Celebrity Cosmetic Surgery

Did Tiger Woods Need a Plastic Surgeon?

2009-12-30T17:16:00.001-05:00

X17 is reporting that Tiger Woods suffered such severe injuries at the hands of his wife that he needed a plastic surgeon to repair him. According to Popeater, Tiger's wife attacked him with a 9 iron:

"When she struck Tiger, she put a huge gash in the right side of his face next to his nose (causing his nose to bruise some), and virtually knocking two of his upper teeth out, and breaking the bone on the upper right side," (sports columnist) Bisher writes.

I take ER call for a local hospital and quite often see traumatic injuries, such as people who get bit by dogs, fall off horses, are struck by flying logs, and are in car accidents. Last week I saw a patient with some major injuries from a seizure. BUT I've never seen a philandering husband beat in the face with a golf club by his pissed off wife!

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Has Lil Kim Undergone a Revision Rhinoplasty?

2009-12-29T22:08:00.003-05:00

Make Me Heal.com is reporting that Lil Kim has undergone a revision rhinoplasty. Check out their article here.

Back in a flash!

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Kathy Griffin - Botox Brows?

2009-12-27T22:38:00.002-05:00

Kathy Griffin meet Botox. Botox meet Kathy Gr- Oh sorry, it looks like you've already met. And know each other very well.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Santa Claus and Plastic Surgery?

2009-12-25T12:12:00.003-05:00

What plastic surgery would make Santa Claus look better?
Well, first of all, he should hold off on some of those fattening cookies and switch to skim milk. This may allow him to lose a few pounds and improve his morbid obesity. As far as plastic surgery, his nose is the major problem. He suffers from rhinophyma, a condition where the nose becomes bulbous and red from overgrowth of sebaceous glands. This is often connected to out-of-control rosacea. Bill Clinton appears to have rhinophyma too.

Santa's nose can be whittled down using lasers, loop cautery, or even just a simple scalpel blade. Then he would look more like Ashlee Simpson.

Merry Christmas to you! May God bless you and your families.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Brittany Murphy's Death and Plastic Surgery Rumors

2009-12-24T15:14:00.003-05:00

Rumors abound surrounding the recent death of actress Brittany Murphy. Does plastic surgery or medications she may have taken after having plastic surgery have any connection with her premature passing? Here are some articles that focus on her connection with plastic surgery:

The Plastic Surgery Channel - Was she taking Vicodin?
Gather.com - Was she a plastic surgery addict?
Make Me Heal.com - Speculation on her plastic surgery.

Just another sad Hollywood story all around. She was great in 8 Mile...

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Tara Reid's Plastic Surgery in Playboy

2009-12-21T20:46:00.003-05:00

The latest issue of Playboy contains actress Tara Reid's nude pictorial. As you probably know, she has been very candid about her botched breast lift and liposuction surgery by a phony plastic surgeon. She subsequently underwent corrective surgery by a good friend of mine, Dr. Steve Svehlak, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. Now she's in Playboy. Topless. With no scars. Hmmm. Something smells fishy, and it's not her acting career.

This reminds me of the Carnie Wilson Playboy pictorial, after she admitted to undergoing a breast lift. There were no scars in her pictorial either! What kind of breast lift creates no scars??

With all the airbrushing and Photoshopping going around, when reading magazines I often feel like I'm looking at drawings or paintings of famous people, not photographs. Maxim and Playboy may be the worst of these, but virtually every magazine airbrushes their photos. This creates a very unrealistic view of how people should and do look. Anyone can look good if their 'flaws' are conveniently painted away or covered with makeup, even me. Have you seen how great my skin looks on TV? Not in real life it doesn't!

To see a few photos from the Tara Reid Playboy issue, check out Perez Hilton's blog here.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

The Bo-Tax is Dead

2009-12-19T21:14:00.002-05:00

Breaking News:
The Bo-Tax has died. The proposed 5% tax on cosmetic plastic surgery has been removed from the final draft which was agreed to by the final Democratic senator holdout.

Hopefully we will not see the Bo-Tax rear its ugly head again...

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Merry Christmas! You Need to Improve How You Look!

2009-12-18T20:34:00.002-05:00

There's a nice article by Diane Mapes in MSNBC.com called Bad Santa: Gifts That Say You're Old, Fat, and Hairy. They interviewed me for this one. Find it here.

November and December are some of the busiest months for plastic surgeons. There are lots of reasons:
1. People have time off to recover.
2. People have paid their deductibles and want to use their insurance for elective procedures (not cosmetic, though).
3. People come home for the holidays and have Mom take care of them while they recover from plastic surgery. No one cares for you like Mom!
4. People get plastic surgery as Christmas gifts.

With the economy in Michigan in the toilet, I am surprised at just how many people are having plastic surgery. I'm thankful, though, since I am able to give out Christmas bonuses and gift baskets this year!

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Sophia Loren Denies Plastic Surgery - Huh?

2009-12-16T21:33:00.003-05:00

Sophia Loren has recently gone on record denying having plastic surgery. According to ivillage.com:

The actress, who became an international sensation in the '60s, has told PEOPLE magazine that her looks are 100% natural. "I don't believe in having work done, because then everybody looks the same," she says.

Huh? While I don't think she's had a lot of work done, to me she looks like she's had a facelift. Here are some signs:
1. There is a sweep to her jawline which is consistent with the sweep of a facelift.
2. Her jawline is unnaturally sharp and tight for a 75 year old woman.
3. Some photos of the undersurface of her neck show unevenness and dimpling similar to that seen with a facelift.

My feeling is, if you're not going to come clean and admit you've had work done, then that's your business. However, don't come out saying you haven't had work done when you have, since that's just being disingenuous. Just my humble opinion!

I like Jane Seymour. She's been very up front and nonapologetic about what she's had done. Plus, I like her in the cult classic Somewhere in Time.

Photo credit: In Your Face

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Do It Yourself Plastic Surgery?

2009-12-14T21:27:00.003-05:00

There was an interesting segment on 20/20 regarding Do It Yourself plastic surgery. Some of the stories are unbelievable, with some horrific results. I find it amazing that people would buy items on the internet and inject themselves with them. I don't mind giving injections and performing surgery, but I still can't look when I get a flu shot.

Make sure to always choose a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. To do anything else would be taking an unnecessary risk. You don't want to end up looking like the poor Korean woman in the video! (yes, a bit of an exaggeration, I know)

For the 20/20 segment on streaming video, click here.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Is Suzanne Somers Getting a Stem Cell Facelift?

2009-12-12T15:02:00.003-05:00

The latest issue of the National Enquirer has an interesting story (which I am quoted in) that claims Suzanne Somers is going to have a stem cell facelift. Apparently her latest book contains a lot about her ideas with stem cells and their possible benefits. She mentions getting her stem cells banked in a recent blog post, as well.

So what is the stem cell facelift? Basically, stem cells are extremely young cells which can divide and grow into the cells of the organ they are transplanted into. That's why stem cells are very promising for cancer treatments, where treatment often includes removing large portions of important organs. Many people believe that stem cells which are transplanted into the face can help reverse aging by becoming youthful skin and fat. The stem cell procedure/device is not FDA approved for this purpose, however, so the actual stem cell facelift cannot be performed in the U.S.

Currently the closest thing we have to a stem cell facelift in the U.S. is the Volumetric Facelift, or a facelift combined with fat grafting. I was a coauthor of the original scientific paper that described this procedure back in 2004. For that article, click here. The difference between fat grafting and actual stem cell injections is that although fat is chock full of stem cells, the fat contains other cells as well.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is a Chump...and His Wife Had Plastic Surgery

2009-12-08T21:49:00.005-05:00

Will his transgressions never end??? Former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has testified that he paid more than $15,000 to a Dallas plastic surgery clinic to pay for his wife's plastic surgery. This occurred two weeks after telling a judge he could not afford to pay for his monthly restitution payments to the City of Detroit. He now claims that the surgery was to repair damage from a hernia and birth complications.

Sounds like his wife Carlita had a tummy tuck, likely with another surgery such as a breast lift due to the price he paid.

This guy is the definition of a liar and a crook. It's amazing he's not in jail right now. Kwame, you're a chump! Dallas, you can have him!

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Ever Get Plastic Surgery For Christmas?

2009-12-10T21:49:00.003-05:00

Have you ever received a health/beauty-related Christmas gift that was mildly insulting, such as plastic surgery? If you have, a national news website wants to hear your story. Email me at miplasticsurgeon@yahoo.com and I will forward your story to the writer!

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

How Did I Do With My 2009 Predictions?

2009-12-06T18:53:00.004-05:00

One year ago I gave my Top 9 Plastic Surgery Predictions for 2009. How did I do? Am I a modern day plastic surgery Nostradamus? Or maybe just full of it? (Dr. Hainer: Don't Answer That) Well, here are the predictions I gave one year ago and whether they were right or wrong:
9. Plastic surgery vacations will become more and more popular - False - Possibly due to highly publicized complications abroad, I do not see a higher number of Americans travelling abroad for plastic surgery. Pass the Botax, though, and things may change.
8. Fat, from both from animals and people, will become a new Green resource - False - This may take a little longer to happen.
7. Sculptra will gain FDA approval as a liquid facelift for the general population - True - Sculptra Aesthetic was approved by the FDA earlier this year. Link to post here.
6. 2009 will bring with it a plethora of new extreme, bizarre, and unusual plastic surgeries - True - Carboxytherapy, Cankle Lipo, Radish Calf, Toe Shortening, and others have now entered the plastic surgery lexicon. Link to post here.
5. Will Gummy Bear Implants Boost Busts in 2009? - False - Maybe 2010 will be the year of the gummy bear?
4. Nonsurgical Liposuction Techniques Run Rampant... As Do Disappointing Results - True...somewhat. Zerona has been used more and more this year, with results as advertised: I see an average of 3-4 inches lost after 2 weeks of treatments. Is this disappointing? It all depends on the patients' expectations. It is not the same as real liposuction. It does appear to work, though. Link to post here.
3. Eyelash Enhancing Medication "Latisse" Hits Big in a Blink - True -Latisse works and is getting more and more popular by the day. Link to post here.
2. Stem Cells are the Future in the U.S., but the Present in Other Countries - True - While people are performing stem cell facelifts and breast augmentation elsewhere, here in the U.S. it remains a futuristic treatment. Link to post here.
1. Botox-Competitor Reloxin will act as an Economic Bailout for Millions of Botox Users in 2009 - True - Reloxin was renamed Dysport at the last minute, but in my practice it has proven as effective as Botox in reducing fine lines. While there are still a lot of my patients who love their Botox, many have switched to the less expensive Dysport with similar results. Link to post here.

So, if you tally my results I was 6/9. Not bad, but I'm definitely no plastic surgery Nostradamus. Maybe more like a plastic surgery Sylvia Browne. In a couple weeks I'll post my predictions for 2010!

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Tiger Woods - Crazy Ambien Sex?

2009-12-06T01:41:00.003-05:00

By now you may have heard that one of Tiger's alleged mistresses, Rachel Urchitel, claims:

'You know you have crazier sex on Ambien - you get into that Ambien haze. We have crazy Ambien sex.'"

Crazy Ambien sex? I often prescribe Ambien to help my patients sleep. It would seem more likely that a person on Ambien would pass out during sex instead of get crazy. I think that there are a lot of other medications that would act as better aphrodesiacs.

Any readers ever take Ambien and get a little frisky?

Quote from Radaronline.com

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Who Has the Best Bikini Body of 2009?

2009-12-03T23:17:00.003-05:00

Check out Popsugar if you'd like to vote for the best bikini body of 2009. I think Bar Rafaeli looks amazing. She has my vote. The candidates are in the photo montage.

Who are your favorites? Anyone not in this list?

For the Popsugar Best Bikini Body of 2009, click here.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Argentine Model Dies From Buttock Injections

2009-12-01T21:44:00.002-05:00

A sad story coming out of South America: a former Miss Argentina, Solange Magnano, has recently died after having injections into her buttocks of PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate) in an attempt to enlarge them. She suffered a massive pulmonary embolism, likely due to the product being injected into her blood stream and then travelling to her lungs. When this happens the person can die almost instantly. I've seen it happen in people during my general surgery residency years, and this is the most dreaded complication in plastic surgery today (short of death).

How can this have been prevented? PMMA is a permanent filler (like silicone) that is not in widespread use here in the U.S. The two most common ways to augment the buttocks are are to use a solid silicone implant or fat grafting. Because Solange is so thin, she likely was not a good candidate for fat grafting, and decided against a buttock augmentation, possibly due to the invasiveness of the procedure. The surgeon likely used large needles to inject the PMMA deep into the buttocks (creates a nicer contour than superficial injections) and inadvertantly injected into a major vein. The PMMA then likely travelled back to her lungs, clogged the major vessel, and she could no longer get enough oxygen into her body, killing her. This could have been prevented by using a blunt cannula, like the one I use when grafting fat into the buttocks. The cannula is so flat and blunt that it's nearly impossible to inject into a blood vessel. Or, I suppose, she could have just left her buttocks alone.

Safety should always be the top priority of any physician. If you consider having plastic surgery abroad, make sure you find a plastic surgeon who is an international member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

For more information, check out the excellent article in In Your Face.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

7 Strange Plastic Surgery Procedures on MSNBC.com

2009-11-28T15:45:00.003-05:00

There is an interesting slide show on MSNBC.com listing 7 Strange Plastic Surgery Procedures. Here they are, and whether or not I perform them:

1. Cankle Lipo - I do this surgery occasionally, but there is a high risk of fluid collections and other complications.
2. Earlobe Lift - This is a surgery I perform often, and recently discussed the "Pac Man Earlobe Lift" on the Fox News Channel.
3. Fillers in Your Feet - Mostly done by podiatrists.
4. Golf Ball Chin - As popularized by Chef Gordon Ramsay. I almost never inject Botox here, since people almost never ask for it.
5. Radish Calf - Huh? What the heck is this?
6. Knee Lipo - I do this all the time, mainly to the inner knee fat.
7. Necklace Lines - This is a silly name given to neck wrinkles. They are very difficult to get rid of, like the wrinkles in the palm of your hand. A good facelift may marginally improve them, but they are there to stay.

Here are two more strange, but true, surgeries they left out: Dimple Creation and Second Toe Shortening.

For the MSNBC article, click here.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Giving Thanks

2009-11-26T12:20:00.002-05:00

I hope you are enjoying your Thanksgiving with family and friends. I'm looking forward to taking some time to relax this weekend. There are so many things God has blessed me with. I am thankful for:

- My family and friends, who mean everything to me.
- Good health all around.
- My thriving practice, which allows me to live a comfortable life.
- My patients, whose trust I value and appreciate beyond words.
- My employees and coworkers, without whom I could not be the doctor I am.
- All of the people in media, the writers and producers, who have been kind enough to include me in their stories and programs.
- You, the readers of this blog, who take the time out of your lives to read my thoughts and opinions. Thank you for visiting this blog over 8 million times over the last three years!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Kim Kardashian Denies Rhinoplasty and Lip Reduction

2009-11-24T21:16:00.003-05:00

Kim Kardashian has strongly denied comments made in Star Magazine that she may have had a rhinoplasty and lip reduction:

She said on her blog: "Star Magazine is saying I had plastic surgery to make my nose and lips smaller! Why would someone want smaller lips?! LOL."

"Your face always looks different when you lose weight, plus with the contouring on my nose it gives the illusion of a thinner nose.""I actually think my nose looks smaller in the first pic than it does in the second. "It's ridiculous... it's all about the makeup and the angle from which the photo was taken! It's no secret I contour my nose now to make the bump go away!"

I haven't had a chance to see old photos of her, but to me her nose looks so refined that it is definitely possible she's had some very nice work done to it. I strongly doubt she's had her lips reduced though. This is a very uncommon surgery that can leave big scars. No way she's had that done. I wonder who the plastic surgeon is that made the comments to Star Magazine? They certainly didn't ask me! (Although I have been in Star a few times...)

photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Real Housewives' Lynne Curtin's Plastic Surgery Looks Great

2009-11-22T15:13:00.004-05:00

The Real Housewives of Orange County's Lynne Curtain has recently admitted to undergoing a browlift and a facelift. She looks fantastic! According to the Star:

The reality star, who paid for the procedures from her “face-lift fund” and sales from her Lynne Curtin Designs jewelry line, says she is thrilled with the results. “It looks like the clock has been turned back 12 years on my face.” Her husband, Frank, thinks so too! “He sends me texts all day saying I’m hot!”

Kudos to her plastic surgeon (not me) for doing such a nice, natural job.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

The BoTax Rears Its Ugly Head

2009-11-20T20:57:00.004-05:00

As you may know the Democrats in the U.S. Senate are proposing a 5% tax on all cosmetic plastic surgery (The BoTax) as a way to raise money for the health care plan. This was brought up before, many months ago, but most politicians brushed it off. Some thoughts:

1. This tax disproportionately targets women, who make up 90% of plastic surgery patients.
2. It is not a tax on the rich, since plastic surgery patients are represented in every socioeconomic group. Arguably, the people who are earn less money will suffer more, since many of them take out loans or save for years to pay for their surgery.
3. They were initially considering a 10% tax on plastic surgery, but dropped it to 5% after aggressive lobbying.
4. A similar initiative in New Jersey has been considered a complete failure by many.
5. Is plastic surgery considered a 'sin', like cigarettes and alcohol, and therefore subject to taxing? It is far from it.

I think they should consider a tax on fast food (which harms the health of millions of Americans every day, including me) and attorney's fees!

If you would like to send a message to your Senator to encourage them to vote against a 5% cosmetic plastic surgery tax, click here to be sent to the U.S. Senators webpages.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Trading Frequent Flier Miles for Plastic Surgery?

2009-11-18T13:08:00.003-05:00

Strange story out of Finland: Apparently Finland's biggest airline, Finair, is offering plastic surgery as a way to redeem frequent flier miles. Some details from kansas.com:

It takes 1.32 million points to buy a lower blepharoplasty and 3.18 million points to buy a breast augmentation. That would equal 120 round-trip, business class flights from New York to Helsinki.

So start saving points!

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Can You Get Angelina Jolie Lips with JolieLips Lip Plumper?

2009-11-16T21:49:00.003-05:00

There is a new lip plumper on the market, and it doesn't require injections or surgery... but does it work? JolieLips is a device that utilizes suction to attempt to suck your lips bigger. Melissa Dahl of MSNBC has a fun review of the product here.

The lips swell very easily. That's why when a guy gets socked in the kisser he gets a fat lip, not a fat chin. Because the lips are so sensitive, even a mild treatment like this one can create enough trauma to swell the lips temporarily. I suppose you could do the same thing by slapping yourself in the mouth or performing a high school-type makeout session.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Sammy Sosa - Getting Lighter and Lighter

2009-11-14T21:05:00.002-05:00

By now you may have seen photos of Sammy Sosa with his altered skin color. The photos above are taken 6 months apart, with the first photo being the most recent. What is he doing to his skin?

According to a source he has been doing a "rejuvenation process" on his skin and was "surprised" it came out so light. It appears that he has had one (or both) of two things: he has been using skin lighteners like hydroquinone and/or he has undergone aggressive chemical peels or laser treatments. Both the lightener creams and peels/lasers can create changes in the melanin of the skin resulting in a lighter color. In caucasians this is usually modest, however in people with darker skin (like Sammy) it can be pretty startling. With time his skin may recover some of the lost color. However, if he has had a major invasive treatment, it may not.

He looks ghostly.

Photo credit: In Your Face blog

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.: