These days, breast augmentation has become the most sought after cosmetic surgery procedure in the country. The Rodeo Drive Couture Breast Augmentation promises to significantly enrich the quality of a person’s life and improve self-image. Self-conscious women, primarily due to small or lop-sided breasts, typically find the surgery extremely rewarding.

The medical director and founder of the Rodeo Drive cosmetic surgery center, Dr. Lloyd Krieger, remarks that breast augmentation can, at times, be particularly taxing. The nature of every breast, which is three-dimensional, along with the necessity to alter their form and position, as well as size, poses an intricate undertaking.

Women inquire about breast augmentation because of an assortment of reasons. However, Dr. Krieger reveals that women basically want to improve their sense of worth and it usually goes beyond appearances.

In order to live up to his patients’ expectations and objectives, Dr. Krieger worked with his neighboring boutiques. The managers, alongside style makers, assisted him in better understanding breast shapes that most excellently suit stylish clothes. He also toiled with them to be familiar with the different designs for women of various body shapes and ages.

To pull off it off, the plastic surgery center modifies breast augmentation surgery in L.A. to a strange level. Based on the client’s goal, body shape, and Dr. Krieger’s understanding of fashion, he might suggest either silicone or saline implants of various profiles, shapes, and sizes. Instead of using a rigid preference for the placement of implants, either below or above the muscle, Dr. Krieger tailors the method to each client’s particular needs. Also, he makes use of an array of incision sites based on the same individualize considerations.

According to Dr. Krieger, the object is for the breast augmentation surgery to create the shape and size that will let women feel comfortable, look attractive, and produce the broadest choices for wearing various types of chic clothing. The plastic surgery center works to go further than merely augmenting the size of a woman’s breasts. It is also frequently mixed with the center’s Mommy Makeover, still on Rodeo Drive.

The plastic surgery center on Rodeo Drive, as well as Dr. Lloyed Krieger, has appeared in the local and national media. A lot of recent stories have been featured on In Touch Weekly, Access Hollywood, Elle, Life & amp, Star, Los Angeles Magazine, Maxim, Fortune, The Los Angeles Times, The Los Angeles Daily News, The Washington Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, KTLA Morning News, Telemundo, Univision, France’s T1 Vision, Japan’s Chocolat Siene Magazine, Denmark’s Q Magazine, New Zealand’s Flipside Magazine, Sweden’s AftonBladet newspaper, England’s Grazia Magazine and Daily Mail newspaper, and many more.

According to Dr. Krieger, the object is for the breast augmentation surgery to create the shape and size that will let women feel comfortable, look attractive, and produce the broadest choices for wearing various types of chic clothing. The plastic surgery center works to go further than merely augmenting the size of a woman’s breasts. It is also frequently mixed with the center’s Mommy Makeover, still on Rodeo Drive.

The plastic surgery center on Rodeo Drive, as well as Dr. Lloyed Krieger, has appeared in the local and national media. A lot of recent stories have been featured on In Touch Weekly, Access Hollywood, Elle, Life & amp, Star, Los Angeles Magazine, Maxim, Fortune, The Los Angeles Times, The Los Angeles Daily News, The Washington Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, KTLA Morning News, Telemundo, Univision, France’s T1 Vision, Japan’s Chocolat Siene Magazine, Denmark’s Q Magazine, New Zealand’s Flipside Magazine, Sweden’s AftonBladet newspaper, England’s Grazia Magazine and Daily Mail newspaper, and many more.

Experience The Rodeo Drive Treatment

Dr. Krieger has indeed worked hard to give rise to a positive experience while clients submit themselves to various cosmetic surgery procedures. The plastic surgery center on Rodeo Drive is the one and only clinic of such kind on the exceptionally glamorous address. The high-level facility produces a stress-free environment of remarkable elegance and style. The super modern on-site cosmetic surgery center is completely certified by the federal government of the United States via its Medicare program to make best use of safety and comfort. The staff, on the other hand, also makes things a lot more convenient for patients from out of town.

If you happen to be one of those people who shun away from cosmetic surgery but would give almost anything just to get your nose fixed, then this would probably be good news for you. There are modern innovations in rhinoplasty that enables you to get almost the same results as a surgical nose job without going under the knife.

The Non-surgical Nose Job is a non-invasive technique that is available to individuals in search of an appealing alternative to the traditional rhinoplasty. This non-invasive treatment involves injectable fillers like Restylane, Botox or Radiesse. The brand of injectable filler that will be used in the procedure is usually determined by the cosmetic surgeon’s particular preference.

How It Works?

The non-invasive nose job would only take around thirty minutes of your time. It will be performed inside the cosmetic surgeon’s office and patients can immediately return to school, to work, or to any other activity right after the procedure.

During the procedure itself, each patient is provided with a small mirror so that he or she can observe the progress of the treatment and, at the same time, guide the surgeon toward problem areas of the nose that needed reshaping.

The Benefits?

Unlike its surgical counterpart, the non-invasive nose job produces very little to no pain at all. It also offers faster results. After a short period of thirty minutes, you can already walk away with a new and improved nose. On top of that, the non-invasive nose job requires virtually no recovery period.

This alternative treatment is a good option for those who had long been in search of a way to improve the shape of their nose, yet do not want to go under the knife for a number of reasons.

The Non-surgical Nose Job is perfect for teenagers whose bodies are not yet fully developed, making them poor candidates for the conventional rhinoplasty. In contrast to the non-invasive alternative, conventional rhinoplasty involves surgical techniques, swelling, bruising, and a recovery period that could get in the way of an individual’s lifestyle and schedule.

A non-surgical alternative gets rid of all these hassles while, at the same time, requiring less time and expenses. The enhanced appearance of the nose could last for year or maybe longer. The effect is also not permanent, which means that later issues and risks – once the body has fully matured - are diminished.

At present, there is an increasing popularity of rhinoplasty in people from particular ethnic backgrounds. Contemporary cosmetic surgeons have come to realize the fact that most people with ethnic backgrounds want to preserve their inherited features. Because of this, surgeons only focus their attention on areas like a deviation or a deformity that do not normally have a relation to the usual shape of their nose.

The non-invasive procedure gives the individual an opportunity to choose which portions of the nose they want to be altered, while maintaining the general shape of the ones they were naturally born with.

Conditions that the non-surgical alternative can treat include building up the nose bridge, straightening a crooked nose, concealing nasal deformities like a hump or a deviation, raising the tip of the nose, and giving more defined nasal features.

Aside from uniting with the medical team of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Reinisch was also appointed as the hospital’s director of Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery. The internationally renowned pediatric plastic surgeon has been practicing plastic surgery for over 25 years and has led the way for the corrective surgery procedure performed on kids with microtia – a congenital deformity of the ear that affects hearing.

Dr. Reinisch has executed the corrective surgery on kids from all over the world. The procedure involves the use of a permeable plastic structure covered up with skin and tissue to shape a new ear. It can endow a kid at a young age of three with an almost natural-looking ear in contrast to an earlier technique, which needed to be done on an older child and involves cropping cartilage from the rib to form a new ear.

In addition, Dr. Reinisch is highly esteemed for his expertise in reconstructive methods for juvenile patients with complex vascular or large birthmarks.

Dr. Reinisch and Dr. Lewin are considered to be specialists in vascular tumor (hemangioma) removal, pigmented birthmark (nevi) reconstruction, and cleft palate and lip correction.

For the adult patients, the surgeons will make themselves available for tummy tucks, breast surgery, nasal reshaping, facial rejuvenation, and other procedures.

In pediatric surgeries involving delicate skin and tiny features, the technique that these plastic surgeons make use of is very refined. They use minute sutures so as to minimize discomfort and scarring. Dr. Reinisch further added that they use the same approach in surgeries involving adults, which they believe is more beneficial to the patients.

Dr. Reinisch was previously affiliated with the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). There, he founded the Plastic Surgery Division in 1983. Aside from that, he served as the chief of the Plastic Surgery Division at the same hospital, and headed the Plastic Surgery Division at the USC Medical Center.

With a medical degree from the Harvard School of Medicine, Dr. Reinisch has been board certified since 1980. He had finished his residency for General Surgery at the Tulane University and University of Michigan. In addition, he spent his fellowship for Plastic Surgery at the University of Virginia.

Dr. Lewin graduated with a degree in medicine at the Stanford University. At present, she is board certified in Plastic Surgery. She spent some time in USC for her residency and received her fellowship training from the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Founded in 1985, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center consists of over 90 primary care and expert doctors, and offers a multitude of medical services. Just recently, the group received two awards for excellence in patient care.

According to Thomas D. Gordon – the CEO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Reinisch and Dr. Lewin share the group’s dedication to high quality medical care. Aside from that, the two plastic surgeons also have care genuinely for their patients, particularly the kids they have helped remarkably through plastic surgery. Gordon further added that the Cedars-Sinai Medical Group is pleased to have Dr. Reinisch and Dr. Lewin on board.

Cedars-Sinai is one of the biggest nonprofit and academic medical centers in the West Coast. It is also world-renowned for having excellent treatment and diagnostic capabilities and facilities, as well as for its exceptional medical education and innovations in medical research.

As we all know, not all men are created equally. Some may have attractive and well-sculpted body, while others may not be fortunate enough to sport the built that they truly want. Proper diet and exercise may work wonders, but not for everyone.

For men who suffer from excessive breast tissue or mild gynecomastia (man boobs), the embarrassment of showing off their chest can be somewhat paralyzing. Because of this dilemma, some men turn to cosmetic surgery for solutions.

For those who do not want to get pectoral implants but wish to feel more comfortable with their chest, pectoral etching may just be the solution for their problem. This cosmetic surgery procedure is proving to be a feasible option, according to a study featured in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® – the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Dr. Henry Mentz, an American Society of Plastic Surgeons Member and co-author of the study, stated that although pectoral etching might not be common but requests for such procedure is slowly increasing. He further added that a lot of men simply do not have an idea that such cosmetic surgery procedure even exists let alone that it is proven to be a safe and effective solution for their problem.

During the procedure known as pectoral etching, targeted liposuction is done along the outer and lower borders of the pectoral muscles. A fairly small pad of adipose tissue (fat) is left in place over the chest, producing a visible contrast delineating the muscle.

A lot of patients who had requested for the procedure suffer from minor cases of gynecomastia or have lost a considerable amount of weight yet still have more feminine-like chest. Other patients, on the other hand, are serious and dedicated athletes who, despite eating right and working out, still cannot chisel the muscular chest they wish to have. In order to balance the entire look of the upper body, these patients usually choose to submit themselves to both pectoral and abdominal etching.

In contrast to pectoral implants, pectoral etching leaves barely visible scars, has no possible rejection issues, and promises enduring results. According to the study, out of more than 200 men who had opted for the procedure, only four of them suffered from minor complications.

Pectoral etching, as stated by Dr. Mentz, can be a life-altering experience to the patients. As a matter of fact, one particular patient proudly spent his holiday on a Hawaiian beach. According to Dr. Mentz, the patient shunned from taking his shirt off in public for seventy-four years because of his poorly defined chest.

In the latest study featured at Plastic Surgery 2007 – the yearly scientific conference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, all participants of a study involving abdominal etching, a comparable procedure, reported an enhancement in appearance. To boot, 86 percent stated that they were in fact satisfied with the surgery.

Based on the ASPS statistics, over 1.1 million men went under the knife for a plastic surgery procedure in 2006, which is up by 8 percent since 2000. Just last year alone, over 400 pectoral implant surgery were performed, which is up by 99 percent since 2005.

How Pinoxide Works

Pinoxide is a proprietary blend of BMTd, or bicyclic monoterpene dials that was developed by AGI Dermatics and was later formulated in Remergent Microcirculation, the company’s therapy product. Pinoxide has long been clinically proven to bolster blood flow, control the warmth of one’s skin thus increasing the resistance to cold, and reducing visible dark under-eye symptoms.

Additionally, further research has proven Pinoxide to be an efficient contributor in promoting resiliency and firmness of the skin. After some time, physicians and researches are studying Pinoxide’s components if it has the ability to help heal bruising.

Dr. Mark G. Rubin, a board-certified dermatologist and is currently practicing at the Lasky Clinic in Beverly Hills, California, is continuously conducting clinical trials and further doing research on the efficacy of Pinoxide. He applies the Microcirculation therapy formula to the injection site right after skin fillers are placed. These common skin fillers often include Botox, Juvederm Restylane, and collagen.

Dr. Rubin admitted that anatomically speaking, dark circles found under the eye are typically similar with bruises. This makes the science of using Pinoxide to treat skin or facial bruising practically true. The discolorations of the skin during bruising are basically the results of the blood that leaks from the damaged blood vessels that runs and surface on the skin. In the same manner, blood vessels under the eyes, when they burst, lead to the surfacing of unattractive dark circles.

Leading board-certified dermatologists also share the same opinion with Dr. Rubin. Dr. Thomas Francel, a licensed plastic surgeon has proved that application of the MicroCirculation therapy on his patients has helped reduce the appearances of skin bruising. It was also discovered that it has greatly decreased the amounts of healing time for the bruise. An Associate Professor of Surgery at St. Louis University, Dr. Flancel is also the Chief of Plastic Surgery at the St. John’s Mercy Medical Centre.

Injectable cosmetic treatments are accordingly among the top five most requested aesthetic treatments worldwide last year. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery said that last year alone, more than five million women had injectable cosmetic treatments. Although bruising happens, experts say this is nothing but a common temporary side effect.

More on AGI Dermatics

The Applied Genetics Inc. Dermatics is a bio pharmaceutical laboratory that leads the research of DNA repairs of the skin. The company, founded by Danile B; Yarosh, PhD, has been serving people for more than twenty years now. AGI Dermatics is specializing in skin photobiology, putting research and developments to DNA repair, along with solar impacts on the immune system and cell-signaling in skin.

AGI Dermatics’ applications of groundbreaking active ingredients as well as meticulously engineered liposome delivery systems is proven and validated in controlled clinical trials. Once proven, they are then published in leading peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals.

The World of Injectable Cosmetic Procedures Today

Today, more and more patients are starting to appreciate the beauty and the efficacy of undergoing injectable cosmetic procedures. These types of methods greatly help the patient in saving time and money, while getting the most efficient results.

As for researchers, they are continuously developing for better methods in injectable cosmetic treatments. And with the help of today’s technologies, physicians are optimistic enough for more developments to come in the coming years, as people are getting more conscious not only of their health but also of their looks.

The study called “Body Contouring by Non-Invasive Transdermal Focused Ultrasound: Safety and Efficacy of the Contour 1 Device in a Multi-Center, Controlled Clinical Study” carefully demonstrates the durable and measurable body circumference as well as fat thickness reduction after a single UltraShape treatment.

Steve Teitelbaum, MD, the lead researcher for the multi-center controlled clinical trial for UltraShape and the assistant clinical professor of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA says that with UltraShape, is a proven non-invasive, no downtime body contouring approach that provides durable results. The method specifically delivers more focused ultrasound energy that is strong enough to remove all fat cells, while keeping the neighbouring tissues unharmed.

The Chief Executive Officer of UltraShape Incorporated, Rodger Stewart, admitted that the clinical findings of UltraShape clearly demonstrate the clinical effectiveness and the safety of this procedure which has long been adapted by physicians and cosmetic surgeons all around the world.

At present, more than 40,000 patients have undergone this cosmetic surgery and the company expects the number to increase as better technologies have been observed rapidly increasing. Jeffery M. Kenkel, Vice Chairman and Professor of the Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre and the chairman of the UltraShape North America Medical Advisory Board also added that published medical results of this reconstructive surgery in a journal like Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery further confirms UltraShape’s promise for a non-invasive fat cell lysis and body contouring with the help of a focused ultrasound technology.

Additionally, the patented real time tracking of UltraShape, along with its guiding technology provides consistent energy delivery. This is to ensure a more uniformed and smooth results of body-contouring. UltraShape is practically a breakthrough considering the fact that one of the most common side effects of body contouring is contour irregularities, and this latest cosmetic breakthrough has successfully dealt with that.

More on the Study

The clinical trial for UltraShape’s non-invasive body contouring system was conducted in five different centres worldwide; two in the United States, one in the United Kingdom, and another two in Japan. The study involved a hundred and sixty-four healthy patients from these countries. Of the study, one hundred thirty seven were treated with single treatments, while the remaining twenty seven served as the control group, which means they were left untreated. Included in the study are particular areas in the body like thighs, flanks, and the abdomen.

The study further demonstrated reducing the localized fat deposits to up to 2 centimeters after a single treatment. During the eight-four day follow-up and monitoring period, there was no significant weight loss statistically observed. This simply means to say that the reduced circumference was generally attributed to the single treatment and not due to weight loss. Additionally, there were no observed clinically significant increases of serum lipid profiles or changes in blood as well as urine tests. A liver ultrasound was conducted also before and after the single treatment and there were no changes observed to the liver.

What is the UltraShape Contour 1

This is basically a system that focuses on ultrasound technology. This is the first clinically and scientifically proven non-invasive body contouring method both for women and men. The device used in this system produced non-thermal, mechanical and acoustic effects that targets and then effectively destroys fat cells. This method leaves the surrounding structures like the skin, nerves, or the blood vessels intact and safe.

The UltraShape Contour system is by far one of the most effective ways to reduce excess fats. It is safe, it is clinically proven effective, and it can last for long.

The study was led by Dr. Nicholas M. Perry, the director of the London Breast Institute and the Princess Grace Hospital in London, along with colleagues and fellow doctors. He presented this study from a recently concluded annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America which was held in Chicago.

Dr. Perry strongly urged women living in cities and in urban areas to pay a visit to their doctors regularly and have frequent screenings for breast cancer because they are more at risk in suffering from one. However, the irony of it is that most women in London who live in cities visit screening clinics less often than women living in rural areas.

All about Breast Tissues

Breast tissues are basically made of mixtures of fatty tissues and glandular tissues. Women with greater proportions of glandular tissues normally have denser breasts. Because of that, they are more prone of getting risk cancer, about four times greater than women whose breasts have more fatty tissues.

How the Study was Conducted

Perry, along with his team carefully scrutinized at digital mammograms of nine-hundred and seventy-two women who lived in urban, suburban and the rural areas in and around the whole of London. They later found out that there was indeed a great link between where women reside and their breast tissue’s density. The results of the study showed living in London significantly have denser breast tissues, compared to women living outside the city.

Furthermore, the possibilities of having greater breast tissue density were noticeably doubled in the age between forty five and fifty-four years old. However, further studies showed that the overall differences per area were greater in women who are under fifty years old.

The team admitted though that they still need more research to identify the real underlying causes of the geographical differences in the density of breast tissues in women. Some causes would be one’s lifestyle, stress, work-related causes, or other environmental factors like that of pollution.

Whatever the reason is though, Dr. Perry advised all women that regardless of their geographical locations, it is still best to submit themselves for breast screening programmes. He also added that digital mammography should be used in screening women with denser breasts because it is easier to detect breast cancer in dense breast tissues with this kind of technology compared with the more conventional film screen.

Dr. Perry stated: “Regular breast screenings with mammography saves lives.” He added: ”Access to breast screening for women living in cities should be prioritized”.

Some Other Significant Studies

Another study that was also presented during the RSNA annual meeting in Chicago focused on the effects of the Western lifestyle on breast compositions. A team led by Dr. Miriam Sklair-Levy from the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, along with researchers carefully compared the breast tissue compositions of women from Israel and of women from Ethiopia who had already immigrated to Israel.

The study showed that women born and raised in Ethiopia and then immigrated to Israel had very significant number of lower breast densities than women who lived all their lives only in Israel. Later on, they discovered that Ethiopian women have started to lead a Western lifestyle, meaning, having fewer children, change in diet, and increased use of hormones. These women had higher breast densities than those who just recently moved in to Israel from Ethiopia.

Washington- White plastic surgery just to achieve a flatter and firmer tummy, cuter nose, or even bigger breasts seem not that big a deal to some patients. However, experts in the plastic surgery filed admitted that these procedures leave patients at greater risks, medically speaking. Just like any other type of surgery, plastic surgeries also have risks that can be dangerous if not properly attended to.

Another risk today that is starting to balloon in numbers is the opportunistic doctors that are not licensed plastic surgeons. People who desire to undergo a cosmetic surgery procedure tend to avail of services from uncertified cosmetic surgeons, in the hope of trimming down the very expensive costs of this type of medical procedure. More so, plastic surgery is a very lucrative business which predominantly explain why doctors decide to join the bandwagon despite their being unlicensed practitioners in this field of medicine.

The threats and the dangers of plastic surgery were clearly illustrated following the death Donda West,  the mother of rapper Kanye West, last November 10 right after she underwent a cosmetic surgery procedure in a Los Angeles hospital.

The president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Dr. Foad Nahai said that “There is no such thing as surgery without risks”. This society is composed of more than two thousand four hundred doctors who specialize in plastic or cosmetic surgery. Dr. Nahai emphasized that as with any other forms of surgery, “plastic surgery is very dangerous”, added this Atlanta-based surgeon who performs nose surgeries, face-lifts, and other forms of cosmetic surgery.

Why Plastic Surgery is a Very Lucrative Business

Cosmetic surgery is actually a cash business. This is why health insurance companies do not typically cover any elective beauty makeovers. However, the demands for this procedure have never been higher, thanks to US television shows such as ‘Extreme Makeover’ and ‘Dr 90210’ that help glamorize and publicize the business.

Records show that almost two millions cosmetic surgeries have been done in the US in 2006 alone. Leading the list are breast augmentation procedures (329,000), followed by rhinoplasty (307,000), then liposuction (303,000), eyelid surgeries (233,000), and finally tummy tuck (146,000). This is based from records of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Additionally, this 6,800-member plastic surgery society noted an over-all counting of nearly eleven million surgeries including laser hair removal and Botox injections.

Crossover Doctors

With the allure of more money plus liberty from insurance company, crossover doctors are starting to get involved with cosmetic surgeries despite the fact that they are not certified members of the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

As a result, family doctors, oral surgeons, gynaecologists, and some other general practitioners are starting to join the field of plastic surgery with only limited expertise.

“They are starting to worry me tremendously,” admitted the president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Richard D’Amico. He said he has no idea of the number of uncertified ASPS plastic surgeons that work at unaccredited medical facilities.

Thus, Dr. D’Amico provided three specific rules to lessen the risks of a plastic surgery procedure. First is to choose a surgeon that is certified and accredited by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, requiring them to graduate from reputable medical school and that they should have plastic surgery trainings and must pass series of comprehensive exams. Second, if medical procedure is to be done outside a hospital, patients should go for those licensed or properly accredited medical facilities. Lastly, patients who will undergo a cosmetic surgery procedure have to be healthy and fit enough and that they must be thoroughly evaluated before the surgery. They must not have heart issues, history of blood clots, or diabetes.

Plastic surgery should be properly prepared to avoid dangerous risks. This type of procedure is about your body and your health, thus proper evaluation is imperative.

Researchers say that cosmetic surgery may be done with stem-cell generated natural tissues rather than the synthetic implants. Silicone and saline implants commonly used for breast augmentation may possibly leak, rupture and then interfere with detections of breast cancers on mammograms. But with stem cell generated natural tissue implants, these problems can be avoided.

Also, reconstructive surgeries that are done to replace tissues lost due to cancer and some other disease can benefit a lot from stem cell generated natural implants that do not shrink or even lost their shapes. Researchers have shown that those conventional soft tissue implants relatively lose about forty to sixty percent of their volume over time. Common examples are breast tissue reconstructions after a surgery of breast cancer, and a facial soft tissue reconstruction right after a trauma or cancer surgery.

How do natural implants work?

Natural implants most oftentimes require separate surgical procedures from one healthy location of the body of the patient, so as to gather tissues for the construction of the implant. The approach of the stem-cell method does not necessarily require an extensive surgery because in the first place, cells that are needed for implants are generally attained in less invasive needle procedures.

Jeremy Mao, Ph.D, a Whitaker investigator of the University of Illinois at Chicago showed his results during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C. He stated that the stem-cell approach might help eradicate the necessities for any additional surgeries. He added that this method may effectively produce a better, long-lasting, and more shapely natural implant.

The research group the Mao led started with using a line of human stem cells obtained from a young volunteer’s bone marrow. Their studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cell can efficiently transform themselves into many varieties of cell types under proper conditions. These transformations normally include those that form bone, cartilage, and fat. In this particular case, the stem cells were developed with other substances that help them to become fat-producing cells.

Probing the Study

To further prove the research, cells produced from this particular culture were placed in a scaffold that is similar with the natural environment where fat cells grow in the body. This scaffold is Food and Drug Administration-approved. This hydrogen-scaffold can be moulded into specific size or shapes. These scaffolds that were cell-seeded were then carefully placed under the skin in eight laboratory mice. In four weeks time, the implants were removed and then examined.

Mao’s team found out that the stem cells had greatly separated into fat generating cells. The implant as well had maintained both its original shape and size. On the other hand, conventional implants started to lose its shape just within a few weeks time. The team was greatly encouraged, knowing the fact that their implants have preserved its original elements for a month.

These results alone clearly demonstrate about the potentials of using the stem-cell approach in medical applications. However, longer term studies are needed while more questions remain to be answered. Additional researchers are also musts as to the density of the cells used in the culture, along with the rates at which the scaffold degrades. Also, further researches should focus on the relationship between the existing host tissues and the implants.  

Nonetheless, this present approach simply represents another leap towards achieving an alternative tissue engineering method for soft tissue reconstruction and augmentation. 

After twenty five years of putting smiles on children with palate and lip problems, more than three hundred plastic surgeons gathered recently to lend their services and their expertise to the WJOS or the World Journey of Smiles.

The WJOS is a unique twenty-fifth anniversary effort of the Operation Smile where plastic surgeons in twenty-five countries, along with other medical professionals and general practitioners conducted a series of forty different missions, treating four-thousand, one-hundred and forty-nine children that have facial deformities.

Leading a team in Ecuador is John Canady, MD, the president-elect of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a long time volunteer of the Operation Smile project. Together with ASPS Executive Vice President Paul Pomeranze, both plastic surgeons were very much humbled by their experience.

Dr. Canady said, “I have volunteered for Operation Smile for over fifteen years, and throughout this time, I have had the pleasure of meeting some of the most incredible people all around the world.”

In addition, he stated, “It is an honour to be able to restore the smiles to the faces of both my young patients and their concerned parents. Participating in the World Journey of Smiles here in Ecuador has reconfirmed for me what a positive impact plastic surgeons have on the lives of those who may not otherwise be given this opportunity.”

In general, the World Journey of Smiles in Ecuador has evaluated a hundred and ninety-seven patients, and conducted a hundred and seventy-four procedures and a hundred and seven surgeries. The medical director of the Hospital de los Valles where this mission was held, stated that the mission had served as one great example of how a great teamwork and solidarity can do to patients, setting an impact for the dedicated staff of this very new hospital.

More on Operation Smile

Operation smile was founded in 1982 by Dr. William P. Magee Jr., a licensed plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen, a clinical social worker and nurse. The mission of this children’s medical charity is to help restore childhood facial deformities while creating private and public partnership that strongly advocate for a more sustainable and better healthcare system for children and their families.

International Missions

The standard International Medical Missions of Operation Smile is mostly composed of a team of licensed medical professional all around the world that voluntarily travel to an Operation Smile partner country just to treat children during a whole two-week period.

In one international mission alone, about five hundred children are able to obtain full medical evaluations and about a hundred to two hundred of them are surgically treated. This international mission is also providing educational opportunities to an in-country healthcare professional. The opportunities normally range from a formal medical seminar to an informal training on particular skills and methods.

Local Missions

Aside from the international missions, there are also year-round local missions that conduct local programs to taking care of more children. Local mission teams are composed of in-country medical volunteers that tirelessly work their way even in secluded areas just to help children.

As this children’s foundation is starting to work towards being self-sustainable, more foundations today now have their own clinics where children can be fully treated all year round. These children receive not only post-operative care but also other consultations like dental health, nutrition, psychology, and speech therapy.

Today, it is very heartening to see plastic surgeons helping these less-fortunate children regain their confidence and dignity. Seeing these children smile is truly fulfilling enough for doctors.