Just as frequently though, patients request not to look like well known celebrities. This list of celebrity “don’t-wanna-be” changes a few times a year, but here is a list of the most common celebrity no-nos and tips to avoid looking like them.

1.   Madonna’s cheeks – Clearly she has had injectable fillers in her cheeks, but because her cheeks seem to be growing, almost magically, I suspect she has had fat placed in there as well. Fat transfer involves removing fat from one part of the body and placing it in another. The fat that is transferred is a living cell and should theoretically live forever. While this sounds like a great procedure, the problem is that the fat can sometimes take on a life of its own. For example, the fat will still retain the characteristics and behavior of the place it is taken from. So, if fat is taken from a place that easily increases or decreases with weight changes (such as the abdomen), it will also increase or decrease in the face. The result can be mysteriously growing cheeks. While I can’t say for sure that Madonna has had fat transfer to her cheeks, I can say that her cheeks appear too round and too full for her face, a look that my patients specifically want to avoid. Carefully placed filler can give a natural and predictable result.

2.   Lisa Rinna’s Lips – Lisa Rinna has long been know for her full and oddly shaped upper lip. We in the cosmetic world have known all along that this is a tell-tale sign of silicone injections gone bad. But she has adamantly denied having anything injected into her lips for years and years. Finally, she admitted this year to permanent silicone injections and underwent surgery to remove the silicone. Regardless of what was injected, Her lips exhibit the classic characteristics that my patients want to avoid – overly full, asymmetrical, and abnormally shaped. The ideal lip should be fuller in the middle, and less full at the corners. A “pouty” look is also considered very attractive. Stick with temporary fillers like Restylane and Juvaderm for a natural look – and besides, if you don’t like it, it will go away in about 6 months unlike silicone which is forever.

3.  Tara Reid’s abdomen – Tara Reid’s abdomen is the perfect example of what can happen when liposuction is too aggressive. As I always say, with liposuction, it is not what you remove, but what you leave behind. If I were to remove every bit of fat during a liposuction procedure, only a thin layer of skin will remain, resulting in lumps, bumps, and contour irregularities. Careful liposuction with small instruments can help minimize the chance of having an abdomen that looks like hers.

4.  Tori Spelling’s breasts – You may be shocked to hear this, but Tori Spelling has breast implants. And these implants show some serious problems. They are widely spaced and the implants themselves show visible edges and rippling. Some of these problems are likely the result of saline implants placed above the muscle in a woman who is extremely thin. To reduce the likelihood of “spelling breasts”, my patients opt for silicone implants that look and feel more natural and have less chance of having visible edges or rippling. Also, placing the implants under the muscle will add another layer of tissue, camouflaging the implant even more.

5.  Michael Jackson’s Nose – His nose is perhaps the most infamous example of what can go wrong with a rhinoplasty….or seven. Michael Jackson had undergone multiple nose surgeries. Each subsequent surgery can damage the blood supply to the bone and cartilage. This injury to the supporting structure of the nose can cause “collapse” as seen in the later pictures of Michael. I should also mention that Latoya and Janet also likely had multiple nasal surgeries and are exhibiting early signs of structural collapse. Almost all my rhinoplasty patients jokingly tell me in consultation that they don’t want to look like Michael Jackson. The way to avoid this is to not have dramatic changes made and to avoid multiple nasal surgeries.

If you have any other questions, concerns or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Schulman please feel free to contact us.

There have been several attempts in the past to develop a permanent solution for those who want fuller lips. Silicone has been used because it is permanent, but the silicone move when used in the lips because of constant lip motion. Other materials that have been used include Gortex and Alloderm that is rolled like a cigarette and placed in the lips. The problem is that these materials can look unnatural and cause significant scarring on the inside of the lips making it very difficult to remove the materials in the event of a complication. Because of the well documented problems, physicians have virtually abandoned the use of permanent materials in the lips.

Now there seems to be another option. I have been using PermaLip, a permanent silicone implant for the lips. These implants are solid silicone rubber that is soft and flexible. They are manufactured with tapered ends, making them very natural appearing when placed in the lips. The soft nature of the implant allows them to move naturally with lip motion. Additionally, they do not elicit an inflammatory response, making it easy to remove if necessary. This makes the PermaLip a safe option for permanent lip augmentation. Unlike with injectable fillers, the results are consistent and not soley dependent on the skill of your injector.

The implants are placed in a short in-office procedure requiring only local anesthesia. These is some swelling and bruising after the procedure that may last for one week. However, with a cost of approximately $3000 for both upper and lower lip, this is a cost effective option for women who desire permanently fuller lips.

PermaLip is quickly becoming one of my most requested procedures. I fully expect the demand to continue to increase as people look for cost effective options for looking better.