Please Vote for Dr. Brueck as the Best of Southwest Florida

In this special blog message by Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD, we ask for your vote in the current Best of Southwest Florida ballot.

If you are a subscriber to the Fort Myers News-Press, you should have received an insert in Sunday's edition, including a ballot to vote for your choice of the “Best” of Southwest Florida.

Among the categories of particular interest to me are those for Best Cosmetic Surgeon, Best Eyelid Surgeon and Best Facial Cosmetic Surgeon. I encourage you to write in my name and check your vote for me, Dr. Robert Brueck MD, in one or all three of those categories.

(You also can vote online at http://www.news-press.com/section/bestofswfla)

You can vote anytime until noon, Monday, June 20, but only once and only one vote per category.

You will find one candidate's name pre-printed in each of these categories. Each is a qualified surgeon. They have been listed because they purchased an ad in the special “Best of” section in the newspaper.

Of course, I only want you to write in my name if you honestly believe my 30-plus years of practice as a plaastic surgeon, and my Board Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, qualify me for this distinction.

In any case, I thank you for your consideration.

By the way, you also can rate me at the following physician rating web sites. http://www.avvo.com, http://www.realself.com and http://www.yelp.com. If you are so inclined to recommend my practice, I will greatly appreciate it.

PS: You also can "like" my fan page on Facebook. Just enter my name in the FaceBook search window.

More plastic surgery patient comments - Dr. Brueck, Fort Myers

From time to time we receive comments from our plastic surgery patients in Fort Myers. We are happy to share them with you and other readers of this blog and Dr. Brueck's website.

Here are two from April.

~~~~~~

“Pam was excellent! My anesthesia person (Judy) was awesome! I adore Dr. Brueck. Everybody was so helpful. I felt like I was the only person in the world to them at that very moment and that's a great feeling.”

~~~~~~

“My experience there was absolutely fabulous! Your staff are the most wonderful, nicest, caring people. Dr. Brueck is superb! You're (sic) staff really cares about your people in the way they talk and act – it's just wonderful! I will recommend you to everyone.”

GREAT STORY - New Drug for Breast Cancer

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD, Fort Myers cosmetic surgeon, frequently blogs here about matters of health, skin care, medicine and cosmetic surgery. Additional information health and cosmetic surgery procedures may be found at Dr. Brueck's website, Beauty-by-Brueck.com

Drug research and development is a very expensive frustrating and in many cases rewarding endeavor. Many of our current "miracle Drugs" have a very unique and interesting beginning.

One such story involves a new drug recently approved by the FDA for breast cancer by the name of Haloven (equally interesting is how they get these names).

Haloven comes from a compound called halicondrin B which was isolated from a black sponge that lives off of the coast of Japan. This substance was found to block cell division in a somewhat unique way. Collaboration between researchers of the National Cancer Institute and Eisai of Japan led to commercial production of Haloven which is one of the most complex small molecule drugs ever made commercially.

Many drugs derived from nature can have nasty side effects and damage normal cells. Researchers study a disease process and then look for "targeted" drugs to interrupt or change the path of development.

Some of the more common drugs you may know have their origin in "nature."

Aspirin comes from willow bark. The active ingredient in salicylic acid. Malaria has been in the news a lot and one of the more common remedies in glunine which comes form the bark of the cinchona tree. Taxol, a very common drug used to treat breast cancer comes form the Pacific yen tree.

So you never know what treasure lies in your backyard waiting to be discovered.

MELTING AWAY FAT

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD FACS reports regularly on developments in health, medicine and cosmetic surgery. Additional thoughts on cosmetic surgery by Fort Myers plastic surgeon, Dr. Brueck, may be found at his web site, Beauty-by-Brueck.com

Who knows what will come in the next century. Certain goals, certain desires seem to survive the hands of time. One that I see in my practice everyday is weight loss. If ever there was something most people face as a challenge is to shed those extra pounds. Another is the appearance of cellulite.

Well we soon may have a new weapon in the battle of the bulge - Fat Dissolving Injections.

Years ago, there was a lot of hype about Meso Therapy and Fat Dissolving Injections. For some, they worked, but for many it was a tremendous let down. One area in which it worked was the area of fat under the chin on the "turkey gobble" neck.

But as the fat melted away the patient was left with an empty sac of loose hanging skin. Also, there were so many available drugs or pharmaceuticals available to inject in the soft tissues or fat of the body. The doses to be chosen and the combination of agents possible were unlimited so what might work on one person might not work on someone else.

But now Kythera Biopharmaceuticals in Los Angeles is conducting phase 3 studies to evaluate a product called ATX-101 which is an injectable for dissolving substance.

Stage 3 studies mean they are advanced and may soon yield results that may be available to patients in the not to distant future. The studies are for submental or chin fat removal. They have involved 720 patients in various European countries. They performed a similar study last year, 2010 here in the United States.

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD, FACS is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Ft. Myers and Cape Coral, FL. Visit his website at beauty-by-brueck.com to learn more about him or other procedures he does.

Dr. Brueck, Ft Myers plastic surgeon describes his Lunchtime Lift (c)

Dr. Robert J. Brueck, Board Certified aesthetic surgeon practicing in Fort Myers and Cape Coral Florida, regularly blogs here on subjects of health, medicine and plastic surgery. His work also is displayed at Beauty-by-Brueck.com

Because not everyone has the need, time or money for a full face lift, I created a shorter procedure, taking about three hours to complete, or about as long as a leisurely luncheon.

I call this my Lunchtime Lift (c).

During a recent appearance on the American Health Journal TV show, I was asked to describe what is involved with a Lunchtime Lift.

The following is a video recording of that appearance. While reasonably complete, it is constrained by the amount broadcast time available. If you would like to know more, you can visit my web site or call me at 239-939-5233. I or my staff will be happy to answer additional questions.



The Lunchtime Lift (c) has become so popular that another plastic surgeon in the area has been referring to it in his advertising. You learn about the real thing from Dr. Brueck, however.

PS: It occurs to me that the start of a new year is a suitable time to look at making a new you. Whether it is facial rejuvenation or body contouring with various lifts, implants, liposuction or tummy tucks, putting yourself in the hands of a Board Certified plastic surgeon can take years off your appearance and add substantially to your self-confidence.

May your 2011 be filled with joy and prosperity.

Dr. Brueck discusses eyelid lifts on TV

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD FACS is a Board Certified plastic surgeon who has been practicing for more than 30 years. His free standing cosmetic surgery center is located at 3700 Central Avenue in Fort Myers, Fl, with a satellite office in Cape Coral, FL. He blogs here regularly on subjects of health, medicine and plastic surgery. You also are invited to visit his web site at Beauty-by-Brueck.com to learn more about almost every aspect of plastic surgery in Southwest Florida.

One of the most common medically-justified plastic surgery procedures is the eyelid lift.

A drooping upper eyelid is not only sometimes taken as a sign of fatigue, unhappiness or aging. In extreme cases, drooping upper eyelids can interfere with vision. If you can't see clearly and without obstruction when driving, you can be in a very hazardous situation.

Over the past few weeks, I have appeared on WINK-TV's American Health Journal, a nationally syndicated TV show that addresses a wide range of health and medical issue. Recently I talked about upper eyelid lifts, which I perform in my Fort Myers office.

A video of the appearance follows:



Whether or not a condition obstructs your vision or causes some other physical distress, cosmetic surgery by way of an upper eyelid lift is being seen more and more as a way to retain a youthful appearance and a confident attitude that goes with it.

It is not just a matter of vanity. It often is a matter of survival in a super-competitive labor market where decisions about who will be laid-off and who will be hired can rest on one's appearance. It may not be fair, but it is real.

As a result, I am seeing more and more patients who want to invest in their employ-ability by investing in their appearance.

If you would like to talk about it, give me a call at 239-939-5233 and we can set up a free, private and confidential consultation. There is no obligation. If you leave with nothing else, you will be wiser about your choices.

May your holidays be filled with joy and your new year overflow with prosperity and love.

WILL THE FUTURE PROMISE STEM CELLS IN PLASTIC SURGERY

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD FACS reports periodically on subjects related to health, healing and plastic surgery. In this message, he hints at the possibilities for stem cell therapy in plastic surgery, based on his recent experience with it concerning his arthritic ankle.

As many of you already know, I recently went to the east coast of Florida to receive “stem cell” therapy to my severely arthritic left ankle.

Recently, I have been doing some reading and investigating into stem cells. Basically, there are two types of stem cells, embryonic and adult-derived. Embryonic stem cells are ones that come from fetuses and have been at the center of debate between conservatives and liberals for decades. Adult-derived stem cells come from your own body fat so being a little plump around the mid section may not be so bad after all - you can tell your friends and family you are stem cell planting for the future.

I traveled to Boca Raton on a Thursday evening because my appointment was at 9am on Friday and I didn’t want to be caught in traffic on Alligator Alley, or have the Alley be closed due to an accident. I really felt good and didn’t have much trouble sleeping. As usual, I got up at the crack of dawn. Linda and I put on the trusty GPS and off we went. You know me, if my appointment is at 9am, I will be there at 8am. Once we arrived at our destination we had to park and decide which building we were going to, floor, suite, etc. etc. Since we were early there really wasn’t any problem.

We went up to the waiting room and it was filled with people walking on crutches, people with canes, people wearing casts, just what one would expect. After giving them my insurance card, driver’s license and other required documentation, I returned to the lobby and was waiting for my name to be called. After about 20 minutes I was called back to an exam room and an X-ray was then taken of my left ankle.

Soon thereafter Mr. Jim Vandenbosch came into the room. He is a “clinical ortho biological specialist” working with Dr. Joe Purita, he went over the procedure with me and told me what to expect. I was not NPO so I assumed it was going to be under local. Indeed, it was, so I was able to eat breakfast.

Dr. Purita came in. He is an orthopedic specialist and is actually going to be doing the procedure. He has been doing protein rich plasma and stem cell transplants for several years and now has performed in excess of 2000. He looked at the X-ray and told me I had severe arthritis. I told him the pain in my ankle speaks to the arthritic nature of my ankle.

Basically, a stem cell is what we call a plur-poten cell, in other words it has the ability to differentiate down different cell lines depending upon the “neighborhood” it is in.

The stem cell is placed in an arthritic joint and the hope is that the stem cell will eventually form a new cartilage or bone cell and help restore and heal the involved arthritic joint.

Jim came in and prepped me and the donor site for obtaining the stem cells. It was my right posterior flank. The area was prepped and local was applied to the area, after several minutes Dr. Purita came in and made a small incision and obtained about 10cc’s of fat from the area.

The fat was allowed to separate and the fat was then transferred along with protein rich plasma and a small amount of growth hormone into a sterile syringe which was eventually going to be injected into my joint.

Protein rich plasma is derived from your own blood. They obtain about 20cc’s of blood and then spin it down separating the cells from the serum. Once this is completed, they obtain the buffy code which is in the middle and contains all of the platelets and growth factors.

This is all mixed together.

Then I went downstairs to the fluoro room. I was placed on the table and the fluoro unit was turned down to delineate my left ankle joint.

Over the course of 10 minutes, Dr. Purita injected the mixture into my ankle. At that point, I was done and he gave me instructions, and Linda and I were off to the races. We decided to stop and get a bit of lunch before we began the trek home to Ft. Myers.

That weekend I stayed home, put my leg up, packed it in ice and I was back to work on Monday. I will give you an update since it will take 4 to 6 weeks for this to start showing an effect.

In about 3 weeks, I will be going to Dr. Ron Gardner in Ft. Myers for more protein rich plasma injections to the joint in order to stimulate their growth. So far so good and we are hoping for a successful outcome that will help me avoid an ankle operation.

Is there a role for stem cell therapy in plastic surgery? At the rate, research and technology are proceeding, there well could be.

WE ARE WHAT WE EAT: Dr. Brueck, Plastic Surgeon reflects

This is one in a series of health-related messages from Dr. Robert Brueck, MD, a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon practicing in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, Florida. More of Dr. Brueck's thoughts, especially on cosmetic surgery, may be read at his web site, Beauty-by-Brueck.com

As I sit here in the airport in Knoxville, Tennessee, returning from a trip to see my brother I can’t help but notice the over abundance of bulging thighs, necks and tummies.

We have all been reading about the obesity epidemic. I guess that one look around any public gathering can confirm all of our suspicions. I think that most of us at one time or another has gotten on the treadmill of “weight loss”. I know I have and guess what, I’m still on it. Too bad all of that running isn’t paying big dividends.

It is not just about a few extra pounds or in many cases a lot of extra pounds, it is about longevity; eating the right foods can help us control our plaque buildup, our blood sugar, blood pressure, all of which can have a great beneficial effect on how long we live.

What are some of the foods that promote longevity? Roll the drums, here they are, get ready.

"Double stuff oreo cookies, Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia and extra large fries. NO, NO, that's the wrong list but it would be wishful thinking for many of us."

Here are some of the foods for longevity:

• Fatty fish such as mackerel, tuna and wild salmon provide us with a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which can reduce the risk of heart disease.

• Whole grains are an excellent source of B complex vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. They are essential for optimal energy and metabolism and help us to deal with stress

• Low fat dairy-contain anti-aging nutrients calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin D also provides excellent anti-cancer activity.

• Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale are a derivative source of fiber, calcium and carotenoids. This is also a very potent anti-oxidant.

• Berries such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, have anti-oxidants and flavenoids, and help reduce heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

• Green tea contains catechins and theanine. These are great anti-cancer drugs which can reduce a variety of cancers, especially in people that drink 4 to 10 cups of tea. Maybe being a tea drinker isn’t such a bad idea.

• Mangosteen is a small, purplish fruit grown in southeast Asia, which contains compounds known as xanthones. They help with gastrointestinal functioning and can also reduce inflammation such as a reaction to protein.

• Turmeric, curcumin and ginger have been shown to be beneficial in terms of their anti-cancer effects.

• Citrus fruit is a tremendous source of vitamin C. Living here in southwest Florida, and in Florida in general, we have ready sources of citrus. The vitamin C found in tangerines, grapefruits and oranges are a superior source of vitamin C Versus taking tablets.

• Red grapes and red wine contain resveratrol, which is shown to control blood sugar and provide for a greater life span. Many researchers now are conducting significant studies into the anti-aging benefits of resveratrol and this is a compound found in the skin of the red grape. There was a big documentary not too long ago on 60 Minutes.

There are many things we can do to help prolong our lives. Eating the right way can be beneficial and productive.

So, good luck, good eating and good health.

SLEEP YOUR WRINKLES AWAY - Skin Care news from Dr. Brueck, Plastic Surgeon

Dr. Robert Brueck scours the news for the latest information about cosmetic surgery, which he posts here when he finds it. Read on, and make a point to set up an RSS feed of the blog so you won't miss any future issues.

Sleep Your Wrinkles Away?

Now that’s what I call progress! Imagine going to bed at night knowing that when you wake up in the morning your wrinkles will be fewer and less pronounced.

WOW! There may be a modicum of truth in the old adage, to get your beauty rest.

A company by the name of Copron based in Israel produces pillow cases that contain copper oxide infused into the fibers of the pillow cases. The director of research Dr. Gadi Borkow did a blind study: some women slept on normal pillow cases and the others slept on the copper oxide pillows.

He stated that there was a statistically significant difference in the 2 groups. The study included 57 women. They were evaluated only at 2 and 4 weeks. The women with the copper oxide pillows had fewer fine lines and overall improvement in their skin.

More work and studies are currently on their way and maybe next year’s resolution will be to get more beauty rest. Intriguing.

Now they want to tax how you look.

Thoughts from Dr. Brueck, Fort Myers plastic surgeon, on the latest government threats to tax cosmetic surgery and non-surgical procedures.

When will it ever end?

It seems every time I pick up the newspaper I read about healthcare. The amount of material is staggering.

It seems that the opinions of the party in control change like the wind. The cost of government healthcare is projected to cost 1 to 1.6 trillion dollars over the next 10 years. But, alas, it will be budget neutral.

Sure, we can all believe that - we only need to look at Medicare with its $30 to $60 trillion in unfunded liabilities; Medicaid which is bankrupting many states (look up Tenncare) and last, but not least, Veterans Care. We all have read about the horrible conditions at Walter Reed Hospital and the care that our war heroes get.

To my count, that is three strikes and in America, three strikes and you are out. To maintain “budget neutrality” the powers-that-be are proposing a 10% tax on ALL cosmetic procedures.

When will this never-ending litany of new taxes end? This administration is already spending our country into the brink of bankruptcy. If they spent as much time on our deficit and decreasing it as they do on dreaming up new taxes our country would certainly be far better off.

I recently resigned from the AMA, the FMA and the American College of Surgeons. It was done with much thought. It was a very difficult decision to make. But these organizations “support government health care” and all of this with no tort reform.

I recently wrote to the chairman of the AMA and a similar letter was sent to the head of the American College of Surgeons. I think it says it all. Something to ponder in a spare moment.

July 29, 2009
James Rohack, M.D.
American Medical Association
515 North State StreetChicago, IL 60654

Dear Dr. Rohack:

Recently I resigned from the AMA and recent events have solidified the purpose of my decision. I am utterly shocked, appalled, and disheartened by the AMA elite endorsement of Obama Care. The AMA “elite” have sold our patients, our physicians and the greatest healthcare system in the world down the river.

There is no question our system has flaws but remains the preeminent healthcare system in the world. Why do so many presidents and foreign dignitaries come to America to receive lifesaving medical care? The free medical marketplace breeds innovation and new technology, life saving pharmaceuticals, etc. There isn’t one socialized system that can compete with ours.

We hear about the “great Canadian system” yet thousands of Canadians cross the border every year to receive their care here in America. In 2005 the Canadian Supreme Court opened the doors to private medicine and healthcare in their country. Why, because the socialized system was broken and was not serving the Canadian people.

Over 15,000 people died in France in 2003 because of a heat wave. When was the last time that happened in America?

Look at the list of Nobel Prize winners in medicine over the last 20 or 30 years and the case is quite clear and obvious. 8 out of 10 of the last major medical advances such as MRI’s and CT scans were developed here in America. If you suffered from an MI in the 80’s and made it to the ER the survival rate was about 60%, today it’s over 90%. Stroke survival rates today are twice as great as they were 25 to 30 years ago.

Look at the longevity table today versus 20 or 30 years ago. Yet we still have that bastion of healthcare that is so vital, so precious to doctor patient relationship and now you want the government to intrude and destroy and destroy they will.

Mark my word. They are like an insidious cancer growing and advancing not to be stopped. We need less government control in medicine and in our lives in general. Healthcare is 20% of our gross developmental products. I do not want the government to control anymore of lives than they already do.

Look at the government medicine we now have, Medicare is going broke, Medicaid is breaking every state budget in the union and then let’s not forget the great government controlled Veteran’s healthcare system which is a shamble and a disgrace to our proud men and women serving in our Armed Forces.

To put 20% of our gross developmental product in the hands of our totally irresponsible government is abhorrent. A short time ago the house passed a cap and trade bill and in large NO ONE ever read the bill and now they are trying to rush through and ramrod a healthcare bill down our throats that NO ONE once again has read. I wonder what they want to hide!

Of course they want to rush it through for the sake of not having it read, discussed and digested so that they can have more control of our lives. Just like the takeover of the banks, the insurance companies and the car companies. When and where will government control of our lives and our country end.

The government’s reasoning is that we have 50 million uninsured. It’s interesting how that number has grown from 35 to 50 million. If we look at that numbers it’s really not all that significant. Of that number 10 to 12 million are illegal aliens and should not be entitled to healthcare. It’s also estimated that 14 million of these uninsured qualify right now for SCHIPS/Medicaid. Several million of these uninsured can afford insurance but elect not to have it.

The census figures also show that 18.3 million of the uninsured were under 34-years-old. Many have elected not to have coverage because they feel healthy and secure in their present situation. Many millions are uninsured for short periods because they are between jobs.

When all is said and done a Blue Cross Blue Shield study in 2003 found that there were approximately 8.2 million Americans without coverage for long periods of time. We also hear of the tremendous costs of uncompensated care and the shifting of expense from the non-payer to the payers.

A Kaiser Family Foundation study in 2008 said that the TOTAL uncompensated care was 56 billion dollars. So we are going to turn our healthcare system over to the government with a projected cost of 1 to 1.5 trillion dollars over 10 years.

We all know about government efficiency. I am sure their numbers are accurate. Look at the VA healthcare system. This has been in place for decades and it’s government run and look how it’s in shambles. We all recently saw pictures flashed across the screen about the poor conditions of our Veteran’s healthcare facilities.

We are also told that we need a government option to create competition. With over 1500 healthcare plans in America today this is nothing more than a ploy to get the government’s foot in the door and gain total control of our lives. Even if the government plan loses money don’t worry we have the taxpayers to fall back on.

Look at the postal system which now is projecting a deficit of 10 billion dollars and of course who is going to pay for it, the taxpayers. We will just throw another 10 or 15 billion here to subsidize another losing government proposition. Maybe we will give the government’s plan some free government subsidies.

What government program over the last 10, 20 or 30 years has run efficiently and under budget? The answer is none. Do we subsidize Amtrak, the postal system, you name it. The list goes on and on and to think that this is going to be budget neutral is foolhardy.

We also always read about Medicaid fraud, Medicare fraud, durable medical good mills and so forth. When was the last time that we read about a Blue Cross Blue Shield or Human fraud? It doesn’t exist because the private sector is far more efficient in delivering healthcare. It is also possible that the private sector might be better keepers and stewards of our hard earned dollars.

To pay for this we are told that we can “squeeze” $500 billion in savings from Medicare. Yet the enrollees in Medicare is set to grow by over 30% as the baby boomers are set to retire over the next several years. Now you tell me how you cannot take away from the quality of healthcare for our senior citizens by squeezing a half a trillion dollars from their budget and yet have their enrollment increase 30 to 40%.

They must have some Houdini pulling the levers at the Medicare center. Past history has always shown us that we can’t trust the wisdom and brilliance of bureaucrats in Washington.

Our president talks about the out of control spiraling healthcare costs but recent trends seem to refute his claim. Here are some facts:

1970 – 10.5%
1980 – 13.0%
1990 – 10.9%
2000 – 6.6%|
2003 – 8.6%
2004 – 6.9%
2005 – 6.5%
2006 – 6.7%
2007 – 6.1%

This really is a promising trend.

As a loyal American I want free market capitalism to be given a chance ahead of a huge government bureaucracy filled with corruption and waste. Free market capitalism is what has made our country the richest, the strongest, most prosperous nation in the world.

Repeat Webster’s definition of tyranny “repressive government control”. I question what direction our country is going. I am certainly appalled at your decision to support Obama Care and I certainly have no plans in the future to ever again become a member of the AMA and will actively campaign to have other friends of mine who are active members to renounce their membership as well.

With Warmest Regards,

Robert J. Brueck, M.D.

A New Filler - Fort Myers plastic surgeon Dr. Brueck comments

NEW FILLER - OBSERVATIONS FROM

DR. BRUECK

It seems every time I get up from bed there is a new filler/a new toy to tempt us to answer the needs of our patients.

The newest kid on the block is Hydrell/recently approved by the FDA.

It’s the newest Hyaluronic acid filler with anesthesia already in it.

The drug is manufactured by Anika Therapeutics and will be distributed in the U.S. by Coapt Systems. It is designed to fill in mid to deep dermis facial wrinkles and folds. It requires about 50% of the typical injection volume, meaning fewer injections to fill in those ugly, nasty facial wrinkles.

So far no word about when it will be released but I am sure there will soon be a new “knock on my door”.

More to come! Stay up to date with an RSS feed of Dr. Brueck's blog. It's easy. Go to bloglines.com, register for a free account. Click on the RSS feed icon.

Subscribe in a reader

You will see a window that let's you select who you want to provide your feed. Click on the bloglines icon. You will see a new Bloglines window asking you if you want to subscribe to the feed. Click on "subscribe".

It's that easy.

The Future of Plastic Surgery - Dr Robert Brueck

WHAT’S IN THE FUTURE?

Unfortunately we don’t have a crystal ball, but a new report released by Industry Analysts Inc. in San Jose, California, paints a somewhat rosy picture for the future in the cosmetic surgery products and surgical procedures industry.

The cosmetic surgery products market is expected to grow to 3.07 billion dollars by 2012 while the cosmetic surgery procedures market is projected to reach 15.3 billion dollars by 2012.

Compared to our growing national debt this is like finding a penny in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven. My, how things can change in just a short period of time.

New products and services are coming out almost daily.

As baby boomers mature and gain discretionary dollars, cosmetic procedures will see a nice, steady, healthy growth. The greatest growth will be with injectables because of lower cost and minimal downtime. We now have an alternative to Botox, i.e. Dysport. As the competition heats up over the months and years ahead the prices will certainly fall and become more affordable.

The lure of injectables and things such as Botox is the fact that they can be done on a Friday and a person can go right back to work.

If you are dedicated to doing something to delay the appearance of aging, you will have plenty of affordable options in the future.

Stay up with the changing market by making this blog an RSS feed, and check out my web site, http://www.BeautybyBrueck.com

New techniques in cosmetic surgery for luscious lips

NEW RICHER FULLER LIPS

There are many challenges in cosmetic surgery today.

One has to do with creating fuller, more youthful looking lips (lip augmentation.)

The procedure of choice has been injecting dermal fillers. Fine, as far as they go. But injections can be painful and only temporary. They often require multiple injections over time to maintain that fullness.

We now have a new “gummy bear lip”. A new “PermaLip” implant is now available. It's made from silastic polymer with the consistency of a soft gummy bear. It has tapered ends simulating the normal lip line.

The implant is soft and has a natural feeling.

Implanting can be done in a simple outpatient procedure with light sedation which translates into no pain. Because there is no tissue ingrowth to the implant it is very easy to remove or reposition if necessary.

The before and after photos I think speak for themselves.

Photos are provided by PermaLip (c) and do not represent Dr. Brueck's work.

Recently a paper was written by Drs. Harris and Raphael of Plano, Texas, discussing their experience with 412 patients utilizing the PermaLip implant. Complications were minimal; 17 out of 412 patients required some repositioning of the implant and no patients lost their implant due to infection.

Satisfaction was almost universal, even after several months. Only two of the 412 patients expressed dissatisfaction and two requested removal due to family pressure.

It now has received FDA approval. No longer do you have to endure repeated injections to have full youthful lips. To schedule a complimentary consultation to see if you are a candidate for PermaLip please call our office at (239) 939-5233.

Can Plastic Surgery give a lift to your job security

From North America to the UK, cosmetic plastic surgery is becoming an important part of the employee’s resume tool box.

Reuters news service reports that plastic surgeons are seeing increased interest from people seeking surgery to look younger and more employable. A male music producer in Los Angeles claims to have invested $17,000 in a face lift. His goal? To look younger and feel more confident. That’s right, a male.

Despite perceptions that cosmetic surgery is only for women, the Yorkshire (UK) Post reports that men also are having more cosmetic surgery these days. Cosmetic procedures for men have increased 25% in England in the last year. Patients range from accountants and attorneys to government employees, with the most popular procedure, according to the Post, being male breast reductions. Mini-face lifts to remove jowls also are popular.

Meanwhile, back in the US, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has completed a study in which they found more American women were thinking of plastic cosmetic surgery as a way to get a competitive edge at work. 756 women between 18 and 64 were surveyed.

Around 73% felt that a youthful appearance plays a role in getting employment, getting promoted and getting new clients. 13% said they would consider a cosmetic procedure to improve their chances of landing a good job. They cited the difficult economic times as contributing to the importance of looking young and energetic.

As a Board Certified plastic surgeon practicing in Southwest Florida I have observed that, as the job market gets tighter, more people are looking to get an ‘edge’ in the jobs competition. Many times this means ‘looking’ younger. Patients tell me they need to look younger because job interviewers seem more concerned about “appearances” than qualifications.

I am seeing people in their 40s and 50s, who must compete with people who may be 10 to 15 years younger. They are investigating cosmetic procedures to make them more competitive in the marketplace.”

If you are in a field that is populated by a large number of young people, looking young may help you succeed.

One woman, who asked not to be named, says she attends networking gatherings where she has noticed she is amongst women who are much younger-looking. “It’s difficult to be confident in that setting”, she observed. “I know some of these women have gone through facial rejuvenation and, darn it, they look younger than me. How do you compete with that?”

I recently worked with a 30-ish woman who came to me for facial rejuvenation. She was convinced that making her aging face look younger would help her land and keep the job she wanted.

In another case, a middle-aged woman came in recently and said she needed to look younger to be more competitive in this market. The procedure I recommended was an eyelid lift. I think it makes a big, big difference to get rid of that overhanging skin that makes your eyes look tired and old. After all, the eyes are one of the first places an interviewer looks. There’s a reason they call it ‘eye contact’.

An eyelid lift is simple, safe and recovery time is minimal. You can shampoo your hair the next day and have stitches out in 3 or 4 days.

But it’s not only facial procedures. Another young, working mother who was experiencing sagging breasts from nursing after childbirth, decided that a breast lift would put more bounce in her step, give her more confidence in her interactions with others and enhance her job security.

People who elect to have plastic surgery in today’s economy consider these procedures to be investments in their future earning power. Those who are short of ready cash for a procedure are finding financing opportunities. We accept financing through CareCredit . (see our (http://www.beauty-by-brueck.com/Links.htm ) CareCredit offers credit plans for medical care, some of which are even interest-free

The procedures can range from relatively inexpensive, non-surgical procedures such as Botox or other filler injections to eliminate age-betraying wrinkles to more extensive surgeries such as eyelid lifts, chin lifts, mommy makeovers (tummy tucks) and breast enhancements.

A male sales rep in New Jersey talks about being passed over for jobs he was qualified to fill. Once he chose to have wrinkles and other signs of aging around his face and neck rejuvenated, he found employers were more receptive. “Maybe I just came off as more confident and energetic, not necessarily “younger-looking”. So what? If it helped me get a job I might otherwise not have been considered for, that’s what matters.”

A web site devoted to members of the legal profession conducted a poll in which 58% of respondents said that implants could only help a woman’s career. It seems that a woman attorney who uses breast implants to improve her physique is apt to receive a positive reaction from her employers. But it is not surgically enhanced breasts that makes the difference. It is a more confident and forthcoming attitude as a result of a more youthful profile that may make a woman appear more qualified.

In reality, it is almost required that the enhancement not be noticeable. The kind of modest attire women in professions wear is designed to leave more to the imagination than to the eye. Therefore, breast enhancement for these women seldom exceeds one size. The result is a woman who feels better about herself and her appearance. More than one size can call more attention to the change than to the person.

For whatever reason, with competition for jobs, promotions and assignments on the uptick, anything you can do to look more confident, more energetic and, yes, even more attractive, may make the difference you need in your career development.

It would be wonderful if we all were judged solely on our inner beauty and professional qualifications. But in the real world how you look appears to influence how others see you and how you feel about yourself.

There is no escaping the fact that surgical enhancement may make a difference in getting employed more quickly and justifying a salary that supports your lifestyle.

If you are looking for ways to invest in your future and plastic surgery is a possibility, the first thing to do is talk to at least one Board Certified plastic surgeon about the available options. (You can arrange for a personal, private confidential consultation with me, simply by calling my office at 239-939-5233.)

Ask every question that comes into your mind, including how you will pay for it and if the doctor has any special deals. You may be surprised at how affordable this investment is. We are offering some deep discounts coming into the summer. Just ask.

For more information, click here to visit my website Beauty-by-Brueck.com

Thank you.

Plastic Surgery - Herbal Supplements are no-no's

Many patients coming in for elective cosmetic surgery are in the process of taking dietary supplements such as fish-oil, Ginseng, Ginkgo-biloba and the list goes on.

You MUST STOP taking all herbal supplements 2 to 3 weeks before surgery. And you must advise your surgeon of any herbal supplements or other substances you have been taking. They may disqualify you, temporarily, for any cosmetic plastic surgery.

The reason is simple; minimize the potential for any drug interactions.

Many of these “supplements” can affect blood clotting.

Not too long ago I did a face lift on a lady who had taken fish-oil and it took all the skill and attention I had to stop her oozing.

So remember, NO HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information about plastic surgery in Fort Myers, visit Dr. Brueck's web site. The more you learn the better off you will be.

Plastic Surgery - Dr. Brueck joins the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce

In an effort to reach out to members of the Fort Myers community and acknowledge his local roots, Dr. Robert J. Brueck, MD, Board Certified plastic surgeon, has joined the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Brueck has practiced plastic surgery for nearly 30 years, during which time he has been recognized several times for his professional and community activities.

Dr. Brueck has been named one of the Top Plastic Surgeons in Southwest Florida by Gulfshore Life magazine, in conjunction with Castle Connelly LLC, a peer rating service to the medical field, for five years in a row, most recently 2008.

He also was instrumental in the founding and operation of Paint Your Heart Out Lee County, a public service effort that provided free paint, and volunteers to apply it, to homeowners in buildings in blighted neighborhoods.

In addition, he has conducted numerous medical missions to impoverished Caribbean Islands. Last year, he undertook a medical mission to Siberia, where he comforted and counseled individuals and families in remote towns that did not have even routine medical care.

“I see this as an opportunity to become more involved in the community that has added so much to my life and experience,” Dr. Brueck said. “Of all my activities, the ones where disadvantaged people are given hope and encouragement to go one and make more satisfying lives are the things that have rewarded me the most.”

Dr. Brueck's state of the art surgical facility is located in his office at 3700 Central Avenue, Fort Myers 33907. He also has an office in Cape Coral for the convenience of patients living in Cape coral and North Fort Myers.

If you are considering plastic surgery of any kind, please contact Dr. Brueck for a free private consultation by calling 239-939-5233.

You may also reach him through his Web site at Beauty-by-Brueck.

Plastic Surgery - New Technique - Short Scar Breast Lifts

Breast enhancement is one of the most common procedures in plastic surgery.

Many times, after multiple pregnancies, a woman’s breasts have become smaller and ptotic, or “saggy”. After pregnancy and nursing, most women will suffer from post partum involution or shrinking of breast volume. It is sort of like someone letting the air out of a tire.

As long as the nipple stays above the intra mammary fold (the point where the breast meets the chest wall) the breast is not truly ptotic. It may “look” ptotic or like it is sagging; which is called pseudo ptosis.

Only if the nipple actually falls below the intra mammary fold is the breast truly ptotic. If this drop, or sagging, is significant, then one needs to perform a mastopexy or breast lift.

To put it simply, the amount of skin is greater than the amount of breast tissue. This results in ptosis. If the nipple is minimally ptotic, in other words, 1 centimeter or so, sometimes placement of an implant will take care of this. If the ptosis is more significant (more than 2 centimeters) one needs to have a mastopexy.

One of the more common types of mastopexy is the “anchor” type. It involves a scar around the nipple areola complex, from the six o’clock position of the areola to the intra mammary fold and then transversally along the intra mammary fold.

This incision along the intra mammary fold is not always a hairline scar. In most cases, it is rather thick and unsightly.

We now have a new procedure, a short scar mastopexy, which almost totally eliminates the intra mammary scar. We are excited to offer this new procedure to our patients.

For an example of this surgery as recently used by me for a Fort Myers patient, visit the before and after mastopexy page on my Web site.

CAUTION: If You are under 18 or offended by nudity, please do not visit this page.

If the problem is ptosis and hypo plasia then this can be combined with a breast augmentation as well.

To determine if you are a candidate for this type of mastopexy (breast lift), contact my office at 239-939-5233 and arrange a free, personal and confidential consultation.

Ask about my special Spring discount, with savings up to 35%.

Have a glorious Spring and Summer!

We Get Letters - Plastic Surgery testimonials

We get letters frequently from patients that are pleased enough with the results of their surgery and care at Dr. Brueck's Cosmetic Surgery practice to write and tell us about it.

We've included a couple of recent ones below. You'll find these and more on the Testimonials page at Dr. Brueck's web site, Beauty-by-Brueck.com.

"Dear Dr. Brueck:
I just wanted to thank you and your wonderful staff for what you did for me. I am really a terrible patient and you helped take the fear from me. You are a wonderful person and what ever you do I am sure will be blessed.

I really don't know what to say - it sort of takes my breath away. It just makes me so happy to know our country has such wonderful people. Thank you again. Happy Thanksgiving, Holidays & New Year to you and yours."- S.L.

~~~~~~

"Dear Dr. Brueck:
I wanted to drop you a note to thank you so much for the breast augmentation you did for me. It is beautiful. No only has it given me more confidence, it has changed my life. I also wanted to thank your staff for their kindness, courtesy and professional service. Thanks again. " - D.P.

~~~~~~

"Hello, Dr. Brueck. ..you did breast augmentation on me back in
February and I am very happy with them. You changed my life. I
look forward to seeing you again for my tummy tuck.
Thank you so much." - J.S.

Skin Cancer Prevention with Coffee?

WOW!

That morning cup of Java may do more than lift your tired eyelids.

Recent work done by researchers has shown that mice given caffeine are protected against UV-induced (sun) skin cancer.

This research is being done by M. Allen Conney at the State University of New Jersey.

So, if you drink coffee, maybe you should have an extra 'cuppa' in the morning. If you drink tea, you might consider a caffeine pill as a booster.

Excuse me now. Have to go get another cup of morning Joe. The sun isn't up yet.

For more information about matters relating to skin health and cosmetic surgery, stop a spell to read Dr. Brueck's web site.

You could do it over coffee

Dr. Brueck, Fort Myers Plastic surgeon in Siberia - Day 10

This is the tenth entry in Dr. Brueck's diary about his medical mission to Siberia.

July 6^th 2008

We got up early and as usual we went over to Wolfgang and Judit's house to have breakfast before we began our trek to Abazar. This is a church that Wolfgang and his family attend which is about 50 kilometers away.

Judit and Phil stayed behind because the van couldn’t hold all of us. The drive to Abazar is further south from Tustip towards the Mongolian border and as we drove we could see the snow covered peaks in the distance. The further south you go into Siberia the more mountainous the terrain becomes.

As we approached the town we could see the lumber mill and a small steel mill. It was a typical Siberian village, square wooden houses with blue windows and fences around them protecting the gardens.

The thing that was strange was a huge mountain of what looked like iron ore or coal and in talking to Wolfgang he said it was “radio active”. He said the government did not know what to do with it; the pile was huge and sort of rimmed around the town.

We drove past this onto the main road of the town and arrived at the church. The church was packed; it was a small church with wooden benches and a very rudimentary sound system. Before we went into the chapel it was custom that we took our shoes off and went in either with slippers or bare feet. Needless to say it was kind of hot because I was sitting next to the window and it was a very sunny day, the room rapidly became very warm.

The music came from a simple sound system and was quite good. A few introductory remarks were made and then we got up and started to sing a song. We stood for the first song and then the second song and after the seventh song I was praying for relief and finally we were able to sit down.

They also spent a few minutes recognizing our medical team and I actually got up to speak in front of the congregation, it was quite an experience and quite enjoyable.

We also saw a guest preacher that day who was a Russian pastor who was born in that area but had moved to Seattle, Washington. After the service I had a chance to talk to him and he was telling me that there is a large Russian settlement in Seattle and that he preaches in Russian to these people. In any event he said there were about 200,000 Russians that had settled in the Seattle area.

When he began to speak it was in Russian and needless to say I didn’t quite understand what was going on. The only thing I did understand was that my body was getting warmer and my forehead was sweating profusely as each minute went by. The sermon lasted 30 minutes, then 40 minutes, then an hour, then an hour and 15 minutes and when all was said and done the whole service was perhaps around 2 hours and 15 minutes.

By this time I could hardly wait to get up and get outside for some fresh air. I got up and immediately went to the back room to find my shoes and go outside. As I was sitting outside I was leaning up against an old beat up Volvo and Grisha came out and told me I shouldn’t lean up against the car because in Russia they don’t do that.

With that we started talking and then Elania who was our team leader came out and asked me if there was any way I could see a young man whose mother had gone to the service that day and I responded by telling her I was there to help and to serve and I would be more than happy to go down there.

So we got in the van, Wolfgang, Elania, the lady and I and we went to the house which was a few blocks down the road and as we walked through the wooden gate towards the house there was the usual boards on the dirt and the mud and the various assortments of excrement that were placed around the barnyard.

As we approached the house I saw this enormous padlock that was the size of a fist and as the mother approached she had this big key and unlocked it. Elania had warned me not to be overly alarmed by what I would see and I told her nothing would surprise me at this point.

As we walked through the door there was a little foyer entry way that was maybe 4 to 5 feet wide and very dark. There was a door going into the house and as we walked in, the door suddenly opened and there was this gentleman who was quite shocking to say the least, he was like a character out of a Steven King novel, and this was her son.

He had not shaved, showered or changed his clothes in over 6 months. Obviously the odor was quite obvious and he was frightening and if you had walked around the corner of a dark and deserted street you certainly would scream and run as fast as you could.

We were able to coax him outside and Elania tried to talk to him in Russian and there wasn’t much I could say in Russian so I spoke in English maybe hoping he had some hidden knowledge of English but to no avail.

We walked around the garden and he was obviously having a deep psychotic reaction. He had repetitive motions and after many minutes we were able to get him to sit down on a little stool and his mother got the clippers and we were able to shave his head and his beard. He had body lice and Elania and I were able to get his jacket off and his clothes and we then scrubbed him down and washed him.

At that point in time the mother asked what I thought and I told her he really needs to go into Abacon to see a psychiatrist and be hospitalized for a chronic psychotic reaction. Hopefully, with medications he would at least be communicative where one could perform therapy on him.

It was really sad, apparently he was fine 7 or 8 months ago and was professing his Christian faith and was happy and well adjusted, talking and mingling and then a cult member of the community got a hold of him. He was a member of a satanic cult and since then he has been reclusive and sort of possessed by the devil.

In talking to Wolfgang the issue of an exorcism was brought up as a possible way to deal with this. It certainly was sad and very bizarre and unusual but I recommended she take him to see a psychiatrist in order to receive intensive psychotherapy.

By the time we got back we cleaned up a little bit and all went down to the river to have a Russian style bar-b-q, we had a little fire on the side of the river that we built with some twigs and branches and bar-b-q’d some kabobs. The bar-b-q was nice, we had some coleslaw, cabbage salad, however I did not swim in the river, it was cold and I wasn’t quite sure how “clean” the river was.

We started to play a little badminton just hitting the shuttle back and forth and then about 8 or 8:30 the rain started to come so I got on the bike that Yudit had driven down and went back to the house where I met them.

Grisha and I then went back to our place.

Entry #11 will be offered tomorrow