Reality: This is partly true, but it’s also true that aging is directly related to how we live.  In a few words, aging is impacted by our environment, diet and habits (like smoking).  Excessive sun exposure is a major cause of premature aging, as is excessive eating.  Unfortunately, the latter is becoming a major problem in our society:  Almost 60 percent of adults in the U.S. today are estimated to be overweight, and 30 percent of our children are obese.

Myth: Supplements can help slow down the aging process.

Reality: There’s scientific evidence that we should consider one baby aspirin daily (82 mg) for heart attack prevention; Omega-3 supplements or having 2-3 fish meals per week; and a good once-a-day vitamin.  There’s softer data for Coenzyme Q-10 (an enzyme activator) as well as Chondroitin for prevention or treatment of joint aches.  The newest fad is Resveratrol, the active metabolite of red wine thought to be capable of increasing lifespan, but scientific data is still inconclusive.  All supplementation should be considered under the advisement of your physician.

Myth: As we age, it’s the sagging skin of the face and neck that makes us look old.

Reality: It’s the sagging skin, but more than that, it’s the loss of facial fat, especially around the eyes and cheeks that makes us look older beginning at age 30.  We’ve discovered these fat compartments in anatomic studies at UT Southwestern and have determined how to add fat to make you look young and more natural longer.

Myth: There’s an anti-aging cream that will keep you looking younger longer.

Reality: It’s true!  This product does exist and it’s called “Retin-A.”  This cream or lotion works by forcing skin cells to turn over faster.  With long-term use, it can improve acne and fine wrinkles, smooth the skin and remove age spots.  The other great aging prophylactic is a sunscreen with both UVB and UVA protection.  The combined usage of these two lotions, Retin-A and sunscreen, will make a big difference in how fast your skin shows visible signs of aging.

Myth: Breast implants are not safe.

Reality: Rigorous and long-term studies done all over the world from Harvard to UCLA to UT Southwestern have consistently shown and proven that both saline and silicone implants are safe and don’t cause cancer or rheumatoid diseases.

Myth: Saline implants are just as good as silicone implants.

Reality: Both types of implants are approved by the FDA, and there are benefits and drawbacks with each type.  At UT Southwestern we perform surgeries using both saline and silicone implants, following extensive consultation with our patients regarding their health, lifestyle and personal preferences, as well as the outcome of a physical examination.

Myth: The new jelly bean silicone implants last forever and are better than what’s now available.

Reality: All man-made implants – both saline and silicone – last about 10-15 years maximum.  And the new jelly bean implants haven’t been proven to be better since we have no 10-year data to evaluate.  That’s important for all implants placed into humans.

Myth: Fat taken from the buttocks is now the preferred choice for breast augmentation.

Reality: It’s still very experimental and not cost effective – taking three times longer with inconsistent results.  Furthermore, it may mask breast cancer if it develops, so this is a major drawback.  This needs to be further investigated before we can reach a conclusion.

Myth: Fat injections to the breast will replace breast implants.

Reality: Fat injections are truly experimental and aren’t going to replace conventional saline or silicone implants any time soon.  With current technology, only 50 percent of transplanted fat successfully grafts to a new location (the rest scars or is absorbed by the body).  However, fat injections may be useful in making small modifications to breast size, such as correcting breast asymmetry.

Myth: All cosmetic surgeons are real plastic surgeons.

Reality: Unfortunately, anyone with a valid medical license can call themselves a plastic surgeon, hang up a shingle and begin treating patients!  So plastic surgery has become a “buyer beware” specialty.

Myth: All plastic surgery board certifications are the same.

Reality: Only the American Board of Plastic Surgery certifies that someone is fully trained in plastic surgery of the face and body.  It takes from 6-9 years to achieve this training, and then you must pass a rigorous written and 2-day oral exam.

Myth: Only real plastic surgeons can perform any type of plastic surgery or cosmetic procedures.

Reality: It may be hard to believe, but anyone with a valid medical license can call themself a plastic surgeon.  The consumer must investigate carefully before he or she goes to see a physician.

Myth: All plastic surgery procedures are done in an accredited operating facility.

Reality: Unless you’re a board-certified plastic surgeon by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons, you aren’t required to perform plastic surgery in an accredited facility.  That may put you in harm’s way if there’s a problem.

Myth: It’s disrespectful to ask a plastic surgeon tough questions about their experience or expertise, or to ask them to show you some results.

Reality: Board-certified plastic surgeons prefer informed patients.  Knowledge is power, and it’s very important to make the right decisions.  It will determine not only your outcome, but your safety as well.  In general, an educated patient recovers better because there are no surprises and less anxiety about the procedure.

In today’s information age, people have more information than ever before about cosmetic medical procedures. But in the face of many competing claims, how can they know which procedures are worthwhile and which are an ineffectual waste of money? In the rapidly evolving world of cosmetic medicine, which technologies that made news headlines a year ago are now outdated?

Plastic Surgery Department Chairman Dr. Rodney J. Rohrich and Vice Chairman Jeffrey M. Kenkel recently addressed these issues at UT Southwestern’s first ever Cosmetic Medicine Symposium in Dallas, an event held to educate the general public about the latest and most effective uses of cosmetic medicine. Here are the highlights of their presentations:

1. MYTH: The “new” Botox – Dysport – is better and lasts longer.

REALITY: The efficacy of Botox and Dysport is about the same. Both injectables are essentially purified forms of botulinum toxin A. Dysport may act somewhat faster and is expected to be about 15 percent cheaper. Dysport is currently being used in Europe and is anticipated to launch soon in the U.S. with FDA approval.

2. (a) MYTH: Fillers and Botox are the new non-surgical facelift.

REALITY: After a certain age, nothing can replicate the results of an actual surgical facelift. However, the proper and skilled combination of Botox and fillers can certainly postpone the appearance of aging in younger patients. Botox can smooth the forehead while lifting and shaping the brows. Fillers can plump up the lips and cheeks and soften the nasolabial folds. The results are not permanent, but require very little down-time.

2. (b) MYTH: Permanent fillers are better as they last forever.

REALITY: Permanent fillers cause permanent problems. Longer lasting fillers are good, but permanent substances such as silicone do not age well. Your face changes over time, and permanent fillers can begin to look strange, migrate to the skin surface or cause other long-term problems. Consult with a knowledgeable plastic surgeon to find a filler substance that will age along with you instead of in spite of you.

3. MYTH: Topical Botox is replacing injectable Botox.

REALITY: This is not true… yet. Topical application of botulinum toxin A is still in the clinical trial phase. Early indications are that it may work in small areas around the eyes (crows feet) and that it may help make injectable Botox last longer. However it is difficult to say it will ever replace Botox, as it does not have the same ability to deliver the toxin to specific muscles areas with pinpoint accuracy.

4. MYTH: Facelifts marketed as in-office procedures – usually taking just one hour with local anesthesia and minimal recovery time – are safe and effective.

REALITY: Countless patients have been disfigured or experienced complications from procedures like these. If you want long-lasting changes that you are going to be happy with, it is better to get a real facelift from a legitimate cosmetic surgeon performed in a sterile operating room under general anesthesia. These “lunchtime lifts” may occasionally work for some, but the results are temporary as they don’t do anything to the deeper layers of skin and muscle tissue.

5. MYTH: Botox is Botox. You can get it for $100 at a hair salon or spa, or pay a lot more to get it from a doctor.

REALITY: In Botox as in life – you get what you pay for! The price of Botox is set by the company (Allergan) that produces it. If you purchase Botox at a severely discounted rate, it’s possible that you are receiving a very diluted form of Botox or perhaps something that is not even real Botox at all. What’s more, in salons the product is often injected by people with insufficient training, which can result in problems like asymmetry and droopy eyelids or brows.

6. MYTH: There are over a dozen FDA-approved fillers on the market. Consumers should be able to pick the newest one or the one that best fits their budget since they are all government-approved.

REALITY: A practiced cosmetic surgeon is the most knowledgeable person to determine which fillers to use on the different parts of the face to deliver natural, long-lasting results in a cost-efficient manner. A combination of different fillers with different properties is now the preferred method for achieving facial rejuvenation. Some fillers are more viscous and don’t migrate as easily; others are more fluid and can plump larger areas. Some cost more because they last longer (like Radiesse, which can last well over a year in comparison to some other hyaluronic acid fillers which act for 6-9 months). Your cosmetic surgeon should be your guide.

7. MYTH: There is a true anti-aging cream that will keep you looking younger longer.

REALITY: It’s true! This product does exist and it is called Retin-A. This cream or lotion works by forcing skin cells to turn over faster. With long-term use, it can improve acne and fine wrinkles, smooth the skin and remove age spots.

The other great aging prophylactic is a sunscreen with both UVB and UVA protection. The combined usage of these two lotions, Retin-A and sunscreen, will make a big difference in how fast your skin shows visible signs of aging.

8. MYTH: Fractional laser skin resurfacing tightens the skin non-surgically.

REALITY: Despite a lot of advertising to the contrary, fractional lasers are not skin-tightening devices. However, they can be a good choice to correct sun damage, discoloration, fine lines and even acne scars. A small percentage of patients may achieve some skin tightening, but this is not a predictable benefit. While fractional lasers offer minimal down-time, other types of lasers can offer more visible results. The rule of thumb is: the shorter the recovery time, the less improvement you can expect.

9. MYTH: Laser liposuction is superior to traditional liposuction as it shrinks skin and selectively removes fat.

REALITY: Laser liposuction (an invasive procedure employing a laser-equipped cannula) may be useful for small areas but is not better or safer than traditional liposuction. It does not shrink skin selectively and can cause skin burns if not used properly. It is imperative to choose a board certified surgeon with specialized training when opting for any type of liposuction as there are many unqualified practitioners on the market offering this surgical procedure.

10. MYTH: Mesotherapy is an easy and safe way to spot-reduce fat and lose weight.

REALITY: Mesotherapy is not approved by the FDA. It can be dangerous and very painful and yields little or no results. Also known as “the French method,” mesotherapy uses multiple needle injections to deliver small amounts of herbal and vitamin compounds to the middle layer of the skin. Touted as a minimally invasive procedure that treats everything from cellulite to sagging skin to excess weight, most of mesotherapy’s claims are completely unfounded.

11. MYTH: Non-surgical fat removal will replace traditional liposuction.

REALITY: Yes, there is a new, non-invasive device that uses high frequency ultrasound to break up fat deposits, which the body then absorbs and eliminates through urination. Patients get immediate, permanent spot reduction of fat with no pain, bruising, bleeding or risk of infection. UT Southwestern is leading the clinical trials of this device for FDA approval, and will probably have the first unit in the U.S. available to consumers. It will not replace liposuction: the device is better for small areas and a series of treatments is required for visible results.

12. MYTH: There is a proven way to permanently remove cellulite that really works.

REALITY: To date, all known methods to eliminate cellulite (such as Endermologie and others) are temporary. Cellulite is a byproduct of hormones which govern the distribution of fat storage, and most women have some cellulite regardless of their weight. There is no known long-lasting, proven treatment for cellulite.

Be on the lookout for our next Symposium expected some time in the fall. If you would like to be alerted when the dates and times for the next Symposium are set, you can sign up on our Registration Page.