Garlic: As good as it tastes.

GARLIC LOVERS – GOOD NEWS

            Garlic is truly one of my favorite spices.  I’m not sure I would like Blueberry – Garlic ice cream, but short of that, it is pretty dog-gone good. 

A recent study in the Journal of Food Science, that came across my desk as a Fort Myers plastic surgeon, found that consumption of garlic oil could help reduce the immune system suppression and physiological stresses on our body caused by chemotherapy.  

For example, white blood cell count  (white blood cells help fight infection)  were reduced in chemo/radiation therapy patients but adding garlic oil to their diet raised their white count to 2 times more than those receiving no garlic oil.  Now these studies were done in mice so the question remains,  "will it carry over into humans."  

Spicing up your food may be a good thing after all. 

How aspirin works to reduce cancer risk

ASA is short for aspirin.  

This has been around for decades and has been a true miracle drug.  It has been shown to reduce our risk of cancer but for unexplained reasons.

Researchers now believe they have unlocked the mystery.  

A study I was reading about in my Fort Myers cosmetic surgery practice suggests these drugs slow the accumulation of a certain type of DNA change called somatic genome abnormalities or S.G.A. for short.  These lead to uncontrolled cell growth.  

The study was conducted over 12 years in patients who had Barrett’s esophagus with acid reflux.  They did serial biopsies of the diseased tissue.  

Overall, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was associated with a 90% reduction in the rate of mutations.

FDA approves new silicone gel implant

The FDA recently gave approval for a new silicone gel implant.  

It is made by Mentor and is called the Memory Shape Implant.  This is a textured (rough surface) anatomically designed implant which is tapered at the top and designed to give the breast more fullness in the lower pole.  It is for women age 22 or older and any woman undergoing breast reconstruction.  

The approval was based on 6 years of data accumulated on 955 patients.  

This product is designed to give a “more natural shape and youthful feel” from  breast augmentation and breast reconstruction.  Memory Shape means the silicone gel within the implant is cross linked which gives it a firmer shape.  

I recently completed online training in the proper use of these devices and am now certified to use them in my Fort Myers, Florida plastic surgery practice. If you would like more information, please contact me at 239-939-5233.

Punta Gorda - Help is on the way.

After numerous inquiries from people who live in Charlotte County, Florida, I've concluded that Charlotte County is under-served when it comes to plastic surgery options. So... as of today, I am having office hours in Punta Gorda.

One day a week, if you live in Charlotte County you will be able to receive a free consultation from me at 25097 E. Olympia #101, Punta Gorda. Call 941-505-2714 for information and an appointment.

Here's a photo of me signing the Punta Gorda lease  

If you are in Lee County, our office at 3700 Central in Fort Myers or 14 Del Prado N. in Cape Coral may be more convenient for you.  In that case, call 239-939-5233.

Can a lift give you a lift

Wrinkles make it hard to judge emotions

As if looking old wasn't bad enough, a new study finds that people have a difficult time reading the emotions of individuals with wrinkly faces.  At Penn State University, researchers asked study participants to rate the faces in 64 photos based on the emotions they perceived in the images. On average, pictures depicting older adults were rated as more angry or sad compared to the photos of younger people, despite the fact that every face photographed showed neutral emotions, reports LiveScience.

This is not the first study to examine the link between wrinkles and emotional perception. A previous study conducted at Berlin's Humboldt University found that younger people had a hard time judging the faces of older adults, and often perceived them to have more "mixed emotions" than similar images of younger people.

This study goes to show that people who seek out plastic surgery procedures such as facelifts or Botox injections aren't doing so simply out of vanity. There are real issues associated with early signs of aging. Researchers pointed out that the issue underscored in this most recent study could put older adults at a disadvantage at the doctor's office, for instance, as medical practitioners may falsely assume that seniors are experiencing sadness or depression.

Fortunately, as a cosmetic surgeon in Florida, an region where many older citizens live, I am happy to assure that there are many treatments to help treat wrinkles on the face and neck, While facelifts may be the most well-known, others may choose to target the skin hanging down under the chin by undergoing a neck lift. Botox injections can treat wrinkles before they begin to form, while facial fillers can add volume and fill in deep creases around the eyes, mouth and forehead.

Settlement in Lifestyle Lift Marketing Case

Lifestyle Lifts – we have all seen their ads on TV – has reached an agreement with the Attorney General's office in Florida concerning their marketing techniques.  

(NOTE:  I am sure that cosmetic surgeons who contract with Lifestyle Lifts are fine, qualified, caring doctors. I'm also sure that the allegations by the Florida Attorney General have little or nothing to do with those doctors.)

Lifestyle Lifts must remove language from their commercials that describe the procedure as "revolutionary."  They also must disclose payments to models used in their ads and promotional materials.  They also were ordered to refund some patient's money.

People who paid for “Lifestyle Lifts” from June 1, 2009 through June 10, 2013 may be entitled to a refund!

Contact the Attorney General's office to determine your status.

Loosing weight did NOT cut heart attacks and strokes

Type II diabetes affects millions of Americans.  It usually comes later in life and is associated with excessive weight gain.  

At meeting held recently, the American Diabetes Association reported that weight loss programs aimed at overweight adults DID NOT cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes.  

This was quite surprising in view of our common belief that obese individuals arre more prone to heart attacks and strokes. 

There was a silver lining, however. Weight loss did cut the development of chronic kidney disease.  

As a practicing cosmetic surgeon who consults with obese people regularly, I was puzzled by this report.  The study, conducted over 10 to 13 years, was stopped short due to the fact it was obvious weight loss was not going to effect heart disease.