All posts in Ear Surgery

New Trends in Plastic Surgery

New Trends in Plastic Surgery

The 2014 plastic-surgery statistics will be released later today by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Thanks to an advance peek, I can report that butts are getting bigger, while breasts are getting smaller.

Buttock augmentations are up 86 percent over 2013. Michael C. Edwards, a plastic surgeon and the president of the ASAPS notes that most women don’t want giant backsides, they just want more shapely ones. The other big news is breast revisions, which are up 30.4 percent. Many attribute that rise to aging implants in need of replacement, along with many women’s desire to switch from saline to silicone-gel-filled implants, which may not have been available when they originally had surgery. What’s more, insiders say most of these women are exchanging their old implants for smaller replacements.

The other news in the numbers is a five percent drop in overall procedures: 10,663,607 in 2014, down from 11,419,610 in 2013. The decrease was mostly in minimally-invasive procedures like Botox and fillers. No explanation for this was offered by the ASAPS, but could it be what I call injection fatigue? Many women I’ve spoken to don’t want to return again and again for refills. Surgical procedures fell only 1.5 percent from 1,883,048 to 1,764,956, a drop that the number crunchers say is not statistically significant.

Fat—and getting rid of it—is still a high priority. In recent years the top surgical procedures for women have flipped back and forth between breast implants and liposuction. In 2014, liposuction held the number one spot, followed by breast augmentation (down 8.5 percent), tummy tuck, blepharoplasty (or eye lift), and in fifth place, the breast lift. Facelifts are in eighth place.

Liposuction may still be king (or is it queen?) in the surgical department, but non-surgical fat reduction with devices such as CoolSculpting and VASERshape rose a whopping 42.7 percent, from 94,922 in 2013 to 135,448 in 2014. That number could rise even more this year if ATX-101, an injection for fat reduction under the chin, gets FDA clearance, which it’s expected to receive.

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Revolutionary Approach to Mini Lift

Revolutionary Approach to Mini Lift

Dr. Frank Filiberto is offering a revolutionary approach to facial rejuvenation. By eliminating the dangers of general anesthesia, substantially reducing the cost, and shortening long recovery times, Mini Lift is a better and safer alternative to traditional procedures. With nearly 3500 procedures to date, this extraordinary Head, Neck and Facial Plastic Surgeon has mastered this revolutionary procedure.

Our priority is our patients’ safety and happiness. We are proud of our no complication rate and our excellent customer care. But don’t take our word for it. Our patients are extremely satisfied with their Mini Lift experience and we know you will be, too!

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Saggy Ear Lobes

Saggy Ear Lobes

A new cosmetic surgery s on the rise because of an unflattering sag. It seems as if ear lobes are one of the first signs of aging and in order to curb this unattractive droop women everywhere are getting an ear lift.  “Gravity takes its toll on earlobes — they droop like chins and breasts do, and can make you look older.”

And while age can play a big part in droopy lobes, another factor can be wearing heavy earrings too often.

“Years of wearing heavy earrings also cause the lobe to get stretched out of shape. An earlobe reduction is a simple operation that reshapes the earlobe to a better proportion. Another issue for women is a torn earlobe, where the hole from a pierced ear gets so stretched that the lobe tears open and has to be stitched together.”

But if going under the knife isn’t exactly something you would want to do, scientists have been developing other methods as well.

“Most clients want to have their ears plumped up with a bit of filler, to make them look younger and fuller. It’s quick, easy and relatively pain-free,” said Lesley.

 

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Social Media is Contributing to the Growing Plastic Surgery Trend

Social Media is Contributing to the Growing Plastic Surgery Trend

When it comes to social media, we’re huge advocates of using it to the best of your abilities. It opens up communication, allows us to share photos and ideas with our friends, and in general, gives everyone a voice. Today, however, we found out social media is doing another influential thing: contributing to the plastic surgery craze (it’s okay if you need to re-read that last sentence, we get it).

According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, reports on their annual findings on surgery found that the world of social media is strongly linked to the increase in plastic surgery, mainly because Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like are making those who frequently use the sites more critical of themselves. Below are some of the statistics from the study that have us a little concerned:

  • Because of social media photo sharing, 31% of surgeons have seen an increase in requests for plastic surgery because patients have a more critical eye on themselves.
  • 73% of procedures (up from 62% the previous year) were cosmetic versus reconstructive in nature.
  • Studies show that people are more drawn towards images in specific proportions, like facial features, making them more aesthetically pleasing.

So what does this all mean? When people look at pictures of themselves on social media, they’re looking at much more than just themselves. They’re also comparing themselves to the people that they follow, whether they be friends, models, celebrities, etc. and users are being much more critical of themselves because of the comparisons they’re making. This, in turn, is contributing to a rise in plastic surgery requests. Call us crazy, but we’re pretty sure that one or two bad Instagram photos aren’t worth thousands of dollars in surgery to look like someone else.

 

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Ear Plastic Surgery

Ear Plastic Surgery

Ear deformities occur in a number of conditions.  Some patients are born with absent (microtia), protruding or drooping ears, due to weak or poorly formed cartilage.  Traumatic deformities of the ear also occur due to trauma (e.g. car wreck or dog bite) or torn earlobes.  Deformity of the ears may cause social anxiety and may make children vulnerable to teasing. Regardless of the origin of the ear deformity, these ear conditions can be surgically corrected. These procedures do not alter the patient’s hearing, but they may improve appearance and self-confidence.

Can Ear Deformities Be Corrected?

Formation of the ear during development is a complex choreography of moving skin and adjacent soft tissue to give rise to the different parts of the ear.  If this process is interrupted, various differences in ear shape can occur, with the most severe being absence of the ear (and possibly the ear canal) called microtia, to mild folding differences of the ear.  The “fold” of hard, raised cartilage that gives shape to the upper portion of the ear does not form in all people. This is called “lop-ear deformity,” and it is inherited. The absence of the fold can cause the ear to stick out or flop down (see below). Some infants are born without an ear canal and hearing can be restored with a bone-anchored hearing aid or it can be surgically opened, and the outer ear reshaped to look like the other ear. Those who are born without an ear (microtia), or lose an ear due to injury, can have an artificial ear surgically attached for cosmetic reasons. These are custom formed to match the patient’s other ear. Alternatively, rib cartilage or a biomedical implant, in addition to the patient’s own soft tissue, can be used to construct a new ear.

Surgical Correction of Prominent Ears That Lack Folds

To correct this problem, the surgeon places permanent stitches in the upper ear cartilage and ties them in a way that creates a fold and props the ear up. Scar tissue will form later, holding the fold in place. Corrective surgery, called otoplasty, should be considered on ears that stick out more than 4/5 of an inch (2 cm) from the back of the head. It can be performed at any age after the ears have reached full size, usually at five or six years of age. Having the surgery at a young age has two benefits: the cartilage is more pliable, making it easier to reshape, and the child will experience the psychological benefits of the cosmetic improvement. However, a patient may have the surgery at any age.

The surgery begins with an incision behind the ear, in the fold where the ear joins the head. The surgeon may remove skin and cartilage or trim and reshape the cartilage. In addition to correcting protrusion, ears may also be reshaped, reduced in size, or made more symmetrical. The cartilage is then secured in the new position with permanent stitches which will anchor the ear while healing occurs.Typically otoplasty surgery takes about two hours. The soft dressings over the ears will be used for a few weeks as protection, and the patient usually experiences only mild discomfort. Headbands are sometimes recommended to hold the ears in place for a month following surgery or may be prescribed for nighttime wear only.

Can Torn Earlobes Be Corrected?

Ear lobe trauma can occur related to tearing related to injury from small children grabbing the earring or having it caught on clothing or other objects. These tears can be easily repaired surgically, usually in the doctor’s office. In severe cases, the surgeon may cut a small triangular notch at the bottom of the lobe. A matching flap is then created from tissue on the other side of the tear, and the two wedges are fitted together and stitched. Earlobes usually heal quickly with minimal scarring. In most cases, the earlobe can be pierced again four to six weeks after surgery to receive light-weight earrings.

Does Insurance Pay for Cosmetic Ear Surgery?

Insurance usually does not cover surgery solely for cosmetic reasons. However, insurance may cover, in whole or in part, surgery to correct a congenital or traumatic defect. Before cosmetic ear surgery, discuss the procedure with your insurance carrier to determine what coverage, if any, you can expect.

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