Buyer Beware: Check This OFF Your Gift List

Stop right there! Before pressing that tempting “purchase” button on the Living Social or Groupon offer, let’s play a game: Buyer Beware.

Although I know it’s a nearly irresistible urge to grab a bargain, especially now with last-minute Christmas shopping wearing heavily on your shoulders and no idea what to purchase for some of those on your list, I want you to know that some of those “deals” might have some steep repercussions that go along with their purchase.

The FDA is currently warning consumers that “deals” on BOTOX® and fillers might not be a good buy. Several US Medi Spas have been using non-approved dermal fillers and Botox-type injections. While less expensive than the real thing, they are, unfortunately, not the real thing.

The challenge with BOTOX® & Filler Discounts:

Everybody in Delaware who uses BOTOX® Cosmetic loves to get a bargain. Did you know that BOTOX® must be diluted to use it? Some practitioners water it down more than it should be, so it will go farther. That means it might not work as well or last as long. That’s not really saving you anything in the long run, is it? No.

My advice is to purchase BOTOX® and fillers from the same highly skilled physician each time, rather than shopping around for a “better deal” that can expose you to products that are either old or overly diluted.

Truth is, the results of your injections will be more effective, last longer, and look better when purchased from a physician with experience in their use. It’s the hand that holds the syringe that makes the big difference in fillers.

Merry Chistmas and Happy 2013!

To your health & beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

When To Change Breast Implants

I’d like to talk to you about the “shelf life” of breast implants. My Delaware breast augmentation patients know that even though “diamonds are forever", breast implants aren’t.

Why Should You Replace Your Breast Implants?

Here are a few reasons you might decide to change your breast implants.

1. You want to be either larger or smaller than you are now;
2. You want to change the shape or projection of your implants;
3. You want to switch from saline-filled to gel-filled (or vice versa);
4. You have a capsular contracture (painful hardening around the implant pocket);
5. Your saline implants (one or both) have deflated;
6. You see wrinkling, rippling, bottoming out or a“double bubble”
7. You had a breast aug several years ago and now you want a breast lift because your breasts are sagging. Note that it's not always necessary to replace your implants during a breast lift. If you're happy with the size and just want to eliminate the sagging, so long as the implants are still in good shape, they won't need to be replaced with new ones.

How Long Should My Implants Last?

While most breast implant manufacturers suggest that implants will last about ten years, some women never need to replace them. Some women need to replace them within 7 years. It varies.

Will I Have New Scars if I Replace My Breast Implants?

Not usually. Unless your scars from the original breast augmentation procedure are hypertrophic, the same incisions are used.

How Will I Know If My Breast Implants Are “Too Old?”

If you don't have one of the problems in the list above, don't worry. It's a case of "if it's not broke, don't fix it." However, if you have any concerns about your implants, set up a time to come in and see me. Keep in mind that, while saline-filled implant rupture is obvious, gel-filled implant failure isn’t. So, if you have women's intuition that your breast implants need some attention, just set an appointment. I’ll examine you and tell you if I think there's anything to be concerned about. Until then, enjoy your beautiful figure!

To your health and beauty,

Joe Danyo, MD

Skin Cancer Cells Killed with an Extract from Green Tea

While we've all heard about the tremendous health benefits of green tea, there's new proof that a compound in green tea may actually shrink skin cancer tumors. 

A study at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, reported recently in the magazine, Nanomedicine, that a laboratory study created a 30% reduction in human skin cancer tumors, while an additional 40% of tumors disappeared altogether, after a month of treatment using a compound found in green tea.

The compound is called epigallocatechin gallate. Previous studies used this extract in an IV drug mixture, but tumors weren't effected. However, the Strathclyde study employed a targeted delivery system that piggybacked the extract with proteins containing iron.  

Keep in mind that this was a laboratory study, and not a clinical trial on humans, which are likely to be years in the offing. However, Dr. Christine Dufes, study head and a senior lecturer at the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, shared this about the study, "This research could open doors to new treatments for what is still one of the biggest killer diseases in many countries. With the targeted delivery system, it's taken straight to the tumours without any effect on normal tissue. When we used our method, the green tea extract reduced the size of many of the tumours every day, in some cases removing them altogether. These are very encouraging results, which we hope could pave the way for new and effective cancer treatments.”

If you have concerns about skin cancer, such as moles that have changed size or shape, make an appointment to be seen by your dermatologist immediately. There are many treatments for skin cancer and it's best if caught early. Prevention is key! Although here in Delaware, we don't have the rate of skin cancer experienced in the sunniest states like Texas, Florida and California, a high SPF sunscreen is still necessary. Call our Delaware plastic surgery office and schedule a meeting with Deana to review our sunscreens. She'll point you in the right protection direction!

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joseph Danyo

Breast Implant Recalls in Europe

French plastic surgeon holding Poly
Implant Prosthese implants

Dear Dr. Danyo, my friend Rita said she was sent a news notification on her phone about silicone implants being banned in France. I didn't get a chance to read up but you did my sister’s breast augmentation and I’m pretty sure she has silicone implants. Should we be talking to you about having them taken out? Have you heard about this? Thanks.

Only if you had the surgery in Europe should you be concerned. It’s scary to hear stories of rupturing breast implants, but these silicone implants were distributed all over Europe by the French company, Poly Implant Prothèse. Fortunately for your sister, she had her breast augmentation done here at Danyo Plastic Surgery, so she can rest easy. All my breast implants are American-made and FDA approved. 

Here are the details though, if you were wondering.

The company mentioned above, Poly Implant Prothèse, is responsible for about 1,000 damaged silicone breast implants in French women and another 40,000 in British women. When the implants ruptured, factory grade silicone was leaked into the body, causing severe discomfort and the death of one young French woman. The French government is telling women with these implants (about 30,000 total) to get them removed. The Brits are considering this as well, even though it will cost their health system somewhere in the range of 1.2 million British Pounds to do it. Since your sister’s breast augmentation was done here at our Delaware plastic surgery practice, she is not at risk. Thanks for the great inquiry!

To your Health & Beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

Don't Waste Your Fat, Bank It!

Wouldn’t it be great to nix those problematic areas of fat while possibly saving your life at the same time?

Even though you may be within your healthy weight range, certain parts of the body may still harbor fatty deposits that cause bulging in all the wrong places. Yet, that muffin top and those thunder thighs can be easily removed with a simple liposuction procedure performed at my East Coast plastic surgery practice, and can also help your health later on down the road.

How can your fat help you?

Your fat happens to contain an abundant amount of stem cells. These particular cells have a unique ability to produce daughter cells that can become more stem cells or any other type of cell they are exposed to, ie: brain cells, liver cells, blood cells, etc. It’s this unique ability that makes scientists hope that stem cells may be able to cure specific ailments such as heart and liver disease, or even cancer at some point in the future. In fact, some people have already opted for stem cell surgeries with success.

Stem cells are even being studied as to whether or not they have a hand in causing fat transfers to be successful. Over the past several years liposuction techniques have evolved. SmartLipo, provided at my East Coast plastic surgery practice, and many other new lipo techniques now allow for more intact fat to be removed. The more intact fat, the more viable stem cells there are. Fat transfers done via any of the new lipo techniques tend to have a higher success rate, and scientist believe it’s due to the stem cell’s special ability.

So how do I save my fat?

Instead of allowing your plastic surgeon to simply dispose of your fat, you could place it in a fat bank for later use. Although the only fat bank currently resides in Dallas, this is bound to grow in popularity as we continue to understand the positive aspects of stem cells. The fact that there is a potential to save your life later on as well as shape your present day body is both promising and conducive to your health.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

When Brain and Stomach Collide

Extra fat can be annoying, embarrassing, and, to some, unattractive. In some cases, fat can be removed via liposuction or a tummy tuck, which can be done at my East Coast plastic surgery practice. But patients that are very overweight or obese are not candidates; therefore, it is up to them to get their weight in order.

A healthy diet and exercise regime isn’t easy to follow. It becomes even harder when we don’t see our hard work pay off. And it’s hard to forgive ourselves if we fall off the wagon. But it’s nothing to fret over. In fact, new studies have determined that our brains may have a big hand in our overeating.

Consider the fact that twenty five percent of men and forty three percent of women attempt to diet and exercise each year. Roughly five to twenty percent lose weight and actually keep the weight off. How could so many determined people fall off the wagon? The blame is not on their unending stomach, but on their forever hungry brains.  The stomach has no problem letting us know when we are full, but sometimes our brain isn’t as ready to stop noshing. And no matter how actively you avoid a juicy burger, as soon as you see one your brain can easily coerce you into sampling it.

With this in mind, scientists hope to find out why the brain drives us so powerfully to overeat. Whether it has to do with a hormonal trigger in the brain, or a specific spot in the brain, scientists hope to turn off the trigger so that two-thirds of American adults and one-third of America children and adolescents will no longer be considered overweight or obese.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

The Addictions of Tanning

It’s not news that the sun’s rays can cause serious damage to our skin if we spend too much time outside. In fact, even a little sun can still cause damage, and even cause early wrinkles, fine lines and pigment spots. However, my East Coast plastic surgery practice can easily reverse minor skin damage with skin resurfacing techniques such as chemical peels, dermabrasion, and microdermabrasion. On the other hand, what it can’t reverse is malignant melanoma, otherwise known as skin cancer.

Skin cancer is a very common kind of cancer, with 120,000 new cases being diagnosed each year. Why is this cancer steadily growing? Part of the reason is due to the increasing popularity of tanning beds. Despite all the warnings on the dangers of these beds, people continue to slather on the tanning oil and fake bake until they are golden brown. Statistically, anyone under 30 who uses a tanning bed ten times a year, are eight times more likely to develop skin cancer. And since far more than ten sessions a year is usually the norm, you can imagine why skin cancer is becoming a major issue.

So why are people continuing to use tanning beds?

It is hard to believe people would continue this risky behavior after all the studies and warnings. But a new study may now be able to explain why tanning is still such a popular trend. According to recent studies, people who are utilizing tanning beds experience similar brain activity and blood flow that a person addicted to alcohol or drugs experiences. While tanning, a person’s brain experiences a neurological reward-and-reinforcement trigger. In short, the tanning bed causes an addicting feeling, with their reward being their newly browned skin. That rewarding feeling transfers to a need of maintaining the original reward. Therefore, a vicious cycle can easily start.

Before hopping into a tanning bed, even one time, think about the consequences. Not only is melanoma more of a risk, but that “one time” could turn into even more sessions. If you truly are in need of browned skin, consider utilizing the sun’s real rays along with a healthy dose of SPF 30 or more slathered on all of your skin. Also consider tanning creams or spray tans. They are plenty of other ways, much more conducive to your health, that will give you a gorgeous glow and not risk your life.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo