Botox has been touted for its skin smoothing results, but according to the first randomized, controlled study on the effect of botulinum toxin, benefits may include a better mood. The 16-week study appeared in the Journal of Psychiatric Research earlier this year and reported that the face's inability to register emotion post-Botox may help those with treatment resistant depression.

» Read more

Despite the commentary about how gastric bypass is “cheating” and that some patients end up putting the weight back on, research supports a much different claim. Scientific American reports on an ongoing study of obese Americans, some of whom had gastric bypass surgery and some of whom did not. According to the data, even years down the road, gastric patients not only weigh less, but are significantly healthier.

» Read more

Could it be? A magic wand that actually melts away fat? That’s what some are claiming. VASER Shape is a new procedure on the market, scoring a 75% Worth It Rating among consumers, and has been a hot topic as of late. 

» Read more

Another week of news, and around round of silver screen stars dishing their thoughts on cosmetic surgery. The female stars of Modern Family have no issue with a bit of a medi-beauty boost and E!'s Coco Austin backs her assertion of an au natural booty.

» Read more

It's a common quip: No matter what you're looking to do, there's an app for that. Well, when it comes to health and cosmetic surgery, it's becoming more and more true. You can find an app for just about anything, from giving yourself virtual procedures to making appointments with your doctor. Here, we take a look at five of the best apps for cosmetic procedures and related health issues.

» Read more

Brazil may have earned a reputation for being the plastic surgery capital, not only with the prevalence of procedures, but with its cultural openness - however, South Korea is making some moves toward that title.

» Read more

Earlier this month, momager Kris Jenner opened up to the TODAY show about her decision to air her breast augmentation on the family's E! reality series. While many people are not shy about their opinion of Kris Jenner and her openness to air Kardashian dirty laundry over the airwaves, she insists this was not about ratings.

» Read more

Cassandra Bankson first gained a following with a series of how-to makeup videos on YouTube, which landed her a segment on Good Morning America last year. This last Wednesday, she walked America's hottest runway - New York Fashion Week. The twist to her story? She's struggled with severe acne throughout her teen and early adult years.

» Read more

Serving up some weekend cosmetic surgery humor via social media! Here are a few of our favorite laugh-worthy Tweets of the past couple weeks.

» Read more

A youthful look without surgery? We're all ears.The growth of non-invasive treatments is no secret - the AAFPRS reported that they were up this year to account for 75% of all cosmetic procedures - but the way and where they are being used is.

» Read more

For decades, women have been tweezing, plucking, sculpting, and even shaving off their eyebrows to create that high, thin, arched look that's seen as ultra-feminine. Meanwhile, a new study from the Clinical Plastic Surgery journal reports, eyebrows in general have been on a downward trend—in fact, they've been lowering for 60 years, and the arched look may be headed the way of the dinosaurs.

» Read more

No matter how hard you try, is your tummy still your trouble area? You're not alone. Meet Jennifer, a proud mother to her children, but a cover up artist for her belly. On today's episode of The Doctors, Jennifer details her journey from being naturally thin and competing in swimsuit competitions in her younger years, to struggling with "saggy, loose" skin on her stomach.

» Read more

It's been everywhere as of late, from medical boards annual reports to the Huffington Post: more men are getting plastic surgery. In this month's issue of Men's Journal, David Browne reports on the boom of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures for the XY-chromosome group, and the growing list of treatments they are seeking.

» Read more

Cosmetic dentistry is a phrase that usually describes things like teeth whitening and veneers, but some Canadian dentists are broadening that term to include Botox. At RealSelf, we've always been advocates for visiting doctors within their respective specialties to achieve the best results - and on a matter of safety - but it's not uncommon for patients to opt for convenience in such a matter.

» Read more

Every once in a while, we like to share our exciting media placements with our community - and this month, Redbook and Good Housekeeping included RealSelf in articles about finding the right treatment and patient education!

» Read more

There are so many injectibles on the market, with the neurotoxins and the dermal fillers, and it’s a challenge to keep them all straight – let alone determine the best fit for you. So for now, we’ll look at two major players in the neurotoxins category, and a popular question from within the community: “Dysport vs. Botox - What's the Difference?”

» Read more

Women across the country are talking about it, does liposuction cause cellulite? One source of this assertion is tabloid favorite Heidi Montag, known for being an original cast member of The Hills…and for having 10 plastic surgery procedures done in a single day.

But is liposuction really the culprit here, or is Heidi just playing pass-the-buck?

» Read more

Avon has announced that the ANEW Clinical Pro Line Eraser cream, that has 60,000 Brits on its waiting list, is hitting US shelves this month. The $40 wrinkle cream has people in a tizzy over its reported anti-aging results, claiming to noticeably reduce fine lines and boost production of collagen and elastin.

» Read more

From among the 350,000 questions that have been asked on RealSelf.com and answered by qualified doctors, a few rise to the top as the most-read and most-searched. One of which is, “How Can I Tighten Sagging Skin Without Surgery?”

» Read more

Is it time to give a facelift to… facelifts? Though facelifts have long been the standard approach for creating rejuvenated faces, a lot of doctors and patients are shifting over to a newer type of procedure: face-shaping.

» Read more

According to a Good Morning America segment last week, more students than ever are opting for plastic surgery to start off the new year.

» Read more

The PIP breast implant fiasco that has taken Europe by storm may have some positive consequences: stricter and safer plastic surgery regulations throughout the United Kingdom.

» Read more

With all the recent coverage of youth undergoing otoplasty in the hopes to fend off harassment, we were curious what exactly otoplasty entails.

» Read more

Youth plastic surgery has seen a resurgence in the news over the past year, especially in the past couple months, and we've kept a close eye on the controversial arguments from both sides. The latest round has been about non-profits who donate surgery to children being tormented by their peers for one physical trait or another. For Nadia Ilse it was her nose and ears, and for Kaleb is was his ears, too.

» Read more

The current recession has been studied from all different angles (we even picked up the correlation of male stress with attraction to curves), and beauty trends are not exempt from the inquiring minds of psychologists or economists. The main question being, why does the beauty industry seem to be recession proof?

» Read more

Breast enhancements and lifts are an ever-popular search topics on RealSelf, but many people want to know how to stave off the effects of aging and gravity before surgical options. A new study released today in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, "Determinants of Breast Appearance and Aging in Twins," took a look at the lifestyle and environmental factors that can lead to the aging of breasts, like sagging and loss of perkiness.

» Read more

According to search volume from the RealSelf community, Fraxel Repair is a hot topic as of late. Maybe some people got too much summer sun, or maybe they are simply looking for a fall refresher from the $1,750 CO2 laser treatment. The reviews are still a mixed bag, with a 56% Worth It Rating, but here is a round up of five true before and afters to give a sneak peek of Fraxel Repair results.

» Read more

There's a lot of buzz around breast enhancements and Brazilian butt lifts—but there are still plenty of women looking to scale down instead of size up. Large breasts can be painful and cause back problems, and many women gladly shell out the $4,300 to minimize their cup size.

» Read more

When it comes to maintaining (or creating) pearly whites, Veneers have been a leading option to overhaul a smile. Porcelain veneers have a 58% Worth It Rating and an average cost of nearly $7,500, but what are the other options for people looking for a less dramatic, more budget-friendly alternative?

» Read more

Everyone looks back at old photos and muses, "What was I thinking?" But, what do you do when it's not as temporary as a bad perm or a errant make up choice? That's exactly what's happening for people who are part of the ear gauges trend, and now wishing to reverse the stretch of their lobes.

» Read more