Medical Spas - A Word of Caution to Doctors

The following is an excerpt from a recent Medical Board of California publication about the business of Medicine:

There has been an explosion of "cosmetic medicine" over the past few years, and many Physicians are being approached to "increase their bottom line" by entering into this lucrative field.

There is a tendency for the public, and some in the profession, to view laser treatments, Botox and cosmetic filler injections as cosmetic rather than medical treatments. The use of prescriptive drugs and devices, however, is the practice of medicine, and the same laws and regulations apply to these types of treatments as those driven by medical necessity.

Cosmetic procedures are the practice of medicine, and Physicians are responsible for their patients, regardless of who performs the treatments. There is no legal scheme that allows Physicians to collect a fee for signing their name to an agreement to lend their license to an entity to practice Medicine.

Legally, the "clients" of the spa or salon are patients - the Physician's patients, and that arrangement comes with all of the responsibility and liability that goes with any other Doctor-patient relationship.

See the entire Medical Board of California article here: http://www.mbc.ca.gov/licensee/medical_spas-business.pdf

Tips for finding a good Plastic Surgeon

From the LA Times, July 19, 2009:

If you're considering any type of cosmetic procedure, consumer watchdogs and medical organizations recommend you check up on your doctor first.

What's the best way to find a qualified surgeon?

According to Dr. Jean Loftus, author of "The Smart Woman's Guide to Plastic Surgery," the biggest problem with finding a qualified surgeon "is that as insurance reimbursements have gone down, the number of unqualified physicians who call themselves plastic surgeons has increased, so finding a plastic surgeon who's qualified is hard sometimes." Every doctor "is board certified in something," she added, "even if all they've done is a year internship after medical school.

"Here's the bottom line. . . . If you want to know that your plastic surgeon is properly certified, the meaningful question to ask is, 'Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?' " [or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada? (these Boards are equivalent and are both recognized by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons)].

The ABPS (abplsurg.org) recommends you go to plasticsurgery.org or surgery.org (the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery). The status of a physician's license can be found at www.medbd.ca.gov, California's medical licensing board website. American Board of Plastic Surgery?

Let's say the doctor is certified by a Board of Plastic Surgery. How do you know that doctor will produce good results?

Said Loftus, "Anybody who's interested in plastic surgery should see somebody who perhaps performed surgery on somebody else they know who got good results and was happy with their care," Loftus said. In addition, "they should ask the doctor to speak to a patient who's been unhappy with their results. Any doctor will give potential patients the names of happy customers, but how does that doctor handle patients that are unhappy?"

How many doctors should a potential patient consult?

Loftus recommends patients interview two or three.

What about all these advertisements for $3,000 breast augmentations and other procedures that seem to be priced ridiculously low? Is there a way for patients to determine if corners are being cut when prices are so substantially reduced?

"It's tough," Loftus said. "On the one hand, you get what you pay for. On the other, you've got a lot of plastic surgeons seeing their revenues drop with reduced numbers of patients. Ask questions. Does the price include anesthesia fees and operating room fees? Both can add substantially to the cost of the procedure. In some cases they might be advertising just the surgeon's fee and leaving out the other fees."

-- Susan Carpenter

Breast Augmentation - Am I a Good Candidate?

WHAT IS BREAST AUGMENTATION?

Breast augmentation is the insertion of implants to increase the size of the breasts, or to replace breast volume lost with childbearing, breastfeeding or significant weight loss.

BEFORE AUGMENTATION	AFTER AUGMENTATION

Most women desiring implants find that their breasts are proportionally smaller than the rest of their bodies.

Breast augmentation can help restore a woman’s sense of proportion and in many women can improve self-esteem and confidence.

Both saline and silicone breast implants are used for women undergoing breast augmentation for the first time.

To read more about the science and safety of all implants, visit the BreastImplantAnswers.com website.

Breast augmentation is the second most common cosmetic operation in the U.S., second only to liposuction. Patient satisfaction tends to be very high. One study showed an overall satisfaction rate of 97%.

AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR BREAST AUGMENTATION?

Any healthy woman who feels that her self-esteem or body image would be improved with larger breasts is a potential candidate for breast augmentation.

The most common types of patients who undergo breast augmentation are women who have lost breast volume after childbearing, and women who have always had small breasts in relation to the rest of their body.

Before any cosmetic surgery, you should be in good health, at a stable weight, with a regular exercise program and good nutrition without any major dietary restrictions.

You should also have the support (emotional and physical) support of your family or friends during your recovery so that you will have assistance with activities of daily living, and tasks requiring heavy lifting for 1-2 weeks after surgery.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Visit our website, Women's Plastic Surgery for details!

My supermodel breast cancer reconstruction patient, Esther, is back!

Congratulations to my fabulous patient Esther, a self-made internet supermodel, who has survived breast cancer, has a successful breast reconstruction and is getting back to modeling!



Gracing the covers of magazines, appearing in television shows and movies, modeling for some of the largest fashion names and running her extremely successful website, www.esther.com, is by all standards impressive, yet there is so much more to this woman.



Please visit her website to support her return to the spotlight, sign up for her emails and share your stories of strength and survival with her!

She will eventually share her story about cancer and reconstruction with the world. Stay tuned for her journey in her own words.

New post-surgical clothing line from my breast cancer reconstruction patient!

I am so proud of my patient Kathy Adams who has founded this fabulous clothing company designed for women facing breast cancer! Please read on and check out the links.

THE PROBLEM: “After my breast cancer surgery they sent me home with all these drains and tubes, I didn’t know how to manage them”


“There are no other products on the market that provide this solution. When I had my surgery two years ago the solution was to pin the drain to your blouse or put it in your waistband. Neither being comfortable or secure options. “
Founder, Kathy Adams













316 Mid Valley Center, Ste 188
Carmel, CA 93923
Phone: (831) 440 - 8834

These garments are designed to be dressed up by adding a favorite scarf or accessory....or used as everyday wear.

After one is finished with the drains, simply take out the drain pocket and continue wearing these attractive pieces for your yoga classes or just lounging around. They were designed and manufactured with comfort in mind.

Drain Holder	Drain Pocket (detached)	Drain inside of pocket	Drain outside of pocket

• Discreet snap channels manage the tubes to the drain pocket
• Styling is fashionable and comfortable
• Drain pocket is secure and completely removable after treatment is complete
• Made from wicking material for sensitive skin
• Designed by a breast cancer survivor JUST LIKE YOU
• Cut for easy access to the medical port if needed during treatment and drawing the eye away from the chest area for aesthetic reasons
• A choice for someone not wanting to wear prosthesis full time
• Sleeves cut to address the issues of lymph edema
• Matching Cool Chemo Cap™ and Cool Chemo Pant™
• The versatile styling allows one to dress them up with a few key accessories, or use them as comfort clothes, and still maintain fashion and function.

Offering Cool Chemo clothing as a solution to the patient will minimize the search for resources to assist them in the ongoing management and healing process of surgery.

Suggested insurance code L8015

The Cool Chemo Top™ has an attractive front closure that you can easily put on and remove. The draping of the top draws the eye to the peplum waist and away from the chest. This styling makes it less obvious if you choose not to wear a prosthesis.

The drain holders, concealed on each side of the top, are adjustable in placement and can be completely removed for use after your surgery. The wicking fabric not only helps regulate your body temperature it is also soft on sensitive skin after surgery.

Note: Insurance companies will cover two therapeutic garments per year.

BE SURE TO CHECK WITH YOUR COMPANY for authorization. Made in the USA.