Monthly Archives: June 2016


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Beach Body Ready…which treatment is right for you?

Summer is here and you may not have that beach body you’ve dreamed about all winter long.  But don’t despair, there are non surgical options that can help you look great in that bikini!  If you are not too far off your desired weight …. body sculpting with liposuction can help you get the curves in places you want them while removing those few extra pounds that you just couldn’t budge.

Your bikini look can include a full Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty/surgical) or a non surgical approach using liposuction to sculpt areas of concern.

Liposculpting can be very effective, fast and safe if performed in a surgical suite by a competent, board certified surgeon.  DO NOT be talked into spa treatments involving liposuction…they are not done by experienced surgeons with life saving skills…in case a problem occurs during the procedure.

Benefits of Liposculpting…you can treat small or larger areas to remove fat deposits safely and effectively thus creating curves or definition in the desired areas.  Your recovery can be a short as a couple days to several days depending upon the extensiveness of your procedure.

Breasts may be too large, too small or out of shape from breast feeding.  Many women opt for little to no downtime breast procedures so they can look great in their beach bikini.  This can include implants, breast reduction (surgical) or non surgical injections to plump up and lift sagging breasts.

Buttocks Lift has become very popular the past few years.  Butt Uplift comes to us from South America where “big butts” are desirable and sexy.  It’s the new American look too.  Hurry though…time is running out on getting it done and being able to have enough beach time left to enjoy your new look.  Book your consultation today!

Well, there are other options…check out my website to get complete information and have a safe, happy summer.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

https://www.davinciplastic.com/blog/bikini-ready-with-tummy-tuck/

Safe Sun Protection, part 2

The sun provides some wonderful health benefits, but as I’ve recently shared in previous blogs, there is good reason to protect yourself from its skin damaging UV rays. Here are the main ways to protect yourself when in the sun.

Sunscreen
Sunscreen can definitely be helpful in protecting your skin from the UV rays, but some sunscreen has toxic chemicals that should be avoided. For example, a recent study published in Environmental Science Technology has demonstrated that the common sunscreen ingredients, methoxycinnamate, oxybenzone and PABA are estrogenic chemicals linked to cancer.

Mineral sunscreens are preferable, as they are considered “broad spectrum” and protect against both UVB and UVA rays. They contain titanium or zinc, which do not breakdown in sunlight and are therefore more effective at also blocking UVA rays. These minerals are non allergenic and not usually absorbed into the bloodstream so they don’t affect the body’s hormones.

Clothing

You can’t go wrong by:  wearing a hat, sunglasses and protective clothing when in the sun. There is even special clothing that is enhanced with greater protection against UV radiation and laundry detergent that adds sunscreen to your clothes. The laundry detergent doesn’t add much, but a plain white Tshirt that normally only provides 8 SPF can be boosted up to 15 SPF with a sunscreen detergent. The main benefit to SPF laundry detergent is that it’ll help keep some SPF in the garment for longer, as it does tend to start to slowly wear off after 3 or 4 washings.

UPF vs SPF
Most commonly you’ll see the terms UPF (Ultra Violet Protection) on sun protective clothing, while the sunscreens say SPF (Sun Protection Factor). UPF measures a fabric’s protection against both UVA and UVB. Sunscreen’s SPF only rates its protection against UVB rays, which cause sunburn.
What does the number mean?

A UPF rating of 25 means that only 1/25th (or 4%) of the UV radiation can penetrate the fabric, giving 96% protection against both UVA and UVB rays. A minimum UPF 15 clothing is good (94% protection), but 50+ (98%) is excellent, especially considering the effectiveness of sun protection will lessen over time, you’ll have longer lasting protection.

Regarding the measurement of sun protection, SPF is a bit more variable as the number is calculated based on increasing the amount of time you can spend in the sun before getting sunburned. For example, if the average person would burn after 20 minutes in the sun, a sunscreen with SPF 30 is supposed to protect against sunburn for about 10 hours. This effectiveness varies widely because some people’s skin burns more easily, the mid day hours have more intense UVB rays, and even most water repellant sunscreens wear off with sweat and water. Also, the SPF calculation does not account for the UVA rays.

Diet
Most people haven’t considered that foods and supplements  can actually help protect your skin, too. The American Cancer Society states that oxidative damage can increase your cancer risk, including skin cancer. Fortunately, there are lots of delicious, healthy foods that help reduce oxidation. These are some suggestions for foods and the antioxidants they contain that help your skin:

…Salmon and fish oil contain astaxanthin and omega 3 fatty acids.
…Green and white tea contains catechins.
…Red wine, blueberries and red grapes contain resveratrol.
…Almonds, asparagus and pumpkin seeds contains Vitamin E.
…Carrots and red bell peppers contain Beta carotene.

I hope you take these sun protection tips seriously… and have a safe, fun summer!

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

 

 

 

 

Safe Sun Protection, part 1

Since I recently talked about skin cancer, I thought I should elaborate on the topic a little more, especially prevention. There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings about the sun and sunscreen.

20 Minutes
When I recommend people to limit sun exposure, I don’t mean to completely avoid it. I recommend protecting yourself from getting too much sun and especially to avoid letting your skin burn. The ideal amount is about 20 minutes every day, but not in the heat of the day (10am to 2pm) when the sun’s UV rays are strongest.
Benefits of the Sun
Why 20 minutes? This is the average amount of time in the sun that our body needs to naturally generate a sufficient amount of Vitamin D3, which has many benefits for the body physically and emotionally.

Research on Vitamin D3 has demonstrated its ability to:
…naturally fight cancer
…boost the immune system
…improve mood

Dangers from the Sun
While there are benefits from the sun, there are also dangers. The long term negative effects predominantly come from the ability of the sun’s UV radiation to damage cellular DNA. This leads to genetic mutation and cellular malfunction that causes premature aging, and ultimately can cause cancer. As our understanding has increased we’ve learned that we need to protect our skin from both the sun’s longer ultraviolet A (UVA) and shorter ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.

The Long (UVA) and Short (UVB) of It
While UVA rays are longer and less intense than UVB, we are exposed to more throughout our lifetimes because they are equally present during all daylight hours throughout the year. UVA can also penetrate clouds and, unlike UVB, can go through glass. This is why it’s important to consider sun protection even when you’re not at the beach or pool.

It has been thought that while both play a major part in skin aging, UVB has been the main contributor to skin cancer. UVB is the chief cause of skin reddening and sunburn, affecting mostly the superficial layers of skin. But even though UVB has a more concentrated negative effect, UVA causes cumulative damage over years and years, which may also initiate the development of skin cancer. Most skin cancers occur in the basal layer of the epidermis and studies have shown UVA damages cells in this layer, as well.
Bottom line is that while the sun provides wonderful health benefits, we still need to take precautions to only receive its benefits and not its damaging effects. In my next blog, I’ll continue the subject and talk about how to protect yourself, including helpful clothing, sunscreen and diet tips.
If you’d like more information on rejuvenating your skin, visit www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Celebrity Body

Celebrity Body Sculpting or Body Contouring has paved the way for the general population to see, adore and emulate. With increased celebrity presence in the public eye through social media, their influence is much more far reaching. Celebrities have set the “ideal” body types and facial features that are seen as desirable in our culture. So much so, that it isn’t rare to have patients request lips like Angelina Jolie, a nose like Kate Middleton or arms like Michelle Obama.

Social Media Influence on Younger Millennials
With 2015 seeing the celebrity rise of the younger Kardashian sisters, Kylie and Kendall, their peers took notice of their cosmetic enhancements. With the Millennial generation practically living on Instagram and Facebook, when the celebrities they follow, such as the younger Kardashians, have cosmetic procedures, this greatly contributes their desire to get these procedures as well. Also, the aging prevention mindset is much more present with Millennials who are getting injections and other non surgical procedures in their 20s. This is reflected in the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) 2015 survey, in which 64% of their members experienced an increase of procedures performed on this under 30 age group.

Other Generations Aren’t Immune
Boomers, GenXer’s and Millennials in their 30s certainly aren’t exempt from the influence of social media on their perception of an ideal body and face. They see the Body Sculpting procedures that celebrities have received and use this as a springboard to creating a younger looking, contoured version of themselves. Relative to their degree of aging, this would include both the non invasive procedures, injectables, as well as surgeries.

What Does Body Contouring Include?
These are some of the most common aspects of Body Sculpting, which can include one or over time, all, of these procedures: 

  • Injectables
  • Facelift
  • Rhinoplasty
  • Eyelid or Forehead Lift
  • Breast Augmentation
  • Arm Lift
  • Tummy Tuck

It’s All About You!

  • This array of Body Sculpting cosmetic procedures can help you get the body you desire when you may not have access to a personal chef, stylist, trainer and unlimited financial resources like the celebrities.
  • I want my patients to be healthy and feel good in their own skin. Finding the right Body Contouring procedures for you can build confidence that can help in all areas of life, including the possibility of a job promotion and finding a love connection.
  • Let’s talk now and design your ideal Body Sculpting Plan so that you can have your best, healthiest body coming into the summer swimsuit season and beyond.

 

Visit www.davinciplastic.com to schedule a consultation.

Steven Davison M.D.  

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule Your Consultation With Dr. Davison

The initial consultation with your surgeon is critical! It should always be face to face with your surgeon during which time he/she listens closely to your concerns. Dr. Davison believes this time spent with you is critical to both you and to him. It is during the consultation that he comes to fully understand your concerns, evaluates them correctly and is then able to make the recommendations and develop the treatment plan thats right for you. Dr. Davison invests the time to sit down and talk to you face-to-face.

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3301 New Mexico Ave. Suite 236

Washington D.C.

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