A Skin Lightening Procedure NOT For You!

Usually it’s tanning beds and sun bathing that cause obsession within our society. Everyone wants that sun kissed look, even if they have to burn to a crisp, or up their risk for skin cancer. But then there are those that want the opposite, a more lighter look. 

Most skin whitening treatments use a combination of topical lotions or gels containing melanin-inhibiting ingredients. Combined with sunscreen and a prescription retinoid or RetinA derivative, plus some possible chemical peels, a procedure my practice provides, you could be on your way to lighter skin. 

However, the Phillippines FDA has issued an advisory on a different form of skin whitening due to its serious health risks. Recently it has become popular to inject glutathione, a liver-generated compound that plays a role in antioxidant defense, metabolism and regulation, into the veins to cause skin whitening. It is believed that glutathione inactivates the enzyme tyroninase. This particular enzyme helps produce melanin, which, when inactive, could cause the pigment to become the lighter pheomelanin.

The risks, however, don’t seem to be worth the end result. Patients receiving twice-weekly glutathione injections into the vein are experiencing:

• Stevens-Johnson syndrome
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis 
• Thyroid function derangement
• Kidney dysfunction, potentially leading to kidney failure
• Severe abdominal pains
• Overload in renal circulation

Not one of these side-effects is worth the injections. If you are seriously considering a skin whitening procedure, bear in mind the other options; options that will not harm you the way this procedure can.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Carmen Kavali

Discovery Links Progeria to Normal Aging

There are many ways to fight aging, especially on the face. At my Atlanta plastic surgery practice I provide Botox, dermal fillers, Sculptra, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion among other treatments. I also provide surgical procedures such as a forehead lift and face lift. There are so many options that one is bound to suit your aging face’s needs. Of course, these treatments and procedures are only skin deep. We can’t truly turn back the clock, but we can continue to try and understand why we age.

Prior to new findings, it was thought that the body aged due to our cells gradually wearing out. However, new findings show that there is a link between normal aging, and the age-related disease Progeria, which causes children to age at seven times the normal rate. 

Progeria is caused by a mutation in a gene called LMNA that makes the toxic protein known as progerin. The protein is what causes the children to begin aging so quickly. However, new studies have found the same toxic protein in perfectly healthy human beings, but it much lower amounts. Therefore, it could actually be this toxic protein causing all aging; the less progerin, the slower the aging process.

Why is this a huge discovery? It means that aging isn’t what we thought it was. If progerin is the reason why we age, aging is actually a biological mechanism programmed into our cells from birth; a mechanism that is tweaked when it comes to age-related diseases. This not only allows us to understand the aging process, it opens up an understanding towards these diseases as well.

To your health and beauty,

Carmen Kavali

Botox Lasts Longer That You Think

Botox is the most popular non-invasive cosmetic procedure done each year. I administer Botox injections quite frequently at my Atlanta plastic surgery practice. Many patients go for this treatment because it takes only fifteen minutes four times a year for best results. Yet, some patients considering Botox are not ready, or sometimes can’t afford, four treatments a year. However, research shows that four treatments a year is no longer needed for great Botox results.

A new study treated fifty women between the ages of 30 and 50, the recommended age bracket to start Botox, for two years only to find that Botox can reduce wrinkles with half as many visits as previously thought. The study found that if patients receive Botox every four months for two years, treatment can be reduced to every six months. This is a long way from a consistent Botox treatment of every three months indefinitely.

It’s true that patients that stick to treatment every three months will most likely have better results, but the study showed that treatment every four to six months produced comparable wrinkle reducing results. With these new findings there are only more reasons for patients to undergo Botox now. Not only is it even quicker and easier to keep up results, it is now more affordable. Patients who were once on the fence about Botox are more likely to reconsider due to these new findings. 

Will you consider Botox now that treatments don’t have to be as often?

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Carmen Kavali

The Skinny on Your Body Fat

When people think of fat, many people picture an abundance of fat that they would rather live without. People will picture someone unhealthy. But, fat actually has some very healthy qualities. It stores energy, influences our ability to fight infections, regulates our blood pressure, and affects the way our blood forms clots. Therefore, too little fat could be just as unhealthy as too much. What we need to find is a healthy balance, not to mention that we should pay close attention to our visceral fat.

Our bodies store two types of fat: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is the kind of fat my Atlanta plastic surgery practice can help you with. Because it resides right beneath your skin, I can easily perform liposuction on it. My practice also provides laser-assisted liposuction. Watch as your thighs, love handles and belly pouch shrink to give you the contoured look you’ve always wanted. 

However, when it comes to visceral fat, you are on your own. This fat settles in your abdominal cavity and cannot be surgically removed. Lipo does not penetrate that deeply. The more visceral fat you have, the more at risk you are. It has been known to have a hand in diabetes, cardiac disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, and other health issues. 

How do we get such high amounts?

Our heredity does have a hand in how much visceral fat we store. But habits like not exercising and eating junk food are the main reasons. It’s why even people within, or close to, their healthy weight can have high amounts of this fat. How many times have you seen a fairly skinny person except for their bulbous belly? Men, especially, sport beer bellies, but may be perfectly proportioned in every other aspect.

So how do we get rid of visceral fat or avoid it altogether?

Since lack of activity and unhealthy eating habits are the cause, the best options are to start exercising daily and cutting back on the junk. Think walking or running every day with less potato chips, beer and ice cream. In fact, unless you suffer from obesity, which can qualify you for Barriatric surgery or oral medication to curb your appetite, these are your only options for ridding your body of visceral fat. And though it may not be as easy as gaining it, losing the unhealthy fat can be done if you are committed and focused.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Carmen Kavali

Restylane For Your Lips

In Atlanta, dermal fillers are a popular treatment with my patients. Aging causes the fullness in our hands and face to deplete, causing deep lines, hollowed looking eyes, and an overall older appearance. Dermal fillers, such as Restylane, can temporarily rectify these issues for up to a year, or even longer if you return for a touch up. Even better is the fact that a treatment such as this works instantly!

But were you aware that Restylane is good for other things too?

At my Atlanta plastic surgery practice, I use Restylane for lip augmentations with great results. The results are smooth and can last up to a year. Restylane is also great to use as a “lip liner” to plump the lip margins, which prevents lipstick-bleed. What woman wouldn’t want that? To put it simply, Restylane as a lip plumper is great for overall volume.

As of right now, Restylane is the only FDA approved dermal filler for a lip augmentation. No others can do what Restylane has been shown to do. Aside from some redness and minor swelling at the injection site within the first few days, patients that opt for this treatment are very happy with their new plump lips. So don’t just stick out those lips in hopes that you will appear pouty and sexy. Instead, get yourself a real pout in a matter of minutes.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Carmen Kavali

What Traffic Does To Your Skin

In Atlanta, plastic surgery is very popular, especially with patients seeking to reduce wrinkles or skin spots. I frequently treat patients with Botox or dermal fillers to get rid of wrinkles. Other patients opt for laser skin resurfacing or microdermabrasion. Of course, some patients choose to undergo a face lift or forehead lift. All will give a patient a more youthful appearance.

But what if I told you that part of the reason you could be aging is due to traffic-related airborne particles? Particles such as this have already been found to be harmful to your lungs, and have also been linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes as well as cognitive failure in the elderly. Studies are also trying to find a link between Alzheimer’s and traffic-related airborne particles.

But new studies are now linking these particles to early skin aging too. After studying a group of people who lived in a heavily industrialized area, as well as a group in a rural area for twenty years, a strong association has been established between residing near areas with heavy traffic and increased wrinkling and pigment spots. The association was so strong that traffic-related airborne particles is now ranked third, underneath UV radiation and tobacco smoke, as the most potentially modifiable major factor in early skin aging.

Perhaps it’s time to cut back on the all the cars and buses after so much evidence has shown its harmful effects to not only the environment but to us also.

To your health and beauty,

 
Dr. Carmen Kavali

Does The Fat Come Back?

In Atlanta, liposuction, whether it be traditional or laser-assisted lipo, is one of the most common procedures I perform. Many of the patients that come into my Atlanta, Georgia plastic surgery practice have worked really hard to reach a healthy weight but have one or a few areas of fat they can’t seem to shake. Due to liposuction being a body contouring procedure, these patients are ideal candidates and can easily obtain the body they’ve been working towards. It also helps to be as close to your goal weight as possible because new studies show that fat has a tendency to return within one year of a liposuction procedure.

Don’t just write off liposuction just yet. In fact, fat has shown to be quite adamant in returning after dieting and exercising as well. However, whereas fat usually returns to the same spots after diet and exercise, the fat will not settle back into any areas that have previously been liposuctioned. Meaning, your sexy shape will still be retained.

But why is fat so adamant on returning no matter what we do? Scientists believe that the brain, or possibly some other part of the body, is trying to regulate the body after weight loss, which could cause the body to gain back any poundage that has been lost. If scientists are able to prove this, it means that maintaining a healthy body weight from the start is more important than ever. It definitely is worth considering before you reach for the chips over whole wheat crackers to give to your children.

The bottom line is that a healthy lifestyle should be maintained no matter what. Liposuction is a great tool to help with any problem areas, but it is not a weight loss procedure. Even afterwards, it’s important to continue a healthy diet and to exercise daily in order to combat the fat that will try and return.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Carmen Kavali