A popular trend among teens and twenty-somethings is the gauged earlobe piercings.  These are cylindrical earrings that stretch the piercing hole, sometimes to an extreme amount.  If an individual wants to remove the gauge at some point, the lobe is left stretched and saggy.  This is where gauged earlobe repairs can work wonders. A surgical procedure eliminates the extra lobe skin and the area is stitched back together.  

The photos above show a patient who underwent gauged earlobe repair with Dr. Brett Kotlus at Allure Medical Spa in Michigan.  The after photo is one week after the procedure that was performed in the office with local anesthetic.  This particular patient stated that she didn't have a hanging earlobe before the gauges were put in so she didn't want the repair to create a hanging lobe. In other cases, a full hanging lobe can be recreated. The procedure is peformed on its own, or with other procedures.  The lobes can be re-pierced after the area has healed in about 6 weeks. 

Dr. Kotlus saw a need for a tool that helps cosmetic surgeons evaluate patients for upper eyelid lifts (blepharoplasty) and he created it using a 3d printer.  It is called the eyelid wand and it is available on a website called shapeways.com.  Other surgeons have already purchased their own 3d printed copy of the instrument to use with their own patients.  

Watch this video to learn how the eyelid wand is used:

In this video, Karen describes her experience after undergoing an upper blepharoplasty one week earlier. The eyelid lift procedure removes sagging skin to rejuvenate the upper eyelids and produce a less tired appearance.  As you can see, she is thrilled with her experience with Dr. Kotlus!

It is well known that subcutaneous fat, the fat under the skin, has abundant stem cells, the cells in the body that have the potential to grow into other types of cells.  Doctors are able to use these cells in other parts of the body with the hope that they will repair tissues that are damaged from injury or aging. 

In the face, fat transfer procedures help to accomplish revolumization (adding volume that was lost with age) and have the added benefit of delivering stem cells under the skin at the same time.  

In a recent news story reported on Yahoo!, Dr. Kotlus describes a fat transfer procedure that helped a woman who had Perry Romberg Syndrome, characterized by half of the face sinking in.  He used fat taken from around her belly button using a mini liposuction procedure and threaded the fat into the hollow and sunken areas of her face, helping to restore her symmetry.  Read more about this fascinating procedure on Yahoo! here. 

Dr. Kotlus routinely performs cosmetic facial fat transfer as a standalone procedure or in combination with eyelid lifts and face lifts in Allure Medical Spa's accredited surgical facility in Shelby Township, Michigan. 

According to recent data, male cosmetic surgery is on the rise.  Economic times may have influenced this statistic, as a competitive job market favors energy, youthfulness, and yes, looks.  The most popular cosmetic procedures for men include botox and fillers for wrinkles, chin implants to rectify a weak profile, hair transplants for a fading hairline, and liposuction for excess fat pouches.  Also at the top of the list is blepharoplasty to reduce sagging eyelid skin and eyelid bags.

Male blepharoplasty should be done in a more conservative manner than female blepharoplasty in most cases, to preserve masculinity.  The male eyelid anatomy can differ from that of a female, with the eyelid crease in a different position and the brow with more fullness. 

Blepharoplasty or eyelid lift can be done in conjunction with fat injections, laser skin tightening, and botox to acheive an enhanced result.  In Michigan, Dr. Brett Kotlus offers customized procedures for his extensive list of male patients.  Below is a video of Dr. Kotlus' patient who underwent upper and lower blepharoplasty 1 month earlier.  His masculinity was preserved and he certainly did not end up with the dreaded "Kenny Rogers" look!