Surgical Roulette - Risks of Surgery with a Phony Plastic Surgeon

The Times Publication has an outstanding article chronicling the story of Dr. Peter Normann, an Arizona-based Internal Medicine and Emergency Room specialist who masqueraded as a plastic surgeon. In a span of seven months three unsuspecting patients died under his care. The article highlights the unfortunate and shocking stores of several of his victims. It's a fascinating read. From the article:

While the cosmetic horror stories described by the patients of Peter Normann represent some of the most egregious in the state's history, research shows they are part of a larger and growing danger of ill-equipped and inadequately trained plastic surgeons performing invasive cosmetic procedures.Normann, an emergency room and internal medical physician, was never certified as a plastic surgeon. In other cases, some Valley physicians certified to practice as gynecologists or even ear, nose and throat doctors have been found to be practicing cosmetic surgery, many with little more experience than a weekend training course.
The results are patients being left scarred, disfigured, and in three of Peter Normann's cases, dead.

In response to the growing number of phony plastic surgeons, the Arizona Medical Board released a Guide to Choosing a Cosmetic Surgeon. You can find it here.

Even here in Metro Detroit there are numerous physicians who are performing plastic surgery with little more than a weekend course's training. If you are thinking of having plastic surgery, make sure your surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. All members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, so this is a good place to find a plastic surgeon for you.

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

Haylie Duff - Plastic Surgery?

Has Haylie Duff had plastic surgery recently? It appears so. Check out the new photo on Celebrity Smack, and compare it to the photo here. She appears to have had a reduction genioplasty, or surgery to reduce the projection of the chin. Her nose also appears to have been tweaked via a rhinoplasty. Overall I think the nose looks great, but the chin may have ended up a bit on the smaller side. I'll be interested to see how she looks when more photos come out. Hopefully it won't be a PR disaster like her sister Hillary Duff's veneers.

For the Celebrity Smack article, click here.
Photo credit: prphotos (from 2007)

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

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Reese Witherspoon Eats Cookies to Look Younger - Nutricosmetics

According to an interview with In Touch Weekly magazine, Reese Witherspoon has been eating cookies which claim to have anti-aging properties. According to Pop Crunch:

The Walk The Line star is rumored a huge fan of beauty giant BORBA’s DeLuscious Vitamin Enhanced Cookies, which claim to combat fine lines and wrinkles.
The tasty treats come in different flavors including Oatmeal Raisin and Chocolate Toffee White Chocolate, and boast more than nine minerals and vitamins.

These cookies are commonly known as nutricosmetics, or foods believed by some to have anti-aging properties. Many of them have anti-oxidants and are packed with vitamins and minerals. Some examples include Borba's skin balance gummy bears and age-defying water. While it's big business overseas, nutricosmetics (or nutriceuticals) have not become as big a hit here in the U.S., although some high end stores do carry these types of foods.

What's my opinion? I think that virtually anything you eat that is good for you (fruit and veggies=good, fat fried salty foods=bad) will help keep you looking younger. That's common sense. I once worked with a plastic surgeon who loved Burger King. He ate Whoppers all the time and his face was a greasy mess. I bet if he changed his diet he'd look much better. I often see this in my patients. The ones who don't drink, don't smoke, stay out of the sun, and eat good foods look younger than the ones who do all of the above.

It's just that they might not have as much fun in life...

Photo credit: prphotos.com

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

Youth Knows No Pain - Plastic Surgery Documentary

Set your TiVo's folks! Filmmaker Mitch McCabe has created a documentary on the current state of plastic surgery, premiering at 9pm EST August 31st on HBO. Screenings before this premiere include:

Cinevegas Film Festival : Saturday June 13, 6:30pm, and Sunday June 14, 10am.

Silverdocs Film Festival, D.C. area. Friday June 19, 3:30pm, Sunday June 21, 6:30pm.

Los Angeles: Sunset Gower Studios, June 30th, 7pm

Here's the lowdown:

In YOUTH KNOWS NO PAIN, an age-obsessed daughter of a plastic surgeon (filmmaker Mitch McCabe) takes a journey through America's $60 billion a year anti-aging world. In this Alice-in-Wonderland tale, McCabe spends 2 years traveling across America visiting doctors, experts and lives with a cross-section of characters from Minnesota to Texas who've gone to varying lengths to "beat the clock", to paint a funny but troubling portrait of a country that desperately needs to stay forever young. Along the way, one wonders if the filmmaker herself hasn't been pulled in by the seduction of youth.

"Youth Knows No Pain" is an alternately wry and unsettling journey across that grey zone where physical appearance meets self-esteem. Mitch McCabe has assembled for the film a remarkable group of individuals who collectively reveal that there's a deep discomfort running through the heart (and body) of contemporary America."
-Richard Peña, Program Director, Film Society of Lincoln Center

For more information on Youth Knows No Pain, click here for their Facebook page.

Special thanks to Mitch McCabe.

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

Michael Jackson - Does He Have Skin Cancer?

The newest Michael Jackson rumor circulating on the internet is that he may be getting treated for skin cancer. According to the Sun:

A source said: “Michael’s tests showed spots of skin cancer on his body, and cells which could turn to skin cancer on his face... He was at first very concerned, but says he has been assured by the doctors that they can treat this and he will recover... Michael is really looking forward to his concerts and is determined to wow his fans at each and every gig... He said he’s insisted that any treatment must fit around the concerts, and the show will go on.”

Jacko, who has been seen making regular visits to his Beverly Hills dermatologist wearing a mask and surgical cap, received the shock diagnosis last month.

The most common skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma, which almost never spreads to other organs or kills people. If left untreated, it just tends to get larger and larger. Pre-cancerous cells can often be treated without surgery.

For all you MJ fans, I bet that he'll be just fine.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

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

New Study Reveals that Thread Lifts Don't Work

A new study published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery comes to the conclusion that Thread Lifts, a popular type of lunchtime facelift, just don't work. Here are some details:

- 33 patients who underwent thread lifts were compared to 10 patients who underwent other surgical procedures.
- Follow-up averaged 21 months.
- On a scale of 0 (no improvement) to 3 (considerable improvement), those patients undergoing thread lifts scored lowest, showing only 0.3-0.5 degrees of improvement.
- For those patients who underwent traditional surgical procedures, their scores ranged from 1.5-2.3.
- The authors conclude that the improvement seen by thread lifts at 1 month were likely due to swelling and inflammation.
- The authors conclude that thread-lifts carry a high risk of complications, while extensive scarring may make it difficult to remove the threads, which is problematic because studies have found up to 20% of patients need a repeat surgery.

I do not perform thread lifts because the results I've seen from even the most respected plastic surgeons have been unimpressive. Most physicians who perform thread lifts are not real plastic surgeons, but cosmetic surgeons who learn the procedure in a course. There is no real substitute for a well-done facelift or mini facelift (in selected patients).

For more information on the threadlift study, click here.

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

Lisa Rinna Opens Up About Her Plastic Surgery

In a very frank, revealing interview on the Today Show, actress Lisa Rinna has admitted to silicone injections in her upper lip. She admits to having it done 23 years ago during the time of the movie Beaches. Like injectable silicone often does, it got hard and she's had to have steroid injections to the upper lip to soften it up. She also admits to having Botox and Juvederm injections. The Juvederm is especially evident in the obliteration of her nasolabial folds - the lines between the corners of the mouth and sides of the nose- and her plumped up cheeks. Finally, she admits to having had a breast lift, which she really feels she benefitted from.

It's always nice to see a celebrity be frank and open about his or her plastic surgery, whether good or bad. I speculated that she had a Gortex implant in her upper lip, which is another type of permanent implant like silicone. Unfortunately, the only way to remove liquid silicone is to cut it out. Ouch.

For streaming video of the Lisa Rinna Today Show interview, click here.

Photo credit: prphotos.com
Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

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