Blog Articles

An eyelid lift, or upper blepharoplasty is a common treatment to alleviate heavy eyelids, but some patients will need a browlift too.

Last month the FDA held a two day Public Advisory Committee meeting to discuss risks and benefits of breast implants for breast augmentation and reconstruction.  I've outlined some of the highlights and recommendations, and what we can expect in the future

The umbilical hernia can range from a barely noticeable bump to a grapefruit sized bulge. It can go in and out easily (reducible) or get stuck (incarcerated). Either way, only surgery will fix it.

The Device Identification Card, or "What Every Breast Implant Patient Forgets - Part 2"

I previously wrote on this blog about Dysport, and it’s debut on the market as a competitor for Botox.

When silicone breast implants became available again to cosmetic patients in 2006, the FDA recommended that implants be monitored periodically with a non-contrast MRI.

I’ve used Sientra breast implants almost exclusively for the past several years because I’ve felt they were better than the competition.

Maybe you’ve heard of Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. It’s getting more attention, and was even on the front page of the New York Times in May.

This plays out in my office all the time when I evaluate patients for body contouring procedures (I left out the beginning of the quote)… Here is the complete quote: “I go to the gym all the time and I just can’t get rid of this!”.

Breast “enhancement” is a vague term that plastic surgeons use, but you see it everywhere when researching breast surgery. It usually refers to augmentation, mastopexy (breast lift), or both.

In the words of Joan Rivers. “Believe me, you can hide a lot of things, but the hands always give it away,”

I was on a plane last week sitting next to a young guy who had a nevus (mole) on the back of his hand between his thumb and index finger.

Writing this post was prompted by two recent patients I saw that had the same problem with their abdominoplasty scars that they got elsewhere, by different surgeons.

Recently, you may have heard quite a bit about Kybella, which is the first FDA-approved non-surgical injectable treatment that reduces submental fat, AKA “the double chin”.

There are quite a few myths, misconceptions and scary stories floating around about BOTOX™ and I felt that it was time to clear some of that up. Is it dangerous? Will it give me Botulism?

Motherhood brings an unimaginable amount of joy, the experience of unconditional love and is by far one of the most rewarding experiences a woman can have.

We are excited to announce that we will now be offering oxygen facials along with the exclusive Intraceutical product line which will help maximize the results of these treatments.

There are many ways to classify the effects of aging, particularly on the face, but in practice it helps to divide the effects of aging into two types: the type helped by surgical methods, and the type helped by non-surgical methods.

Stop putting it off, make it your New Year’s resolution… If you (or someones you know) have breast implants from the early 90’s, 80’s, or (yikes!) the 70’s, you need to get them replaced.

Lipomas are very common benign growths of fat. They usually present as a palpable lump just below the skin, and are somewhat soft or rubbery to the touch.

A lot of people have asked me about Renee Zellweger and her recent unrecognizable “transformation”.  Did she have plastic surgery?  Yes.

When you visit our Santa Barbara office for a tummy tuck, you can expect aesthetically superior results that greatly complement your body’s curves and proportions.

A breast lift, or mastopexy, is a popular way for women to regain a firm, youthful appearance for their breasts.

By definition, body contouring surgery aims to improve a patient’s overall curvature by enhancing the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the body.

For patients in and around the Santa Barbara area, our plastic surgery services have produced stunning results with the highest quality of precision and care.

I don’t have MiraDry, but from what I’ve seen and heard it works quite well and has good Internet reviews.  Botox has good Internet reviews as well, and I can tell you it works great.

A popular sentiment in the United States is that larger breasts are more desirable, and while this may be true for some, breast size should be evaluated on an individual basis.

Getting breast implants can have a major impact on your overall appearance.

Breast augmentation is a popular and effective procedure for women who want to improve the size and shape of their bust, but how big is too big?

Loose skin and sagging cheeks are common signs of aging, creating a gaunt or tired expression over time. These changes are natural, but they can also occur well before someone is prepared for them.

Wound healing is a complex process that takes time. A surgical scar is the visible part of the scar tissue that results after the skin incision (wound) heals.

When seeking a breast augmentation, it can be difficult to navigate all the nuances of the procedure at first.

For many plastic surgery procedures, it helps if the patient can get an idea of what they will look like after the procedure, as opposed to looking at photos of what other people look like after a similar procedure.

Before undergoing tummy tuck surgery, it is important to understand what to expect after treatment, including the timeline for recovery.

Excess body fat is a common complaint among our Santa Barbara patients. After all, many people could name at least one part of their body that seems resistant to diet or exercise, making plastic surgery an attractive option for better contours

Though breast reduction can be done for cosmetic reasons, in most cases women seek breast reductions for relief from health issues caused by excessively large breasts, such as shoulder and back pain.

There are many different ways that you can enhance your overall appearance and look years and years younger in the process. One of the sure ways is turning to plastic surgery.

As much as we’d like to turn back the clock at times, age invariably catches up with us. Those who are middle-aged or older may begin to notice more apparent signs of aging, such as wrinkles or creases in the face.

Now is the time to treat your cellulite!  Yes, there is a treatment that can improve cellulite, usually with only one treatment, and with long lasting effects. 

Although pregnancy comes with certain expectations, every woman’s body will react differently to the process.

Do you look in the mirror and see a toned figure everywhere besides your belly? The abdomen can be one of the most stubborn areas of the body to define.

Almost everyone who has a passing familiarity with plastic surgery knows about breast augmentation. It’s one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the world, and it can enhance a woman’s bustline and the overall curves of her body.

Up to 3% of the population has hyperhidrosis. Seems like a lot for something most people have never heard of. Better known as excessive sweating, hyperhidrosis is typically just a more extreme form of underarm sweating.

Not all bodies are created equally, and surgical treatments should reflect that. There is no “one size fits all” method for plastic surgery, as all patients must be treated according to their physical needs and goals.

The earlobes tend to take a lot of abuse – the fleshy underside of the ear is frequently subject to piercings, heavy earrings, stretching and gauging. But even the earlobe has its breaking point.

I am often asked, “What can you do to make me look years younger, less tired, less droopy, and less stressed?” “Oh… and make sure it looks totally natural and subtle so that no one knows I did ANYTHING!”

With more and more speculation about a Hillary Clinton bid for the White House in 2016, the churn of Hillary stories coming out of the media is only going to accelerate. “Should Hillary Clinton Get Plastic Surgery?” is one of the trendy stories now.

Apparently the tabloids are reporting that actor Matthew Perry of Friends fame is considering plastic surgery.

Breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed because it can enhance a woman’s bust line to produce a more feminine physique,, boost self-confidence, and improve the fit of many popular styles of clothing.

While facial plastic surgery can greatly enhance your looks, there is another option out there that is extremely effective and involves no incisions whatsoever. That option is the use of cosmetic injections, which can really make a world of difference.

Since Angelina Jolie’s disclosure of her bilateral mastectomy and breast reconstruction this week in the New York Times, I’ve been asked a lot of questions about it.

We get a lot of questions about Cellulaze and I thought that answering some frequently asked questions might be helpful.

There are many techniques of contouring used in aesthetic plastic surgery, and the most recognized one is liposuction.

Check out the January/February 2013 issue of 805 Living magazine to read an interview about Cellulaze with Dr. Mackenzie. It’s on page 49.

Making the commitment to lose weight after becoming very obese sometimes involves only diet and exercise, but more often requires bariatric surgery to lose the weight which can often be a hundred pounds or more.

Losing weight can be quite difficult, especially for those suffering from obesity. The hard earned accomplishment of losing a substantial amount of weight should not be overshadowed by the loose, hanging skin that often results.

I just returned from New Orleans where the American Society of Plastic Surgeons held their annual meeting. It was unseasonably cold but at least we didn’t have to worry about the hurricane like many of my East Coast colleagues did.

Pregnancy takes a toll on a woman’s body and causes a lot of changes to take place. The changes that result from pregnancy and breast feeding cannot always be corrected through diet and exercise alone.

Cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures to improve the lips are quite common. The nonsurgical procedures include filler injections with Juvederm or Restylane, and superficial procedures like dermabrasion or laser resurfacing.

What constitutes beauty in the human form changes over time and between cultures. A recent article in the Journal of Hand Surgery described belief that tapered fingertips on a woman was an aesthetic ideal.

The most predictable comment I get from patients inquiring about facial rejuvenation surgery is one that expresses their fear of looking over-operated, weird, or like any number of celebrities that have had either bad surgery or just too much of it

Sometimes patients are surprised how a slight adjustment to one facial feature can really bring out the beauty of the rest of their face. That’s certainly true when it comes to the cheekbones.

See the recent segment of Living Local Santa Barbara featuring Dr. Mackenzie and Pacific Plastic Surgery

Let’s face it, surgery always some degree of pain, swelling, restriction of activities, and delay before seeing the final result. Not to mention the cost, and the anxiety of having to undergo anesthesia.

Do you have PIP Implants? Probably not, as PIP breast implants were only widely available outside the US. However if you do have, or suspect you might have, PIP breast implants, you will want to remove these implants.

In Part 1, I discussed how breast implants aren’t forever, and it’s best to be proactive about exchanging implants. But what if there is an unanticipated problem such as a capsular contracture that requires surgery?

What ultimately happens to the breast implants that we implant? Some patients don’t really consider that question, or think that once the implants are put in, they are there for life. Not so.

Intense Pulsed Light, or IPL (also called photofacial and other names) is a popular treatment for undoing some of the effects of the sun.

All surgeries carry a certain degree of risk. This goes for medically necessary ones as well as surgeries that are elective or cosmetic in nature.

Many surgeries include the placement of surgical drains. Why? Why do some procedures need drains and others don’t? Let’s look at what drains are designed to do, and just as importantly, what they are not designed to do.

The recovery after Body Jet Water Assisted Liposuction is easier than with most liposuction techniques. Transferring some of this fat to the buttocks doesn’t really prolong the recovery, and can really help enhance your “assets”.

OK, there’s not much time left to be ready for summer if you’re considering breast augmentation. After all, unlike most of the things we have discussed in this series, it is surgery, and surgery does involve recovery.

Don’t Sweat It…

Liposuction takes some time to recover from, so if that’s what you need to get ready for this summer, you had better get on it! In this post, Lisa discusses Body Jet Liposuction, the technique I prefer…

If you are tired of shaving, waxing or tweezing, it is time to turn to a more advanced method of removing unwanted hair. Laser hair removal using the LightSheer Laser is a more effective solution.

Put this into the “End of the Empire” category….

The Santa Barbara NewsPress had this announcement in yesterday’s paper about my joining the Board of the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara. I’ve supported the BCRC for years, and am honored to now be on their Board!

An easily treatable condition that we see frequently in our office in Santa Barbara is telangiectasias of the legs, commonly known as spider veins.

Check out this blog over the next few weeks to discover ten things that will help you look and feel better so that you will be ready for summer and the beach!

Breast augmentation surgery is an excellent way for you to improve your appearance and enhance the curves and contours of your body.

We all know that certain wrinkles will confer a little bit of character and distinction. Some may even make you appear sophisticated and worldly.

There have been several improvements in liposuction over the last several years, and the latest offers some distinct advantages.

The upcoming Santa Barbara Triathlon this weekend has prompted me to blog on the topic of performing plastic surgery, specifically aesthetic plastic surgery, on athletes that push their bodies a lot further than most.

One of the most commonly misunderstood topics of breast enhancement surgery is the issue of sag, and the assumption that breast implants help the problem.

The Sun is reporting that Britain’s MI5 believes women have had the plastic explosive PETN implanted into their breasts “under techniques similar to breast enhancing surgery”.

Not only should a lip augmentation pass the “Kiss” Test, it should also pass the “K.I.S.S.” Test…

Yesterday I was contacted by E! News as one of their writers thought Lady Gaga looked different at the Grammy Awards, and thought that maybe she had had a nose job (rhinoplasty) recently. 

We are doing Water Assisted Liposuction now with the Body-Jet device, a first for Santa Barbara and the Central Coast.

Another pop culture comment…What’s up with Lady Gaga’s “Dance in the Dark” and the intro line of “Silicon, saline, poison inject me…”?

You know the government is desperate for solutions to pay for it’s health care program when they propose a tax on cosmetic medical services and surgery (see the legislation below). 

This weekend I was channel surfing and saw an ad pitching a plastic surgery procedure that was being promoted by a national marketing agency.

This is not exactly a new technique, but it is gaining steam abroad, and there are centers in the US which are studying it, while some surgeons are begining to incorporate it into their suite of techniques. 

Dr. Mackenzie will be using Body-Jet liposuction soon which is a better technology for allowing liposuction to be done under local anesthesia. 

In the last two weeks, I have encountered three of my own patients in Santa Barbara with scar results after surgery that illustrate the capriciousness of the healing process.

I was reading a throw-away plastic surgery journal the other day (the kind that is mostly an advertising forum, with some soft articles written by and for surgeons) and a well known, well respected plastic surgeon from Los Angeles was raving about this...

Until recently, Botox has been the only game in town for softening the muscle action of facial muscle muscles to effect an improvement in facial lines and wrinkles.

Last night I was talking to Dr. Kim Grafton, one of the general surgeons that I sometimes work with in Santa Barbara on breast reconstruction cases, and we were discussing nipple-sparing mastectomy.

Ahhh… the joys of pregnancy… flawless glowing skin, cute "baby bump" and best of all a darn good excuse to eat that extra chocolate chip cookie.

This is the title of a recent Santa Barbara Newspress article which featured me and discussed how the economy has impacted the job market.

On May 5th I’ll be at Dr. Pierre Lebrecque’s Derma Spa Med in Santa Maria for an event promoting aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery in Santa Maria.