My Strange Addiction Reveals Man Who Spent $100,000 to Look Like Justin Bieber

by Andrea L. Algar

I don't know whether to believe it or not. Would you ever consider spending $100,000 to look like a Hollywood star? One man reportedly has, and this is why the TLC television show My Strange Addiction did a recent story on him.

In his attempt to look more like Justin Bieber, the popular show claims this young man has become addicted to plastic surgery. The man came up with the idea when he was 28, realized he was aging and became depressed about it.

Deciding he wanted to look like popular teen star Justin Bieber, he has reportedly spent $100,000 on approximately 100 plastic surgery procedures in his attempt to accomplish this. And, realizing that he hasn't quite reached his goal, he has vowed to continue with even more plastic surgery.

What do you think?

• Is it ever worthwhile to try plastic surgery to look like a star you admire? 
• Does this cross the line of "reasonable" self-enhancement? 
• At what point should a surgeon question whether more surgery is the right thing to do?

WATCH THE VIDEO CLIP:
gawker.com - Man Spends $100,000 on Surgery to Look Like Justin Bieber, Fails

Patient Financing: Care Credit Just Got Even Easier To Use

We try to make patient financing as easy as possible for our plastic surgery patients who would prefer to pay for services over time. It can be an excellent way of building credit while you enjoy the results of your cosmetic enhancement procedures. Care Credit has always been one of the leading sources of financing the cost of plastic surgery for our cosmetic surgery patients.

Many times, patients with "less than perfect" credit who are denied credit on their own, are able to obtain financing by opening a Care Credit account with a co-signer. Sometimes this is not possible. Another option is to become an "authorized user" on another person's account. By having a friend, spouse, or family member add you to their account as an authorized user, you are able to legally access their line of credit without having to qualify solely on your own credit.

Now, Care Credit has improved the system for authorized users by issuing an actual Care Credit card in the authorized user's name. This simplifies using the card in your doctor's office, vet's office, or other places where Care Credit is accepted!

If you chose to use Care Credit as an authorized user at Dr. Young's office, we can now process your payment without the primary cardholder being present. If you are an authorized user on someone else's Care Credit account, contact Care Credit and request your new card.

Many Women Can't Live Without Their Spanx - But Is It Dangerous?

They say that history has a way of repeating itself, and this is yet another example of that. It was just a matter of time before someone would find something wrong with Spanx and other shapewear.

What goes around comes around.

PhotoCredit: 2ndSkin.ie

Think back to the 1950's and early 60's when girdles were a daily necessity for so many women. Yes, they helped create the hourglass figure which was so desirable at the time, but they came under scrutiny too, much to the relief of an entire generation or two of women. Corsets were popular before that, and they, too, disappeared after setting fashion trends for decades. "Shapewear" in one form or another have come into fashion and back out of fashion for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

Thanks in great part to the popularity of Oprah and her vocalSpanx, shapewear seemed to become an overnight sensation in our lifetime. But, perhaps for different reasons that girdles died out over fifty years ago, shapewear is now under criticism for causing a host of potential problems for women who wear them on a regular basis. Among the problems reported by physicians across the country:


WHAT SHAPEWEAR DOES       HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR BODY
Compresses your stomach           Can worsen heartburn and acid reflux
Compresses diaphragm                Can cause pain, shallow breathing, nausea, lightheadedness
Compresses intestines                 Can affect your digestive tract causing bloating, gas, pain
Compresses colon                       Symptoms of irritable bowel and/or incontinence
Restricts blood flow                      Can decrease circulation, increase risk of blood clots
                                                   Develop varicose veins, swollen ankles
Compresses nerves                      Can cause tingling, numbness and pain in legs
Cradles muscles                          Can weaken muscles you are no longer using
Traps moisture                             Increased risks of bacterial or yeast infections

Experts advise that you select any type of shapewear with a goal of proper fit. While style is something we always look at, it is far more important to make sure that you select the right type of garment. If you are prone to acid reflux, for example, you want to avoid a garment that sits right under your bra, as it may worsen your symptoms.If you suffer from gastro-intestinal problems, you may want to avoid a waistband garment, and if you have varicose veins, make sure that the legs are not too tight.

Dr. Robert N. Young adds, "If you have large breasts, you may want to avoid shapewear with thin shoulder straps, as it could worsen back, shoulder or neck pain and cause painful grooves.They can provide excellent support, but should fit right so they don't make your problem worse." While shapewear can temporarily smooth your body, they don't offer lasting solutions. If you have problems with shapewear but can't imagine life without it, Dr. Young points out, "You might want to see if liposuction would be helpful for you."

When shopping for Spanx or any type of shapewear, try different brands as they can vary a lot in fit and body styles. Make sure you can wiggle into your garment without a struggle. Remember you will be pulling the garment on and off several times thoughout the day or evening and it should be something you can do easily.

Are the potential dangers of shapewear worth the risk? Some symptoms can become permanent. Varicose veins don't go away on their own and peripheral nerve damage from extended compression can become constant. It may very well be that it is best to avoid wearing shapewear on a daily basis. Save the Spanx for evenings out and special events where you want to look your best, or to wear with a special dress or slacks that require that special touch.

Drop a comment and let us know what your experience with shapewear has been.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea Algar is an author who writes on topics that interest her. Over the last 30 years she has written articles on a variety of topics and currently contributes to several blogs on a regular basis.

Eyelid Surgeries Can Lead To Temporary Dry Eye Symptoms For Some

by Andrea L. Algar

In my experience, any potential side effects, whether from surgery or a medication, can often be more easily tolerated if you know in advance what the potential complications may be. Not only will it avoid an unpleasant surprise, but you may have the opportunity to identify it quickly and get practical advice on how to handle them.

Eyelid Surgery is known
as blepharoplasty

An article which appeared in the October 15, 2012 Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery addressed the fact that following eyelid surgeries many patients experience "dry eye" symptoms.

Dry eye is definitely an irritating thing to develop. I've had it myself, and not from eyelid surgery. It can be extremely uncomfortable.

Some follow up studies show that as many as one fourth of men and women who have blepharoplasty (eyelid) procedures experience some degree of dry eye following their procedure.

Dry eye symptoms can include:

• stinging or burning of the eye
• scratchy sensation in eye
• a sandy or gritty feeling as if something is in the eye
• feeling like someone is "blowing through a straw" in your eye
• excessive "tearing"
• production of mucus in or around your eyes

Symptoms can range from mild to persistent, but not everyone develops these symptoms and there is no definitive test to determine who will and who will not develop symptoms. That said, it seems that some may be more prone to experiencing dry eye with or without eyelid surgery. Women who are menopausal, just starting hormone replacement therapy or going on birth control for the first time, and men or women who have had difficulty wearing contact lenses may be more at risk.

One of the surprising findings of a study which was performed by a Minnesota facial plastic surgeon on 892 patients over a ten year period, was that dry eye was more common in those patients who had both upper and lower lids done at the same time. It also seemed to indicate that the more aggressive the surgical techniques were, the greater risk of dry eye. Disruption of the "blink", which causes the eye surface to lose some of the lubrication provided by one's blink response, seems to be one of the most probable causes.

The good news is that dry eye is fairly easy to treat. Often, symptoms can be helped with eye drops or ointments. It is not usually an indicator of something bad happening, and should not be cause for alarm. If you develop dry eye following an eyelid lift, make sure you discuss it with your physician at your post-op visit. He/she will be able to help advise you on the best treatment for the type of symptoms you're experiencing.

Eyelid lifts average of $3,000 to $4,000 in the San Antonio area, depending on whether you get two lids or all four lids done. According to the  American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, eyelid lifts were the second most popular type of facial plastic surgery after rhinoplasty (nose jobs) in 2011.  Board Certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert Young says, "Eyelid surgery is an excellent way to create a more youthful appearance for men and women at the age where they are starting to notice more wrinkles and loose skin around the eyes. It can shave years off one's appearance. Most patients are extremely happy after their eyelid lift procedures. We've always had women request eyelid lifts as they age, but we've seen a noticeable increase in the number of men wanting eyelid lifts in recent years. It's a relatively easy procedure that produces real results."

Should you be overly concerned about dry eye if you're thinking of an eyelid lift? Probably not. But, it is something to know could develop, and if it does, that there are effective treatments for a problem which is usually very short term.

What do you think? Have you ever considered eyelid lift to refresh your face?

REFERENCE:
Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, October 2012
WebMD - Dry Eyes: Causes and Treatments