The manufacturers of the Restylane® family of injectables are offering rebates May 1^st through June 30^th, 2012. You can save $40 per milliliter of Restylane® and Restylane-L® and $50 per milliliter of Perlane® and Perlane-L® (stipulations apply, see note*). Perfect for filling in lines and wrinkles while plumping lost volume, you can save on your favorite Restylane® family product with or without lidocaine. All you have to do is receive treatment between 5/1/12 and 6/30/12, send in a completed redemption form with your itemized receipt (credit card receipts not accepted) and product box end flaps (must show hologram) postmarked prior to July 31, 2012. However, if you prefer to re-plump areas of lost volume and wrinkles with dermal filling Radiesse®, be sure to take advantage of buy one get one free Radiesse® injections.

If you’re looking for a way to reduce wrinkles on the forehead and between the eyes, the manufacturers of Dysport® are offering a $50 rebate for patients who receive treatment between May 1^st and June 30^th, 2012. Additionally, Dr. David Whiteman will match the manufacturer’s rebate for a total of $100 off. To receive the manufacturer’s rebate, sign up to become a member of the Dysport® community online, complete the redemption form, and mail it along with your itemized receipt within 30 days of your treatment.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take advantage of these specials. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+  for specials updates and plastic surgery news.

* In order to receive the rebate, a 2 mL minimum 9 mL maximum of Restylane® (up to 1.5 mL can be used per lip), a 2 mL minimum 6 mL maximum of Restylane-L®, or a 1 mL minimum 6 mL maximum of Perlane® or Perlane-L® must be purchased.

As we age, our skin becomes lax and collagen begins to break down causing fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging facial skin. The traditional or full facelift focuses on problem areas around the cheeks, jowls, and neck. While some patients combine this procedure with other anti-aging facial procedures like the brow lift or eyelid surgery for complete facial rejuvenation, other patients seek surgery before a procedure of that extent is necessary. These patients focus on their problem areas as they notice them. Some signs of aging can be repaired with facial fillers and cosmetic injectables.  For more advanced signs of aging,  Dr. Whiteman also offers procedures like brow lift to smooth wrinkles on the forehead, mid-facelift to reduce wrinkles and refresh the middle section of the face, or neck lift (lower facelift) to eliminate sagging skin on the jowls.

Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) is used to eliminate signs of aging on the upper and/or lower eyelids. Eyelid surgery can be performed on the upper eyelids to reduce a hooded appearance caused by sagging eyelid skin and/or on the lower eyelids to remove fat and tissue that contributes to bags beneath the eyes. Eyelid surgery can be combined with other plastic surgery procedures or performed alone depending on the patient’s needs. Aside from helping patients look younger and more alert, some surgeons are performing migraine relief surgery in conjunction with blepharoplasty because they have better access to the muscles attributed to causing this condition. Plastic surgery patients have also experienced migraine relief through some brow lift surgery techniques and with Botox® injections.

Many facial contouring procedures provide a youthful appearance in addition to balancing facial aesthetics, though anti-aging was not their original purpose. Patients often seek otoplasty (ear surgery) to help pin back ears that are too prominent or to reduce the size of ears that are too large. Rhinoplasty (nose surgery) is used to enhance the shape and size of a patient’s nose. In fact, nose surgery can also be used to alleviate breathing problems caused by injury or birth defects, so Dr. Whiteman works to repair function first (if necessary) and then to enhance aesthetics.

In addition to balance-focused procedures like otoplasty and rhinoplasty, chin surgery (genioplasty) and the insertions of chin implants are becoming more popular. In fact according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2011 statistics report, the number of patients to receive chin implant surgery increased 71% in comparison to the 2010 statistics. Chin implants are used to give the chin a more prominent position and help balance other facial features like the nose. Dr. Whiteman also employs techniques like facial liposuction, or liposuction of the double chin to add definition to a patient’s jaw line.

Dr. Whiteman performs a variety of plastic surgery procedures for the breasts and body in addition to the facial procedures he offers. To learn more about the procedures available at Southern Plastic Surgery by Dr. David Whiteman, visit his website. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for news and updates about plastic surgery and health and wellness.

All you have to do to enter the contest is send your tastiest and healthiest spring-inspired recipes by email to newsblast@southernplasticsurgery.com before April 30^th, 2012. The winning recipe will be chosen at random. To be eligible to win*, email your recipe with information including why it is healthy and where you found it (whether you got it from a friend, family member, website, cookbook, etc.). On top of winning a gift certificate to enjoy one of Chef Marc Sublette’s delectable dishes, the winner’s recipe will be featured in Dr. Whiteman’s May newsletter. Each recipe we receive will be added and recognized on Dr. Whiteman’s healthy recipe blog as a resource for eating well.

There are healthy recipes already available in Southern Plastic Surgery’s blog, so check it out if you’re looking for something healthy to cook for dinner. You can also find exercise encouragement and information about lifestyle and weight management coaching sessions with ACE certified personal trainer, Daryl Madison. If you’re interested in pursuing plastic surgery with Dr. Whiteman, visit the rest of his website to learn more about the procedures he performs. Schedule a consultation today if you’re interested in learning more about a particular plastic surgery procedure. Connect with Dr. Whiteman on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for contest updates and other health, wellness, and plastic surgery news.

* Recipe will not be counted unless sent via email to newsblast@southernplasticsurgey.com with information of where it was found (i.e., website, a cookbook, etc.) and why it is healthy. If your recipe came directly from a website, it will be counted for the contest, but may be modified before it’s posted to our blog.

According to CBS News, a woman was arrested in Texas for performing illegal breast augmentation with an unidentified substance in her hair salon after one of her “patients” went into critical condition. In Philadelphia, another woman was arrested for illegal “pumping parties” after a patient who received injections for buttock augmentation was hospitalized when the injected substance traveled into her bloodstream and lungs, according to an article from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The Philadelphia woman was found with needles, Super Glue, cotton balls, paper towels, and a 20-ounce water bottle filled with an unidentified substance that was most likely used for injections. CBS News also reported that the Florida woman who was arrested last November for injecting toxic substances like glue and fix-a-flat to perform buttock enhancement is now facing charges after turning herself into the police in March. She will face charges for practicing medicine without a license and for seriously injuring patients due to unlicensed medical practice.

These stories are scary, but avoidable. The victims in these cases were more concerned with the price of plastic surgery than finding a qualified board certified plastic surgeon. Many factors determine the cost of plastic surgery, including the price of the particular procedure, hospital fees, anesthesiologist fees, etc. If the price for plastic surgery seems too deeply discounted, it probably is. Many plastic surgeons offer financing options like CareCredit® to help patients afford plastic surgery and avoid treatment by someone who is inexperienced and unlicensed.

Not only it is important for patients to choose an experienced board certified plastic surgeon, but it is also important for them to feel comfortable and be able to trust their plastic surgeon. Your plastic surgeon should listen to your needs and help you choose a procedure that will allow you to best meet those needs while keeping your desired results in mind. If you ever feel uncomfortable during a consultation, know you can walk away.

Last but not least, never let someone, even if they can prove they’re a board certified plastic surgeon, inject you with an unknown substance. Even if you are being injected with well-known substances like Botox® or Restylane®, make sure your provider is really using these FDA approved products properly. For example, Botox® and Dysport® are used to relax muscles on the forehead and between the eyes that cause wrinkles although there are many popular off-label uses. Do your research before your consultation.

Dr. Whiteman encourages plastic surgery patients to do their research before surgery and makes the research process easier through all of the information provided on his website. Visit his website to learn more about a particular procedure or schedule a consultation at Southern Plastic Surgery for even more information specific to your needs. If you haven’t already, connect with Dr. Whiteman on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for plastic surgery news and updates.

Cheri Person spoke out about her experience in the article discussing the thick, red scars she was left with after her double lumpectomy. She even said that she dreaded looking at herself in the mirror. Person knew something had to change, so she found a plastic surgeon to perform a mastectomy (to remove what was left of the breast tissue) and rebuild her chest with breast reconstruction.

As a double board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Whiteman works to provide his patients with the best plastic surgery results possible, and that extends to his reconstructive surgery patients as well. He has seen firsthand how natural looking breast reconstruction results can boost a survivor’s confidence and self-esteem. He has also watched the field of breast reconstruction expand.

Aside from more reconstruction options becoming available, more breast cancer patients are now pursuing breast reconstruction after cancer treatment. In fact, over 96,000 out of 250,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer received reconstruction in 2011. The article states that more women may be pursuing reconstruction than before because patients are being diagnosed at a younger age.

Dr. Whiteman performs breast reconstruction here at Southern Plastic Surgery using the patient’s skin, muscle, and fat to create new breast(s) that are proportional to the patient’s other features. Breast implants can be used in breast reconstruction to provide natural-looking volume enhancement, but if there is not an adequate amount of tissue after mastectomy, tissue expanders may be used to allow room for the breast implant. There are times when cancer only affects one breast. In these cases, Dr. Whiteman will use cosmetic breast surgery techniques like breast lift or breast reduction to ensure symmetry.

Plastic surgeons are constantly researching to find more options for breast reconstruction because they know that, like the majority of plastic surgery procedures, breast reconstruction is not one-size-fits-all. For instance, you may have heard about Suzanne Somers’ reconstruction procedure recently in the news. A bilateral lumpectomy left Somers with one breast looking deflated compared to the other. Instead of receiving a breast implant to make her breasts symmetrical, Somers opted for adipose-derived stem cell surgery. Similar to fat-grafting and fat transfer techniques, the stem cell surgery removes tissue from an area of the body to be placed in the breast. During surgery, the tissue that was removed is processed right in the operating room to boost stem cell concentration. Then, the remaining substance is injected into the breast where the stem cells eventually mature and regenerate. Although the long-term results of this new procedure have not been determined, researchers have determined that this technique is safe as long as there are no active cancer cells remaining in the breast.

Dr. Whiteman knows that breast reconstruction is all part of the healing journey and agrees with the article’s claim that women who are diagnosed with breast cancer often find a sisterhood among other women going through treatment and reconstruction. He’s even helped facilitate this camaraderie between his own patients by forming support groups, called the Buddy System, between his breast reconstruction patients and breast cancer survivors. He also founded Life after the Fight, a business listing to promote the professional ventures of breast cancer survivors.

To learn more about Dr. Whiteman’s breast reconstruction surgery techniques, the Buddy System, Life after the Fight, or if you are interested in plastic surgery, visit his website. Be sure to connect with him on Facebook and Twitter if you haven’t already for plastic and reconstruction surgery news and updates.