Although this doesn’t apply to us here in the U.S., you might remember hearing about some troubles with the French implant maker PIP. The news initially broke last year that PIP had been using a cheaper industrial grade silicone in their silicone gel breast implants, rather than medical grade silicone. They were promptly shut down by French […]
I’d like to wish our friends, family, patients and staff every happiness this holiday season and throughout the coming year. The best part of this season is remembering those people who make the holidays meaningful. May your holidays be filled with joy and peace. All the best, Dr. Fiala
In a $425 million deal, Valeant Pharmaceuticals has purchased the dermatology unit of Sanofi-Adventis. For us, this means that Valeant will now be in charge of marketing Sculptra, the facial injectable filler agent. Sculptra is different than other dermal injectable fillers, like Restylane or Juvederm. It stimulates your body to produce some lost collagen, which […]
Upper pole fullness is the term plastic surgeons use to describe the desired shape of the upper part of a breast. Many women like the look of some upper pole fullness. The challenge for us is how to make this shape during surgery, and have it stay there.Certainly, breast implants are a proven way to […]
Seroma – a post-operative fluid collection – is the most common complication after a tummy tuck. It happens in about 5-10% of abdominoplasties. Surgeons generally try to prevent this problem by using one of three strategies – suction drains, internal “quilting” sutures or fibrin glue. Each technique has its advocates, and arguments about which technique […]
Observant readers will have noticed that I recently took a little break from blogging- and you’re right. I’ve been working on a manuscript for the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, which is one of the most respected journals in our specialty… and I just finished it and submitted it to the journal today. Hopefully, with a little […]
This week, the FDA approved a new hyaluronic filler, called Belotero Balance. It’s made by Merz Pharmaceuticals, the makers of scar product Mederma and Botox wanna-be Xeomin. Belotero has been on the market in Europe in 3 separate formulations, which are designed for different applications. So far, the U.S. only gets this one version.Like the other […]
There are two great products for skin care: Retin-A and sunscreen. With the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching, I was reminded of a certain educational poster about the need for sunscreen and sun protection….I hope you find it as funny as I did! Poster: S Cooper, “Baking is for Turkeys”
The allure of instant contouring of the buttock or breast with an injectable filler is pretty strong. It sounds like such a promising concept – a few quick injections, no invasive surgery – and voila!, instant shaping. Search the internet, and you’ll see lots of sites about hydrogel injections for instant buttock augmentation. Question: what injectable material […]
Say hello to Exparel. It’s a new form of a local anesthetic that’s been recently approved by the U.S. FDA. Here’s the neat part: a single dose can provide relief for up to 72 hours, which is a big improvement over what we have now. The product combines the long-acting anesthetic bupivacaine with Pacira’s patented […]
