High-Strength Lidocaine Skin Creams Can Cause Seizures, Heart Trouble, FDA Warns

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• March 29, 2024
• Full Page

Some pain-relieving skin products contain potentially harmful doses of the numbing agent lidocaine and should be avoided, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.

These creams, gels, sprays and soaps are marketed for topical use to relieve the pain of cosmetic proced...

Cosmetic Surgery Leaves 1 in 8 Patients With Chronic Post-Op Pain

• Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
• March 13, 2024
• Full Page

Norwegians are increasingly asking surgeons for a nip, tuck or implant, and many -- especially men -- have pain that lingers long after their procedure, a new survey shows.

Researchers asked 1,746 adults in Norway whether they had undergone cosmetic surgery and how it tu...

Is 'Selfie' Culture Driving Folks to Cosmetic Surgery?

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• March 7, 2024
• Full Page

The "selfie"culture on social media appears to be intensifying people's desires to undergo cosmetic procedures, a new study suggests.

Time spent on Snapchat or Instagram seems to heighten a person's interest in such procedures, researchers found. This was particularly tr...

Ozempic Eases Fatty Liver Disease in People Living With HIV

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• March 7, 2024
• Full Page

There's more good news around the diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic: It might help ease fatty liver disease in people living with HIV, new research shows.

Six months of weekly injections of Ozempic (semaglutide) result...

Tummy Tucks, Liposuctions Are Killing Americans Visiting Dominican Republic

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• January 26, 2024
• Full Page

Too many American tourists looking for cheap cosmetic surgeries alongside their beach time are winding up dead in the Dominican Republic, a new report finds.

Between 2009 and 2022, 93 people -- almost all young or middle-aged women -- have died after undergoing tummy tuc...

Cosmetic Procedure in Your Plans for '24? An Expert Offers Advice

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• January 12, 2024
• Full Page

More than a few folks are considering a cosmetic skin procedure to enhance their looks heading into 2024.

Botox, fillers and lasers are common means to sculpt a person's appearance, but dermatologists recommend a comprehensive approach under the care of a qualified speci...

'Tummy Tucks' Still Very Safe; Often Done Along With Liposuction, Review Finds

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• December 27, 2023
• Full Page

Thinking of getting a tummy tuck in the new year? The procedure has remained very safe, a new 16-year analysis shows, with many patients opting for a little liposuction at the same time.

"Abdominoplasty [tummy tuck] remains a safe and reliable procedure over the study pe...

Women Give High Marks to Breast Reconstruction Using Patient's Own Tissue

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• October 3, 2023
• Full Page

Women who have breast reconstruction using their own tissue instead of implants ma be more satisfied with the results, new research shows.

"The findings were unexpected, since autologous breast reconstruction is a more complex procedure, with a higher rate of severe comp...

Thinner Cheeks, Lots of Tweaks: America's Plastic Surgeons List Trends

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• February 15, 2023
• Full Page

From sculpting faces to show off cheek bones to removing excess skin above the eyelid, interest in a nip and tuck is up, an online survey of plastic surgeons reveals.

The findings are based on responses from a selected group of members of the American Academy of Facial P...

Minor Facial Scars Don't Affect Others' First Impressions, Study Finds

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• December 7, 2022
• Full Page

A facial scar may make a person self-conscious, but it doesn't change another person's first impressions of their attractiveness or confidence, a new survey shows.

The results found that a single, well-healed facial scar may even increase perceived friendliness, accordin...

Microneedling Can Help Surgical Scars Fade, Especially If Done Early

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• September 7, 2022
• Full Page

A technique called microneedling may help surgical scars heal more attractively -- especially if it's done within a couple of months of surgery, a small study suggests.

Researchers found ...

As Pandemic Eases, It's Boom Times for Cosmetic Surgeons

• By Sydney Murphy HealthDay Reporter
• August 24, 2022
• Full Page

Even after dropping 25 pounds, Megan Gilbert still had some insecurities when she looked in the mirror.

"After breastfeeding two kids and losing weight, my breasts no longer looked how I wanted them to," she said. "And I thought, 'Why be unhappy with this one part of my ...

Feminizing Facial Surgery Gives Mental Boost to Transgender People

• By Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling HealthDay Reporter
• July 11, 2022
• Full Page

Transgender patients who get gender-affirming surgery to create more feminine facial features say it's a big boost to their mental health, a new study reports.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), compared the mental health of 107 patients awa...

Some Sick Patients Get Cosmetic Surgery to Boost Appearance

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• April 11, 2022
• Full Page

Some patients with serious illnesses get cosmetic surgery to look healthier and be more comfortable in social situations or at work, a small study finds.

Researchers interviewed 12 patients who had cosmetic surgery at the start or during treatment for conditions such as ...

Do You Really Need That Nose Job? Selfies Distort Facial Features, Study Shows

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• April 8, 2022
• Full Page

With the advent of smartphones came the rise of selfies, shared daily by "like"-seeking millions across social media.

But a small new study suggests that, unlike photos taken with regular cameras, smartphone selfies distort facial features in a not-so-flattering way. And...

People With Scars Are Their Own Toughest Critics: Study

• March 22, 2022
• Full Page

Scars from facial surgery look worse to skin cancer patients themselves than to others, so it's important for surgeons to prepare patients beforehand, researchers say.

Doctors can help by outlining the healing process and explaining what their scars will look like in the...

Exercise Soon After Breast Plastic Surgery Is Safe, Healthy

• Cara Murez
• December 28, 2021
• Full Page

While some plastic surgeons recommend no exercise for weeks after breast augmentation, new research suggests the ban may not be necessary.

Laser Therapy Promises to 'Rejuvenate' Vaginal Tissue. A New Study Finds Otherwise

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• October 19, 2021
• Full Page

Laser-based vaginal "rejuvenation" is all the rage among women concerned about vaginal dryness and other "down there" symptoms of menopause, but it's buyer beware when it comes to these procedures, new research warns.

It turns out that laser-based vaginal rejuvenation ma...

FDA Warns Against Using At-Home Dermal Filler 'Pens'

• Robert Preidt and Ernie Mundell
• October 14, 2021
• Full Page

Plumped-up lips, wrinkle-free foreheads -- they're all part of the promise of dermal fillers, most reliably received at a cosmetic surgeon's clinic.

But cheaper, unapproved "at home" dermal filler pens, bought without a prescription, are another much more dangerous optio...

New Drug Might Be Non-Surgical Option for Common Skin Cancers

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• August 9, 2021
• Full Page

An experimental gel has shown early promise in treating the most common form of skin cancer -- hinting at a potential alternative to surgery in the future.

Researchers tested the gel in 30 patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a skin cancer diagnosed in more than 3 m...