Passing of a Dear Friend
April 21, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
IÂ just learned that a close friend of mine and roommate at Princeton just passed away at 30 some years of age from heart failure leaving behind a wife and baby daughter. Â It reminds me of how precious and short life can be and how absolutely fragile it is. Â I believe that we should live passionately and with deep integrity so that we can not only enjoy life but hopefully inspire and help others around us. Â I am saddened by my friend’s passing and know that he is at peace now and forever. Â
I added a new section to the “Ask Dr. Lam” section entitled “Tell Me Your Passions” to allow people out there to connect with each other about positive things in their life and what makes them passionate to be alive. Â Obviously, my passion is plastic surgery. Â I would like to know what yours is. Â I think if we focus on the positive and focus on our love and potential for life and our mission here, we will make this world a better place. Â I wanted to have a ring of positive energy that would emanate from your submissions so maybe you will touch another life in a way that you might not have thought about. Â (I don’t care if you write about plastic surgery, just WHATEVER in your life you love to write about: Â a story, a poem, a remembrance, a friend, your work, etc.). Â If you don’t write anything but just read the submissions that would be great too.
$17,000 RAISED FOR ABUSED CHILDREN LAST NIGHT!!!
April 20, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
Well, it was a success last night at the Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center black-tie gala intended to raise money to help the cause of abused children. Â Along with the Millionaire Club, our package we donated went for $17,000 to help these kids. Â I heard another $5000 might have been added to that bid too. Â Hopefully the rumor is true meaning our package may have been sold for $22,000.
Our “Extreme Pampering Makeover” package included Restylane/Perlane makeover (4 syringes for each person) for 4 women along with a flight in Millionaire’s private jet to Rodeo Drive to meet with José Eber himself to have a makeover day of beauty and to stay at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel (the Pretty Woman hotel for those who don’t know).  I will accompany them to Rodeo Drive and will hopefully film our festivities.  I didn’t get a chance to find out who bid on the item last night but I would like to thank them for their generosity in this important charity fundraiser.  Last year, CCCAC raised $1.9 million!
Here Comes the Sun!
April 18, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
Okay guys, summer is coming, and I don’t want to spoil your fun. Â However, I think it is worth my stating here some perhaps obvious (and not so obvious) points about how terrible sun exposure is. Â First a short primer on UV (ultraviolet) protection: Â UVA can cause aging (mnemonic: Â a for aging), UVB can cause cancer (mnemonic: Â b for bad), and UVC really has no significant effect on the human. Â Second, many people look at smoking as the terrible thing for facial aging (which it definitely is) but sun is way up there as either number 1 or number 2 in terms of long term ill effects that you will have in terms of aging. Â
Did you know that the collagen that is damaged with one time that you are out sun tanning is PERMANENT and PROGRESSIVE, i.e., you will continue to see the effects of that ongoing damage for years, oftentimes 10 to 15 years down the road. Â That is reality. Â Did you know that a lifetime risk of melanoma (which can kill you) skin cancer is directly proportional to the number of sun burns you had prior to the age of 20? Â I have some people come to me in their mid-20s for Botox. Â Why? Â Because they tanned themselves until they looked 10 years older than they should and that again is progressive. Â If you want a tan, come to my spa I’m opening next month and we have organic spray tans. Â DON’T GO TO TANNING SALONS, PLEASE! Â
A few final tips for you. Â Don’t go out in the middle of the day without a hat or sun block. Â If you are going to garden, go before 10 am or after 4 pm if possible and wear a hat and sun block. Â Make sure the sun block is at least a 15 but preferably a 30 and you have to apply it at least 30 MINUTES before going outside for it to be effective especially if it has a chemical blocking agent (octyl methoxy cinnamate: Â say that 3 times fast!). Â Also, apply an even and relatively thicker coating. Â The SPF rating was designed with a thicker coat of product not a very flimsy coat on your skin. Â Okay, I will stop my little rant here. Â Enjoy the summer: Â just use a little judgment. Â Or like the dentist, I can say go out and have some candy so that I can see you more often.
Plastic Surgery Needs and Wants: Rethinking the Consultation Process
April 17, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
I was going to do this blog as a video log but have not had time so I will probably do that in the future. Â Instead I will write a blog about some of my thoughts (albeit a bit rambling). Â I was at a lecture last year where a senior plastic surgeon went right before my lecture stating during his lecture, “You should give your patients what they want. Â If you don’t do that and you do something they don’t want and they are not happy, they will blame you.” Â Although I agree with the latter statement to a certain extent, I have a responsibility to help you understand as a prospective patient what would most benefit you whether you see it or not. Â Now, if you are coming in for an aging face consultation, I am not going to talk about a hump reduction for a nose. Â However, if you are interested in eyelid work and I think your skin may be a large priority, I will offer some of my thoughts and help prioritize for you the major things that I think could help you most. Â If I think it is a waste of your money, I will tell you that. Â However, if it won’t hurt you, I can consider it with my suggestion to do “unimportant” things after the major things first (obviously with your approval and assent.) Â I always say that it is my responsibility as an educated, trained, and artistic facial plastic surgeon to offer you two things during an initial consultation: Â education (via expert opinion) and the start of a relationship (i.e., trust). Â
I would like to show you things that you might not have considered if I think it is very important even if you did not bring it up.  For example, I have had some people want to have their nose done but all I can see is that they have completely artificial looking lips.  It is my duty to stop you from walking around further like that and offer you corrective work.  If you want to understand better how I navigate safe and effective decision making in plastic surgery, I recommend that you watch my video log on making safe and effective plastic surgery decisions.  I always say that as much as I don’t know anything about your business, I assume you know little of my business.  Accordingly, my objective is to offer you my expertise so that ultimately I can help you make effective and educated decisions.  Whether you ultimately make a decision to follow my advice may be another story (and that’s okay).  I am not the kind of guy that just walks you back to the treatment room or books a surgery with a knee jerk reaction.  Thoughtful judgment and proper physician-patient rapport must precede every surgical and non-surgical intervention.
DALLAS SCAR REVISION VIDEO DIARY: GEOMETRIC BROKEN LINE REPAIR
April 16, 2008 by dr. lam · Leave a Comment
This gentleman flew from another country to Dallas to have his scar fixed that he incurred from a prior motor accident. Â He was kind enough to do an abbreviated video diary despite the fact that he was flying back out of the United States one day after. Â Hopefully, this short video will help those who are interested in having a scar revision be less uncomfortable with the idea, especially considering how extensive this scar was in this case, and the patient really had no discomfort and minimal swelling. Â The case took me close to 3 hours to complete. Â Again, the video can be found in the media center under “Patient Video Diaries”.