DJ AM and Travis Barker Burned in Plane Crash

As you may have already heard, DJ AM and former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker were severely burned in a plane crash which killed four other people. According to CNN.com, they both suffered second and third degree burns, Barker to the torso and lower body, and DJ AM to the head and arm. They are currently at the Joseph Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia.

I've worked in a Burn Unit several times during my plastic surgery training, and now occasionally take care of minor burns. Third degree burns are also known as full thickness burns, and necessitate skin grafting for the area to properly heal. Second degree burns (split thickness burns) are characterized by blistering. Depending on how they heal, second degree burns may or may not need skin grafting. Burns wounds, as you may guess, are extremely painful and often require a lengthy recovery. I don't know their exact medical details, but it sounds to me that the burns they suffered are usually not fatal. Burns like what they reportedly have, though, usually require several weeks in the hospital and several months in physical therapy.

I wish these two guys the best during their recoveries.

Photo credit: CNN.com

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

DJ AM

Has DJ AM had a tummy tuck? PerezHilton.com reports that Nicole Richie's fiance had around 20 lbs removed via an abdominoplasty. Apparently he's had gastric bypass surgery and lost over 150 lbs since then. The tummy tuck is a very common surgery after gastric bypass or major weight loss. Twenty pounds is quite a bit to remove, although not all that uncommon for people who have lost so much weight. Unfortunately, there are major scars with this surgery which must be accepted by the patient. With time, they fade but never completely go away. Kind of like "The Simple Life" TV show??