Kate Middleton’s Hair vs. The Heir’s

According to the UK’s Glamour Beauty, Kate Middleton’s hair is “bouncy, shiny [and] basically perfect”. Prince William, on the other hand, could use some hair….err…help! While many people consider hair loss to be a “male” issue, it commonly affects women as well. In fact, excessive hair loss affects more than 30 million women, or 15% of all women in the US alone. The good news is that in women, hair loss may be related to hormonal or medical causes that can be reversible. On the contrary, [poor William!] men’s hair loss is typically genetic. or hereditary and irreversible. Patterns of hair loss in men and women differ as well. While men’s hair loss is typically localized to the temple, the crown or the “bald spot” on the top of the head, in women there is more often a diffuse thinning throughout the scalp, or a high hairline.

The most common medical problem causing p2thinning and balding in women is related to excess male hormone (androgen) and is called androgenic alopecia. It may come as a surprise to some, but male hormone is typically present in women, albeit in small quantities. When those levels rise abnormally, the hair growth cycle will be adversely affected: the hair follicle will shrink over time and die, or become incapable of producing and maintaining healthy hair growth.

Alopecia areata is another common medical cause of hair loss in women. It is an autoimmune issue characterized by patches of hair loss, but often successfully treated with steroids. Hormonal fluctuations with pregnancy, post-pregnancy and menopause, as well as those hormonal changes associated with medications like the oral contraceptive, can contribute to hair thinning and balding as well. These and other medical causes like anemia, thyroid problems. physical or mental stress and crash or poor diets can lead to an insufficient quantity of the building blocks necessary for the growth and maintenance of healthy hair. Non-medical factors causing excessive hair loss are a growing concern. Hair straightening procedures like the Brazilian Blow-Out or Japanese Straightening can cause thinning and balding. Overstyling with frequent blow-drying, hair coloring, perming or processing be problematic, as can hair extensions, tight ponytails, braids and corn rows that can lead to tension alopecia with premature breakage and tearing of the hair from its follicle.

Plastic Surgery to PREVENT Bullying?

Think plastic surgery to prevent bullying is all just media hype? Don’t be so quick to judge a book by its cover, or a child by his mother! Well-meaning, psychologically aware parents have been choosing plastic surgery for their children to help maintain self-confidence and prevent bullying for decades… D-E-C-A-D-E-S! It is nothing new. Sometimes, starlets’ plastic surgery can seem self-indulgent or vain, a purely cosmetic tool. It’s important to remember, though, that much of plastic surgery focuses on reconstruction. No one questions the “necessity” of plastic surgery for those with burns, clefts, and scars left from cancers–and for good reason. But the cosmetic benefits of these procedures are undeniable.

Plastic Surgery to prevent bullyingTake, for example, a child with protruding ears. Ear pinning (otoplasty) can restore the ear size, shape, and position to normalcy. After the age of six, otoplasty is safe, fast, and virtually painless. So why subject a child to a lifetime of “Dumbo” jokes? An otoplasty in an otherwise physically, emotionally, and socially healthy child can be a surefire way to prevent bullying. The same is true of exaggerated nasal features. Oversized, crooked, or oddly shaped noses are often a source of relentless teasing among children. Surgery that restores normal nasal structure and function has long been accepted by well-adjusted teens, their parents, and doctors, so why stand by and watch a child experience a painful loss of confidence? While surgeries to improve the appearance of a child’s ears or nose have long been popular, a newer cosmetic procedure is also on the rise. Those who suffer from unwanted hair, such as girls with upper lip hair or thick sideburns, may want a lasting solution to avoid being taunted by their peers. Laser hair removal is now becoming a more common alternative to waxing, depilation creams, and the dreadful shaving.

External beauty is first and foremost a reflection of inner health and wellness. But when physical appearance does not reflect the inner self, surgery is the necessary option for improvement. In fact, it can strengthen self-confidence and prevent bullying. Young skin is quite elastic. It is quite forgiving, and it heals quickly. Emotional scars from bullying make their mark for life.

What do Joaquin Phoenix and King Tut have in common?

Both the Oscar-nominated actor and the Egyptian child king were born with clefts. A cleft is an opening or gap in the bone and/or soft tissue of the nose, mouth, and palate, typically formed before birth. They are more common than you might think: approximately 1 in 700 newborns have a cleft lip and/or palate. In fact, football player Peyton Manning, NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw, and the Reverend Jesse Jackson were all born with clefts too! In addition to the cosmetic concerns that may leave a psychological impact on young kids vulnerable to bullying, a cleft lip and/or palate also presents a number of functional difficulties. These can include difficulty feeding, susceptibility to inner ear infections, delayed or impaired speech function, and abnormal dental development. Some children born with clefts also have associated nasal malformations. To avoid or lessen the above risks, it’s important to close the cleft within the first 2-3 months following birth. Generally this closure happens surgically. The surgeon attaches the muscles of the lip, then attempts to hide the scar in the natural lines of the upper lip.

Because the surgery happens at such an early age, the baby’s young, elastic skin tends to heal quickly and be more forgiving than more mature skin. Scars of childhood often heal faster and more invisibly that scars in adults. In spite of this, many adults find the scars from their cleft palate and lip repair to be fairly obvious. Revision surgery can be not only traumatic and inexact, but unpredictable and expensive. Dr. Yagoda offers an accurate, non-surgical option to fine-tune cleft lip and nose asymmetries with injectable fillers. Fillers can achieve the look of a polished, closed cleft without the downtime, potential scarring, and cost of a surgical repair.