Chicago Plastic Surgeon

We are proud to announce that Dr. Otto J. Placik will participate in his 5th consecutive year at Chicago’s 5th annual Health, Wellness & Beauty Night benefiting Enhance Educational Foundation. The event will take place on Thursday, October 4, 2007 at the Palmer House Hilton. Dr. Placik will be available to answer questions and showcase plastic surgery products and procedures. This beauty expo brings together over 700 local women and over 40 vendors representing the nation’s top experts on beauty, healthy living and luxury lifestyle such as Botox® and Restylane®. Guest will enjoy live demonstrations and laser treatments. Complimentary cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, giveaways and a silent auction will complete the evening.

Tickets to the event are $25 in advance, $35 at the door and sell out quickly. To purchase tickets, call 312.335.1700 or visit http://www.enhancefoundation.org/ for more information.

Funds raised from HWB Night 2006 enabled Enhance Educational Foundation to provide over $32,000 in college scholarships to students of the Chicago Public Schools.

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About the Health, Wellness & Beauty Night:
The HWB Night has been hosted over the past four years at The Ritz Carlton and The Drake Hotel. Dr. Placik has attended and presented each year. This event features an intimate cocktail party feel with information from the countries top experts in all things health and beauty. Attendance has grown to nearly 700 annual attendees with almost 50 different exhibitors. For more information, visit http://www.enhancefoundation.org/

About Enhance Educational Foundation:
Enhance Educational Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to education. Enhance promotes literacy through the “Dream to Be” program and inspires the cities’ youth through unique medical internships. Dr. Placik is an active member of the Board of the Enhance Educational Foundation. Dr. Placik is proud to assist in organizing events as well as contributing to the committee that selects and awards college scholarships to outstanding Chicago Public School students.

Labels: Health Wellness Beauty Charity Non Profit Plastic Surgery

Labels: Breast Augmentation Enlargment Surgery Bra size

Every week, I see patients in my office who seek plastic surgery for body contouring. While it is commonly known by patients that plastic surgery is recommended after weight loss, many patients may mistakenly desire surgery to jump start their weight loss plans.

A week ago, I saw a patient; let’s call her Susie, whose sister I operated on successfully. The patient was pleased with her sister’s abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). Susie was 5’2” and 250 pounds unlike her sister who was closer to her ideal body weight. Susie had two previous tummy tucks by credentialed plastic surgeons but was still unhappy with the results of surgery and felt she could remove more.

Prior to contemplating surgery, I frequently refer patients to a Body Mass Index (BMI) chart. This is not to embarrass but to educate my patients. Please click below for a link to a BMI calculator: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

Susie’s BMI was 45.7. When I pointed this out to her she was not concerned. Why should she be? Well, an elevated BMI (over 30 means obese) increases your risks of complications from surgery. An elevated BMI means a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or other lipid disorders, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and certain cancers. Even a small weight loss (just 10 percent of your current weight) will help to lower your risk of developing those diseases.

In fact, two recent articles in the New Enlgand Journal of Medicine support findings that bariatric surgery can enhance one's lifespan after undergoing bariatric surgery (lap band, gastric bypass or gastric stapling, etc) for morbid obesity. Click the following link for more information:
Bariatric Surgery may prolong life

So Susie said “If you perform a tummy tuck, it will help me lose weight and reduce my BMI!” What’s wrong with this logic? Well in the average cosmetic tummy tuck , anywhere from 2 to 10 pounds is typically removed. After massive weight loss, I have occasionally removed more or when medically indicated for severe infection or sores or skin breakdown. In Susie’s instance, a 10 pound resection would take her weight down to 240 pounds. Returning to our calculator, we come up with a BMI of 43.9. Although she may look better, the surgery will produce a small overall cosmetic difference and do very little to improve her health.

There are exceptions and individuals do undergo cosmetic surgery when they are not at their ideal body weight.

If you are contemplating cosmetic surgery prior to planned weight loss, rethink your options. If diet and exercise do not work, seek the advice of a your physician who can guide you in a medically supervised course of weight loss utilizing supplements or pharmaceuticals. If this is insufficient, referral to a specialist or bariatric surgeon (for lap banding or stapling, or bypass) may be your best and healthiest solution.

Following weight loss, you may be a candidate for a variety of procedures including tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), arm lifts (brachioplasty), breast reduction (reduction mammoplasty), trunk lift (circumferential belt lipectomy), thigh lift, buttock lift, etc. Abdominoplasty is a good method of reducing extra skin or tightening muscles following weight loss or pregnancy. It is best to wait until you have achieved a stable weight for at least a six month period.

If you would like to learn more about how the plastic surgery following weight loss, please call or email Otto J. Placik, M.D. serving patients in Chicago and surrounding areas of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Northwest Indiana.

I was recently featured as the subject of an e-interview on this topic (click on the link below to read):
http://www.cosmeticsurgery.com/articles/archive/an~236/The G-SHOT®
With genital cosmetic and enhancement procedures becoming increasingly popular, We are pleased to announce that we are the FIRST plastic surgery practice in Illinois and the only physician in the Chicago area to perform the G-SHOT also known as G-Spot Amplification or augmentation. As of 7/1/07 I am ONE of ONLY TWENTY-TWO NATIONALLY listed physicians performing the procedure.

This is a minimally invasive, non-surgical, treatment that can temporarily enhance/enlarge the Grafenburg spot. Sexually active women with normal sexual function who are at ease with discovering or promoting the prominence of the G-spot are excellent candidates for this technique receiving widespread attention in the media. It is not for everyone and many physicians as well as therapists even question the existence of the G-spot. Nonetheless patients have expressed a desire for the procedure.

G-Spot Amplification (GSA) was invented and developed by a gynecologist David Matlock, MD, MBA, FACOG

This patent pending method of enlarging or the G-Spot with off-label use of human derived collagen (which is currently FDA approved for use for facial augmentation). The collagen is a naturally occurring biologic product with a long-term safety record for facial enhancement. The FDA approved collagen is a specially developed and processed collagen which doesnt require pre-injection skin testing like other collagen products on the market.

In a pilot study, 87% of women surveyed after receiving the G-Shot reported enhanced sexual arousal/gratification. Results do differ among subjects receiving the treatment.

The affect can last for up to 4 months, and does vary
To find out more about the G-spot go to: http://thegshot.com/background.htm

If you would like to learn more about how the G-Shot can help augment your G-spot, please call or email Otto J. Placik, M.D. . Our practice treats patients from Chicago and the surrounding areas of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Northwest Indiana.

Labels: G-shot, G-spot

In the past few months, it is apparent that the media and public have become obsessed with the appearance of the female genitalia.

Why is this? An ever increasing media exposure and subsequent comfort level with this topic is obviously apparent. No matter where you look. It’s a hot topic! You can’t deny it.

Once a rare issue, a panty-less Sharon Stone in the movie “Basic Instinct” generated tremendous controversy. Currently, we have become jaded as genitalia discussions permeate all aspects of the media ranging from pornography to designer fashion to glamour magazines to health & fitness topics to the dating scenes and now even the Disney channel.

There is no doubt about it. Search engines are overrun with people attempting to find the latest pictures of celebrities who intentionally or unintentionally expose their genitalia to the paparazzi. Around the water cooler or at social gatherings, people talk about the latest panty-less pictures of Lindsay Lohan/Paris Hilton/Britney Spears. It doesn’t stop there; not only do people hunt down these photos on the internet but they also make aggressive comments pertaining to genital details in numerous chat rooms and blog sites. Checkout the latest buzz on sites such as perezhilton.com or tmz.com centering around the Disney Channel’s High School Musical star, Vanessa Hudgens. It’s interesting to note how many bloggers feel free to comment on the young star's genital grooming habits. There is more discussion of her pubic hair than her breasts! Now that’s a twist.

So it is no wonder why young and old women alike turn their focus on their own genitalia. As a result, personal hair grooming or anatomical appearance of the vagina/vulva has become an important criterion by which women judge themselves and has generated much interest in their options for perceived improvement. This has driven women, in larger numbers than ever, to seek hair removal and cosmetic surgery of the female genitalia. Procedures such as labiaplasty, vaginaplasty, labia minora or labia majora augmentation or reduction, clitoral hood reduction, anal bleaching and many more are being requested far more frequently in recent years. Criticism and judgments have been made by a variety of concerned groups with some of the most heated comments coming from feminists and Gynecologists. However, this has done little to quench the appetite for these procedures.

It is of note that on September 1, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) declared so-called "vaginal rejuvenation," "designer vaginoplasty," "revirgination," and "G-spot amplification" procedures to be not medically indicated, nor is there documentation of their safety and effectiveness.

This press release prompted numerous articles including a balanced article featuring Dr. Otto Placik and published by the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/539731,CST-NWS-contro03.article
While I applaud ACOG’s interest in the well being of women contemplating the procedure, I believe it is important to make certain distinctions that are not clear from this press release. As a patient advocate, I have found the following to be true:

1. Women seeking female genital surgery for appearance are typically aware that they are undergoing a cosmetic procedure. They are not seeking justification or confirmation by anyone other than themselves. This comment, quoted in the Chicago Tribune article by a medical professional, infers a psychological problem: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cosmetic_31aug31,0,7734462.story
   "If someone doesn't like the way they look or their heart is broken, surgery isn't going to fix that," said Dr. Linda Brubaker, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and urology at Loyola University Medical Center. "Those problems are above the belly button, not below." Would this expert say the same for other commonly accepted cosmetic procedures such as breast enlargement or tummy tucks?
2. Women, who come in complaining of pain and discomfort, are insulted by the somewhat condescending comments made by professionals who claim otherwise or downplay their symptoms. In my experience, women who are increasingly fit and participating in extreme physical sports/exercise expose their groomed and bare genitalia to repetitive friction. In the past, a cushion of pubic hair would have protected against these injuries.

This is not to say that this surgery should be undertaken lightly. Any person contemplating these procedures should review the risks, alternatives, and benefits after a thorough consultation and physical examination with her health care professionals.

Please e-mail or call our Chicago or Arlington Heights plastic surgery offices for more information on our cosmetic female genital procedures.

With summer comes trips to the beach and the swimming pool for hours of fun in the sun. Before heading out to that picnic or pool party, there are steps you must take to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the brutal summer sun. The sun's rays, which are called ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays (UVA/UVB), damage your skin, even after just a short time in the sun.

Sun damage can lead to skin cancer and other skin problems. Even if your skin doesn't burn in the sun, you can develop skin cancer over time. While we may think having a tan makes us look better and healthier, a tan is the body's desperate attempt to protect itself from the sun's harmful rays.

While some people do tend to burn in the sun more quickly and more often than others, skin cancer can develop even in darker-skinned people who tan easily. Most skin cancers occur on parts of the body that are repeatedly exposed to the sun such as the head, neck, face ears, hands, arms, shoulders, back, and legs (there aren't many body parts NOT affected by sun exposure!).

Here are some factors that put you at a higher risk of developing skin cancer:

• Having had serious sunburns


• Having fair skin and red or blonde hair


• Having many moles, freckles or birthmarks


• Having family members with skin cancer


• Tanning in a tanning bed or using a sun lamp


• Being in the sun a lot as a child or young adult

The most common indicator of skin cancer is the change in a mole; a normal mole is solid tan, brown, dark brown or flesh-colored with well-defined edges. A normal mole is usually smaller than ¼ inch in diameter and has a round or oval shape. If you think a mole is abnormal-looking, follow the "ABCDE" rule:

• A for asymmetry. A mole, that if divided in half, doesn't look the same on both sides is suspicious.


• B for border. A mole is suspicious if it has blurry or jagged edges.


• C for color. Changes in color of your mole such as darkening, loss of color, or the appearance of multiple colors are suspicious.


• D for diameter. Any mole larger than ¼ inch in diameter may need to be examined


• E for elevation. A raised mole or a mole with an uneven surface is suspicious.

If you have been a sun worshipper over the years and are now worried that you are a skin cancer risk or to learn more about skin care and options available to improve damaged skin in the Chicago area, please call or email the office of Cosmetic Surgeon Otto J. Placik, M.D.

The Chicago Tribune published an article focusing on a recent statement by the “American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) stating that Cosmetic procedures billed as "vaginal rejuvenation," "designer vaginoplasty" or "revirgination" are not medically necessary and are not guaranteed to be safe. [Obstet Gynecol 2007;110;737-738]

I applaud ACOG’s efforts to review this topic and look out for women’s best interests. Labiaplasty has received widespread attention in the media. It is true that individuals who are interested in these procedures in order to correct other problems in sexual relationships, may be misguided. However, I do find it ironic that a specialty, designated to manage and address women’s complaints, has chosen to neglect women’s valid complaints regarding pain and discomfort attributed to prominent, enlarged, asymmetric or distorted female genitalia.

Contrary to their comments which suggest that women are being coerced into undergoing labiaplasty procedures, the vast majority of patients present with discomfort or pain and are seeking relief without asking for third party payors to cover the procedure. It is my impression that this is evidence that they are experiencing sufficient pain because they are willing to pay out of pocket and not seek insurance reimbursement. The patients, I have consulted with have not typically sought the procedure to repair a relationship or enhance sexual gratification.

In the instance that labiaplasty is being carried out for cosmetic indications, Gynecology is not a specialty accustomed to performing elective surgical procedures. When it does, these issues have historically generated great controversy and rift amongst its practitioners. Tubal ligation is one example. Plastic surgery is accustomed to conducting interventions which are not medically indicated. These include common procedures such as breast enlargement, abdominoplasty, botox or other facial filler injections. Perhaps this explains our comfort level with these patients and offering these procedures. Clearly certain trends in grooming (such as the thong and brazilian) expose a women’s genitalia to closure scrutiny. Any criticism of these procedures would certainly be applicable to any cosmetic intervention: are they suggesting that all cosmetic procedures be banned?

On a serious note surgery is surgery, and its risks should not be taken lightly. Patients with the help of their physician should consider the risks, alternatives, and benefits of any procedure. No procedure is free of risk.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cosmetic_31aug31,0,7734462.story
August 31, 2007:

The statement by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says it is "deceptive to give the impression" that these procedures, which by some accounts are among the hottest new trends in plastic surgery, are "accepted and routine surgical practices."

"Vaginal rejuvenation," "designer vaginoplasty," "revirgination" and "G-spot amplification" are being marketed to women on late-night TV, in magazines and on the Internet. Doctors offering the procedures say they can enhance women's sexual pleasure and alleviate uncomfortable symptoms, and many of their patients agree.

But critics say these women are exposing extraordinarily sensitive body parts to interventions with questionable benefits and unknown risks.

"Absence of data supporting the safety and efficacy of these procedures makes their recommendation untenable," the medical group's Committee on Gynecologic Practice concluded in a two-page statement published in the September issue of its magazine.

Other experts express concern that practitioners are offering surgical fixes to problems better addressed by correcting women's misconceptions about their bodies and boosting their self-esteem.

"If someone doesn't like the way they look or their heart is broken, surgery isn't going to fix that," said Dr. Linda Brubaker, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and urology at Loyola University Medical Center. "Those problems are above the belly button, not below."