Gals aren’t the only ones hitting the gym and the salad bar to get ready for summer. Guys are getting in line right beside them. Today’s man is more conscious of his appearance and the role it plays in projecting the image he want to portray. Young and fit is in, both in the corporate world and around the country club pool. When he duffs his shirt to mow the grass or take the boat out for a spin around the lake, today’s man wants his body to attract the right kind of attention. Beer bellies, man boobs and love handles are out. Slim, trim physiques and 6-pack abs are in. And when diet and exercise aren’t getting the job done, Cleveland men aren’t shy about seeking help from board-certified cosmetic surgeons.
Body Sculpting Popular with Men
More men than ever before are undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures. Male cosmetic surgery procedures have increased by more than 106% since 1997, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Last year men underwent nearly 1 million cosmetic surgery procedures, accounting for 10% of the total plastic surgery market. Body sculpting procedures were particularly popular with men with liposuction and male breast reduction among the 5 most popular male procedures. Rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery and ear shaping rounded out the top 5. The male market for Botox is also growing. In 2012, Botox was the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedure for both men and women.
Men have been particularly interested in Smartlipo TriPlex, the state-of-the-art laser-assisted liposuction technique that is revolutionizing body sculpting services. Minimal bruising and limited downtime allows many men to schedule their Smartlipo procedure on Friday and potentially be back at the office on Monday!
To find out more about Cleveland cosmetic surgery for men, click here to download our free Men’s Guide to Cosmetic Surgery.
Still looking fabulous, actress and fitness guru Jane Fonda shared her beauty secrets with Access Hollywood last month, just days before celebrating her 75th birthday. With a face and body that make her look decades younger than her age, Jane joked that “good genes and a lot of money” were the secret to her youthful good looks. Unlike other Hollywood stars, Jane wasn’t afraid to admit that she’s relied on the help of skin care professionals and a board-certified plastic surgeon to keep her stunning good looks.
“Being able to have good skin care, facials when I need it [has been important],” Jane told Access Hollywood. “I’ve had plastic surgery.”
Like everything else she’s tackled in life, Jane’s approach to cosmetic surgery has been unique. In keeping with her views celebrating a woman’s natural beauty, Jane worked with her plastic surgeon to address the specific issues that she felt detracted from her appearance without interfering with the aspects of her appearance that she felt brought character to her face and defined her life journey.
“I don’t like hypocrisy,” Jane said. “I made sure that they kept my lines. I didn’t want to lose my wrinkles; I just wanted to lose the bags under my eyes. I don’t like it when it’s overdone; but we do live in a time when, if you can afford a good doctor, you can have subtle plastic surgery.”
Jane believes beauty is a combination of caring for the body and the spirit. Exercise, yoga and the company of good friends are important in her life.
“I think the most important thing comes from the inside,” Jane confided. “If you feel good about yourself, if you feel good in your skin ... it comes through your eyes and your face and your smile.”
Find out how cosmetic surgery has changed the way women like you feel about themselves. Click here to download our FREE Patient Diaries.
Today, women are turning to Botox and skin fillers to combat the facial wrinkles, lines and slight sags that accumulate as we age. Botox and fillers have become so popular that some people are touting them as “the new face lift” or “liquid face lifts”. Such claims or implications are misleading and can cause confusion among consumers who wish to improve their facial appearance, leading them to anticipate results that these cosmetic surgery products cannot deliver.
Common misunderstandings about cosmetic Botox and filler treatments and what they can and cannot do emphasize the necessity of consulting with an experienced board-certified cosmetic surgeon before undergoing any cosmetic procedure, even non-invasive Botox treatments. Depending on your facial appearance goals, an experienced cosmetic surgeon may recommend a surgical procedure (face lift, brow lift, eyelid lift, etc.) or nonsurgical Botox and filler treatment or a combination of procedures.
It is important to realize that facial lift and Botox or filler treatments are not interchangeable. Botox and Dysport are used to treat facial lines by relaxing underlying muscles so they cannot contract. Dermal fillers are used to add fullness to facial features and soften deep folds and creases by adding volume. Today, many women in their 30s and 40s use Botox and filler treatments to address lines and wrinkles early. While this can put off the need for a face lift, eventually loss of elasticity and the pull of gravity may make a face lift your best option.
Get the answers to your questions about Botox and fillers by download our free Botox/Dysport and Fillers Patient Guide today.
Perhaps it is our everyday associations with the word “cosmetic” — makeup, blush, mascara, lipstick — that cause so many people to consider cosmetic surgery somehow less intimidating than, for instance, gall bladder surgery or an appendectomy. But simply because the word “cosmetic” precedes it, does not make a breast augmentation or tummy tuck or liposuction any less serious a surgical procedure than carpal tunnel surgery or a hip replacement. Some surgeries are more extensive or complex than others, but all surgery carries inherent risk, including cosmetic surgery. That is why it is important that patients do their homework before selecting a cosmetic surgeon and scheduling their cosmetic surgery procedure.
Selecting a cosmetic surgeon with the proper training, credentials and experience is the best way to minimize potential surgical risk and ensure that you are satisfied with the results of your procedure. A member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Cleveland cosmetic surgeon Dr. Vicente Poblete encourages patients, for their own safety, to do their due diligence when choosing a cosmetic surgeon.
In light of news stories about the sometimes tragic consequences that occur when cosmetic surgery is performed by people who lack proper training and credentials, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery launched a campaign to raise consumer awareness of cosmetic surgery safety issues at its recent annual conference in Vancouver. The society recommends that patients confirm that their cosmetic surgeon is not only board certified but board certified specifically in cosmetic and plastic surgery.
Click here to watch Dr. Poblete’s video explaining what patients need to know about board certification.
As the popularity of Cleveland cosmetic surgery has increased, so has the number of physicians offering cosmetic surgery services. What consumers may not realize is that once a physician receives his or her medical degree, they are free to practice in any medical field they choose.
No law prevents a degreed physician from practicing plastic surgery even if his training was in another field of medicine. It is not uncommon today to find former pediatricians, dermatologists, general practitioners and podiatrists now practicing cosmetic surgery. Only 4 states – California, Florida, Texas and Louisiana -- require medical providers to inform their patients of their medical training. For non-surgical cosmetic procedures, there is even less oversight. There are people with no medical degree and no medical training performing Botox and other non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
The performance of cosmetic surgery by unqualified providers puts prospective cosmetic surgery patients at potentially serious risk. It is up to consumers to validate the medical credentials of their Cleveland cosmetic surgeon before undergoing any cosmetic surgery procedure.
Here are the credentials to look for when choosing a Cleveland cosmetic surgeon:
- Board certification. Your cosmetic surgeon should be board-certified in plastic surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Board certification is offered in numerous medical specialties. Only board certification in plastic surgery indicates that the physician has obtained additional education, specialized training and practice in the specific field of plastic surgery.
- Hospital affiliation. The cosmetic surgeon you select should be affiliated with one or more accredited hospitals. Hospitals require affiliated physicians to meet certain standards, providing consumers with an additional level of protection.
- Professional society membership. Membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons indicates that the cosmetic surgeon adheres to rigorous educational and ethical standards. Membership in the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery is by invitation only and indicates that the cosmetic surgeon exhibits the highest level of professional expertise.
As we noted in our previous post, the U.S. medical community is grappling with the issue of what is being called “practice drift,” doctors who practice outside their medical specialty. Many news reports make references to doctors who are or are not board certified, but most consumers aren’t sure what “board certified” means and how it can affect their treatment.
What does board certified mean?
All doctors receive the same basic training; but in order to practice in one of the many medical specialties, physicians complete additional training and practical experience in a specific medical area. The American Board of Medical Specialties is the arm of the American Medical Association that governs and sets standards for each of the different medical specialties. When a physician meets the requirements for a particular medical specialty that have been set forth by the Board, he obtains board certification and is considered “board-certified.” Dr. Poblete is board certified in both Plastic Surgery and General Surgery.
To become a board-certified Cleveland plastic surgeon, a doctor must complete the required educational program at an accredited medical school, complete a minimum surgical residency of 5 years with at least 2 years devoted to plastic surgery, and pass comprehensive written and oral exams.
How does board certification affect my treatment as a Cleveland cosmetic surgery patient?
Board certification provides Cleveland cosmetic surgery patients with assurance that their doctor has the proper medical education, in-depth knowledge of surgical and safety procedures, hands-on training in the performance of cosmetic surgery procedures under the tutelage of an experienced plastic surgeon, and professional experience to successfully and safely perform your cosmetic surgery procedure.
More than half of the states in the U.S. do not require the accreditation or licensure of offices where surgery is performed. Ohio is one of only 21 states that protect patients by requiring that not only the doctors who perform surgery but the surgical sites themselves be licensed or accredited by the state. In states that require surgical sites to be licensed or accredited, regulations specify adherence to strict safety procedures in areas such as recordkeeping, anesthesia and cleanliness and require that emergency life-saving equipment and drugs be kept onsite. Surgical facilities are also subject to inspection to ensure that required safety standards are being maintained.
Accreditation and licensure of surgical facilities is just one aspect of what many call “practice drift.” The term refers to doctors who practice medicine outside the field in which they are board certified.
As note in an article published in the January 1, 2012 issue of the Journal of Medicine, the professional publication of the National College of Physicians, practice drift is creating increasing concern within the political and medical communities. Consumer complaints and several tragic instances in which patients died have put cosmetic surgery at the forefront of the practice-drift debate.
A triple tragedy in Phoenix led Arizona to publish guidelines outlining competency training for physicians who wish to practice outside their specialty. Patient complaints caused North Carolina to require that doctors practicing outside their field of expertise be held to the same standards as experienced physicians in the field. Statutes requiring physicians to meet competency requirements for procedures they perform are on also on the books in at least nine additional states.
“This is on the radar of many state boards,” physician and Federation of State Medical Boards CEO Humayun Chaudhry told the Journal of Medicine. “What doctors should or shouldn’t do when they change their area of focus is a concern for everyone.”
In our previous two posts, we’ve discussed some of the problems that can occur when cosmetic surgery is performed by someone who is either not a board-certified Cleveland cosmetic surgeon or who is a board-certified physician but is not board certified in the field of plastic surgery. The popularity of Botox and liposuction has had a curious effect on the public's perception of cosmetic surgery.
Perhaps because these two common cosmetic procedures are relatively low risk and require minimal downtime, people no longer seem to think of them as the intricate medical procedures they are.
Board certification protects consumers from fraudulent or untrained practitioners. Your cosmetic surgeon should be certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties, the only organization vetted by the American Medical Society to grant medical certification in specialized areas of medicine. It is also important to verify that the Cleveland cosmetic surgeon you select is board certified specifically in plastic surgery. Board certifications are issued for every major branch of medicine and require that the applicant achieve a specified level of education, applied knowledge, practical experience and demonstrated proficiency in a very specific field of medicine. Just as you wouldn’t allow a board-certified general practitioner to perform heart surgery; you shouldn’t allow anyone except a board-certified plastic surgeon to perform your cosmetic surgery.
When selecting a Cleveland cosmetic surgeon, you should also inquire about membership in professional societies. Your plastic surgeon should be a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the most recognized professional society for plastic surgeons. Membership in ASPS assures Cleveland cosmetic surgery patients that their plastic surgeon has completed the training required to practice cosmetic surgery, has committed himself to continuing his education and staying abreast of new developments in the field, and subscribes to a code of ethical conduct that protects the health and welfare of his patients.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has launched a public safety campaign to educate and warn the public about the risks involved in choosing a plastic surgeon without board certification.
In the following video posted on YouTube by the ASPS, you can learn about the experience of a woman who underwent breast augmentation surgery at the hands of a non-board-certified plastic surgeon and woke up to find that her implants had been merged together. Perhaps even more disturbing was the discovery that the doctor had also performed cosmetic surgery on her eyes without her permission, leaving her in pain and unable to fully close her eyes. The woman was able to have the botched breast surgery corrected by a board-certified plastic surgeon, but her eye surgery is irreversible. For the rest of her life, this woman will never be able to fully close her eyes. She will continue to suffer pain and discomfort and will be required to administer eye drops several times a day to keep her eyes properly lubricated.
What is so tragic is that all of this could have been prevented if the woman had chosen a board-certified plastic surgeon to perform her cosmetic surgery procedure.
The story has been repeated countless times in cities across the U.S. Once a doctor obtains his medical license, there is no law in the U.S. that prevents the physician from practicing medicine outside his field of expertise. As unlikely as it seems, in America general practitioners, dermatologists, pediatricians, even dental oral surgeons are all legally qualified to perform plastic surgery despite a lack of training or experience in this extremely complex medical specialty. Unfortunately, the unsuspecting public assumes that any doctor who offers to perform a cosmetic procedure must be qualified.
This is not always true and patients pay the price. When choosing a Cleveland Cosmetic Surgeon, be sure to choose a Board-Certified plastic surgeon.
Next time: What Cleveland cosmetic surgery patients need to know
When we buy anything from household appliances to lamps to cars, we look for an expert seal of approval. A Good Housekeeping seal, UL stamp or J.D. Power award lets us know that we are purchasing a quality product. When we see that seal of approval, we know that the product meets the superlative standards of the vetting agency.
In a similar manner, board certification is the cosmetic surgery patient’s guarantee that the Cleveland cosmetic surgeon they are considering has obtained the education and practical experience required by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
But not all board certifications are the same. It is important that cosmetic surgery patients understand that the American Board of Medical Specialties confers certification in numerous medical specialties from oral surgery to dermatology to general surgery. To ensure that they receive the best care and treatment available, cosmetic surgery patients should make certain that their cosmetic surgeon is board certified in plastic surgery.
L
ike surgeons that are board certified in cardiology or gastroenterology, surgeons who are board certified in plastic surgery must obtain additional education and training specifically in the field of plastic surgery.
As do other medical specialties, cosmetic surgery requires superior, detailed knowledge of a specific area of medicine. A Cleveland cosmetic surgeon must understand the intricate relationship between skin tissue, the underlying musculature and bones that give it shape, and the nerves and blood vessels that nourish it. When selecting a Cleveland cosmetic surgeon, choose wisely. Your face or body will display the success or failure of your cosmetic surgeon’s skill for all to see. Changing your appearance through cosmetic surgery is an important decision that can have wonderful, life-enhancing consequences – if you choose your Cleveland cosmetic surgeon wisely.