I look at several plastic surgeons’ Web sites throughout the day while working for PlasticSurgery.com. I also have a few friends that are interested in getting some kind of cosmetic procedure, whether it’s for a mommy makeover, or something more simple like Botox®.

All of this makes it difficult not to think about getting plastic surgery sometime in the future. But what would I get done? Rhinoplasty? Maybe, but then again, I’ve grown to like my slightly imperfect nose. Tummy tuck? Perhaps after I have kids, since it’s not recommended for women who still plan on having children. What about breast augmentation? Now that’s something every woman ponders at some point.

So, for those of us that are still unsure about what kind of breast enhancement we would like to receive, I have come across a great company that offers results similar to those of almost any breast augmentation surgery. Pure STYLE Girlfriends offers products to help us add a cup size or lift our breasts without the plastic surgeon’s assistance. More »

In today’s world, children are becoming more and more informed of “grown-up” things at a much earlier age. For example, my 6-year-old niece asked me if I had a cell phone because she wanted to add my number to her contact list. I don’t think I even had a cell phone until I was in college!

So you can imagine my surprise when I saw an article on a new children’s book about plastic surgery. My Beautiful Mommy (Big Tent Books) by Dr. Michael Salzhauer, a Florida plastic surgeon, is an illustrated book aimed at children ages 4 to 7. I remember reading “The Cat in the Hat” and “The Goldstein Bears” when I was six – not books on what my mom was going to change on her body. More »

While skimming over the news on MSN.com recently, I came across an interesting article (which they got from the Science Channel) titled “Top 10 Useless Body Parts.” Immediately, I was intrigued. I can certainly think of a few anatomical pests that I would rather live without!

According to this article, many parts that were once vital to our survival are now just unnecessary, and even troublesome. Here is the list of “useless body parts”:

10. Plica semilunaris (a third eyelid)
9. Body hair
8. Sinuses
7. Adenoids
6. Tonsils
5. Coccyx
4. Arrector pili (a muscle that makes our hair stand on end and gives us goose bumps)
3. Wisdom teeth
2. Appendix
1. Male nipples

More »

With everyone and everything “Going Green” these days, I did not want to be left behind. Although I own my “Green” car (a Toyota Prius, which I love) and I make sure that I buy energy-efficient appliances, I never really gave my skin care that extra-conscious thought until now.

So I started doing my research on what is actually in some of the products I use, and it is amazing how many things I cannot pronounce! Well, I found a company that is fabulous and specializes in natural skin care: Noodle & Boo. I am big on tag lines, and this one was great:

Think: glow – ol – o – gy (n.) the art of celebrating the beauty in every woman

More »

New breast implants, new music vid. What’s next for The Hills‘ Heidi Montag? Let’s hope, an Oscar-winning performance, similar to the likes of her celebutante comrads, with Spencer Pratt as her leading man;)

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hlofmmQAnY[/video]

Go ahead, comment away!

 We have chosen our winner in the UnSeen Secrets product giveaway! 

Congrats to Melissa, who told us that she wants The Breast Petals ™ and Cleavage Control Clip ™ because:

“My breasts sag and seem too far apart, so anything I can do or try that is painless to make them look better/enhance them is great.”

That’s what these (non-surgical) breast enhancement goodies do best, Melissa, so we hope they work out for you!

Stay on the lookout for more Beauty Chat giveaway contests in the near future. Coming soon, some items to help you ring in the new year with a clean, fresh-breath kiss!

Muah!

And of course, a warm thank you to all who participated.

-Brook

Amongst sorting through tons of e-mails, still feeling jet lagged from my vacation in Riviera Maya, Mexico, and showing off my golden tan (!), I am happy to be back chatting with you.

…So I’m not quite at the point where I’m considering anti-aging procedures; I am still enjoying my “fountain of youth” at the moment. But a new type of procedure definitely caught my eye: the removal of hand veins. Amongst the more traditional plastic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation, and bizarre cosmetic surgeries such as “toe shortening,” looks like this is another one to add to the list.

 A relatively new type of cosmetic surgery; this procedure is designed to remove bulging veins from aging hands. By doing this, a plastic surgeon can restore a smoother, rejuvenated quality to the phalanges.

Removal of hand veins seems to be a relatively simple procedure. From what I found, it consists of administering a local anesthetic, making small holes on the back of the hand, and removing several veins with a hook-like instrument. In about an hour or less, the surgery is complete! Because the incisions are so small, a compression garment is used with no stitching needed. Only one hand is performed at a time so that the patient isn’t rendered “helpless” during recovery.

At this point you’re probably wondering, “Aren’t those veins there for a reason?!” Well, not too many of them are removed, and if you’re undergoing this procedure in the first place – I’m guessing you won’t miss them much. Only the prominent veins are taken out, so there is no impairment of blood flow to the hand.

In a September article posted in the Daily Mail, the first three British women who underwent this procedure are interviewed. When describing their experiences, two of the patients explained that they felt nothing during the vein removal, while one said she “could feel an unpleasant tugging sensation.”

Hand vein removal surgery costs a little under $4,000. What do you think? Is it worth the money or just an unnecessary procedure?

~ Leeann

Hey Dr. 90210 lovers!

I want to keep you posted on the status of episode 15, the season finale. Unfortunately, I only caught parts of this show and want to see it in its entirety before giving you a full summary on iEnhance.com.

I am desperately waiting for a re-airing of the episode on E! Entertainment (and of course they aren’t airing it again for awhile: Sunday, Nov 18, 8 a.m. and Friday, Dec 14, 11 a.m.).

You can look for my recap soon. I’m so sorry about the delay! Until then, anyone have any thoughts or comments on the way the season ended? I did see the final minutes of the episode, and can I just say, definitely not the cliffhanger I expected!

~ Leeann

 This week on Dr. 90210:

Dr. David Matlock is our featured Dr. 90210 plastic surgeon on episode 14. Although it has been a few weeks since we caught up with him, he seems to be on the same dating path as he was before: having fun with no pressure of a commitment! Despite the attempts of his daughter Jessica to convince him to settle down, Dr. Matlock has no interest in monogamy and intends to take advantage of his freedom.

In addition to his dating life, we also know that Dr. Matlock’s practice is thriving as well. This week we see how his surgical skills positively impact the lives of his patients.

The most moving segments of this episode of Dr. 90210 were those that contained breast cancer survivor Greta, Dr. Gary Motykie’s patient. What she has gone through in life, and what we see on this one-hour show, is amazing and touching.

And of course Dr. Will Kirby is back, treating another one of his famous clients – a “Brady.” To find out which member of the “Bunch” relied on our dermatologist for cosmetic improvements, check out my in-depth recap found on iEnhance.com.

~ Leeann

Image Credit: iEnhance.com

“Back to Normal”

…and Jana ends up going home; reassured that “resting up” was the best option for her only a few days after her breast augmentation surgery with Dr. Andres Taleisnik. Going home meant that she could lie down and rest, without having to pick up the phone, type, and do everything else a customer service/ project coordinator does for an extremely busy online marketing company.

But when work calls, it yells! Jana decides to give her job a go again the very next day (that’s what I call dedication!) after enjoying a day of rest. It is now 5 days past her surgery, and she is feeling “90 percent better.” During this full day back at work, Jana gets the help she needs when it comes to her administrative duties, yet according to Dr. Taleisnik she must still limit her physical activity in order to ensure a healthy and speedy recovery.

Because Jana wants to achieve just that, she listens to the doctor’s orders!

As for hearing my coworker’s story about her breast enhancement, I gotta ask her this burning question: “How does it feel knowing nearly everyone at work knows that you had a ‘boob job’?” Now wait – before I share her answer, let me make something clear: the only reason we all knew about her surgery was because Jana’s excitement poured through conversations, over cubicle walls, and into the lunch hour weeks before. We all couldn’t wait to witness her new look simply because she couldn’t wait. Her results appear natural, and yes – she loves them. Jana is happy she didn’t go too big (475 ccs) explaining that “they look natural and more proportionate for my body.”

So back to her answering my burning question, Jana says this in regards to the reactions from her coworkers: “There wasn’t a shock factor. For them, it was exciting to know someone who has gone through a transformation. Everyone admitted that it seems to have been the right decision for me.”

Jana says that she was 100 percent back to normal 2 months after her surgery, gleefully recalling her visit to Dr. Taleisnik’s office for her 2nd post-op. After learning that she was able to put her sports bras aside and go shopping for a “regular” bra (without underwire). Ms. Jana hit the mall the minute she left the doctor’s office – she couldn’t wait to find lingerie to flatter her new shape!

The conclusion to Jana’s Story Part 6, is almost here! Check back soon for “Shopping for My New Size.”

~ Elana

See what led up her desire to get breast implants, and check out Jana’s Story:

Part 1: “I was tired of feeling disproportioned!”
Part 2: “Consulting a Skilled Plastic Surgeon”
Part 3: “Pre-op Visit and the Day Of”
Part 4: “Recovering in the Comfort of her Own Home”

Photo Credit: My own camera!