Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Blog in New York, NY | George Lefkovits M.D.

The tear trough is a name for the arc of depressed tissue that starts between the eye and the nose and often fades as it moves toward the outer rim of the eye. It is distinct from, but often accompanies, "bags" under the eyes. Bags are puffy regions either on the lower lid or below it, which may or may not be dark in color. Depending on whether you have one, the other or both, you will receive different treatment.

Lower lid blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) has long been the recommended treatment for puffy eyelids and bags under the eyes. The removal of excess fat from the lids can restore their youthful appearance. It was the second most popular cosmetic surgery procedure for men in 2008, and in the top five for women.

The tear trough is significantly different. Although some may experience significant hollowness around the eyes as a result of sinking mid face tissues, for the majority of people the tear trough is the result of lost facial volume, and doesn't respond to surgical treatment. Instead, facial filler injections are the best course of treatment for the phenomenon. Those with puffy lower lids can sometimes use them as donor regions for fat that is used to fill the trough. For others, fat transplantation from other areas is an option, as are other injectable facial fillers.

If your face has taken on a worn, haggard, or aged appearance that you would like to correct, New York plastic surgeon George Lefkovits can help. Contact us today for a consultation.

Inverted nipple is a condition in which a woman's nipples point inward rather than outward. For most women this is a congenital condition, but for others it is acquired as a result of an injury or disease of the breast. There are three grades of inverted nipple. The grade 1 inverted nipple, also known as shy nipple, is normally inverted, but emerges (or everts) in response to stimuli. Grade 2 inverted nipples can be made to evert, but invert almost immediately. Grade 3 inverted nipples never evert, and can cause significant hygiene problems. In most cases, women with grade 1 and grade 2 inverted nipples are still able to breastfeed, although it can take a great deal of persistence and patience. Most women with grade 3 inverted nipples have significant difficulties breastfeeding.

The surgical correction of inverted nipples is a form of breast enlargement. Women who feel shy or self-conscious about their inverted nipples can have restored confidence with inverted nipple correction. Inverted nipples can be corrected at the same time as breast augmentation, or it can be performed as a separate surgery. The procedure is primarily cosmetic, as women whose inverted nipples would prevent them from breastfeeding will probably still be unable to breastfeed after surgery.

If you feel self-conscious about breasts that are asymmetric, have inverted nipples, or are too small, Manhattan plastic surgeon Dr. George Lefkovits may be able to help. Schedule a consultation with him today.

Some people may be nervous talking about many different cosmetic procedures, but those receiving injectable treatments and fillers are not among them, according to recent survey results released by a nationwide cosmetic surgery research foundation. The survey was filled out by 687 people who received treatment with BOTOX Cosmetic or an injectable filler like Juvéderm or Radiesse.

The survey revealed that 87 percent of those who receive injectable treatments speak openly about them. And 70 percent of those who talk about their treatments report getting a positive response from those they told. This indicates that support for and familiarity with injectable treatments is widespread, much more widespread than many had thought.

Less surprisingly, the survey revealed that the "typical" injectables patient is a married, working mother between the ages of 41-55 with a household income less than $100,000. Many of them are also health-conscious, with 95 percent participating in regular exercise and 78 percent pursuing healthy eating habits.

If you have been thinking that injectable treatments or fillers might help to restore your youthful appearance, but were afraid to try them because you were afraid they might carry a social stigma, this survey should help put your mind at ease. Injectable treatments not only give sublte, natural-looking results, but they are popular and widely accepted. To talk more about these great facial rejuvenation options, please schedule a discussion with New York plastic surgeon George Lefkovits, M.D. today.

Although many plastic surgery procedures saw a decline last year, buttock augmentation continued to grow in popularity. Men and women continue seeking larger, shapelier buttocks, and the procedure of choice is the Brazilian butt fill, in which fat injection is used to enlarge the buttocks, rather than a buttock implant.

The Brazilian butt fill is a less invasive procedure than many other plastic surgeries. The fat harvesting procedure is very low-impact, not the same as a full liposuction procedure, and the injection procedure, although it does result in some discomfort, does not require much in the way of postoperative restrictions. Restrictions are mainly designed to increase the survival rate of injected fat and improve the quality of permanent results.

Following your Brazilian butt fill, you will be asked to:

• Devote 2-3 days to rest and recovery
• Avoid strenuous activity for two weeks
• Limit sitting directly on the buttocks for 7-10 days
• Reduce periods of continuous sitting for up to 4 weeks

If you follow these restrictions, the quality of your results will improve, and the likelihood of retreatment will decrease.

If you are looking for more attractive buttocks, New York plastic surgeon Dr. George Lefkovits is a recognized expert on buttock augmentation. Schedule a consultation at our Manhattan plastic surgery practice today.

Cougars, older women who date younger men, came to be a big social trend after a few high-profile celebrity couples bravely swam against the prevailing social current that dictated older men went out with younger women. Demi Moore (freshly divorced from Bruce Willis) and Ashton Kutcher were the most prominent couple, and their ongoing relationship fed a fire that seemed to grip the cultural imagination. Young men and older women began seeking each other, and the trend has grown to include its own reality TV show.

In large part, this trend has been made possible by cosmetic surgery procedures that allow many women to look considerably younger than their age. Although a few lucky women look great without treatment into their 50s, many women need help to remain attractive to 20-something guys. It has become such a part of our culture that many women are setting aside money from divorce settlements for cosmetic surgery, such as facelift or breast implants to help restore volume lost following one or more pregnancies. The number of breast augmentations grew in the 40-54 age group against all other age groups in 2008.

Women who get involved with a younger man after a painful divorce are often seeking to reinvigorate themselves, to draw on the energy of youth and feel younger themselves in setting off on their new single life. Cosmetic surgery can also help these women feel younger.

If you are embarking on a new life and want to enter it with a fresher, younger appearance, New York cosmetic surgeon Dr. George Lefkovits may be able to help. Schedule a consultation today to learn more.

Breast enlargement and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) are two of the most popular body contouring procedures performed in the United States. They are also most commonly performed on the same demographic group. Over 60% of breast enlargements and approximately 75% of tummy tucks are performed on women aged 30-50, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Many women might consider having the procedure performed at the same time because of several possible benefits:

• Reduced cost
• Shortened healing time
• Less time off from work

With simultaneous procedures, it seems like a woman could see significant benefits. However, is it safe to have multiple procedures at the same time?

Yes, according to a report published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, which covers 268 combined breast enlargement / tummy tuck procedures performed over a ten-year period from 1997 to 2007. According to the results, the incidence of complications was comparable for the combined procedure and for breast enlargement alone. This report of cases indicates that combining breast enlargement with a tummy tuck may be a good option for some patients.

If you are considering both a breast enlargement and a tummy tuck, you should discuss your options with Manhattan plastic surgeon Dr. George Lefkovits. Schedule a consultation today.

If you look at celebrity gossip sites and listen to plastic surgeons who work on them, the majority of celebrities have had plastic surgery or cosmetic treatments of some sort. According to one surgeon, maybe as much as 90% of all celebrities over the age of 40 get maintenance treatments like Botox to maintain their appearance. However, the majority of them deny it. Even those who are known to have received Botox or even highly visible surgery like rhinoplasty continue to deny it or explain it as a deviated septum, which would not explain the changed appearance of their noses. Why do celebrities seek out surgery and treatments, why do they hide it, and why do we care?

Celebrities seek out plastic surgery or cosmetic procedures for the same reasons many people do, only more so. People often talk about the influence of beautiful women on screen, on magazine covers, and on billboards, how it makes "normal" women feel insecure. Paradoxically, the women on the billboards or magazines are not made more secure by their image. Instead, these images serve as gigantic mirrors that reproduce and magnify every flaw. The effects of aging are made more drastic by the constant crush of aspiring young stars all wanting to be the next big thing and the producers who want to find that rising star. By age 25, actresses often publicly talk about the pressure to look young. So it should not surprise us that they seek out plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery to improve or maintain their appearance.

But if plastic surgery and cosmetic treatments are a completely understandable phenomenon, why do so many celebrities deny that they have had them Part of it is personal. The women and men would not have gotten breast implants or a nose job if they did not feel self-conscious about their appearance. So it is understandable that they would want to avoid the subject. Another part of the reason is professional. First, Hollywood is The Dream Factory. "Naturally" beautiful celebrities are part of that dream, and always have been. Early Hollywood used thick makeup, dyed blondes, and soft focus close-ups overtly, but from the beginning plastic surgery was more secret. Celebrities also often have endorsement contracts that require them to attribute their enduring beauty to a particular product, concealing whatever other work they have had done.

So why do we care that these men and women have had cheek augmentation or a tummy tuck? Mass media interacts in a funny way with the human social sense. For most of our history, the people that we recognized instantly by face were our family and close friends. Now we recognize by sight many people we have never seen "in person." Although we rationally know that these people are not close family or friends, we often cannot help being emotionally involved with them.

And we also cannot help being influenced by the decisions made by our extended virtual family. With growing exposure of celebrity plastic surgery, more people are seeking plastic surgery for themselves, and society as a whole has accepted it as a normal part of many people's lives. Schedule a plastic surgery consultation with New York plastic surgeon Dr. George Lefkovits today if you want to make it part of yours.

Dr. Lefkovits has been interviewed and featured in the Life & Style and the Globe magazines as well as numerous other publications.
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