acne treatment blog posts and news

New National Trend Data For Cosmetic Surgery And Treatments

Noses in Northeast, Tummy Tucks in the South, Breast Reductions in the Pacific Northwest

Despite the down economy, cosmetic procedures continue to be a hot topic across the country as people research various treatments they may consider in the future. But does where people live affect what’s hot and what’s not in cosmetic makeovers? Our geographic based search data suggests the answer is “yes.”

Here are some highlights:

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Anti-cellulite Tights A Hot Trend In The UK

The British department store John Lewis reportedly sells 25,000 pairs of Scala cellulite fighting tights each month. The store promises the Brazilian-made tights work:

Fight cellulite and create a seamless silhouette with no gym required! Sounds too good to be true? New to John Lewis, Scala’s range of Anti-Cellulite underwear can do just that! Perfect for when you need to squeeze into that dress…

What's Scala's secret cellulite treatment?  Crystals. Crystals impregnated into the fabric supposedly massage the skin, improve blood flow, and decrease cellulite.

Medical experts consistently warn consumers away from simple cellulite solutions, whether it be tights, cellulite creams, pills, or massage products. Doctors find that these cellulite products are clinically unproven and amount to marketing ploys that can't plausibly address the complex underlying mechanisms that cause cellulite.

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10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Breast Implant Size

The more questions I answer for RealSelf the more I have realized that there seems to be a lack of help, for some patients, to determine the correct size and style of breast implant for breast augmentation.

Guest post by Christopher L. Hess, MD, FACS.
Dr. Hess is a plastic surgeon based in Fairfax, Virginia.

Whether this is due to a failure of plastic surgeons to assist their patients in the decision making process, a lack of understanding on the patient’s part of the complexity involved in choosing implants or an over abundance of haphazard information from both the surgeon and the internet that ultimately confuses patients, I’m not really sure.

So in an effort to help all patients here are 10 things patients need to think about when choosing breast implants.

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Skincare Social Media: RealSelf Partners With The American Society For Dermatologic Surgery

Should you be contemplating a cosmetic procedure for a skin condition or complaint--such as sun damage or facial wrinkles--you're likely to be extremely focused on getting informed on all your options before making a dermatology appointment. Afterall, nearly all cosmetic treatments are not covered by insurance and can represent a significant personal investment.

Dermatologists who offer cosmetic services, such as laser resurfacing or Restylane injections, increasingly see the advantage in helping aesthetic consumers find reliable information on the web by connecting with consumers on social media sites.

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Dr. Arnold Klein -- Back To Work

Despite the media maelstrom he's faced after the death of Michael Jackson, it's good to see Beverly Hills dermatologist and RealSelf member Dr. Arnold Klein is back to what he does: look after patients with skin care needs. 

Today, for instance, Dr. Klein responds to a community member unhappy with their lip shape. "my top lip gets lost and the shape of my top lip when I smile looks like the McDonald arch. I hate it."

More on RealSelf

• Dr. Arnold Klein's answers to your questions.
• Beverly Hills dermatologists active on RealSelf
• Have a question about a cosmetic treatment?  Ask the doctors

Also see Lip augmentation before and after pictures

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Megan Fox Has Wonky Thumbs, And Other Beauty And Skincare News

A highly patriotic edition of RealSelf's roundup of the latest news in the trades and papers.

1. Megan Fox has freaky thumbs and Drew Barrymore hates her acne. 

Everyone's talking about Megan Fox's thumbs -- again, with that idiotic Transformers flick out. (The short-thumb condition is called brachydactyly.) But A-Line also runs down a whole litany of celebs and their "imperfections" (heavy air-quotes): Kate Hudson's modest decolletage, Shannen Doherty's "crooked face," Kim Kardashian's cellulite, and Christina Applegate's short legs. And you're welcome for the Fox shot. [A-Line]

2. Shocker: Americans getting fatter than ever.

A big new study tells us what any trip to the mall food court will tell you quickly: Americans are fat. Adult obesity went up in 23 states in the past year, and more worryingly, there are 30 states in which almost a third of the kids are obese, too. [LATimes]

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Hairy Black Tongue? Maybe It's The Skin Condition Meds

You're about to read just about the best lead sentence in a medical trade mag -- in any mag, for that matter -- we've ever seen:

Bent penis, black hairy tongue, ear ringing, nightmares and psoriasis are just some of the rare side effects of drugs commonly prescribed by dermatologists and other physicians.

So says Dermatology Times, which got this tremendous bit of scoop from dermatologist Jerome Z. Litt, M.D., of Beachwood, Ohio.

Litt's been writing and updating the Drug Eruption Reference Manual for the past 15 years, and he's compiled some of the more bizarre (and disturbing) side effects of taking derm drugs in a new book, Curious, Odd, Rare, and Abnormal Reactions to Medications.

Most of the freaky reactions described in Dr. Litt's book emanate (on rare occasions, we must stress) from antibiotics, methotrexate, and other powerful drugs prescribed for skin conditions.

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RealSelf Teams Up With The American Academy Of Facial Plastic And Recontructive Surgery

Today we're excited to announce an agreement we've made with the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) to provide our community with access to the 2,700 surgeons who are members of the organization. All AAFPRS members are board certified with a focus on surgery of the face, head and neck. 

As many of our community members know, primarily only board-certified doctors can participate on RealSelf, to ensure the answers you receive to your questions come from only the best.  Today's annoucement solidifies the idea that surgeons who are members of the AAFPRS are some of the best in the business. 

As of today, over 10,000 questions have been asked by the community on topics ranging from how much does a facelift cost to what are my options for teeth whitening.  We believe that asking these questions and getting answers from a variety of physicians will help those considering a cosmetic procedure, or those who have already had one, make better decisions. 

Have a question you want answered?  What are you waiting for - ask away!

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35,000 Years Ago, Beauty Was A Full Figure And Curves

At first it may look like a chicken that got overcooked (that's what we saw), but this ancient figurine of a woman discovered in Germany sheds light on early human perception of beauty and sexuality. 

The finding reported in Nature and described by the Science section of the New York Times indicates that 35,000 calendar years ago, people were inspired by large bosoms and curvy proportions.

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20,000 Doctor Answers, And Counting

Today RealSelf.com received its 20,000th answer from a doctor. Congrats to Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. Rod Rohrich for posting #20,000!

In less than a year's time, the doctors on RealSelf.com composed over 20,000 responses to consumer questions about everything from the best ways to get rid of forehead wrinkles to how to whiten teeth.

While very serious questions are being addressed by these professionals, every so often the community poses a somewhat unusual question. Despite being time starved, the doctors on RealSelf.com stepped up to lend their medical opinion.  Here are 3 examples that capture the diversity of our inquisitive community:

 o What can be done about injections placed in the foot pads, done to give the feeling of walking on pillows?

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