News blog posts and news

Mobster Wakes Up After Lipo To Post-Op Surprise

In Rome, police authorities arrested a known drug smuggler immediately following his liposuction surgery.

An AP report states that after the 27-year-old mobster Domenico Magnoli had undergone a liposuction procedure on his abdomen and thighs at the Italian clinic, officers disguised themselves as nurses and custodians in order to make the bust, carrying flowers and chocolates into his room.

Magnoli is supposed to be part of the 'ndrangheta crime syndicate, which is now more powerful than the Sicilian mafia, according to the story. He was arrested on a French warrant for drug trafficking and has been on the run for over a year.

In a rare comedic moment, Italian policeman Aldo Jacobello said "we performed a little operation of our own."

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"Backwoods Barbie" Dolly Parton Digs The Dermal Fillers

A touring musician can get stressed out and exhausted on the road, which can take a major toll on one's physical appearance, especially on the face.

In an interview with the Virginian-Pilot, Ms. Parton was asked "how do you stay young and in shape?" Dolly says she "doesn't have time to get old."

When it comes to cosmetic enhancement, Dolly is not one to miss out on the hot new products. She says, "I got a Botox and collagen and Juvederm, and anything new that comes out I'm into that, too. I'll see something on TV and say,... "I'm gonna do that! Oh, I gotta look into that!"

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J&J Entering The Breast Implant Business

Johnson & Johnson continues to expand beyond its commonly known consumer goods lines by purchasing breast implant maker Mentor Corp for $1.07 billion.

Mentor shareholders will earn $31 a share, nearly double last week’s close, in a deal that today pushed the stock within cents of the offer price.

Johnson & Johnson is fairly new to the high-dollar cosmetic surgery arena. Earlier this year, the cosmetic-focused OrthoNeutrogena division just launched its first injectable filler product -- the injectable wrinkle filler Evolence.

The acquisition was greeted with a mixed set of reactions by Mentor customers and plastic surgeons.

“The acquisition of Mentor should speed up the process for cohesive gel products being available to the US market," stated Chicago area plastic surgeon Dr. David Dreyfuss. "Not unlike the Allergan acquisition of Inamed, it changed the FDA focus away from a breast implant company to a pharmaceutical company. This provides an 'inside track' for approval of new products. This should allow Mentor to compete on a level playing field with Allergan,” said Dreyfuss.

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Revance Lands $8M In Funding For Topical Botox Alternative

Drug developer Revance Therapeutics has received $8 million in venture capital financing to pursue clinical trials for a new topical form of the wrinkle erasing drug, Botox.

The goal is to resolve the negative perceptions that have been associated with injectable forms of Botox, such as the health risks and the discomfort of having the drug administered by a needle.

Revance has raised over $60 million so far to fund the new offering, with various contributors including Medicis Pharmaceutical and Horizon Technology Finance.

Eva Sheie for Real Beauty News

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Breast Augmentation During Lunch? Only In Paris

Macrolane (also known as the "Boob Jab") is a non-invasive procedure meant for breast, butt, or calf augmentation that is not yet available in the United States.

Macrolane is an injectable filler made with hyaluronic acid (just like Juvederm or Radiesse) and it can temporarily augment the breast area with no scars and little or no downtime. According to macrolane.com, the results last 12-18 months.

Patients can expect to gain about one cup size and it can last as long as 18 months. 
Like many new cosmetic surgery procedures, strict government regulations have prevented
its introduction in America, although certain areas of Europe and Asia are allowing its use. 

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Reality Check: Fat Grafting For Breast Augmentation Is Tricky

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons conference (held in Chicago earlier this month) was the site of a symposium on fat-grafting for breast augmentation as Japanese surgeons continue to receive media attention over the controversial technique .

New York City plastic surgeon Dr. Sydney Coleman and others shared their expertise and outlined some of the realities of fat grafting that don't sound as optimistic as the recent discourse - an optimism largely inspired by studies on stem cells and the possibility that they could aid in the fat grafting process.

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Blinded Patients: Discount Lasik Doctor Shut Down

KESQ news reports that the state of Nevada has issued a restraining order to stop Dr. Stella Chou and Vikas Jain of Lasik First from practicing lasik procedures.  Lasik First advertised highly discounted Lasik surgery for patients in California.

According to the report, a doctor affiliated with Lasik First blinded 22 patients and the clinic misrepresented the medical qualifications of a staff member:

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Artefill Staff Fired, Ends Distribution To Doctors

A year ago we predicted tough times for Artes Medical, maker of the controversial permanent wrinkle filler ArteFill. Friday the company cut all employees and appears to be headed into liquidation through bankruptcy.

The sudden halt in distribution of ArteFill may have left an unknown number of patients in the lurch. ArteFill can be administered in stages, and a partially treated patient could encounter a situation where their doctor runs out of Artefill vials.

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Cars Powered By Human Fat?

The idea of using human fat to power a vehicle is parody--right? Not entirely. Back in 2007 a strange notion of a boat powered by human-derived diesel made the press. 

The skipper donated his liposuctioned fat to power his vessel: "Bethune underwent liposuction and donated enough to produce 100ml of biofuel, while two other, larger volunteers also had the procedure, making a total of 10 litres of human fat."

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Ethically Bankrupt Doctor Convicted For Fake Botox Sales

Prison is likely the next chapter in the career of Dr. Stephen Lee Seldon and his wife  Deborah Martinez Seldon who were convicted for a scheme that duped patients into thinking they were getting Botox injections. 

Instead of providing Botox, the "A New You Medical Aesthetics” clinic operated by Seldon used an alternative called TRI (or TRITOX), a Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A product that was marketed and sold with the label, “For research purposes only, not for human use.”

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