Body Contouring and Fat Reduction without Surgery

Cosmetic surgery is not for everyone; some patients are too worried or skittish about surgery or simply not a good candidate for surgical fat reduction procedures. Fortunately today there are new products and treatments which allow you to shape your body or reduce fat without going under the knife.  One quick and effective non-surgical option is called Exilis, a new technology that combines ultrasound, high radio frequencies and instant cooling, stimulating the skin’s fatty cells to quickly remove fat.

There is no anesthesia required for the treatment and no discomfort, the treatment is quick; you will be in and out of the office and you may notice changes after the first treatment.  In addition, Exilis shows marked improvement in skin tone, elasticity and texture, while it reduces wrinkles and rejuvenates the skin. 

The treatment involves massaging the desired areas using a hand held application device until the optimal temperature is reached for breaking down the fat cells; this is determined by a digital readout on the device.  You can apply the treatment to either the face, body or both.  The hand held wand is rubbed gently in circular patterns on the desired areas of the body or face.  Each treatment area takes about 10 minutes per area to perform.

The Radio Frequency produced by Exilis, penetrates the deepest skin layers and heats up the fat cells, causing them to increase their metabolism and release excess fat. It is a fairly comfortable experience and most patients get through it with no down time or discomfort. No pre-op medication is required. Numbing creams are not recommended because they change the resistance of the skin.

The Exilis treatment should not be carried out on any patient with metal replacement parts in the region to be treated (artificial limbs, kneecaps, plates in the spine).  One way to think of it; if you can have an MRI, then you can safely undergo RF treatments such as Exilis. Pregnancy and cancer are also red flags. The patient must be aware that Exilis will not produce the same results as a surgical abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck).

If you do not wish to undergo surgery, then you are probably a good candidate for Exilis. What should you expect after the treatment?  First of all, if you maintain a good diet and stick to a reasonable exercise program, you can expect to maintain your results for a long time. Furthermore, if you maintain a good lifestyle and don’t gain too much weight after the treatments, you may only need the full treatment program once.  You should follow up with your surgeon to discuss skin tightening options once you have lost more weight. 

In closing, Exilis can be a fast and painless alternative to surgery for fat reduction or body shaping, which will provide noticeable results in most cases.  According to research, there is no harm to body organs, it is proven by biochemical testing, and is clinically tested.

About Anire Okpaku, MD, FACS:

Doctor Anire Okpaku is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon and the Medical Director of Ocean View Plastic Surgery, serving the needs of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and South Florida. He specializes in cosmetic plastic surgery.

He is an active member of the Bayside Medical Center at Mercy Hospital where he performs most of his surgeries. He also holds privileges in several other South Florida Hospitals.

Dr. Okpaku graduated from the prestigious Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, relocating later to Miami to where he completed his general surgical residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital University of Miami. He went on to complete a Plastic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Texas Health and Science Center, in San Antonio.

1900 Brickell Avenue
Miami, FL 33129
Phone : (305) 856-9566
Site : www.DroBodies.com

Plastic Surgery Safety and You

There has never been a better time to consider plastic surgery than today; With better techniques in plastic surgery and new implant technologies, it is becoming safer than ever before to improve your appearance. Today there are many choices for cosmetic surgery, both surgical and non-surgical, and in most cases there is little or no hospital down time! The best way to ensure your peace of mind and minimize risk is to do some homework BEFORE you make a choice of doctor or facilities. 

Here are a few things to watch for when considering plastic surgery and choosing a surgeon:

• Find out the qualifications of the surgeon, is she or he Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
  
• Take a tour of the facilities, check the layout, make sure you feel comfortable with the size, age and condition of the building, are they an accredited facility, is the building clean?
  
• Does the facility have adequate and up to date equipment?
  
• Find out if the facility has proper recovery rooms and service
  
• Check out the staff, they should have a registered nurse in the recovery and operating rooms
  
• Is there a limit to how long you can stay in recovery, will they end up moving you to another facility you haven’t researched?
  
• Find out the qualifications of the person administering the anesthesia, is she or he board certified? Ask to see their credentials
  
• Check the surgeon’s FL State medical license; has it been suspended, any other issues? You can check for the license here: https://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP

To sum it up, if you aren’t comfortable with your doctor or the facilities, DON’T get your surgery there.

Here are some things to consider before surgery day:

• Make sure you know your risk of surgery, do you have any pre-existing conditions such as a heart or lung condition, as some illnesses may increase your risk dramatically
  
• You should not smoke or drink alcohol
  
• You should keep a good nutrition, keep very hydrated, drink plenty of liquids, no starvation diets prior to surgery
  
• Don’t take any aspirins, ibuprofen, or any blood thinning products prior to surgery unless directed by your surgeon
  
• Discuss with your surgeon all medications, or any over the counter and herbal products you are taking
  
• Start taking a multivitamin each day and Vitamin C (1000 to 1500 mg) a day and continue taking through your recovery. The healthier you are, the quicker your recovery will be, but NO megadoses of Vitamin E
  
• Be extra careful about hygiene and make a habit of washing your hands frequently, and make sure you report signs of cold, infections or any other problems 

Above all, be prepared for surgery, both mentally and physically, this will make everything go much smoother. The goal of your surgeon is to help making your operation as less stressful as possible. Your surgeon should check your medical history and current health before deciding if it is safe for you to go on with surgery. It’s important that you share any important medical information so your surgeon can better determine the risks involved.



About Anire Okpaku, MD, FACS:

Doctor Anire Okpaku is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon and the Medical Director of Ocean View Plastic Surgery, serving the needs of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and South Florida. He specializes in cosmetic plastic surgery.

He is an active member of the Bayside Medical Center at Mercy Hospital where he performs most of his surgeries. He also holds privileges in several other South Florida Hospitals.

Dr. Okpaku graduated from the prestigious Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, relocating later to Miami to where he completed his general surgical residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital University of Miami. He went on to complete a Plastic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Texas Health and Science Center, in San Antonio.



Main Offices at:
1900 Brickell Avenue
Miami, FL 33129
Phone : (305) 856-9566
Site : www.DroBodies.com

Interesting Article

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40950317/ns/today-today_health/from/toolbar

Posted on Tue, Jan. 11, 2011

Older job-seekers update their appearance to improve their chances

By Bonnie Miller Rubin
Chicago Tribune

last updated: January 10, 2011 10:06:30 PM

Michael Krause, 65, picks up his son Henry, blue jacket, and friend Mack Hildebrand at the Latin School in Chicago, Illinois, on December 17, 2010. Karause had an eyelift to be a more viable job candidate. (MCT) - (Alex Garcia/Chicago Tribune) -

CHICAGO — Charlotte Doyle hit the gym two hours a day, embraced the latest fashions and made sure that not a strand of gray peeked through her thick blond hair.

But at age 61, she got pink-slipped from her job in pharmaceutical sales. So, in 2009, shortly after she was laid off after 29 years, Doyle decided to take an unorthodox step in a cutthroat job climate and get her teeth straightened.

"I need to do everything I can to be competitive," said Doyle, flashing a gleaming mouth of metal. "I desperately want to work."

While most older job-seekers know the importance of keeping their skills current, some are applying that advice to their faces. From orthodontics to eye-lifts — and everything in between — they are turning to such enhancements to gain an edge in the workplace.

Looks matter. In a quarter-century of research, Nancy Etcoff, a psychology professor at Harvard Medical School, has found that attractive people are more likely to be hired and promoted, earn higher salaries and be perceived as more intelligent and creative than their less fetching peers.

Not that plastic surgery, cosmetic dentistry or other elective treatments have escaped the recession. In 2009, doctors performed 12.5 million cosmetic procedures, a figure that has steadily decreased during the previous two years, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The only gains were in the minimally invasive categories — such as injectables like Botox and dermal fillers — that are less expensive and have scant recovery time.

It's another tool, though perhaps an extreme one, for aging baby boomers, many of whom are counting on working past conventional retirement age as a hedge against longer life spans and shrinking nest eggs.

Teeth whitening? Laser peels? Even "hair systems"? Check, check and check.

No group keeps data on why people take such steps to improve their appearance, but anecdotally, employment is often cited as the primary motivation — a change from earlier decades, when social status and romantic viability topped the list, experts say.

"Patients are saying it's a matter of staying competitive," said Dr. Loren Schechter, a plastic surgeon. "Even surgery — face-lifts, eye-lifts — is coming back to pre-2008 levels. That wasn't there a year ago."

Those older than 55 are among the hardest-hit by unemployment, with nearly 30 percent out of work for a year or longer, said a July poll by the Pew Research Center.

Companies sometimes insist that appearance is key to conveying a certain image — whether a TV anchor or a hostess at a hot new club.

Michael Krause, 65, who logged almost 30 years in the hospitality and publishing industries, still feels like he has a lot more to contribute, but he hasn't had a nibble in a long time. In a labor pool overflowing with qualified candidates, he suspects that his résumé gets shoved aside for younger applicants.

"The minute they see my experience, it's over," Krause said. "I never get a callback. … You feel powerless."

So he switched strategies — specifically, tackling his droopy eyes, which he said made him look old and tired. Not only did the drowsy appearance detract professionally, it was out of sync with his personal life, which includes a wife 12 years his junior and two children, ages 12 and 14.

Krause scheduled a blepharoplasty to remove excess skin from his eyelids with Dr. Allen Putterman, an oculofacial plastic surgeon.

It's patients such as Krause — not the ultra-wealthy or those in the public arena — who are going under the scalpel today, said Putterman, who has been in practice for 35 years: "I'm seeing lawyers, accountants, people in real estate and finance … and that's new."

Krause has yet to land a job, but he said he thinks his more refreshed image has provided a boost.

"I'm glad I did it, because it has given me more confidence," he said, "and considering all the rejection, that's something you really need."

Better packaging won't necessarily get you the nod as much as the ability to adapt to a constantly changing workplace and networking, said Jacquelyn James, of the Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College.

"Of course, you want to do everything possible to look appealing, but you don't have to restructure your face," said the 63-year-old research director. It's more important to be social and "get in front of people and show them the positive energy and the light in your eyes."

---

This article is protected by copyright and should not be printed or distributed for anything except personal use.
Copyright © 2011, The Modesto Bee, 1325 H St., Modesto, CA 95354
Phone: (209) 578-2000.

Wishing You a Happy Holiday!

From all of us at Anire Okpaku, MD, FACS, we want to wish you a very happy holiday and Merry Christmas! May the Holiday Season bring you happiness and joy to you and your loved ones.

Donate to the SBS Toy Drive!

Anire Okpaku, MD, FACS is proud to announce we will be joining efforts with the Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) in helping with their Annual Toy Drive. The annual Toy Drive will be this Friday, December 17th at Bird Road Bowling Center.

We know its short notice but please help us help the unfortunate, our offices will be accepting toys starting today until Friday the 17th. The Toy Drive will benefit the less fortunate children of South Florida.

Be sure to join us on Friday, December 17th to give back to the Miami community. Your gifts, toys and donations will bring happiness to many families and children during this holiday season.

Our 1 month Latisse for $75 has been extended for 12 more hours!

For those who missed our incredible Latisse deal over the weekend, our 1 month Latisse for $75 has been extended for 12 more hours, so don't miss out !!

Buy in now!