Smart Beauty Guide Blog

• Sometimes Plastic Surgery Isn’t The Answer 

  • By Anthony P. Terrasse MD, FACS

  

  It is human nature to strive for perfection, be it in our careers, education, and even when it comes to our appearance. However, there are times the desire to achieve so-called ‘perfection’ when it comes to our outward appearance crosses into unhealthy territory - one where an individual is preoccupied with self-perceived defects or flaws which are either unnoticeable by others or are viewed by others as variations of what can only be considered normal. This may be part and parcel to a disorder referred to as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or Body Dysmorphia. 

• Not All Hair Removal Lasers Are Created Equal - Which Is The Best Choice For YOU? 

  • By Jenny Isenman

  

  It’s interesting that you never hear much about the specific lasers used for hair removal. Ads, Groupons, med-spas and those ladies that hold house parties like to give you the blanket “laser hair removal” term, but there isn’t just one type of laser - there are many, and one might be a better fit for you than another. Before choosing to spend the dough on laser treatments, you should probably educate yourself on the different options available and which may be best for your specific needs. 

• Social Media and Botox: How the Anti-Wrinkle Injection Became Popular Among the 20-Something Set  

  • By Neil Tanna MD, MBA, FACS

  

  Botulinum toxin is the most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedure and with good reason. It works by minimizing muscle activity and provides temporary paralysis to the muscles it is injected into. It does so by interfering with the underlying muscles’ ability to contract, which allows for existing wrinkles to smooth out. And even though results from the anti-wrinkle injection treatments only last three to four months, it is still the go-to injectable treatment and gold standard for smoothing out facial wrinkles. Botulinum toxin comes in three brands, (Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin). 

• Minimizing Scarring, Swelling, and Redness After Plastic Surgery 

  • By Bryce Gruber

  

  Visiting the plastic surgeon’s office is becoming a more routine and normal thing. There is no longer a stigma associated with some nips, tucks, or injections. However a few minor details are still getting in the way of some patients heading in for look-better, feel-better procedures. Aside from affordability, many potential patients cite concerns over post-procedure redness, swelling, and scarring. But is it really a necessary concern — one that is big enough to stop a person from a potentially confidence-boosting procedure? 

• The Hairy Truth About Female Hair Loss 

  

  By: Genevieve Miller 

  While all of us lose an average of 50 to 100 hairs a day, sometimes we lose far more - to the point where it becomes painfully noticeable. To make matters worse, there is a veritable laundry list of factors that might be the cause; everything from certain over-the-counter drugs to stress to hormones to vitamin deficiencies and certain diseases and conditions. Some are easily reversed while others are not, which is why additional intervention may be necessary.  

• The Latest in Tattoo Removal Techniques: Because No One Should be Branded with Their Tramp Stamp for Eternity, (unless they want to be) 

  • By Melissa Chapman

  

  I subscribe to a certain theory in regards to the monumental decision to brand oneself with a tattoo. Namely, before one gets a tattoo they should imagine themselves looking at that tattoo in twenty years, or, at the very least, after the tequila wears off. Case-in-point: I’ll never forget a guy I dated who showed me his Hebrew-worded tattoo and very matter-of-factly told me that it meant “strength” when, (unbeknownst to him and because I am fluent in Hebrew,) I knew that it actually meant “cow.” This date’s misguided tattoo is a story I relay to anyone I know who is about to get inked. 

• The Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedure I Would Perform For My Own Kids 

  • By Michael Law MD

  

  Being a parent, it is my responsibility to teach my kids to be confident, and that confidence isn’t entirely based on one’s outward appearance. I am personally not a proponent of aesthetic plastic surgery for minors, but as a father of boys, I feel very empathetic towards boys and young men with gynecomastia. The treatment, (breast reduction surgery), is the only aesthetic surgical procedure that I will perform on children. 

• A Tummy Tuck is Not a One-Size-Fits-All Solution  

  • By Melissa Chapman

  

  After the birth of my second child who was delivered via C-section, I was left with a small but noticeable area of extra skin which, despite my best efforts to minimize, I have not been able to improve. That sweet baby boy, the one who just refused to get into position in-utero, is now 11 years old and lovingly tells me he is “so sorry that my tummy has a flap that hangs over.” I have finally come to accept the cold hard fact that without a true tummy tuck I will never be able to wear a bikini again. 

• Male and Female Rhinoplasty: Is There a Difference? 

  • By Nancy Weinberg Simon

  

  Over the years I've known quite a few people who have undergone rhinoplasty for varied reasons. People are often looking for facial harmony and to enhance the proportions of their nose, not to mention it can also help with impaired breathing. A good looking man I know got a nose job when he was in his mid- to late-20s with a somewhat prominent, strong nose. 

• Why Fat is ‘Liquid Gold’ and the Next Frontier in Beauty 

  • By Bryce Gruber

  

  Millions of people have had liposuction, and it’s safe to say that the majority of the fat sucked through countless cannulas has been tossed out as medical waste, but with every industry in the world starting to take recycling and more eco-friendly approaches, it’s no surprise that even our fat is now being recycled. If you’re thinking ‘OMG, that’s gross!’ don’t worry— it’s not about shifting your love handles to your best friend.