Breast Augmentation Using Stem Cells? Not Yet...

An interesting article claims that plastic surgeons in Europe and Japan are using stem cells for breast augmentation. It also states that some surgeons in the United States are also performing stem cell breast augmentation.

The closest thing to stem cell breast augmentation that I have experience with is fat grafting to the breast. Fat actually does contain a large amount of stem cells, and the procedure does work. However, due to significant controversy regarding its possible effects on mammography and breast cancer detection, I don't recommend it except in those situations where breast implants are not able to be used. The standard of care for breast augmentation is still the breast implant, and I expect that this will not change for a long time.

I know of no plastic surgeons in the U.S. who actually experiment with stem cells for breast augmentation.

Story credit: upi.com
Photo credit: The Soap Box

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Pam Anderson - No to Botox but Yes to Juvederm?

Here is a photograph of Pam Anderson during a recent press tour in Australia to promote her new reality show on E!. As you can see, there is no sign of any Botox in her forehead, but her lips look pretty plump, possibly due to Juvederm injections. The cupid's bow of her upper lip looks obliterated, which can happen when a good amount of injectable filler is placed there. This is one of the few photos that I've seen where Pam looks all of her 41 years. Maybe the jet lag hasn't been kind. I always look (and feel) like hell after a long plane flight.

Juvederm lasts around 6-12 months, and I find it works very well in the lips when injected conservatively.

Photo credit: dlisted.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Has Jennifer Aniston Had Her Lips Plumped?

Photos of Jennifer Aniston have recently surfaced, showing a possible lip augmentation. If she's had it done, it is a subtle job, possibly with Restylane. Some may argue that her lips look the same, but if you compare the 'then' to the 'now,' you can see that the lip proportions have changed. In the 'then' photo, her upper lip is slightly smaller than her lower lip. In the 'now' photo, the upper lip is actually larger than the lower lip.

I have stated many times on this blog that the natural lip proportions (with some exceptions) have the lower lip 1.5 times the size of the upper lip. Quite often plastic surgeons become overzealous in augmenting the upper lip, making it appear larger than the lower lip. This creates the all-too-common 'trout pout.' Whether Jennifer Aniston has had her lips done or not, I'm sure John Mayer would agree that her "Body is a Wonderland."

Photo credit: Daily Mail

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

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The Top 10 Worst Female Celeb Body Parts?

CelebSlam has named their Top 10 Worst Female Celeb Body Parts. Here they are:

10. Jennifer Love Hewitt's Hips
9. Jennifer Garner's Toes
8. Paris Hilton's Wonky Eye
7. Jennifer Lopez's Buttocks
6. Tori Spelling's Breasts
5. Sarah Jessica Parker's Hands
4. Mischa Barton's Thighs
3. Jenna Jameson's Lips
2. Tara Reid's Stomach
1. Amy Winehouse's...Pick Something

I would definitely disagree with a number of their choices, especially Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jennifer Lopez. I wonder what a list of the Top 10 Worst Male Celeb Body Parts would include? Maybe Kenny Rogers' eyelids, Fred Thompson's neck, Mickey Rourke's cheeks, and Brad Pitt's face? ;)
To see photos of the 'offending' body parts from Celeb Slam, click here for their post.

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Christina Applegate Breast Cancer and Reconstruction

As you may know by now, Christina Applegate has undergone a double mastectomy for possible breast cancer. She has the BRCA1 gene, which is a marker for high breast cancer risk. Ms. Applegate elected to undergo a prophylactic mastectomy, essentially removing all her breast tissue in order to prevent a potentially deadly cancer from appearing. In an interview, she stated that the next eight months would be spent undergoing breast reconstruction surgery.

What reconstructive surgery may she be having? It sounds to me that she is probably going to undergo breast reconstruction using breast implants. This process can take several surgeries. Most commonly, temporary breast implant expanders are placed at the time of the mastectomy. These implants are gradually filled over several months to expand the remaining skin and muscle. When they are the desired size, then another surgery is performed where the expander implants are replaced with permanent breast implants. Usually a few months later the nipples are recreated during a third surgery. The final step is often tattooing of the nipples and areola, in order to get the darker color of the real thing.

I wish her the best in her recovery and future treatments. I thought she was great in Married with Children.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

California Senate Approves "Donda West Law"

The California Senate has approved, by a margin of 37-1 the Donda West law, named after Kanye West's late mother. This law makes it mandatory for anyone undergoing a cosmetic surgery to have a history and physical performed prior to surgery.

Ho hum. Most plastic surgeons already do this. Instead of enacting unnecessary laws, why not limit plastic surgery to those who are actually trained at it? The California legislature has recently approved a bill allowing oral surgeons (DDS dentists) to perform all sorts of facial plastic surgery. How ridiculous! You wouldn't want me performing your root canal, so why have an oral surgeon do your facelift?

Photo credit: prphotos.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

What is the Most Nipped and Tucked City?

Men's Health Magazine has recently released its list of the most nipped and tucked cities in the United States. Guess what's number one? San Francisco!

Do you think this may have to do with Senator Nancy Pelosi's influence? She does look mighty good for her age.

Here is the remainder of the top 10:
2: Honolulu
3: Sacramento
4: Miami
5: Tucson
6: San Diego
7: Richmond, VA
8: Washington, DC
9: Rochester, NY (not Rochester, MI)
10: Seattle

Other notables:
34: Grand Rapids, MI
48: Los Angeles, CA

Which are the least nipped and tucked?
Lincoln, NE
Fort Wayne, IN
Montgomery, AL
Toledo, OH
Madison, WI

I actually get quite a few patients who come from Toledo to have plastic surgery here in Metro Detroit...

For the full list from Men's Health, click here.




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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Do You Want to Be on TV?

Sorry for the lack of updates. It's been a whirlwind past couple days. Tuesday afternoon I flew to L.A. to film a television pilot, returning Wednesday evening. I've been in surgery all day today, so I just haven't had time to post anything!

Speaking of TV, I was contacted by the producer of a well-known television program that is looking for people who lighten their skin to look "better." The title of the segment is "Bleaching for Beauty" and they want to find people who believe they are more attractive after using skin lightening creams. If this applies to you, email your information to me at: miplasticsurgeon@yahoo.com. I will forward your information to the producer.

If you have an interesting plastic surgery-related story and would like to be featured on television, feel free to email me. I often get calls from producers who are looking for an interesting story to tell. Who knows, maybe you can get a free trip to New York out of it!

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Update of the Acupuncture Facelift from the Beauty Brains

A fantastic site, The Beauty Brains, has a good post on the facts behind the Acupuncture Facelift. Their bottom line:



If you’re going to get a cosmetic procedure done, don’t waste money on acupuncture. Save up for a full blown face lift. At least that will be done by a reputable doctor and has been proven to work. And if surgery isn’t something you want to do, stick to the high quality facial products you can buy at your local drug store. They’re just as good as the department store products.



I would agree with just about everything they state in the article, except for one thing. I strongly believe that physician-prescribed skin care products, such as Obagi Nuderm, are much more effective and powerful in reversing aging than local drug store or department store products. Otherwise, like all their posts, I find the article extremely well-written. Check it out here.


Thanks for reading.

Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Lindsay Davenport Uses Juvederm and Botox

In an exclusive interview with Make Me Heal.com, new Juvederm spokesperson and professional tennis player Lindsay Davenport admits to having both Juvederm and Botox injections...and loving them:

No one should have to feel like their skin is aging faster than their body. Thanks to JUVÉDERM I just look my age. And my theory is, when I find something that works, I want to share it. That’s why I’m talking freely about my JUVÉDERM treatments....I love the results of Juvederm. I’ve also used Botox Cosmetic which has provided great results as well!

We perform Juvederm injections in my practice quite often. It injects very nicely, and some studies have shown longevity of the product for a year. Overall, my only complaint about Juvederm is that the syringe size is 0.8 cc, and not 1.0 cc like Restylane. There are so many other fillers on the market nowadays (including Perlane, Prevelle, Artifill, Radiesse, and several others) that it's easy for a patient to be confused about what to use. An easy recommendation for patients is that you can't go wrong starting out with Restylane or Juvederm, as these are the two 'workhorses' of filler products, in my opinion. Some of the other fillers are more 'niche' players (kind of like a doubles specialist in tennis).


Photo credit: prphotos.com (Photo taken before her Juvederm treatment)


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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Fullness In, Tautness Out - Old News?

The Early Show on CBS had a segment this morning explaining the "new" trend in plastic surgery: Adding volume instead of just lifting. They explained that adding fullness to the cheeks is a key component of reversing aging and creating the most naturally youthful look possible.

Is this old news? When I did my aesthetic surgery fellowship with Dr. Richard Ellenbogen five years ago, the importance of volume enhancement in facial rejuvenation was the most important thing he taught me. We even published an article in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal about it, entitled the Volumetric Facelift. Click here for the article.

I strongly agree that adding fullness into a face is an extremely important part of reversing aging. I teach my patients that aging is a 3-Dimensional process. The best methods for volume addition are surgical facial fat grafting or nonsurgical Sculptra injections (not approved by the FDA for general cosmetic use). These are some of my favorite procedures to perform, as the results can be very natural and very powerful.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Madonna and Madamism?

Is Madonna turning into a Madame puppet-face? Cityrag.com has coined (or propagated) the term "Madamism," which is a process some stars undergo as they have too much plastic surgery. They begin to look more and more like Madame the puppet. Other stars who may be undergoing Madamism include Priscilla Presley, Faye Dunaway, Cher, and maybe even Lara Flynn Boyle.

Check out cityrag.com for more details.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Paris Hilton Denies Plastic Surgery

Paris Hilton is currently filming Repo! The Genetic Opera portraying a person addicted to plastic surgery. Naturally, she's been asked whether she's had some work done. Her response:

Well, I've never had any plastic surgery, so doing a character like that — it was a lot of fun to change because every scene I have a different nose, I have different eyes, different hair. We were using a lot of prosthetics, so every scene you can't really tell that it's me, so that was a lot of fun.

I enjoy movies, but something tells me I'm going to miss this one...

For my previous posts on Paris Hilton, click here.

Story source: mtv.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

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What's Happening to Madonna?

What's the story with Madonna's appearance? She seems to be getting thinner and thinner (check out her arms) yet her cheeks remain full and soft. Can this be due to plastic surgery?

I think it is. There are three ways to effectively add volume to the face. The first is facial fat grafting. This is one of my favorite plastic surgeries to perform because it is minimally invasive and can really return a nice, youthful softness to the face. The second way to add volume to the face is via solid implants. With the exception of a chin implant, I am not a fan of these types of facial implants. Some of them require screws to keep them in place. Due to their hard nature, they also do not achieve the softer look of facial fat grafting, or the third technique: Sculptra injections. I believe Madonna may have had Sculptra injections to her face over the last several years to retain volume and softness. Sculptra is FDA approved for HIV-related facial wasting, but is often used for general cosmetic reasons. I think it is a very effective way to enhance the face.

So why do I think Madonna has had Sculptra and not facial fat grafting? Since it appears the fat in the rest of her body has all but disappeared, I would expect the same to occur in her face. However, even with an extremely thin body, her cheeks remain full. Sculptra-enhanced cheeks should not deflate quite as much as fat-enhanced cheeks.

For more of my thoughts on Madonna's possible $100,000 worth of plastic surgery, check out last week's issue of In Touch Weekly.

Photo credit: IDontLikeYouInThatWay.com

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Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.: