As reported in a recent NBC News article, nearly twice as many men are choosing to have cosmetic surgery as did fifteen years ago. Some believe that this change is due to the change in attitude toward cosmetic surgery and the male image in the past few years.

“I think now it’s becoming more acceptable and men are looking more into plastic surgery and I think this trend is gonna go from 10 to 15 to 20 percent. I think it’s gonna go up,” says El Paso, TX surgeon Dr. Ozan Sozer. Some of the most common cosmetic surgeries performed on men are liposuction, chin surgery, nose jobs and breast reductions.

Men Having More Chin Surgeries, Breast Reductions

Men may tend to be a little more cautious. According to Dr. Sozer, “Everybody has doubts, especially if you’re having surgery for a reason that is not absolutely necessary. To make them feel more comfortable, I usually see female patients with a female nurse with me. With the males, I see them by myself so it’s just a male to male conversation so I think they feel more comfortable with that.”

In many cases, men choose to undergo additional procedures after a consultation on a simpler matter. Henry Parisi’s initial consult was for a growth on his jaw. “I got to talking to Dr. Sozer about doing some extra things for me. He showed me some photos of his male patients before and after and what I could see all of them kinda looked refreshed. They didn’t look plastic or overdone. I got a little bit excited. I thought, ‘What the heck. I’m going under the knife…go the whole nine yards.’”

While Parisi eventually opted for a facelift, some of the most common surgeries for men are liposuction and chin surgery, often with an augmentation for more prominent features. Male breast reduction is also very popular.

Though some celebrities may prefer to act coy about their cosmetic procedures, Love in the Wild star Jenny McCarthy is positively proud of her regular Botox use, according to a recent article in Life & Style Magazine.

Botox injections are the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedure in the United States, with millions of procedures performed every year. Botox procedures have consistently been growing in popularity and practical uses ever since the approval of the treatment ten years ago.

Regular Botox Injections in Moderation for Jenny McCarthy

For McCarthy, the regular use of Botox is all part of the way she keeps herself in good shape. “I’m an obvious Botox user. I tell everyone.” In addition to her fitness habits, she makes a trip for Botox injections “every few months.” In her words, “I just kind of take care of myself.”

Americans are taking care of themselves in a similar way, as the popularity of non-surgical procedures such as Botox injections, chemical peels, and fat transfer injections soar. In addition, surgical procedures such as breast augmentations and rhinoplasties also remain popular. Chin surgeries have seen a massive increase, possibly due to the rising popularity of video calling.

Moderation is the key for McCarthy when it comes to her Botox injections. “I get Botox in my forehead. I just have my doctor do a little shot.” The moderate dose of Botox is just enough to minimize and smooth the appearance of facial wrinkles while minimizing any unintended effects. This moderate approach contributes to the natural and youthful appearance that makes it easy for McCarthy to be an open advocate of Botox injections.

However, though her regular Botox injections are considered very helpful by McCarthy, she will readily confess that Botox isn’t the solution to all her beauty needs. “Having your sister be your professional makeup artist helps,” she says.

A recent press release from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) states that increased levels of caffeine and exercise may decrease the risk of cancer growths caused by sunlight.

The National Institute of Health-funded study was conducted by Dr. Yao-Ping Lu, Ph.D., who is an associate research professor in the field of chemical biology and also serves as the director of skin cancer prevention at Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy in New Jersey. The findings were presented at the 2012 AACR annual meeting, held from March 31st-April 4th.

Reduced Tumor Levels in Mice as a Result of Caffeine and Lower Body Weight

The study examined mice that had been placed in a high-risk environment for skin cancer. They then gave the mice high doses of caffeine and consistent exercise on an exercise wheel. Referencing this experiment, Dr. Lu stated, “We found that this combination treatment can decrease sunlight-caused skin cancer formation in a mouse model. I believe we may extrapolate these findings to humans and anticipate that we would benefit from these combination treatments as well.”

The mice that were given this treatment experienced 62 percent fewer tumors, and the tumor volume was decreased by 85 percent. When the mice were given caffeine alone, the were 27 percent fewer tumors, and a 61 percent decrease in tumor size. With exercise alone, the tumor numbers went down by 35 percent and the tumor size decreased by 70 percent.

In addition to the preventative cancer benefits, this treatment was found to reduce weight and limit inflammation. In normal environments, mice subjected to the same treatment were found to have a fat pad weight decrease of 63 percent. Mice with only caffeine had a 30 percent decrease and mice with only exercise had a 56 percent decrease, making the treatment most effective when performed together. Inflammation in mice using both parts of the treatment went down by 92 percent.

Reduced tumors means less need for skin cancer removal, scar revision and other skin rejuvenation procedures.

As reported in a recent article in The Boston Globe, a number of facial cosmetic procedures may be able to give patients relief from their migraines in addition to the traditional and expected cosmetic benefits.

Some of the cosmetic procedures which are mentioned as particularly effective include eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, and the forehead lift, or brow lift. These procedures may provide some relief from migraines inherently, but they can also be tailored for migraine patients to specifically address issues they may be having. This process involves the surgical exploration of the treatment area during surgery and the correction of any potential problems with the facial nerves and muscles.

Cosmetic Procedures Cause Lessening of Migraine Pain in Targeted and Standard Surgeries

It is believed that ten percent of the US population, or 36 million people, suffer from migraines consistently, and that women are three times more likely to suffer from migraines than men.

A number of facial cosmetic procedures may relieve migraine symptoms as a result of the adjustments made to muscle and tissue during standard procedures. However, for those surgeons trained in the anatomy of the facial nerves, these surgeries provide “easy access to critical sensory nerves” around the eyes and upper face.

Dr. W.G. Austen, Jr., who performs one or two migraine-related surgeries of this nature per week, states that “Eighty percent of the time when I go to release a nerve, I find something anatomically wrong.”  This can include a “band around a nerve, or a nerve that comes through a hole in the bone instead of a notch.”

While no procedure is successful for all patients and all forms of a disease, those undergoing this migraine procedure have had particular success. In one study, 85% of patients reported that their pain was cut at least in half, and 60% stated that their pain had completely disappeared.

According to a recent ABC News article, a new type of facial cosmetic procedure known as facial feminization surgery is gaining popularity.

This new procedure allows patients to soften the contours of their face, specifically making them appear more feminine. It may include a wide range of individual surgeries, including hairline adjustment, jaw reshaping, eyebrow shaping, and cheek adjustments. These procedures have been popular with both female and transgender patients.

Facial Feminization Surgery Includes Work on Eyebrows, Cheeks, Jawline, Hairline to Make Women Look More Womanly

According to Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel from the Boston University Medical Center, “It’s true, women can be mistaken for men and there is an evolutionary explanation for why we look different. We are hard-wired to find a good fertile mate.”

In addition to genetic differences, women’s faces may become more masculine as they age, with lower and flatter eyebrows, hollow cheeks, and fuller jaws. “Why are some women more attractive than others?” Dr. Spiegel asks. “A big part is as women age and lose their fertility, they lose their femininity.”

The facial feminization surgery process is subtle but powerful. Women’s eyes and mouth are more reflective of flight than the male facial features, and to fix this the eyebrows are arched during surgery. The lips are moved higher for more visible teeth. Chins are decreased in size and tapered for a more feminine appearance.

Other techniques include some highly technical jaw-narrowing procedures made popular in Asia. Shading may also be increased around the eyes. Each procedure is designed differently to give the patient the best result for their personal goals.

In Dr. Spiegel’s opinion, “I think the ultimate goal of any surgery, regardless of whether you are transgender or not, is to do something for yourself – to come from a place where you try to be happy for who you are and not try to please other people. If you chase for other’s approval, you will fail.”

As discussed in a recent Huffington Post article, Brazilian lower income patients have been receiving an increasing number of cosmetic procedures, including rhinoplasty, liposuction, Botox, facelifts, and many others.

The surprising feature of this news is that these Brazilians are receiving their cosmetic surgical procedures at deeply discounted rates or completely free of charge. These procedures are being performed as a result of an effort in the cosmetic surgery community to provide a boost in morale and self esteem for the poorest of the poor in Brazil.

Thousands of Low-Income Brazilians Receive Rhinoplasties and Other Cosmetic Surgical Procedures

Since 1997, over 14,000 free rhinoplasties, liposuctions, filler injections and other cosmetic procedures have been performed at just one of the 220 clinics that offer free and discounted procedures to Brazilian patients who are unable to pay for them. If other clinics not documented in the article offered even half that number, it would mean that over one million free cosmetic procedures have been performed since 1997.

According to Dr. Nelson Rosas, one of the doctors who performs free procedures such as Botox, this has a dramatic effect on the patients. In his words, “what’s a wrinkle? Something minor, right? But when we treat the wrinkle…we’re actually treating something very important: The patient’s self esteem.”

Brazil is the second largest consumer of cosmetic surgery in the world, giving them an adequate customer base to help support this high level of non-profit cosmetic surgery, which includes rhinoplasties, liposuction, breast augmentation and breast lifts.

The benefits of these free procedures are having a profound effect on the psyche of the Brazilian poor, providing hope and beauty in difficult times. In the words of Dr. Ivo Pitanguy, another Brazilian cosmetic surgeon performing free procedures, “The poor have the right to be beautiful, too.”

As reported in a recent Cosmetic Surgery Times article, a new matrix known as Selphyl has been introduced into the fat grafting process, and a clinical study has shown it to produce healthier, more effective and longer-lasting results.

The crucial development in this procedure shows that the addition of a matrix known as Selphyl to the fat transfer helps grow more blood vessels in the injection area. The additional growth of these blood vessels makes the fat transfer process more effective by allowing the fat to survive longer. This leads to longer-lasting results with a decreased need for revisionary procedures.

Selphyl Matrix Gives Longer-Lasting Fat Grafting Results

The fat grafting procedure has proven to be highly effective due to its use of natural body fat as a facial filler. By the utilization of a natural body substance, the chance of rejection is eliminated and the likelihood of infection is greatly reduced over other facial injectables.

The fat grafting process involves the removal of fat from trouble areas using liposuction. This removed fat is then purified and processed to create a filler that is easily accepted by the body. This filler is then injected into the target facial areas at specific depths and locations to fill out sunken areas of the face.

One of the few drawbacks of this procedure is the variability of the injected fat cell survival. Typically 30-50% of the fat injected is absorbed by the body, necessitating overfill in order to compensate for the expected loss. The introduction of Selphyl into the fat grafting procedure helps decrease the absorption and make the procedure more consistent. This makes fat grafting easier to plan for without unnecessary overfilling.

The Selphyl matrix is injected as a 1:2 mixture with the harvested fat cells. Selphyl is made up of a biocompatible platelet-rich fibrin matrix that has been shown to increase neovascularization and total cell number. Fat grafting may be used in conjunction with a variety of procedures, including facelifts and hand rejuvenation surgery.

The study was reported in the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery.

Women polled in a recent in-depth RealSelf.com survey report that their sex lives are improving following breast surgery. The majority of the women who responded to the survey stated that not only did sex increase but the overall quality of the their sex life increased as well.

These women are part of a large American demographic, one that is increasing every year. In the last three years alone, almost one million women have had breast enhancement procedures, whether they be breast lifts or breast augmentations.

Satisfaction Statistics of Women Following Cosmetic Surgery

This survey recorded a number of new statistics that cast a fascinating light on the relationship between breast surgery and a patient’s sex life. Some of these statistics include:

• 70% of the women who answered the survey reported that satisfaction with their sex life increased overall after their breast surgery.
• 28% of surveyed women said that their sex life improved by four points or more on a ten point scale following their procedure
• 61% of women reported increased frequency of their sexual encounters, while only 7% reported a decrease following the procedure
• The overall pre-procedure sexual satisfaction was a 6.07 out of 10, while the post-procedure sexual satisfaction rating was an 8.13, an average increase of 34%.

According to Dr. Andrew P. Trussler, who specializes in breast cosmetic procedures, “in my personal observation, women definitely feel more confident after the procedure, and you can easily see how that improved confidence will lead to improvements in other areas of their lives.”

Historically, breast enhancement procedures have a very high level of patient satisfaction. RealSelf.com, which is the largest online community devoted to cosmetic procedure information, also asked patients to determine if their cosmetic procedures were “worth it” overall. Their data shows that 7.5 out of 10 breast augmentation patients and 8 out of 10 breast lift patients feel their procedures were worthwhile.

African-American men and women are having cosmetic surgery despite a historical avoidance. An ABC News 20/20 cosmetic surgery special report investigated this trend recently. Though 70% of cosmetic procedures are done on white patients, it seems this number will soon go down.

One of the potential reasons for this ratio is the healthiness of African-American skin. As a result of natural protectants, African-American skin ages with fewer cracks, wrinkling and marks. This may have contributed to the decreased market for African-American cosmetic surgery. Despite this genetic advantage, Botox and body contouring procedures are now increasing.

Popular African-American Cosmetic Surgery Options

One of the more popular cosmetic surgery options for African-American patients is the butt lift. This procedure involves the removal of fat deposits from trouble areas like the stomach and the re-injection into the tissue of the buttocks. The butt lift gives a firmer, more youthful looking appearance to the area.

Other popular options include various forms of breast reshaping, including breast augmentation and breast reduction or repositioning. Rhinoplasty, or the cosmetic reshaping of the nose, is also a commonly requested procedure.

Botox, or botulinum toxin injections, have been an extremely common procedure. The 20/20 special report paid a visit to a dinner party in Beverly Hills, CA, in which Botox injections were given to African-American party guests. These guests reported that they were lining up for the procedure despite cultural pressure that said they shouldn’t.

One guest, Linda Caradine-Poinsett, stated that she believed African-American women are still “in the closet” about these procedures due to “cultural stigmas.” She then added, “I’m amazed at how comfortable I’m starting to feel about having cosmetic surgery.” With the numbers of African-American cosmetic surgeries increasing, that mindset seems to be spreading.