Physicians believe this particular procedure is gaining ground over others due to the dramatic results that are available, but acknowledge that the increase is likely fueled by many factors. Plastic surgeons and other healthcare professionals are quick to point out that the ideal form of tricep toning comes with a lot of hard work and a lean diet. However, these same physicians note that our ability to achieve dramatic and sustained results often depends on something we can’t control — our genetics. This procedure has become especially popular with individuals who have undergone dramatic weight loss and want help removing excess skin.

Reports have shown that arm lift procedures have increased over 4,000% in the last 10 years. While still behind breast augmentation in overall popularity, this makes it the fastest-growing plastic surgery procedure available. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons continues to follow procedure trends on an annual basis and conducts polls that shed light into the reasons behind evolving changes.

If you are interested in this or any other procedure, call to set up a consultation at either of our office locations!

Has a child ever asked why your neck wobbles? Do you get asked if your infant is your granddaughter? After a while, that kind of thing can get to anyone. Many older parents have been turning to cosmetic surgery to turn back the clock and look more like the other parents at the playground.

Dorothy Nichols, 64-year-old mother of a 20 year old daughter, has heard all of these things.

She got tired of the humiliation and decided to take charge of the situation. Nichols started with a procedure that included a face, neck, and brow lift as well as some tightening around her eyes. Just two weeks after her surgery, Nichols and her daughter went to a beauty salon, and someone talking to her daughter referred to her as “your mother.”

“Did you hear what she said? ‘Your mother!’ In twenty years I had never heard that … never!” said Nichols.

If you are fed up with looking like your child’s grandparent, we are here to help. No matter what your choices may be, we can help you bridge the age gap through liposuction or facial procedures. We work with patients throughout the Washington, DC, metro area. Simply make an appointment to meet with one of our talented physicians at our Annandale, VA, or Chevy Chase, MD, location.

According to Slate magazine, red states just seem to be more fond of curvaceous women, and many of the women in those states turn to breast implants to achieve that aesthetic. On the other side, it seems that populations less likely to consider getting breast implants are East Coast blue states. Can where you live affect the likelihood that you’ll undergo a breast augmentation? A lot of the South is red and hot. Do warmer climates affect the popularity of breast augmentations?

As a professional plastic surgery practice working with many women in and around the DC area, we get all types of preferences. The one thing we can say for sure is that the most important preference is your own. When you walk into our offices to discuss undergoing a breast augmentation, we work very closely with you to see if it helps achieve your goals. When we plan surgeries, we create a design that meets those goals. We take a very personalized approach. It doesn’t matter whether you’re liberal or conservative, we’ll reach across both sides of the aisle to give you the body that you desire. You are always welcome to our Annandale, VA, or Chevy Chase, MD, locations to talk about your aesthetic goals.

The report showed that on average men and women had a second surgery after a decade. Some good news is that much less comprehensive surgical plans were effective. Less surgery, less recovery. Who wouldn’t love that? Better news: complications were reduced by 5%. Less complications equal more satisfaction! The results of these secondary procedures also showed sustained results. Of the few patients that had a third procedure, an average of 7.5 years passed between the second and third procedures.

At the Center for Plastic Surgery, we believe that exceptional results are dependent on the right surgical plan. With any extensive procedure, one should be able to achieve the results they are looking for, and for those results to last. Genetics and lifestyle choices can have a great impact on initial results and on how long they last. We love that with these new positive responses by the professional community of surgeons, our patients can now feel confident in pursuing a secondary procedure with better results and reduced surgical risk. If you are considering your first or a follow up facelift procedure, we welcome you to discuss your goals. We work with patients from all over the country and world, including those around the Washington DC area. You can visit us at either our Annandale, VA, practice or, if more convenient for you, in Chevy Chase, MD.

Botox is also a great alternative to surgery. If you are looking to make only minor changes to your appearance, you do not have to invest money and recovery time into an invasive procedure. Treatment sessions generally last for 15 to 20 minutes. While some downtime after injection is encouraged, you can continue on with your day after treatment. This procedure is also approved for regular use, with results usually lasting up to four months. You can maintain your look easily with regular appointments throughout the year. It’s not just for wrinkles, though. Botox has lots of other uses as well.

Although Botox is most commonly known for its cosmetic use, you may be surprised to learn another way doctors are utilizing the injectable. Did you know that Botox can help keep people dry? For those dealing with excessive perspirations, injections can stop sweat glands from being stimulated, preventing the production of sweat.

We welcome you to our office to find out more about this popular injectable for your aesthetic goals. Who knows, you might find something special about your next Botox session in April.

According to plastic surgery statistics, male breast reduction is among the top five most popular cosmetic surgical procedures for men.  Being that gynecomastia (enlarged male breasts) affects nearly half the men in our country, this doesn’t seem surprising.  Just like some women feel insecure with their small breasts, men feel insecure with larger than normal breasts.  Many men simply wish to look better both with and without their shirts.

Gynecomastia is common in men of any age.  The causes are thought to be associated with hormonal fluctuations, heredity or sometimes even disease.  Although it’s typically not a physically painful condition, gynecomastia can cause emotional pain and even prevent one from engaging in certain physical and intimate activities.

The most common approach to treating gynecomastia is liposuction.  It’s a surgical procedure that involves inserting a cannula (long tube) into the area and essentially “vacuuming” the fat out.  Being that liposuction is ideal for localized pockets of fat (or sometimes glandular tissue in this instance), it’s a great technique to achieve the patient’s desired results.  Like any plastic surgery procedure, it’s important that patients who are considering this treatment are considering it for themselves and not to please someone else.  Some of the best candidates are men who are healthy, within normal weight and in a position of breast enlargement stability.  Most patients who have this procedure have a relatively simple recovery period that involves bandages or dressing over the incision sites (which are very small) and a supportive compression garment to encourage the new chest contour during the healing process.

Though it may seem like a strange thought, the cooler winter months are the perfect time to pursue male breast reduction.  This allows for plenty of time for scheduling the consultation, procedure and recovery as well as implementing any exercise routines to enhance that contour. At CPS, we’re here to help you reach those goals in time to hit the sand – beach body ready!

The good news is there is technology available today to address all of the above skin conditions, and it’s contained in one revolutionary device called IPL Photofacial.  Short for intense pulsed light, IPL uses pulses of broad-spectrum light that penetrates deeply into the skin.  Once the light is at the deeper tissues, it’s converted to heat energy that allows for collagen stimulation while simultaneously treating the surface issues at hand.

The even better news is that IPL Photofacial treatments don’t require social downtime.  In fact, patients can immediately resume daily activities.  The actual treatment itself can usually be completed within an hour (at most), depending on the size of the treatment area.  Our patients report minimal discomfort which is temporary.

Ideally, a series of treatments, spaced at intervals, is used to achieve superlative results.  Although the results begin gradually at first, each treatment session builds on the previous and yields more distinct, marked improvement.  Ultimately, our patients enjoy an improved skin tone and texture, a reduced appearance of discoloration and an overall refreshed, rejuvenated look.  And because so many are pleased with the effects of their IPL treatments, most patients will schedule maintenance treatment sessions as needed to preserve the results they’ve accomplished.

At Center for Plastic Surgery, we precisely and expertly administer this non-invasive facial rejuvenation technology to suit your own personal skin care needs.  Come see the light and find out how IPL Photofacial treatments could be the solution for you!

We all know peels are a wonderful way to freshen a complexion and get your glow back. They’re a great resource for pigmentation correction, fighting fine lines and wrinkles, sloughing off old, dull skin cells and overall texture improvement and rejuvenation. So what’s all the fuss over this particular system? The answer is simple: not only does this unique blend of buffered TCA allow for the dramatic benefits of a peel without social downtime (say goodbye to flaky days!), it combines the in-office treatment with a special Homecare System to maximize results and give that extra boost. The post-peel Homecare System equips you with the Foamer 15 Cleanser (to exfoliate and cleanse), the Light Ceutic (for hydration), the K Ceutic (to improve skin tone and assist in fading brown spots) and Serum C25 (to deliver antioxidants and offer skin protection).

If the holidays passed you by without enjoying a little perk for yourself, make it a priority to treat yourself now so you can begin 2013 with a bang! Your resolution to take care of your skin is also our resolution. With CPS by your side, no one can dull your sparkle!

Everyone remembers the 10-procedure surgical “marathon” Heidi Montag opted for in 2009.  Amidst the subsequent gossiping from the media and public, and despite her significantly altered appearance, Heidi seemed to have been pleased with the outcome.  Fast forward three years later and she’s openly expressing regret, stating that she “should have researched it more” and even going on to say how “traumatic” it was to make such a big transformation all at once.

The decision to have cosmetic surgery is not one to be taken lightly.  Sure it’s helpful to have a positive outlook – enthusiasm is practically essential when you’re having an elective procedure.  But throwing caution to the wind because of an impulsive decision can have permanent and costly (in every sense of the word) conclusions in terms of a patient’s emotional and physical well-being.

Typically, what makes a surgery so successful for the patient (and the surgeon) is a natural-appearing result.  Most people want to refine and improve their own physical attributes without seeming “overdone”.  What seems like a slight change often yields an improvement that, to the patient, is remarkable.  It goes without saying that a more substantial change, like 10 surgeries at once, will likely have a considerable emotional impact on the patient sooner or later.  The reason is simple: it’s uncharted territory.  This isn’t a haircut or eyebrow waxing.  To see yourself physically altered is a new emotional experience – even if it’s a positive one such as a successful surgical result or something like tremendous weight loss.

The other key component, and the most important one, is safety.  Plastic surgeons and their operating facilities maintain rigorous standards to ensure patients remain safe.  The crux of these criterion is based on what can and cannot be tolerated by the body, and therefore, are important guidelines to adhere to.

We can appreciate an eager and optimistic perspective regarding the choice to finally go for something you’ve wanted to do.  We’ll even grant that it can be downright fun, we really do understand.  But in our experience, the most successful results stem from a basic combination of consideration, education, regard for health and safety and enthusiasm.

We are proud to announce our Facebook campaign to help breast cancer survivors be better informed about the options for breast reconstruction following mastectomy.  Breast reconstruction is a procedure near and dear to us at CPS.  We’ve performed countless breast reconstructions and have had the pleasure of helping breast cancer survivors reclaim their bodies.

Nearly 12 percent* of women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime.  It’s estimated that only about 3 percent of women are aware of their choices to have reconstructive surgery after battling and overcoming breast cancer.  Together, with your help, we’d like to change that.  Through the month of October, CPS will donate to the BRA Day organization for every ‘LIKE’ our Facebook page receives.  BRA Day is a campaign initiated by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons that works to promote education, awareness and access regarding post-mastectomy breast reconstruction.  The first annual BRA Day will be celebrated on October 17, 2012 and is endorsed by official spokesperson and breast cancer survivor, Jewel.

Please join us in helping women learn about their choices for reconstruction following a courageous fight!

*Statistics provided by www.breastcancer.org