the information given to you so you can make a decision which is right for you.

After meeting with the doctor you will be offered a computer imaging session, which will help communicate to the doctor the outcome and result you are looking for along with what your plastic surgeon thinks is a realistic expectation. Photographs will be taken and altered on the computer screen to give you an idea of what changes you can expect to see as a result of otoplasty.

From that point, you will meet with a financial counselor who will give you the exact price quote for your otoplasty. He or she will give you the options of the different facilities where you can have your procedure done along with their fees for anesthesia and the use of their facility. Many plastic surgeons have a financing company with which they work closely, and if you are interested in this, you will be instructed how to apply for a loan. The criteria for this is about the same as being eligible to take out a car loan.

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in Seattle, Washington and plastic surgery procedures such as seattle otoplasty, rhytidectomy, thighplasty, abdominoplasty, liposuction, and blepharoplasty.

Technorati Tags: otoplasty, ear pinning, ear surgery, cosmetic ear surgery, seattle, washington, facial rejuvenation

Scene style is a very popular type of hairstyle for girls, mainly from ages 15-25. Besides clothing, scene hair is the most dramatic effect of scene style, which seems to get the most attention. Scene hairstyles mostly consist of bleach blonde or black hair, straightened, and full of many layers and neon colors. Some scene girls will dye their hair blonde, and dye the layers underneath black. Many scene girls prefer the “raccoon” hairstyle. This involves bleaching the hair, and dying separate sections of the hair with a different color, creating a striped pattern that resembles a raccoon’s fur.

Scene girl hair is usually longer and straight, with many choppy layers and strips of hair dyed several colors. Common colors used are black, pink, blue, and purple. The hair must have layers in it, so that the scene style can be properly done. Scene girls will tease their hair, so that their hair is fluffier towards the top. Many girls will accessorize with different-colored bows or hair pins.

Most scene girls have longer bangs, parted on one side, that hang across the brow line from one side to the other. If your bangs are used to hanging in the front or parted to hang on both sides, it is sometimes necessary to “train” them to stay in place on one side. Bangs can also be layered at an angle.

Hair bows can be of various sizes, but small to medium sized bows are more often worn. These can be solid colored or with patterns. Popular solid colors are hot pink, neons, and black (if your hair is bleach blonde). Popular patterns are polkadots, stars, stripes, and hearts. Many scene girls can be seen with Hello Kitty brand bows. Hello Kitty is very common among the scene style.

If you want to experiment with different scene styles, the best thing to do is to go to your local drug store and try out different dyes. Also, if you want to try different hair lengths, purchase extensions to attach to your hair. These come in various lengths and colors. You can purchase extensions for your bangs as well.

Once you’ve figured out what kind of scene hairstyle you want, the best thing to do is go to a local salon, to get your hair professionally styled. Make sure you do your research before choosing your salon. It’s best to pick one that is used to styling hair in the way you prefer. You don’t want to go to a hairdresser who knows nothing about the current scene hairstyles.

Justin Briggs runs an scene girl clothing store and a blog about Paramore Riot lyrics.

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Laser treatment is an FDA approved non-invasive approach to permanent reduction of facial and body hair. Long term studies in the U.S. and Europe have shown the technology to be effective and safe when done by experienced professionals. It is a convenient way to remove unwanted hair without shaving, waxing, or electrolysis. Women most often treat the lip and chin, under arms, bikini line, and legs. Men usually treat the back, shoulders, and upper arms. Many cosmetic surgeons use the Gentlase Plus for all of their hair removal.

Dark pigment (melanin) in the hair attracts and absorbs the energy of the light emitted by the laser. In a fraction of a second, the absorbed laser energy is transformed into heat, destroying the hair follicle, without damaging the skin or surrounding tissue. A certain percentage of the follicles are instantaneously and permanently disabled with each treatment. The process takes from several minutes to several hours, depending on the area of the body involved.

Hair grows in three phases: the growth phase, the mature phase and the dormant phase. The laser affects hair follicles only in the growth phase. Because of this, more than one treatment is necessary to disable all hair follicles. Treatments are done four to six weeks apart, in order to treat hair follicles in the growth phase. Usually three to five treatments are necessary to treat all hair follicles.

Over time, skin will grow new hair from follicles that have never been active before. This is common due to a variety of reasons, such as hormonal changes, aging, maturation, etc. If you experience re-growth, you will notice the texture of the hair is fine and lighter in color. After you have successfully been treated for hair reduction, you may require an occasional maintenance session to eliminate the new hair.

Since it is the pigment in the hair that absorbs the laser energy, darker hair will absorb more energy. Thicker hair will absorb more energy, as well. Thus, the perfect patient for laser hair reduction is fair skinned and has dark hair. Patients with very light, blonde, or gray hair are not good candidates for this treatment. This is why it is a good idea to get rid of unwanted hair before it turns gray.

In darker skin types, or tanned skin, hyper-pigmentation may occur. Hyper-pigmentation is a response of your normal pigment calls to laser stimulation, is basically a dark tan, in a very localized area. Fortunately, it is temporary and will fade over time. If you are tanned however, it is best if you wait four weeks for your tan to fade, to minimize the chances for hyper-pigmentation.

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in San Diego, California and cosmetic surgery procedures such as san diego laser hair removal, rhinoplasty, lip augmentation, liposuction, abdominoplasty, and rhytidectomy.

Technorati Tags: laser hair removal, laser hair reduction, california, san diego, cosmetic surgery, cosmetic surgeon

Are you a little clueless about lingerie shopping? Need some help when it comes to the right lingerie pieces to have in your dresser? Well here is your ultimate guide to womens’ lingerie shopping!

Believe it or not, there are still some women out there who are not so comfortable about shopping in the women’s lingerie section or specialty stores – even if it is for their own underwear! Why? Well unfortunately, there are still some women out there who are not so open minded about their bodies and are still hung up on whatever body issues they might have with themselves.

Yes, we all have body issues, even that seemingly perfect model that you see in your favorite magazine or those girls in Playboy, it really is only a big deal if you let it get the best of you. So what is the best way to enjoy women’s lingerie shopping? Throw all your insecurities out the window and let the fun begin! Here’s a list of the ultimate women’s lingerie pieces that you should buy on your next shopping trip…

Sports bra: whether you are into racerback tanks or not, this is a very practical choice especially on days when you need some extra support like when you go to the gym or have a very active day ahead.

Seamless underwear: this goes for both panty and bra. This will keep you from having those nasty VPL or VBL. Get a pair of each in nude and black since you never know when the occasion will call for one.

Bikini set: while this is a definite beach essential, bikinis especially the bra tops are actually a nice alternative when it comes to casual tops like halters or off the shoulder tops. Try to look for one that will still give you some good support unlike those skimpy string bikinis. These are only good for girls who are less endowed.

Cute and comfy sleepwear: throw away those ratty panties and bras now! You can still be comfortable while looking cute through boyleg, brief style or boxer shorts paired with either a cami or tank when it comes to sleepwear.

Slips: you may not realize this now but slip dresses are actually a very practical lingerie of choice. Not only does it look very sexy in bed, it also easily doubles as inner wear for see through dresses. While black should always be a staple in anyone’s wardrobe, do try to get some in punchy colors like pink, aqua or orange as well, these will look great under peek a boo dresses.

Everyday wear: when it comes to making a choice for practical underwear, choose simple cotton undies and bras that will keep you cool and comfy in spite of whatever your activities may be within the day. If you are well endowed, do try to stay away from padded bras as these will just make you breasts look huge – in a slutty way. Just opt for the lightly padded ones that offer great support.

If you are too conscious about your breast size, T-shirt bra and minimizers are always readily available in lingerie shops. These will keep you from feeling too self conscious even if you are just wearing something as simple as a nice fitted tee.

Sebastian Marders loves writing about a variety of things and sharing the website that inspires each piece with his readers. If you are interested in browsing a selection of sheer robes, as well as the peek a boo bra, and silk panties then please visit.

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When the facial aging process begins to take place and the face is sometimes out of harmony with the eyelids or forehead, some patients become self-conscious. And when patients state that they look older than they truly feel or their friends tell them that they look tired and not well rested, a facelift or a neck lift is performed. The face/neck lift is a very popular procedure done frequently in the United States and it is in the top 1/3 in popularity of all cosmetic procedures performed on the face.

The facelift is done for cosmetic reasons, and it is a procedure that is done on the face and neck to rejuvenate the face. This procedure tightens up lax facial skin, neck skin and muscles, jowls, and addresses neck fat as well. It also tightens the muscles in the face, the posterior portion of the neck and the front portion of the neck. Excess skin is removed around the ears and fat is removed underneath the neck.

There are three components that are addressed with a facelift. The first one is the fat in the neck, which is removed with both direct and indirect liposuction and fat sculpting. The second component is muscle, which is tightened underneath the neck to redefine the jaw line, tighten behind the jaw line to accentuate the posterior portion of the jaw line, and it is tightened up at the cheek area to lift the jowls. The third component is excess skin. Once the muscles have been tightened and the fat has been removed, there is usually excess skin that has to be trimmed in a very conservative fashion.

All three of these components must be addressed to have a very natural and good looking symmetrical facelift. Most close family members and friends do not even recognize the fact that a patient has had a face or neck lift. They just look more well rested, refreshed, and look as though they have lost weight. The weight loss appearance comes from the removal of fat in the neck.

There are different types of facelifts that are performed. There is a traditional facelift, which addresses a full face and neck lift. This addresses facial skin laxity, the jowls and all of the neck fat and laxity of the muscles in the neck. There is also a mini lift, which is done for simple facial laxity to lift the jowls only and does not address the neck area.

This is typically done on younger patients less than 50 years old who just have jowling but have an adequate jaw neck line. There is also a neck lift alone, which can usually be done on patients who are less than 50 years old, to address only neck fat and redefine the jaw line, but it does nothing for the jowls and facial laxity.

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in Seattle, Washington and cosmetic surgery procedures like seattle facelift, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, brachioplasty, liposuction, and ear pinning.

Technorati Tags: facelift, face lift, rhytidectomy, plastic surgery, plastic surgeon, cosmetic surgery, seattle

Large breasts can cause multiple problems, including neck, back, shoulder pain, headaches, shoulder-grooving (bra-straps digging in), interference with activities and exercise, rashes under the breasts, inability to find clothing that fits properly and psychological problems with self-image. As a result, women with large breasts are often in chronic pain, have little energy and may be overweight because they are unable to exercise, which prevents them from enjoying a higher quality of life.

While weight loss and exercise are often suggested by most physicians prior to surgery, these efforts are often futile. Weight loss usually does not alleviate the symptoms of large breasts. Medications may be of some benefit, but usually the effect is limited. Invariably, surgery is the most effective, efficient and most successful way to treat problematic large breasts.

Breast reduction can be performed at any age, but plastic surgeons usually recommend waiting until breast development has stopped. Breast reduction is a surgical procedure in which breast tissue and skin is removed, resulting in a smaller breast. Removal of excess skin results in a breast that is higher on the chest and has a more pleasant appearance. This is an important component of the operation, because it allows the breast to be restored to a more youthful appearance and shape. During the operation, the nipples-areola complex is moved to a higher position on your breasts. This is usually accomplished without removing your nipples.

The technique used to do this is called breast transposition, in which the nipple stays fully attached to the breast and only the surrounding skin is moved. As the nipple preserves its attachment, most women retain nipple sensation and the ability to breast feed. Only in cases where the breasts are severely enlarged do the nipples require free grafting (completely detached from the body). Childbirth and breast-feeding may have significant and unpredictable effects on the size and shape of your breasts. Nevertheless, many women decide to undergo breast reduction before having children and feel that they can address any subsequent changes later. If you plan to breast-feed in the future, you should discuss this with your plastic surgeon.

No one can guarantee your final cup size, simply because cup size is not standardized. Have a detailed discussion with our plastic surgeon prior to surgery to communicate your desired size. Explaining your preference in comparison to your current size is very helpful. For example, you might want to be somewhere between one third and one half of your current size. Realize that this operation involves scars. If you are unwilling to accept scars, you should not have this operation, as no surgeon can predict how scars will heal on you. Quit smoking for at least eight weeks before surgery.

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgeons in Phoenix, Arizona and breast contouring plastic surgery procedures such as phoenix breast reduction, breast lift, breast augmentation, and breast reconstruction.

Technorati Tags: breast surgery, breast reduction, reduction mammoplasty, breast augmentation, mammoplasty, faclift