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Is Plastic Surgery the Ultimate Gift

Cameras, jewelry, iPods. These are things we expect to see on the wish lists of our friends and family. But, a face lift? Yep, it seems that cosmetic procedures have found their way into Santa’s sack.
With this trend, though, comes a warning. While giving someone a pricey surgery can be considered kind and loving, it can also come with problematic implications. Because the choice is such a personal one, gifting a plastic surgery procedure can be interpreted as meddling and insulting. If you’re thinking of bestowing a loved one with the gift of physical improvement this year, make sure it will be well-received.
Gift-Giver Beware
It wasn’t so long ago that plastic surgery was a hush-hush topic; something that people did but didn’t discuss. But with its rapid rise in popularity and the openness with which many celebrities discuss the work they’ve had, the stigma has been lifted. And with that lift, we’ve seen the fairly recent phenomenon of giving surgeries as gifts.
Presenting significant others and family members with cosmetic procedures has become increasingly common. And it’s not unusual for people to use the holiday season as an excuse to pay for a loved one’s surgery. This practice, however, can rub some people the wrong way.
Surprise Surgery
When it comes to buying someone else a surgery, the worst mistake is making it a surprise. For example, giving your girlfriend a gift certificate for a breast augmentation can cause offense if she didn’t ask for it. It would be like giving someone a membership for a weight loss program; it sends an obvious message that you’re unhappy with their appearance. What was meant to be a present is actually an insult.
There’s really no right way to offer someone a surgery unexpectedly. If you give a certificate for a specific procedure, it’s very clear that you’re critical of that particular part of their body. And if you give an open-ended certificate to a plastic surgeon’s office, it comes across as a general affront to their entire appearance. You might as well say, “I’d love you more if your body were different.”
The Right Way
Giving the gift of surgery is less problematic when it’s on the patient’s wish list. If someone expressly asks for a surgery, then the gift can be considered extremely generous and thoughtful. If the asker isn’t able to afford the procedure on their own, receiving it as a present can be a dream come true.
Before making a purchase, remember that the choice to have a plastic surgery is a very personal one that should be made without the influence of others’ desires for your appearance.
The best possible scenario goes as follows: You are absolutely certain that someone wants a specific procedure as a gift- and you give them a gift card. In a consultation, the surgeon will be able to fully inform the prospective patient about their options, the risks involved and the expected outcomes, as well as an accurate cost. Only after these preliminary steps, should the gift be considered.
There are certainly more conventional and less awkward gifts than that of a plastic surgery procedure. A present should never result in hurt feelings or compromise of one’s own desires. But, if you’re still thinking about wrapping up a surgery gift certificate, make sure it’s for the right reasons.

This note is brought to you courtesy of Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa


 

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'Globalization' of Cosmetic Surgery- by Dr. Mark Bishara, MD

Would you consider traveling to Mexico or India for a less-expensive rhinoplasty or breast augmentation procedure? Would you consider traveling to Texas for a Robotic Hair Transplant procedure?  Many Americans are doing just that-and the trend is having an impact on the market for cosmetic plastic surgery.
The paper, by ASPS Member Surgeon Dr. Kevin C. Chung and Lauren E. Franzblau of the University of Michigan, discusses “the rise and transformation of the medical tourism industry, foreign and domestic forces that influence cosmetic surgical tourism, and the pros and cons for all involved parties.” Chung and Franzblau write, “The rapid globalization of the industry also marks a fundamental shift in the world’s perception of elective procedures: patients are becoming consumers and these medical services are being viewed as commodities.”
At the office of Dr. Mark Bishara, with offices in Mansfield and Southlake, TX- we have patients traveling from all over the world for Robotic Hair Transplants.  We perform the surgery in both of our locations, making it even easier for patients to access the closest office for them.
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More ‘Medical Tourists’ Are Traveling for Cosmetic Surgery
Traveling for medical care is nothing new-but in the past, people were more likely to travel from poor countries to obtain higher-quality care in wealthier countries. Today, prompted by the ease and relatively low costs of travel, more patients from the United States and other western countries are traveling to the developing world to access less-costly medical and surgical procedures. Because cosmetic plastic surgery procedures aren’t covered by insurance, they make up a major part of the burgeoning medical tourism market.
Figures vary, but there’s a consensus that medical tourism is growing rapidly: India alone may have more than one million medical tourists per year. Other countries with growing medical tourism industries include Mexico, Dubai, South Africa, Thailand and Singapore.
In many countries, governments are working actively to foster their medical tourism industry. Some destinations even market procedures performed in resort-like settings, encouraging patients to combine a vacation with cosmetic surgery. Traveling abroad also lets patients recuperate privately, without anyone at home knowing that they’ve had plastic surgery.
Raising Potential Concerns Over Safety and Quality
The growth of medical tourism may have a significant impact on the cosmetic surgery market in the U.S., but also raises concerns over physical safety and legal protection. Although destination countries promote the quality and safety of their procedures and facilities, there is often little evidence to support these claims.
“Because the practice of medical travel does not appear to be going away in the foreseeable future, plastic surgeons must understand the international market and learn to compete in it,” Chung and Franzblau write. Since U.S. surgeons may find it hard to compete on price, effective strategies may include emphasizing superior quality and safety of care, or developing “niche markets” of procedures that can be profitably performed at home.
The authors emphasize that medical tourism “is not purely good or bad”-neither for patients nor the countries involved. Patients may be drawn by lower costs, but must consider the potential risks of undergoing surgery in a foreign country, as well as traveling after surgery. ASPS provides information for patients considering travel abroad for cosmetic surgery, including risks and follow-up care.
For the U.S. and other developed countries, medical tourism means fewer patients and less revenue-but may also bring increased opportunities for collaboration with rapidly modernizing countries in other parts of the world. Chung and Franzblau conclude, “To retain patients and be competitive in a global market, U.S. plastic surgery must be vigilant of the changes in medical tourism and must adapt accordingly.”
This news is brought to you courtesy of Dr. Mark Bishara and
The Paragon Surgery & Med Spa
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Highlight of Services at Dr. Mark Bishara's Offices in Mansfield & Southlake

Dr. Mark A. Bishara, is an experienced cosmetic surgeon that specializes in a wide range of hair restoration treatments, as well as face and body plastic surgery procedures. Dr. Bishara’s main focus is to help patients restore or achieve their ideal appearance in order to feel confident about the way they look.
Dr. Bishara’s unique treatments offer patients hair restoration, cosmetic surgery procedures that help sculpt the appearance of the face and body to help patients look and feel their best. Facelift, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, tummy tuck, and BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are just some of the many procedures Dr. Bishara offers.

Brow/Eyelid Lift

Brow/Eyelid lifts can revitalize drooping or lined foreheads, helping you to look less angry, sad or tired. Using either traditional or minimally invasive methods, the muscles above the eyes are altered to smooth lines and raise the eyebrows for a more youthful appearance. This procedure is often combined with others to improve the look of the eyes.
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation helps women with small or unevenly-sized breasts achieve a fuller, firmer and better-proportioned look through the placement of breast implants. Women may elect to undergo this procedure for many different reasons, including balancing breast size and compensating for reduced breast mass after pregnancy or surgery

Body Contouring

The aim of body contouring is to excise the skin for both cosmetic and functional purposes. Although it is possible to perform a full body lift in one lengthy session, most doctors prefer to break up body contouring surgeries for the safety and comfort of the patient. Combined procedures can be performed assuming a slightly higher increased risk in blood transfusion. The body contouring procedures are split up into a few of the most common areas operated on:

Most of these surgeries result in lengthy scars. The incisions are situated in normally covered areas of the body, such as under the arms or below the waist line. All post bariatric body contouring consultations are performed by our master surgeon, Dr. Mark Bishara.
The ARTAS System- Robotic Hair Transplants
The ARTAS SystemFor the very latest technology in hair restoration, Dr. Bishara is now using the ARTAS System. This interactive, computer assisted equipment employs image guidance to enhance the quality of hair follicle harvesting. ARTAS is the first hair transplant robot to improve the most challenging aspects of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). It received clearance from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for use in April 2011.
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Minimally Invasive Procedures

More and more patients are now seeking treatment to reduce or eliminate the signs of aging on their face, hands and body. Minimally invasive procedures offer patients the results they desire without the hassle and lengthy downtime often associated with cosmetic surgery procedures. These treatments are designed to provide subtle enhancements that can improve your targeted problem areas, while allowing you to return to work and your regular activities the very same day.
Dr. Bishara is proud to offer a wide range of dermal fillers and other enhancing, minimally invasive procedures such as chemical peels and laser liposuction.  We offer Botox, Xeomin, Juvederm, and Radiesse

Our Paragon Med Spa Services

Laser Hair Removal, Laser Tattoo Removal, IPL Fotofoacial, Skin Tightening, Skin Resurfacing and Laser 360. We also offer many different types of peels and microdermabrasion.
At the office of Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragon Med Spa, we have many more services that we offer.  Please contact a member of our staff to find out more information at (817) 473-2120.
 

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Gastric Bypass Should Include Body Contouring- by Dr. Mark Bishara

Body contouring surgery to remove excess skin improves long-term weight control in patients after gastric bypass surgery, reports a study in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Patients with body contouring present better long-term weight control after gastric bypass, according to a study at University of Geneva, Switzerland. Since maintaining weight loss to reduce long-term health problems is the key goal of bariatric surgery, the researchers believe that body contouring should be considered reconstructive rather than cosmetic surgery for patients who have achieved massive weight loss.
Better Long-Term Weight Control after Body Contouring
The researchers compared long-term weight outcomes for two groups of patients who underwent gastric bypass surgery. In 98 patients, gastric bypass was followed by body contouring procedures to remove excess fat and skin. A matched group of 102 patients with similar characteristics underwent gastric bypass alone, without body contouring.
Body contouring surgery usually consisted of abdominoplasty (“tummy tuck”), often with other procedures to remove excess skin and tissue from the breasts, legs and upper arms. Within two years after gastric bypass, the patients had lost an average of nearly 100 pounds. In subsequent years, patients who underwent body contouring regained less weight: an average of just over one pound per year, compared to four pounds per year for patients who had gastric bypass only.
Seven years after gastric bypass, patients who underwent body contouring surgery achieved an average weight of 176 pounds, and those with bariatric surgery alone, 200 pounds. Patients who underwent body contouring had regained about four percent of their initial body weight, compared to 11 percent for those who had gastric bypass only. After accounting for the weight of excess skin removed, average weight regain was about 14 pounds in patients who had gastric bypass plus body contouring, compared to nearly 50 pounds with gastric bypass only.
Body Contouring Should Be Considered Essential Part of Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery produces fast, massive weight loss in morbidly obese patients. Unfortunately, many patients regain much of their body weight in the years after gastric bypass, putting them back at increased risk of obesity-related health problems.
A recent study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reported significant improvements in quality of life for patients who underwent body contouring after gastric bypass. The new study shows that patients who have body contouring surgery are also more likely to keep weight off after gastric bypass. Because of this improvement in long-term weight control, bariatric surgery is more likely to be considered an effective procedure – from the standpoint of reducing obesity-related health risks – if followed by body contouring.
Colleagues believe this study adds to the argument that body contouring should be considered an essential part of successful bariatric surgery and, because of its favorable effects on patient health, should be covered by insurance plans. The researchers conclude, since plastic surgery after massive weight loss is mandatory for quality of life improvement and weight loss maintenance in many patients, body contouring must be considered a reconstructive surgery for those who have achieved massive weight loss.
Dr. Mark Bishara provides a wide range of cosmetic procedures, including body contouring, to help patients look and feel their best. These procedures are designed to improve the appearance of the face and body through minimally invasive techniques that provide highly effective results. Many of these procedures can be combined in order to achieve your desired appearance. Please call our office for more information at (817) 473-2120 or click on the button below
 

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Taboo To Talk About Plastic Surgery? by Dr. Mark Bishara in Mansfield and Southlake

Not so long ago, when a person went in for a cosmetic procedure, the entire procedure was kept under wraps as much as possible.  Though people speculated about whether or not someone they knew had had “work done”, rarely were such things discussed openly in public or even in privacy with friends.
But cosmetic procedures have changed a lot over the years. There are more technologically advanced procedures available today that require a lot less of a financial commitment and significantly less recovery time. The advent of Botox and other injectables and a variety of non-invasive liposuction options have made cosmetic procedures much more accessible and much more appealing to a wider range of people. As a result, more and more people are having cosmetic procedures performed and more and more people are also talking about their procedures more openly. at. Dr. Mark Bishara’s office we strive to help patients feel confident about their cosmetic procedures.

Though more people are admitting to having some sort of work done to cosmetically enhance their appearance, it is generally considered rude to ask another person about cosmetic procedures point-blank.  Many people will talk about their cosmetic procedures if they feel comfortable about it, but asking about it considered to be a social faux pas.  These days, patients are aiming to create natural looking cosmetic changes and when people notice the work that’s been done (and come right out and say it), this can be perceived as an insult.  And what if your friend or coworker hasn’t had any cosmetic procedures performed? Asking could make the person in question feel good about the way they look, or it could make them wonder if they need to consider a cosmetic procedure. Either way, you run the risk of putting your foot in your mouth.
One of the reasons why people change the way they look is because changing one’s appearance alters people’s reaction to their appearance.  It’s considered extremely rude to ask a person about whether or not they’ve had cosmetic procedures performed. It is best to let them confess to the procedure by their own volition.
If you suspect someone has had cosmetic enhancements, give them a compliment about their appearance. If that person wants to tell you about their cosmetic procedure, they’ll find an appropriate time or place to do so. Otherwise, you’ll just have to wonder. Remember, cosmetic surgery is not what it used to be and many people do end up spilling the beans. The whole point of cosmetic surgery is to make noticeable changes in one’s appearance and since approximately 9 million people in the United States underwent some kind of cosmetic procedure in 2011, many people feel like it’s counterproductive to keep their procedure a secret.  Rather than be secretive, many patients opt to clear the air and take pride in their renovated appearance. After all, who isn’t having work done these days?
To learn more about the minimally invasive and surgical cosmetic procedures that Dr. Bishara’s office offers, please call out office at (817) 473-2120 or click on the button below.

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