Facelift or Botox

So it’s come to that point in your life – you’re considering having a little “work” done. But you don’t know what you want to do. Don’t know who to turn to or what to ask for. Well really, it depends on what stage of life you’re in when you hit “that” point.

If you’re in your 30’s, chances are you just have minimal wrinkles such as crowsfeet. Fillers or Botox can easily remedy and smooth out those areas and you’ll be happy as a clam.

In your 40’s, the “laugh lines” start to set in. Also your face starts to deflate just a bit. You might use a combination of fillers to combat these problems, or perhaps a “mid-face” or “short-scar” lift. Nothing too serious. A week off work and you’re ready to go.

By the mid-50s, the skin requires more attention around the neck. Also, the skin around the face sort of repositions itself. At this point you might opt for a more extensive combination of procedures: a facelift, fillers or implants to rejuvenate the face. This may take a little more time for recovery, but in the end the results will be worth it.

Once you’re in your 60s and 70s, you’ll start to battle “hollowness” from losing some facial fat or having a bit of sag. A facelift would probably be the option you’d take at this point in order to replace some of the volume and remove some excess skin to present a smoother, fuller face.

So yes, it’s come to that point, but as you see – there are a multitude of options from which to choose. So jump in with your eyes open. And come out looking great.

Charlize Theron not ready for Botox just yet

Charlize Theron has admitted that her boobs are sagging and her spectacular on-screen figures is not quite withstanding the test of time:

“I’m 32 and as you get older, you get wrinkles and your boobs sag. You get wisdom too so it’s not all bad.”

Despite this, she's not quite ready for Botox just yet:

“You can’t really do anything about ageing. Some people have Botox, and that’s great. Hopefully I’ll be okay with not getting Botox, but who knows?”

Only time will tell but remember, the best use for Botox is a preventative. It still works once you have the wrinkles but the best option is to use it before the wrinkles appear.

Good luck Charlize, you still look fabulous to us.

Botox and Pregnant Women

There's a lot of controversy surrounding the administration of Botox to pregnant women.
This all stems from the research that has been performed on the subject, which has been deemed inconclusive. Botox may or may not harm the baby of pregnant women.

However, if you're pregnant, it is advised that you should not receive Botox treatments because of the possible risk that it can harm the health of your baby. Possible risks include abnormalities of the fetus and miscarriage. There is a possibility that Botox can be passed onto the baby, whether while in the womb or through breast milk. Yes, studies remain inconclusive, but many women have chosen to not take the risk when it comes to their baby.

The FDA recommends pregnant women not receive Botox treatments.

Botox for the Prostate

A quick administration of Botox to the prostate could help treat an enlarged prostate, a condition referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH affects more than 50% of men over 60 and a staggering 90% of men over 80, making it difficult to urinate. Surgery is required in some cases.

Though the treatment is still in the testing stage, results have so far been successful for its participants. Botox has been able to reduce or limit the number of prostate cells dramatically by cell death so that it is no longer dangerously enlarged. The risk of cancer has also been reduced.

Bad Medicine

On Thursday, June 26, Las Vegas police arrested a doctor and his wife for administering a less expensive form of Botox not approved by the FDA. The form of botulism toxin they administered was being advertised as Botox, but was in fact a toxin purchased from a company based in Tucson, Arizona that purely for research purposes, rather than for human use.

The doctor, Stephen Lee Seldon and wife, Deborah Seldon, were staff of the medical clinic for aesthetic enhancement called A New You.

Virginia Madsen, Pro Botox

Actress Virginia Madsen is a firm believer in the power of Botox and Juvederm, some the world's most popular injectable fillers. She has admitted to using both as a way to eliminate wrinkles and lines, most notably those between her eyebrows.

Born September 11, 1961, she turns 46 this year but still appears years younger. Plus, she is still able to express emotion through facial gestures, something that some Botox users have complained about not being able to do after treatment...which is probably why she believes in injectable fillers so much.

Image from http://www.celebrific.com/quote-of-the-day-virginia-madsen-on-botox/

Increase in Cosmetic Surgeries Performed Last Year

The statistics for 2006 are finally out for the cosmetic surgery field in the United States, as released by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Only cosmetic procedures performed in the United States were examined, but they may give us insight on the trends in Canada.

Close to 11.5 million cosmetic procedures were performed across the U.S., an increase of 1% over numbers compiled in 2005. 35-50 comprised the largest age group.

Botox
It's fast, easy, and can be repeated when (and if) necessary. There are no incisions, no lengthy recovery time, and results appear in a few days. Plus, a procedure is far more affordable than other cosmetic treatments.

That's probably why Botox was the most popular procedure in the country, and most likely still is. In fact, over 3.18 million Botox procedures were performed last year. It was at the top of the list for both men and women.

Liposuction
A svelte body is difficult to achieve for most people, especially when it comes to keeping the fat from accumulating in those problem areas such as the thighs, upper arms and lower abdomen.

Liposuction is an effective way to achieve those contours you've always wanted. According to the ASAPS, the most popular invasive cosmetic procedure overall in 2006 was liposuction. However the type of liposuction performed (tumescent, traditional, etc.) was not mentioned. Of the 1 million procedures men underwent, 53,263 were liposuction.

Breast Augmentation
Yes, women tend to place more value and importance on their physical appearance. As a result, it comes to no surprise that a staggering 92% of the cosmetic procedures in the U.S. were performed on women. Statistics show that procedures performed on men actually dropped 5% when compared to 2005.

And the most popular invasive cosmetic procedure for the fairer sex? Breast augmentation, with 383,885 women across the United States surgically improving the size of their breasts with saline or silicone gel implants. Botox was the most popular non-invasive procedure for women.

In the opposite direction, breast reduction totaled 145,822.