Category Archives: News

Lip Augmentation with Cannulas

First what are blunt tipped cannulas for fillers?

Surgical Artistry - Calvin Lee, MD / Tammy Wu, MD

Borrowed over from the world of liposuction and the world of Huber needles for chemotherapy.  There are four benefits of using a cannula for filler (ie. Juvederm) injections:

  1. Tip is blunt, not sharp – so it won’t easily pierce unwanted delicate structures such as nerves and blood vessels
  2. Side exit port for the opening for extrusion of filler.  This is on the side so that the tip can be blunt.  So this reason goes along with the blunt tip reason.
  3. Flexible cannula.  This allows for less injury as well, it has the potential to wiggle around obstructions which are sometimes cause by the vitals structures of nerves and vessels.
  4. Long length.  this allows for fewer puncture sites.

Why do we care about blunt tipped cannulas?

In the end the results are for safety and less bruising.  But are the effects better looking when the swelling goes down?  for the most part I think so, for broad areas such as cheek and temples.

Picture is worth a thousand words

Perhaps a picture would help describe cannulas for injectable fillers:

blunt tip cannulas

blunt tip cannulas

Lip augmentation with cannulas?

Currently, for myself as an injector in Modesto, I’m a fan of cannulas for filling the central part (body) of the lips.  But for precision, I feel that I lose a little bit of the precision needed when working on the border of the lips.  Thus I still find myself gravitating to the regular needle.  I have also used longer needles.  So for now, there’s a role for both cannulas and needles in my practice for lips.  But for the most part, I’m doing most of the lip augmentations with needles.  I like the precision that I get with a short stiff needle.  However, I understand that there is more of a risk of bruising and swelling right after the procedure.  These are just my thoughts at my current level of comfort with cannulas.  For more of what I think, visit: my thoughts on Lip Augmentation with fillers:

www.SurgeryToday.com (209) 551-1888

www.SurgeryToday.com
(209) 551-1888

Day 1 Vegas Cosmetic Surgery 2013

First official day of the Vegas Cosmetic Surgery and Aesthetic Dermatology Conference 2013

I particularly got a lot great ideas and info regarding Botox and Fillers (Juvederm).  I was very interested in the way they treated complications.

I also attended sessions that talked about social media, habits of very successful cosmetic practices, blogging, reviews, thank you notes, patient surveys, and the usage of YouTube videos.  I hope to act on much of this.  It was almost info overload.  And this was only day 1.

Plastic Surgery Related Booths we visited

  • Operative headlamp company – about $800 for a head lamp.  3 hour-4 hour battery life. LED bulb!
  • Zein Obagi.  Looked at the differences between Zein Obagi and Obagi
  • Touch MD – incredible stuff indeed.  Touch MD is a technological way to visually share the plastic surgical consultation with the patient.  There’s a program component which resides on the computer and then there’s a “cloud” component where the data resides.  The data can be accessed from many other devices and webpages via secure methods.  This is a great addition to EMR.  And perhaps would be a great addition to our plastic surgical practice in Modesto, CA.  They said that currently they don’t have any doctors in Modesto, CA who have Touch MD.  It also has a back end for picture management.

We were originally going to see a show, but instead we talked with the guys at Touch MD.

TiZO3 and Lip Balm

We found an an amazing Sun Screen for the lips.  It is made by the Fallene company in their Solar Protection Formula line.  TIZO is among one of their products.  Dr. Tammy Wu said that she has been looking for a lip balm that is a physical / mineral based for awhile.  We just found the LipTect product at the Vegas Cosmetic Surgery conference.  Along with this, we also found the  TiZO3 sunscreen for the face.  It has Titanium, Iron, and Zinc.  It is Paraben, Oil, PABA and fragrance free.  It is also tinted and is a very water resistant formula.  We will have the LipTect (Lip balm) and TiZO3 sunscreen available for purchase at Surgical Artistry, Modesto, CA.  Dr. Calvin Lee (me) takes credit for introducing Dr. Tammy Wu to the booth, and Dr. Wu made the decision to make an opening order!  One more reason for this – it would be an great product to protect a lip augmentation investment.

Modesto’s Jon Olsen Brings Home the Gold Medal in International 24 hour Race in the Netherlands

NEWS FROM STEENBERGEN, NETHERLANDS 5/12/13 – blog by Calvin Lee

Jon Olsen ran 167.568 miles in 24 hours.

You thought a Marathon was long?

jon olsen from Modesto with american flag winner of the 24 hour race in Netherlands

Victory for Jon Olsen, USA after running 24 hours.

Modesto’s Jon Olsen won the International Association of Ultrarunners 24-Hour World championships.  Representing the USA, Mr. Olsen ran 167.568 miles taking the lead by 4 miles.  Reading reports of the race, the weather conditions were challenging which included rain and hail which pelted the runners throughout the night.  Individually Mr. Olsen won, and as a team, the men’s USA team won as well.  Each team was composed of six runners, and each team’s top three distances were combined for the team score.

He writes before the race:

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As blessed as I am physically to run, I’m even more blessed with the amount of loving people that God has surrounded me with. All I can do is say thank you and represent Modesto and the Red White and Blue to the best of my ability. Thank you once again!

He writes after the race:

Sorry I haven’t posted anything but between the drug test, awards ceremony, the nap, shower, dinner, and packing for my flight that leaves early enough my alarm is going off at 6am…I have had little time. Let me quickly sum up the race and you can read about it in the Modesto Bee Tuesday.

It was hands down the toughest race of my life. I race a nearly perfect race.(that includes eating the right foods and putting on the correct clothing when the weather got bad) I ran all but ten yards in the middle of the race and two minutes to end the race. The crowds were amazingly supportive and I was treated like a rock star. It was a “Jon Olsen love fest” on steroids:) absolutely crazy! I want to thank everyone’s encouragement and support. You all own a piece of this victory…thank you! I’m heading to bed now:)

Doing the Math

We should be practicing some math, especially since Mr. Olsen is a math teacher.  He is a Math Teacher at Prescott Junior High School, in Modesto, CA.  Jon Olsen ran 167.568 miles based on a timing chip for his 24 hour race.  Calculations reveal:

  • Average speed of 6.98 miles per hour for 24 hours
  • Average pace of 8:35.6 min/mile for 24 hours

jon olsen from Modesto with american flag looking serious in Netherlands

How does Jon Olsen’s measure up to American Records?

He now holds the second place American record behind Florida’s Mike Morton who ran 172.457 set in 2012.  Less than 5 miles away from Jon’s winning distance.

Other Ultramarathon records

You can see a list of ultramarathon record accomplishments around the world and Jon Olsen is listed on there more than once.

Top Results of the Other Competitors at this Race

Men
1. Jon Olsen, 38, Modesto, CA, 167.568 miles
2. John Dennis, 32, Takoma Park, MD, 163.255
3. Florian Reus, 29, DEU, 161.518
4. Anatoly Kruglicov, 55, RUS, 159.717
5. Timur Ponomarev, 24, RUS, 159.484

Women
1. Mami Kudo, 49, JPN, 156.712 miles
2. Sabrina Little, 26, Waco, TX, 152.030 (American Record, old record 149.368 miles by Connie Gardner, 2012)
3. Suzanna Bon, 48, Sonoma, CA, 146.785
4. Traci Falbo, 40, Charlestown, IN, 142.730
5. Anne-Marie Vernet, 45, FRA, 142.538

We’re honored to know Jon Olsen,
once again proving excellence from Modesto, CA

He has won the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon twice, and is a coach for the Teens Run Modesto program.  And we’re certainly proud to have Jon Olsen in Modesto.  He’s a great role model for all of us, in our quest for hard work and excellence.  He is also proof to us that anything can be done at the highest level in Modesto.  This means a lot to us as we set out to continue our excellence in plastic surgery and acupuncture.  He’s one of the great things about Modesto.

jon olsen surgical artistry modesto marathon 2013 captivating photos

Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon March 24, 2013. Jon Olsen’s picture by Captivating Photos, in Modesto, CA, USA.

 

Brilliant Distinctions Changes – Botox, Juvederm, Latisse

Brilliant Distinctions

Recent Changes to the Brilliant Distinctions Program

Update:  See updated section on the bottom – info directly from Allergan and the changes start May 15, 2013.

I heard some things about changes to the Brilliant Distinctions Program by our Botox Representative (from Allergan).  I’m not 100% sure of these changes, as I don’t operate the Brilliant Distinctions program (BD), but of course, our plastic surgery practice accepts the coupons and rebates generated from the BD program.

SkinMedica – get points for purchasing

  • Allergan acquired SkinMedica – a skin care product company – prescription and non-prescription based products.  You can now earn points for purchasing SkinMedica products.   Our office currently does not carry Skin Medica products.  I guess I wished it could have been easier / great if Obagi was somehow absorbed by Allergan, because we are a Obagi retailer and a user of Allergan products.  But that merger  didn’t happen.  Instead Valeant purchased Obagi for $348 million dollars in April 2013..  Valeant is based in Montreal.  Valeant has a dermatology portfolio.  Obagi is based in Long Beach, California, and posted revenues of $120 million in the year 2012.  Valeant Pharmaceuticals in September 2012 purchased Medicis for 2.6 billion.  Medicis makes Dysport, Perlane, and Restylane.
  • Around December 2012 Allergan purchased SkinMedica for $350 million

New Brilliant Distinctions Mall

  • Get points for shopping online
  • Similar to a program offered by Chase.
  • Many many vendors online, and shop as you normally would except click through a link from the Brilliant Distinctions website.

Bonus points are going away

  • As fast as it came, it is going away:  There was a bonus points program for the frequent users, in fact after about 12 visit, the bonus points added up to almost double the original amount which was originally $25 coupon after each Botox visit, and for those coming in on the 13th time and beyond, the $25 coupon got a bonus of another $25.  However this is bonus is going away I heard.

The $25 coupon per Botox visit or $25 per Juvederm syringe is dropping down to $20

  • I also heard that the $25 is dropping down to $20.  But the added ability to earn points from the BD Mall is supposed to more than make up for this difference.  I’d like to know if this works out for folks in the future.  Regardless, it is nice to have a program such as BD, so I guess we shouldn’t complain too much about the $25 dropping down to $20.

There’s the ability to print out a $10 coupon

  • This wasn’t available before.   I think this is to help the Latisse-only users use their coupons, because Latisse purchases used to take longer to build up to a coupon.

I just checked with several patients today regarding Brilliant Distinctions.  Most of these changes have taken place yet, but I know they are coming very soon – perhaps at the end of this month (May, 2013).

These changes the program summarized:

  • SkinMedica
  • BD Mall
  • Bonus Points going away
  • $25 return on each visit or each syringe is going down to $20
  • New!, ability to print out $10 coupon (half of the points required to print a $20 coupon).
  • New 9 month expiration period instead of I think it was 2 years before.

We’ll stay tuned and see how these changes take place and hopefully they will continue to keep our Botox / Juvederm / Latisse patients happy.

Surgical Artistry - Calvin Lee, MD / Tammy Wu, MD

Surgical Artistry | Calvin Lee, MD | Tammy Wu, MD
209-551-1888 | www.SurgeryToday.com
2336 Sylvan Ave. Suite C | Modesto, CA 95355

 

UPDATE:

We got this notice from Brilliant Distinctions.

Starting May 15, 2013:

Points Values: In simplifying the points structure, the values will alter slightly. We’ve added a new coupon value. You can now create a $10 coupon for 100 points. For 200 points, the coupon value will now be $20.

Expiration Period: Points will expire after 9 months of inactivity from earning. We will send you reminders if you are getting close to your points expiring.

Bonus Points: All bonus points accrued to date will remain in your account; however, no more bonus points will be issued. If you have questions, the Brilliant Distinctions® Customer Support line is a phone call away: 1-888-324-2745 (9am-8pm EST. M-F).

 

Summary:  See summary above also.  But there are some great added features ($10 coupon, BD mall, SkinMedical) and some things taken away (bonus points, $5 taken away from 200 points, and the expiration period ahs been shortened)

Senate Resolution Award for Surgical Artistry from Senator Tom Berryhill

a three of us IMG_4506 - Copy

Senator Tom Berryhill made a surprise visit in person to our office in April 2013 and we took this picture holding up the Senate Resolution signed by him, commending Surgical Artistry! Because we were totally surprised by the award, I was given this very nice explanation of the award: “This award was given because of what you and Dr. Wu have done for the people of Modesto! These awards are not given lightly. There is a process that must be gone through and certain criteria that must be met before an award of this type is even considered. You both earned this through all of the selfless, tireless hard work you do every day of the year. The Senator Tom Berryhill’s Sacramento staff did their research and felt you deserved this Senate Resolution.”

Bob Phelan gave me the award

while I was pigging out at the pasta carbo loading feast the night before the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon.  Bob is the District Director at the California State Senate and a great friend of ours.  We sat at the same table during the carbo loading dinner but he seemed a little too well dress and had a name tag on.  Well, I figured he was there to make a political appearance and I figured he had to work that night.  When he was called up to make a speech, I started chowing down at full speed.  I might not run fast, but I can eat fast. Then before you knew it he called my name to come up to receive an award.  Boy was I in for a surprise!   Thank you Bob for working that night.  What he didn’t know was that I was stifling some hiccups while up there on the stage while getting these picture taken:

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Bob and his wife Alta also participated in the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon.  It was certainly a pleasant surprise.  Alta recounts the funny look on my face when I had to suddenly stop eating to go up on stage.  She thought it was worthwhile, but there was no picture of that – thank goodness.

Dr. Wu couldn’t be there because she had to rush off to a meeting in Sacramento, and then she was coming home later that night to get ready for the event the next day (The Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon).  But while she was driving home from Sacramento, I updated her on the exciting news of the award, and she was very impressed with the wording on the framed Senate Resolution Award.

A few days later: Dr. Wu and Senator Tom Berryhill

got a chance to meet and the above (on top of the blog) photo was taken.  And several of these other photos were taken.  It was very considerate and we were very honored to have Senator Tom Berryhill visit our office (yet another great surprise!) along with Bob Phelan too.

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This is a picture of Bob Phelan, District Director, who came with Senator Tom Berryhill to our office. And the mailman got into the picture too!

a pic with tammy and tom IMG_4522 - Copy - Copy

Dr. Tammy Wu with Senator Tom Berryhill

a pic with calvin and tom IMG_4518 - Copy - Copy

This is just the beginning

We are proud founders of the Gallo Center for the Arts, founding title sponsors for the Surgical Artistry Modesto Symphony Pops Series / Surgical Artistry Modesto Symphony Fat Cat Classics 2006-2009, and founding title sponsors for the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon.

The award hangs up proudly at our office near the entrance and it serves as a reminder to us that this is just the beginning of what we set out to do.  We want to do great things for our community here in Modesto, California.  Thank you for the recognition and we hope to continue with our efforts which include performing surgery at a very high level.  And of course that includes a continued effort on continuing our life long learning in medicine.

senate resolution