• How frequently do you perform breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation is one of the most popular procedures that I do. I’d say that every week we do several of them!

• What is the expected downtime?

For most people, they want to know expected downtime from surgery so that they can plan when to return to work. For breast augmentation, in general much of the swelling and bruising is gone by two weeks, and people feel comfortable enough to go back to work by then. This is a conservative estimate, but I think it’s better to plan for two weeks recovery, and if you feel well enough to go back to work even earlier, then it’s a bonus. One limiting factor early on are the pain medications — you shouldn’t drive while on pain medication, and most people are off of the pain medications by about 5-7 days after surgery. For returning to a normal workout regimen, however, such as running, or upper body exercises, I advise patients to wait a full six weeks in order to allow the muscle and tissue to heal properly.  But two weeks is a generally good estimate for most activities.

• Can the procedure be reversed? Repeated?

Breast augmentation can be revised (for example, to change implant size) or even reversed — the procedure is simple and it involves going through the original incision, and then just exchanging (or removing) the implants. I’ve seen a fair number of patients who had breast augmentation done elsewhere, with unhappy results, and I have performed revisions to fix their problems. These are highly individualized operations, because people usually come with a variety of things that they would like corrected. But with proper planning, revisionary surgery can give really great results too.

• Are you currently involved in the training/education of residents or other credentialed surgeons?

Prior to moving my practice down to Beverly Hills, I served as clinical faculty at Stanford University Medical Center, where I was involved on a daily basis with helping to train the plastic surgery residents, and also with clinical instruction of the medical students from Stanford’s medical school. It was fun and very enjoyable, but I ultimately decided to relocate to southern California to be closer to family. I’m not currently involved in resident training, and instead I’ve taken that time and applied it to patient care. I miss the opportunity to teach, but the direct patient care is very rewarding too.

• What is your most memorable success story?

While it’s true that each patient has her own story, and is memorable in her own way, I’ve had a number of successes with revisionary surgery. It breaks my heart to see patients come to my practice, and tell me about a procedure with a bad result that they was performed elsewhere for any number of myriad reasons (more convenient location, lower cost, etc.). It’s challenging but very, very rewarding to restore patients back to a good aesthetic result. Ultimately these patients are amongst the happiest ones when we have finished their revisions.

• Where are your 3 favorite places to eat?

There are too many fantastic places to eat in LA to choose just 3!  But a few that come immediately to mind: Mastro’s steakhouse in Beverly Hills is always great, as well as STK in West Hollywood. Occasionally I like the Bazaar at the SLS hotel as well (also in Beverly Hills).

Originally from southern California, Dr. Charles Hsu earned his MD from Harvard Medical School and completed his plastic surgery training at Stanford University Medical Center. He is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Charles Hsu received the Stanford University School of Medicine teaching award, and as an Active Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Charles Hsu specializes in plastic surgery of the breast, body, and face. Read more about him here.

What has become somewhat unknown information is that there are very few regulations for plastic surgeons. There are no laws that require doctors to practice only within their specialized fields, leaving the door wide open for an ear doctor to, say, perform a breast augmentation.

Additionally, plastic and cosmetic surgeons may overlap in some practices, but the two are different. A plastic surgeon is required to have five to seven years of hospital residency, while a cosmetic surgeon can receive accreditation with nothing more than a weekend course.

Protect yourself by asking the right questions. Does your surgeon have hospital privileges? Is their operating room certified? If you are looking at a cosmetic surgeon, how long has he or she been certified, and by who? Taking precautions and doing your homework before going under the knife for even the simplest of surgeries will ensure the best possible outcome, and could even save you from years of reconstructive surgery to fix the work of an under qualified surgeon.

Haute MD is your guide to the best board-certified surgeons across the United States. The network database of members is a go-to resource when you’re looking for a surgeon.

The study found that 42 percent of facial plastic surgery patients in 2011 used Facebook and Twitter to learn more about their potential procedures. That percentage jumped from 29 percent in 2010.

While the survey brings up interesting food for thought—Why social media? Why not ask a friend? How about consulting other sites online?—the surgeons that participated in the poll are advising patients to pay closer attention to their sources. With that, they insist that it is always recommended to seek a consultation with a certified surgeon prior to any procedure.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) reports that the cost for a tummy tuck in 2010 was around $5,332, while the average cost of abdominoplasty for 2012 comes out to about $7,000. Surgical procedures such as breast augmentation, liposuction, facelifts and nose jobs are more expensive than less-invasive procedures. Non-surgical procedures such as Botox and chemical peels typically cost several hundred dollars per treatment. It may be due to this that popularity in these procedures rose from 2008 to 2009, and constitutes the majority of the cosmetic procedures performed today.

Nearly ten million procedures ranging from routine chemical peels to extensive reconstructive surgeries were performed in America last year. A 2011 report by the ASAPS found that 52 percent of people with an income of under $25,000 per year approve of cosmetic surgery and 29 percent in this bracket would even consider it for themselves.

It looks like Americans are more fearful of the cost than the actual procedures themselves.

Source: The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

“Regardless of the celebrity’s age, the goal of cosmetic treatments is always the same –achieving natural looking results. On a night as highly publicized as the Oscars, it is vital my celebrity clients merely look refreshed, and not like they have had a lot of work done,” said Dr. Azizzadeh.

The Harvard-trained facial plastic surgeon says that Restylane fillers for the eye area and Ulthera, a system that uses ultrasound technology to treat and gradually strengthen the skin, are “phenomenal” procedures with low downtime and low risk alike, and therefore very popular amidst his celebrity patients.

“Botox is not as common anymore, says Azizzadeh. Celebrities walking the red carpet don’t want to look frozen.”

Read more about Dr. Azizzadeh, plastics surgeon to the stars, on the Haute MD blog.

A conservative doctor, Dr. Panagotacos consults each patient, understanding their situation and their expectations. While his techniques are widely known to be successful, he informs patients of only what can rationally be done. He also leads patients away from phony hair growth treatments and point them towards options that will look best and last longest.

Treatments vary in technique, risk and effectiveness, so Dr. Panagotacos caters to each patient and provides them with the procedure that will be most effective. Today, the most advanced technique is follicular unit micrografting, and it is the method Dr. Panagotacos chooses most often.

Read more about Dr. Panagotacos, and visit his San Francisco practice for more information on how you can make your hair loss issue disappear.

• How often do you perform the CoolSculpting procedure?

Several patients are treated with CoolSculpting every day.

• Are you currently involved in the training or education of residents or other credentialed surgeons?

Residents visit the office for training.

• What is the expected downtime for CoolSculpting?

There is no downtime; you can go back to your daily routine immediately after a procedure. Results will show between 2 and 3 months after the procedure is done.

• Can this procedure be repeated or reversed?

It can be repeated several times without any adverse effects.

• What is your most memorable success story?

I was on my way to a wedding on a Friday night when one of my patients called. She apologized profusely, but she felt she had to call to let me know she had been sitting in front of the mirror for two hours and she was so pleased with how she looked, she could not stop…We had done Thermage on her two weeks ago.

• What are your three favorite places to dine?

Pubbelly Sushi, Zuma and Asia de Cuba.

Dr. Mayoral’s practice has evolved from a general dermatology to a comprehensive one that also focuses on cosmetic procedures, She enjoys a loyal patient following due to the time she spends consulting with each patient, and her philosophy of customizing treatments based on each one’s particular need. Read more about Dr. Mayoral here.

One is Argus II retinal prosthesis. A microchip is embedded on top of the retina inside the eye. The patient then puts on a pair of special glasses. The microchip actually obtains a wireless signal from a tiny camera in the glasses. As soon as the implant senses the video image, it transmits the signal to the brain. Argus II is under FDA human clinical trials.

The second is Retinal Implant AG. This is also a microchip, which holds more than 1,000 light-sensitive photodiodes, amplifiers and electrodes. This implant is placed under the retina (opposite of Argus II). It stimulates retinal cells, and then the image signal is sent to the brain. Right now, studies are being conducted in Europe, with promise to move to US sites within the year.

Finally, there is an implant that is actually comprised of genetically-modified human retinal cells. This implant, created by Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc, emits a growth factor that could result in the rescue of dying photoreceptors.

“Thanks to the visionaries in science and technology who persisted in their efforts, the future is now bright for even the most vulnerable among us,” said Dr. Faktorovich.

• How frequently do you perform Cellulaze Cellulite Treatment?

As a practice that has a focus on body contouring, we expect the numbers of Cellulaze treatments to significantly rise since its recent FDA approval. Cellulaze cases probably will exceed even that of SmartLipo cases which number in the hundreds per year.

• What is the expected down time for this procedure?

As a procedure that may be performed under local anesthesia, the recovery period or downtime is short. Almost all patients return to work or school the second day after the procedure and can resume all normal daily activities. It is recommended that patients hold off vigorous exercise for a few weeks afterward.

• What are the benefits of Cellulaze over other cellulite reduction procedures?

This represents the first FDA approved, minimally invasive treatment to improve cellulite by using a laser to target the underlying causes of cellulite to and to improve its appearance.

• Can this procedure be repeated or reversed?

Most patients require only a single treatment session for each area targeted according to recent studies and represents a lasting change. The procedure may be repeated for other areas of cellulite.

• Are you currently involved in the teaching/education of residents or other credentialed students?

As a training center, we are involved in teaching other qualified physicians who are already practicing aesthetic surgery.

• What is your most memorable success story?

Any successful procedure is measured by the satisfaction of the patients. Cellulite is a widely prevalent complaint among women, which has been inadequately treated. The Cellulaze technology has great potential for many success stories.

Dr. Christopher T. Chia is a fellowship-trained aesthetic plastic surgeon in Manhattan, New York City. His practice focuses on aesthetic surgery, specializing in surgery of the face, breast, and body. He has special interest in liposuction/body contouring, for which he utilizes the latest, most effective techniques available. In addition, he has additional experience in facial rejuvenation, nasal reshaping and breast surgery. Dr. Chia is certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Medical Society of the State of New York. Read more about him here.

• How often do you perform liposculpture procedures?

At least 3 times per week. Liposuction procedures can be performed as stand-alone surgeries, or in conjunction with other procedures such as Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), Gynecomastia (male breast reduction), face lift/neck lift and more. February through April is a popular time for both men and women to have liposculpture/liposuction around trouble areas (i.e. abs, chest for men, inner and outer thighs, jawline) in preparation for summertime.

• Are you currently involved in any education or teaching of residents or other credentialed surgeons?

Yes, for select plastic surgery fellowship programs and lecture series when time permits.

• What is the expected “down time” for liposculpture procedure?

2-7 days, depending on the areas of liposuction.

• May the procedure be reversed or repeated?

Yes, it can be repeated. I have also performed extensive revisionary liposuction on patients who have had unsatisfactory results from other surgeons.

• What is your most memorable success story?

There are a few. What these memorable success stories have in common is a very grateful patient who thanks me for making his/her look on the outside, how he/she always felt inside.

• What are your 3 favorite places to eat currently?

Mercato di Vetro, Angelini Osteria, The Bazaar and Comme Ca.