Other Plastic Surgeon Blogs

Happy Thanksgiving! Here are some links to blogs by other plastic surgeons you may be interested in:

Plastic Surgery 101 : Dr. Rob Oliver's blog provides a nice commentary on plastic surgery and medicine in general. He covers some of the medical liability, reform, and general plastic surgery subjects which can be beyond the scope of my blog.

Truth in Cosmetic Surgery: Dr. Disaia's blog was one of the first plastic surgery blogs which didn't focus solely on promoting his practice.

John Diaz, M.D.: Dr. Diaz is a fellow Dr. 90210 alum and friend of mine. He covers plastic surgery, diet, and fitness in his blogs.

Richard Hainer, M.D.: Dr. Hainer is a well-respected Michigan-based plastic surgeon and good friend of mine. His blog covers some general plastic surgery subjects.

Kevin, M.D. Medical Blog: Dr. Kevin is not a plastic surgeon, but his blog is a good read for anyone interested in medicine and medical issues in general.

Any plastic surgeons out there: feel free to leave a comment with a link to your blog.

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

Scar Wars - My Collaboration with RADAR Magazine

This month's RADAR magazine and its online site have an article which I collaborated on, entitled "Scar Wars." They gave me photos of certain celebrities and asked me to alter their 'signature' features to look as if they've been over-operated on. Click this link to check it out. (Yes, the 'afters' are supposed to look overdone!)

Thanks to Editor-at-large Dale Hrabi for asking me to take part in this project.

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

Kellie Pickler's Breasts Are Smaller?

Country music star Kellie Pickler was present at the American Music Awards last night. I think she looked fabulous. Very stylish, I must say. Her breasts also looked quite a bit smaller, after their sudden appearance on American Idol several months ago. They appear to have gone from a disproportionate D to a curvy C.
This could be due to one of three reasons: (1) She has lost some weight, causing her breasts to become smaller, (2) Her surgeon replaced her old hefty breast implants with smaller ones, and/or (3) her implants have settled in and swelling has diminished, resulting in smaller breasts. I would bet that the changes we see in Kellie Pickler are a result of both (1) and (3). No matter what they are from, this "small town girl" looks like a big-time beauty.

Photo credit: FOX TV, prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

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

Kim Cattrall and Simon Cowell Use Botox, But No Plastic Surgery

Sex and the City (and Mannequin 1) Actress Kim Cattrall and American Idol judge Simon Cowell have both copped to using Botox as a way to stave off father time. According to MakeMeHeal.com, Ms. Cattrall stated,
“I’m too terrified to get any proper work so I’ve had just little things done. I have a big crease between my eyebrows and I use Botox to get rid of that, but that’s kind of it.”

Simon Cowell stated something very similar recently, according to TMZ.com:
What about plastic surgery? Has Cowell gone under the knife?
"No, absolutely not. I have not had cosmetic surgery," he sniggers. "Yes, I've had Botox, but not in an obsessive way. Then again, every guy I know who works in the City has had it now."

In the photos above, you can see an absence of frown lines between the eyebrows and in the foreheads of both celebrities. Their plastic surgeons have done nice jobs. In other news, Nicole Kidman has finally admitted to having Botox too........just kidding.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.

Breaches of Patient Confidentiality in Donda West Case?

With all the hubbub about Dr. Donda West's plastic surgeon and his background, one important aspect of this whole tragic turn of events has failed to catch the attention of the media: Patient Confidentiality. I've always been taught that government-mandated patient privacy laws prohibit a doctor from giving out a patient's private health information to others without the consent of the patient. Only under certain circumstances are we, as physicians, allowed to release this health information to another person (usually only in emergency situations). So then... Was it lawful for the two plastic surgeons involved with this situation (Dr. Jan Adams and Dr. Andre Aboolian) to discuss Donda West's plastic surgery with the press??? Did Dr. Aboolian break the law by announcing through his publicist that he saw Donda West in consultation for plastic surgery? (click here for link)

As a physician and plastic surgeon, patient confidentiality is of extreme and upmost importance to me and my patients. The fact that these physicians are discussing the tragic details of Dr. Donda West's plastic surgery to the lay media strikes me as self-serving on both counts. With all the horrible accusations being hurled at Dr. Adams, one can see why he would talk with the media as a way to explain and protect himself (who would blame him?). As for Dr. Aboolian, what purpose does it serve (other than self-promotion and publicity) that he release Donda West's personal health information to the public the day after she tragically dies?

These are just some thoughts from an admitted 'non-expert' in patient privacy laws. Any comments would be appreciated.

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

More on Donda West's Plastic Surgery-Related Death

More information is coming out regarding the tragic death of Kanye West's mom after plastic surgery. According to CNN.com, Donda West underwent a breast reduction and tummy tuck on Friday, Nov 9th at the surgery center of Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Jan Adams. The procedure took approximately 8 hours, after which she was sent home to recuperate. On Saturday she was found unresponsive and in respiratory distress. She was later pronounced dead at 8:28 pm at Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center. An autopsy performed today was inconclusive, pending toxicology tests.

So...what happened??

Obviously I wasn't there and cannot comment exactly on the specifics of this sad case, but there are some points to consider:


1. The plastic surgeon who performed the procedure, to my knowledge, is a bona-fide plastic surgeon who underwent all of the necessary training to perform these surgeries competently. Although the internet is buzzing with reports about his past, his training at the University of Michigan and UCLA earned him board-eligibility to be a plastic surgeon (although he was not board-certified). He is not some kook ER physician posing as a plastic surgeon.

2. An 8 hour "body" procedure is a long surgery to perform on someone who is 58, but is very often performed successfully. I know of no absolute guidelines limiting the length of a surgery, as this is usually a joint decision between the plastic surgeon and the anesthesiologist. In general, a healthy 58 year old should tolerate surgery well. I try to limit my surgeries to 6 hours or less, but this is just my comfort level and cannot necessarily be transferred to another surgeon.

3. Preoperative clearance is important for patients who show signs of heart disease or other illnesses. While this cannot ensure that there will be no complications, it can help prevent unforeseen risks. I routinely require preoperative clearance by a primary care physician prior to most plastic surgery procedures. There is no evidence in this case that preoperative clearance was not obtained by Dr. Adams (although he hasn't commented on this).

4. Plastic surgery is serious business. Death is a possibility with every medical procedure, from colonoscopy to plastic surgery, whether preoperative clearance is obtained or not. This is one of those things that I always pray never happens to a patient of mine, and is always a concern every time a patient undergoes anesthesia. A report in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal noted only 1 death in 51,459 plastic surgery procedures. That number is still too high for me not to get gray hairs on my head.

5. What caused her death? I can't tell you for sure, but some possibilities exist. A pulmonary embolism (blood clot to the lungs) is possible, but would usually be a bit more delayed. Excessive bleeding is a possibility, and may have contributed to heart strain resulting in a heart attack. This may also be a result of massive fluid shifts after a lot of plastic surgery. This is something that could occur in this time frame.


I think the lessons for patients to take from this are:


1. Make sure to question your plastic surgeon as to whether the length of your surgery should have you consider splitting it up into two separate operations. I quite often do this with patients who want a breast lift with implants and tummy tuck.
2. Get preoperative clearance by your primary care physician, especially if you are older than 40 and have medical problems.
3. Make sure your surgery is performed in an accredited surgery center with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
4. If you have general anesthesia and go home afterwards, make sure someone is with you at all times during your immediate recovery (first 16-36 hours) so they can call for help if needed.


For more information on choosing a plastic surgeon, click here and here.

For information on safety in plastic surgery, click here for the ASPS FAQ's.


Photo credit: prphotos.com


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

Kanye West's mother dies from plastic surgery-related complications

A very sad story is being reported by several news sources. Apparently Kanye West's mother has died recently likely from complications of plastic surgery. One source is reporting that she underwent a breast reduction and liposuction and stopped breathing while at home recuperating. She was rushed to Centinela Freeman Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.


A Beverly Hills plastic surgeon has claimed to have seen Mrs. West in consultation and offered surgery after she passed a medical clearance, which was never returned to him. She may have had a thyroid condition or other problem which could affect her heart and predispose her to a heart attack. Reports are still sketchy, and an autopsy is expected to be conducted by Wednesday.

It's always a sad thing to hear of someone dying after having elective surgery. My thoughts go out to Kanye West and the rest of her family.

For more information on the death of Donda West, click here and here and here.

Photo credit: prphotos.com
Thanks for reading.

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

Chyna Doll and Plastic Surgery

Former WWE Wrestler and The Surreal Life star Chyna has undergone quite a metamorphosis over the last dozen or so years. When she first arrived on the wrestling scene she was quite masculine-looking. Since then she appears to have undergone a number of plastic surgeries that have made her look more and more feminine. Some procedures she may have had include breast augmentation, chin reduction, brow reduction, lip augmentation, Botox, cheek implants, rhinoplasty, and possibly upper blepharoplasty. She looks much better than she did during her earlier years.

I won't write much more, because if I ever come across her she'd probably kick my a--.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

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

You're Invited

We're having a Holiday Open House at my office this Tuesday, Nov 13th from 4-7 pm. Stop by if you'd like to meet me and/or my staff to discuss skin care, laser treatments, chemical peels, Botox, Restylane, and surgery. There will be refreshments, food, and gift bags for everyone. We will even be holding raffle drawings for hundreds of dollars worth of prizes (sorry, no surgery!). I hope to meet you there!





To print out the invitation, click here.



Call (248) 650-1900 to RSVP.



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

Plastic Surgery Disasters

Here is a link to a website called Plastic Surgery Disasters. It has quite a few before-and-afters of celebrities and their plastic surgery. It looks like quite a few may have been lifted off the Awful Plastic Surgery website, though.

Click here for the site.

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

The controversy of fat melting injections

Allure Magazine has a fascinating article this month (November) written by Joan Kron on lipodissolve and other fat melting injections. The article, titled "Fat Chance," is an in depth analysis of the risks, benefits, and even unethical marketing of this controversial treatment. I have touched on mesotherapy (the generic term for fat melting injections) in this blog in the past, and must admit that I do not perform these treatments. I am, however, very interested in their possible utility once they are proven safe and effective.
Some interesting points about fat melting injections:
1. The Kansas State Board of Healing Arts in August voted to outlaw lipodissolve treatments, except for approved drug trials. A court judge then blocked the ruling from taking effect in response to legal action from a lipodissolve chain. A trial is pending.
2. It is against the law to perform lipodissolve in Canada and Brazil.
3. England has prohibited advertising lipodissolve, and doctor's insurance no longer covers these procedures.
4. There are some documented scientific papers which show nice improvement from fat melting injections without major side effects, but none of these have included an FDA-approved clinical trial to formally document its safety and efficacy.
5. According to an online Allure article, Realself.com has found that employees from two of these fat melting clinics have bombarded their message boards and comments areas with propaganda while posing as actual patients.
6. According to Allure: Essentially, lipodissolve clinics are practicing "human experimentation, due to the lack of significant data to support the claims to the consumer," says Dr. Rod Rohrich, chief of plastic surgery at the University of Texas, Southwest Medical Center.

So what do I think of fat melting injections?
My take is that these controversial treatments are very intriguing and hopefully will live up to expectations. As a physician, however, my first priority is to the safety of my patients. A treatment like this needs to be proven to be safe and effective before I perform it on someone. Otherwise, it is considered human experimentation and should be explained to the patient in this way. There are too many doctors out there, however, who get blinded by greed and see this as their ticket to riches. Our patients deserve better than a non-proven treatment without proven safety, standardization of medication, or realistic expectations. Hopefully in the near future fat melting treatments will be proven safe and effective.

Photo credit: Allure.com

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

Daniel Craig States People with Plastic Surgery Look Like "Freaks"

Actor Daniel Craig was recently quoted by AZ Central on his thoughts about plastic surgery:

The James Bond star is determined to grow old gracefully, and thinks stars who do choose to go under the knife risk looking like "freaks" when they are older.
He said, "It's tricky, it really is, because no-one likes to get old and sag. People can improve themselves when they are younger, but when you're 60 or 70, you start looking like a freak. You end up looking like a lesbian big sister and that's not right!"

"Lesbian big sister??" What an arse.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

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

Nicole Kidman Denies Plastic Surgery

According to TransWorldNews, actress Nicole Kidman has denied having anything done to her face. According to the article:

The Australian actress insists her face is all natural. “To be honest, I am completely natural. I have nothing in my face or anything,” she says.
So what keeps her skin looking like porcelain? “I wear sunscreen, and I don’t smoke,” she adds. “I take care of myself. And I’m very proud to say that.”

Hmmm....No Botox???

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

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

Jane Seymour Admits to Plastic Surgery

56 Year old Actress Jane Seymour has recently admitted to having plastic surgery. According to People magazine, she had a blepharoplasty over a decade ago to remove bags from her eyes ("Genetically I had baggy eyes, and photographers said they didn't want to spend money endlessly having to eradicate the bags"), breast implants (so small her plastic surgeon had to "special order them"), and Botox only once a few years ago. She stated, "I haven't had a facelift. This is what a 56 year old woman looks like - with wrinkles."

I've always liked Jane Seymour. Most women who have plastic surgery are like her. She's had a few things done to improve her outer appearance, but hasn't gone overboard nor changed the essence of how she looks. It's refreshing to see a star like her admit to well-done plastic surgery.

I hope she continues dancing right into the finale of Dancing with the Stars.
Link to other post about Jane: here
Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.

Christopher Knight - Laser Hair Removal

On the latest episode of Dr. 90210, the Brady Bunch's Christopher Knight underwent laser hair removal on his neck, between his eyes, inside his ears, and even inside his nose! While my practice offers laser hair removal, I've never seen it done to some of these weird areas. I'm not the one who normally does it though, since most of my time is spent in surgery.
Come to think of it, maybe I can have my aesthetician Otilia zap the inside of my nose...

To view a television segment I did of laser hair removal for local Fox 2 News, click here.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

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

Queen Latifah on her Breast Reduction

The latest issue of People magazine has an interview with Queen Latifah, where she discusses her breast reduction surgery in 2003:

What were you before? "An E or an F cup. I was pretty big. Now I'm like a DD. I wanted to be a triple. They took one D too many! So that was hard to deal with. And there's scarring and stitches."

I find it unusual that a breast reduction patient asks to be a DDD after surgery. Most of them ask me to be a C or even a B, which often doesn't proportionally match the rest of the body. Health insurance will often pay for this surgery, but most patients need to have documented pain with removal of over a pound off each breast to be approved. Women who have less than a DD or DDD cup size usually don't get insurance coverage.

I think Queen Latifah's breasts look good. They seem to match her body. She does probably have scars which extend around her areolae, vertically down to her breast crease, and horizontally under her breast. Most scars fade considerably with time, and often end up as a faint line.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.

Hot Topics in Plastic Surgery

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. My wife and I spent the weekend in Baltimore, where I attended part of the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. I presented a talk on "Lunchtime" facelift surgery at the "Hot Topics" seminar, which covers new and emerging trends in plastic surgery. Some of the other interesting topics included:

1. Mesotherapy and Injection Lipolysis - separating the hype (a lot) from the science (pretty little). Most physicians agreed that practitioners who are performing these treatments on patients were basically conducting their own human experimentation, since these substances are not standardized nor are they approved by the FDA for this purpose. More on this later.
2. Smart Lipo - no scientific evidence was presented that it actually VISIBLY tightened up skin, in contrast to some misleading advertising. I prefer VASER LipoSelection.
3. Stem cell advances - the wave of the future. The Distant future.
4. Fat grafting to the breast - very controversial, as it may create calcifications which can mimic breast cancer on mammograms. Often used in breast cancer reconstruction, though, after the breast tissue is removed via a mastectomy.
5. Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Therapy for postoperative pain - by Ivivi Technologies - has some promise. I used the Actipatch in the past and didn't notice any change. However, Ivivi is a different product and a different company, so there can definitely be some merit here. A friend of mine, Dr. Rob Oliver, has some good information about it. Check Plastic Surgery 101 for more info.
6. "Lunchtime" Facelifts - This trend often involves misleading advertising and deceptive marketing tactics. In contrast to what many of these companies will tell you, the procedures are not innovative or new, and in fact have been around for decades. Most of these types of "mini-surgeries" have been long abandoned by reputable plastic surgeons since they just don't work very well. A mini facelift has mini results.
7. GFX - Radiofrequency waves which ablate nerves, thereby reducing wrinkles. Nicknamed "the permanent Botox," this treatment has potential to do what Botox does, but permanently. Not FDA approved yet.

These are just a few of the many very interesting 'hot' topics in plastic surgery today. Thanks to renowned plastic surgeons Dr. Joe Gryskiewicz, Dr. Bill Adams, and Dr. V. Leroy Young for inviting me to be a presenter.

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

Britney's Lips Still Look Overdone

It's been several days since Britney Spears appears to have had her lips augmented. They are still puffy, with obliteration of the cupid's bow of the upper lip. Her lips are also out of proportion, looking unnatural. This type of swelling is unlikely to be caused by collagen, since it usually creates less initial puffiness than Restylane, a more likely culprit.

US Weekly has a nice article on Britney's lips in this week's issue.

Somebody help her.

For more on lip augmentation and celebrities, visit cityrag.com

Photo credit: dlisted.com

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

Marie Osmond : A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Plastic?

Marie Osmond is making news lately for fainting on live TV last night during Dancing with the Stars. She made waves a few years ago sporting what appeared to be a browlift. In the second photo you can see that her brow is excessively elevated, a possible consequence of a recently performed browlift. It appears to have settled down quite a bit over time, and looks pretty good now. Some of my endoscopic browlift patients look a bit over-elevated in the initial postoperative period, but never to the extent that we saw with Marie Osmond. It's possible that her surgeon may have released some of the fixation to her browlift (allowing it to drop) after the public backlash against her appearance.

I hope her health is fine after her abrupt face plant on TV last night. I don't watch the show regularly, but have always been partial to Jane Seymour. She looks fantastic! Not an ounce of Botox on her beautiful face! She looks almost as good as she did in that great classic movie filmed here in Michigan, Somewhere in Time.

Photo credit: francesfarmersrevenge.com by way of AwfulPlasticSurgery.com?, prphotos.com

Thanks for reading.

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

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Georgio Armani = Sun Damage Galore

Calling Obagi! Dr. Disaia's blog has a post on the sun damage which is evident in Georgio Armani's face. The dark skin and age spots can be nearly completely reversed by a strong course of the Obagi Condition and Enhance Program. This is the only skin care line that I've seen to effectively reverse damage as bad as his without chemical peels or laser resurfacing. It takes some time (months) and usually creates some skin reaction (like dryness and flaking) but it does seem to do the trick. With skin like his, I would anticipate a good chance of skin cancers in the future which could have some devastating consequences. Click here to see that!

Stay out of the sun everybody! (Or at least use good sunblock)

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