Post-Op Bandage: Minimize Swelling & Increase Attention

I know what you're thinking, this picture must have been taken sometime in late November since Heidi had her now famous 'ten surgeries in one day' on November 20th and bandages such as the ones she appears in here are typically worn during the first few weeks post-op only. But no, this picture was taken on January 27th!!! More than two months after her surgeries not to mention the countless number of photos we have seen of her since without the bandages. This photo was taken as Heidi and her sister Holly exited a private plane in their hometown of Crested Butte, Colorado so Heidi could face her Mom for the first time since her surgeries. Hmmm, do you think Heidi had any idea that the paparazzi would be there to capture this moment? Even Dr. Frank Ryan, Heidi's plastic surgeon, had nothing but a sarcastic remark for her dramatic, bandage-covered, plane exit saying something along the lines of "well isn't she just the diligent patient" confirming that the bandages were not doctor's orders and safeguarding nothing more than making sure she made the entertainment news circuit that day. I have to hand it to her, I have blogged about her two weeks in a row and she was indeed plastered all over the entertainment shows, blogs, websites getting off that plane. If attention is what she is seeking than she is surely feeling accomplished right now. I promise if she is still wearing the bandages on the 4th of July I will resist the temptation to write about her again. At some point we all need to ignore the monster we created.

Read more »

JUST A QUICK OUTFIT POST. Can't talk anymore. Refuse to. Must stop. (I was missing autumn today).






ALSO: I rented this book (among others) from my school's library and after reading the foreword and skimming through pictures I will definitely be talking about it to a further extent in the mere future. Maybe even tonight.

Beige winter jacket, H&M. Grey over-sized cardigan and forest green skirt, vintage. Underneath brown cardigan and grey zipper skirt, H&M. Shoes, vintage.

Read more »

I wore this on Thursday for a karaoke outing where hecklers screamed 'eat something!' because of my bones (drunk people are so witty) and the karaoke DJ referred to me as Skulls all night. Also, these pants are from the H&M sale bin, which contained surprisingly stunning pieces. For example, there were high waisted teal blue cotton trousers; if they had my size I would have been all up on that like cheese on rice. They also had expensive black sequin harem pants which I couldn't afford. I guess I should have taken a better picture of these black pants since they sort of swim with your legs due to the light weight of the fabric. I was cold since it was so low under zero degrees celsius but hey, suffering for fashion is like burning your tongue a little whilst drinking hot chocolate. It's the chocolate-y burn that matters (potential that's what she said?). Also, a close-up of my make-up since there is rarely any colour on my face ever.

This is from Friday night when I tried doing a tame version of Luella's Spring 2010 make-up. I did this with the same lipstick I used in the previous photographs. I don't know if it's lipstick in general or just the brand I was using but it ended up melting a bit and hence fading and at one point ended up all over my fingers. I'll be doing it again though nonetheless.

I've been away for so long because I've been busy with school and with this blog I always feel like I need to write long posts like a journal article or something. With assignments piling up as the semester progresses, I find that I have little to no time or head space for anything legitimate or extensive. Hence Tumblr (I actually mention it in every blog post I'M SORRY). But here are some quick dash notes about stuff. I have to wake up in five hours for a lecture so I'll be quick.

- Pre-fall report: PROENZA SCHOULER OMG UNF. Lanvin was also great, both aesthetically and the mode of presenting the clothes, it was sort of like an exhibition. I have to also mention Thakoon scarf-like skirts, I have a soft spot for them. And the latter of the Chanel pre-fall collection. And more I can't think of right now. I also need to get caught up on the men's collections. Falling behind here...
- Radiohead for Haiti benefit concert tonight, if you went and are reading this right now, KILL YOURSELF. Then come back to life so I can murder you out of spite and envy. Whatever, I'm still $450 richer UNLIKE MOST OF YOU WEST COAST BITCHES.
- JH Engstrom may be one of my new photographers, google his book Haunts. Eerie stuff with gorgeous use of lighting.
- I'm going to see MF DOOM and Mos Def in a few days with a friend. Will I be the only tiny white girl there? Most likely. Check back to see if I come out alive. Or if I've been involved in a shoot out.
- The FRUiTS magazine exhibition wasn't really an exhibition rather than a restaurant with enlarged street style photos from the mag put up above each table. Although I did get to see them, I was a bit upset I couldn't take pictures without being glanced at by the hawks that took form as waitresses ("take a seat wherever you like" x12). I was planning to post them here. Bummer.
- I saw Youth in Revolt and Precious yesterday and both were amazing but for independent respective reasons. Also Mo'Nique's acting is ace in the latter. Michael Cera making overtly sexual comments and wearing tight white trousers is also ace.

That's all for now, I need to sleep, goodnight goodnight goodnight.

Skull bodysuit originally a 4 year old's halloween costume. Light black pants, H&M.

Read more »

Horrible radiation injuries in NYC - One more reason Plastic Surgeons do not like radiation therapy

The bane of existence for plastic surgeons who treat breast cancer is the deliverence of external beam radiation (XRT) after surgery. It creates a hostile environment in the tissue exacerbating stiffening of the skin and scar formation. Above all else, it is the most disruptive factor for getting good results from breast reconstruction surgery.

The negative experiences of plastic surgeons with XRT in this setting has produced the interesting survey results among us, that we would overwhelmingly suggest our spouse (or self in the case of women plastic surgeons) get a mastectomy instead of lumpectomy and XRT.  Most women recieving mastectomy would not be suggested XRT except in rare instance involving more aggressive tumors, innvolvement of the chest wall, or extensive spread to the armpit (axillary) lymph nodes. In contrast, European physicians are much more likely to perscribe XRT to the chest and axillae. The practice patterns have to do with how the different countries interpret the same literature regarding this practice. IMO, the rationale Europeans emply to justify XRT is pretty sketchy and is hard to show much difference in outcomes.

On the front page of the New York Times today (click here) is an absolutely horrifying story on the frequent misdosing of patients recieving XRT in the NYC metro area entitled, "Radiation Offers New Cures, and Ways to Do Harm ". Some of the stories are jaw-dropping in how the series of events led to serious adverse events. It is absolutely incovievable that the delivery of XRT, a largely computer driven process, should be doing this. The number of radiation therapists, nurses, and techs who had to drop the ball or ignore clear warnings for these events to happen is staggering. Heads will roll in the Big Apple hospitals for this!

Rob

Read more »

"Fist Pump" Anyone?

It's true you can't turn anywhere these days without seeing or hearing something about MTV's new reality goldmine Jersey Shore. Usually, at this point in the blog I would recap what the concept of the show is, but once again with these reality shows there really isn't one. It is just a birds eye view into a handful of 20 somethings living it up at the Jersey Shore over the summer. Add lot's-o-alcohol, clubbing, the ocean, raging hormones, and some "fist pumpin" and you have a seriously entertaining show.

Already the show has seen it's fair share of controversy. There was the famous "Snooki gets sucker punched" episode....and not some chick fight either....she was clobbered in the face by a dude. MTV didn't actually air the "punch", but it was not hard to find the footage on YouTube.....go ahead and go watch it, you know you want to.

Not so surprisingly there is a member of the cast that has openly discussed having plastic surgery. JWoww (yes, that is how you spell it) bought herself breast augmentation for her 21st birthday. She states that she really didn't "need" to go bigger, but she is extremely happy with the result and would do it again. Even cast member Snooki said she can't quit looking at JWoww's augmented breasts stating, "I keep staring at JWoww's boobs and I'm like, 'I want a boob lift,'" Snooki says. "I'm definitely looking into a lift." Well, Snooki if you do ever decide to get that lift....we know a good doctor....wink, wink! :)

You can catch all the drama of Jersey Shore Thursday nights at 10pm eastern on MTV!

Happy Monday!!!!!

Read more »

Plastic Surgery Police

Somebody stop her!! If only there were an authority to call to make a plastic surgery arrest to save Heidi Montag (although it appears to be too late already) from her admitted obsession/addiction to plastic surgery. She was an average looking girl, who blossomed into a beautiful young woman after a breast augmentation and nose job, and is slowly becoming the next plastic surgery freak of Hollywood. Joan Rivers you have competition!

Heidi is featured in People magazine this week not only discussing her obsession, but bragging about it. Is this really something to be proud of? It's no secret that Heidi will do just about anything for publicity, and since she has had little (to be generous) success with her singing career and with 'The Hills' heyday being long gone, it seems to me that she is undergoing all of these procedures to gain attention rather than beauty. The laundry list of procedures she had in one day (10 in total) on November 20th ranges from a brow lift to buttock augmentation, and included most body parts in between. Not only has she gone too far but she has completely destroyed the amazing results she got from her original surgeries. I thought her breasts and nose looked perfect, and now her breasts are significantly too large for her petite frame while her nose is too narrow for her face. According to her she is not done and wants larger breast implants as soon as her tissues have stretched enough to handle them. An admitted addiction, she has no plans to retire the scalpel.

I hope there is someone out there that can get through to Heidi that more does not always mean better, and there is no turning back once you've gone too far. If she stopped now she might not look as good as she did prior to November 20,2009, but at least she wouldn't be playing Michael Jackson in a movie anytime soon. I hope she comes to her senses and discovers ways to feel beautiful and famous without more surgery. Click below to see the segment with Dr. Walden commenting on Inside Edition!

Read more »

PUH-LEASE Piven!

Emmy Award winning actor Jeremy Piven is making headlines this week from some shots snapped in the Pacific Ocean and not because of his beach body. While relaxing off the Hawaiian coast, Piven took off his baseball cap and the paparazzi got a photo of a scar on the back of his scalp that implies he recently had a hair transplant.

If I were Piven I would totally own up to the surgery, after all, hair transplant surgery is, in my opinion, way less embarrassing than the rumors that were flying a couple months ago in Star Magazine.

Star published a quote stating, “He has experimented with all sorts of folklore remedies, like cat urine and bee pollen, as well as all the organic hair restoration formulas.” The source continues on to say, “He had literally 30 types of hair vitamins in his bathroom. It looks like a pharmacy in there.”

Piven denies the hair transplant rumors, but according to Dr. Jennifer Walden (who has not treated Piven) as seen below on a segment with Inside Edition, there really isn’t room for debate. 

Read more »

I never know how to begin with these things linguistically, which comes as quite of a surprise seeing as I ramble consistently, but yet when I write (or type for that matter) I always end up with this abstract incoherency that is totally irrelevant to said topic. I guess I could start by acknowledging that I started school again this Monday. I'm done every week as of 1130am on Thursday (thasrightnuccas) and I have it, I wouldn't say easy, but definitely much more enjoyable than last semester. I just love that I get to read books and essays of authors that not only can I tolerate but am fond of as well. For example, I just finished a book by Anne Carson entitled The Autobiography of Red and am starting on a short story by Juni'chiro Tanizaki about beauty and aesthetics in Japanese culture (a culture that evokes in my opinion an epitomized sense of allure and perfection). Aside from this, my studio classes include realizing colour through paint and sculpture, an introduction to experimental printmaking, and exploring narrative and sequence through photography. 

So there is no doubt that consuming such a wide variety of art and literature has influenced my "style" in a certain way. I use these scare quotes because I don't think I have determined my literal style yet, and thus I don't believe label my own just yet. All I can say is that the monochromatic prevalence (and I mean prevalence) in my daily wear has reduced substantially. Not to say I've lost all appreciation for it, but as I kept being fed all of these things, it sort of shone a light on this limited notion I had of what fashion is. I realized that black and white clothing can only do so much. It's like if Picasso's Blue period expanded throughout his entire life; of course the works would still be brilliant, but he realized that art is this entire spectrum that needs to be discovered. Picasso constantly translated himself. In terms of fashion, his artistic periods could be depicted as styles or eras, as dissimilar as they may be from one another. They are little pieces that form this finished puzzle that we know generally as fashion today. Some people will be more fond of say the monochromatic combinations of Rick Owens' work, other of the elitist royalty that Valentino gowns exude, some (myself included) of the clothing of Rei Kawakubo which typically are deconstructed and placed back together to create breathtaking compositions, others of the androgynous appeal of Ann Demeulemeester's collections, etc - and that's okay. It's just making it past a self-inflicted limitation in succession is all. Once you come to realize the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, then this naiveté is diminished and you tend to see the bigger picture.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that when I didn't acknowledge variety I was stuck in this little bubble of repetition - wearing the same colour schemes, watching similar films, reading the same types of books, etc. I don't know if it was art school that opened my eyes exactly, but straying away from routine took an extremely positive toll. Although I can safely say Japanese fashion is my favourite out of everything else, I'm afraid that if it wasn't for realizing how multifarious not only fashion really is, but art and literature also, I would still be in my monochromatic bubble on this day.

Don't ostracize me if none of that translated very well - I didn't really write it with an envisioned central point or thesis. Just something I've been thinking about in an abstract set of thoughts that I needed to write down somewhere.

I'm not going to go into details about anything else any further, just that I wore this outfit yesterday with a fur coat on top and that these below are some of my favourite photos from editorials, and that clicking on the photos will send you to my Tumblr from whence they came. By the way I'm addicted to that site and you can blame it for my absence here like I've stated before. 

PS. I don't like buttoning blouses unless they're in the wrong button holes. Asymmetry is my new best friend.

Everything I have on is vintage except for the tights which are white translucent ones over top of thick black ones.

Read more »

Photoshop strikes again!!!

Please don't roll your eyes and leave......please, please.....I know it is another blog about one of The Hills chicks, but even I couldn't pass this one up! So, apparently Heidi Montag is releasing her debut album tomorrow. As we all know, Ms. Montag, is no stranger to our blog or plastic surgery in general. The reality star has been very open about her journey going under the knife. Heidi has admitted to breast augmentation and rhinoplasty, but it is rumored that the pint size star has also had chin refinement, possible liposuction, and injectables to the face and lips.

Well, this time I am not here to talk about what she has had done surgically....today I am simply pointing out what was done to her by the computer mouse!! In addition to her announcement of the album coming out today they released a promotional picture. Like so many planned pictures we see today of celebrities, once again she was photoshopped to a point where this could have been a drawing. I mean I get it....this is Hollywood and the music industry and you have to be perfect and all that jazz, but give me a break. Ms. Montag is a young beautiful woman in her 20's....why would there be a need to photoshop her to a point where you have to take a double take just to make sure who it is?? The portion of the photo that is the worst is the face. I can't quite figure out what they did exactly....it looks at if they tried to lengthen the face which in turn gives her a very "upside down triangle" or "alien" shape. There are so many paparazzi pictures of the blond beauty with no photoshop applied and she always looks gorgeous....I just don't understand.

I have real mixed feelings about photoshop in general. I feel like it can be such an amazing tool for publications and photographers. If you have taken the most perfect picture of a subject but there is a really distracting piece of hair out of place or an article of clothing at an odd angle or even an unsightly blemish.....I am all for fixing it and have total understanding of what a great piece of technology it is. It just seems like you can't look at a photograph today where the person is so "touched up" that they look almost inhuman or like a painting. I am hoping that like most trends this will pass and we can get back to a more "natural" version of photography. We need to give the human race....especially woman....a break and embrace our imperfections maybe even celebrate them. It is what makes us "human" after all!

Happy Monday!!!

Read more »

The Mayo Clinic decision signals the health care bill is "One Big Ass Mistake, America"

I've been on a little hiatus but hope to get back to semi regular output here on PS 101.

Since I last wrote, the Senate voted their version of the health care reform bill to consensus conference with the house. Even for Washington, the "sausage making" of this bill was pretty ugly. The naked bribes required to get Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) & Mary Landrieu's (D-LA) votes were particularly offensive, and quite possibly illegal (see here).

One story that is very symbolic but did not get much play in the media was the announcement that one of the Mayo Clinic satellites in Arizona would no longer see Medicare patients. Mayo is doing this because it lost $840 million last year on Medicare patients, and specifically it's Arizona hospital and four primary-care clinics lost over $120 million. No matter how efficient you are, that is unsustainable. It must be particularly embarrassing to Pres. Obama to see his "model" franchise for health care telling him to his face that he does not understand the effects of the legislation both he and his party are foisting on America.

To doctors in practice, it was always amusing to see the Mayo clinic proposed as a replicable model for our health care system. For starters they operate in a coccon on a largely wealthy, educated, and homogenous patient group. Even more ironic is the fact that the Mayo clinic doesn't even really take Medicare, but exists as a "non participant (non-par)" where they reserve the right to balance bill the patient for what they think their services are worth. From the Mayo website

"Mayo Clinic is a non-participating provider in the Medicare Program. We do not accept assignment on claims submitted to Part B Medicare except:

•where the law requires us to;
•in the case of documented financial hardship;
•when the supplemental insurance is a contract payer;
•when the patient resides in the state of Minnesota.
When claims are sent to Medicare on a non-assigned basis, the benefits for the services are sent directly to the patient. Mayo Clinic is entitled to bill the patient for the difference between our billed amount and Medicare's approved amount. We do not have to accept Medicare's approved amount as payment in full. Mayo Clinic limits its charges according to the limits set forth by HCFA for the Medicare program. Mayo hospital claims are sent assigned."

Expect to see real push back from providers at other places who treat these patients.

Rob

Read more »

What's your vote for best of 2009?

Happy New Year everyone!! I know we are all moving forward into the new year, but it also means it is time to look back on 2009 and all that happened in celebrity plastic surgery news. You can't turn a page in a magazine or go to a website without stumbling across best and worst of 2009 lists. I was recently on Makemeheal.com and looking at their best and worst breast augmentations of 2009 lists. There were many that seemed like no brainers, but some were actually surprising. One of my favorites on the list for best breast augmentation was Twilight's very own Ashley Greene. As some of you may know I make no secret about my love for The Twilight Saga, so I was excited to see Ashley added to this list!

It is rumored that the actress underwent breast augmenation and by the looks of it her surgery was very successful. She tops the "best of" list because she had a good surgeon who helped her pick out implants that fit her frame and body type. This expertise resulted in a very natural look for Ms. Greene. I will say that she also has a great team of stylists that dress her and always accentuate her best features which is always helpful. I have no doubt we will be seeing Ashley's beautiful figure for many years to come on the silver screen!

I can't wait to see who tops the 2010 list....come on celebs give us something good to chat about this year!! Wooohooo!

Read more »