Posted on May 24th, 2010 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
Plastic surgeons often ask within the first several questions about diet and exercise. Why is this question so important? First and foremost, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is necessary for overall health and longevity. Exercise is good for the heart, soul, and mind. There are numerous studies that prove exercise increases life and quality of life. It may even improve your relationships. Plastic surgeons ask this question because cosmetic surgery, especially body contouring procedures, should be a reward for a healthy lifestyle. If patients wish to reduce their weight by liposuction, they will be very disappointed and sometimes blame their plastic surgeon for their unhappiness. Remember, plastic surgeons are only as good as the patients they choose. So I recommend being very honest with your board certified plastic surgeon about this very important health question. If you maintain your weight through a low calorie, high protein, low fat diet with moderation in proportions and exercise aerobically 3-4 times/week but still are unhappy with your shape, then cosmetic surgery can be a very rewarding experience. The surgery could be a shorter and easier procedure with shorter operative times, a quicker and less painful recovery, all of which, decrease the complication rates. I will turn away pateints that are not healthy or are untruthful with answers to the above question. I truly believe that this avoids potential problems and hopefully my patients respect my decision.
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Posted on May 21st, 2010 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
There are several ways to augment or increase the buttock, semi-solid silicone implants, flaps of adajcent tissue, or fat transfer. Each has advantages and disadvantages, but the latest technique of fat autotransplantation has the benefits of easier recovery, smaller incisions, fewer complications, and lasting results. Essentially, liposuction is performed in a fatty area and the fat is then re-injected into the gluteal region to augment this area. Certainly some of the fat cells do not survive (approx 50%) but the remaining fat cells are revascularized and remain. Incisions are small and recovery is typically within 2-3 weeks. The added benefit is liposuction in other areas to harvest the fat for transfer. The cost is 5-10K depending on the amount of liposuction and transfer. Please call my office 8323257611 or visit my website www.drchrislivingston.com for additional information.
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Posted on April 26th, 2010 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
the cost of silicone breast implants are approximately $1000/implant while saline implants are $500/implant. There are new manufacture warranties that cover the life of the implant and will give financial assistance for the revision surgery should the implant fail.
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Posted on March 28th, 2010 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
I like to think of plastic surgery as a blend of art, medicine, science, and imagination. But plastic surgery really is derived from the latin word plastikos which means to mold or shape. Plastic surgery as a speciality in surgery is a 20th century creation. To become a plastic surgeon, you must complete a general, ENT, or oral surgical residency which is followed by plastic surgery residency (7 to over 10 years of training). To become board certified in plastic surgery, you must pass written board examinations and a two day oral examination with examiners reviewing 6 months of your patients operations and photos. This is a very stressful and difficult examination but ensures that the plastic surgeon is safe, ethical, moral, and most importantly….talented. Plastic surgeons perform cosmetic surgery, hand surgery, and reconstructive surgery. Cosmetic surgery improves the normal while reconstructive surgery, takes abnormal to normal. Yes, there are talented non-plastic surgeons that perform cosmetic surgery(dermatologist, dentist, OB-GYN, eye surgeons, ER physicians). In fact, there are more cosmetic surgeons “popping up” everywhere because re-imbursement for their own specialities have decreased such that it is impossible to make a living. But, I would argue that they do not have the training that plastic surgeons have successfully completed nor do they have expertise to deal with some of the common complications of cosmetic surgery. Some cosmetic surgeons have only one extra year of training or non at all. Therefore, please ask your cosmetic surgeon if they are board certified plastic surgeons. Don’t be afraid to ask the difficult questions because you are spending alot of money on an elective procedure that could change your life.
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Posted on January 10th, 2010 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
1) what is sun damaged and aged skin?
As we age and have increasing amounts of sun exposure, the skin becomes weathered in appearance with fine lines, wrinkles, furrows, and irregular texture. Sun spots and age spots appear as pigmented lesions of varying colors and sun-induced redness can be many of the reasons to consult your board certified plastic surgeon. In some instances, pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions can appear as rough or scaly lesions which need prompt physician evaluation.
2) what is Fraxel Laser technology?
The Fraxel Laser was introduced in 2003 and is an intense burst of light energy which is directed onto the skin. The energy heats the water in the skin and causes both the water and tissues to vaporize. With each pass of the laser, a controlled depth of skin is vaporized. In response to the injury and subsequent healing, new layers of skin and collagen are produced. The Fraxel Laser is safe and effective for the face, neck, chest, and hands.
3) what can you expect?
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia within my office and usually takes approximately 30-60 minutes. One of the benefits of Fraxel technology is the reduced social downtime and shorter healing time. Patients can expect 3 days at home as the face heals and return to work by the end of the first week. There is usually no associated pain. Redness can persist for one month but is easily concealed by makeup. Over three to six months, patients will see continued improvement as the deeper layers of skin continue to heal.
4)what are the results?
Most patients can expect smoother, tighter skin with improved tone and texture. Fine lines and pigmented spots will be removed with softening of deep frown lines. Acne and surgical scars will be improved and the appearance of redness caused by sun exposure will be reduced. Please call my office at 7137970085 for your skin care consultation and to discuss all of the surgical and nonsurgical options.
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Posted on November 22nd, 2009 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
I would ask all plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, and most importantly….past, present, and future cosmetic patients to call their respective senators and demand the repeal of the 5% cosmetic tax. This tax frivolously and unfairly taxes all cosmetic patients and their procedures, some of which are in the middle class. If you remember President Obama campained against this tax increase. This tax increase was attempted in New Yersey and was a complete failure. It did not generate the amount first anticipated and administrative costs made it unaffective. In many instances, the lines between cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries are blurred and our patients could be unfairly taxed for a cosmetic procedure (breast reduction or breast lift) when in fact, reconstruction was performed.
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Posted on October 17th, 2009 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
Hopefully everyone realizes that the month of October is breast cancer awareness month. I believe that this month is finally getting the attention that it deserves with national press and the NFL sporting the color of pink as an accessory. But let us not forget what the true message is….breast cancer will affect 1 in 8 women during their lifetime. That risk increases as women age but if diagnosed early, breast cancer can be curable. Women are encouraged to perform breast self examinations monthly and have routine visits with their primary care physicians which can include mammograms. Mammograms are necessary if a mass is suspected and as a baseline study at age 35, every other year beginning at 40 and every year after 50 years of age. If you find a mass….please don’t wait….seek your primary care physician and get a mammogram and possibly a biopsy. Certainly not all masses are cancer, fibroadenomas are the most common mass in young women and fibrocystic disease is the most common in older women…both are NOT CANCER. However, if cancer is diagnosed, treatment is obligatory. This can include removal of the lesion (lumpectomy), sampling of the lymph nodes to diagnose spread of the disease, and radiation therapy versus removal of the breast (mastectomy). Reconstruction is covered by insurance plans and can be performed immediately following the removal of tumor or breast. Breast reconstruction options include flaps of abdominal or back tissue or implants. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, please discuss with your board certified plastic surgeon. Most importantly…if you have breast cancer or know someone that has cancer, please stay positive, trust your health care professionals, and live your life with hope! Important links for more information and research are www.plasticsurgery.org and www.cancer.org.
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Posted on September 20th, 2009 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
facial rejuvenation in houston, texashttp://www.metacafe.com/watch/1913314/facial_rejuvenation_houston/
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Posted on September 20th, 2009 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1913226/abdominoplasty_houston/abdominoplasty video
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Posted on September 20th, 2009 by Christopher K. Livingston, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.A.
body contouringhttp://www.metacafe.com/watch/1913326/houston_body_contouring/
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