My Throat Hurts!

Sore throats are one of the most common complaints year round for Primary care and urgent care offices alike and an absolute drag for patients. This article isn't necessarily about what causes a sore throat, but what we can do to help with pain and what to ask the doctor.

Some of the most common causes of sore throat are: post nasal drip, sinus infection, upper respiratory infection, asthma causing cough, heart burn, and strep throat. There are a plethora of other causes, but that is why you ALWAYS go see the doctor. Unfortunately, not every doctor relays some of the tricks of the trade to help alleviate that pain! Antibiotics don't make pain go away.

So what can you do?
1. Magic Mouth Wash - the best kept secret. A lovely concoction of medications to help numb your poor throat at its time in need.

Best served cold and with a prescription.

2. Tea with Honey and Lemon - an old wives tale, but works so well. There is a reason Mom always made you drink this when you were sick. Soothes the throat and that lemon gives you an extra boost of vitamin C to help fight off whatever ails you.

Best served piping hot, add a dash of whiskey.. you know to umm.. err.. fight that bacteria

3. Chloraseptic spray / losanges - You are no fun, but you work in a bind

Best served out of that damn spray bottle.

4. Salt Water Gargles - mother natures best. The ocean does the trick. Poor a glass of warm water and add a couple tables spoons of salt. Stir and gargle.. yum..

Best served warm.

Remember every adult gets 2-4 colds per year that may be accompanied by a sore throat. Always see a physician to make sure its not something dangerous.... Just don't forget to ask for you magic mouth wash...

Dr. B

Dermal Lip Enhancers: What options are out there?

Lip Augmentation with injectable fillers - One of the safest injectable techniques for lip rejuvenation and enhancement.


New statistics show that women are more interested in enhancing their lips than ever before. Rates of women (and some men) have been on a steady increase over the past 5 years. With this increase in growth more research has been put into lip fillers and fillers in general. It is a great time for cosmetic medicine, cosmetic physicians, and cosmetic patients. There are starting to be a wide variety of fillers that the physician (and patient) can choose from to help improve results, decrease risk, and decrease cost in some cases!

Juvederm (Juvederm Ultra XC, Juvederm Ultra)
Juvederm has just come out with its newest filler (not used in the lips yet) Juvederm Voluma which will be discussed at a later date. Juvederm has been the mainstay of lip and facial rejuvenation for years adding robust volume to deflated and drooping facial parts. For lips it is my "go to" filler. It works over a 1-2 week period and can last about 6 months on average! This is the best filler for making the lips larger and more volumized.

Restalyne
Restalyne is a great alternative filler to Juvederm. Effects can last about 3 months on average and is usually considerably cheaper. This may be a good option for someone going to a reunion, going to a wedding, testing fillers out, or just short on cash. The effectiveness is comparable to Juvederm Ultra, but lasts half as much time.

Belotero Balance
Not made for the lips but a nice alternative for someone not wanting to look "Like they had something done." Belotero is a great product for other areas of the face and a wonderful addition to the Hyaluornic acid line. For people looking just for "plumper" lips, this may be a good option. I tend to push more for juvederm for lips, but belotero has its place. Time till re-absorption is about 3-9months.

In the Pipeline (already being used in Europe)

Juvederm volift and vobella
Using newer technology these two new products are able to give smooth results and last up to 12-15 months! Hopefully we can see them in the US market soon after FDA approval. They will be a little more expensive, but long lasting non-permanent results are priceless.

*remember to speak with your physician about all possible side-effects of dermal fillers and lip enhancement. I strongly recommend against any fillers besides hyaluronic acid.

Out Of Country Cosmetic Surgery - A "No No" (Dr. Darryl J Blinski)

Today lets talk about "Out of Country" cosmetic surgery. Easy response 'DON'T DO IT!', to many risks for the benefits. From poorly done operations, scars, infections that can not be treated easily, to ----- DEATHS!!!! Understand I know the $s saved can sway you. But the risks are SOOO high. The cleanness of the operative suite, the experience and qualifications of an unknown surgeon, the 'what if' issues of being away from home are just a few considerations you need to address before seeking these medical tourism avenues. I see every few weeks a "true" surgery disaster from these poor individuals who return soooo unhappy. My question to ALL of you, 'What is your LIFE worth?' a few thousand dollars to stay in US and be at least safe. PLEASE think before you jump. If asked the #1 disaster country for cosmetic surgery is Dominican Republic. But All these: Costa Rica, Columbia, Peru, Brazil, Mexico are not far behind. The CDC (Center for Disease Control in Atlanta) recently released a notice of the infections coming out of DR. The US State Dept. issued a warning to all US citizens on the risks of DR surgery. WHY put your lives in the hands of these "people"? Please seek consults from America board certified Plastic Surgeons....

Plastic Surgery Has Options! Look at them all (Dr. Darryl J. Blinski)

I am writing about the now 3 different options in Cosmetic Medicine and Surgery. They are: #1. Non invasive therapies, i.e. Thermage, fillers, Botox, ThermiSmooth RF, Liquid FaceLifts. #2. Minimally Invasive procedures: or as I label them the "tweener" operations. i.e. ThermiTight RF, Precision Lift, mini facelifts. #3. Invasive Operations i.e. Tummy Tuck, Breast Implants, Rhinoplasty, liposuctions.

Non Invasive Options offer no incisions, minimal downtime, faster recovery in most cases. But results are very very limited. The costs per result is very high. In other words the $s spent to the degree of a noticeable result are costly. Because there can only be modest improvements at best.

"Tweener" Options offer small incisions under local anesthesia to tighten or reduce areas. Some laser therapies can fall into this category also. SmartLipo Triplex for very small areas, ThermiAesthetics Platform for Radio Frequency treatments, Precision Lifts from Cynosure all offer more results, a little more downtime and healing. Costs are slightly more than the non invasive avenues.

Finally the Invasive Options or surgeries. More downtime, more healing, more costs. But best results are attained.

Lip Health (Dr. Alexander L. Blinski)

I see a lot of young women these days looking for lip augmentation options and lip care to help them stay and look young. Lips are one of the first things men notice on a woman and the lips can either depict an aging face or a youthful appearnce. It is vitally important to care for your lips appropriately to prevent age related lip recetion and changes!

• The lips do not have melanin (the stuff that protects us from harmful UV rays) so a protected balm with SPF is vital in any regimen.
• Licking your lips.. thats not good, the saliva has digestive enzymes that hurt your lips!
• Using non-fragranced lip balms is best
• A nightly antioxidant is important, I recommend on from skinceuticals
• Smoking / using a straw / drinking out of a bottle can all lead toward "barcode lines" or "Smokers lines"
• Lip augmentation can be done using many new products that I will talk about in future posts, the two best and newest are Juvederm Ultra XC and Belotero Balance. New ones coming soon will include juvederm volift.
• Exfoliate with a dry toothbrush once a week to help the lips increase collagen production and stay plump.

Remember lips and eyes are so very important for women.. Wear sunglasses and sunscreen!