Women - and men - have recently been geting a lot of attention for plastic surgery and it's often negative. From celebrity plastic surgery rumors that spread like wild fire to religious statements made recently by the Vatican comparing plastic surgery to a "burqa made of flesh".
This has all come despite the fact that plastic surgery is continually becoming more common due to the increase in less invasive procedures, lower cost, and high success rate among credible physicians. Recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show an increase in cosmetic procedures over recent years with a reported 15.6 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed in 2014.
As Grace Gold states in "We Need To Shut Up About Plastic Surgery", the inferred narrative for women is clear: If you elect to have a cosmetic procedure, you're repressed and imprisoned or are making the wrong choice by falling prey to the superficial. Is this not an example of shaming women for making what should be a personal choice?
As we see with patients in our office and reports from many around the country, the reasons women - and an increasing number of men - choose to undergo plastic surgery varies greatly as each brings individual experiences to the table. But the underlying desire most patients seem to have is simply wanting to look as youthful as they feel and the inside and restore facial features to a previous state. Most men and women seek facial plastic surgery following remarks from others who tell them they look angry or tired when they feel perfectly fine. Often times, insecurities can keep people from experiencing life to it's true potential. Would we think those that choose plastic surgery based on these concerns are in anyway "fake" or lack authenticity as plastic surgery patients are often judged? READ MORE
Top 10 Botox Myths Set Straight
Newbeauty.com is a great resource for information on the latest advancements in facial plastic surgery and beauty products in general. They recently tackled the top 10 botox myths in their 2015 Winter/Spring edition that addresses many of the questions Dr. Thompson is often asked regarding Botox treatments.
1) Botox can be used anywhere on the face.
While it is true there are injectables for just about every line and wrinkle on the face, Botox is not always the answer.
Botox is FDA approved to treat crow's feet and the lines between the eyebrows. Those two areas are certainly the most common areas addressed with Botox but Dr. Thompson, as well as many other doctors, also use it in the forehead, to lift the brows, for neck bands, and sometimes only a few units above the lip.
2) Botox works immediately.
Unfortunately, no. Because Botox acts on the nerves that control muscle movement, it can take anywhere from three to seven days to kick in. Most patients start seeing results between 2-4 days and notice full effect around 1 - 2 weeks. READ MORE
Skincare In Your 40's