Cosmetics Aren't Food, or Are They?

It doesn't matter whether or not you're one of the best plastic surgeons in town or just the proverbial Joe Schmoe, beauty remains a very subjective business. That's why we're not completely surprised to see more and more cosmetics coming down the pike that seek to blur the distinction between the subjectivity of beauty with the matters of taste relating to the food world.

We're not only talking about the cosmetics that are made with such food products as avocados, coconuts, grapefruit, and the like, but ones that are marketed to people with dietary restrictions, either medically or ethically self-imposed. We were interested to see this morning a New York Times story about a new line of gluten free cosmetics. Even though some of us are board certified plastic surgeons we had to admit that we thought celiac disease was strictly related to food intake, but apparently cosmetics with gluten can be a problem for people suffering with this condition as well. Of course, as has proven the case with food, we know a number of people who are not suffering from this very real condition will nevertheless be attracted to it. While, as far as we can tell, there is absolutely no benefit to avoiding gluten for people who do not have celiac disease, if it makes people feel better to do so, who are we to tell them not to?

The New York Times also brought up another interesting trend. While products marketed as cruelty-free have been a beauty staple for some time, a company named -- both amusingly and honestly, we're sure -- Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics is both cruelty-free and completely vegan.  That means, we suppose, that not only are no animals harmed in the process of using this company's products but that chickens, cows, and pigs need not apply to the company's HR department. Interestingly, the profile of Obsessive Compulsive founder David Klasfield has the cosmetics tycoon praising the very carniverous flora, the Venus flytrap, as "sort of my spirit animal" and famed autistic savant Temple Grandin, whose work might not be considered vegan friendly. (Her work involves making the farming of animals less cruel, but also more profitable for owners.) Well, it's really all in the eye of the beholder and the mouth of the taster, we suppose.

If you want to increase your beauty quotient, subjective or otherwise, now might be a good time get in touch with the top plastic surgeons of We Know Beauty. It's more than a matter of taste.

How Will You Spend Your Summer Not-Vacation?

Sometimes, it's hard not to miss childhood and summer vacation. As top plastic surgeons, we're lucky to have a few days off in a row, much less the three months long breaks of childhood. Still,we're feeling a bit nostalgic for those days. We say that even though we think it's a little early to be talking about summer.

Really, this whole considering Memorial Day the first weekend of summer thing is more of an east coast phenomenon. In terms of truly warm weather, summer in Southern California doesn't really begin until sometime in mid-July when the "June gloom" finally departs, and it doesn't really end until sometime in October. School vacations out here used to reflect that reality to some degree, but school schedules have changed so that kids out here leave their air-conditioned classrooms in late May or early June, when it's still relatively cool outside, and head back them at the height of L.A.'s doggiest days in late August and early September. 

Nevertheless, we are thinking about summer. Things do tend to slow down to a certain degree and people do often try to improve their appearance. That means that top board certified plastic surgeons like us at We Know Beauty can actually find ourselves a bit busier than usual. That's obviously okay. Summer is a time for fun but it's also a time for reflection, and whatever kinds of rebirth we can manage. If there's something you've been wanting to work on, really, now is as good as time as any to approach the best plastic surgeons you can find and get started. You know who we'll suggest!

Angelina's Double Mastectomy Involved the Work of Highly Skilled Plastic Surgeons

At We Know Beauty, our reputation as the top plastic surgeons in Southern California comes from our years of incredible success in various cosmetic procedures. Our board certified plastic surgeons are among the best and most experienced around the globe. That's why, when stories relating to plastic surgery make national headlines, we follow them closely whenever possible.

That's why it should come as no surprise that we've been fascinated with the story that broke this week regarding Angelina Jolie's preventative double mastectomy. Once a woman chooses to undergo this procedure, one of her major concerns is almost always the reconstruction surgery needed to reform the breast tissue that has been removed. As was reported by Fox News in an interview with Dr. Richard Winters, vice chairman of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, there are many considerations to take into account for each surgery.

For example, a woman must decide if it will be 'nipple-sparing' or 'skin sparing' surgery, wherein the nipple is left while the breast tissue is removed. "With prophylactic surgery, you virtually always do an immediate reconstruction', says Dr. Winters. "Then, you have to decide on a technique. The first is the reconstruction, which involves an implant. The other type involves only autologous tissue - your own tissue'. Dr. Winters goes on to say patients who receive the procedure face less than a 1% to 2% chance of having serious complication, and less than 5% to 10% chance of having minor complications.

At We Know Beauty, many of the best plastic surgeons on our team are similarly experienced in reconstructive surgery, a field that is related to some of the cosmetic procedures we offer. As this story unfolds, we're happy to see the positive message of preventive and cosmetic surgery to fight the harmful effects of illnesses, and we're proud to offer such amazing and life-changing cosmetic surgeries. 

Hudson and Hawn Reflect on Beauty this Mother's Day

With Mother's Day upon us, the team at We Know Beauty has found ourselves reflective of mother-daughter relationships. For many, their mother offered their first glimpse into what true beauty could look like, and how warm, happy and confident it could make them feel.

Despite, or perhaps because of our reputation as the best plastic surgeons in Southern California and among the best on the globe, we are always fascinated by the views of individuals who seem to have truly personified beauty over the years. That definition certainly describes the iconic mother-daughter pairing of Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson.

In a recent Mother's Day-themed article from the Associated Press, Hawn and Hudson discuss their lives in the spot light and their reputation for incredible beauty in their respective eras. When Hudson was asked what the best beauty advice she ever received from her mother was, she stated "beauty is an inside-out job and I think when you are connected to the things that you love, whether it be your children or your creativity, that they bring out a level or joy and circulate all the endorphins in your brain and them you have that, that's when beauty starts to reveal itself.

 Our team of board certified plastic surgeons at We Know Beauty couldn't agree more. That's why each of our top plastic surgeons works to ensure the procedures our patients receive enhance their self-confidence in a way that is rejuvenating and truly life-changing. When you are genuinely happy with your physical beauty, it can influence your inner beauty and vice versa. This Mother's Day, celebrate your mother's inner and outer beauty and remember to contact the doctors at We Know Beauty for incredible cosmetic surgery in Southern California.

Cocktails and You

Depending on when you read this, you're either about to enter or have just survived a weekend with two major excuses for drinking built into them. Tomorrow, May 4, is Derby Day, with its Mint Juleps for horseracing fans the world over. The next day is Mexican-themed Cinco de Mayo, with its cold cervezas and tasty margaritas for people of all ancestries.

We hate to say this, but board certified plastic surgeons are human too, and we have nothing against an occasional drink. However, as a blog dedicated to beauty, we do have to warn that too much boozing can definitely make you less attractive, as well as a lot less generally healthy. Sure, everyone looks a little more suave holding a martini glass in their hand...and we all know that booze can, at times, make other people look more attractive in a way that can make even the best plastic surgeons a bit jealous. That doesn't mean the effect works in reverse.

First of all, and most obviously, alcohol is about as fattening as all those sugary sodas you're constantly being warned about -- and we're talking about the less sweet drinks like a gin or vodka martini. When you start adding very sweet liqueurs, fruit juices, syrups, and all the rest you're talking about some extremely fattening beverages. Second of all, if you're drinking a lot, and consistently, alcohol can damage such important bodily organs as your liver, your kidneys, and your skin. Sure, you're liver and kidneys are a bit hard to see -- and not under the purview of even top plastic surgeons -- but trust us when say that damaging them does no favors to your appearance. Still, the drying out of your skin and hair, not to say the bloating that too much boozing can cause, should be enough of a concern to put the breaks on drunkenness for any beauty-conscious woman or man.

All that being said, we really don't want to be killjoys. All we suggest is that you keep in mind the words of legendary food writer M.F.K. Fisher regarding martinis: "One is just right, two is too much, and three is never enough."