Fashion | Permanent Fashion

Are You Ready for Plastic Surgery?

June 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

It’s easy to look in the mirror and see all of your flaws. Maybe you don’t like your hips or there’s just a little too much tummy fat. Perhaps your nose looks too big or your lips too small. If you’ve ever thought this about your body, you are not alone. In fact, hundreds of people every day turn to plastic surgery in order to fix the perceived flaws in their physical appearance. If you are considering plastic surgery, be sure to ask yourself a few questions before you make the decision.

- Are you emotionally secure? Plastic surgery is only successful for those who are emotionally sound and secure. If you are not in the right state of mind, then you will likely not be happy with the results of your surgery.

- Have you saved enough money? Plastic surgery is expensive, although worth the investment in most cases. Make sure you have saved enough for the surgery and are ready for the expense.

- Are you mostly happy with your body? If you are happy with most parts of your body, but want to fix just a few small places, then surgery is a good option. If you look in the mirror and see that everything is out of place and un-proportioned, then plastic surgery might not be the best option for you right now. A plastic surgeon can fix flaws, but he can’t make everything perfect.

If you can answer these questions with confidence, then it’s time to take a trip to the plastic surgeons office. What kind of work will you have done?

Image via Wikipedia

Filed Under: Fashion, General Tagged With: Health, Plastic surgery, Surgery

Heidi Montag

February 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment

A new name to the world of overdone plastic surgery is reality television star Heidi Montag, formerly of MTV’s Laguna Beach and The Hills television series. Born in Crested Butte, Colorado, Montag relocated to California in her youth, quickly falling in love with the West coast lifestyle and all that came with it: sudden fame, media attention and a rocky romance. However Montag shocked the world as audiences watched the attractive blond undergo a number of plastic surgeries that landed her in headlines for all the wrong reasons.

In 2007, at the age of 21, Montag underwent her first plastic surgery, a breast augmentation that significantly enhanced her chest size. She also underwent rhinoplasty—better known as a nose job—as well as collagen lip injections. At first, Montag denied going under the knife, but as media speculation rose, and before and after photos of the reality TV star surfaced, Montag confirmed the rumors and spoke with US Weekly about her decision to pursue plastic surgery at such a young age. Not long after Montag made headlines again in an interview with People magazine in which she revealed that she had undergone ten intensive plastic surgeries in one day by esteemed plastic surgeon Dr. Frank Ryan. These procedures covered a variety of surgeries including a second breast augmentation and second rhinoplasty, a chin reduction, ear pinnings and brow lifts. In the interview Montag also revealed that while undergoing these surgeries she almost died due to an overdose of the drug demerol.

Later in 2010 Montag revealed to Life & Style Magazine a number of scars she now has as a result of the high number of plastic surgeries she underwent. Montag admitted in the interview that some of her body parts now actually look worse after plastic surgery than they did before. She also admitted that she wished she had been more informed when making such life changing decisions.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Frank Ryan, Heidi Montag, Reality television

Gillies: The Father of Plastic Surgery

February 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Image by Simon Harriyott via Flickr

Sir Harold Delf Gillies is largely considered the father of plastic surgery and is credited with performing the first successful skin graft in history. Originally born in New Zealand in 1882, Gillies primarily worked in London as an otolaryngologist—an ear, nose and throat specialist—and was educated at Cambridge University.

After studying under a number of leading surgeons, and witnessing the development of experimental skin grafting techniques and procedures, Gilles began to focus strictly on the repair of facial disfigurations. He was instrumental in the establishment of a facial injury ward at the Cambridge Military Hospital which would later be transformed into the world’s first facial injury hospital known as Queen’s Hospital. While working at Queen’s Hospital, Gillies and his team of esteemed surgeons developed many of the first techniques of plastic surgery. A number of these techniques, paired with more modern technologies, are still used in plastic surgeries today.

While at Queen’s Hospital, Gillies and his men performed more than 11,000 surgeries on more than 5,000 patients, many of whom has been severely disfigured during the war. Among his many accomplishments was the facial repair of Walter Yeo who was the first ever recorded patient to undergo successful skin graft surgery. The majority of injuries Gillies worked to correct involved gunshot wounds. Through his methodical research Gillies allowed for many veterans of the First World War to continue their lives normally after suffering serve cosmetic injuries. He also organized plastic surgery units throughout a number of British hospitals. For his work, he was knighted in 1930.

In addition to his work during wartime, Gillies also maintained a private practice in which he treated a number of famous patients. He also traveled worldwide promoting new techniques in plastic surgery as well as lecturing and teaching new medical professionals and surgeons. He and a colleague are also credited with performing the first ever sex reassignment surgery to transform first a female into a male and later a male into a female. During these surgeries Gillies pioneered a specific flap technique which would later become the standard for such procedures.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: New Zealand, Plastic surgery, Walter Yeo

The First Plastic Surgery

February 10, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The history of plastic surgery dates back to 1917 when a young British naval officer named Walter Ernest O’Neil Yeo received what it believed to have been the first ever skin graft. Yeo, a sailor during World War I, primarily grew up in Plymouth, England and was raised in a single parent home by his mother, Rhoda. Yeo joined the British Royal Navy at age 12 as a Bugler for a number of years before later serving as Leading Seaman, a Petty Officer and finally a Warrant Officer. However, during the Battle of Jutland—a naval battle between Britain and Germany in the North Sea near Denmark—Yeo was badly injured while manning firearms aboard the HMS Warspite. Due to the severity of his injuries, which disfigured most of his face, he was admitted into Plymouth Hospital while he awaited entry to Queen’s Mary Hospital where a team of better skilled surgeons and doctors were available to operate on him.

The extent of Yeo’s injuries were substantial. During the battle, Yeo lost all his upper and lower eyelids and therefore could not close his eyes or blink, a source of constant discomfort and distress, aside from painful and extremely visible scarring. Once admitted into Queen Mary’s Hospital, Yeo was operated on by Sir Harold Gillies, who is largely known as the first doctor to make use of skin grafts, or the use of sections of undamaged skin elsewhere on the body to repair damaged areas of the skin. Yeo is believed to be the first patient to undergo such skin grafting.

During the lengthy process of Yeo’s skin transformation, a mask of skin was laid across Yeo’s face and eyes which created material for new eyelids. Yeo would undergo one additional facial operation to better fit the mask, and while his medical diagnosis was listed as significantly improved yet still severely disfigured, he continued to live a normal life until his death at the age of 50 of natural causes.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Battle of Jutland, HMS Warspite, Skin grafting

Extreme Makeover

February 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Extreme Makeover was a controversial reality TV show launched in 2002 on the ABC television network. The show followed the lives of individuals who volunteered to receive extreme physical makeovers in the form of severe plastic surgeries, intense exercise regimes, and hair and wardrobe improvements. The show was hosted by stylist Sam Saboura and brought in a diverse team of plastic surgeons, dermatologists, eye surgeons, dentists, nutritionists and trainers to facilitate each candidate’s transformation.

The big reveal of each episode occurred when the transformed individuals were finally able to meet face to face with family and loved ones who had not seen the individuals since the start of the transformation process, which often times spanned more than six months. Later updates on contestant were also included in the show to track the lives and progress of the show’s transformed individuals.

Extreme Makeover served as the spinoff launch for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, a popular home renovation show in which builders and celebrities pitch in to provide dream homes for worthy contestants. However unlike Extreme Makeover, the Home Edition has continued to dominate the ABC Network in recent years. Extreme Makeover: Wedding was also introduced as an additional spin off idea, though the potential television show was only introduced to the network in a single pilot episode and never aired again.

Extreme Makeover received much criticism as it relied on potentially harmful plastic surgeries to correct body imperfections that could have otherwise been achieved through rigid diet and exercise. Due to television airing times and schedules, many of the surgeries and physical fitness regimes were also criticized as not allowing enough recovery time for each contestant to fully achieve their aesthetic goals in a safe and healthy manner. Extreme Makeover also underwent a lawsuit from the family of a former contestant who was dropped from the show, suffered severe emotional distress and subsequently took her own life. The legal battle waged for over a year and was settled for an undisclosed amount of money.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: American Broadcasting Company, Extreme Makeover, Sam Saboura

The Swan

February 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

In 2004 the Fox TV network introduced a new concept in reality TV, one that involved extreme physical makeovers and intense rounds of plastic surgeries. Known as The Swan, after the story of The Ugly Duckling who transformed into a beautiful swan, the show took sixteen women who were self identified as “ugly ducklings” and assigned to them a team of medical and aesthetic professionals, including coaches, trainers, therapists, cosmetic surgeons and dentists. Together the woman and her team designed her perfect body and face over a three-month period of time. Two doctors were specifically chosen to participate in the pageant—Doctors Terry Dubrow and Randal Haworth—due to their abilities to create astounding transformations.

The Swan ran for two seasons and starred Amanda Byram, a former model and Irish television personality, as the host. The highly controversial program had a number of unique rules that each contestant had to abide by, including not being allowed to view themselves in mirrors for the entire three-month period. Each contestant was critiqued by a panel of judges that included former beauty pageant winners, model executives, fashion editors and photographers. The women were critiqued on qualities such as work ethic and personal growth.

Winners of the contest received a number of prizes in addition to a completely new face and body. Additional prizes included a modeling contract with a national modeling agency, a personalized designer wardrobe, a one-week all expenses paid vacation in Hawaii, a weekend publicity trip to Las Vegas, a $50,000 educational scholarship, $10,000 worth of life coaching, a new Jaguar and $50,000 in cash.

The Swan received major criticism from psychologists nationwide as a show that promoted plastic surgery and unrealistic perfection. Other critics believed the show preyed on insecure, emotionally unstable and vulnerable individuals who faced serious psychological disorders surrounding their physical appearances. Medical professionals claimed the show was unsafe due to the extreme number of plastic surgeries contestants were to undergo. Eventually the show was cancelled after two seasons.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Plastic surgery, Randal Haworth, Swan

Bridalplasty

February 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

In 2010 the E! Network introduced a new show designed to give one lucky bride the body and face they’ve always wanted for one special day: their wedding day. Bridalplasty, hosted by former model and Miss America contestant Shanna Moakler, is one of the more outrageous reality TV shows introduced to television in recent years. Twelve contestants compete to win their perfect wedding while completing various challenges along the way. Each challenge corresponds to a certain plastic surgery that contestants undergo should they win the challenge. The overall winner of Bridalplasty receives all surgeries on her plastic surgery wish list in addition to a dream wedding, the perfect wedding dress and a great reveal on the day of the wedding. All plastic surgeries on the show were performed by Dr. Terry Dubrow while Ben “BC” Camper served as the personal trainer for the winning contestant, ensuring the victorious bride is also in tip top shape for her big day.

All contestants on the show live together in a mansion where drama unfolds daily. Episodes test the overall compatibility of their brides and their fiancés; put the women through extreme physical challenges; test them on domestic duties and chores; and challenge them to design their perfect wedding days. Additional obstacles include dealing with incompatible mother-in-laws, taking lie detector tests and surprise eliminations.

Bridalplasty is one of the most controversial reality TV shows airing on the E! Network. Many psychologists and nutritionists denounce the show as promoting self destructive behaviors and body image issues, such as body dysmorphic disorder, a disorder where the individual maintains an excessive obsession about a perceived flaw in one’s physical appearance. Additional critics of the show warn that it glorifies plastic surgery and promotes it as a quick fix to problems otherwise solved by diet and exercise. Bridalplasty is also criticized for idolizing perfection. As each contestant is dismissed, they are warned that their weddings may not be perfect.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Bridalplasty, Plastic surgery, Surgery

Classic Colors or Patterns?

January 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Clothing styles change just like we change our underwear, as soon as you find a pattern that you like, it becomes obsolete in a few years – usually to come back reinvented in several more seasons. Nonetheless, it renders your fond foliate obsolete, unless you choose to wear it anyway at the risk of being unfashionable.

So, the risk of purchasing might seem daunting – do you choose classic colors that never go out of style, or do you choose patterns with the hope that they will remain in style long enough to don them for a few months?

The answer is probably both. You should have a good mix of items that will make your wardrobe complete, allowing you to have great versatility, making your outfits show your personal style, and add some vibrancy to your day.

Everyone has their own fashion rules that they like to stand by, whether that is to feel comfortable no matter what they’re wearing, or that they won’t wear anything that they can not chase their kids around in. Find what works for you.

Patterns are pretty common, regardless of how much they might change, you might find patterns with foliage, plaids, stripes, etc. You might also be more pulled to classic colors that work together in pairing outfits and easier for you to pick out your clothing on an everyday basis. This is why you have to go with your gut and find items that will work in conjunction with your existing wardrobe and choose pieces that will fill in the gaps, whether they are classic colors or patterns and prints.

Maybe you’ll even surprise yourself and find a piece that you never would have picked for yourself and end up falling in love with after you try it on. Shopping with friends is also a great way to find something new and refreshing to match your wardrobe, since friends are honest when you try on clothes.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Clothing

Creating a Personal Style

January 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

How do you like to dress? Do you dress for comfort, do you dress for style, or do you dress to impress? Every person; whether they truly know it or not, has their own style, that becomes unique with their own personality, classiness, body shape; and how they pose themselves with what they wear.

Some people, haphazardly dress, not caring about style – yet still this becomes their personal style.

Where do you fit in? Are you in the category of busy mom that just wears something that doesn’t have baby residue on it and smells clean, or do you prepare yourself carefully for the day, ready to make a statement?

Style shapes us in ways that we never truly could have imagined. You might not coo at magazines to find latest fashion finds, but might browse the clearance racks of last season’s items to make a hip style that is uniquely yours.

In trying to create a style, consider:

How much money you have to spend on clothing. This will help you decide where you can look for new items. Shopping in thrift stores and clearance racks might offer you a wide selection, but take more time. Shopping through catalogs or higher end stores, however, might prove too wasteful of resources.

Browse through magazines and catalogs to figure out what you like and then start shopping. Look for items that flatter your body, and that you are comfortable wearing. How many times have you purchased an outfit, only to find later that you just don’t like how it hugs your butt when you try to sit down for an important meeting, or find yourself drooling over a pair of shoes that you just can’t grocery shop in?

Try on clothes! This is important, so you know if items truly fit you and how likely you are to live your busy day in them, no matter how long that might be.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Dress

Breast Implants: For you?

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Many women dream of having larger, fuller breasts, especially after nursing, weight loss, or other bodily changes. Having breast implants is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures completed for women in the ages between twenty and forty years of age. There is even a trial kit from Natrelle, where you can “size up your options at home” by testing out implants, picking which size you would like, and watching information on the procedure that you are seeking to have completed. You will also review the differences in saline and silicone-gel implants.

In seeking implants, women generally seek support. A great resource for women would be to check out yourplasticsurgeryguide.com/breast-implants/. This site explores through a questionnaire if you are in fact a good candidate for this procedure, as well as can connect you to local mentors as well as practicing doctors in your area.

Prior to seeking cosmetic surgery, it is important to research breast implants as well as what you would be looking for in appearance from having this procedure done. Understanding the type of implants you would want to get includes more than size, but also shape and will need to be chosen also based on your physical activity throughout your day. By researching more about implants, you will learn about the anatomy of the breast implant, where they would go inside of your breast and you will go over the implications of having breast implants.

There are many to be aware of including leaking, physical changes over time, replacement, having them removed, as well as continued breast care. Breast implants make it more challenging to complete breast examinations at home, as well as in the doctor’s office. Mammograms can be more challenging to read as well. All of this information needs to be considered before having the cosmetic procedure complete. Visit the plastic surgery guide for more information.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Breast implant