Posted by A K on Tue, Apr 03, 2012 @ 11:29 AM
A large part of looking your best is working on staying groomed and keeping your skin and hair healthy. Depending on your natural texture, level of chemical treatedness, etc. everyone's time required for upkeep differs.Below are some of our top tips for keeping your hair looking shiny, smooth and healthy:
1. Shampooing everyday is a well founded urban myth. In fact, if your hair is dry or veers towards the curlier side, shampooing everyday can actually be harmful because it only makes your hair drier. A helpful alternative if you live in a hot, arid area is to wash your hair with plain water and then lightly condition it but not use any shampoo.
If you have oily hair - kind of goes without saying that shampooing with a clarifying type everyday and only rarely using a light conditioner is imperative.
2. Never, ever use shampoo liberally on the ends of your hair. It strips your hair of its natural oils.
3. Japanese women sleep on silk pillows so they can wake up frizz-free! Something to consider.
4. In India, women use almond, olive or coconut oil, lightly heated on their hair for deep conditioning. Slather it on, more heavily so on the bottom and lightly massaging some on the scalp. Leave it on for about 2 hours and wash it out with shampoo, no conditioner. Its silky, smooth goodness. We assure you, you'll love the results!
5. Brushing your hair obsessively, several times a day does not help - another sad myth. It actually fastens hair breakage and split ends. Brush once in the morning and at max to keep flyaways at bay, once more in the day.
6. If you're short on time and don't have any for a proper shampoo, conditioner routine, try a quick dry shampoo-and-serum routine. We love the dry shampoos by Bumble & Bumble!
7. If your hair is treated, chemically or otherwise, deep condtioning is a must. If you can afford it, there's nothing like a professional deep conditoning treatment but if you can't, you can make do at home! Use a deep conditioner by a good brand like Frederic Fekkai or Kerastase and slather it onto damp hair. Then lightly wet a towel, heat it in the microwave and wrap it around your hair for 20 minutes. Wash out and you're good to go!
8. Frequent trims are also a must do! Some of us are trying to grow our hair out and don't want to compromise on the length but your hair WILL end up looking ratty and untamed from the bottom if it starts to split. Communicate with your hair stylist and let him know you just want a teeny trim to rid yourself of the split ends and nothing more. Plus they keep your cut looking fresh and in shape!
9. Having a bad day? Try a side braid and a fedora! Or a top bun is extremely trend these days.
10. Mix in a few essential oils with your shampoo for an herbal experience!
11. For light natural highlights, apply a bunch of lemon juice to the scalp and down.
12. Have dry hair and need to splurge on an expensive conditioner? Get a drugstore shampoo. For dryheads, the shampoo is not the priority. Try something cheap but efficient like Pantene Silky Smooth and get an effective, branded conditioner to do the works.
What are your favorite tips? We always love to hear from you!
Tweet, facebook or comment!
Dr. Edward Kwak is Manhattan's premier facial plastic surgeon. Book a consultation for anything from facelifts and necklifts and Botox to rhinoplasties and facial fillers!
Posted by A K on Mon, Feb 27, 2012 @ 02:59 PM
Botox is probably the most common form of non-invasive cosmetic procedure you've all heard of. Nobody likes looking aged or have those pesky wrinkles & lines show in such an abundantly clear fashion.
Maybe you don't have a problem with wrinkles, in which case - more power to you! But if you do and they make you feel worse about yourself, getting a quick Botox procedure done is effective and will make a real change towards making you look more youthful.
Caucasians' skin generally tends to age faster and Asians much slower. Why? Because as Dr. Kwak stresses, patients of Scandinavian descent who have thin & fair skin age faster than their Asian or African American counterparts who have thicker skin. Genetics also, predictably, plays an overriding role. More often than not, environmental factors have a bearing on what your skin ultimately looks like for example extent of sun exposure or stimulants like smoking. So slather on that sunscreen, you may not notice a different at 20 but you will at 45! It may seem inconvenient and annoying but its definitely going to serve you well in the long run. Smoking in general is a harmful activity and it similarly contributes in an overwhelmingly negative fashion to your skin.
A common misconception is that only women get the procedure which is completely wrong. More and more men, not just male celebrities, are undergoing the procedure just because even men want to look like their most youthful self!
Wrinkles are most commonly visible ("dynamic wrinkles") in the areas of your face that have prominent and prolonged facial activity as for example - around the eyes, between brows, on the forehead, etc.
Here's what you need to know: Botox is essentially a trade name for botulinum toxin A. What it does is it blocks or weakens the signals that would typically make your muscles contract. Its a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. Its safe because its non - invasive/ non - surgical that temporarily reduces moderate to severe frown lines. So what Dr. Kwak would do is inject a few tiny doses of BOTOX® into the muscles that directly cause these cumbersome lines. So why would you want to inject a botulinum toxin injected into your face? Because, simply put, if an area of your body can't move, it can't wrinkle.
No recovery time required and estimated time? A quick 10 minutes. Results vary and can last upto 4 months.
We do want to clear up that in some cases there may be side effects: The most common side effects include headache, respiratory infection, flu syndrome, temporary eyelid droop, and nausea.
Its also one of the most affordable facial cosmetic procedures which is of course, always a plus point. For a detailed and remarkably in-depth FAQ on Botox, please see Dr Kwak's page on it here. On how Dr. Kwak, New York's premier facial plastic surgeon can assist you in skin treatments, click here.
Next up: we're going to be doing a post on celebrities who've had the procedure! Watch this space.
Dr Edward Kwak is New York's premier facial plastic surgeon. Book your first consultation now!
Posted by A K on Fri, Feb 17, 2012 @ 12:10 PM
So you've made the jump and decided to go ahead with a procedure, be it reconstructive or cosmetic. Maybe you want to improve your facial symmetry and have decided to undergo a rhinoplasty or maybe the age lines are beginning to show, prompting you to sign up for a botox treatment. Perhaps after deliberation you've decided on an Asian eyelid surgery or like many celebrities and well known faces today, you just to improve your appearance to boost your self esteem and feel better about yourself - consequently improve relationships and performance in everyday life. Either way, if this is your first plastic surgery, preparedness is everything. Its imperative not just to be astutely aware and have realistic expectations going in - its also important to have a smooth and open communication with your doctor. Additionally, do your homework - a little basic research is always smart. The following are some start up questions to definitely ask your doc:
- Are you a board certified plastic surgeon? Please elaborate.
- What procedures do you perform most frequently/have been performing for the longest period?
- Approximately how many times have you performed [Insert name of particular surgery you want to undergo]?
- For how many years have you been performing plastic (be it cosmetic or reconstructive) surgery? That is to say, exclusively?
- Do you think I'm a good candidate for the procedure I'm going for?
- Please elaborate on the procedure, risks, side effects in addition to the possible complications (and how to best limit the chance of these occuring).
- Please detail about recovery time for this procedure.
- May I please view some before & after photographs of patients who've undergone the same procedure under your care?
- Is your medical license in good standing in the state where you practice?
- Have you ever had your medical license suspended or revoked? Are you on probation?
- What are your credentials and educational qualifications?
- Have you had to settle any medical malpractice or negligence lawsuits in the state?
- What is the extent of your training in plastic surgery?
- Where can I get more information on your practice on? Do you have a website or any social media accounts I can reference at home with my family?
- Do you have hospital privileges to perform the procedure I'm currently inquiring about?18
- Please tell me more about the facility: is it state accredited or perhaps a nationally recognized agency and where is it located?
- Have you ever been disciplined by the Board of Medicine in the state where you practice or anywhere else? Have you ever practiced in another state?
- Are you being treated for drug and/or alcohol abuse?
These are just a few basic, generalized questions to jump off the page with. Personalized questions should come after the primary consultations and can be numerous and diverse depending on the person and the procedure. Keep this checklist and go from there! If you have any more questions, feel free to comment below, tweet or write on our facebook wall! We're always happy to help and available to offer insight and valuable advice.
Dr. Edward Kwak is New York's premier board certified plastic surgeon. He specializes in facial cosmetic surgeries. To book your first consultation, click here! If you're an out-of-town patient, arrange for an online consultation here.
Posted by A K on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 @ 09:18 AM
Humans have an innate desire to consistently look their best. And in today's world of constant media saturation, this desire is only heightened. When faced with images of celebrities with their teams of hair & makeup people, cosmetic surgery access and such, we are more and more motivated to look a certain way. And this is nothing to be ashamed of! Many women (and increasingly now, men) consider cosmetic surgery but not many have a firm grasp of what it's all about. Here's our FAQ on the issue to help aid you make that all-important decision. Because a simple nose job can change your life. We're going to be doing a series of posts focusing on singular procedures, especially those offered here at ESK Facial Plastic Surgery. Today, we look at a broad overview.
Cosmetic surgery is essentially an elective surgical procedure to reshape and sculpt facial or bodily structures to improve appearance and boost a person's self esteem. It is important to have completely realistic expectations when opting for plastic surgery. Listen intently to your doctor - he will let you know what to expect. Cosmetic surgery includes everything from BOTOX to rhinoplasty (more commonly known as a "nose job"), from specifically Cosmetic eyelid surgeries (blepharoplasty) to lip enhancements. There's endless options for achieving your desired look. Procedures can be invasive (such as a facelift) or non-invasive (such as wrinkle treatment).
Cosmetic surgery can make you look and feel your absolute best - it can improve social relationships, job performances and help achieve long term life goals. If you're convinced that this is for you, you should research the procedure fully (like reading this blog coherently) and then make an appointment with a specialist in your area. If you are based in New York, head over to ESK Facial Plastic Surgery and have your first consultation (we also have online consultations for outstation patients).
Back in 2007, nearly 12 million cosmetic surgery procedures were done in the US alone. This shows the innate desire within people to be the best that they can. Technological advances can be in part attributed to the sky-rocketing number of people investing in cosmetic surgery. New plastic surgery breakthroughs continue to happen. Plastic surgery encompasses cosmetic & reconstructive surgeries. Like any other surgery, there are associated risks (mostly to do with invasive procedures) so its important to do thorough research and be in sync with your doctor.
If you have any further questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment, tweet us or post on our facebook wall. Make your first consultation today! We're always happy to assist you in this fruitful journey.
Posted by Edward Kwak on Mon, Dec 26, 2011 @ 05:37 PM
Age and gravity are your face’s worst enemy, delivering a one-two punch that’s impossible to evade. As we age, our skin and muscles gradually lose elasticity. Muscles that were once taut start to stretch. Facial skin loses its youthful firmness and becomes loose.
But if age takes the first swing at our facial appearance, expert New York City facial plastic surgeons say it is gravity that delivers the knockout blow. Gravity exerts an exorable downward pull on loose skin and muscles, eventually causing them to sag and wrinkle. As we grow older, our once-youthful face loses its rosy vitality and taut smoothness. Slowly our face morphs into the lined and wrinkled visage of a tired, old woman. Every year the face that stares back from the mirror looks less and less like the vision ourselves we hold in our heart.
You don’t have to go down for the count. We can’t stop aging or eliminate gravity, but New York City facial plastic surgery can tighten and remove loose skin, banish wrinkles and restore your face to the smooth-skinned, youthful image you expect to see when you look in the mirror. Such dramatic changes often result from a brow or forehead lift.
Exposure to the sun and weather can hasten the pace of facial sagging and the occurrence of wrinkles. People as young as 30 can develop deep furrows across their foreheads and exhibit sagging eyebrows that make them look old and tired. An expert Manhattan facial plastic surgeon can banish wrinkles, remove deep forehead furrows and rejuvenate your appearance with a forehead or eyebrow lift or possibly with non-invasive wrinkle treatments like Botox and fillers. Don’t let age and gravity beat you down. Fight back and regain your youthful appearance with Manhattan facial plastic surgery.
Posted by Edward Kwak on Thu, Dec 22, 2011 @ 08:08 AM
In a segment on this season’s hottest holiday gifts, ABC’s Good Morning America reported that facial cosmetic surgery procedures have edged out clothes and perfume to claim this year’s top spot on holiday wish lists.
The versatility and affordability of Botox treatments have made the popular wrinkle-fighting treatment the most requested cosmetic procedure on adult holiday wish lists, but gift certificates for everything from full facelifts to gentle, non-surgical Ultherapy face and neck treatments are being wrapped up and tucked under New York City Christmas trees this year.
Botox treatments seem to be a particularly popular choice for gift exchanges between women: sister to sister, friend to friend, mother to daughter. The impact wrinkles have on a woman’s self-confidence and her perception of her own beauty may baffle men, but other women understand the significance that women place on the first signs of crow’s feet or the gradual deepening of laugh lines. Women may feel a little embarrassed to ask the man in their life for Botox treatments; but they know their fellow sisters will understand and share their discomfort.
Men are more likely to take a big picture view of NYC facial plastic surgery and present the special woman in their life with a full facelift or neck lift or eyelid surgery. They’re more likely to be aware of their wife’s or girlfriend’s unhappiness or embarrassment about a specific body area and more willing to finance a major Manhattan facial plastic surgery procedure to ensure her happiness. A gift certificate at one of New York City’s top facial plastic surgery practices gives women (or men) the freedom to design a highly-individualized treatment program that will allow them to achieve their specific personal appearance goals.
If you’re looking for a gift that will be exactly what your sweetheart wants, give the gift of Manhattan facial plastic surgery.
Posted by Edward Kwak on Fri, Dec 16, 2011 @ 03:49 PM
Finding a truly spectacular holiday gift for the special person you love most seems to get harder every year. Maybe it’s time to refocus your approach to holiday gift giving. Instead of trying to come up with a list of things to buy, consider the question, “What would make your special person feel good about him or herself?”
When we choose a holiday gift for someone, most of us think about the exterior world – things that can be used or things that are nice to have or things that we know the other person wants. While things are nice to have and often give us pleasure, things cannot make us happy. Happiness comes from within. Truly happy people are satisfied with themselves and their lives. Self-esteem isn’t something you can wrap up in a box and stick under the tree.
Things do not have the power to transform our lives; that desire must come from within. And let’s face it, there are times when each of us yearns for a bit of transformation. It’s hard to maintain positive self-esteem when you look in the mirror and are constantly confronted by a face you find unattractive. Unfortunately, there is no Fountain of Youth that you can splash on your face to wash away the years. But facial plastic surgery can be the next best thing.
Expert NY Facial Plastic Surgeons like Dr. Edward Kwak have the skill and experience to correct and reshape unattractive features. Facial plastic surgery and non-surgical options like Ultherapy and Botox/fillers can banish signs of aging and strip away the years. It can rejuvenate a person’s appearance and restore their self-esteem. This holiday, give your special someone a gift that will transform their life!
Posted by Edward Kwak on Wed, Dec 14, 2011 @ 07:54 AM
Men age 35 to 50 are plastic surgery’s fastest-growing demographic, leading the surge in demand for U.S. plastic surgery procedures. Top Manhattan facial plastic surgeons like Dr. Edward Kwak have noticed a steady increase in the number of male patients seeking both surgical and non-surgical New York cosmetic surgery procedures.
More than 1.1 million men underwent plastic surgery procedures last year. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), demand for male plastic surgery is increasing in every area. Requests for rhinoplasty (nose surgery) and otoplasty (ear surgery), which have traditionally drawn more male than female patients, remain in high demand by male cosmetic surgery patients. However, in the past two years, additional facial plastic surgery procedures have begun capturing the attention of Manhattan men.
Between 2009 and 2010, expert facial plastic surgeons began to notice a rapid increase in the growth of male demand for facelifts (up 14%), eyelid surgery (up 11%), Botox (up 10%), and other skin fillers (up 9%). In addition, liposuction, including liposuction of the face and neck, increased 7% between 2009 and 2010. The upward trend in the number of male facial plastic surgery procedures performed is expected to continue rising and increase even more rapidly as the economy continues to recover.
While there may be an element of vanity in the growing male interest in facial plastic surgery Manhattan (after all, everyone wants to look good!), but the main force driving the trend is the need to stay competitive in the workplace. Manhattan men are discovering that, with a little help from their NY facial plastic surgeon, they can retain a youthful appearance and sharpen their competitive edge.
Posted by Edward Kwak on Fri, Dec 09, 2011 @ 10:20 AM
Have you been thinking about Botox? Maybe one of your friends has been raving about her Botox treatments, and you’ve been impressed by how much more youthful her face looks. Maybe you’ve been wondering what a little Botox could do for you.
If you’ve caught yourself examining your face in the mirror and wondering when your laugh lines turned into wrinkles and when the furrows between your eyebrows became a permanent fixture, you could be a good candidate for Botox. When administered by an expert Manhattan facial plastic surgeon, Botox and skin fillers make wrinkles disappear like magic.
An excellent non-invasive option for people who are not quite ready for facial plastic surgery, Botox and injectable fillers provide immediate results and require no downtime. Some women schedule their Botox treatments during their lunch hour and return to the office on their way to looking amazingly rested, refreshed, more youthful and more attractive. Their colleagues aren’t able to put their finger on what’s changed about them lately, but they certainly notice.
Most people are a little nervous about scheduling their first Manhattan Botox appointment with Dr. Kwak. Even if you have been impressed by the positive change in the appearance of friends who have undergone Botox treatments, it is normal to be a bit concerned about what your experience will be like. Because most new Botox patients have plenty of questions, ESK has developed a Patient Guide to Botox & Fillers. Available for free download, our new NY Botox guide explains why wrinkles form, how Botox and skin fillers work, which options offer the best solutions for which types of wrinkles, how long results last and everything else Botox patients typically ask.
Posted by Edward Kwak on Fri, Nov 25, 2011 @ 08:38 AM
Happy Holidays to you! If you’re looking for a special holiday treat – for yourself or to give as a gift – schedule a NY Ultherapy treatment with ESK Facial Plastic Surgery and complete your treatment before December 31, 2011 and we’ll give you a complimentary Botox treatment, an amazing $400 savings! Ultherapy is the remarkable new non-invasive cosmetic procedure that uses ultrasound waves to stimulate the restorative memory of facial skin and tissues. Ultherapy is an effective way to rejuvenate the appearance of the face and neck without surgery. Visit our website to see the dramatic before and after results.
As a special holiday treat, if you complete your Ultherapy treatment before December 31, you will receive a free Botox treatment (20 unit maximum) that can be used to banish lines and wrinkles from one of these three facial areas:
- Glabella: the area between the eyes where deep frown lines form,
- Forehead: the deep horizontal lines that stretch across the forehead, or
- Crow’s feet: the fine lines that form at the outer corners of the eyes as we age.
Click here to register for this holiday special!
Dr. Kwak offers a full range of wrinkle-fighting non-surgical treatments, including Botox to treat dynamic wrinkles and the synthetic injectable fillers Restylane, Juvaderm, Radiesse and Sculptra to combat static wrinkles. If you are considering Botox or skin fillers to banish deep lines and wrinkles and rejuvenate your face, download a free copy of our Botox and Fillers Patient Guide.
Be the first to find out about new facial plastic surgery treatments and receive ESK special money-saving offers; click here to sign up for our monthly newsletter and "like" us on Facebook!
