NEW PATIENT VIDEO DIARIES
January 30, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
As you would probably surmise, the postoperative period is perhaps the most mysterious and frightening to a prospective patient. In order to alleviate that fear, I have put together the new trio of sections entitled “Understanding Your Recovery”. Â I have just uploaded my first Patient Video Diary, which is a daily recorded diary of a patient that the patient films himself/herself at home so that you can better understand the recovery process from the vantage point of the patient rather than the surgeon. Â The first one that I just uploaded is rather short unfortunately, as Liz’s video camera battery failed after the first day. Â Even though it is relatively short, I hope you enjoy it and find it helpful for you.
Understanding Safe Estrogen
January 28, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
I just finished reading a very interesting book by Dr. Ed Conley, entitled Safe Estrogen, in preparation for the opening of my new anti-aging center coming up in about 2 weeks. Â I was really fascinated about how the book explains using a lower-strength estrogen like Estriol can be protective for breast cancer in the right patient. Â Pharmaceutical companies have been pushing the other 2 estrogens, Estradiol and Estrione, which are much stronger and can be used in the right patient but may not be necessary in everyone. Â The Estriol can block receptors in the breast and thereby actually limit the risk of breast cancer by as much as 90%. Â Also, estrogen given as Premarin contains 50 some estrogens since it is from horse urine. Â Bio-identical hormones derived from plants (which we use) only contain the 3 molecularly identical hormones found in a human female. Â Also, giving estrogen via the mouth can have a lot of bad first-pass effects in the liver. Â Treating it via the skin with a patch can be much better. Â In addition, the book discusses a woman’s estrogen metabolites, specifically 2-OH, 4-OH, and 16-OH, with 4 and 16 being bad and 2-0H being protective. Â Knowing one’s estrogen quotient (EQ), which is the good over the bad estrogen (Estriol/Estrione + Estradiol), and one’s estrogen metabolite index (EMI), which is good over bad metabolites (2-0H/4-OH + 16-OH) can help understand one’s breast cancer risk. Â In addition, progesterone levels can also be protective (if dosed correctly). Â All of this was really fascinating to me since it is entirely new. Â The book also covers antioxidants and other supplements, which can have a direct effect on your EQ and EMI. Â I think the Anti-Aging & Vitality Center of Dallas that is opening will really help women (and men) feel better, look better, and even have incredible health benefits too. Â I hope I have not given any wrong comments, as my specialty is facial plastic surgery and not anti-aging medicine but I really enjoyed this short and easy to read book. Â I will leave the anti-aging care to the wonderful docs we have upstairs at Willow Bend Wellness Center.
THE WEBSITE IS NOW IN 14 LANGUAGES
January 28, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
In order to help my international patients, the website has been expanded from 9 to 14 languages. Â The language module has also been completely redone. Â I know that the language module is far from perfect but hopefully will still help the individual whose English may not be as good as they would like in order to better understand technical, cosmetic terms.
ANOTHER INTERESTING CELEBRITY PHOTO: HEATHER MILLS
January 27, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
I found another celebrity photo, this one of Heather Mills, with roughly similar lighting, pose and smile with a five-year difference in age between the two photos. Â As you can see, she looks more tired and slightly older but without signs of anything sagging or without any wrinkles. Â Look carefully at her upper and lower eyelid area: you can now see the bony orbital rim showing through the skin, that is indicating fat loss. Â Look at the diagonal line that is coming down the midcheek that is now sunken. Â That is a critical area to fill with fat grafting known as the malar septal depression. Â If you can see, the earlier photo looks much more feminine and younger and it has everything to do with the fuller brow, less hollow lower eyelid, and fuller anterior cheek. Â Also, note the hollowness in the “buccal” area, which is just below the cheek bone visible in the 2007 photo. Â She is now roughly 39 years old and if you look at her photo at 32-ish, she looks like what most women would think is their “best”. Â That is, she has a little bit of “buccal” hollow but not too much and a leaner face. Â Most women think their face is too round and full in their twenties and prefer their face the most in their early 30s. Â (Look at your own photos in your twenties, thirties, etc. to understand this phenomenon.) If you see, in the photo on the left she has a much softer, feminine, and rested look but is not round but instead triangular/heart-shaped. Â Now in just 7 years, she looks more tired and ever so slightly masculine. Â The mistake is to blame this slight aging on gravity, folds, and wrinkles, which is simply not what is going on for most people who age in their 30s and 40s. Â Oftentimes, childbirth can accelerate this volume loss. Â For a woman in her 40s versus 20s, check out Sharon Stone in a previous blog entry. Â You will see a much rounder face of the twenties and a much gaunter face in the 40s. Â Both of which may not be “ideal.”
 
INTRODUCING MY NEW POSTOPERATIVE SECTION
January 22, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
Perhaps the hardest time for any patient is the week following a procedure. Â Generally, it is not due to discomfort but due to expectations, perceptions, criticisms, emotions, and instructions. Â The new section entitled “Understanding Your Recovery” is divided into 3 sections: Â the video recoveries and journeys (which has already been up for a while showing patients a day, a week, and a month following a procedure in my office), patient video diaries (not up yet but will feature patients in their home talking about their recovery daily), and the just added postoperative video companion series (in which I talk about your recovery process both in terms of the psychology and the instructions you need to know). Â My goal for the latter section is for you as a patient to review these videos several times during the recovery process to help you understand and to cope with your recovery more effectively. Â I hope you find this new section helpful.