Male Vanity Shows in Cosmetic Procedures

There’s a growing trend in cosmetic treatments among men: sclerotherapy. The procedure, which has been around since the 1930s, is used to diminish the appearance of varicose and spider veins. Sclerotherapy involves an injection of a solution (usually saline) directly into the problematic veins. The solution virtually kills the affected veins, causing them to disintegrate over time.

According to a recent story by NewBeauty Magazine, sclerotherapy has seen an overwhelming boost in popularity among men. The number of men seeking the treatment over the past five years has risen over 200
percent! According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, more men are now increasingly opting to treat their unsightly leg veins instead of selecting the once-popular hair transplants.

This isn’t the first time there has been a boost in cosmetic treatments among men. Time Magazine reported that between 2001 and 2007 the number of men using Botox® nearly tripled. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS), men currently make up 9% of plastic surgery patients, with Botox® being the most popular minimally invasive treatment.

Perhaps the growth in cosmetic surgery among men has to do with its growing prevalence in the media. Some even suggest that between the recession and competitive job market, men are seeking out cosmetic enhancements to maintain a competitive edge.

As with any cosmetic treatment, it is important to have sclerotherapy and Botox® injections performed under the supervision of a board-certified plastic surgeon.

The Terrors of Tanorexia

A recent study of 421 college kids suggests that tanning beds might be addictive. It’s true. NY-based researchers, Catherine Mosher and Sharon Danoff-Burg, conducted a study geared to identifying addictions to alcohol and marijuana among college students. In the study, they inserted some questions regarding tanning, to see if there was any correlation with that activity. To their surprise, 40% of the students appeared to have addictions to tanning. They admitted to the same obsessive desire to tan as they did to regular ingestion of alcohol and weed. You can see the details of their research in the Archives of Dermatology Journal.

The recently-approved Health Care Bill includes a 10% tanning tax, as a substitute for the previous proposed tax on plastic surgery enhancements, which was called the “Botax.”  Once the Botax was defeated, the 10% tax on tanning was substituted. This is not a bad idea, considering a recent CNN story that shows tanning bed users have*three times the risk for skin cancer as non-users.*

So why the addiction to tanning beds? Is it just about looking good?

Apparently not. It’s all about the feel-good chemicals released from the habit. Nina Goad, of the British Association of Dermatologists, was quoted in the UK's Daily Mail newspaper that previous research suggests "feel-good" chemicals are released as a response to sunlight, and that this might clarify why tanning has become addictive for some people.

As a physician, I don’t regard this as a major study—after all, it’s only 421 college students, and there was no “control group,” which is a piece of every good study. Still, it focuses on the point that tanning can be bad for people from several angles. Here in our Delaware plastic surgery office, my staff and I see sun-damaged skin often. We use lasers to treat sun-damaged skin to improve the appearance of sun-damaged skin to eliminate the roughness, red and brown spots.

Remember, the skin is your body’s largest organ. If you aren’t sure about the level of your skin’s damage from sun worshipping or using tanning beds, come to our office for a skin review. Our professionally trained medical
aesthetician will analyze your skin to reveal any problems now, before they become bigger problems later! Laser treatments have been shown to offer tremendous aid to sun-damaged skin.



To your health & beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

Is Tanning Addictive?

A recent study of 421 college kids suggests that tanning beds might be addictive. It’s true. NY-based researchers, Catherine Mosher and Sharon Danoff-Burg, conducted a study geared to identifying addictions to alcohol and marijuana among college students. In the study, they inserted some questions regarding tanning, to see if there was any correlation with that activity. To their surprise, 40% of the students appeared to have addictions to tanning. They admitted to the same obsessive desire to tan as they did to regular ingestion of alcohol and weed. You can see the details of their research in the Archives of Dermatology Journal.

The recently-approved Health Care Bill includes a 10% tanning tax, as a substitute for the previous proposed tax on plastic surgery enhancements, which was called the “Botax.”  Once the Botax was defeated, the 10% tax on tanning was substituted. This is not a bad idea, considering a recent CNN story that shows tanning bed users have three times the risk for skin cancer as non-users.  

So why the addiction to tanning beds? Is it just about looking good? Apparently not. It’s all about the feel-good chemicals released from the habit. Nina Goad, of the British Association of Dermatologists, was quoted in the UK's Daily Mail newspaper that previous research suggests "feel-good" chemicals are released as a response to sunlight, and that this might clarify why tanning has become addictive for some people.

As a physician, I don’t regard this as a major study—after all, it’s only 421 college students, and there was no “control group,” which is a piece of every good study. Still, it focuses on the point that tanning can be bad for people from several angles. Here in our Delaware plastic surgery office, my staff and I see sun-damaged skin often. We use lasers to treat sun-damaged skin to improve the appearance of sun-damaged skin to eliminate the roughness, red and brown spots.   

Remember, the skin is your body’s largest organ. If you aren’t sure about the level of your skin’s damage from sun worshipping or using tanning beds, come to our office for a skin review. Our professionally trained medical aesthetician will analyze your skin to reveal any problems now, before they become bigger problems later! Laser treatments have been shown to offer tremendous aid to sun-damaged skin.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

New Injection for Veins Approved by the FDA

The FDA has approved a new treatment for spider and varicose veins—Asclera.

Although this product is not new in Europe or Canada, it was just approved here. It’s another injectable that can be used for spider veins. It has an excellent track record for safety elsewhere.

Polidocanol (that’s the generic name for Asclera) collapses the vein with the use of fluid. It is similar to other products previously used in sclerotherapy, but it does not leave open sores and discoloration.  Actually, we don’t find that to be a problem in our practice in any case, but it’s good to know there’s a new alternative.

Age and genetics are factors to the development of varicose veins, as well as sitting or standing too long on hard surfaces and wearing clothing that’s too tight. If you do a great deal fo standing, be sure to put your feet up when you get home, even if just for 20 minutes.

Unfortunately, the majority of those with varicose veins don’t treat them unless they become unsightly. This can be a mistake, as they can become painful and even create a blood clot.

If you’re bothered with veins, please come in and see us about them. We’ll do a detailed examination and see if we can help you eliminate them either with laser treatments or sclerotherapy. In addition to the cosmetic benefit, sclerotherapy may also remedy the uncomfortable symptoms associated with spider veins, including aching, burning, swelling and night cramps.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

LASER ASSISTED LIPO: HELPFUL OR HYPE?

At our most recent ASAPS (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) meeting in Washington, DC, two board certified plastic surgeon colleagues presented both sides of the laser liposuction debate. Dr. Barry DiBernardo of New Jersey is a proponent of laser liposuction while Dallas-based Dr. Jeffrey Kenkel is less excited about lasers’ inclusion in liposuction.

The ASAPS’ annual statistics show that Lipoplasty (the medical term for fat removal) is the second most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in America. Nearly 300,000 of them were performed in 2009. Since the first laser-assisted Lipoplasty device was approved by the FDA in 2006, surgeons have been in a hot debate about whether it’s a great new tool or just good marketing on the part of companies such as SmartLipo.

Basically, laser-assisted Lipoplasty means that a laser is used to break up the fat cells before they are suctioned out of the body. A tiny incision is made through which a laser probe is inserted and aimed at the fatty tissue to rupture the fat cells. Then the laser is pulled back toward the skin to stimulate the skin cells to tighten, a feature that doesn’t happen in traditional liposuction.

"Over the last two-and-a-half years there has been extensive research and development into laser-assisted lipoplasty, including multiple rounds of research and comparative studies published in peer-reviewed journals," said Dr. DiBernardo, a plastic surgeon in Montclair, NJ. "Ultimately, laser-assisted lipolysis has come to be an important tool in the fat loss armamentarium."

"It is important to note that no device is a magic wand," added Dr. Kenkel, a plastic surgeon in Dallas, TX. "Despite any hype generated by manufacturers, physicians, patients, or the media, results are ultimately practitioner-driven."

The bottom line? Any kind of cosmetic surgery should be done by a board certified plastic surgeon, not someone who has taken a weekend course or two. No tool can replace the skill and experience of a board certified plastic surgeon. Check out my website to see the before/after photos that I’ve shared regarding SmartLipo, a technique I have found to be highly effective!

To your health & beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

Fixing Dark Circles Beneath the Eyes Due to Tear Trough Deformity

If you notice dark circles beneath your eyes or a hollow under the lower lid area, you might have what’s called a tear trough deformity. Sounds scarier than it actually is! A tear trough deformity is just a furrow or channel that develops beneath the lower eyelid—usually with aging but some people have this naturally just due to their genetic makeup. When light hits the tear trough area of the eyes, the furrow creates a shadow, which can also look like dark circles beneath the eyes. Now, if the area under your eyes is puffy or baggy, this makes everything look a bit worse. The tear trough area can be remedied with just some injected filler, but if you have puffiness under the eyes, that must be treated with a lower blepharoplasty.

In my Delaware plastic surgery practice, I’ve found Juvederm to be terrific as a filler to get rid of that shadowy area. It fills the area nicely, is an easy gel to insert and lasts long enough to satisfy those with this problem. Call us if this is an issue for you and let’s see how quickly we can help you get rid of it!

To your health & beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

Those with vitiligo may experience less skin cancer

How often have you heard the phrase, "Always wear sunscreen!"? Often, right? It's the mantra repeated by dermatologists, plastic surgeons and skincare experts all over the world. Well, in an interesting turn of events, a recent study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that people with vitiligo (a chronic skin problem that removes the pigmentation from patches of their skin) are a bit more immune to skin cancer than the rest of us.

The University of London study involved 4300 men and women, some of whom had vitiligo and some who did not, in an attempt to identify gene patterns to help them know who "might" get vitiligo based on their genetic makeup. What they found were 7 genes connected to vitiligo. There were 2 possible combinations of these 7 genes: one gene pattern for those who had vitiligo and another for those who did not. Oddly, all 4300 tested had one of the two combinations of these 7 genes. Those likely to develop vitiligo had a gene combination that simultaneously decreased their risk of skin cancer, while those with a gene combination that increased their risk of skin cancer also showed a decreased risk of vitiligo.

In laypersons' terms, it means that even if you have the genes most likely to develop vitiligo, that doesn't guarantee that you'll develop it. In fact, only about 1% of the world's population has vitiligo. It just means that you may be more susceptible to getting it--but at the same time, you still have a decreased likelihood of developing skin cancer.

This is important news for those with vitiligo, for whom few treatments really do much good, other than depigmenting the rest of the body to match those areas that have lost pigmentation. Narrow band light has shown to be of some help but other than blister treatments, tattooing and skin grafting, little help is available to most people with this skin disorder.

To your health & beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo