A PLASTIC SURGEON UNVEILS BEAUTY HACKS THAT WILL COST YOU LESS THAN A STARBUCKS COFFEE

We all know that cosmetic-plastic surgeons and dermatologists earn their living by operating or non- invasive procedures. Most of these endeavors are costly for patients.  It’s rare that any aesthetic surgeon will let us in on things we can do daily that don’t require us to visit them!  We are fortunate to have Dr. Manish Shah, a Denver board -certified plastic surgeon share secrets with us, that in many cases cost nothing or less than a gourmet cup of coffee.   

DR. MANISH SHAH’S TOP BEAUTY HACKS 

1.    Cleaning your phone screens – Dr. Shah offers that, “A great way to avoid blemishes is to routinely clean the makeup and bacteria off of your phone screens. It is easy to spread harmful skin bacteria from the surface of your phone. Washing your hands goes a long way to avoid skin contamination as well.”

2.    Make your own exfoliating scrub at home – Dr. Shah shares that, “A woman I consider my second mother taught me how to create my own organic exfoliating scrub. She would dry peeled skins of oranges, lemons, and limes in the sun. She would then finely grate the white inside rind of the peel and then mix it with any facial cleanser or even add it to fine facial oils. Using the scrub would exfoliate the skin, treat it with Vitamin C, and prevent over-drying of the skin because of the fruit oils.”

3.    I recommend treating the enlarged pores of the T-zone with over the counter hydrogen peroxide. The bacteria in the pores create inflammation that increases pore size, and this leads to blackheads and whiteheads. Dr. Shah explains that, “These bacteria can’t survive in high oxygen environments. 3% hydrogen peroxide is available over the counter quite inexpensively. Treating only the T-zone at night kills the bacteria, reduces pore size and blemishes. Because it can be quite drying, takes breaks from its use every now and then.”

4.    Avoid fake nails. They harbor tons of bacteria that are easily transferred to the face when you touch your face. Instead, focus on growing your own nails with the help of oral vitamin C and any good quality hair, skin, and nail vitamin-like Nature’s Bounty Extra Strength Hair, Skin, and Nails.

5.    For teens, especially, it is so important to wash their pillowcases routinely. Dr. Shah is the father of three teens. From his first-hand knowledge, he says that “Teens aren’t very compliant when it comes to skincare and they suffer from hormones in a bad way. This 1-2 punch makes acne and blemishes the bane of most teens’ existence. Going to sleep at night on clean pillowcases after washing your face goes a long way to reducing the bacterial burden and allows blemishes to heal.”

6.    If you suffer from puffiness around the eyes, a quick trick is to use black tea bags. Wet them in ice water and lay them onto the eyes to soothe. The caffeine in the black tea causes blood vessels to constrict, reducing edema or swelling in the delicate, thin eyelid tissues.

7.    Add baking soda to your toothpaste to easily polish away stains to keep your teeth white. Instead of bleaching your teeth, baking soda actually breaks the molecules that stain the teeth. It is less irritating to your gums as well, and way cheaper than teeth whitening strips.

8.    Eat the rainbow- A white bread-based diet does not for clear skin make. That’s why Dr. Shah makes sure his diet is packed with brightly-colored fruits and vegetables.  He says, “Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants which give glow to the skin.” Specifically, research suggests that pigments called carotenoids—found in foods like carrots, spinach and other leafy greens, and tomatoes have been linked to good complexions.” Adding fish oil to your diet also improves skin compliance and radiance.

9.    Avoid Hot Showers- Disappointing as it may be, Dr. Shah says, “Hot showers remove too much of your natural oils and brings blood circulation to your skin, creating inflammatory reactions that result in rashes and aggravate those with eczema or dry patches.”

10. You may just need a brow wax instead of a lift

“I had a patient who wanted a brow lift because she thought she looked angry all the time. I sent her for a brow wax instead. It took 15 minutes, she looked great, and she saved herself thousands.” Other brow techniques like brow tinting can change how your eyebrows frame the eyes, improving on your looks.

About Dr. Manish Shah

https://drmanishshah.com/

Manish Shah, M.D., F.A.C.S. is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the Rhinoplasty Society, and the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery. After completing his formal plastic surgery training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Univ. of Tennessee College of Medicine, he moved to New York City and was selected for the prestigious Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. He underwent extensive, advanced training in aesthetic surgery of the face, breasts, and body at the hands of some of the most renowned cosmetic surgeons in the world. Dr. Shah is one of only a select few plastic surgeons in the country who have undergone formal post-graduate training in aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Shah’s specialties include revision facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty (“nose reshaping”), and aesthetic surgery of the breast (breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction). He is, however, well-trained in all areas of aesthetic surgery. Dr. Shah’s aim is to obtain a natural appearing transformation that complements the real you!

Guest Post. Not sponsored

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT PLASTIC SURGERY BUT DIDN’T KNOW WHO TO ASK

With plastic surgery so mainstream the question today isn’t “did she or didn’t she?” but “what did she have done?” Botox, filler, liposuction, facelift, breast implants, are not just limited to celebrities as they once were. There isn’t a body or facial concern that can’t be addressed through some sort of procedure. With more and more plastic surgeons striving to educate people on cost, safety, recovery process, and long-term care; Dr. Stanley Poulos, San Francisco Bay area Board Certified Plastic Surgeon answers some of the most common and pressing cosmetic surgery questions today.

Q: Will liposuctioned fat return?

A: Dr. Poulos explains that, “If the patient gains a small amount of weight after their procedure, say 5 pounds, fat cells throughout the body will get a little bigger. While this slight weight gain can diminish results, the overall improved body shape provided by a liposuction procedure will still be visible as treated body areas have fewer fat cells (and thus experience a lower enlargement rate) compared to surrounding areas.”

Finally, in cases of considerable weight gain (i.e. 10% of their body weight); new fat cells can develop in all areas of the body, including treated areas. However, since new fat cell creation typically occurs in an even manner throughout the body, fat often accumulates less in treated areas compared to untreated areas. Many liposuction patients who gain considerable post-procedure weight tend to still look better than if they did not undergo liposuction.

Q. Will you lose sensation in your breasts or nipples if you get implants?

A: Dr. Poulos says that, “There's a chance, although it’s very unusual to lose feeling in your entire breast. About 5 percent of patients experience numbness in their nipples. This may occur if their nerves are cut or stretched during surgery.”

Q: How close do I need to be to my “ideal weight” in order to have the optimal result from liposuction?

A: Dr. Poulos stresses that, “The key thing to know about liposuction is that it is not intended to be a weight loss tool or method. It is simply to address the parts of the body that are not responding to diet and exercise. That said, the industry standard for liposuction is a candidate who is within at least 30% of their ideal weight and are of average body weight. Other things to consider for an optimal result are skin elasticity and muscle tone.”

Q: How long does a Botox treatment last?

A: According to Dr. Poulos, “One treatment may last 3-4 months, but may not result in a significant improvement of the wrinkles for the long term. One or two years of consistent Botox in the same area will result in long term reversal of some wrinkles and optimize the improvements you may be looking for.”

Dr. Poulos adds, “It is recommended to repeat Botox injections every 4 months for maintenance. As you continue to use Botox, deeper wrinkles will continue to soften as dermal remodeling takes place.”

Q: If a partner squeezes your implants too hard during sex, can they burst or alter shape?

A: Dr. Poulos reassures that, “It's impossible. He'd have to use superhuman force to rupture them. And they won't change shape.”

Q: Are there any non-invasive procedures that can sculpt my body, so I don’t have to get liposuction?

A: Yes! The most well-known non-invasive option is Coolsculpting. With this procedure fat cells are frozen in a way that does not damage other tissues and spot areas of excess fat can be sculpted. Still ,as with lipo one must have reasonable skin elasticity to achieve good results.  Another non -invasive option is the V-shape Accent Prime . This device combines radiofrequency (RF) for skin tightening and ultrasound for fat reduction in one treatment and can achieve significant improvement over time.

Q: How long do the results of a facelift last?

Dr. Poulos says that, “One thing is for certain and that is that the aging process goes on regardless of the technique. Eventually if one wishes to maintain the improvement, touch up procedures will be necessary. An average time might be 7-10 years. Those that address the deeper muscle layers do last longer, but there is more difference (in longevity) between individuals than techniques, and the same is true of time for recovery.”

Q: I lost over 50 pounds and now have excessive loose skin on my stomach, arms and inner thighs. What’s my best option and what’s involved?

A body lift is the most common option when addressing excessive skin after significant weight loss. It’s important to research this procedure and go about it in a way that makes sense given your overall health. Body lift offers a permanent result provided weight is kept the same. The thing to consider with a body lift is a high Body Mass Index and potential for abnormal scarring and fluid buildup. Be sure the surgeon shares all risks and benefits.

Q: Should I get saline or silicone breast implants?

here are two basic types of breast implants: saline and silicone gel.

Dr. Poulos says that, “Most women feel that silicone implants feel more like natural breasts which is due to the viscosity of the filler material. Previous concerns about the association of auto immune disease with silicone have been largely disproven and the vast majority of plastic surgeons feel that silicone is a perfectly safe alternative.”

*About Dr. Stanley Poulos

Dr. Poulos is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon and Co-Founder with Yngvar Hvistendahl, M.D of Plastic Surgery Specialists recognized as one of the premier aesthetic surgery clinics in Northern California.

Dr. Poulos helped pioneer the quick lift facial rejuvenation surgery in California and has extensive experience in body contour procedures. With over 30-years’ experience in aesthetic procedures, Dr. Poulos has been on the forefront of innovative procedures such as the quick-lift facial rejuvenation, mommy makeover, and vaser lipo-contouring. Dr. Poulos combines his consistent knowledge of new treatment options with his mastery of facial and body symmetry.

His recent focus has been on the gastric balloon, a groundbreaking, non-surgical, medically assisted, outpatient procedure offering weight loss to those seeking to lose between 30 and 75 pounds who may be ineligible for the more invasive gastric bypass surgery. This exciting new procedure allows patients to achieve optimal health and, when combined with exercise and proper nutrition, the results have been exceptional.

A graduate of the University of Texas Medical School, Dr. Poulos completed his internship and residency at UC San Francisco. He completed surgery and plastic surgery training in San Francisco prior to entering private practice in Marin County where he co-founded PSS (www.psspecialists.com)

Not sponsored. 

*Guest post