Ten Ways to Find the Best Plastic Surgeon  Every day I get e-mails from plastic surgery marketing organizations. One common message is that I have been nominated to be one of the Top Plastic Surgeons. If I remit 199$ I will receive a display worthy plaque that I can hang next to my desk for my patients to know that there surgeon is the “top surgeon”. I appreciate the problems patients have in trying to find a plastic surgeon they can trust. Please allow me to give you some helpful starting advice, to find a competent and caring physician.  The American Board of Plastic Surgery will supply you with a list of board certified plastic surgeons in your area. Contact the society at: www.plasticsurgery.org.Local and state medical societies will have lists of plastic surgeons in your area. For example in Los Angeles you can contact: www.lasps.org.Ask a physician you trust to refer a plastic surgeon.Ask friends who have had plastic surgery about their experience and for a referral.Get two or three referrals, and schedule a consultation. Many plastic surgeons will offer a complimentary consultation.Choose a doctor that is board certified. Understand which board has certified him or her, ask about their credentials. For a list of boards you can contact: www.abms.org.Does the physician listen to you? Were you able to express yourself fully? Are you on the same “wavelength” as the doctor? If the answer to any of these questions is no, keep looking.Does the physician give you a clear explanation of what the problem is, alternative invasive and non-invasive treatments, and what you can expect after the surgery. If not keep lookingBe comfortable with the staff, facilities and fees. If you are not keep looking. Consult with your doctor at least twice before sugery.  This list is a beginning. I sympathize with the patient and their concern about finding the best plastic surgeon. Fortunately, there are many talented, caring plastic surgeons who have the best interests of their patients at heart. You can find one.

In a word, yes. Doctors should put themselves in the patients position and ask and then answer “what would they like to know about the operation?”.  Being understood is an advantage for the patient and should be for the doctor as well. The following list should help you get what you need to know what you are getting.  Is the doctor speaking the same language you are? Does he or she use words and explanations you can understand?Is the doctor speaking directly? Speaking around information or using words like “natural result”, is not enough. Clarity is essential.Is the informed consent coming from the doctor or has she or he delegated that duty to someone else.Did  you receive copies of your consents and written information regarding the surgery?Were audiovisual and computer aids used so you could see examples of likely results? I believe that a doctor who really understands a procedure can explain it so that the patient understands the benefits, alternatives, complications and consequences. Once the patient has this information, anxiety will be reduced and the patient will be able to decide if it is a good idea to proceed with treatment.

Some forms of plastic surgery for people this young are more understandable than others, such as those that fix a very noticeable defect or problem like the removal of a birthmark. But procedures simply to change the appearance, like breast implants or rhinoplasty require serious consideration by both the parents and the doctors involved. The teenage body and features may not be fully formed, making cosmetic surgery riskier than in someone who has stopped growing. Many teenagers don’t stop to think about the surgical aspects like any drawbacks, complications, and healing time involved.

Parents of teenagers who want some type of plastic surgery to improve their looks should look carefully into their child’s motivation. If your son or daughter feels that he or she is flawed or imperfect, this may be a sign of emotional issues that go beyond what that child sees when looking in a mirror or why they see the imperfections.

Until Next Time,

Alexander Sinclair M.D.

Dr. Alexander Sinclair MD, a prominent Beverly Hills, board certified plastic surgeon expects Latisse to become a mainstay of eyelash aesthetic treatments in the near future.

Latisse is a recent introduction to the world of cosmetic treatments, and the first FDA-approved product for the growth of upper eyelashes. Regular daily application of Latisse results in the growth of new, thicker, darker upper lashes in 80 percent of the women who use it as directed.

Lash enhancement is a world known practice dating back to the first dynasty in ancient Egypt (approximately 2920-2770 BCE).  Noble and wealthy citizens applied kohl, a mixture of metal and soot, to lashes and brows to bring definition to the eyes.

Today, mascara is currently the most popular makeup product used by women, according to a 2008 report by NDP, Marketing Group  About 83 percent of American women report using mascara, compared with only 64 percent who use lipstick.

“A female patient remarked that every woman who uses mascara has been waiting for a product like Latisse,” said Dr, Sinclair. “Most of my patients feel on some level that beautiful lashes are priceless.”

While mascara has served mankind well for many years, Latisse is revolutionary in the sense that it is the first-science based approved product to grow eyelashes.

Latisse is applied once a day to the eyelid with a disposable applicator.  It is applied only to the base of the upper lashes only-not lower lashes-where the eyelash meets the skin of the upper lid.

Applications must be made daily to see the effects of Latisse, which begin to appear within 4 to 8 weeks of initial application.

Full effects of the Latisse treatment will become visible at 16 weeks after the first use, and can be maintained as long as the regular application is maintained.

Available only by prescription, Dr Alexander Sinclair MD, encourages prospective users to call and make an appointment with his office today to see if Latisse is right for them.

Find out more about Latisse

Dr. Alexander Sinclair’s operating room is certified by the American Association of Accredited Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (commonly known as Quad A, or AAAASF). Propofol  (Diprivan Tm) is a sedative/hypnotic used for the induction and maintenance of monitor assisted sedation. Propofol is given intravenously and works within 30 seconds. Wake up is quick usually within a few minutes. It is always given with all necessary supportive equipment. When used properly it is safe and efficacious.

Injecting one’s fat into the breast area to increase size is known as “fat grafting” or “autologous breast augmentation with fat transfer”.  Fat grafting is not new, in fact in the 1890’s doctors were using fat grafts to reconstruct breasts. Today fat grafting for cosmetic breast enlargement is controversial. It is not clear how long the fat survives. Doctors should be cautious about injecting fat in women with increased risks for breast cancer. The best advice is to see your plastic surgeon to get information about safe, reliable and long lasting techniques to give you the result you want.

If you want great eyelashes you should know great eyelashes don’t just happen overnight. This is why it is important to take note that LATISSE® gradually works and with remarkable – full results after 12 – 16 weeks.
Once you start treatment, for best results you must continue applying the topical solution every night and follow the directions. Remember over time you will see the results gradually.
For more information please click Latisse

Anesthesia care in an accredited or licensed facility has reached a level of sophistication that is absolutely comparable to the care received in the hospital. For maximum safety, the American Society of Plastic Surgery recommends that:

• Any planned anesthesia should be administered by skilled, licensed personnel acting under the direction of an anesthesiologist or the operating surgeon.
• Before any type of anesthesia is used, the surgeon or anesthetist must take a full medical history. A physical examination and appropriate lab tests may also be performed. Your surgeon needs to know if you have any serious medical problems or have had previous adverse reaction to any other type of anesthesia. Also, you must let the anesthetist know about any medications you are taking (including herbal supplements), any known drug allergies, when you last ate and whether you smoke cigarettes or use alcohol or illegal drugs.
• You should be assured that you will receive individual monitoring by skilled, licensed personnel before, during and after the procedure. Staff who are familiar with the warning signs of cardiac or respiratory distress and are trained in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), should be on hand to monitor your procedure and recovery following your surgery.
• If you are told that you will be kept overnight at the surgical facility while you recuperate, make sure that the facility is accredited by a recognized agency. In an accredited facility you will receive around-the-clock care and monitoring by two or more skilled and licensed staff members with at least one trained in ACLS. You will also be assured that the facility has the necessary equipment and medications to handle complications that may arise and an emergency plan in case you need to be transferred to the hospital.

Dr. Alexander Sinclair, his staff and independent associated caretakers follow the recommendations of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

The strength and movement of the pectoral muscle, which is the large muscle on the chest that flexes and rotates the shoulder, did not significantly change during the study period. There was no change in muscle flexion (bending), extension or raising the arms when preoperative muscle function was compared with the three-month and six-month evaluation periods. In addition, there was no significant difference in muscle function regardless of implant size.In assessing sensory changes of the breast, both pressure and vibratory testing were performed. Results from the study indicated a significant change in breast sensation at three months postoperatively but the sensation returned by six months, indicating that the change was temporary while the tissue surrounding the breast healed. There was no correlation stated with size of implant or surgical incision.

This is welcome news for all yoga practicing, treadmill running, tennis and golf players. Your performance in the gym shouldn’t suffer and you should be as sensitive as before.

Mothers with breast implants may decide not to breast feed their infants because of the mothers silicone getting into their breast milk.  A study by Dr. John Semple published in The Journal of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons should help them in their decision making. The research shows that when you compare women with breast implants to women who do not have breast implants there is no difference in silicon levels in the breast milk or in blood. Silicon levels in store bought cow’s milk was 15 times higher than in the milk of women with breast implants. Silicon levels in many commercially made infant nutrition formulas was often 80 times higher than the levels in the milk of women with breast implants!

Of course the choice is up to the woman, but this information that women with silicone breast implants have less silicon in their milk than in infant formulas coupled with the health, emotional and developmental benefits of breast feeding makes the choice easier.