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By Amanda Long, Published: November 18, 2011

 How can I be an artist at heart, someone who celebrates the human form, and be in the business of changing it? I thought for a long time that a plastic surgeon’s job was to make you look better. A plastic surgeon’s job is to make you feel better. The only way I can make you feel better is by making you look like you think you look. My first year at Georgetown, an NIH psychologist presented a study on plastic [surgery]. She found that people with the most confidence are those whose body image, what they see in the mirror, is very close to their self-image — what they see when they close their eyes at night. If I can achieve an approximation of these two things, then I’m going to make you feel better, and making you look better is secondary. Women want to control their own destiny — that’s all. The last thing they want is another man telling them how to look. 

I say no every day. When a woman says, “My husband likes big boobs,” or “I want to save my marriage,” I will not do it. If you are changing who you are for someone else, I will not help. When a patient says she woke up with a bad feeling in her gut, I’ll cancel the surgery. I’m still superstitious; the artist always controls the scientist.  

For those of you who wanted more information on  Dr. Hakki, one of the best in the business, here is his bio: 

A graduate of Damascus University School of Medicine, Dr. Hakki completed his general surgical training at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Center in Allentown Pennsylvania, and received his plastic surgery training at Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Hakki is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery. 

In addition to his extensive experience, Dr. Hakki adds his own artistic talent and passion to achieve superior results under the best medical care. He is the first DC area plastic surgeon whose work was featured nationally on MTV. In addition to having performed thousands of breasts, face, and body surgeries, Dr. Hakki is also best known for superb results with fat grafting into the face and buttocks and has trained many surgeons in his technique. Dr. Hakki’s procedures and opinions often attract national and international celebrity clientele and media coverage.

I am happy to post that Luxxery is offering Cutera aesthetic solutions, the world class laser medical device creator. 

Cutera’s multiple wavelength hair removal solution includes Alexandrite, Diode, and Nd:YAG treatment modes making it the most versatile and fastest solution for all skin types.

Why Cutera hair removal?

Cutera has been the pioneer in establishing the “all skin type” hair removal practice. With years of experience behind us, safety, versatility, efficacy and speed top the wish list from physicians who are incorporating hair removal into their practice. We have all of it!!! Cutera’s multiple hair removal devices include Alexandrite, Diode and Nd:YAG treatment modes – for all skin types.

Hair removal is still the #1 requested aesthetic procedure. Our philosophy is to make certain that the customer has exactly what they need to make their investment productive – above all, with satisfied patients.

Luxxery offers:

Laser Complexion Blending

And for a limited time, we have two special promotions:

http://www.luxxery.com/LuxxeryPromotions1.aspx 

and 

http://www.luxxery.com/LuxxeryPromotions4.aspx 

Give us a call or book online. These offers are going quick!

Dr. Hakki's feature inclusion in the May 10, 2010 issue of OK! Magazine in a story regarding celebrity plastic surgery trends.

Dr. Hakki was asked for his input regarding Demi Moore and Tori Spelling. Read all about it in the next OK! Magazine

Liposuction 101

For more information, please visit the Luxxery website at:

http://www.luxxery.com/body-plastic-surgery/liposuction.aspx 

Saddle bags, muffin tops, love handles, banana rolls, meetliposuction.  But, what techniqueshould you choose?  Liposuction,Tumescent Liposuction, Vaser Lipo System, Lipodissolve™, Smartlipo™, etc...  Read along and earn a few credit hoursas you embark on the road to eliminating bulging fat.

Liposuction

Traditional liposuction is a surgical procedure invented in 1974that involves anesthesia, an incision, a few hours to perform and several daysfor recovery.  Most importantly,liposuction is best performed by a board certified plastic surgeon and not yourdermatologist or your gynecologist. Liposuction is the actual physical removal of fat allowing for dramaticreduction in both circumference and body contouring.  Your surgeon inserts a metal tube, called a cannula, throughan incision in the skin and into the fatty area.  As your surgeon suctions, the unwanted fat is led to acontainer attached to a suction pump. Liposuction remains until today the gold standard to shrink specificareas of the body that do not respond to overall reduction in body weight and resultsof traditional liposuction remain better than any other technique whenperformed on the ideal patient.

Lipodissolve™

Also known as mesotherapy, lipolysis orlipostabil, Lipodissolve™ initially began in Italy in the 1980’s and hasrecently become available in the U.S. The procedure involves a series of injections with the promise ofmelting away unwanted small localized areas of fat.  The chemical cocktail used in the medicated injectionsvaries from doctor to doctor as well as the area to be treated. The mainingredient used in the cocktail, Phosphatidylcholine, is not approved by theFDA .  Phosphatidylcholine is asoybean extract, FDA-approved as an agent that breaks down blood fats but notas a substance for injection to promise fat melting.  Lipodissolve being a noninvasive procedure with thelikelihood of achieving no positive results is has no set regulations on who isallowed to perform it; it is an experimental procedure and has not received theendorsement of  the AmericanSociety of Plastic Surgeons.

Tumescent Liposuction

Liposuction was revolutionized in 1985 with the tumescenttechnique.  Tumescent liposuctioninvolves injecting a fluid, mostly a mixture of lidocaine, saline andepinephrine, to expand the fat compartment before cannula insertion.  This technique makes suction easier andmore effective, but mainly contributing to less bleeding and bruising andeliminating the need for general anesthesia.

Ultrasound &Laser Assisted Liposuction

Vaser Lipo System, Lipodissolve™, Smartlipo™, Ultra-Sculpt,Pro-Lipo, Lipolite, etc…are all new systems that include cannulas that emiteither ultrasound waves or laser wavelengths.  The purpose is to further liquefy fat prior to removal.  Keeping in mind that best results areachieved when the liquefied fat is suctioned out, the purported benefits to thepatient are that fat is easier to remove with less swelling and bruising.  While early ultrasound and laserassisted systems led to some side effects such as skin burns and nerve damage,I found that the third generation devices addressed these side effects.  These systems require multipletreatments performed within weeks or sometimes once a week, they can be thoughtof as popular adjuncts to traditional liposuction or post traditionalliposuction.  Both ultrasound andlaser assisted liposuction can be combined.

The gap between the dramatic results of liposuction and thesubtle results of the noninvasive, “skin smoothing” ultrasound or laserassisted liposuction gets even wider when the added cost of these new systemsis considered.  From a costperspective to the patient, the multiple sessions required with the noninvasiveapproach can add up to the cost of one traditional liposuction.

If you are overweight, you need a lifestyle change and notliposuction regardless of the technique used to perform the liposuction.  You may benefit from combo techniquessuch as liposuction and abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck) if you have excessivelyloose skin.  If you are notoverweight but have those unattractive lumps around your hips, thighs or buttocksthe liposuction is just what the doctor ordered.

So what’s a patient to do?

Do your research, be a well informed patient, set realisticexpectations and most importantly choose your experts wisely and then, be onyour way to perfect curves.

For more information on Breast Augmentation, please visit the Luxxery website at:

http://www.luxxery.com/breast-plastic-surgery/breast-augmentation.aspx 

To women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even 50s, breast size isno small issue.  First comes thedecision to join the ranks of the “surgically endowed”, then comes the harderchoice of getting the size right.

With the abundance of preconceived negative ideas aboutelecting to have plastic surgery, to join or not to join the ranks of thesurgically endowed becomes an issue of self-esteem and plain humansexuality.  With the number ofwomen undergoing breast augmentation increasing in staggering percentages yearafter year, understanding the benefits that occur from undergoing breastaugmentation has been the subject of many studies. Numerous studies have beenconducted showing a direct correlation in the improvement of women’s selfesteem and sexual satisfaction and an absolute psychological improvementfollowing breast augmentation surgery. These studies show that patients seekingbreast augmentation merit respect, compassion and understanding instead ofdismissal and stereotyping.

Ideal patients are women who do not view plastic surgery andbreast augmentation as the end-all cure to their sexual afflictions and selfesteem.  An ideal plastic surgeon hasthe ability to screen patients with serious underlying psychological issues andelects not to operate on patients who feel that their life will completelychange after plastic surgery.  Thecombination of the ideal patient with the ideal plastic surgeon leads to whatthe doctor ordered, “Just the right size breast” from the first time.

Augmented breast have a spherical shape with an outwardprojecting areola and nipple, a rounded contour, narrow base with a wider cleavageand fullness on the top of the breast. Enhanced breast have a natural more youthful appearance when the size isright.  The one decision aboutbreast augmentation that often goes wrong is size.  A size satisfied patient is a patient who feels confidentabout her ability to evaluate her own plastic surgeon’s ability andadvice.  Factors such as the 34Cideal cup size stigma, ill advice from friends, the wrong surgeon or the wrongperception of the ideal final results can lead to dissatisfied patients. In mytwenty years of consulting patients in the field of plastic surgery, and in apractice with over two thousand satisfied breast augmentation patients, I havebeen able to accumulate a few pearls in order to help you get it right thefirst time on  “breast sizematters”:

1.    Let your body structure dictate the cup size andnot some celebrity chosen implant size. This is not a one size fits all matter.

2.    The implant size your best friend chose mightnot be the size you should blindly choose

3.    Talk with your surgeon about your goals and baseyour goals on your original breast size and shape

4.    Check out your surgeon’s own patients  beforeand after photos

5.    Check out the nuances that separate your plasticsurgeon from the next and make sure you like his philosophy towards yourprocedure, as well as his personal and professional profile

6.    Check out your surgeon’s artistic ability. Canhe or she draw or illustrate your procedure and your options or rely oncomputer generated images.  Aplastic surgeon with no artistic talent is like a painter with no brush.

7.    Get a breast sizing consultation and try ondifferent size implants or call us for our -at home pre-consultation kit-

8.    Most dissatisfied patients regret going toosmall, so whatever size you finally decide on, going a little larger will makeyou happier in the long run.

Interestingly enough, your breast implants come with amanufacturer’s warranty.  Ten yearsof financial assistance of up to $1200 for out of pocket fees and a life timeimplant replacement is the standard warranty with the two major breast implantmanufacturers.

So what’s a girl to do? Follow the above guidelines, do yourresearch, be a well informed patient, set realistic expectations and mostimportantly choose your experts wiselyand be on your way to perfect curves.

If you are interested in laser hair removal, you must first understand howit works and the technology and science behind it. Laser hair removaltechnology is the use of an invisible beam of light combined with a constantsource of heat.  When the heatpenetrates the hair follicle, it destroys its roots disabling its ability togrow hair again, while still preserving the surrounding skin.

Although laser clinics, medical spas and plastic surgeon’s offices may usethe term permanent hair removal loosely, the FDA only endorses the term“permanent hair reduction” rather than permanent hair removal.

Here is my compiled list of facts andfiction on permanent hair reduction, a procedure that has risen to the #1requested aesthetic procedures:

Fiction: Laser hair removal is permanent.  Laser hair removal technology provides a permanent reductionof hair growth up to 80-90% of the targeted area in the ideal patient, that iswhy we cannot say laser hair removal is permanent.

Fact: Laser hair removal requires multiple treatments. Hair grows inthree stages (growth, regression and resting) and hair must be in the growthstage in order to be effected by the lasers light. Since not all hairs areactively growing at the same time, several treatments are needed to target allhair in the active growth stage. Most areas require 4-6 treatments spaced 4-6weeks apart, depending on hair thickness and the area treated.

Fiction: Insurance covers laser hairremoval. Laser hair removal is an out-of-pocket procedure and is notseen as a medical necessity even when hair growth is related to hormonalimbalance.

Fact: Laser hair removal does not work on white, grey or blonde hair. Lasersuse laser light to create heat with the goal of targeting the dark melanin inthe hair follicle and destroying the hair follicle by its absorption of theheat.  Treating white, grey,blonde, light red and even light brown hair with lasers has a low successfulrate due to the lack of melanin in the hair follicle. 

Fiction: Any link between cancer and laser hair removal. Laser hairremoval devices use radiation that produces heat but does not penetrate farinto the skin or cause cell mutation. It is non-ionizing radiation which isdefined by the US Department of Labor as “a series of energy waves composed ofoscillating electric and magnetic fields traveling at the speed of light”.There has been no known connection between laser hair removal and cancer.

Fact: Laser hair removal saves money. Laserhair removal may seem expensive but over time laser hair removal costless.  When the cost is stacked upwith the cost of continuous waxing, electrolysis, razors or other methods ofhair removal, the reduction in cost is mind boggling.

Fiction: All laser devices can be used forlaser hair removal. There are currently several types of lasers thathave been approved by the FDA for laser hair removal.  The Alexandrite, Diode and Nd:YAG lasers offer versatilityin treatment modes with the Nd:YAG being the preferred choice of laser whentreating darker skin types.  AlthoughRuby lasers and Intense Pulse Light (IPL) devices are still in use for laserhair removal, they are not as effective and have become less popular in recentyears.

Fact: Laser hair removal is the most state-of-the art method in removingunwanted hair. Lasers offer hair removal in a controlled and efficientmanner especially for large areas such as the back and full legs. Hair isremoved for longer and indefinite periods of time.

Fiction: Laser hair removal is painful.  The feeling is not that of pain but discomfort. It feelslike rubber bands snapping against your skin and is tolerable to most people.

Simply stated, at the moment, laser hair removal is the most permanentsolution on the market offering patients as close to permanent results as theyare able to get. 

Make your appointment now and be ready for your beach bikini soon.

For more information please visit the Luxxery page:

http://luxxery.com/day-spa-services/Luxxery-Facials.aspx 

http://luxxery.com/before-and-after/laser-hair-removal.aspx