How do YOU see yourself?

A study of how women perceive themselves when they look in the mirror has revealed interesting  changes in perceptions of facial features as women age. The full findings are published in “Mirror on the Wall: A Study of Women’s Perception of Facial Features as They Age,” appearing in the May issue of Aesthetic Surgery Journal.

With Facial aesthetic treatments among the most popular cosmetic procedures around the world, researches asked hte question, "Why do so many women want to change what they see in the mirror?"

In addition, what do they most like or dislike about their faces? 

A group of Turkish researchers found that: 

1. Among women in their 20s, the nose and skin were what women focused on most and most desired to change, 

2. For women in their 30s and 40s the skin and the area around the eyes (periorbital region) were the main areas of concern. 

3. For women in their 50s, the periorbital region and jawline were the primary facial focal points.

“We wanted to better understand why patients desire to alter their facial features. What is it that leads them to seek so-called perfection?” said lead author Billur Sezgin, MD, of Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey. “We found that many women are not at peace with what they see in the mirror. When women look in the mirror, they primarily focus on the parts of their face they most dislike or desire to change. Not surprisingly, this dissatisfaction is the strongest motivator for seeking facial aesthetic treatments.”

As a cosmetic surgeon practicing in Fort Myers and Cape coral, Florida, I find my patients tend to fit the same interest profile.

“This study is very interesting because it clearly shows that most women tend to compare their appearance to that of younger women,” wrote Foad Nahai, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), women in the U.S. had nearly 8.4 million cosmetic procedures performed in 2011, a large percentage of which involved the face.

RHINOPLASTY IN A SYRINGE?

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD FACS, a Ft. Myers Board Certified Plastic Surgeon frequently blogs about matters of health and beauty, and you can visit his website (linked above) at www.beauty-by-brueck.com

I guess you might say let's inject a few lines or a few wrinkles and while we're at it in my nose. The push over the past several years has been toward non-surgical procedures such as fillers and Botox. Sometimes nose reshaping can occur with an injectable such as Radiesse. The downside is it doesn't last and over time the cost can be prohibitive.

Basically you take some cartilage from you septum, dice it up, and then inject it into the defect. This defect maybe a hump that needs to be softened or a depression that needs to be built up.

NOSE-WORTHY HISTORY REMEMBERED

Another in Dr. Robert j. Brueck MD FACS's series of blogs on subjects of medicine, health, cosmetic surgery and youthful appearance. Dr. Brueck posts more about these subjects on his plastic surgery web site at Beauty-by-Brueck

Plastic surgery is a sub-specialty that has evolved over the centuries.

During the great World War much progress was made in the development of plastic surgery as a recognized surgical sub-specialty. A rare book dealing with plastic surgery was recently purchased at an auction in England.

The book was published in 1597 and was entitled "De Curtorium Chirurgia Per Inritionem." It was written by Gaspare Tagliacozzi, who was a professor of surgery and anatomy at Bologna University.

One of the diagrams in the book shows a patient with a flap from their upper inner arm attached to their nose.

This attachment of the patient's nose to their upper arm had to remain in place for about 3 weeks. Then the flap was separated and inset in the nose to reconstruct it. A true classic!

By the way, if you are looking for something special and unusual for that special person in your life, it was sold at auction for about $17,000.00

This fore-runner to modern rhinoplasty, more commonly known as "nose jobs", has evolved into countless procedures that have made life more enjoyable for individuals with unattractively shaped noses. As one of the most prominent features on a face, a beautiful, aesthetically proportioned nose can be an asset in life.

Happy New Year.