Patients seeking bargain pricing for their plastic surgery have been going to Strax Rejuvenation for years as the cheapest option in town. Strax commonly advertises very low prices to lure patients for their procedures. Recently, patients are learning that the lowest price is often not the best value. There has been another death at Strax Rejuvenation. That makes 5 known deaths in less than three years.

Last Thursday I received information about a patient that died while undergoing a procedure at Strax Rejuvenation. The patient went to Strax for fat transfer to the buttocks. During the procedure her blood oxygen levels began to drop and she could not be resuscitated. She died in the operating room at Strax Rejuvenation.

I have written about the deaths at Strax Rejuvenation in the past:

http://www.dr-rubinstein.com/blog/bargain-price/

In that post I analyzed recent deaths at Strax and calculated their mortality rate. Based upon my review, giving Strax Rejuvenation a huge benefit of the doubt, their mortality rate is alarmingly high. In fact, it was seven times higher than a published acceptable rate from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. When last Thursday’s tragedy is added to the analysis the numbers get much worse.

My original review of the Strax Rejuvenation death rate was based upon 4 deaths in two years time. That was less than one year ago. Let’s look at an analysis that includes this most recent death. Strax Rejuvenation currently has 12 doctors on staff. Only 10 perform aesthetic procedures. We could assume that every one of them operates every day of the week, never takes a vacation, and never sees patients for consultations nor follow up visits. Clearly that is not the case, but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. Also assume that each doctor performs 4 procedures everyday. That would calculate to  31,200 procedures in a three year period. If that were true the death rate at Strax Rejuvenation would be 1 in 6240 cases. But it’s actually worse than that.

Strax Rejuvenation has six operating rooms. It would not be possible for all 10 surgeons to perform procedures all day, everyday. Only six cases can go on at the same time. So now let’s assume that each of the six operating rooms are fully occupied 12 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for three years. That would add up to a total of about 19,000 cases which would make the death rate at Strax Rejuvenation 1 in 3800 cases. That’s more than THIRTEEN TIMES the mortality rate published by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

If we use Strax Rejuvenation’s own numbers it is even more grave. They boast having performed 29,000 procedures. Strax was founded in 2004 which gives it an eight year history. If the cases are evenly distributed over the eight years that would come out to just under 11,000 cases in three years. That means the death rate at Strax Rejuvenation over the last three years using their own numbers is 1 in 2175 cases. That is shockingly over TWENTY THREE TIMES  the published mortality rate. When compared to having your procedure performed by a board certified plastic surgeon in their own private practice, having surgery at Strax Rejuvenation sure does seem like making a riskier choice to me. Maybe not quite like Russian roulette, but definitely not the bargain most patients think they are getting.

Mini-facelifts have grown popular due to a lot of advertising by some of the franchise facelift businesses. There are lots of different types of these operations, but they’re all variations of the same basic principle. The most well known example is the Lifestyle Lift. The goal is to improve the area between your lower eyelids to the jaw line. The most improvement is usually seen along the nasolabial folds which are the lines from the corner of your nose to the corner of your mouth. If you have the right set of concerns/problems a mini-facelift could be a great operation for you.

Too many people, however, choose to have a mini-facelift for the wrong reasons. Some for cheaper cost, others for the idea of a shorter scar or shorter operation time. Mini-facelifts are not one size fits all. If you have any issues in your neck (for example) the mini-facelift will not improve them at all. A lot of people get enamored with the idea of a mini-facelift and end up choosing the wrong operation for their anatomy and concerns. If you have a mini problem, the mini-facelift can be great. If you have a bigger issue, you probably need the full facelift.

Be very careful when choosing a procedure to improve the appearance of your face. There is a lot of hype and many promises made that may not be delivered. I encourage you to listen to a two part radio show that highlights some shocking details surrounding the Lifestyle Lift (links below).

http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/57040/special-encore-presentation-lifestyle-lift-a-real-lift-or-a-letdown-part-1

http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/57210/special-encore-presentation-lifestyle-lift-a-real-lift-or-a-letdown-part-2

I recommend that you visit with a few plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. get a few opinions and a lot of information. Then choose your procedure together. That’s a good way to get a great result!

I hope this info helps!

The scandal surrounding PIP implants has become a top story worldwide. Since the news broke about substandard industrial silicone being used in PIP implants there has been a cascade of reactions from governments around the world. Some countries are providing free procedures to remove the tainted implants. Others are offering some form of support falling short of free procedures to remove PIP implants. While free surgery is very helpful for the estimated 300,000 women around the world with PIP implants in place, it is not the best solution for many PIP victims.

There is no question that PIP implants should be removed. The question then, is what to do once the implants are removed. Some patients may choose to simply remove the PIP implants and remain without any implants moving forward. Most patients will likely prefer to have safe, American made implants inserted to replace the PIP implants being removed. The catch is that while the surgery to remove the implants is free in many places, having new implants placed is not covered. This will leave thousands of women left to pay the associated fees to keep the look they desire.

Mentor, one of the only two FDA approved American implant companies, has announced a program to assist in the replacement of PIP implants. The program provides for a $250 American Express gift card for all patients having PIP implants replaced with Mentor implants. While it hardly covers the cost of surgery to replace PIP implants, it is a very nice gesture. Receiving $250 dollars is better than nothing. I expect Allergan, the other FDA approved American implant company, to follow suit and announce a similar program soon.

In an effort to help patients with PIP implants that wish to have them removed I am offering my services at greatly reduced fees. The total cost to have PIP implants removed is $2500 including all costs. For patients choosing to have PIP implants replaced the total cost is $3750. Though the American government does not offer any benefits for PIP implant victims (PIP implants were never approved in the USA) I feel a personal commitment to help those patients in need. If you or someone you know has PIP implants simply make an appointment for a free consultation and mention this blog. There is no expiration date for this offer. It will always be honored as my commitment to aid in this PIP implant tragedy.

The issues surrounding PIP implants keep growing. Even though the FDA warned French authorities about the substandard quality of PIP implants in 2000 they continued to allow their use. Recently it has become clear that the silicone used in PIP implants was not up to medical grade standards. This has caused a higher rupture rate and significant complications in women across the globe.

As the PIP implant crisis grows more and more governments are coming forward to advise women in their country to have the implants removed. First were the French and Venezuelan governments. Now Italy and Czechoslovakia are following suit. Considering there are estimated 300,000 women with PIP implants around the world we will likely see more of this in the near future. The take home message remains the same – if you have PIP implants, you should have them removed.

On my radio show, “New Reflections” we recently discussed PIP implants and other interesting breast implant topics with one of the doctors that helped develop the very first breast implants, Dr. Thomas Biggs from Houston, Texas. You can listen to the show here:

http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/58776/from-the-beginning-to-the-end

Many people believe that breast implants must be removed and replaced every ten years. This misconception has nearly become common knowledge and is simply not true. It is based upon one study that showed that breast implants grow weaker over time. As time passes they have an increased risk for rupture. Specifically, there is a cumulative 1% risk each year that breast implants will fail (break). That means that three years after breast augmentation there is a 3% chance of them breaking, and after ten years a 10% chance of them breaking. While the study implies that it might be a good idea to replace ten year old breast implants it does not suggest that doing so is a medical necessity.

If you have breast implants that look good and feel good leave them alone. It doesn’t matter if they are brand new, ten years old or even 30 years old. Every patient is different and should be treated individually. You don’t need to treat your breast implants like your car – you don’t need to get ten year oil changes!

Just about everyone knows that smoking is bad for you. But it is easy to ignore just how bad it can be. Particularly for long term smokers who are planning a cosmetic procedure. The truth is, there are very few things that can increase your risk for complications more than smoking. Here’s why.

Healing requires getting lots of oxygen to the healing tissues. Smoking affects your body’s ability to heal in three different ways. First, cigarette smoke has tar in it that gums up the surfaces of your lungs. This reduces the area that your lungs can use to work effectively. Basically it blocks the channels needed to get oxygen into your body and get carbon dioxide out.

Second, while we are talking about the gases you breathe lets discuss carbon monoxide. You may have heard about people committing suicide by starting their car in a closed garage. How that works is the accumulation of carbon monoxide from the exhaust fumes. When you breathe carbon monoxide it gets into your lungs just like oxygen would. In fact it attaches to the same place on your red blood cells that oxygen does. The problem is that it never lets go. Typically every molecule of hemoglobin in your red blood cells is able to carry four molecules of oxygen. Once carbon monoxide attaches to hemoglobin it as there forever, until that red blood cell is replaced by a new healthy one. That can take many weeks. So people breathing in car fumes slowly reduce their ability to carry oxygen to their body until they can’t carry enough to survive. Smokers are doing this very, very slowly, one cigarette at a time.

And last, the nicotine in cigarette smoke has a bad effect on the little arteries that carry oxygen to healing tissue. Nicotine causes them to shrink down in size. Imagine a normal sized artery being the size of rigatoni pasta. When nicotine is around that rigatoni shrinks down to the size of angel hair pasta. As you might imagine, the much smaller artery (capillary) can’t carry enough blood (carrying oxygen) to the healing tissue under the effects of nicotine.

Continuing to smoke leads to lots of big problems including trouble healing, infections, wounds opening up, loss of skin, and lots more. It is particularly dangerous in the case of abdominoplasty (tummy tucks) or facelifts where the skin is really stressed by the procerure and needs lots of oxygen to heal. Patients that have those procedures and continue to smoke can lose big pieces of skin that can turn black and fall off.

No matter what procedure you are planning, smoking is a very bad idea. In my practice I recommend that patients stop smoking two weeks before surgery and refrain from smoking for up to four weeks after surgery. At that point many patients have simply quit forever. If you are planning a cosmetic procedure and are a smoker you need to get the smoke out!

Recently there has been news of issues with breast implants in France. The French government has gotten involved by launching an investigation regarding problems with a particular type of silicone breast implant. These implants, manufactured by a company called Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), are now suspected of having higher than usual rupture rates. Most recently it has been learned that the silicone gel used to fill the implants was not medical grade. The former CEO of PIP has admitted that “non-standard” silicone was used in the manufacturing of PIP implants.

In October the French equivalent of the FDA shut down PIP for producing substandard implants. Since then thousands of women in France have filed complaints against the now defunct company. It is estimated that over 300,000 women worldwide have undergone breast augmentation using PIP implants. French authorities have recommended that women with PIP implants have them removed as a precaution. This has sparked responses from countries around the world ranging from recommendations that women with PIP implants be checked regularly to government sponsored programs to remove the implants at no cost to the patients.

It is important to remember that  the FDA monitors breast implants very carefully in the United States. There is perhaps no other medical device in the world that is more carefully watched than breast implants. In fact, in the year 2000 the FDA warned French authorities that the manufacturing process of PIP implants failed to meet US standards in at least eleven different ways. The US report went as far as describing the PIP implants as “adulterated”.

Breast implants used in the United States remain very safe and reliable. PIP implants have never been approved for use in the US. There should be no cause for concern about breast implants in general, though PIP implants definitely seem to be problematic. If you or someone you know has PIP implants you might want to consider having them exchanged for breast implants that are approved for use in the US. Both Allergan and Mentor brand implants are approved and are safe options. If you had breast augmentation performed in the United States you almost certainly have one of these two brands of implants and do not need to be concerned about the news coming from France.

Here is a link to a recent article about this issue:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/27/us-breast-implants-lawyer-idUSTRE7BQ0XN20111227

Breast augmentation can safely be performed with implants either on top of the muscle or beneath it. You should not have concerns about safety in choosing your implant position as they are equally safe. The choice of implant position is really more related to your being a bodybuilder. I have operated upon many bodybuilders, both competitive and amateur. Typically, bodybuilders do not want their muscles altered during surgery, so the best choice would be on top of the muscle. You can achieve a really nice and natural result without having the implant behind the muscle. That being said, most implants are placed behind the muscle because natural results can be achieved easier with implants in that position.

I would recommend that you visit a few board certified plastic surgeons to get a sense for your options. With good information from qualified surgeons you can make the best choice to achieve great results. If you like you can visit my website where you can see some animations of the surgery being done and read more information about breast augmentation.

If you’re interested in learning more about breast augmentation, whether you are a body builder or not, then contact our office or call us at 305-792-7575. We’re located in Aventura, FL, near Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Coral Gables, Boca Raton and Coconut Grove.

Patients these days often look for the best deal in town. But by searching for the cheapest price some get more than they bargained for. Making the price of your procedure the most important factor in choosing your doctor or facility is not the best way of thinking. In fact, it has cost some people the highest price of all.

In most major cities there are clinics that offer very low prices for procedures that cost more when performed by board certified plastic surgeons in their own private practice. These clinics usually advertise a tremendous amount and make up for the lower profit with volume. One such clinic in south Florida is Strax Rejuvenation. This facility is known for very low prices, but also has a history of significant complications. Just last week a patient having a procedure at Strax Rejuvenation had to be taken to a nearby hospital due to a complication that occurred during surgery. She died three days later. This is the latest of four known deaths in the last two years. That is staggering number. In their defense Strax officials may claim that they perform a very high number of procedures and that the actual mortality rate is not so bad when you account for the number of procedures being done. Well, lets examine that for a moment.

In a study published by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) in 1997, after looking at 400,000 cases the mortality rate was 1 in 51,459 cases. If you look at a two year period that would be an impossible number of cases to perform, even for Strax, to account for four deaths. Strax claims 14 doctors, not all plastic surgeons. Even if we give them the benefit of the doubt and assume all 14 are plastic surgeons, every doctor at Strax would have to perform more than 27 operations every day of the week (Mon-Fri) every week of the month for the entire year to match that mortality rate. In actuality, if we assume that all 14 surgeons perform 4 operations every day (Mon-Fri) every week of the year for the same two year period, the actual mortality rate at Strax would be approximately 1 in 7400 cases – more than SEVEN TIMES the mortality rate published by ASAPS.

So when you are thinking about having a procedure and looking to save money, you would probably be safer to stick with plastic surgeons that are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and in their own private practice. You might have to pay a few dollars more, but if you look for the biggest bargain in town you might end up paying more than you ever thought possible.

To learn more about patient safety, please check out my latest radio show episode.

The pageantry of young children has been controversial in the past, but never has the industry stooped to such a low. A mother injecting her child with Botox or any other injectable material used for aesthetic purposes is tantamount to abuse. When asked why she does it, the child’s reply is, “I don’t know…”. But when prompted by her mother she responds further, “I just, like, I don’t think, like, wrinkles are nice for  little girls”. It is clear that she really has no concept of what the treatment does or even has a desire to have the injections.

Regardless of the child’s (or parents’) desire to have this treatment performed, using aesthetic injectable treatments on a minor is abuse. Further, providing Botox or any other material for use in minors is a crime. In this case the mother gets her Botox from, “a trusted source” who is “behind the doctor scene” implying that it is taken from a doctor’s office without the doctor’s knowledge. The child’s mother is not a doctor, she is a part-time aesthetician. So now we can add theft to the illegal injections that she is admittedly committing on a regular basis.

One would hope that we would have come a long way since the disaster of Jonbenet Ramsey. And in fact, it seems, we have. Only not in the right direction. You can learn more about the article source here: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/mom-year-daughter-botox-young-young/story?id=13580804.

Contact  Dr. Rubinstein today to learn more about Botox and if it is right for you, or call 305-792-7575.