7 Strange Plastic Surgery Procedures on MSNBC.com

There is an interesting slide show on MSNBC.com listing 7 Strange Plastic Surgery Procedures. Here they are, and whether or not I perform them:

1. Cankle Lipo - I do this surgery occasionally, but there is a high risk of fluid collections and other complications.
2. Earlobe Lift - This is a surgery I perform often, and recently discussed the "Pac Man Earlobe Lift" on the Fox News Channel.
3. Fillers in Your Feet - Mostly done by podiatrists.
4. Golf Ball Chin - As popularized by Chef Gordon Ramsay. I almost never inject Botox here, since people almost never ask for it.
5. Radish Calf - Huh? What the heck is this?
6. Knee Lipo - I do this all the time, mainly to the inner knee fat.
7. Necklace Lines - This is a silly name given to neck wrinkles. They are very difficult to get rid of, like the wrinkles in the palm of your hand. A good facelift may marginally improve them, but they are there to stay.

Here are two more strange, but true, surgeries they left out: Dimple Creation and Second Toe Shortening.

For the MSNBC article, click here.

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

Giving Thanks

I hope you are enjoying your Thanksgiving with family and friends. I'm looking forward to taking some time to relax this weekend. There are so many things God has blessed me with. I am thankful for:

- My family and friends, who mean everything to me.
- Good health all around.
- My thriving practice, which allows me to live a comfortable life.
- My patients, whose trust I value and appreciate beyond words.
- My employees and coworkers, without whom I could not be the doctor I am.
- All of the people in media, the writers and producers, who have been kind enough to include me in their stories and programs.
- You, the readers of this blog, who take the time out of your lives to read my thoughts and opinions. Thank you for visiting this blog over 8 million times over the last three years!

Happy Thanksgiving!


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

Kim Kardashian Denies Rhinoplasty and Lip Reduction

Kim Kardashian has strongly denied comments made in Star Magazine that she may have had a rhinoplasty and lip reduction:

She said on her blog: "Star Magazine is saying I had plastic surgery to make my nose and lips smaller! Why would someone want smaller lips?! LOL."

"Your face always looks different when you lose weight, plus with the contouring on my nose it gives the illusion of a thinner nose.""I actually think my nose looks smaller in the first pic than it does in the second. "It's ridiculous... it's all about the makeup and the angle from which the photo was taken! It's no secret I contour my nose now to make the bump go away!"

I haven't had a chance to see old photos of her, but to me her nose looks so refined that it is definitely possible she's had some very nice work done to it. I strongly doubt she's had her lips reduced though. This is a very uncommon surgery that can leave big scars. No way she's had that done. I wonder who the plastic surgeon is that made the comments to Star Magazine? They certainly didn't ask me! (Although I have been in Star a few times...)

photo credit: prphotos.com

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

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Real Housewives' Lynne Curtin's Plastic Surgery Looks Great

The Real Housewives of Orange County's Lynne Curtain has recently admitted to undergoing a browlift and a facelift. She looks fantastic! According to the Star:

The reality star, who paid for the procedures from her “face-lift fund” and sales from her Lynne Curtin Designs jewelry line, says she is thrilled with the results. “It looks like the clock has been turned back 12 years on my face.” Her husband, Frank, thinks so too! “He sends me texts all day saying I’m hot!”

Kudos to her plastic surgeon (not me) for doing such a nice, natural job.

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

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The BoTax Rears Its Ugly Head

As you may know the Democrats in the U.S. Senate are proposing a 5% tax on all cosmetic plastic surgery (The BoTax) as a way to raise money for the health care plan. This was brought up before, many months ago, but most politicians brushed it off. Some thoughts:

1. This tax disproportionately targets women, who make up 90% of plastic surgery patients.
2. It is not a tax on the rich, since plastic surgery patients are represented in every socioeconomic group. Arguably, the people who are earn less money will suffer more, since many of them take out loans or save for years to pay for their surgery.
3. They were initially considering a 10% tax on plastic surgery, but dropped it to 5% after aggressive lobbying.
4. A similar initiative in New Jersey has been considered a complete failure by many.
5. Is plastic surgery considered a 'sin', like cigarettes and alcohol, and therefore subject to taxing? It is far from it.

I think they should consider a tax on fast food (which harms the health of millions of Americans every day, including me) and attorney's fees!

If you would like to send a message to your Senator to encourage them to vote against a 5% cosmetic plastic surgery tax, click here to be sent to the U.S. Senators webpages.

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

Trading Frequent Flier Miles for Plastic Surgery?

Strange story out of Finland: Apparently Finland's biggest airline, Finair, is offering plastic surgery as a way to redeem frequent flier miles. Some details from kansas.com:

It takes 1.32 million points to buy a lower blepharoplasty and 3.18 million points to buy a breast augmentation. That would equal 120 round-trip, business class flights from New York to Helsinki.

So start saving points!


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

Can You Get Angelina Jolie Lips with JolieLips Lip Plumper?

There is a new lip plumper on the market, and it doesn't require injections or surgery... but does it work? JolieLips is a device that utilizes suction to attempt to suck your lips bigger. Melissa Dahl of MSNBC has a fun review of the product here.

The lips swell very easily. That's why when a guy gets socked in the kisser he gets a fat lip, not a fat chin. Because the lips are so sensitive, even a mild treatment like this one can create enough trauma to swell the lips temporarily. I suppose you could do the same thing by slapping yourself in the mouth or performing a high school-type makeout session.

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

Sammy Sosa - Getting Lighter and Lighter

By now you may have seen photos of Sammy Sosa with his altered skin color. The photos above are taken 6 months apart, with the first photo being the most recent. What is he doing to his skin?

According to a source he has been doing a "rejuvenation process" on his skin and was "surprised" it came out so light. It appears that he has had one (or both) of two things: he has been using skin lighteners like hydroquinone and/or he has undergone aggressive chemical peels or laser treatments. Both the lightener creams and peels/lasers can create changes in the melanin of the skin resulting in a lighter color. In caucasians this is usually modest, however in people with darker skin (like Sammy) it can be pretty startling. With time his skin may recover some of the lost color. However, if he has had a major invasive treatment, it may not.

He looks ghostly.

Photo credit: In Your Face blog

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

Nicole Kidman Busts Out at CMA's

Nicole Kidman has created quite a stir about the plastic surgery she appears to exhibit at her recent CMAs appearance. No, it's not a Botox brow or a trout pout. Nicole's breast implants, meet the public. Public, meet Nicole's breast implants. In my opinion, it appears that she has had a recent breast augmentation. Her breasts are overly round, have a space between them, and appear too high. This can be the look of newly postoperative breast implants. At least their size is tasteful. I would have recommended that she keep these puppies under wraps for a few more weeks to allow the swelling to go down.

I think she's a great actress, plastic surgery or not.

Photos: Huffington Post

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

Amy Winehouse - From Drugs to Plastic Surgery?

There are reports that Amy Winehouse has switched from a drug addiction to a... plastic surgery addiction? This website claims that she has had a breast augmentation to increase her size up to a 32D, and now has had her lips plumped up.



What's worse: a drug addiction or a plastic surgery addiction? I would say drug addiction, since you can't get arrested for having too much plastic surgery.


Story/photo credit: http://newsblaze.com/story/20091108125947reye.nb/topstory.html

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

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Nicole Kidman's Lips

Awful Plastic Surgery has a couple photos of Nicole Kidman which beg the question: Does she have an implant in her upper lip? It looks like that may be the case.

I've never been a fan of lip implants. In general, they tend to look stiff and unnatural. I tend to prefer Juvederm or Fat to enhance lips, but each one has its limitations. If an implant comes along that doesn't look unnatural and stiff, then I'd consider it.

For another photo of Nicole's lips, click here.

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

Alec Baldwin: "I Intend" To Have Plastic Surgery

Alec Baldwin is quoted in this week's Entertainment Weekly on the possibility he may have plastic surgery:

"I have a great ass, if I may say so," the It's Complicated actor, 51, tells Entertainment Weekly in its annual holiday movie preview issue. "That's a part of my body that needs no surgical enhancement or rearranging."
Still, Baldwin, who turned to an "ass double" when he had to to show off his derriere in the new comedy, out Christmas Day, says he wouldn't rule out getting cosmetic enhancements.
"I'm not saying I wouldn't do something! I intend to do something," he says. "I probably will. Let's put it this way: I wouldn't rule it out because... You don't think I wake up every day and wish I looked like this and this and this? But I can't let that bother me."

All of the Baldwin brothers (except maybe Billy, whom I haven't see in a long time) are looking pretty rough over the past few years.

I've never forgotten how he called his daughter a "thoughtless little pig" several years ago. I have a little daughter myself and can't imagine how someone could say that. I think Alec Baldwin is a hairy, obnoxious jerk... He does make some good movies and TV though.

Photo credit: prphotos.com

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

Evolence is Dead? Plastic Surgeon is Murdered?

A couple big things in the world of plastic surgery:

1. Johnson and Johnson has discontinued its wrinkle filler Evolence. According to an article from Real Self.com the collagen product has been taken off the market and is up for sale. I have never used Evolence although have been invited to become an "Evolence Star." Because the results weren't impressive and I saw no advantage of this product over Restylane or Juvederm, I never bothered to get trained in it. I do know some great plastic surgeons who are big supporters of Evolence, so I'm sure they're disappointed. Maybe it will rise from the ashes like Artefill.

2. It appears that a prominent Tulane plastic surgeon has been stabbed to death and his home set on fire. In a horribly tragic story, reconstructive plastic surgeon Dr. Ralph Newsome, Jr. was knifed to death and then had his French Quarter home set on fire. He was a very accomplished surgeon who mainly treated trauma victims and cancer patients. Was it one of his patients who murdered him? It's possible. I actually know some plastic surgeons who pack heat in case a disgruntled patient decides to attack them. It's truly a scary world out there.

For more on Dr. Newsome, click here.

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

Cosmetic Surgery on a Budget: From AOL.com

Here is a link to an interesting article from AOL.com concerning cosmetic surgery on a budget. They name 6 procedures that are more affordable than ever:
1. Spider vein laser treatment
2. Micro-hair grafting
3. Facial spot removal
4. Earlobe lift
5. Zerona fat removal
6. Latisse eyelash thickener

Check out the article here.

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