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First there was Nosferatu, then the Twilight saga and now......there's a new name in town.....known as the...*lighting strikes, thunder claps*....... “The Vampire Facelift!!!!!”.....

Well.....not exactly....first, you need to know a few things about it. the main one being, it is not a bona fide face lift, this is because it's not a surgical procedure - it cannot sculpt the lower face, neck and jaw-line, as does the standard and face and neck lift.

The catchy title is just a simple play on words. You need to remove any ties you may have mentally with Team Edward or Jacob or.....if you're more inclined to traditional movies, the famous actor, Bela Lugosi - I'm sure in you head, your visualising Dracula horror movies, where the main villain sucks blood from your neck and then with a swoop of his cape, changes into a bat and flies out your window.........well, it's not like that.... 

The Vampire Facelift is getting a lot of media attention simply because of its name, and not because of it's spectacular results.

It did not originate in Transylvania; maybe not even Pennsylvania.  But this is the essence of the process, as I understand it: using the patient’s own blood, a mixture is prepared that is injected under the skin, which ostensibly will do some plumping and filling of the tissue under the skin.  Should the plumping be successful, then presumably, some of the signs of aging would be diminished. The proponents are hoping that such “self-filling” will be more permanent than the current crop of fillers.

I’m familiar with the basic science and technology of this variety of natural filler. The Vampire Facelift uses “platelet-rich plasma” as the filler. Platelets, very small fragments and a normal component of blood, are very valuable in healing. Their main function is to promote blood clotting when clotting is necessary, such as after an injury or surgery. They literally plug the holes in blood injured and leaking blood vessels.  Platelets are also rich in growth factor, and other chemicals and hormones that stimulate the body to generate healing tissue.

All surgeons are familiar with the non-cosmetic uses of platelet-rich plasma. In the universe of all surgical specialties, platelet-rich plasma has had a long and successful run. Reconstructive plastic surgeons and cosmetic surgeons adopted it from those worlds of other surgical specialties including chest surgery where the plasma is sprayed over the stitch lines to promote rapid healing and reduce leakage from reunited blood vessels

So to conclude. Here at SpaMedica, we're not team Edward, Jacob or even Bella - we're just really good at our job!! For more information on us, you can visit our website here

According to a recent study by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, it has been reported that the following six statistics in regards to the growth of plastic surgery took effect in 2010. (This was based on its online national database and annual survey of board-certified plastic surgeons)

1. Growth in cosmetic surgery. There were 13.1 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures last year, 5 percent more than in 2009. Since insurers do not typically cover cosmetic procedures, the increase reflects a rise in consumer confidence, the ASPS said.

2. Top five cosmetic surgery procedures. The top five such procedures last year, with volumes, were breast augmentation (296,000), nose reshaping (252,000), eyelid surgery (209,000), liposuction (203,000)
and tummy tuck (116,000). In addition, the number of facelifts rose by 9 percent to 113,000 procedures — their first increase since 2007. 

3. Growth in surgical body contouring. All surgical body contouring procedures saw growth in 2010, including breast lifts (90,000 procedures, up 3 percent), lower body lifts (10,000 procedures, up 9 percent), upper arm lifts (15,000 procedures, up 5 percent), and thigh lifts (9,000 procedures, up 8 percent).

4. Growth in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures. The number of such procedures increased 5 percent, totaling 11.6 million procedures in 2010. The top five minimally invasive procedures, with volumes, were Botulinum toxin type A (5.4 million), soft tissue fillers (1.8 million), chemical peel (1.1 million), laser hair removal (938,000) and microdermabrasion (825,000).

5. Increase in reconstructive plastic surgery. Such surgeries, which are typically covered by insurers, increased 2 percent in 2010, to a total volume of 5.3 million. 

6. Top five reconstructive procedures. The top five reconstructive procedures in 2010, with volumes, were tumor removal (4 million), laceration repair (357,000), scar revision (161,000), hand surgery (106,000), and breast reconstruction (93,000). Breast reconstruction was up 8 percent in 2010, taking the No. 5 slot from maxillofacial surgery.

Read more coverage of plastic surgery via spaMedica:

- @spamedica

- SpaMedica website

- Join the discussion on Linkedin

When British student Claudia Aderotimi died from a cheap, overseas ‘butt boost’ jab, the tragedy highlighted the dangers of seeking out discounted cosmetic surgery.

It’s important to remember that operations such as a boob jobs, liposuction and facelifts can involve a major operation and lengthy recovery time. In a recent survey, it was estimated, Brits spent over £2 billion on cosmetic surgery in 2010 and there’s no reason why you shouldn't consider being one of these, just make sure you follow these guidelines:

1. Ask yourself why you want cosmetic surgery. Are you are doing it for the right reasons?

2. Choose a reputable and experienced cosmetic surgeon who you feel comfortable with.

3. Find a surgeon who you feel you can trust. It is important that you feel at ease with the surgeon as they will be with you every step of the procedure, so you need to feel supported before, during and after.

4. When you meet your surgeon make sure you are prepared. Take a list of questions and ask everything you can think of, including risks, complications, recovery and aftercare. Don’t be afraid to take notes , it’s an important decision that you need to be sure of.

5. If your surgeon refuses to do something, it is for a good reason. Respect and listen to your surgeon, he is thinking what is in your best interest.  

6. Make sure you’ve done your homework – read all about the procedure in order to be fully informed.

7. Make sure the timing is right. If you have recently experienced stressful, emotional or life-changing events, you may want to avoid surgery until you have recovered emotionally.

8. Be realistic about your expectations. Cosmetic surgery can have an amazing affect on a person’s life, but it may not change other deep rooted body issues.

9. Talk about your surgery with someone.  

10. Schedule yourself plenty of recovery time. Your body needs time to heal after any surgery, so book some time off and allow yourself to relax.

For more information, please contact us

The Jeremy Kyle show is famous for its DNA tests, alcoholic husbands, on-stage fights and aggression, so what on earth would such a daytime TV show have in common with spaMedica?

Well....normally, the answer would be nothing......

Well, today that all changed - Jeremy Kyle was show casing the benefits of cosmetic surgery on his show as part of a ‘medical week special’. The episode included liposuction,  laser hair removal and collegen implants after weight loss....

Many people use the words “plastic surgery” and “cosmetic surgery” interchangeably that they are sometimes thought to be the same. This couldn’t be further from the truth. While it may not seem like a big deal, for people looking to get one of these procedures done, the last thing needed is confusion.

If you are thinking about having plastic or cosmetic surgery done, it helps to know what you’re talking about. By knowing which procedures fall under which categories, you can keep yourself safe from gross mistakes or confusion.

Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery is also known as reconstructive surgery. This type of surgery involves fixing a body part or facial feature that is abnormal and reconstructing it to appear normal. Often a person seeks reconstructive surgery due to a malformation that they would like to have corrected. Others need plastic surgery because of health complications due to the abnormal body part of facial feature.

Repairing a cleft lip, broken nose or birth defect falls under the category of plastic surgery. Breast augmentation is usually put under the category of cosmetic surgery, but when it comes to breast cancer, this particular procedure is more accurately placed under the plastic surgery category. Unlike cosmetic surgery, breast augmentation is needed to reconstruct the shape of the breast, nipple or areole after the cancer has been removed, effectively turning an abnormal structure of the body into a normal looking structure.

Rhinoplasty is one of the surgeries than can be labeled either plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery, depending on the reason for the operation.

Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery differs from plastic/reconstructive surgery because the purpose of this procedure is to take a normal body structure and improve it to make it look better and improve the person’s self-esteem. Cosmetic surgery is not needed due to a deformity or health issue - the person simply wants to appear more attractive in most cases. Breast implants and breast reductions are seen as a cosmetic surgery procedure because the surgeon is enhancing the already normal body structure. Anti-aging procedures such as facelifts, tummy tucks, and hair replacement treatments are also common cosmetic procedures.

When choosing a plastic surgeon for either reconstructive or cosmetic surgery, make sure he/she is licensed and qualified. Only work with a surgeon who specializes in the particular type of surgery you’re hoping to get. Always ask plenty of questions and check the surgeon’s references. Ask for before and after pictures of past clients. If you aren’t comfortable with the surgeon for any reason or are not happy with the before and after photos, move on to the next person. Never settle for just anyone when it comes to getting reconstructive or cosmetic surgery. Always put your safety first.

The top 10 Cosmetic Surgery Trends predicted for 2011

 Predictions are based on interviews with leading plastic surgeons around the country, who are actively involved in cutting edge surgical and non surgical aesthetic / cosmetic technology.

• As the economy continues to improve, demand for facelifts and other facial rejuvenation surgery will increase. Non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedures will also see some growth, but people who have been putting off surgery for the past few years because of the economy will be ready for the gold standard in facial rejuvenation in 2011.
• The growth and popularity of cosmetic injectables (Botox, Dysport, Sculptra, Radiesse, Evolence, Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane etc.) will continue to increase as products continue to evolve and new players enter the market.
• As our population increasingly realises the dangers and health consequences of obesity, the number of patients seeking plastic surgery procedures for body contouring after dramatic weight loss (abdominoplasty, lower body lift, upper arm lift, etc.) will rise in 2011.
• As the baby boomer generation continues to age, so do their breast implants. This year many baby boomer women who have aging implants and/or breast ptosis will replace their implants and have breast lifts.
• Consumers looking for a bargain on cosmetic procedures will unfortunately lead to an increase in horror stories about “discount injectables” bought offshore and cosmetic medicine and cosmetic surgical procedures performed by untrained or poorly trained practitioners.
• While liposuction (lipoplasty) will continue to be the gold-standard in fat reduction, there will be continued interest in experimental techniques for non-invasive fat removal (freezing, zapping, lasering, etc.) as a future alternative or adjunct to liposuction (lipoplasty) surgery.
• Aesthetic Medicine has seen a dramatic increase in the diversity of the patients treated over the past decade and this trend is expected to continue to grow stronger than ever, with applications that cater to all people. The appeal of both aesthetic surgery and cosmetic medicine will continue to spread across the spectrum of our population, as plastic surgeons further tailor treatments to meet the sometimes unique needs of that expanding population.
• As the popularity of non surgical and minimally invasive procedures continues to grow, surgeons and manufacturers will develop new techniques and products that advance the science, produce even better results and lessen recovery time.
• Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, and Jennifer Lopez have made a shapely rear-end a must have accessory. In the coming year patients will be seeking posterior body lifts, buttock lifts, surgical and nonsurgical buttock augmentations to shape and augment their buttocks.
• Following the trend in increased consumer sophistication patients will increasingly want to know if the latest procedure and device being touted on the internet and TV talk show really works and if it is safe. Safety will be a key message in 2011