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I’m All Ears: Achieving the Lobes You Desire Through Otoplasty

Lifestyle

It doesn’t matter who you are, what role you play in society, or your age – we all have our own unique set of insecurities. While some people are insecure about their weight, others find an issue with the shape of their nose, chin, and even their ears. The good news? Thanks to today’s technology, many options are available to help you achieve the look you’ve always wanted.

Otoplasty is the fine art of reshaping the ears to achieve the lobes you desire. The procedure has evolved over time, and today, it’s safer and more effective than ever before.

Whether you’ve always wanted a subtle change or you’re ready to make a change to your physical appearance to help boost your self-confidence, then otoplasty could be the solution you’ve been looking for.

What is Otoplasty?

Otoplasty is a surgical procedure designed to improve the shape, position, and proportion of your ears. It’s a procedure that goes by a variety of different names, including:

  • Cosmetic ear surgery
  • Ear reshaping
  • Ear Pinning (or ear pinning back)

A skilled surgeon performs this procedure, making your ears appear more symmetrical, and is often performed alongside other procedures such as facelifts and nose reshaping.

Why Would Someone Consider Getting an Otoplasty Surgery?

The goal of otoplasty is to create the appearance of well-proportioned ears and can be used to correct several issues, including those:

  • Unhappy with the shape of your ears (common causes: protruding ears, Dumbo ears, or ears that sit too low)
  • Unhappy with the position of your ears (common causes: ears that stick out too far, ears that are too close together, or ears that are too high)
  • Unhappy with the size of your lobes (common causes: small lobes, large lobes, or no lobes at all)

What Does the Otoplasty Procedure Entail?

Otoplasty is a wonderful option for those looking into cosmetic ear surgery as it’s typically considered an outpatient procedure that only takes between 1-3 hours – depending on the patient and their needs/desires.

The patient will likely be given local anesthesia with a sedative, although younger patients may receive general anesthesia should the doctor believe it be the better option.

The procedure begins by making an incision behind the ear to access the cartilage and other soft tissues. The surgeon will then start manipulating the tissue of the structure, removing cartilage and even skin depending on the desired end results. It will likely also include the folding/shaping of the cartilage with permanent sutures and even the possibility of grafting cartilage to the ear.

Once the desired shape has been achieved, your surgeon will close up the incision with sites and apply clean dressings to the area to ensure they stay clean and dry.

How Long Does Recovery from Cosmetic Ear Surgery Take?

On average, most patients are back on their feet within a few days post-op. However, it’s generally recommended that you take about a week off from school or work activities to allow your incisions to heal properly.

You’ll likely have to wear some form of dressing over the incision for at least a few days to ensure that your surgery site stays clean and dry. Be sure you follow all your post-op directions to provide the best recovery outcomes.

Is Otoplasty Safe for My Child?

Otoplasty is generally considered safe for children ages five and up as their ears have had a chance to develop almost entirely, as research shows that the ear has reached approximately 90% of its adult size. If you have the procedure done too early, you run the risk of having the procedure not work as planned should your child’s ear continue to grow and change the desired shape.

Am I Too Old for Otoplasty?

An Otoplasty can be performed at any age! However, just like any other surgery, an ideal candidate needs to be in good health, as there can be some side effects from anesthesia and any other medications that may be used during your pre, and post-opt care.

Schedule Your Otoplasty Consultation Today!

For most people, the decision to undergo otoplasty is an important one. It’s a decision primarily based on improving your self-confidence and making sure you’re happy with the results.

If you’ve come to the point where you’re ready to take the next step, then Dr. Binder is here to help!

Have questions regarding Otoplasty and whether you may be an ideal candidate for the procedure? Then contact us today for more information!

Positive Life Changes With Plastic Surgery For Women Over 50

Lifestyle, Motivation, Facial Liposuction, Face Lifts, Botox, Skin Treatment

The benefits of facial surgery are more than just skin deep. Of course, there are aesthetic enhancements to these procedures, like the fact that an improved outlook often garners increased visibility from others. Once you are truly seen, then your self-esteem inevitably swells, thus adding to your overall sense of worth.

It’s an upward spiral, especially for women over the age of 50.

As you enter the next phase of your maturity, you take control of your look and your legacy. But the superficial and social ramifications of plastic surgery are merely the most obvious positives outcomes. There are a host of other residual benefits that result from a smart and successful cosmetic strategy for women over 50.

Empowerment

It’s the oldest cliché in the proverbial book: when you look good, you feel good. But there’s a reason why some adages become clichés; it’s because they have a streak of truth running through them.

Case in point: one groundbreaking study indicates that the way you perceive your golden years can actually extend them. Respondents were surveyed over a span of 23 years to gather their opinions on aging, wellness, and happiness. The individuals who had a negative outlook toward getting older tended to succumb to the ravages of age more quickly than those with a more positive disposition. In fact, the optimists in the study lived an average of seven and a half years longer than the more pessimistic group.

It’s a matter of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you dread something, then that something will become more dreadful to you, but if you face your fears, you might be able to overcome them.

Plastic surgery is the ultimate way to confront your feelings about age. When you turn 50, it’s a chance to reassess your values, your goals, and your approach to the outside world. Are you on the right track? What’s your next big move? And what are you doing to treat yourself?

By empowering yourself to grow more independent, you never really grow old.

Confidence Yields Results

Gaining a spring in your step is beneficial for more than just your inner sense of joy. Confidence pays dividends in the workplace. Employers look for a team with energy, professionalism and, yes, confidence – in fact, those are the three traits cited most often by bosses when they are seeking new employees. A decisive 61% of those surveyed ranked confidence as an essential factor in someone they are considering for a potential job.

In other words, by looking the part, you might just get the part.

It’s important to give yourself every advantage you possibly can, especially in the cutthroat corporate world of today. As it stands, women only earn 80.5 cents on the dollar when compared to men’s salaries. This wage gap is unacceptable, and we should all work together to overcome it by any means necessary. A boost in your confidence might just be another tool in our collective toolbox when it comes to conquering gender inequities, one job at a time.

Defying Ageism

Now let’s transition from the wage gap to the age gap. Another factor that affects income levels and overall workplace satisfaction is the maturity of a given group of employees. Americans are working later and later into their lives. Statistics show that the percentage of workers over the age of 65 rose from 12% in 2000 to almost 17% today.

But as workplace age demographics rise, so too do incidents of ageism.

About half of workers over 50 were laid off from their full-time jobs before they were ready to leave them. Of these newly unemployed individuals, only about 10% were able to find a new job that paid the same or more than the one they had just left.

Don’t be a statistic. Take control of your destiny by transcending age and focusing on the ageless. Your beauty is an asset that conveys your strength, wisdom, and commitment. Any employer would be lucky to have you, so don’t be afraid to put your best face forward.

Psychological Benefits

As we get more mature, our psychology also changes. We reflect on our life experience and draw lessons, triumphs, and regrets from years gone by.

We might also accumulate reserves of anxiety and depression as a result.

Turning 50 presents an especially pointed occasion to assess our life’s trajectory. For some, it may be a welcome meditation, but for others it’s daunting. If psychological distress sets in, be sure to consult a trained professional, but also consider the benefits that facial surgery could offer.

One report indicates that cosmetic procedures could actually alleviate the need for antidepressants in some patients. A group of 61 research participants admitted to taking such prescription meds before their plastic surgery, but that number dropped to 42 just six months after their successful procedures. In other words, almost one-third of the study no longer reported the need for antidepressants after undergoing cosmetic surgery.

The Ripple Effect

As you get older, your social circles expand. You have loved ones far and wide, class reunions filled with familiar faces, and a family that loves you no matter what.

By enhancing your own sense of beauty and assuredness, you are sharing your best self with those around you. Your acquaintances will notice your renewed confidence and appreciate the fact that you take pride in yourself then, now, and forever.

Turning 50 can be inspiring. Harness everything that’s great about yourself and don’t be afraid to try something new. Whatever your cosmetic curiosities or ambitions may be, we want to hear all about them. Contact us today and together, we’ll make 60 the new 50.

Western vs. Eastern Beauty Standards in Plastic Surgery

Lifestyle, rhinoplasty, Facial Liposuction, Face Lifts

Our world gets smaller every day. Trends spread across cyberspace at the speed of information, and there are no boundaries when it comes to style, beauty, and appreciation.

And yet we still have inherent cultural differences.

Some aesthetics have been ingrained in our respective societies for centuries on end, and that won’t change with the simple click of an Instagram post. We can, however, break down the barriers of our cosmetic discrepancies by illuminating how we differ and how we’re all striving to be the best we can be.

Western norms and Eastern ideals may have varied appearances at first glance, but when you look closer, you can see how each standard is intrinsically beautiful. We want to illuminate a few of the cardinal features of each approach to illustrate how you can achieve your desired look, no matter which side of the Pacific you find yourself inhabiting.

Nose

While aesthetics don’t always translate from continent to continent, confidence is recognized around the world. For millennia, the western world has opined about the “Roman” nose: a strong, dominant feature conveying strength and assuredness.

However, Asian noses tend to take on a different arc, thanks in part to societal expectations and traditions. According to one reporter’s account, perceptions of how a person is accepted and how he or she will fare in life are traced directly back to the shape of the nose. While her anecdotal evidence is not intended to apply to an entire culture or people, it is indicative of how the Asian plastic surgery industry admires different qualities in facial construction.

For example, the button nose is often desired over a more protruding version. In fact, some Korean clinics actually advertise a sharp, doll-shaped rhinoplasty procedure for patients seeking that cute, compact look.

Forehead

According to recent statistics, rhytidectomy (facelift) operations are on the rise in Asian nations. These procedures help correct nasolabial wrinkling as the forehead is lifted without creating a dramatic protrusion in the jawline (see below – petite facial features are all the rage in many Eastern circles).

While cosmetic surgery in the Americas often focuses on removing excess baggage from under the eyes, doctors in Asia receive different requests. Residents of South Korea sometimes complain about the preponderance of a “monolid” – meaning that they want their faces to have two distinct eyelids to give their faces more definition.

Perhaps this is what contributes to the fact that SK ranks #1 in the number of plastic surgery procedures worldwide. The peninsula recorded almost a million procedures in 2014, which equates to 20 operations per 1,000 citizens that year alone.

Jawline

As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder… but it’s even more complicated than that. When we extrapolate outward, we realize that identity is affected by our immediate family, our local community, and our national profile writ large. What is considered “beautiful” will range depending on where you live and in what era you find yourself.

Case in point: South Korea. Social norms have determined that having a small head is more pleasing to the eye than a large one. To appear more diminutive, some Koreans are having their jawlines slimmed into a V-shape. This look can be achieved by realigning and resetting the jawbone completely or simply shaving it down surgically.

Many Asian nations have also pioneered the use of Botox to soften the jawline and reduce its severity. This is another method by which cosmetic surgery helps contour the human face and draw the viewer’s eyes to the areas you want them to notice first.

But you don’t need to travel thousands of miles to get the Seoul jaw treatment; overseas treks are expensive, and surgery requires the stability and comfort of home. In short, it’s best to research globally, but act locally. That’s why Doctor Binder prides himself on being proficient in various worldly disciplines while providing the safety and convenience of a clinic right here in Beverly Hills.

Cheeks

Speaking of the LA aesthetic, Southern California beauty ideals often emphasize high cheekbones and angular faces. However, our Asian cosmetician counterparts downplay such ostentatious displays and bulky facial presentations. Rather than going for that Angelina Jolie look, many Easterners opt for a more subdued, subtle silhouette.

Cheekbone surgery allows patients the flexibility of reducing the wideness of their face by diminishing the size and contours of their aforementioned cheekbones. A series of incisions, administered in the mouth, give surgeons access to the skeletal system without creating unsightly scarring on the exterior of the face.

Juxtapose this approach with a more Western-style cheek augmentation. Rather than shaving down the apples of the face, many American patients prefer to plump them up. This look can be achieved with an implant that typically only takes about an hour to properly situate. Combined with facial sculpting procedures, a cheek augmentation helps your profile stand out proudly and firmly.

The generalizations laid out above are merely meant to take the temperature of different cultures as a whole. While the trend in Asian countries may be a tighter, more delicate face, that doesn’t apply to all clients by any means. And this aesthetic may be just what a patient in the United States is hoping to achieve, regardless of ethnic background or national identity.

No matter what your preference may be, Doctor Binder has the expertise to bring your exotic/modest/worldly/understated cosmetic goals to reality. So, check your passport and check us out!

10 Reasons Why Generation Z & Millennials Aren’t Afraid to Get Plastic Surgery Before They “Need” It

Lifestyle

When the words “cosmetic surgery” are bandied about, they often conjure up images of older individuals getting facelifts or other age-defying procedures. But the truth is often much different than perception.

People are consulting skilled surgeons at younger and younger ages. Time waits for no one, and the aging process begins the moment you are born, so the trend in the cosmetic field is skewing toward Millennials and Generation Z.

We’re counting down the Top 10 reasons for this phenomenon, but everyone has different aesthetic goals. The following are just an outline of the shifting demographics in plastic surgery and the underlying dynamics driving them…

  1. It’s Safe – Technology advances with every nanosecond that passes, and medical science walks hand in hand with its progress. The improvements in laser tech, cosmetic simulations, and tissue reconstruction are myriad, convincing a new generation of potential cosmetic surgery patients to look upon the procedure more favorably. When the risks decrease, curiosity flourishes.
  2. It’s Sexy – Cosmetic surgery can improve your self-esteem, your confidence, and even your sex life. According to a recent study, about half of women who experienced body enhancement reported greater enjoyment in the bedroom, and that number skyrockets to 80 percent when regarding breast augmentation recipients. A healthy sense of sexuality further bolsters your self-image, resulting in psychological benefits that last well beyond any one procedure or tryst.
  3. It’s Social Media – Let’s face it: younger people live their lives on social media. Likes, shares, and follows are the vernacular of the modern era, and Millennials constantly compare themselves to their generational cohorts online. It’s healthy to consider all of your options when it comes to how you project yourself to the Insta-world, and cosmetic surgery is just one of those many options.
  4. My Face, My Choice – Your body is yours, and nobody can tell you what to do with it. In the age of the #MeToo movement, everyone should be more cognizant of their own empowerment. This means dictating your own destiny and shaping the physicality that fits your mindset. By accepting responsibility for your own being, you assert your respect for the autonomy of others. Make decisions about your cosmetic needs for yourself; don’t rely on others to determine your path.
  5. Envision Your Own Future – Think about your adolescent years. You were constantly told to wait until you were older, right? But young people today don’t need to wait; the future is at their fingertips with every advance we make as a society. Generation Z can become their best self by applying everything great and wondrous about medical technology to their cosmetic needs.
  6. Live for the Now – Not to get too political, but we live in divided times. There is no certainty about tomorrow, so more and more young people are living for today. Our environment is on the precipice and global tensions are careening towards a proverbial cliff. Why postpone one’s enjoyment when the future is so uncertain? Youth is to be enjoyed, so get out there and live it up!
  7. Urban Convenience – College educated individuals are increasingly moving toward the cities where they have the best chance to start a career in their given vocational field. According to one statistic, the 50 biggest urban centers in America have witnessed a surge in college graduates migrating to their hubs. This number has grown approximately 23 percent in the past three decades. Now that Gen Z and Millennials are settling in big cities, they have access to the best resources in areas such as cosmetic surgery. Familiarity breeds increased exposure, which explains the rise in procedures among the younger generations.
  8. Nothing Is Permanent – Every decision has consequences, but those consequences present more opportunities to learn and grow. Young adults see their longevity stretching out before them, and the landscape is verdant with possibilities. You can change several small details without erasing who you are inside, so Millennials are far more open-minded than their predecessors when it comes to experimenting with tattoos, piercings, and other body modifications. After all, you can always change your mind!
  9. Testing the Waters – When we say “cosmetic surgery”, the reader may be imagining some drastic alteration that renders the patient unrecognizable, but that’s simply not the case with most procedures. We’re talking fillers, enhancements, and other minor adjustments that simply complement your existing beauty. Since younger individuals often have fewer demands when it comes to cosmetics, they can dip their toes in the realm of these procedures without resorting to drastic measures. Start small and think big!
  10. The Results Are Ravishing – Gen Z and Millennials are often visual people. They were raised in the age of social media and, as a result, they want to see something for themselves before they believe it. That’s why it’s important to peruse some before and after pics to assess your individual needs and desires. See yourself as you are and how you ideally want to be, and gauge your expectations on the realities of what cosmetic surgery offers its recipients.

No matter what your age, your look is forever. Despite the inevitable process of aging, you can embrace your inner youth and amplify your inner light.

We want to help.
Contact us today and learn about your options when it comes to cosmetic procedures and everyday enhancements. We have a skilled and knowledgeable team ready to assist with your every curiosity.

How 3D Printing Has Mapped Medical Breakthroughs of the Recent Past, Present, and Fascinating Future

Lifestyle, Motivation, Procedure Overviews

3D printing technology charts the horizon of medical science at its most innovative, but the process has roots in surgical procedures from centuries past. Hip replacements were performed as far back as 1891, when a German doctor used ivory to replace the head of a human femur. Dental implants date back even further, but the source of the tooth donors was shrouded in mystery. The common myth purported that patients were receiving teeth pulled from brave soldiers who perished on the field of battle, but the truth was that dentists were just harvesting them from cadavers at the local morgue.

Fast forward to the digital age. The first successful 3D-print assisted reconstructive surgery was performed in the Netherlands during the summer of 2011. The 83-year-old patient suffered from a chronic infection in her skeletal system, adversely affecting the strength of her jawbones. Given the woman’s advanced age, surgeons needed to exercise the utmost sensitivity; traditional implants would have been too cumbersome for her fragile frame.

Enter the 3D Printer

Using titanium powder, the laser-guided printer fused together thousands of layers of the alloy to create a jaw that emulated the subject’s original facial structure. Each millimeter of her new jaw’s height required 33 layers of titanium – a painstaking process indeed. But the result was a true breakthrough. It featured a bio-ceramic coating and articulated joints with a network of grooves and cavities that would facilitate ideal muscle attachment and foster the healthy growth of veins and nerves.

The operation was a resounding success. The patient was home four days later. Her new jaw weighed only about 30% more than her organic jaw; not bad for the first metallic model ever implanted.

Since that inaugural effort six years ago, 3D printing and medical technology have evolved exponentially. As with any successful endeavor, surgeons must pinpoint the challenges and counter them with opportunities. Face transplantations are complex procedures that entail a myriad of complications. The patient in need has already suffered facial tissue loss due to an accident or a disease; countering the damage involves an extremely delicate process that requires vascular reconstruction to preserve and replenish as much of the subject’s tissue as possible. The main obstacle is that this procedure demands the patient’s blood flow to be halted while the reconnections occur. 

This process must be expedited, or the consequences could be lethal. 

3D printing allows the majority of the work to be done BEFORE surgery. A scan of the subject’s skull and facial bones is uploaded to the computer to create a 3D model; surgeons can use this model as a detailed reference guide. If they fully understand their endpoint, it’s much faster to get there. This reduces surgery time and increases the patient’s chances of survival. While the average facial transplant procedure takes up to 25 hours, the vascular reconstruction process alone takes  60 minutes.

Now let’s look at that same surgery from the patient’s point of view. Medical advances are all well and good for the doctors performing facial transplants, but what about the recipient of the services? The main concern is very intimate and aesthetic: What will I look like after it’s completed? The answer is only limited by the technology at hand. 3D scanning innovation advances every microsecond; present and future subjects of facial transplantation are benefiting from every upgrade to the software. But the diagnosis for the reliability and reproducibility of 3D printers is still inconclusive.

Some patients, however, don’t have time to wait for science to catch up to their urgent health demands. Such is the case with a 12-year-old Chinese boy whose spinal cord was threatened by a malignant tumor. Doctors at Peking University had to act fast, so they turned to 3D printing technology to assist them in saving the lad’s life. Surgeons were able to remove the affected vertebra and replicate it with their 3D scanner. They created and printed a replacement bone out of titanium powder, but this presented a new challenge: how would they safely implant it in their young patient’s spine? The answer: craft tiny pores in the 3D printed vertebra so the surrounding bones could fuse and grow with it as the boy progresses through adolescence. 

The future presents an even more fascinating menu of possibilities. While most current 3D printed structures are designed to replace skeletal body parts, medical experts are formulating theories to transplant synthetic organs into their patients. One glimpse at donor lists across the country (and the world) verify that the demand is great, but what about the supply? Surgeons can’t simply craft a kidney out of metallic powder; they would require organic materials for the organ to function properly. This would necessitate sampling a small amount of the patient’s healthy tissue and multiplying it in a lab.

How long would this process take? Would the host reject its artificially grown organ? Who is willing to be the first patient to submit to such experimentation? These questions pave the way to a 3D printed path toward medical progress and the future of healthcare.

To learn more about the benefits of reconstructive facial surgery using the latest in 3D printing technology, please contact us today. We are happy to discuss the details and procedure in more detail at your convenience.

New Trends for Botox

Lifestyle, Botox

The term “botulinum toxin” doesn’t exactly roll off of the tongue, but it is far more common than you think. Going by the brand name Botox, these safe and effective injections are often used to smooth wrinkles along the patient’s skin by relaxing the musculature that creates crow’s feet, laugh lines, and other unwanted facial imperfections.

Over 7 million such procedures take place in the United States every year. Contrary to popular assumption, however, they aren’t all prescribed above the neck, nor are they merely for cosmetic application.

The demographics of Botox users are also shifting rapidly, so we wanted to stay ahead of the latest trends by breaking down a few of them in the following list…

Botox for Nipples

Shaping one’s face is a delicate and intricate process. Every line and pore is precious and unique, so finding the right surgeon is essential. This is more than just a simple process of choosing a name off the internet; you are beginning a conversation that will evolve with every nip and tuck that you strategize with your doctor.

And the nipples are arguably even more delicate than many facial features. They are sensitive, small, and yet vulnerable to the same elements of age and gravity that affect the rest of our bodies and faces.

That’s why Botox might be just what the doctor ordered when it comes to perking up your chest features. A simple injection can make the nipples fuller and more pronounced, fending off the body’s natural tendencies to sag and wrinkle. However, the botox isn’t so stringent that it hardens the region; instead, it provides a natural firmness and yield just like youthful nipples should.

While Kendall Jenner has inspired this latest current craze for Botox breast enhancements, we must advise you to embark upon your own cosmetic journey for your own reasons. The attempts to shadow others’ looks or emulate your favorite celebrity are often fruitless.

Botox for Migraines

Over 3.3 million Americans suffer from chronic migraine pain, but about two-thirds of them haven’t yet received a proper diagnosis. This leads to extended periods of discomfort, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, nausea, and other persistent symptoms of the insidious condition.

Some people suffer from migraine episodes for 8 days out of the month, which is a huge detraction from their work, lives, and general health.

But there may be a simple and effective way to whisk those headaches away. Botox injections along the bridge of the nose, upper back, forehead, and temples can work to alleviate the pain transmitters that exacerbate migraines. The procedure only takes about 15 minutes to conduct, but it should be administered a second or even third time to fully get the benefits of the solution.

And the results speak for themselves: patients who received two rounds of Botox reported having half as many migraines in a given month, and the success rate was about 50%. When the number of sessions rose to five Botox injections, that figure of satisfied patients rocketed to 70%.

While Botox may not be the perfect fit for all migraine sufferers, the data is certainly compelling enough to investigate further with your medical team.

Preventative Botox for Millennials

The aging process doesn’t miraculously begin when you hit age 50 or 60 or (fill in the blank). It starts the moment we’re born and follows us through every day, minute, and second of our lives.

Twenty- and thirty-somethings are the latest demographic to recognize this reality, making them the fastest growing sector of Botox recipients in the cosmetic field. The injections have become yet another tool in the grooming toolbox, just like hair products and selfie sticks.

Speaking of selfies, social media may be a contributing factor when it comes to the rise of millennial Botox use. We live our lives increasingly on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, so why wouldn’t we want to look our best online?

Preventative Botox to the rescue! This is a practice by which young adults begin to tailor their look by manipulating the muscles that will eventually create wrinkles. By tweaking them at a young age, it pushes off the ravages of Father Time even further down the road.

One major benefit of starting the Botox process at a young age is that it melds more naturally with your overall look. For instance, if you wait until your 70th birthday to try cosmetic surgery, then the “before and after” juxtaposition will be stark and sudden. Everybody will notice that you dropped ten years overnight. However, if you gradually incorporate Botox and other such procedures into your beauty regimen, then the results will be more subtle. By shaving off a few years over the course of decades, your evolution is natural; it merely looks like you age less rapidly than everyone around you.

A Doctor for All Ages

No matter where you are in life, from adolescence to mid-life to octogenarian, you always want to look your best. Regardless of your specific cosmetic needs and desires, our multitalented team has you covered.

Headed by the unparalleled Doctor Binder, our experts have the knowledge and experience required to bring your vision to life in a safe, responsible, and effective manner. Call us today and we can discuss any of the concepts above, along with so many other options that meet your unique requirements.

Five Celebrity Lip Jobs and Why They Worked

Lifestyle, Motivation

When celebrities speak, the world listens. They have the power to fund charities, launch movies, and even advance political agendas. Famous people’s mouths have clout, so they are under intense scrutiny as they say the words we’re all hearing…

And watching.

The way your lips appear has an impact on how your speech is perceived. If your mouth turns downward or purses shut, your demeanor gives off an expression of secrecy. However, when your lips are full, then so is your message. The audience pays attention to warm, inviting smiles, which is why the five celebrities showcased below have sought out the right look for their lips.

Kylie Jenner

The Kardashians/Jenners are arguably one of the most photographed and critiqued broods in the entire world. As a member of this ubiquitous family, Kylie was seeing herself on every magazine cover, TV screen, and social media feed imaginable. She had time to assess her look and decided that there was something missing: a perfect pucker.

That’s when Kylie turned to lip enhancement for a more robust profile. Not only did the procedure give her signature facial features a boost, but it also lifted her confidence. “It’s just an insecurity of mine and it’s what I wanted to do,” explains Jenner. “People are so quick to judge me on everything, so I may have tiptoed around the truth but I didn’t lie.”

Emily Blunt

Let’s face it: Emily Blunt is perfect. Always has been, always will be. But her lips have commanded more attention as her celebrity status has grown. For example, during her Devil Wears Prada phase, Ms. Blunt owned the mousy, downtrodden persona of her beleaguered character.

Fast forward to the present tense, when Emily has cemented her position as a leading lady supreme. Her star is eternally on the rise, and so are the contours of her lips. While we can’t confirm (or deny) that she has had an augmentation or fillers, experts on the matter have analyzed the evolution of Emily’s mouth over the years. They note that her lips have more volume these days, complimenting the contours of her face with grace and grandeur.

Keira Knightley

Ever since she splashed onto the scene in the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, millions of fans have fallen in love with Keira Knightley. Perhaps that’s because of her Cupid’s Bow; that’s the arched shape of the upper lip that’s said to resemble the archery tool of the mythical cherub of romance.

Knightley’s Bow has captivated audiences with an increased intensity over the years. The line of her upper lip has become more defined and the fullness of her mouth has been amplified to match her considerable talent.

Nicole Kidman

From Australia to Hollywood and independent films to blockbuster stardom, Nicole Kidman grew up before our very eyes. The camera is her co-pilot, documenting every nuanced gesture and expression with exacting sharpness. Her look has always been breathtaking and commanding, and her performances have earned Nicole a museum’s worth of awards and acclaim.

The Oscar winner has now entered her early 50’s with elegance and style… and perhaps a few helping hands from skilled cosmetic surgeons. Ever since her auspicious debut in the limelight, Kidman’s lips have evolved from thin and striking to buxom and beautiful. Truly, she can imbue any role with character and class, and her facial features have developed alongside her enviable acting skills.

Courteney Cox

She’ll be there for you, and so will her luscious lips! Friends star Courteney Cox was always waifish in stature, and her mouth matched her angular beauty. However, as Courtney grew into her adulthood, she commanded more and more attention, so she needed lips to match.

Notice how young Courteney Cox had thinner facial features. As she aged, those lines were susceptible to wrinkling and deepening. However, with strategic augmentation procedures, we can counteract the aging process and create the majestic Hollywood look that Ms. Cox radiates to the world.

The Next Rising Star Is YOU

We can’t promise to make you rich and famous as one of the five celebs above, but we can certainly help you FEEL like a star. By adding fillers like Restylane and Juvederm to our client’s lips, we are able to subtly and stylishly enhance their facial contours. We never want to overdo it when it comes to cosmetic procedures; an ostentatious lip will get attention for all the wrong reasons.

Lip augmentation should fit your individual face. By adding volume in a safe, healthy way, we help you fully realize your inner celebrity. Your front door will become a red carpet as you march out to the world more confident and fabulous than ever before.

Your lips are ready to be seen, heard, and adored, so get them moving! Call us today and schedule an appointment with one of our attentive professionals. We listen to what your lips have to say… now and in your near and glorious future.

SnapChat Filters and Cosmetic Surgery – A Frightening New Trend

Lifestyle, Motivation, Face Lifts

Pop quiz: when was the last time you checked your social media feed? Was it an hour ago? Yesterday? Are you on it right now?

Let’s face it: we are social animals, and our media consumption reflects this reality. We want to project the best version of ourselves to the world… and it never hurts to get some “likes” along the way.

But have we put too much emphasis on our online personae? And what happens when we can’t look like the digital versions of ourselves in real life?

Here are a few points to consider before scheduling your consultation with a trusted medical professional…

Facing the Numbers

We’ve already established our love for social media, but how far are we willing to go to look Insta-perfect? Users by the millions have sought out filter apps to clear away every blemish and impurity, creating a pristine (yet unrealistic) version of your visage. The overall intention might be a fantasy, but the demand is real. Since 2013, two apps, in particular, Facetune and its free(ish) sequel Facetune 2, have racked up over 50 million downloads.

And that’s just one snapshot in the proverbial scrapbook. Every social media app offers image enhancement in some form, whether they offer to brighten your face or shroud it in a seductive blur.  Regardless of which app you’re rocking, it’s having an impact on the greater online landscape.

A reported 91 percent of teenagers who have one or more social media accounts use those platforms to post selfies. From that same survey, users who routinely manipulated their photos with one of the so-called beautifying apps also registered higher incidences of body issues and eating disorders.

This is a staggering and dangerous reality, especially when you consider the fact that over 2.6 billion people have a social media footprint. The Earth’s population as a whole is only 7.5 billion, so over a third of us are firmly entrenched in the Twittersphere, the Instaverse, and the Faceworld.

Maybe it’s time we visit reality for a change.

Snapchat Dysmorphia

Our collective obsession with our digital doppelgangers (ourselves) is beginning to have a profound effect on our psychological health. Experts have discovered a new and disturbing phenomenon that they coined “Snapchat dysmorphia” – this is an overwhelming and skewed feeling that something about their appearance just isn’t right.

The insecurity (or insecurities, plural) consumes the afflicted until they may take drastic measures. One such course of action would be ill-advised cosmetic surgery to look more like your idealized social media self.

True professionals in the field will warn against such a decision. It’s impossible to replicate an inorganic, and in some ways cartoonish, version of your face and/or body. If you have convinced yourself that plastic surgery is the only way to realize your dream of becoming a filtered, animated, virtual vision of yourself, then you may already be experiencing some of the symptoms of Snapchat dysmorphia.

Heed the Warning Signs

Body dysmorphia is a psychological condition that prompts you to hyper-focus on your looks, or a facet of your looks, to the point of obsession. Your behavior, mood, and general appearance begin to wrap around the object of your distraction and can become a major source of anxiety and depression.

If you exhibit one or more of the following symptoms, then you should consider consulting a psychiatric professional:

  • Preoccupation: Dysmorphia distorts your perception of reality. If you think your nose is too big, it will become positively enormous in your opinion. You will then become preoccupied with your nose, adjusting your makeup and hairstyle, for example.
  • Diet and Sleep Habits: If you can’t achieve your idealized self through clever online apps, you might resort to drastic weight loss schemes. This could have a detrimental ripple effect on your sleeping habits, causing insomnia and restlessness during the day. When you don’t sleep well, you don’t think clearly, thus exacerbating the dysmorphia you’re feeling even further. It becomes an endless and vicious cycle of insecurity and helplessness.
  • Social Behavior: Once you have convinced yourself that your face is flawed, you will increasingly steer every conversation to this topic. If you find yourself asking what others think of your facial features, or ponder what their opinions may be, then this is a sure sign of dysmorphia.
  • Withdrawal: The extreme ramifications of the aforementioned shift in social behavior is a complete and total disconnect. If you cancel engagements, make excuses, and generally alienate yourself from loved ones because of your perceived flaw(s), then you’re allowing dysmorphia to control your life.
  • Digital Delusion: If the above withdrawal from society begins to occur, you may find yourself living more and more in a social media fantasy. Your filters become your closest friends, and you would rather post on social media than actually being social. This is the current manifestation of dysmorphia, and it is affecting more and more of us as technology rules our daily lives.

Break the Cycle

Social media is like a warped mirror. It shows us some of what we want to see, but it may not be the full picture (nor is it accurate). Do you want to know what’s better? An actual mirror!

Look at yourself and see how great you really are. Sure, we all want to be prettier or thinner or more toned, but those are ideals that we must attain in real life, not through some digital app. Set attainable goals and only then will you be able to achieve them. By communicating your cosmetic desires to a trained professional, we can work together to make your dreams come true.

But it won’t be in cyberspace; it will be in the comfort and security of one of our facilities. They’re located firmly in the real world, and they’re welcoming you for a consultation now.

Celebrity Nose Jobs: Five Superstar Success Stories

Lifestyle, Motivation, rhinoplasty

While the eyes may be the windows to the soul, the nose is often the first feature we notice. It is the protrusion that demands the most attention, and it characterizes many celebrities with its signature structure. Owen Wilson, Barbara Streisand, Jimmy Durante, Karl Malden – their noses help define their personas, and their sense of celebrity is indelibly tied to this central facial feature.

So, which Hollywood megastars have had the most successful nose jobs? And what exactly makes these surgeries work? Let’s take a closer look at the best rhinoplasty procedures in Tinseltown…

Jennifer Aniston

Celebrities are people too. They laugh, they love (other A-listers), and they breathe. When this last process becomes belabored, it might indicate the presence of a deviated septum. If your nasal passageways become increasingly impeded, it could lead to nosebleeds, sleep apnea, and difficulty performing your lines as an actor.

This was the predicament that befell the biggest sitcom star of the 1990’s: Jennifer Aniston.

Years before she became one of our best Friends, Aniston opted for rhinoplasty to correct her deviated septum. “Best thing I ever did,” commented the super celeb. “I slept like a baby for the first time in years.”

If you’re experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms of a deviated septum, you may want to explore the same options that Ms. Aniston considered. If you need help, to borrow a phrase from her hit show’s theme song: We’ll be here for you.

Lisa Kudrow

Aniston wasn’t the only Friends cast member to benefit from a cosmetic procedure. As a teen, Lisa Kudrow underwent a facial reconstruction to reshape her nose… but the surgery also reconfigured her self-esteem.

“That was life altering,” recalls Kudrow. “I went from, in my mind, hideous, to not hideous. I did it the summer before going to a new high school. So there were plenty of people who wouldn’t know how hideous I looked before. That was a good, good, good change.”

With the bold declaration, the girl who would grow up to be Phoebe Buffay pinpoints one of the main reasons why people seek rhinoplasty: aesthetic satisfaction. When you look good, you often feel good, and vice versa. Kudrow went on to become an Emmy winner, not to mention winning over the hearts of fans by the millions. Looks like the boost in confidence really paid off!

Jillian Michaels

Before moving forward with any surgical procedure, be it cosmetic or otherwise, you must weigh the pros and cons against the bigger picture of your health. And nobody knows health like fitness guru Jillian Michaels. As the tenacious trainer on The Biggest Loser, she has built her career on helping others attain their best self, so it might be surprising to know that Michaels was bullied as a child for her appearance.

“Not to say you should let your physicality define you, but there are some things that can make people feel really insecure,” assesses Michaels. “I had my nose done when I was 16 years old, and I’ll be honest, it did change my life.” With a renewed burst of confidence, Michaels surmises, “If there is something you want to fix that allows you to feel a little bit more confident, I support it.”

Ashlee Simpson

Empowerment is a recurrent motif in these celebrity success stories. The women featured in this article became famous asserting their own individual modes of expression. Sometimes that’s exceedingly difficult to achieve when you’re constantly compared to a famous sibling, as is the case with Ashlee Simpson.

“Of course I look like her. She’s my sister,” quips Ashlee of her sis Jessica Simpson. “It’s like, God, please! We think it’s quite funny.” But Ashlee got serious when it came to crafting her own unique look. “I believe if somebody chooses to do plastic surgery, it’s for yourself, not for anyone else.” And the younger sibling has no regrets about her choices, concluding, “I loved how I looked. I’m not an insecure person, nor was I before.”

Harnessing this sense of self is essential to owning your look. Don’t compare yourself to family or famous people; know who you are inside before defining your outward appearance. Cosmetic surgery is merely an extension of self-expression.

Tyra Banks 

The word “supermodel” is almost synonymous with Banks, entertainer and entrepreneur extraordinaire. But she wasn’t born looking like the world-famous celebrity we see today. “Natural beauty is unfair,” Banks writes in her book Perfect Is Boring. “I get really uncomfortable when women who are these natural beauties judge anybody who does anything to themselves.” In addition to ruling the runway, Banks is also the queen of keepin’ it real. “I had bones in my nose that were growing and itching… I could breathe fine, but I added cosmetic surgery. I admit it!” Taking the reins of her own image, Tyra concludes, “I feel I have a responsibility to tell the truth.”

And the truth is a concept we convey every day with our facial expressions. When we smile at a loved one or make eye contact at work, we’re putting our best face forward. But does that face reflect your true self? It’s an important consideration to make before deciding on your desired cosmetic surgery procedure. Just look to the aforementioned stars for guidance!
But stardom is a construct far from most people’s everyday reality. It’s fun to see our favorite performers on stage or screen, but what matters more is how we perceive the face staring back at us in the mirror. You play the hero in the role of your lifetime. Look the part, look your best, and look no further than Doctor Binder. He can shine a spotlight on the inner celebrity hiding right under your nose!

The Dangers of Overseas Plastic Surgery

Environment, Lifestyle, Procedure Overviews

Healthcare is one of the most controversial and complicated issues in modern America. How do we assure that our friends and loved ones get the attention they need without breaking the bank? It’s important to explore all of your options with your doctor and insurance provider, but some people don’t have the patience for this process or the cash.

That’s why they often resort to seeking cosmetic surgery abroad. 

From Canada to the UK and Singapore to Israel, Americans are traveling internationally to undergo certain procedures in hopes of getting them performed for a lower cost than they would pay here at home. According to one study, a large number of these surgeries are cosmetic in nature.

But is it worth the globetrotting? Here are some important considerations to make before you hop a plane to engage in medical tourism…

Communication Is Key

The first important factor to consider seems obvious, but it can’t be overstated: do you speak the language of your desired destination? If so, how fluently do you converse? It is imperative to be able to communicate effortlessly and pointedly with your medical team to ensure the utmost transparency and openness. For example, if you are experiencing pain or discomfort, you must convey the specifics of your predicament to elicit the proper remedy.

Now revisit that initial line of questioning. Are you sure that you can accurately translate your health status into another language, no matter what that status may be… or how it could suddenly change?

Verifying Credentials 

You’ve done your homework. You know what procedure you want. But is your surgeon as prepared as you are? You want to fully vet his or her credentials before putting your trust in their care. It’s a simple process in the United States because you can search their accreditation with well-established organizations like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, but it becomes much more complicated overseas.

Is there a comparable organization in your host country? If you don’t know the answer, then more research is inevitable.

Risk Assessment 

With any surgical situation, there are inherent risks. Clotting, swelling, and general pain management are parts of the landscape you must maneuver when you’re recovering from a procedure. You should ask yourself a few important questions before you embark upon a medical journey through a foreign land.

  • How long will I be visiting this country?
  • How expensive is it to stay in the local hospital while I recuperate?
  • Will I have access to the appropriate pain meds?
  • What about other resources like antibiotics and sterile equipment?
  • If an infection should occur, do I trust this medical team to deal with the consequences?

Backup Plan

Many cosmetic procedures require a follow-up visit to ensure quality control as well as aesthetic satisfaction. If you are only preparing for a short trip, then your time (and budget) may not afford such recourse. In such an eventuality, you will need to schedule your follow-up appointment back in the states, in which case it defeats the purpose of getting the surgery performed overseas in the first place. You’ll pay the same amount and require more time to catch your surgeon up to speed with what was done abroad.

Legal Concerns

You should always hope for the best and prepare for the worst, so it’s worth asking: what if something goes wrong during surgery? Are you protected by any local laws, such as the malpractice ordinances that are in place in America? If not, you could be saddled not only with exorbitant medical bills but also astronomical legal fees, all to compensate for what you thought would be a bargain of a cosmetic procedure. Which brings us to the bottom line…

You Get What You Pay For

The allure of inexpensive medical care is understandable. After all, a lap band procedure may cost less than half as much in Mexico as it does in the United States. But if any of the aforementioned complications arise (clotting, legal issues, additional medical needs), then that price tag balloons to much more than the procedure would have cost in the first place if you had stayed north of the border.

What About the Remainder of Your Vacation?

Did you book this trip just for the cosmetic surgery appointment? Or were you also planning to go exploring while abroad? If so, will you be able to travel, cavort, swim, and generally live it up in your post-surgical state? Be sure to ask your doctors (both at home and overseas) what your limitations will be, and factor those risks into your vacation plans.

Booking the Return Flight

Not only will your international itinerary be hindered by your post-operative healthcare needs; you also might not be able to fly back home right away. Many facial procedures require that the patient not endure rapid changes in altitude. Airline travel can put undue pressure on your capillaries and passageways, so your jet-setting lifestyle must take a back seat to the recuperation process.

If you still have questions about the dangers and difficulties of so-called “medical tourism”, then please don’t hesitate to contact our office. We’ll take the time to consult with you about the costs and benefits of your desired procedure – no passport required!

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