Tag Archives: news

Living an Illusion

Social media’s presence in our everyday lives has done nothing but grow. Whether one prefers Instagram, FaceBook, Twitter, blogs, or vlogs, it is almost guaranteed that each and every person who has access to a smartphone or computer checks in with their online “friends” dozens of times a day. At first thought it would seem that this is good for our mental health — we are more connected, right? — but in actuality it can be very detrimental.

Take Instagram model Essena O’Neill, for example. In a very public announcement, O’Neill left Instagram — abandoning her thousands of followers. Even though she was earning up to $1,400 per sponsored post, she said the money wasn’t worth the negative effects endured from a daily addiction to comparison. Seeing others’ “perfect lives” does cause one to compare and contrast our own struggles and realities, and it can be hard to remember that what we see is only what someone else WANTS us to see. The reality can be very, very different!

Self-worth should not be measured in “likes,” and our value as a person does not equal how “pretty” or “handsome” we are. O’Neill edited her photo captions to reflect the amount of time she spent on perfecting her appearance, and many people were very surprised that her “morning look” only came about after hours of preparation.

Keeping our online identity close to our true identity is of the utmost importance, researchers say. If we stray too far from our true selves, then there is a much higher risk of social anxiety. Staying in the present moment is necessary as well, and it definitely wouldn’t hurt to put a cap on the amount of times you click over to FaceBook and Instagram! Remember that a picture can be worth a thousand words, but those words were written by someone who wanted to write a very specific book — and you don’t get the whole tale from just a page (or, should we say a photo!).

We spent HOW much?!

The results are in: Americans spent a LOT on plastic surgery! It was predicted in 2013 that more and more Americans would continue to undergo cosmetic procedures, and that that they have! The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has released new data it compiled throughout 2014, and the findings are very comprehensive. Some are old and some are new… but all are interesting!

Approximately 16 MILLION cosmetic surgery procedures were performed in 2014. This number includes cosmetic surgery (1.7 million), minimally
invasive procedures (13.9 million), and reconstructive procedures (5.8 million). Overall, this was a 3% increase from 2013, as well as the largest number that has been recorded thus far. These 16 million procedures equated to $12.9 BILLION spent: Beauty doesn’t come cheap!
As can be expected, women were the vast majority of cosmetic procedure patients (92%). For the ninth year in a row, breast augmentation was the most requested procedure. Rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, facelifts, and liposuction were the runner-ups in the popularity contest! In terms of minimally invasive procedures, Botox and injectables reigned supreme; both women AND men love their instant results!

Speaking of men, don’t think guys didn’t visit plastic surgeons! There was an increase in men requesting cosmetic procedures, too, and rhinoplasty was the most common. Interestingly, there was an increase in lip reductions and augmentations for both men and women, and sources say this likely attributes to celebrities (Kylie Jenner, for example) and social media. Although teens and young adults make up a large majority of these platforms’ audience, they were the smallest group in terms of percentage to undergo cosmetic surgery. Middle-aged women– between the ages of 40 and 54, specifically — were the majority.

There is a reason these numbers keep growing! Even though the Fountain of Youth hasn’t officially been found, plastic surgery technology is rapidly improving. Visit an experienced plastic surgeon to find out your anti-aging options — and soon enough you will be part of next year’s growing statistics!

Neck wrinkles: The latest thing your smartphone does!

Yes, unfortunately, it may be true. The term “tech neck” is evolving: No longer does it just mean having the danger of hunched-over shoulders and a sore back — now it has a cosmetic meaning, too.

Numerous beauty articles are citing early-onset neck wrinkles as an unsightly effect of our technology dependence. It is hard to argue against the fact that we look down a LOT more than we used to, and it is a medical fact that excessive bending/flexing of the thin neck muscles does contribute to wrinkling. Combine the two and, well, it might be time to start looking up rather than down!

However, a wrinkly neck cannot only be blamed on smartphones; the loss of collagen and elasticity as we age is normal, and it can snowball with outside factors (sun exposure, dry atmosphere, etc) to make necks look “looser” than they are. Making sure to wear adequate sunscreen on both the face AND neck will help, and, of course, try holding your phone at eye level. It just might make all the difference.

If you already have “tech neck,” don’t worry: Dr. Yagoda is a neck expert who will have you looking good as new in no time.

Face the Facts: 5 Healthiest States to Live In

While Americans are dying less from cancer and heart-related conditions, more are now affected by obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and sedentary living. According to a report from the United Health Foundation and American Public Health Association, 26.2% lead sedentary lifestyles, 30.8% have hypertension, 27.8% of Americans are obese and 9.5% have diabetes. These are the 5 healthiest states to live in (with the lowest rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and sedentary living):

1. Hawaii
2. Vermont
3. Massachusetts
4. Connecticut
5. Utah

Click here to see where your state ranked.

Teen Plastic Surgery On The Rise


Everyone wants to look great for the prom!  And since online photos will likely document that special day for an eternity, it’s no wonder that more and more teens are seeking plastic surgery before the prom.

Chin implants and nose jobs are common, as are ear pinnings or “otoplasty” to enhance an “updo” hairstyle.

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Stem Cell Facelift?

Have you heard of a stem cell facelift?

Courtney Love, former wife of the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, is 3reported to have gotten a stem cell facelift back in 2010. The results are not very impressive. It may sound great, but in fact in many hands it’s little more than a fat transfer with volumizing and wrinkle-filling. I recommend fillers like Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Radiesse, Sculptra, LaViv, and Belotero to rejuvenate an aging face and to restore lost volume by eliminating wrinkles.

Watch Dr. Yagoda talk about the Stem Cell Facelift on Fox News: