Holiday time is routinely associated with shopping, stress, family gatherings, bad weather, decreased physical activities and high calorie meals.  However when the holiday season is finally over, the bathroom scale reveals that you’ve gained some weight again.  Here are few tips to help avoid gaining those unwanted pounds.

1.       Stay active – engage in regular and sustained aerobic activity to burn off those extra calories.

2.       Don’t starve yourself – eat 5 to 6 small filling but low in calorie meals a day.  Starving or one meal a day can result in “binging”. Don’t go to parties hungry.

3.       Choose healthier options – eat more fruits, vegetables and meats that are more lean and high in protein. Avoid creamy sauces, high fat dressings and sugary sweets.

4.       Refuse politely – don’t be forced to eat.  Say “no thank you.  Everything was delicious” or “I’ve had enough.  Everything tasted wonderful”.

5.       Socialize – away from the food and sweets table. Conversation is calorie-free.

6.       Take time for you – reduce your stress which can result in overeating by doing things for yourself.  Schedule a massage, exercise, yoga/meditate, read a book, ….

7.      Planning ahead – Don’t make your fitness resolution after the New Year, start working out now.

8.       Sleep well – have a good night sleep during the holiday seasons. Lack of sleep may make you cranky and you may take out your frustration by eating more.

9.       Don’t rush – eat slowly and chew your food well. Not only it will fill you better it will also help you enjoy your meal better.

Best of Wishes & Happy Holidays from Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgical Group.

The home of the Fat Freezing procedure, Coolsculpting by Zeltiq.

Tel 310.360.0504, www.PerfectSelf.com

Breasts are fairly low maintenance and can stay sexy and healthy if for the most part left alone.  Some sagging is inevitable regardless of how you treat your breasts.  Breast shape changes as the result of gravity, breast growth, pregnancy, breast feeding, weight fluctuations which in turn cause stretching of the skin’s collagen and elastin which keep the skin firm.

Breast tissue is extremely sensitive to weight fluctuations.  Crash dieting and weight cycling of those 10 to 20 lbs in your 20s will result in premature sagging in your 30s.  Constant stretching and shrinking of the breast damage the skin and the supporting tissue.

So forget those crash diets and keep your weight loss to 1-2 pounds a week.  With this slower weight reduction, there is less chance of it coming back.  If you have unwanted fat that you need to get rid of, there are options such as CoolSculpting by Zeltiq or liposuction.  Also the bigger the breasts, the heavier they are and there is more need for supportive bra and attire.  And if the breasts still sag, they could be lifted with or without use of implants.  Contact us at Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgical Group at 310.360.0504.

Unlike most other methods of fat reduction such as liposuction procedure, CoolSculpting procedure by Zeltiq involves no needles, surgery or downtime.  This is device is now available at Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgical Group, office of Dr Fardad Forouzanpour.

With this new device available, a hand piece is placed on the area of interest where the fat cells are, in one hour, with No anesthesia,  No pain, No incisions/Scars and minimal downtime the fat cells are frozen. Over the 3-6 weeks following the procedure the fat cells shrink in size and reduce in number.  There is up to 50% reduction in the amount of fat present in the treated area. This new device by Zeltiq is now available at Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgical Group.  The treatment is called Coolsculpting and is now offered at an introductory price .  For more information please contact our office at 310.360.0504 for your complimentary consultation.

The Zeltiq Procedure is comfortable

During the procedure, patients read, work on their laptop computers, listen to music, or just relax. In properly selected patients, the non-invasive Zeltiq Procedure results in a notice­able, natural-looking reduction in fat bulges in two to four months, without the pain, risk, and recovery time of invasive procedures.

In the winter time running the central heating strips the skin of its necessary and essential moisture which can result in winter itch.  Almost 97% of the people suffer from dry skin problems of different levels.   Dry, thickened skin can crack, especially in areas subject to chronic trauma (finger tips, hands and feet), causing painful cracks in the skin (fissures).  Other winter skin problems include, chapped lips, darkening and cracking of the skin on the elbows and knees, etc.   Acne skin problems may also increase during the winter due to the dry weather conditions. S kin related disorders like psoriasis, dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and eczema may worsen.

Don’t take long, hot showers. They may sound appealing, but they strip skin of its natural moisturizing lipids.  It is advised that you take cooler but shorter showers on winter. Remember to use warm and not hot, for too hot the water causes the natural oils to get washed down the drain along with the dead skin.

Don’t soap as often.

Humidify indoor air. If you don’t have a humidifying system within your heating ducts, consider buying a humidifier.  This will help prevent winter dry skin problems.

Moisturize the skin. The best time to do your moisturizing regimen especially during winter, right after your bath.  It is recommended that these products contain pure essential oils (sesame, olive, coconut) and vitamins (A, B, D, and E). It will do great on the skin if applied regularly to the face and body.

With all these health benefits the individuals with a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones should limit their consumption of beets.

So go ahead and enjoy these gorgeous red vegetables that are packed full of health benefits.

A:  Asymmetry – Cancerous cells grow unevenly.  So if a line is drawn through the middle of the mole the two sides will line up and look symmetrical in a benign mole.

B:  Border – Benign moles have well defined borders whereas melanoma lesions feather out into the surrounding skin.

C:  Color – Melanoma and malignant lesions are often multicolored with the exception of all black moles.

D:  Diameter – Majority of benign lesions are smaller than 6 mm.  If it is larger than a pencil eraser (about 1/4 inch or 6mm), it needs to be examined by a doctor.

E:  Evolving –  Watch for the moles that change color, raise up, get itchy or get larger.

At least 2-3 times a year check all your moles, measure or even take pictures of them to document changes.  If any question, doubt or concerns contact your doctor and have the moles evaluated.

Pears are consumed fresh, canned, as juice, and dried. Pears are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B2, Vitamin E1, copper, fiber and potassium.  Pears are less allergenic than many other fruits, and pear juice is therefore sometimes used as the first juice introduced to infants^. The anti-oxidant nutrients in pears are critical to maintain youthful and healthy looking skin by destroying free radicals that can damage cells.  Pears are also help in building up your immune system.  Other health benefits of pears include: anti-inflammatory, help in lowering cholesterol level, reducing risks of stroke and heart attack, decreasing risk of colon cancer, slowing down osteoporosis and relief of constipation.

So grab that pear

The cocoa beans fresh from the tree appear to contain exceptional amount of antioxidant, flavanoids which is greatly reduced during the processing of the beans and manufacturing of the conventional chocolate.

The researchers concluded that HF chocolate may potentially offer protection against harmful UV effects.  Increasing minimal erythema dose not only reduces sunburn risk but it may more importantly decrease other risks associated with UV exposure such as skin cancer and UV related skin aging.

In a study released by Dr S. Crockett, 21832 healthy individuals were compared to 8189 patients with inflammatory bowel disease and found that Isotretinoin users had 1.68 times higher risk of developing the bowel disorder.  This risk was increased to 2.67 times if four or more prescriptions of Isotretinoin were taken.  The odds of developing Ulcerative Colitis were 4.36 times higher in Isotretinoin users.  However there was no increased risk of developing Crohn’s disease among the medication users.  The intestinal signs of inflammatory bowel disease include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, weight loss and bleeding.

For now Isotretinoin is still available but the latest reports and the possible pending lawsuits could lead to withdrawal of the controversial medication from the market.

According to some dermatologists applying more than recommended pea-sized amount of the product can result in excessive flaking of the skin and possibly skin irritation.   Applying too much or using them too often should be avoided to prevent or decrease chance of irritation and inflammation.

The interaction between the hormone and the estrogen receptors present on the breast tumor cells results in deleterious stimulation and acceleration of the growth rate.  Unfortunately the latest laboratory studies have show that the cells present in the lung tissue also contain estrogen receptors.  This study also indicates that the accelerated growth is potentially higher in the lung tumors.  This increase in the growth rate  is partially due to stimulation of the lung tissue to grow more blood vessels which in turn provides more nutrition to the tumor cells, according to Dr. Richard Pietras from UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

These findings are significantly important for women who are  heavy smokers now or have a long history of heavy smoking in the past.  These findings do not suggest that hormone replacement therapy causes long cancer, however they indicate that the therapy enhances the growth of the existing lung tumor, potentially accelerates tumor metastasis and promotes more aggressive behavior of cancer cells.

Although regular exercising has been shown beneficial to prevent heart disease, certain cancer, diabetes and other illnesses; however in the past couple of years research results indicate that the role of exercise in weight loss has been wildly overstated.  Eric Ravussin from Louisiana State University states “in general, for weight loss, exercise is pretty useless”.  It is absolutely true that exercising burns calorie but unfortunately it also stimulates hunger as well.  This  stimulation causes us to eat more, which in turn cancels the weight loss benefit from exercising.

It is what you eat, not how hard you try to work it off that effects the amount of weight you loose.  Just beware that bouts of vigorous exercise could lead to weight gain by an increase in appetite.  So skip that blueberry muffin or that “sugar free” lemon muffin after your workout.

Headaches more commonly start in the temples or behind one eye or ear, although any part of the head can be involved. Migraines can occur any time of the day, though it often starts in the morning. The frequency of pain can vary from once or twice a week to only once or twice a year.

The exact cause of a migraine is not fully understood. Migraines have been related to genetics, lack of sleep, dehydration, starvation, bright lights, loud sounds, strong odors, menstruation, stress/anxiety, red wine, caffeine, nitrate and tyramine containing foods, MSG (monosodium glutamate) in foods and aspartame (NutraSweet^® and Equal^®).

There is no cure for migraine headache but they can be managed with certain medications such as sumatriptan (Imitrex^®), rizatriptan (Maxalt^®), zolmitriptan (Zomig^®), propranolol (Inderal^®), amitriptyline (Elavil^®) or venlafaxine (Effexor^®), aspirin, acetaminophen, or NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).  In order to achieve best results the medication must be taken right away, when symptoms first begin.

Scientists have recently discovered that Clostridium botulinum toxin also known as Botox can safely be used to prevent or dramatically reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. BOTOX® (Botulinum Toxin Type A) (Allergan, Irvine, CA) is Purified Neurotoxin Complex produced from a strain of Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Botox is already used to treat disorders caused by overactive striated or smooth muscles. It is also helpful in the treatment of chronic low back pain, cervical dystonia, achalasia, and rectal fissures, facial wrinkles associated with over active muscles or muscle spasms.

Studies have shown that using Botox to treat migraines resulted in significantly fewer attacks per month, reduced pain severity, fewer days using abortive/rescue medications, and fewer episodes of nausea/vomiting.  Obviously, no therapy will work for all migraineurs, but studies definitely give hope that Botox injections are helpful for a significant percentage of migraine sufferers. It can induce immediate relief and provide pain relief benefit of up to six months.

For more information please contact us at 310.360.0504.

If the breast implants are not deflated, not changed in shape or the way they feel and not causing any problems, it is not necessary to risk anesthesia, surgery, post operative pain and the extra cost to have the implants removed and replaced. 

One of the main reasons to change the implants is deflation in case of saline and rupture for silicone implants.  With saline implants, if it deflates, you will see the breast get smaller and smaller over 48 hours.  In case of silicone gel implants, the FDA recommends an MRI every 3 years to check the integrity of the implants.

So the answer is no, you don’t have to change implants every 10 years as long as there are no complications noted.

For more information please contact our office at 310.360.0504.

There are two main reasons why women are requesting this procedure some for functional reasons or cosmetic reasons or a combination of the both. Functional problems, such as irritation when riding a bicycle, horseback riding, pain during intercourse or to relieve discomfort caused by excess and/or thick labia which often interfere with their everyday life.

Some patients report an improvement in self-esteem and self-confidence can result in an improvement in their sex life as a result of aesthetic improvement in the appearance of their labia. Cosmetic Labioplasty involves surgically reducing and/or reshaping the female external genital structures. Many women want to enhance or improve the appearance of uneven or asymmetrical labia.

A large number of our patients are young females who have never been intimate or participate in certain sport activities because of the appearance of their labia and external genitalia.  They were embarrassed and self conscious enough due to presence of the excess and redundant tissue.  After the correction procedure, they had gained their self-confidence to do things they were not able to do before, such as wearing tight clothes and swimming suites and even being intimate with their partners. After the procedure majority were amazed how simple and pain free the procedure was.   A Labioplasty procedure is not worth being embarrassed about. The corrective procedure can be performed is performed as an outpatient procedure with no need for overnight hospital stay and recovery time usually takes about two to three weeks.

How is the procedure performed?

Labioplasty is performed as an outpatient surgery, usually under sedation or local anesthesia. The procedure takes 40-60 minutes. Incisions are made to remove any excess and redundant tissue to even the edges of the labia minora. Once the surgery is completed, you will be recovery until you are ready to go home.

How long does recovery take?

Recovery is a gradual process and varies for each individual but usually it takes about a week before returning to work. Heavy exercising, aggressive sports and sexual activity should be deferred for about four to six weeks. There is going to be prescriptions given for narcotics tablets for pain and discomfort control as well as antibiotics.

What are the risks of Labioplasty?

After surgery, sensation in the labia minora and surrounding tissue can be altered. Labioplasty is a safe procedure similar to the surgical procedures has some risks. Bruising and swelling can persist for about one to three weeks.  Other minor and less common risks include pigmentation changes, asymmetry, infection and mild scarring.

For more information please contact our office at 310.360.0504 or visit www.perfectself.com

Now there are other products similar to Botox that are awaiting FDA approval.  Products such as Purtox (Mentor Corp., Santa Barbara, Ca), Myobloc (Neuroscienes Inc., San Francisco, Ca), Xeomin (Merz Pharma, Germany) and Reloxin also known as Dysport (in the rest of the world) by Medicis, Scottsdale, Az.

Effects of Botox are seen within 5-7 days after the injection and it usually lasts up to 4 months.  The new products promise to take effect faster than Botox and the results last for 5-6 months in the case of Reloxin (Dysport).  Only time will tell if there is a great difference between these products or not.  However if proven true, these new products not only provide longer lasting effects in less time they also create competition for Botox which may force Allergan the maker of Botox to possibly reduce their prices.  This could mean lower cost for the consumers in the future and that’s a plus in this economy.

 For more information please visit:  http://perfectself.com/botox-restylan-artefill-radissee.html or contact our office at 310.360.0504

For more information please visit: http://perfectself.com/latisse.html or contact our office number 310.360.0504.

 Fact #1 Scientists have discovered possibly up to 100 fat genes thought to promote obesity.  It appears that about 16 percent of population possess two copies of the fat genes which puts people at an increased risk of obesity.  This means that one gene was transferred from each parent whom was the carrier for the gene without showing any signs of obesity.  Fortunately exercising regularly can offset the risk.

Fact#2 stressful circumstances can spark cravings for carbohydrate-rich snack foods, which in turn calms stress hormones.  Unfortunately, these “quick fixes” have long-lasting effects.  Stress hormones ramp up fat storage which cause weight gain.  During the stressful time exercising and consuming high protein snacks or vegetable could prevent weight gain.

Fact#3 Researchers at university of Wisconsin have found that Adenoviruses are not only responsible for upper respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses but can also transform stem cells to become fat cells by changing the genetics of the cells, causing an increase in the number of fat cells in the body.  Human studies comparing twins, results suggest that obese people seem to harbor more antibodies for Adenovirus-36. 

Fact #4 Studies at university of Australia have found that free radicals can now be blamed for both aging and weight gain. These radicals emerge when we eat, but are more prevalent when we gorge on junk food like candy bars, chips and other carbohydrates.

This revolutionary skincare process is the newest way to achieve younger looking skin without the use of invasive and painful lasers.  OxyGlow’s three-step system combines microdermabrasion, anti-oxidant infused oxygen therapy, and multi-wavelength LED lighting treatment together with a smoothing B Complex and wine extract revitalizing gel. 

OxyGlow utilizes LED lights specifically designed to heal and restore damaged skin cells and increase collagen production.  Considered the most versatile facial therapy now available on the market, the multiple wavelength settings have the ability to treat a variety of skin imperfections including uneven skin tones, skin discoloration, sunburns, sunspots, acne, cellulite and can even stimulate hair growth!  

Beautiful revitalized skin is now only a lunch-break away.  Each OxyGlow treatment takes just under thirty minutes, with no downtime or discomfort.   

For more info please contact our office at 310.360.0504

for more information please visit:     www.perfectself.com/labioplasty.html

In an interesting article published in the November 2008 issue of Plastic Surgery Practice magazine and which ran on CNN, plastic surgeons in Japan and Europe report that they are using stem cells to augment breasts.   The fat cells that are transferred to the breast contain a moderate amount of stem cells which help in increasing the breast size without using synthetic implants.

Transferring fat to the breast is a controversial treatment. It is not FDA approved or been accepted by the American surgical community.  This is due to changes that are seen in the breast after fat is injected which is thought to interfere with cancer detection.