Archive for November, 2009

Midlife

Cosmetic enhancements peak in midlife because of the prevalence of divorces and younger girlfriends. And in a down economy, some men find themselves unemployed or competing with younger men for jobs and promotions.

By now, skin on the neck exceeds the ability of less-invasive means to improve the “gobbler.” But a brief anesthetic and outpatient neck lift with some liposelection of the neck can produce the appearance of youthfulness and significant weight loss, and restore vigor. Because fat cells enlarge rather than multiply with weight gain, surgically removed fat cells are gone forever. But what remains can enlarge, so Vanek counsels patients about diet, personal trainers and other activities.

The golden years

This is when some men make up for the recklessness of their 20s.

“Most men inquire about nose reshaping and brow lifts because they see that those are things they can’t change on their own,” Vanek says. Ten percent of facelifts and a quarter of nose-reshaping procedures (nose jobs) are now performed on men. Weaver says men in this age group want to remove age spots or fix broken capillaries.

Men want to look good. And these days, more are willing to pay for it.

This article was supplied by Vanek Plastic Surgery. For more information, call 440-205-5750 or visit www.paulvanekmd.com

Quarter-life

The quarter-life crisiscan be more stressful than midlife. “In their 30s, men start getting more concerned with their looks,” Weaver says. “They haven’t been taking care of their skin, and at 35, they wake up and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I laid out in the sun my whole life!’”

Weaver assists when Vanek performs the new Sciton Erbium and Profractional™ laser peel. This procedure rejuvenates and tightens facial skin. “Cleveland patients have a remarkable number of sun spots and signs of premature aging, which the laser can reverse without the downtime of older laser techniques,” Weaver says.
In this stage, men undergo hair removal from the back, neck, ears and even the nether regions – although the laser can’t reach inside the nostril. Because the laser works on pigment, Weaver suggests removing hair before it grays.

As maturity sets in and metabolism changes, men may gain weight. Between 1992 and 1998, male liposuctions quadrupled from 5,000 to 20,000 before reaching 32,000 in 2007, ASPS reports.

Today, more than 20% of Vanek’s patients are men. Many chooseVaser liposelection, which selectively removes fat deposits around specific muscle groups so contours are visible. “We all have pretty good muscle definition,” he says. “The fat just prevents us from seeing it.”

It doesn’t replace proper exercise and nutrition. Most of Vanek’s patients are fit, but frustrated that they’re not achieving full results from exercise; cosmetic surgery is not appropriate for the morbidly obese.
Part 3 of 3 coming soon…

NEW STUDY CONFIRMS VASER LIPO RESULTS
ARE SUPERIOR TO STANDARD LIPOSUCTION
(Seattle, WA; October 24, 2009) – At the 78th Annual American Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual (ASPS) Meeting, Dr. Paul Vanek presented a study that confirms that VASER-Assisted Lipoplasty (VAL) delivers superior results over traditional Suction-Assisted Lipoplasty (SAL) in skin retraction and blood loss.
In a study called “A Multi-Center, Prospective, Randomized, Single-Blind, Controlled Clinical Trial Comparing VASER-Assisted Lipoplasty and Suction-Assisted Lipoplasty” results showed that the VASER Lipo treatment demonstrated 53% improvement in skin retraction per cc of aspirate removed relative to the standard SAL method, and an average reduction in blood loss of 26% compared to traditional liposuction. This is the first study to demonstrate statistically significant and clinically relevant improvements in a new lipoplasty technology relative to SAL. This prospective study used a contra-lateral (side-by-side) study design to evaluate post-operative differences between the two techniques over a six-month time period.
“Physicians have been reporting skin tightening benefits and reduced blood loss with the VASER Lipo System since the technology was released in 2002,” said Dan Goldberger, CEO of Sound Surgical Technologies LLC. “This study now provides empirical evidence of yet another advantage of using VASER ultrasonic energy in all body contouring procedures.”
The study involved twenty female patients between the ages of 20 and 48 who received contra-lateral treatment with traditional liposuction and VASER Lipo in one or more anatomical regions that included the upper arms, upper back, flanks, outer thighs, and inner thighs for a total of 33 regions. Patients were blinded to the technology that was used on them and aspirate was kept separate and analyzed for blood content. Skin retraction was measured using changes in UV tattoos placed prior to surgery.
The study was funded by Sound Surgical Technologies LLC, and the authors received no stipends to participate in the clinical trial. Neither author has a financial interest in any of the products or devices used in the study.
About Sound Surgical – Founded in 1998, Sound Surgical Technologies placed its first VASER Lipo System on the market in March 2001. More than 100,000 procedures have been performed worldwide using the VASER System. An alternative to traditional tumescent liposuction, the VASER – Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance – Lipo System uses an advanced ultrasonic fat removal technology that is able to selectively liquefy fat while preserving important tissue structures vital to natural skin tightening. VASER Lipo is clinically proven to maintain the viability of fat cells, enhance skin retraction and reduce blood loss. Demanded by physicians and patients alike, the results are smooth and consistent with fast patient recovery. The VASER Lipo System is FDA cleared for body contouring.

Making the man

Plastic surgery isn’t just for women. Single, married or divorced, we all want to look good.

“Men have a straightforward desire to be admired by others,” says Dr. Paul Vanek, board certified plastic surgeon at Lake Health. “We want the same thing at age 20 that we want at 60 — to look sexy and feel young. We want to look muscular and strong.”

Women are twice as likely as men to be interested in cosmetic surgery, yet only one-eighth as many men complete surgery, Vanek says.

However, the gap may be closing. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), men seek 233,000 cosmetic surgeries and 900,000 minimally invasive procedures annually, accounting for one of every 10 enhancements. Instead of a lifelong concern with appearance, men’s evolving relationship with youth tends to come as crises arise.

The awkward years

Imperfections may make teens an object of ridicule, especially boys who have gynecomastia (“man boobs”). Because adolescent gynecomastia is generally not related to obesity, diet and exercise won’t help. As a result, breast reduction surgery is the fourth most popular male procedure, according to ASPS. Vanek became the first Ohio physician certified to offer Vaser liposelection in 2003,

“With the advent of Vaser, I can help men with gynecomastia and make people of any age look great,” he notes. “Many of these men have suffered embarrassment and haven’t taken their shirts off in decades. One hour of surgery and a few four-millimeter incisions later, they look like the masculine image they have of themselves.”

Young men also encounter acne. Colleen Weaver, a licensed aesthetician at Vanek’s Mentor Medical Campus practice, performs laser acne treatments that eliminate active breakouts and reduce inflammation and redness. Vanek then uses Sciton ProFractional laser energy to bore out microscopic columns of tissue deep into the dermis and stimulate collagen growth. This smooths out the appearance of acne scars.
Part 2 of 3 coming soon…