Cosmetic Surgery Center, Dallas | Dr. Rai

Sunshine has three types of ultraviolet (UV) radiation – that is, beams that are beyond the violet end of our visible spectrum:

1. UV-A – that pierces below the skin surface and leads to sun damage and skin cancer;
2. UV-B – that burns and tans your skin; and
3. UV-C – that does not reach our skin because the earth’s atmosphere absorbs it. Sun protection therefore need only concern itself with UV-A and UV-B rays.

Sunscreens

Sunscreens filter the ultraviolet radiation with a combination of organic and inorganic chemicals. Some radiation still reaches below the skin surface but not all of it. A sunscreen can use any of these organic molecules to absorb UV rays:

• PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) – which absorbs UVB rays. PABA began to be used in the 1970s but was found to cause some allergic reactions (in about four percent of the population) and now is not used so often. It has the advantage of adhering well to the skin surface so that it is not easily rubbed or washed off.
• Cinnamates – which are the most often-used ingredients for UVB absorption; they also stabilize other chemicals and make them more water-resistant.
• Benzophenones – which absorb UVA rays; but one of them, oxybenzone, is thought to be toxic by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in Washington, D.C. It has not had a safety review since the 1970s.

Sunblocks

Sunblocks do not filter the light – they scatter it and prevent it from penetrating the skin at all. They work against both UV-A and UV-B radiation and the effective ingredient is usually zinc oxide or titanium oxide as reflective particles. To prevent the sunblocks from looking white on the skin, as did the “zinc cream” of decades ago, microsized particles of zinc or titanium oxide are used, as they are not visible on the skin.

What is the SPF Level?

The SPF (sun protection factor) number is a multiplier. It tells you how long you can stay in the sun before you get burned. SPF factors relate only to UV-B radiation because UV-A rays do not burn the skin – they cause skin damage and potentially skin cancer. So using a sunscreen with a high SPF will not protect against those two dangers, only against burning.

SPF factors need to be interpreted based on your own skin’s natural protection – that is, its amount of pigment (melanin). For example, if you know that you can be in the sun for 20 minutes before being burned, an SPF of 10 will allow you to stay out for 10 times 20 minutes which is 200 minutes. That means you need to test your own skin without any sunscreen or sunblock to see how long it takes to get a burn.

SPF numbers are calculated by the product manufacturer based on an assumption that you will apply the product generously. If you apply less than one millimeter’s thickness, the SPF drops.

Most sun protection products indicate on their label whether they offer broad spectrum protection or not – that is, protection from both UV-A and UV-B, or just from one of those. The EWG offers a sunscreen guide on its website to help you choose the best broad spectrum product for yourself or your child.

If, like many, you have already sustained sun damage and would like to learn more about how your skin can be rejuvenated with a chemical peel or a laser resurfacing procedure, please contact our office in Dallas, Texas today. Dr. Rai will be happy to give you a free consultation.

News reports have been coming out for years about occasional plastic surgeons found to have defrauded the public, but more recently, there have been stories about patients defrauding their plastic surgeons.

A recent example is a woman in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who received a BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment and cheek and lip fillers from a Dr. Shino Bay Aguilera. She refused to have any topical anesthetic for her 50 needle shots and directed the doctor as to exactly where to place the injections. She also refused to have her “Before” photo taken, on the basis that it would violate her modeling contract.

After being treated for two and a half hours, she told the clinic staff that she would return from a nearby ATM with a cash payment, and she left her purse behind, supposedly as security. She never returned. Her bill came to $3,300. In reference to not taking her photo, Dr. Aguilera said:

• "I dropped the ball on that one. It will never happen again. Now she was very attractive, but she wasn't model material."

Luckily, a video surveillance camera caught her image and police are looking for her. They are not commenting until the investigation is over except to say that they are doing a photo lineup and think they know who the woman was.

Two Other Cases

In another case that happened in May of this year, one Shatarka Nuby wanted to have breast enlargement and liposuction of her upper arms. She worked with an accomplice posing as her cousin. Her bill came to $9,000 and the accomplice paid it with someone else’s credit card – a stolen identity.

According to reports of court documents, the credit card owner was a young woman who dropped a college application containing personal information in a Tamarac, Florida mailbox. The school never received her application and she later found that five credit cards had been opened in her name. One already had charges of $19,550. Another had been used in the plastic surgery fraud and police found that Nuby’s “cousin” had a driver’s license in the college student’s name. Nuby has a history of credit card and driver’s license fraud. She is being held in federal custody and could be given up to ten years in jail.

In September 2009, one Patrice Thomas also pleaded guilty to the charge of identity theft. She had paid for her tummy tuck with another person’s credit card, the bill coming to $5,000. She was sentenced to five years’ probation but news reports do not say whether she is required to reimburse the credit card owner.

People who engage in these fraudulent practices are certainly a minority. Dr. Aguilar opined that the apparent increase in cosmetic surgery patient fraud could be attributed to the poor economy and efforts to get a job by looking more youthful. Regardless of the reason for it, credit card fraud is inexcusable and identity theft is a disaster for the victim.

At The Cosmetic Surgical Center, Dr. Rai and his team try to help you with plastic surgery costs. We work with CareCredit and MedicalLoan to help you get good loan terms, as we do not think that financing should ever stop a person from enhancing their appearance and self-confidence.

To schedule a free consultation with Dr. Rai, please contact our Texas office today. We serve Dallas and Fort Worth and hope to be working with you soon.

Most women would probably agree that high heels look and feel more elegant than flat shoes. Some women love to wear very high heels, and that becomes part of their self-image, so that they wear such shoes at work and at play. After a while, discomfort and pain become issues.

Some women have been asking podiatrists to improve their feet by making them narrower to fit into narrow shoes more comfortably, or by amputating or shortening a toe for a better foot shape.

Controversial Plastic Surgery for the Feet

Some podiatrists have obliged and there are facilities nationwide that will provide cosmetic foot surgery. As an example, in Beverly Hills, California, there is a cosmetic foot surgery clinic founded by a podiatrist that offers these surgeries.

• The Cinderella Procedure – offered as a bunion prevention procedure and involves making the feet more narrow;
• Foot-Tuck Fat Pad Augmentation – which takes fat from your abdomen and injects it into the balls of your feet to give you extra cushioning in your high heels;
• Toe Shortening – done per toe and designed to prevent hammertoes, where the toe joint becomes fixed in a bent position. This can cause corns on the joint and displacement of the fat pad beneath the foot. Hammertoes could be caused by wearing high heels daily, especially if they are a bit too small for your feet.
• Toe Lengthening – which can be done to correct an overdone toe shortening;
• Slimming the Pinky Toes – which helps a woman fit into narrower shoes.

However, many podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons oppose such procedures and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) has put out a press release explaining why they are not a good idea.

Downsides of Cosmetic Foot Surgery

The AOFAS warns that surgery should never be performed on a foot that is functioning well and not in pain. Our feet carry our entire weight, which puts them under a lot of daily stress. Each foot has 26 bones and 30 joints that connect to, and are supported by, tendons, nerves, and skin. Our feet are designed to give us painless walking and running and if they are providing that, any cosmetic surgery will jeopardize it.

All surgery brings risk and before having any surgery, cosmetic or otherwise, you should always weigh the potential benefits with the potential risks and known downsides. A cosmetic foot surgery done to facilitate the wearing of high heels could give you:

• Infection
• Nerve injury
• Large scars
• Post-surgical pain
• Complications that might prevent comfort in any walking and in any type of shoe

By all means, wear high heels at times; but why do it to the point where your feet develop problems? If your feet are pain-free and functioning well, it’s a case of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Incurring surgical risks could bar you from ever wearing high heels.

Dr. Rai is always interested in new procedures and has been keeping himself updated on all new plastic surgery ideas over the years. But only when a new procedure is tested and proven to be beneficial does he add it to our offerings here at The Cosmetic Surgical Center.

If you would like to know more about our cosmetic surgery offerings for both males and females, please contact our Dallas, Texas office today for a free consultation.