The Food and Drug Administration has put out a strong statement about a widely-used type of cosmetic procedure called Lipodissolve which is often used as an alternative to true liposuction. These “fat melting” injections are often offered in medical spas and are regularly advertised as being able to dissolve or destroy small deposits of fat in the arms, legs and even midsection.

The FDA sent out warning letters to at least five medical spas for using unapproved drugs that have not been scientifically proven to be safe or actually “melt” fat as they are advertised. None of the medical spas were in New York or New Jersey, though the Monarch MedSpa of King of Prussia, PA and the Medical Cosmetic Enhancements medical spa of Chevy Chase, MD are close enough to have New Jersey and New York clients. The drugs in question are usually a mix different chemicals including PC (phosphatidylcholine), DC (sodium dioxycholate) and even Infasurf, a breathing medication used with premature infants.

The FDA has been under increased pressure to begin cracking down on medical spas and their various claims and advertisements for products and procedures that seem to good to be true. In this case the idea of using a simple chemical injection to melt away fat in the body was advertised as safe and without side effects, though the Food and Drug Administration has reports that there may be complications with the procedure.

In addition to warning various medical spas across the United States, the FDA also warned against buying lipodissolve products from the zipmed.net and mesoone.com websites.

Remember: a board certified plastic surgeon has many years of schooling and formalized medical training. Don’t trust your body to someone who isn’t qualified and if a claim about a miracle beauty drug sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Most people are surprised when they first find out about the expensive cost of most plastic surgical procedures. A typical plastic surgeon will change anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars for a single surgery, depending upon the complexity of the operation. Counted in those high costs are not only the plastic surgeon’s costs, but also the costs of the anesthesiologist, operating room facilities and accommodations for recovery.

The average kind of elective plastic surgery patient only makes about $50,000 a year. As you may know most optional cosmetic surgeries are not covered by any sort of health insurance, leaving most patients to pay the bill another way. Cosmetic surgery is not exclusively for the wealthy. Here are several different ways you can pay for your plastic surgery:

Personal Loan: You could outright borrow the money from a bank or other lending institution without any sort of collateral such as a home or car. There are lots of reputable internet loan agencies that can offer often offer you lower interest rates than a bank because they have less overhead. Some loan agencies specialize in medical or smaller loans for minor elective surgeries. The approval process for these types of loans can be a few hours to a few weeks.

Home Equity Loan: If you own your home and it is worth more than you owe the bank, then you could borrow some money against your home to pay for your plastic surgery. Most home equity loans don’t have restrictions on how the loaned money is used and the money you pay in interest may even be tax deductible.

Credit Card: Yes, some people put their entire plastic surgery bill on their credit card and pay it off over time. Generally the interest rates will be high, but you could get special incentive points and bonuses from the credit card company for spending that much money at once.

Plastic Surgery Financing: There are companies that actually specialize in giving out loans that are intended to be used for plastic and cosmetic surgeries. These loans are generally lower interest rates than many other loans and many plastic surgeons prefer using them when possible. Some plastic surgeons now work with financing companies or even offer their own financing services.

LendingClub is a peer-to-peer service that offers personal loan rates that are much lower than a bank. You can create a free account to learn more!

Personal Networking Loan: Peer-to-peer loan programs allow hundreds of people to loan you very small amounts of money at a relatively low pay back rate. There are many web based peer-to-peer loan sites that will loan you money as long as your credit rating is not too bad. This is one of newest ways of borrowing money.

Save it Up: Yes, you can save up the money, but it could take a long time, depending upon the cost and the amount of money you are able to put away. By the time you save up enough for the procedure you want the cost may have risen! Many people have a difficult time saving up enough money to pay for a specific plastic surgery procedure.

The idea of taking out a loan for something like plastic surgery tends to scare some people, but you have to consider plastic surgery as an investment in your health, both physical and mental as well as an investment in your career, relationships and quality of life. It is a high cost to pay, but the rewards of a successful cosmetic surgery often outweight the costs.

No matter what the occasion, if you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind gift idea for that special person you may want to consider getting him or her a gift certificate to a plastic surgeon! Taking a cue from travel agents where gift cards for luxury vacations are a popular idea, many plastic surgeons now offer gift certificates for their services which can be purchased by friends and relatives of the perspective patient.

Most plastic surgeons will sell you a gift certificate or gift card for as little as $25. Some plastic surgery centers have fancy gift cards with logos and photos embossed on them while some simply offer plain gift certificates which you can present to the recipient in a classy card or envelope. Of course most medical spas which combine the services of a spa with that of a plastic surgeon’s office will offer gift cards that can be used for everything from getting your nails done, to a full derma smooth or Botox procedure!

Obviously, you’ll want to do your homework before you just run out and buy a gift card from any plastic surgeon. First, be sure that your recipient is serious about getting plastic surgery and has really done his or her homework. Giving a plastic surgery gift card out of the blue can obviously be taken the wrong way! You should talk to your recipient to find out which plastic surgeon he or she is currently working with and be sure that’s the surgeon’s office that will be performing the cosmetic surgery. In addition to the doctor you’ll also want to be sure your recipient is healthy enough and interested enough to go through with the procedure.

You most likely won’t be able to exchange or get a refund on your gift certificate once it’s purchased. You may even want to find out the approximate cost of the procedure that he or she is interested in. You may have some friends who can also chip or purchase gift cards to help offset the cost.

So consider giving the gift of beauty and confidence with a cosmetic surgery gift card! The gift of plastic surgery is not something to be taken lightly, but it could prove to be the gift that dramatically improves someone’s outlook on life and because each cosmetic surgery procedure on each individual is unique, you’ll never find a gift that’s as “one-of-a-kind” as a gift card to a plastic surgeon!

With the advent of more and more “medical spas” or “medspas” over the past several years plastic surgery has become something that is not always limited to a doctor’s office or hospital. Medical spas are essentially combining two different businesses: day spas and minor outpatient surgery centers. While there’s no real definition of what constitutes a medical spa and what doesn’t, most medical spas can be identified as being a business which offers a large variety of spa treatments such as facials, massages and mud wraps with a mix of mostly non-invasive cosmetic surgery procedures including skin abrasion, derma smooth, laser hair removal and even some types of liposuction.

Are medical spas performing plastic surgery legally?

The initial concept of joining traditional spa services with cosmetic surgery procedures under one roof is believed to have started nearly ten years ago. The International Spa Association reports that there are now over 1,800 medical spas in the United States, which is an amazing 84% increase from July 2007 through December 2008. And while most medical spas bill themselves as being clean and safe, there has been very little close study of the safety or even legality of the practice.

The September death of 37-year-old Mrs. Kah-Orukotan in the Florida Weston Medspa brought some of these safety and training issues to light. There are some charges that the type of operation Mrs. Kah-Orukotan was undergoing was not strictly allowed to be performed in a non-medical facilities. The investigation is still ongoing. Now lawmakers in several states, including New York, Massachusetts, Florida and Utah are now considering laws to formal define a medical spa and to begin regulating what they can and can’t do. New Jersey, which has the nation’s only plastic surgery tax (or “Botax”), may be the inspiration for a measure in some of the upcoming healthcare bills that would create a tax on cosmetic surgery procedures performed at medical spas.

Are medical spas safe for plastic surgery?

The medical spas themselves point out the fact that they have paid medical doctors on staff and that the vast majority of their patients have a safe and effective cosmetic surgery experience. Critics point out that some of those doctors actually started out in one field and moved into performing plastic surgery procedures for a number of different reasons. Some of the doctors may not have all the training and experience that established board certified plastic surgeons usually have.

Working at a medical spa can be attractive to a doctor for several reasons. First, it can add variety to a doctor’s normal routine of seeing the same patients with the same ailments week in and week out. Second, many doctors report that working in a medical spa is a more rewarding and less stressful experience than working in a busy practice or hospital. Third, working in a medical spa often requires less time filling out insurance paperwork for doctors because the business is largely paid for with “out of pocket” money from patients which completely avoids the numerous medical insurance claims and beauracracy that’s often found in a regular doctor’s office.

This payment system is also a big reason why medical spas are becoming so popular among their clinetele. Some medical spas offer the ability to just walk in off the street and receive a variety of spa treatments and surgical procedures, sometimes all in the same day. This convenience and immediacy appeals the baby boomers who want plastic surgery but don’t want to deal with the usual procedure of dealing with a busy doctor’s office.

The prices of many of the plastic surgery procedures at medical spas can also be quite attractive. Many medical spas take advantage of the latest technology and some staff members require less training than in a traditional doctor’s office. These efficiencies and cost savings are often reflected in their prices.

The safety of medical spas for plastic surgery procedures is still a hotly debated topic. It’s buyer beware when you’re choosing a plastic surgeon or picking a medical spa, so you’ll probably want to do your homework. You should probably check references if possible, make sure the medical spa and surgical areas are clean and well maintained. Just as when you’re looking for a cosmetic surgeon, you’ll want to investigate the experience of the doctors as well as any complaints there may be against the doctor or medical spa in question.

For some people the convenience and attractive price may be too much to pass up, while for others the more traditional method of having plastic surgery in a doctor’s office or hospital may be much more comforting. It’s ultimately a personal decision to have any sort of cosmetic surgery done in at a medical spa.

This isn’t your mother’s liposuction!

Liposuction, the popular plastic surgery procedure which removes fat and cellulite build up from under the skin of various parts of the bodies is starting to have a make-over of it’s own and one New Jersey plastic surgeon is leading the way.

Standard “tumescent” liposuction breaks up body fat with an injected sterile saline solution and a cannula (liposuction wand) is used to literally suck out the excess and broken down fat. After suction the cannula is removed and the incision is closed, allowing the body to begin healing. While the standard practice of saline liposuction is a fairly advanced surgical procedure in itself, there are some plastic surgeons who are now employing even more advanced techniques to this already modern surgery.

Board-certified New Jersey plastic surgeons like Dr. Richard D’Amico and Dr. William K. Boss are some of those surgeons who are on the cutting edge of cosmetic surgery procedures. Some NJ plastic surgeons are now using lasers, ultrasonic and even radio waves to perform liposuction surgeries in place of the normal sterile saline.

Each new form of liposuction breaks up the fat under the skin and separates it from the muscle so that it can be sucked out. These new types of liposuction offer some advantages over the standard ways.

Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction (UAL) – In this cosmetic surgery procedure a saline solution is used to break up the fat under the skin but then a cannula which transmits ultrasonic energy is used to practically liquefy the excess fat deposits, which makes it easier to suck out of the body. There is even a procedure now which calls for ultrasonic energy to be applied externally that allows the body to handle the dissolved fat without the need for sutures or an incision.

Laser Liposuction – Like the other forms of liposuction, this procedure first requires the fat in the body to be broken down, but instead of using a saline solution a laser or ultrasonic heat energy from a tiny instrument is used to essentially melt away the fat. The procedure requires no sutures, leaves a very small scar, requires only local anesthesia and usually involves a minimal amount of bleeding. Recovery periods are often much less than traditional liposuction techniques.

Radiofrequency Assisted Liposuction (RFAL) – This technique uses radiofrequency energy to melt away the fat under the skin by using an external and internal probe to apply a uniform heat which can melt away fat molecules. The procedure is reported more comfortable than some others and shows promise as being a less painful alternative to some other forms of liposuction.

While there are many plastic surgeons in New Jersey who can perform liposuction, you’ll want to be sure that the plastic surgeon you work with is well-versed in the traditional as well as more advanced types of liposuction. Lipo is one of the more common cosmetic surgery procedures performed in the United States and it’s getting easier and less dangerous as new technology emerges.

Pundits are calling it the “Botax” but the reality of electric plastic surgery procedures being taxed in New Jersey may soon become a nationwide idea. Congress is looking into the tax on cosmetic surgeries, which is said to be a $12 billion industry, as a way to help pay for the healthcare overhaul. Elective cosmetic surgeries might be taxed, while it’s unlikely that medically necessary or less elective surgeries would fall into the same category. Supporters of the plan say that these elective plastic surgery taxes could help pay for the life and death medical treatments of others while critics of the plan aren’t sure if the tax revenue would be worthwhile.

There’s no word on exactly how much the tax would be, but numbers from 5% to 10% have been thrown around as possibilities. Some members of congress have suggested that the tax on elective cosmetic surgeries would essentially amount to nothing more than a “luxury” tax on expensive procedures, though critics argue that it is “normal” people of modest means who often save up to pay for the majority of the plastic surgery procedures done in the United States.

Critics of the idea, such as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, argue that it’s unfair to tax some fields of business more than others. One plastic surgeon who is against the proposal has stated that his average patient is a middle class woman between the ages 19-64 who makes about $50,000 a year. Fueling the argument against implementing a plastic surgery tax is the one state that actually already has a tax in place: New Jersey.

New Jersey implemented a 6% tax on most elective cosmetic surgeries in 2004 and it has not raised as much money as initially hoped. The unpopular New Jersey cosmetic surgery tax has been close to being overturned several times, but has always remained law by several close votes.

There is yet no word on what would happen to the New Jersey plastic surgery tax if a national plastic surgery taxation plan was put into place. Other states are also looking at New Jersey’s plastic surgery tax model and considering implementing the same tax, even if the tax does not become nationwide.

The 36 million Americans who suffer from regular migraines may have a new friend in a common plastic surgery procedure that’s reported to be helpful in alleviating the powerful headaches. Surprisingly, this new treatments comes from a common cosmetic surgery procedure that’s usually only considered for beautification purposes.

It turns out that the elective surgery of a “forehead lift” may really be a good way to almost completely eliminate migraines from people who regularly suffer from them. A forehead lift consists of smoothing out the skin on the forehead to make wrinkles disappear. To do this muscles around the temple and forhead often have to be slightly shifted or moved to smooth out the forehead. During the cosmetic surgery it is thought that perhaps the muscles around the forehead that are thought to be responsible for the migraines are loosened and deactivated, which almost completely eliminates migraines completely.

A study published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reported that 57 percent of patients who received the forehead lift surgery reported a a complete ceasation of migraine headaches one year after undergoing the procedure. And even if the headaches weren’t completely eliminated, 83% reported a partial improvement in relief from migraine headaches. The procedure studied was designed specifically for migraine relief and was slightly different from a traditional forehead lift that is performed for strictly cosmetic reasons.

For years there have been unscientific studies and anecdotes about Botox injections in the forehead behind used to prevent migraine headaches. The problem with Botox is that it’s not a permanent solutions and migraines were returning to most patients within three or four months. The few migraine sufferers who have undergone forehead lift surgery, however, largely report a lessening of migraine symptoms and recurrences. Just as with Botox, some migraine victims who happened to have a forehead lift later reported have many fewer migraine headaches after the procedure was done.

This forehead lift procedure designed for eliminating migraines is still a fairly new process and the initial study was one a relatively small group of people. It may be years before the process is perfected and widely offered if it ever is fully adopted by most plastic surgeons. The study also had a rather high placebo success rate, which indicates that the high success rate may not be completely due to the surgery alone. There are plenty of plastic surgeons in New York and New Jersey who are currently performing forehead lifts for cosmetic reasons but we’re not yet aware of any aiming to reduce migraine headaches with them.

More mature men and women are actually helping to raise up the number of cosmetic surgeries performed every year. The population of the United States is getting older but unlike earlier generations, this generation has placed a much higher value on physical beauty. The Baby Boomer population is defined as the children born after World War II from the years 1946 to 1964. As the Baby Boomers get older many are trying to hold on to their youthful looks more than ever.

There are lots of different causes behind the increase in the acceptance of plastic surgery. Reality cosmetic surgeon television shows compete with dramatic shows featuring good-looking plastic surgeons helping all sorts of equally sexy people. Plastic surgery is more accepted now. Lots of people are saying in the work force longer than they used to and those more mature people want to look as good as their more youthful office mates and co-workers. In fact, some studies have shown that better looking people actually make more money than their less attractive co-workers.

This Baby Boomer generation is also the first group of people to grow up with a real emphasis on healthy living. They have a healthy eating regimen, they workout on a daily basis and they want to look as youthful as they still feel. Cosmetic surgery can make a person’s exterior body look as good as they may feel internally. While many young people turn to cosmetic surgery to attract a mate many older people use plastic surgery to simply look younger by a few years and improve their self-esteem.

Skin and surface procedures such as laser facial peels, Botox injections, and wrinkle filling procedures are often the first cosmetic surgical procedures tried. Lots of the more commonly performed procedures are meant to improve the skin, especially after decades of growing up without sun block. The most common plastic surgery request by far is the application of Botox to smooth out wrinkly skin.

Men usually opt for cosmetic procedures such as eyelid lifts, face smoothing and other operations that make them look more youthful at the office. It is not just women who are seeing the local cosmetic surgeon. Most people think of cosmetic surgery as something that appeals more to women, but that’s not always the case. It’s true that a lot of older women are opting so-called “mommy make-overs” which usually consists of breast augmentation, a breast raising and a tummy tuck.

Plastic surgery is not just for the young anymore – it’s now a valid way for Baby Boomers to keep feeling young and healthy. As more older people continue to seek ways to look and feel younger there will be more plastic surgeons there to serve them. The growing Baby Boomer population is more health conscious and more interested hanging on to their natural health for as long as possible.

Some plastic surgeons are beginning to refuse to work with patients who aren’t willing to give up their smoking habit before and after their cosmetic surgery procedure.  Dr. Vincent Giampapa, a board-certified plastic surgeon from Montclair, NJ recently told his patient Lisa Morrison who wanted a neck and eye lift to stop smoking before having her cosmetic surgery. 

This ban on smoking isn’t just limited to New Jersey plastic surgeons.  Plastic and cosmetic surgeons from around the country are starting to tell their patients that they must quit smoking for at least several weeks before and after most elective cosmetic surgeries. Patients who undergo plastic surgery often don’t think of smoking as being anymore harmful than any other activity, but there are now several studies that show how much smoking can adversely affect healing and recovery from any sort of surgery, including cosmetic surgery.

What does smoking do to your body when it’s recovering from plastic surgery?
People who smoke regularly or who are subjected to second-hand smoke on a regular basis are generally less healthy than their non-smoking peers even before surgery.  Years of smoking can permanently constrict blood vessels (a condition called  “vasoconstriction”) which makes healing a harder process and may contribute to smokers statistically having a higher rate of infection and respiratory complications due to anesthesia.

Smoking before or after plastic surgery leaves patients at risk for many healing problems, including increased change of infection, longer bruising times, possible scarring, sagging and even persistent pulmonary problems.  A large part of those complications are due to the way smoking restricts blood flow and oxygen to parts of the body that may need it the most – the parts that need to heal from the surgery.

Many plastic surgeons are also choosing the procedures they before on patients based on whether or not their patients are smokers.  The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reports that most plastic surgeons do not perform procedures involving skin flaps or skin separation on smokers because of the increased health risks and healing problems associated with smoking.

Plastic surgeons, such as New Jersey plastic surgeon Vincent Giampapa not only have their patients” health in mind, but also their own reputation.  It isn’t a good advertisement for their services if one of their patients is healing slowly, scarring or generally not feeling well for a long time after surgery. 

Plastic surgery patients are walking advertisements for their doctors and word of mouth is one of the best ways to find a plastic surgeon in New Jersey or anywhere else.

The next time your plastic surgeon gives you a concerned look he may not be thinking about you: he may be worried about paying his bills. New Jersey is a large state that is populated with a lot of plastic surgeons and it right next door to New York City, the home of Wall Street and center of the economic crisis, so it’s no surprise that this economic downturn is hitting most NJ plastic surgeons especially hard.

In the United States the bulk of the plastic and cosmetic surgeries performed are elective surgeries such as breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, tummy tucks and other cosmetic changes that aren’t necessarily vital to one’s physical health or well-being.  These surgical procedures are obviously expensive, though the cost of most plastic surgery procedures in New Jersey is relatively inline with the rest of the United States.

These elective surgeries are considered to be somewhat of a luxury, and even a sort of status symbol, just in the way expensive cars, watches and clothing can be.  In some social and economic circles undergoing extensive plastic surgery is actually seen as a badge of honor and symbol that you have excess wealth to spend on a plastic surgeon. If people are no longer willing to pay the prices they once did for plastic surgery then obviously the salary of most plastic surgeons is going to suffer.

With the financial troubles of the United States hitting Wall Street hard it is no surprise that people are cutting back on the luxuries they purchase for themselves, including electicive plastic surgery.  With many NJ plastic surgeon clients working in New York and on Wall Street it means that plastic surgeons in New Jersey are now being affected with less clients coming to see them or more people putting off the surgeries they had planned.

There is some good news, however. With a large number of people from Wall Street looking for jobs, some New York City and New Jersey cosmetic surgeons have actually reported an increase in business because many of those job seekers are striving to look a little younger and more attractive in hope of getting a job. It’s been proven that attractive people are hired more and make more money. Given the almost macho attitude about money found in many Wall Street firms, it isn’t a surprise that just as many job-seeking men are considering plastic surgery as women.

Some plastic surgeons are still doing well and it isn’t as though there are surgeons out on the streets of Newark begging for change.  But many surgeons in New Jersey have seen a decline in business and some are worried that if the economic troubles of New York and other parts of the country continue that it could be a real source of financial stress. New Jersey plastic surgeons also have to contend with the country’s only legal medical service tax in the United States, but if business drops then it might be a catalyst to spur NJ lawmakers to repeal the tax.

Some plastic surgeons offer financing out of their offices, but those offers have become less frequent now that banks are not as willing to loan money. There are still some methods consumers can use to get a plastic surgery loan, though with the credit markets tight some methods might be better than others.  If you need money for a plastic surgery you can often bypass the banks and get a better rate through Lending Club.

Overall most NJ plastic surgeons are still doing well, but the economic instability of the last several weeks and months is beginning to make itself known in unexpected places (such are in a plastic surgeon’s office) and is not just affecting the housing and credit markets.