Plastic Surgery

Now that Valentine's Day has come and gone and summer love is fast approaching, are your lips kissable?  

What are "kissable lips"?  "Kissable lips" are a term we use for lips that have balance, proportion and plumpness so that when you see them you can't help but want to kiss them. Some of us are blessed with naturally full-figured lips.  For others, a provocative lipstick color can help enhance a lip's sultriness.  A subtle lip augmentation can help add fullness in all the right areas.

What are the keys to a well-shaped lip?

1.  Don't over do it.  Too much filler can lead to an obvious lip augmentation, which is not attractive.
2.  Put fullness where it counts.  Creating a soft, pillowy effect by plumping lips in the central area of the lip.
3.  Gentle curves.  Placing a small amount of fillers near the corners of the mouth can create a nice balance and transition.
4.  Make sure your lips match you.  Just like you would not wear stripes and plaid together, you want to make sure your lips "go with" you.  Have your lips match you, whether you are dramatic like Versace or understated elegance like Chanel.
5.  Use the right filler.  The right lip filler will be smooth, soft and last.

(Photo: Patient with lip augmentation performed by Dr. Anil Shah)

June is here and to quote Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson,"It is wedding season." Brides are expected to glow and look flawless, the Mother of the Bride wants to look better than the Mother of the Groom and vice versa, and everyone wants to look as fabulous as possible. More and more brides are seeking services from not just their hairdresser, trainer, dietician, wedding planner, but from a plastic surgeon as well. The biggest question is, "What procedures can I have before my wedding? And when?" Dr. Shah recommends giving yourself an adequate amount of time for healing prior to the wedding. (Click here for link to wedding and big event timetable).

For patients seeking subtle age enhancements, a gentle touch of botox or facial filler can be performed, ideally with a minimum of 2 weeks time before the big day. This allows the rare patient who bruises plenty of time to recover and not stress about the healing process.

For those seeking nasal reshaping (rhinoplasty), Dr. Shah recommends at least a 3 month period of time with 6 months to a year being ideal. This allows for swelling in the nose and especially the nasal tip to be minimized as much as possible.

Mothers of the bride and older brides may be candidates for a face lift or eye lift. These are typically best performed 3 months prior.

Many brides are also seeking longer lashes, which can be achieved through the use of Latisse, which should be started 3 months prior to maximize the effects.

With weddings, it is all about the details. For some brides and mothers of the bride or groom, it is about fading a line or smoothing a nasal bump to make the day as special as possible.

Karl Malden and his infamous nose.


Micheal Jackson and his infamous nose.

When people talk to me about noses they don't like, two names were often mentioned: Micheal Jackson and Karl Malden. Both were supremely talented, yet polar opposites who grew up in Gary , Indiana and both passed away within one week of each other.

Patients would often tell me that they would not want their nose to look like Karl Malden. Karl Malden stated his nose looked like it did because of having several broken noses with sports. He once joked that "the only actor in Hollywood whose nose qualifies him for handicapped parking." His large, bulbous nose became a trademark and part of his face and personna, adding to the character he played in movies. His nose is often stated as the nose that patients would not want to have.

Michael Jackson's nose and his nose surgeries have been well chronicled. He sought to have and change his nose drastically, changing his appearance from a handsome young man to a symbol of going too far in plastic surgery. In many ways, his appearance has helped serve as a reminder in plastic surgery that more surgery and more extreme surgery does not equate to more harmonious results.

Both of these transformative figures will surely be missed for their lifelong accomplishments in music and acting. However, their famous noses, one too large and the other too small, will also not be forgotten.

ABC News recently reported on their top 10 procedures to avoid in plastic surgery. While I don't offer any of these procedures, it is important to note that every procedure has technical nuances which are harder to master than others. On the other hand, some procedures such as Lipodissolve have a history of unpredictable results and poor outcomes that they are definitely on the off list.

1. Meosotherapy and Lipodissolv
2. Cosmetic Surgery of the Feet
3. Permanent Filler Injections
4. Injection for breast augmentation
5. Cosmetic Leg Legthening Surgery
6. Buttock Implants
7. Tattooed Makeup
8. Facial Liposuction
9. Combination Mastopexy and Breast Implant
10. Any Procedure By Untrained Hands