2022 June

HO CHI MINH, 11^th April 2017 – In large cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and surrounding urban areas, plastic surgery is becoming popular among women between the ages of 20 and 45. Breast enlargements, face lifts, nose lifts, and liposuction are the most popular surgeries done by Vietnamese women wishing to improve their beauty.

With the growing demand in the market, Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre (BWMC) now looks into offering their services to the Vietnamese clientele. Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre (BWMC) located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; has been recognized as a multi-award winning integrated beauty medical centre established in 2012.

The centre is licensed by Ministry of Health Malaysia and also an elite member of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) making it fully committed to providing excellent services in Cosmetic Surgery, Aesthetic Medicine, Dentistry and Healthy Ageing. Amongst the notable awards received by our centre are:

• International Cosmetic Surgery Clinic of The Year 2015 & 2016 by IMTJ Medical Travel Award
• Specialist Beauty Medical Centre for 2013, 2014 and 2015 by The BrandLaureate SMEs BestBrands Award
• Aesthetic Centre Of The Year 2016 by Frost & Sullivan Excellence Award

In year 2016, approximately thirty percent (30%) of BWMC’s clientele comprise international patients mainly from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, America, United Kingdom, China, Brunei, and now growing numbers from Vietnam too. BWMC witnessed fifty two percent (52%) growth year-on-year in Vietnamese patients whom sought treatments at their centre.

“We hope to continue to build on and expand our services and offerings beyond Malaysia, and become the leading centre of excellence in medical healthcare specialising in cosmetic beauty in the Asia Pacific region”, said Dato’ Francis Ng, Chairman, Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre.

Our board-certified surgeons, have over 20 years’ experience in plastic surgery and use outstanding plastic surgery and aesthetic medicine techniques. Among BWMC’s most popular treatments are cosmetic procedures which include breast augmentation, tummy tucks, liposuction, rhinoplasty, facelifts as well as hair transplant and aesthetic treatments which include Botulinum Toxin (Botox) injections and dermal fillers, acne and acne scar removal, pigmentation removal, and face rejuvenation.

Fillers can be used in a number of places, like cheeks, nose and lips. In the past 5 years, there has been an increase in plumping up the pout. Many are following the trends of delectably filled lips like Kylie Jenner and Angelina Jolie.

Before rushing into it, know that lip fillers may not result in the most natural-looking set of lips. Here’s some insider tips to help you avoid getting a botched filler job.

Preparation

If you have super thin lips and want to go from nothing to fish lips all at one go, the likelihood of having your lips overfilled is probably 100%. You do not want to have overfilled lips,as they tend to give a cosmetically made/ botched appearance. The lips are also easily noticeable after the procedure, so unless you want to see an immediate difference, it is best to have a little than too much.

Which Filler Matters

It makes a difference which types of fillers are being used, we want to create a luscious-looking and smooth textured lip. In order to avoid lumps and bumps, it’s important to choose FDA and HSA-approved fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm and Boletero. Be wary of unlicensed injectors such as underground beauty parlous, which may not have undergone rigorous testing. Products that have not undergone testing may cause allergic or immunologic reactions that can lead to permanent disfiguration.

Don’t go all in

Patience, patience. Although Lip Fillers start to swell from the moment they are injected, the swelling will continue for the next 48 hours. It may not seem a lot when you leave the doctors, but don’t be disappointed yet. It would be best to wait for the swelling to settle before making further assessment. Most doctors do not inject more than 2 milliliters in one setting, to avoid overfilling. That being said, some may require a total of 3 or 4 to achieve good results.

It is not permanent

Hyaluronic Acid Fillers are the safest option available at the moment; doctors prefer it because they give a natural effect, both in appearance and touch. Some may say that it is not worth doing because it is not permanent; however, hyaluronic acid fillers are the safest because they are not permanent! Also they can be easily dissolved if there is a change of heart or if there are problems such as lumps.

It can make a huge difference

Here’s an interesting thought to chew on: the brain’s ability to gauge whether something is beautiful or not, is hardwired. For the lips, the rough ratio of an ideal set of sexy lips should be approximately 1:2 (upper:lower), and the lower lip should make up just under 10% of the lower face. This can be seen with celebrities such as Kylie and Angelina Jolie who possess the perfect pout.

It’s end of 2018! We would love to predict the future and let you know your fortune for this year – unable to physically do that however, we can do the next best thing: Give you a sneak peak of the hip trends on the beauty horizon that are settling to make a buzz at the cosmetic world this year, and probably, in many to come.

Autologous Fat Transfer: This procedure itself might not be new (in essence it has been around for the last 100 years). However, the latest developments in the procedure techniques and a new perspective on the applications of Fat Transfer, has made it easier to understand as a process and, as a result, started to capture the attention of the public and previous pessimists of the cosmetic industry, who were not keen on synthetic prostheses or volumising materials. A whole new dimension to explore. “Autologous” Fat Transfer means, very simply, moving “your own” Fat, from one location to another, in your body (it’s a different concept from liposuction, where your fat is transferred from your body to the medical waste trash can). Now, knowing that 99% of women dream of zapping fat for good, the concept of moving it somewhere else, might seem ridiculous. Think again. Fat is an excellent soft tissue filler material and, if used in the right body locations, can be used at our advantage, bringing us much joy. What does this mean? It means that instead of silicone implants (of any kind, breast, buttock, cheeks) or synthetic fillers (dermal or not), you can now use your own fat to create the wanted volume in the sunken or deflated areas of your face and body. Any area. The most common areas for application of fat injections are still face areas like the lips, nasolabial folds, cheeks or chin, where it acts like a rejuvenation agent, helping to soften the harsh lines caused by the natural ageing process, enhancing the bone structure or simply giving you more rested eyes. However, fat injections in body areas are becoming more and more popular and you can now dream of breast augmentation or even buttock augmentation with your own body material used solely or even in combination with an implant.

Know the Process: Many medical facilities tend to call this procedure simply Fat Graft or Fat Injection on their list of available operations. Being accurate enough (expected results are obtained through injection of Fat), it leads to having the patient focusing on the “injection” concept and remain totally oblivious of the required process of collecting the Fat, which might lead to misunderstandings on the procedure and unnecessary stress for the patient. First things first. In order to be injected in the desired body areas, your fat needs to be collected, treated and prepared for Injection. Collection is made through a process of Liposuction of the, so called, donor area. Most common donor areas will be the abdomen and flank area, inner and outer thighs buttocks, since these are areas in which fat tends to persist (as all women know), therefore it is expected that, when transferred to the new site, it will behave similarly (another joy, getting read of that stubborn lump and making miracle lips out of it). The collection process is generally made under local anaesthesia (of both donor and treated areas) with intravenous sedation. Compared to a regular Liposuction surgery, the procedure specific for fat collection (for injection) is a slightly different process, in which the suction strength is diminished and used in combination only with the injection of tumescent fluids, in order to avoid damage to the Fat Cells. A specific canula or serynge is also required. After the collection, the fat cells are isolated, purified and prepared for injection. Only when all this process is complete, the fat is then injected in the desired areas, in small portions at the time, until the treatment is completed. The whole procedure might take up to 3 hours so your time and money may be better utilized when you are aiming to use your fat for several different applications or one major area like the breast or buttocks. An even more cost effective situation is to combine your Fat Transfer with your already booked Liposuction procedure. The surgeon will make the collection of the Fat needed at the same moment, regarding the necessary measures for the appropriate collection and treatment of the Fat that will be re-utilized. The patient is already under general anaesthetic on this case and does not require another visit to the OT, which cuts on the cost of the latest procedure.

Pros: The major advantage of using your own fat for your cosmetic procedures is unbeatable: no allergic reactions and no rejection (which can occur with bovine collagen injections), no capsular contracture. The results are incredibly natural to look and touch. Another positive treat is the minimal downtime (exceptions made when the fat graft is done combined with other procedures). Both donor and treated areas bruising and swelling are normally resolved in 1 week, with minimal discomfort and patients are normally able to resume normal activities after that short period, even if taking it easy for the next 2 to 3 weeks.

Cons: Results are not permanent. After the procedure, it takes three to four days for the first blood vessels to form and reach the new transplanted fat with blood and nutrients supply, indispensable for the survival of the Fat Cells. While this supply does not reach the fat, part of it will simply die during that period. Meanwhile, our body will recognize our fat and follow with the normal metabolism process. Subsequentially, up to 60% of the injected material (and the volume you see) will be reabsorbed in the first few months after procedure. Only around 40% to 50% of the material will then remain in the injected area. Results tend to last longer in more stationary areas (like the checks for example). For this reason, the surgeon will “overfill” the treated area, giving way to the body adjustment that will occur on the next days and weeks, before the final best expected result. A little bit of a sensitivity here: if the graft is made on face areas, you might look  a little too puffy for a few days. In addition, results might need readjustment or maintenance, so more than 1 treatment might be required. Such additions maybe be performed in a time frame of 3 to 6 months after the first treatment. On a final note, when compared to silicone implants, the desired size is a factor to take in consideration. If you’re aiming for a considerable size, probably the implant is still your best option. Big bulks of transferred fat tend to become hard and die quicker. A successful fat transfer requires small volumes at the time, to guarantee better chances of permanence. Achieving a big volume with Fat Grafts will require several treatments, parted by approximately 6 months, until the desired volume is finally achieved, which will become too costly compared to an augmentation with implant.

When it comes to looks, men have their fair share of problems, and balding or thinning hair are usually top of the list of their concerns. Hair transplant techniques to combat baldness have improved dramatically over the years, and as prices have become more affordable, hair loss won’t have to be an issue any longer.

First off, what is a hair transplant? A hair transplant is a cosmetic surgical procedure to counter baldness permanently by transferring healthy, regenerative hair to balding areas. Hair transplants can also be used to address hair loss caused by scarring such as on the beard or eyebrows. Healthy-growing hair follicles are harvested from a donor site and moved to the recipient area where they are implanted. The donor site is usually identified at the back of the head where it’s less visible. There are many different types of hair transplants but ultimately, a successful procedure means that the transplanted hair grows healthily and naturally without noticeable scarring. Previous hair transplant techniques involved removing a strip of skin and hair from the back of the head to be re-grafted onto the recipient area. There’s no need for such drastic procedures anymore, as the most advanced hair transplant treatment today is Follicular Unit Extraction, or FUE.

So what is FUE? FUE takes individual hair follicles from the donor site (harvested in small units) and inserts them into the recipient site (the bald area of the scalp). FUE enables individual hair follicles, to be individually restored onto the bald area. This massively improves the success rate, makes the process less noticeable and creates natural hair-line growth.

What does an FUE procedure involve? Patients are anaesthetised and the surgeon uses a microscope and a micro-needle to make a small circular incision around the follicular unit to extract the hair. This prevents any long linear scars or stitches. Each hair follicle is extracted individually making it a time-consuming procedure. They are then inserted into the recipient area, up to 1500 grafts transplanted in a single session. That means an FUE procedure usually takes three to four sessions; with the flexibility for patients to reschedule into few sessions depending on patients’ own schedule preference. Depending on the surgeon’s technique, the grafts are either transplanted straight into the recipient site after each follicle is harvested, or in a bunch, after the entire extraction process is complete. Harvested hair follicles that aren’t immediately transplanted are placed carefully in a holding solution that may consist of saline, buffers, antioxidants or Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) that contains growth factors and wound-healing properties. These holding solutions prevent follicular units from drying up, so they can be implanted into the recipient site at a later point. After the follicle is extracted, the small hole left behind heals over in the next few days, contracting as it heals. This results in a less-noticeable scar which cannot be detected by the naked eye, even when the patient’s hair is cropped extremely short. The hair follicle grows back as normal in the harvested site. Once it’s grown back the transplanted hair is as healthy as normal hair, and can be cut, styled and dyed as you wish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZR9TQrjZgk

Why is the FUE method considered as the gold standard? The FUE method has many advantages compared to other hair transplant procedures. The extraction technique not only avoids extensive scarring, but it also guarantees that the implanted follicles have a reliable and natural environment to encourage growth. With its less invasive nature and potentially faster healing time, FUE is an ideal minimally invasive procedure for patients with hair loss problems. The results are so natural that people wouldn’t know.

The six advantages of FUE

• Less invasive

Unlike other hair transplant procedures, FUE is less invasive with its extraction techniques. Unlike strip-transplants, no closure of the post-extraction wound is necessary.

• No scarring

FUE methods do not produce the linear scar associated with normal hair transplants that remains visible above the ears and at the back of the head.

• Faster healing

FUE hair transplants lead to faster healing and less downtime compared to other hair transplant procedures due to the lack of wound closure, staples or sutures necessary. There is less pain or discomfort, and patients are known to sleep better after surgery and can return to work as soon as the next day.

• Body Hair Transplantation (BHT) is possible

Harvesting hair from other body parts other than the scalp using FUE methods and transplanting it into the scalp is known as Body Hair Transplantation. BHT greatly increases the number of follicular units available for transplant and is sometimes useful in repair procedures. So FUE provides surgeons with an increased supply of donor’s hair for harvesting when required.

• Cherry-picking the best hair

With FUE, surgeons can choose optimal follicular units for transplanting by cherry-picking the finer, single hair follicles for the critical hairline and using thicker, more robust hair follicles for other areas of the scalp. Surgeons can also choose to group together smaller follicular units to promote the appearance of more density in a chosen area.

• Ideal for special cases

FUE procedures are often ideal for small, specialised cases such as eyebrow reconstruction, where hair follicle extraction with minimal scarring is important.

• Results in a week with FUE

FUE usually heals within a week after surgery, so the patient can expect a full head of hair to have grown after a year.

What is Cleft Lip & Palate and is there a difference?

Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate are openings or slits in the upper lip or roof of the mouth (palate) or it could be a combination of both. They often result due to baby’s facial structures that didn’t develop completely in the early pregnancy.

They mostly occur as isolated birth defects but can sometimes be associated with genetic conditions, though it can be upsetting for any parent, it is a common birth malformation that can be corrected. In most babies, a series of surgery can restore normal function and achieve a more normal appearance with minimal scarring.

There is no known cause of cleft lip and cleft palate, so these conditions cannot be prevented. However, researchers believe that cleft lip and palate are caused by genetic and environmental factors, in most cases a definitive cause isn’t discovered. Parents can pass the genes that cause clefting, either alone or as part of a genetic syndrome that includes a cleft as one of its signs. In some cases, babies inherit a gene that makes them more likely to develop a cleft and then an environmental trigger causes the cleft to occur. Another likely cause could be medication taken while the mother was pregnant. Some drugs may cause cleft lip and palate, such as, anti-seizure, anticonvulsant drugs, acne drugs, drugs used to treat cancer, arthritis and psoriasis.

Why do people seek treatment?

Parents with babies that have cleft lip or palate often opt to get it treated early with the goal of improving the child’s ability to eat, speak and hear normally in addition to achieving a normal facial appearance.

Usually, a split (cleft) in the lip or palate can be identified at birth and your physician may start to coordinate care at that time.

Symptoms include:

• A split in the lip and roof of the mouth (palate) that affects one of both sides of the face.
• A splint in the lip that appears as only a small notch in the lip or extends from the lip through upper gum and palate into the bottom of the nose
• A split in the roof of the mouth that doesn’t affect the appearance of the face

Less common case, a cleft occurs only in the muscles of the soft palate (submucous cleft palate), which are at the back of the mouth and covered by mouth’s lining. This type of cleft often goes unnoticed at birth and is usually not diagnosed till later when signs develop, which may include:

• Difficulty with feedings
• Difficulty swallowing, with potential liquids or foods to come out of the nose
• Nasal speaking voice
• Chronic ear infections

If you baby has signs and symptoms of cleft lip or palate you should make an appointment with your child’s doctor. The earlier it is treated, the higher chance your child has of leading a normal life.

Considerations

To correct cleft lip and palate depends on your child’s particular situation. Following the initial cleft repair, the doctor may recommend follow-up surgeries to improve speech and appearance of the lip and nose.

Ideally the surgeries will be performed within these time frames:

• Cleft Lip Repair – within 3 – 6 months of age
• Cleft Palate Repair – by the age of 12 months, or earlier if possible
• Follow-up Surgeries – between age of 2 and late teen years

What’s the procedure like?

So, you’ve decided the benefits outweigh your concern as parents to put your child into surgery. Your child will be check-in and the nurses will ensure they are comfortable; parents will also be able to stay in the same ward room as the child to encourage them. Your child will be sent into the operating theatre where they will receive general anaesthetic, so he or she won’t feel any pain during the surgery. There are several different surgical techniques and procedures that can be performed to repair cleft lip or palate, reconstruct the affected areas and prevent or treat related complications.

General procedures include:

Cleft Lip Repair: To close the separation of the lip, the surgeon will make incisions on both sides of the cleft and create flaps of tissue. These flaps will then be stitched together, including the lip muscles. The repair should create a more normal lip appearance, structure and function. Initial nasal repair if needed will usually be done in the same time.

Cleft Palate Repair: Various procedures may be used to close the separation and rebuild the roof of the mouth, depending on your child’s situation. The surgeon will make incisions on both sides of the cleft and reposition the tissues and muscles to create a fake roof, the repair is then stitched closed.

Ear Tube Surgery: For children with cleft palate, ear tubes may be placed to reduce the risk of chronic ear fluid, which can lead to hearing loss. Ear tube surgery involves placing a tiny bobbin-shaped tubes in the eardrum to create an opening to prevent fluid build-up.

Surgery to reconstruct appearance: Additional surgeries may be required to improve the appearance of the mouth, lips and nose.

Maintenance

After the surgery, you will be given specific home care instructions which may include:

• How to take care of the surgical site
• Medications to apply or to be taken orally to decrease pain, aid healing and reduce risk of infection
• Specific feeding instruction to protect the surgical site

Dietary restrictions like liquid or puree is recommended for several days after the palate surgery. Some surgeons may also recommend avoiding putting things in the mouth such as pacifiers, bottles, straws or other utensils.

Commonly used are arm restraints after the surgery to help prevent the child from touching or injuring the surgical area while it heals. Some surgeons will allow these restraints to be removed for temporary relieve, so long as the child is supervised and prevented from touching the general surgical area.

Your child’s discomfort can be controlled with medication which will be provided by the centre. Depending on the surgical technique used, sutures may need to be removed from the lip following the surgery. Healing will continue over the course of several weeks and swelling will reduce. Lip scars will mature and will fade over time. It’s important after the surgery to diligently put sun protection to prevent the formation of irregular scars.

Having done the surgery, there are other things a parents must consider. The surgeon may recommend that additional procedures for complications caused by cleft lip or palate. Below are few examples:

• Orthodontic adjustments to the teeth and bite (such as having braces)
• Pediatric Dentist for tooth development and oral health from an early age
• Monitoring and treatment for ear infections (ear tube surgery)
• Speech therapy to correct difficulty with speaking
• Hearing aids or other devices for children who have hearing loss
• Therapy with psychologist to help the child cope with stress of multiple procedures

Possible Side Effects/Risks

Surgery can significantly improve your child’s quality of life, appearance and ability to eat, breathe and talk. As with all surgeries there may be some risks, it’s important to talk to your doctor/surgeon before the surgery and understand what these may be. Possible risks include: bleeding, infection, poor healing, widening or elevation of scars. In extreme cases, temporary or permanent damage to nerves, blood vessels or other internal structures.