Delayed aging is a better research investment than that into cancer or heart disease

At some point, plastic surgery, restoring the look of youth, may play a role for those who live longer. For now, this story about research into actually slowing aging is interesting.

Top scientists at University of Southern California, Harvard, Columbia, University of Illinois at Chicago and other institutions, concludes investing in aging delay could lead to a 1.25 percent reduction in the likelihood of age-related diseases.  

Slowing aging would have no initial health returns, but it would have significant benefits over the long term. With even modest gains in our understanding of slowing aging, an additional 5 percent of adults over the age of 65 would be healthy rather than disabled every year from 2030 to 2060

The same study showed lower returns from continuing the current research that seeks to treat fatal diseases as they occur, versus understanding aging, which is the cause of frailty and disability.

A reduction in the incidence of cancer by 25 percent in the next few decades would improve the health of the population only slightly versus doing nothing at all, according to the analysis. The same would be true for the leading cause of death worldwide, heart disease. It appears the number of older adults alive but disabled in 2060 would be the same regardless of continuing to try to find cures for heart disease and cancer as separate diseases. Earlier research suggested that curing cancer completely would increase life expectancy by only about three years.

“Even a marginal success in slowing aging is going to have a huge impact on health and quality of life. This is a fundamentally new approach to public health that would attack the underlying risk factors for all fatal and disabling diseases,” said corresponding author S. Jay Olshansky of the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois-Chicago. “We need to begin the research now. We don’t know which mechanisms are going to work to actually delay aging, and there are probably a variety of ways this could be accomplished, but we need to decide now that this is worth pursuing.”The study showed that major advances in the treatment of cancer or heart disease, would lead to a 51-year-old living about one more year. A small improvement in slowing down aging could double this to two additional years; years that would be much more likely to be in relatively good health. 

WHO LEADS IN ANTI-AGING PROCEDURES?

Common sense would tell us the “older” generation or baby boomers would be leading the way.

But surprise, surprise!

A study by the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) (I am a member) found that “Generation-X” people, aged 31-45, actually led the way with 43% of the $10+ billion spent on cosmetic procedures in 2010. The baby boomers (I’m also a member here as well) accounted for 28% of the total spent.

There were a total of 13.1 million cosmetic procedures done and of this total 11.6 million were non-surgical. That keeps plastic surgeons such as me happily busy.

COSMETIC SURGERY-WHO DOMINATES?

The answer to this is pretty easy. WE DO! How can we not, with the likes of Beverly Hills and Miami Beach?

It may also be true that plastic surgery's popularity is related to the standard of living. Countries with large populations of poor are not going to see much elective cosmetic surgery. Or so it seems to me as a Fort Myers Florida Plastic Surgeon.

What is interesting is that there are new names on the list of top 10 countries for cosmetic surgery? The list was compiled by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The list, in decreasing order, is U.S., Brazil, China, Japan, India, Mexico, Italy, South Korea, France and, at # 10, is Colombia.

Liposplasty again remains the number 1 surgical procedure, followed by Breast Aug, then Blepharoplasty or eyelid lift. The total number of board certified plastic surgeons is 33,000 world wide.

PLASTIC SURGERY DEATHS- Dr. Brueck speaks out

From time to time, Dr. Robert J Brueck MD, a Fort Myers Florida-based plastic surgeon posts messages that he feels are important or interesting on the subject of cosmetic surgery. Thank you for your attention.

Florida has some of the country’s toughest laws concerning outpatient plastic surgery.

In spite of the restrictive laws, 32 people lost their lives in pursuit of beauty. Why is this?

There is no simple answer. There were four South Florida mothers who lost their lives while under going liposuction for love handles and bra rolls.

The number of cosmetic surgeries has mushroomed to over 13 million nationally. The number of physician offices licensed to do cosmetic surgery increased from 285 in 2004 to over 400 now. The increase in cosmetic cases would explain the increase in deaths. I also think the number of surgeons performing cosmetic procedures is exploding and many of them are not even plastic surgeons.

When I came to town 32 years ago there were only four plastic surgeons listed in the yellow pages of the phone book. Go check it out now. It truly has become a buyer-beware market.

We have primary care doctors doing facelifts and other cosmetic surgery procedures in our community. This is wrong and I believe if it’s not illegal, it should be.

I tell all my patients that safety is number one. Patient safety is never compromised. I know I have had patients leave me for another doctor over the years because I’ve insisted they get a physical exam by their internist or obtain certain lab work or perhaps cardiac clearance. That’s me – that’s my practice – that’s what I believe in.

Another concern is the length of sedation for some cosmetic surgery procedures. I constantly hear of patients undergoing cosmetic procedures and being sedated for six, seven or more hours. This directly adds to the risks.

The longer someone is sedated the higher the complication rate. I try to limit my operating room time to less than four hours TOTAL!

Bottom line, make sure your surgeon is board certified in plastic surgery, has a state licensed/certified OR and emphasizes patient safety.

Stem Cells: What does the Future Hold?

Dr. Robert J. Brueck, MD FACS regularly blogs about matters of health, medicine and cosmetic surgery. Learn more about Dr. Brueck at Beauty-by-Brueck.com

"Bright, promising, exciting, cutting edge", are terms that we can use to describe what lies beyond the horizon in stem cell therapy.

There is much to be learned from stem cells derived from bone marrow and something most of us all have, stem cells derived from fat. Many of you have read one of previous blogs about my own encounter with stem cells.

As you know I had them injected into my severely arthritic left ankle about 4 months ago. The results, in my opinion, are nothing short of fantastic. It is still a little sore but going up and down the stairs is no longer cause for me to grimace in pain.

So where are we? Where do we go from here? There is no question that stem cells have applications across the whole spectrum of medical conditions/problems i.e. cardiovascular, arthritis, burn therapy, reconstructive surgery, breast augmentation, diabetes, strokes and the list goes on. The list is endless.

Plastic surgeons are heavily involved in stem cell research.

Stem cells are plury potent cells so they can differentiate down different cell lines. They may become bone cells, heart muscle cells, whatever. They are cells looking for an identity.

When they put my stem cells in my ankle once they “got home” they were surrounded by old bone and cartilage cells so they said why not become bone or cartilage cells.

There are still many mysteries to unravel.

What causes a cell to differentiate down a particular path? What turns it on? How can we control it?

There are some preliminary studies that show fat-derived stem cells may be stimulated to produce insulin. These are exciting advances.

Some researchers in Finland were able to direct fat derived stem cells to become and produce bone tissue. Plastic surgeons are on the forefront of this exciting new field of research.

The U.S. Department of Defense is funding research to see what influence stem cells may have on scars produced in war times. Also, how stem cells can be used to treat soft tissue injuries or defects created from war injuries, such as on the face.

Another exciting avenue of research concerns the use of stem cells as “carriers of drugs”. In essence the stem cells would be fitted with a certain drug and delivered to a part of the body where this drug is needed to treat a particular medical condition.

What causes a stem cell to become a bone cell? Or a heart muscle cell? Some researchers believe that a stem cell has a built-in DNA program (also, cells have DNA) and will manifest this program depending upon the neighborhood you put it in. For example: When I had stem cells put into my ankle the stem cells looked around and saw other bone and cartilage cells and decided to join the crowd.

Some researchers believe it’s not the DNA program in the cells but the “the environment” that it is put in. How a stem cell differentiates is based on outside factors in its new environment i.e. the environment will send signals to the stem cell to cause it to differentiate down a particular line.

Another area of research involves developing a scaffold to allow the stem cells to do their work.

The scaffold is like the steel girders of a building where the framework is and the stem cells are walls and the windows, etc. The idea is that you create a compatible scaffold, populate it with stem cells and let them grow over time – the scaffold dissolves or breaks down over time and we have a new organ.

Many questions remain to be answered.

For example: When we do stem cell facelifts we are not concentrating the stem cells i.e. it is a mixture of fat and stem cells. What would happen if we only injected concentrated stem cells and no fat? These are questions yet to be answered.

The use of autologous fat grafting has been around for years and years and in that fat there are stem cells as well. These fat grafts have been used mainly in facial rejuvenation. In my practice I employ fat/stem cell grafts more and more because one of the signs of aging is the loss of volume in our face. Also the sun damage created to the skin causes it to thin and loose its elasticity and sag. It’s a borrow-from-Peter-to-pay-Paul scenario.

We are not seeing autologous i.e. "your own” fat grafts to breast augmentation. You can use fat in the reconstruction of defects in the chest wall following breast cancer surgery. Dr. Scott Spear, who is chairman of the plastic surgery department at Georgetown University, uses fat in some of his breast reconstructions. He is ambivalent about it.

In some patients, fat grafting works well and in others it doesn’t.

There are no guarantees in life. Dr. Spear also said there is very experimental work that says fat grafting to the breasts may potentiate the growth of cancer cells. He said, “that doesn’t mean it’s happening but it would be naive to assume it’s not”.

The use of fat grafting in irradiated skin holds a lot of promise. Dr. Sydney Coleman of New York is one of the pioneers in fat grafting. He has had excellent results in using fat grafting for irradiated wounds. He also has used fat grafts/stem cells in treating scars, particularly scars that are depressed.

Dr. Gino Rigotti of Verona, Italy has been using fat grafts to irradiated skin. “Before we injected fat I believe the damage caused by irradiation was irreversible - that we would need to excise everything irradiated and replace it with a skin flap, but after using fat we have seen a transformation to normal tissue with normal sensation”.

Dr. Curry, a plastic surgeon in Miami, has even used autologous fat to treat Dupuytren’s contracture. He cuts the contracting bands and once that is complete he injects fat into the area and which prevents the bands from reconnecting. This transplanted fat along with the release of the contracting ligaments has given him outstanding results.

Exciting as the horizon is many questions remain to be answered.

What are the areas of the body are the best sites from which to harvest fat? How do we prepare the fat? What do we add to the fat to enhance its take? How do we control the differentiation of fat cells? These are just some of the many questions we need to have answered.

The journey has begun and the future indeed is bright.

Another Testimonial Worth Repeating

I frequently receive testimonials from people who feel I have helped them in some way with their appearance and self-confidence. Sometimes, the depth of gratitude surprises me.

The following letter touched me in particular.

~~~~~~~~
"Dear Dr. "B"

I'm long overdue in expressing my gratitude for the excellent treatment I received while in your care.

You and Chi are an awesome team. My first encounter with you was unbelievable. You asked me what I would like to have done and I replied that what I would like to have done was not in my budget because I already had 2 other consultations and
now I was willing to settle for less than what I had originally wanted.

You showed me a way that you could fulfill my desires within my budget.

I knew you were not only creative but very generous as well.

You came highly recommended to me by an employee from another surgeon's office; therefore I knew you were a good doctor with a good reputation.

I am just one of your many happy patients who is hoping that God will continue to bless you and your practice.

You definitely go the extra mile. Thank you from the bottom of my heart." - D.E.

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

You can read this and more letters on my web site from patients who have found plastic cosmetic surgery to be life-changing. It is a fact that we are evaluated based to some extent on our appearance. It is especially true with first encounters, such as job interviews.

In this time of job shortages, the competition for the next opening is fierce. How you look can often determine if you even get a second interview. As a result, many people are investing in some form of cosmetic surgery to make themselves more "hire-able".

There is a video interview among the testimonials on my website that brings this home in very powerful way. I encourage you to view it. In fact, I consider it so significant that I am re-posting it here.



Keep this in mind as you consider your future. You invest in many aspects of your tomorrows. If you would like to talk about this possibility for you, call me for a free consultation. Yes, the consultation will be completely free - and confidential. By the way, if cosmetic surgery is right for you, I have a few opportunities to save vs. standard surgery charges that can make cosmetic enhancements even more attractive.

Thank you for reading and feel free to share this message with friends and colleagues.

Dr. Robert J. Brueck regularly blogs about matters of health, beauty and cosmetic surgery. In this message he comments on a recently received testimonial.

I have often written about the effect of cosmetic surgery on how a person feels about himself or herself. I think it is important to keep that in mind because it is all too easy to disparage cosmetic surgery as an act of selfish indulgence. Yet, no one would speak that way about emotional therapy, would they?

I know from experience that 99% of the people who come to me for free consultation want to improve their appearance in order to overcome a lack of confidence, whether it is the way they look, the way they feel with friends, their ability to compete at work.

It is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do to hear from people for whom cosmetic surgery has been life-changing.

The other day, I received this poem from a patient. It says more eloquently than I can what cosmetic surgery is about. Please read it.

"Dr. Brueck:

I'm sure you receive so many gestures of saying "thank you" everyday.
A card, a smile, a homemade cake, each patient in own special way.

In my prior life, its words I'd use to express how a client would feel.
Trying to do it about myself makes it seem a little surreal.

My friends would ask if I was ok. I looked so stressed and tired
I couldn't explain the life I lead needs a sign that says, "Stress Required".

I can walk miles; eat just right, value life as I was taught to do.
But no matter how I tried, that stressed look kept bulging through.

The first time I came to see you, I had no idea I would find.
A very kind and generous man, who would help me, leave all that behind.

Thank you seems so silly, no short and not very clear.
But you have given me the gift. I don't shun at the lady in the mirror."
- J.T.

Incidentally, this letter and others, including videos, are posted to the testimonial page on my web site as well. Please visit when you have a chance. Thank you.

The Latest Plastic Surgery Stats, reported by Dr. Robert Brueck MD

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD FACS, Fort Myers Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, regularly reports on news and events of interest in the fields of health and cosmetic surgery.

Cosmetic surgery statistics for 2009 were recently released.

I have to say there were no major surprises. The total number of cosmetic procedures surgical and non-surgical was down 3% compared to 2008. The number of surgical procedures went down a whopping 17%.

This is what one would expect with the current state of the economy. Nonsurgical procedures such as Dysport, lasers, etc, 8,491,861 in 2008 was up slightly to 8,522,139 in 2009.

What heads the list? The top five surgical procedures are:

1. Breast augmentation

2. Liposuction

3. Eyelid surgery

4. Rhinoplasty

5. Tummy tuck

What were the top 5 non-surgical procedures?

1. Botox-Dysport

2. Fillers

3. Laser hair removal

4. Micro-dermabrasion

5. Chemical peels

The total number of cosmetic procedures by men were just over 9% of the total, so men need to catch up with the ladies a little bit in this group.

The age group having the highest number of procedures was 35 to 50. This cohort was 44% of the total.

So what was America’s total bill for all of this?

It was a paltry $10.5 billion. I say that with tongue in cheek only because our society has moved to thinking "a billion dollars here, a hundred billion dollars there" and pretty soon, we're talking real money. Many people don’t seem to blink an eyelash.

It is a tremendous amount of money. With all of this runaway spending in our government, why not offer everyone free cosmetic surgery?

It truly is a misnomer. We seem to think free healthcare, free food, free cosmetic surgery, free unemployment and the truth and reality is that it is NOT free; someone is paying for it.

One of my biggest complaints or irritations is the tremendous waste fraud and greed that has permeated into our culture and particularly our federal government.

It seems that we have adopted an attitude of "it’s all about me". I think we can all pray that better days lie ahead.

Get a nip. Get a tuck. Get a job. Dr. Brueck observes

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD, whose web site at Beauty-by-Brueck covers all aspects of plastic surgery, comments on the job scene and cosmetic surgery.

No one would suggest that anyone is hired solely on the basis of their “looks”.

No. The usual criteria for hiring aside from skills, training and experience, are intangibles such as energy levels and confidence.

If you go into a job interview looking tired or worn down, or lacking confidence in your appearance, chances are those criteria will work against you. You could well lose the job to someone who looks more energetic and has a little more bounce in his or her attitude.

As a result, more and more people who are looking for work are taking steps to freshen their appearance and give themselves more confidence in how they present.

A recent report on a Chicago TV station chronicles how hundreds of people in the Chicago area are turning to cosmetic surgery to help them keep or land jobs.

According to the report, Dr. Stephen Dayan, a Chicago plastic surgeon reports that 10% to 15% of his patients now request treatments to help them do better in the workplace.

We are seeing the same trend here in Southwest Florida. Men and women, who are feeling the hot breath of competition down the backs of their necks, are considering some type of surgical or non-surgical cosmetic treatment to improve their competitive position, strengthen their hold on current employment or gain an edge in the search for a job.

One case of interest is that of a bartender who was so impressed with the results of her facial rejuvenation that she volunteered to provide a video testimonial. She explicitly says that she didn’t feel that she could compete with younger women in the environment if she allowed herself to look “like someone’s grandmother”.

You can view her video here.

In addition, as reported here earlier, men as well as women all over the country are considering face lifts, eyelid lifts, and other lifts, including the emotional lift from Botox and other filler injections that make them look more energetic and ready to work.

If you are wondering how to invest in your employability this year, give me a call and let’s talk about your options. The consultation will be free – no charge - and without any further obligation.

What do you have to lose?

HIT THE GYM -Thoughts on Exercise from Dr. Brueck, MD

This is one in a series of blog messages presented periodically by Dr. Robert Brueck, MD, on the subject of health and well-being. Dr. Brueck is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon practicing in Cape coral and Fort Myers, FL. More information concerning the contribution cosmetic surgery makes to health can be found at Dr. Brueck's web site, Beauty-by-Brueck.com

"Hit the Gym"

Where have we heard this before? We all know the gym is good for us and can help prevent many diseases and keep our weight in check. There has always been an ongoing discussion concerning diets, fat, cellulite, Body Mass Index and exercise.

It all seems to change like the seasons.

A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that women need MORE EXERCISE. The current federal guidelines suggest 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Supposedly a woman needs that much to prevent heart disease and other medical conditions. BUT- to prevent weight gain women need 60 minutes a day, 7 days a week.

These were the results of a study done in 2002. The current researchers in the JAMA article looked at 34,079 women over a 15 year span with the ages being greater than 45 and the average being around 54. They tracked their activity “ another word for exercise”.

Women who exercise 60 minutes a day DID NOT GAIN WEIGHT, but that assumes the calorie count stays the same. IE: no banana cream pie and ice cream 5 days a week.

So there it is - sign up now and get your place in line for the treadmill or elliptical so you don’t put on the unwanted pounds and create an unsightly bulge around the mid section.

PHYSICAL MARVEL - On human growth hormone by Dr. Brueck, plastic surgeon

We have Marvel comic book heroes. They surround us each and every day. We are very familiar with them since they have been popularized in movies of late.

In real life many of us strive to be that “Marvel specimen”. Many people have resorted to the miracle drug; HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE.

Many of my patients have asked me about it in the past and I did some research on it but for some reason I never pulled the trigger. I guess I decided to age sans growth hormone.

They do say sometimes that aging can be graceful and beautiful, I don’t know why but for some people that seems to be the case.

A recent study done at Johns Hopkins University showed that growth hormone levels did NOT affect the life span positively or negatively.

The lead researcher in this study was Dr. Roberto Salvatori, in the department of endocrinology. He found that even people with severely DEFICIENT levels of growth hormone appeared to live as long as people with normal levels.

There was a similar study done at Stanford University in 2007 that encompassed 220 healthy individuals. They found no evidence that growth hormone levels positive or minus promoted anti aging.

I guess we have to be a little more cautious when we sit down at the breakfast table and have an extra bowl of the breakfast of champions.

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

When it comes to aging, plastic surgery can't turn back the clock. But it can turn back the clock "face". You don't have to look any older than you feel. Let's talk about it. Call me at 239-939-5233 or check out my web site at www.Beauty-by-Brueck.com

Leslie tells us about her plastic surgery experience with Dr. Brueck

In this video testimonial, Leslie tells us about her motivations, results and satisfaction with Dr. Brueck, his staff and the procedure.

I won't tell you here how old Leslie is. Watch the video and be surprised when she confesses, willingly her age.

In fact, I find that most patients who have had plastic surgery, especially face rejuvenation, are so happy with how they look that they proudly declare it. It's what facial rejuvenation and other cosmetic surgery procedures do for your confidence.

Anyway, take a look at how excited and happy Leslie is.

If you would like to comment, you may do so here in the comments section of the blog. Or visit my website at http://www.Beauty-by-Brueck.com and use the confidential contact form to ask any questions you may have.

A plastic surgery patient testimonial for Dr. Brueck

One of the most important considerations for someone anticipating plastic surgery is how others, who already have had plastic surgery, feel about the results, the process and the doctor. I have recently completed a series of videos with patients who discuss their feelings about the work they had done.

I think you'll find them reassuring.

This one concerns a woman who lost 175 lbs. through bariatric surgery and wanted to renew her shape.

Let me know what you think.

You can leave a comment here or access the confidential contact form on my web site at http://www.Beauty-by-Brueck

Thank you.

Coffee Talk - A hot topic from Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Brueck

(The following article is offered as interesting information about coffee, based on research of several sources. It is not intended as medical advice from Dr. Brueck, and should not be taken as such.)

"Let's have another cup of Java. Let's have another cup of Joe." Those lyrics from a WWII-era song reflect how deeply and how long coffee has been ingrained in American culture. That's right. They used to call it "java" and "joe".

Coffee almost certainly is the national drink of the USA. A super-majority of us drink it at least occasionally. Following on from countless neighborhood coffee shops, its popularity fueled one of America's most successful retail chains, originally based primarily on the idea of serving coffee. Starbucks in turn added other new words to the American vernacular, such as “vente” and “latte”.

There is something both very social and very private about coffee.

From the gathering of friends around a pot of hot black brew to the quiet expectancy of the first morning sip of "wake-me-up", there are few, if any, things quite so satisfying for everyday Americans.

Coffee drinkers in the US put away an average of slightly more than three nine-ounce cups per day. More than half (53%) of Americans over the age of 18 drink coffee every morning. Another 30% consume coffee on occasion. That makes the total percentage of Americans who drink coffee around 80%. Only water may exceed it.

What is all this coffee consumption worth? It’s estimated that the average coffee drinker spends more than $164.00 per year on coffee. If you are a commuter, chances are you have spent more than 40 hours a year standing in line to get your morning cup for your ride to work.

Most people drink coffee because they have acquired a taste for it. That process undoubtedly was fostered by pleasant social events and coffee's ability to brighten the morning, lift the spirits, make one more attentive and focused, and increase endurance at various tasks and activities.

Heavy coffee drinkers probably are drinking it for the “buzz”. While other beverages and foods also deliver caffeine, coffee is the bullet train for caffeine delivery.

For example, eight ounces of brewed coffee averagely contain 135 milligrams of caffeine vs. an similar amount of tea containing only 40 to 70 mg. The exception is energy drinks, some of which are designed primarily as caffeine vehicles.

With all this coffee (and caffeine) being consumed there is a fair amount of public angst concerning its effects. For years, caffeine was accused of being addictive, contributing to vascular problems and osteoporosis. As with many things that are pleasurable, there is a Puritan tendency to assume it must be bad for us.

The latest evidence, however suggests that coffee/caffeine has significant benefits if consumed with some moderation:

• Coffee may lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. To be fair, however, existing diabetics will see a rise in blood sugar from caffeine.
  
  
• Evidence of a link between cancer and coffee has been disproved; to the contrary, caffeine has been traced to lowering the risk of colon cancer and cancer of the mouth and throat.
  
  
• If you drink coffee over a long period, you appear to have no greater risk of heart disease. It appears that it may actually lower your risk.
  
  
• Drinking coffee in moderation may deter or defer Alzheimer’s disease.
  
  
• Generally, the caffeine in coffee (and to a lesser degree, in tea) can assist in weight control. It speeds your metabolism and increases your burn-rate of calories.
  
  
• As a diuretic, coffee also can enhance regularity.
  
  
• It also can act as a mild pain reliever. Caffeine is an ingredient in many pain relievers. For a minor headache, a cup of coffee may provide relief.
  
  
• Caffeine is credited with enhancing one’s ability to think clearly, increasing concentration and improving short-term memory. Of course, it’s obvious that coffee has a stimulating effect, as evidenced by the fact that millions of people use it to start their day, boost performance and fight off drowsiness.
  
  
• While it appears to be possible to develop a habit of dependency on coffee, researchers have not been able to prove a pattern of addiction, either in use or withdrawal.
  

From other evidence:

• It appears that caffeine lowers bone density, can increase the risk of miscarriage among pregnant women, and the risk of babies with low birth weight, and can raise the bad kind of cholesterol.
  
  
• If you suffer from hypertension, you should be cautious of caffeine’s tendency to raise blood pressure.
  
  
• What about coffee and caffeine’s effect on sleep habits? It appears to be an individual thing. Some people drink coffee to wake up and be alert. Others drink it to relax. It depends on what you are used to.

In summary, coffee is not all bad and not all good for you. If you enjoy it, don’t worry about it. As with everything, however, moderation makes sense.

I hope you enjoyed this article, which is one I occasionally offer on subjects of general interest. To sign up to receive this free blog, simply click on one of the RSS feed buttons on the lower right-hand side of this page. For matters of more specific application to plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery, please visit my web site. Thank you.

DO PLASTIC SURGEONS HAVE COSMETIC SURGERY? Dr. Brueck comments.

This is really a great question to ask and many times when patients come in to see me I have been asked this question, "Have you had plastic surgery”?

I will wait until the end of this discussion to “tell all”.

A recent survey was sent to 2,635 randomly selected plastic surgeons and of those 276 responded. 62% of respondents had at least one minimally invasive procedure, which could be Botox, fillers, things of that sort.

Females were more likely to have more procedures done than their male counter parts. One third of respondents had at least one cosmetic surgery procedure performed. The most common procedure was liposuction of the trunk and the abdomen.

So there you have it. Yes, we do have cosmetic surgery. As far as I’m concerned, I am also in that group, I have had cosmetic surgery done and about 20 years ago I had liposuction done to my abdomen and flanks, which many people refer to as "love handles."

I guess that gives new meaning to the expression, "Been there. Done that."

I hope you all have a wonderful, happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. Take care and God Bless.

If the spirit moves you to find out more about plastic surgery and how it might be right for you, check out my web site at http://www.Beauty-by-Brueck.com.

As a past user, I can recommend it.

Very Small Plastic Surgery News - from Dr. Brueck, MD

“A MILLIONTH OF A MM”

WOW, that’s impressive and small to say the least.

I don’t think I would want to be that small. But that is the degree to which the skin is now being studied and researched.

Scientist at the UK-based University of Leeds are using sophisticated scientific equipment to study the age old question of why our skin feels soft and good.

To determine this, they are going to the tiny building blocks known as molecules. The researcher heading this up is Professor Peter Olmsted of the School of Physics and Atomic Force Microscopy. Now that is a title, whatever it means.

Also on the team is a Dr. Massimo Noro from Unilever, a consumer products company. They are applying the molecular techniques to get a better understanding of the skin.

They want to understand the molecular structure of skin that gives it its strength and elasticity. This molecular data, it is hoped will lead to better skincare products for all of us.

It is truly amazing how science and research are improving our lives all over the world every day as we “sleep.”

This food for thought is brought to you by Dr. Rober J. Brueck, MD FACS, Board Certified plastic surgeaon practicing Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Southwest Florida.

Visit Dr. Brueck's web site at Beauty-by-Brueck for more compreshensive discussion of various cosmetic plastic surgery procedures.

Does a Pepper a Day keep the Doctor away?

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Robert Brueck, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Fort Myers, Florida, who reports here on developments in the world of health and medicine, sometimes with a touch of humor. Dr. Brueck's web site can be read by clicking this link.

HOT! HOT! HOT!

Some of us like our food bland, not so spicy. Others like it hot, the hotter the better.

We are often asked how do we want our chicken wings: mild, medium or super hot. Just how hot is hot is open to debate.

On a recent Delta Airlines flight I was reading a small clip in the Sky Miles Magazine about an open air market in L.A. that has thousands of different peppers for sale. I am sure you can buy ones there that will bring tears to your eyes if not washed down with a firehose.

I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal that said hot chili peppers may limit damage in heart attacks.

The key ingredient is Capsaicin.

A recent study in the Medical Journal Circulation reported on a study in which researchers placed patches of Capsaicin on the abdominal skin of mice before cutting off the blood supply to the coronary arteries for approximately 45 minutes. In essence this was more or less simulating a heart attack. 24 hours later those mice that had the Capsaicin had only lost 15% as many heart cells as mice that had a placebo placed.

Researchers think that there may be some stimulatory effect to the nerves connected to the spinal cord which in turn activates survival oriented nerves in the heart muscle.

It’s kind of an interesting study; however, the researchers have not yet done any studies with human beings.

So it may be that someday we may all be putting hot chili peppers on our abdomen, especially if we have a history of “coronary artery disease”.

Or, the doctor may say, "Take two tacos and call me in the morning."

Science advances and research is done each and every day to make our lives healthier and longer.

To stay up to date on subjects related to health and well being, set up an RSS feed of this blog by clicking on one of the feed icons to the right and selecting a feed notice whenever the blog is up dated.

For information about all aspects of plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures, visit Dr. Brueck's web site at http://www.Beauty-by-Brueck.com.

Plastic Surgery and Weight Control - The YoYo Effect

Thoughts from Fort Myers plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert Brueck - We occasionally encounter patients who are considering liposuction or other body contouring as a "substitute" for actual weight loss.

We discourage it strongly. It is not the right solution for people struggling with obesity. It does lead us, however, to give thought to successful weight loss regimens. And those that are not successful.

We are all familiar with the “yo-yo”. As a young boy growing up in the streets of Chicago I spent many hours playing with a yo-yo. It would go up and it would go down, it would go up and it would go down. It seems weight gain and loss is a yo-yo phenomenon for many people. You gain 20 pounds, you lose 20 pounds and you regain it. The cycle goes on and on. Along with this come anxiety, depression, and frustration. All are often futile attempts to get the “perfect” body shape.

The National Institutes of Health has defined weight maintenance as maintaining a 10% loss of weight for a time period exceeding 1 year, which I found quite interesting.

A national registry called the “National Weight Control Registry” ,commonly referred to as the NWCR, was created in 1994 to track the weight of people who lost over 30 pounds for a period greater than 1 year. What they found is interesting and may prove beneficial to you as you try to get off the yo-yo treadmill.

The following observations were made.

Number one – greater than 90% exercised regularly for about an hour a day. Exercise is critical to maintaining weight loss.

Number two – eat breakfast daily. Over 78% of registry participants ate breakfast regularly. Skipping breakfast produces a long fasting state which leads to increased calorie consumption as the day wears on. Now that doesn’t mean we go out and eat a dozen eggs and 3 pounds of sausage every morning.

Number three – self monitor your weight. They found that 75% of registry participants weighed themselves at least once a week.

Number four – avoid sedentary activities i.e. don’t sit down and watch television for 4 – 6 hours a day. Walk up the stairs instead of taking an elevator unless your office is on the top floor of a 110 story office building. But then again, that might not be so bad after all. You just need to get up an hour earlier to begin the journey. LOL

I hope these points prove beneficial to you as you go on to maintain a healthier more productive lifestyle.

If after serious, sustained weight loss you find body fat just won't go away, you may be a candidate for body sculpting. For more information, visit Dr. Brueck's web site at http://www.Beauty-by-Brueck.com. or call us at 239-939-5233.

Say Goodbye to Thread Lift Plastic Surgery

A short time ago there was a new cosmetic surgery procedure on the block. It was called a “thread lift”.

It received national media attention and was the cat’s meow for a long while.

I did the training and did several patients but quickly abandoned the procedure because the results were fleeting. It was expensive, not very difficult to do, but the expected results were lacking so I stopped offering it to my patients. Since then, I have seen several patients who have had thread lifts by other physicians who came in with exposed knots, dimpling of the skin, and the like.

It did receive FDA approval but that since has been rescinded.

There was a recent study done to compare results with three categories of patients.

The first category was patients who had thread lift only. The second category was patients who had thread lifts plus other procedures such as a blepharoplasty, chin implant and the like. The third category was conventional cosmetic surgery patients. They had a conventional facelift, blepharoplasty and the like.

The satisfaction with the thread lift patients was fleeting and the patients felt very dissatisfied with the longevity of their procedures.

The patients in group three had the greatest satisfaction level of all the groups. It was something that I saw a long time ago and lead me to abandon the procedure.

I guess it points to experience as a great teacher. My 30 years of experience has taught me a lot and the font of skill and knowledge continues to this day.

For more information about me, my experience and my practice, visit my web site at http://www.Beauty-by-Brueck.com

A chuckler testimonial for Dr. Brueck's plastic surgery

We get lots of compliments from our patients.

Many testimonials about our plastic surgery work come to us in email.

Usually, they come from the patient.

Very rarely do we get one from the spouse or companion of the patient.

This one made us chuckle.

I guess whether or not you take this as complimentary depends on what you think of Picasso's work. LOL

I choose to take it as positive.

What do you think?