Friday, May 16, 2008

Paying for Your Plastic Surgery


Plastic surgery is almost always an elective surgery unless there is an underlying medical reason. As such, your medical insurance is probably not going to cover it, which means you must.

Paying for Your Plastic Surgery

Unless you can make some unique argument to your health insurance company, it is going to refuse any claim you submit related to plastic surgery. If you read the tiny boilerplate language in your health insurance policy, and it is tiny, you will find it only pays for medically necessary surgery. The terminology differs by policy, but the basic idea is you have to have a note from a doctor indicating the surgery is pivotal for your overall health. Feeling better about your appearance is not a medically necessary basis!

Like most medical procedures, plastic surgery is not cheap. Simple botox injections can run a couple of hundred bucks, but most significant procedures are going to run a couple thousand dollars at a minimum. Simply put, you need to give some thought regarding paying for the procedures.

The simplest way to handle the cost of paying for plastic surgery is to save up some money and pay in cash. Your surgeon will love you because cash is king, even in plastic surgery. Alternatively, you can also break out a credit card with a high limit and charge it. Ah, plastic paying for plastic surgery. Surely there is some metaphysical message there!

In a capitalist economy, there is always a company looking for opportunities. In the world of plastic surgery, more than a few companies offer financing for your procedure. The financing is in the form of an unsecured loan. These lenders will finance all or part of the cost of the procedure, but you should pay close attention to the fine print. Interest rates can be similar to credit cards, which means you end up paying a lot more in the long term.

Some physicians accept this form of payment while others do not because of limits put on the payment amount by the companies. Essentially, the companies demand the doctor take less than the normal fee, much as health insurance companies do with most medical professionals. Physicians hate these caps and some simply will not put up with it. Point being, make sure the surgeon in question accepts this form of payment before going through the application process.

For most people, the best option for paying for plastic surgery is the old savings account. Since Americans are infamously bad savers, you may want to check out the other options available.

Ricardo de Silva is with PlasticSurgeonPractices.com a directory of plastic surgeons.

Labels: , , , ,

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Plastic Surgery Through the Ages


Plastic surgery has become massively popular with television shows and celebrities getting improvements right and left. You might be wondering about plastic surgery, specifically where it came from.

Plastic Surgery Through the Ages

To start off, plastic surgery is term used to describe a surgical procedure to modify a normal part of your body for an aesthetic purpose. It is almost always a voluntary surgery and should not be confused with reconstructive surgery which is usually undertaken to fix an abnormal part of the body caused by disease, trauma and so on.

The term plastic surgery has nothing to do with the material known as plastic. Instead, it derives from the Greek language, much as many modern medical terms do. Plastikos means to mold or shape something in Greek, which roughly translates plastic surgery as meaning a molding surgery. If you think about it, this is a very exact terminology since it is exactly what happens.

Plastic surgery is, to the surprise of many, not a modern medical procedure. While techniques are certainly advanced these days, the basic surgical premise is known to have existed since the eight century BC. Susrutha, an Indian surgeon, was known to undertake skin grafts during this period. He was also known to do nose reconstruction, which may sound odd until you realize nose amputation was a common penalty for certain crimes during that period. Ouch!

As seems to be the case with any discussion of the ancient past, the Romans also made advances in plastic surgery. They were known to perform plastic surgery to repair defects of the ear, or at least perceived defects.

Throughout the centuries, plastic surgery existed but was less common. It was not until the last two centuries that it started to gain in both popularity and occurrence. John P. Mettauer is generally considered the first plastic surgeon in the United States, and practiced in the 1820 to 1840s. He was renowned for designing his own instruments, many which form the basis of modern surgical instruments associated with plastic surgery.

Although plastic surgery has always had a place in the medical profession, its position as a popular procedure is relatively recent.

Ricardo de Silva is with PlasticSurgeonPractices.com a directory of plastic surgeons. Visit us to read more articles about plastic surgery.

Labels: , , , , ,

Friday, March 21, 2008

Plastic Surgery Gone Wrong Not Just News

As with just about anything in life, there are many things that can go wrong with plastic surgery. But just as we don't hear news reports about the millions of planes that have taken off and landed safely, there is not the same attention devoted to the many success stories of cosmetic surgeries as there is to plastic surgery gone wrong. There are risks involved with this type of surgery, as there are in undergoing operations of any kind, but the usual difference is that while no doctor can force a patient to have surgery of any kind - even if it is a life-saving operation to remove a cancerous tumor - plastic surgery is generally a little more elective than the other.

And perhaps this is why we seem to delight in hearing about plastic surgery gone wrong. Nowhere is our interest in celebrities as heightened or as vicious as in this arena. While assigning the delight we find in the personal disaster of another human being to jealousy might be overly simplistic, there is doubtlessly a sense here of revelling in the fall of someone we thought - or felt they thought themselves - to be untouchable.

It seems that regardless of the expensive doctors they might have access to, the rich and famous are as susceptible to the vagaries of happenstance as the rest of us - sometimes, things simply just go wrong. Plastic surgery has literally been the death of some, and side effects can be life threatening. Even relatively minor mishaps can be unsightly and embarrassing, and plastic surgery gone wrong includes an enormous range of problems, from capsular contraction in breast implants (where the implants harden painfully) to problems with the wound and the slippage of implants inserted in a range of locations, including cheeks, chin, and butt. Surely we wouldn't wish these accidents on our worst enemies - unless they were in the public eye.

So celebrities might have thousands of things we think we want, but they are as subject to the whims of higher powers just as the rest of us are. Above all, we are all human, and plastic surgery gone wrong, regardless of the paycheck of the life it affects, is a painful and upsetting time. Let's just hope they get well soon.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of http://www.botox-treatment-information.com a website providing information on cosmetic surgery

Labels: , , , , ,

Friday, March 14, 2008

Facial Exercises - A Facelift Without The Pain

No need to be worried by sagging jowls, crow's feet or frown lines ? even if you hate the thought of surgery. Facial exercise can help you look younger without the pain and expense of a facelift.

Facial exercise is the non-invasive approach to lifting and toning your facial features. Exercising the muscles under your skin increases the amount of oxygen to the facial muscles and helps rejuvenate the cells, giving your face a younger and healthier appearance.

Doing the right facial exercises regularly can lift and tone your whole face - including your chin, cheeks, and eyebrows - and what's more, it should take no more than just a few minutes of your day. It's never too early to start - even if you are under 40 - you should start facial exercises to maintain the great muscle tone you have for as long as possible.

To understand just how facial exercise works, you first need to understand what wrinkles and lines are. You may assume that wrinkles are the result of the skin stretching - but the truth is that skin wrinkles when the underlying muscle weakens and is no longer able to offer support. The result - sagging skin, bags, lines and wrinkles.

Unlike other muscles in your body, the muscles of your face are connected to both the skin and the bone, forming a cushion for the skin to rest on. It's when your face muscles start to lose their tone that wrinkles and lines appear. Facial exercise ? like any other exercise - can tone up those muscles resulting in smoother, healthier looking skin.

You may be worried that facial exercise may actually cause wrinkles because of the repeated facial movement. This is a popular misconception that simply isn't true. With regular facial exercise you strengthen the underlying muscle which will improve your appearance, defining facial features and making you look much younger.

It is important to remember, though, that just as with any other kind of exercise, facial exercise can cause problems if you don't do them properly. You need to learn how to do each exercise by following clear diagrams and instructions, attending a class or watching a video.

While facial exercises do lift your face - the results aren't as dramatic as a surgical facelift. Do the exercises regularly though and the difference in your face may be enough to make people think you've had cosmetic surgery.

And there are some big advantages over cosmetic surgery. Unlike cosmetic surgery facial exercising won't cost you a lot of money. Nor will you need to undergo a second painful and expensive procedure after 5-10 years as gravity undoes the surgeon's work.

Facial exercise - like any form of physical exercise - brings extra oxygen to the skin's surface reducing toxins and enhancing the delivery of essential nutrients. The result is more youthful looking skin that glows. You certainly won't get that from cosmetic surgery.

Of course you do have to build in time to do your facial exercises into your day. To start with if your face muscles are seriously weakened it may take you a little while to bring back tone and develop muscle mass. Just like going to the gym after you've neglected your body for a long time.

Once your face is toned and lifted and your face muscles are at their optimum strength then it should take no more than half an hour two or three times a week to maintain your new youthful look. Not a lot of time to spend on looking younger ? and the results will last as long as you want them to.

Eileen Gravelle is an author and web publisher who writes extensively on all aspects of anti aging including non-surgical facelifts through facial exercise. Eileen's website: Simply Anti Aging is a complete anti aging resource with articles, practical advice. product reviews and celebrity features for women in their forties and beyond who want to look younger and feel great as they get older.

Labels: , , , ,

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Turning Back The Clock With Cosmetic Facelift Surgery

It seems that every time we turn on our televisions, open a magazine, or listen to the radio we are met with another reference, story, or advertisement for cosmetic facelift surgery. No longer are the masses content to just grow old gracefully; not when there are medical miracles happening that can prolong youth and sustain beauty. And while cosmetic facelift surgery is certainly not for everyone, in many it has transformed the way they feel about aging ? putting their appearance back into their control.

Cosmetic facelift surgery works to erase common signs of aging ? drooping eyelids, deep fold and wrinkles, loose skin, and loss of definition. It can be an incredibly successful surgery that ? when healed ? can restore ten years to your face. But, as with any surgery, cosmetic facelift surgery must be approached with caution and education.

First and foremost, you must decide if cosmetic facelift surgery is something that you want to do for yourself or something that you feel must be done to please others. Cosmetic surgery of any kind should be for person and one person only ? you. Having cosmetic facelift surgery to help you feel better about yourself is absolutely valid; having surgery simply because someone tells you that you should look a certain way are not the right reason.

If you are confident that cosmetic facelift surgery is something that you want to explore then you should begin by doing your homework. Look into the details of the procedures you want done. Learn the requirements for surgery, and what to expect prior to, during, and after the surgery. Talk to other people who have undergone cosmetic facelift surgery so you can gage the recovery time and expected results. The Internet is a great place to find people who are in similar situations.

However, finding a reputable doctor to perform your cosmetic facelift surgery is the most important piece of the puzzle. Just because a surgeon is licensed to perform a cosmetic facelift surgery, doesn?t mean that he/she is the best person for the job. Extensively research the credentials of any surgeon you are considering. Better yet, ask for references of other patients that have had a cosmetic facelift surgery performed by this particular doctor. You?ll be able to see some examples of results up close and establish the doctor?s reputation.

Your meetings with the surgeon prior to your cosmetic facelift surgery should make you feel well informed, respected, and comfortable. Be sure to openly discuss any concerns that you have about the surgery and ask a lot of questions.

Be sure that you are clear on the risks associated with cosmetic facelift surgery. As with any cosmetic surgery there is the risk of fluid retention and infection. But using a reputable, experienced surgeon largely minimizes these risks.

You will, however, have some recovery time following the cosmetic facelift surgery. Expect some swelling, bruising, and possibly some minimal bleeding during the healing process. Be sure to follow-up with your doctor if you experience anything unusual; and follow all instructions for proper healing.

If done properly by a reputable and experienced surgeon, your cosmetic facelift surgery can be enormously successful and restore to you a youthful appearance.

For easy to understand, in depth information about cosmetic surgery visit our ezGuide 2 Cosmetic surgery.

Labels: , , , ,

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

A Facelift in a Bottle

A Facelift in a Bottle!

A facelift in a pill! Crazy talk? You might think so but it certainly sounds like the easier option to placing your face in the hands of a surgeon and have him work miracles with a scalpel! Ok so maybe Im a coward but stupid I am not!

Where did this all start? A small village in Japan has been found, where its inhabitants average age is over 60 and hardly a wrinkle in sight! According to an ABC News report earlier this year, they have a remarkable lack of ailments which are usually associated with the elderly, and to boot, they all appear youthful too! What is their secret?

It seems to be a naturally occurring substance found in their unique staple diet of starchy carbohydrate potatoes, which contain high levels of hyauloric acid (HA). We all have HA in our bodies but as we age this decreases. It is at its highest when we are still in the womb and generally starts to decrease from the age of 40 which, co-incidentally, is when the fine lines and wrinkles start to appear and the skin starts to lose its moisture and elasticity!

HA has been used in the medical world since the 1980s to help such ailments as oestoarthritis of the knee, dry eye conditions and Interstitial Cystitis to name but a few. Its amazing ability to retain moisture and fluid in joints, sinews and dermis as well as its anti-inflammatory properties has made a difference to many with these conditions.

In recent years, the cosmetic industry have started using HA in their skin creams for its anti-ageing properties these unfortunately only work on the top layer of skin.

However, until now the HA they have used was not absorbable inside the body. When used in the medical field this has merely acted as a gel like cushion to fill a gap it stays where its put and doesnt absorb into the body.

HA is now available as a health supplement so that this amazing substance can benefit the body from the inside outwards. Two tablets a day over a 30-day trial have shown amazing results with regard to the texture and tone of the skin (goodness knows what it is also doing to the internal organs).

So do baby boomers have a choice, you bet we have! Which would you rather do? Take a couple of pills and feel great or subject yourself to a scalpel, pain, dark glasses or forced hibernation for a few weeks? I know what I'd choose!

Marie Breward is an experienced Reflexologist and runs a busy mobile practice. She also an Independent Distributor for Changes International. Her website features her therapies, health related articles and nutritional information. Free Ezine available too. http://www.bodybalance.marie.com .
Contact her at mailto:mariebodybalance@aol.com

Labels: , , , , , ,

A Facelift in a Bottle

A Facelift in a Bottle!

A facelift in a pill! Crazy talk? You might think so but it certainly sounds like the easier option to placing your face in the hands of a surgeon and have him work miracles with a scalpel! Ok so maybe Im a coward but stupid I am not!

Where did this all start? A small village in Japan has been found, where its inhabitants average age is over 60 and hardly a wrinkle in sight! According to an ABC News report earlier this year, they have a remarkable lack of ailments which are usually associated with the elderly, and to boot, they all appear youthful too! What is their secret?

It seems to be a naturally occurring substance found in their unique staple diet of starchy carbohydrate potatoes, which contain high levels of hyauloric acid (HA). We all have HA in our bodies but as we age this decreases. It is at its highest when we are still in the womb and generally starts to decrease from the age of 40 which, co-incidentally, is when the fine lines and wrinkles start to appear and the skin starts to lose its moisture and elasticity!

HA has been used in the medical world since the 1980s to help such ailments as oestoarthritis of the knee, dry eye conditions and Interstitial Cystitis to name but a few. Its amazing ability to retain moisture and fluid in joints, sinews and dermis as well as its anti-inflammatory properties has made a difference to many with these conditions.

In recent years, the cosmetic industry have started using HA in their skin creams for its anti-ageing properties these unfortunately only work on the top layer of skin.

However, until now the HA they have used was not absorbable inside the body. When used in the medical field this has merely acted as a gel like cushion to fill a gap it stays where its put and doesnt absorb into the body.

HA is now available as a health supplement so that this amazing substance can benefit the body from the inside outwards. Two tablets a day over a 30-day trial have shown amazing results with regard to the texture and tone of the skin (goodness knows what it is also doing to the internal organs).

So do baby boomers have a choice, you bet we have! Which would you rather do? Take a couple of pills and feel great or subject yourself to a scalpel, pain, dark glasses or forced hibernation for a few weeks? I know what I'd choose!

Marie Breward is an experienced Reflexologist and runs a busy mobile practice. She also an Independent Distributor for Changes International. Her website features her therapies, health related articles and nutritional information. Free Ezine available too. http://www.bodybalance.marie.com .
Contact her at mailto:mariebodybalance@aol.com

Labels: , , , , , ,