New Year's Beauty Resolutions

This is an invited editorial for physician online news magazine Healio.com by Dr. Devgan.

The New Year is always a time for self-improvement and self-reflection, and rightly so-- it is a nice time to take a moment to evaluate where we are in our lives. The most common New Years resolutions are invariably about losing weight, not procrastinating, and committing to hobbies... But don't forget the resolutions that will help you look your prettiest and best!

Here's to 2015, and to your youth and beauty!

1. EACH DAY, TRY TO TAKE A MOMENT TO DO A LITTLE SOMETHING SPECIAL TO AUGMENT YOUR LOOK.

This is what I like to call the "Frenchwoman's rule." The archetypical French woman looks put together without looking overly made-up, because of the little finishing touches that she adds to her look. This could be something as simple as applying a coat of your favorite red lipstick, spritzing on a signature scent that makes you feel feminine, accessorizing your winter coat with a colorful scarf, or wearing a special set of earrings.

This year, try to take an extra moment before you dash out the door in the morning to indulge in your own feminity. Wear lacy lingerie, blow out your hair, or paint your nails with a chic new hue. If you are busy and this seems impossible, make it easier for yourself by adding an elegant accessory to your purse or coat pocket-- beautiful Italian leather gloves, sophisticated sunglasses, or even an alluring lip gloss that you can apply in three seconds flat. You will feel more beautiful, more composed, and more in tune with your feminity.

2. UPGRADE YOUR DAILY BEAUTY ROUTINE.

Once a year, take a few minutes to clean out your medicine cabinet, makeup drawer, or skin care shelf. Throw away anything that is expired, malodorous, discolored, or not in tune with your daily life. If you haven't used something in six months, consider whether you will really ever use it. When replacing products, do not replace them with low-quality cheap products that are designed to be tossed out within a couple of months. Use premium products that fit with your daily habits.

If you are over 30 years old or you notice wrinkles around your eyes when you smile, you should be using a daily retinol, as well as vitamin C, and sunscreen. If you have melasma, sun spots, or freckles, you may be a candidate for a skin brightening serum or cream such as hydroquinone. If you have a scowling resting face, you may be a candidate for Botox. If you have wrinkles when your face is in repose (at rest), you may be a candidate for fillers or fat grafting. If your eyelashes are thinning, you may be a candidate for Latisse.

Take inventory of your nails, your hair, and your skin, and have them addressed by a specialist if necessary. Consider a daily multivitamin. Critically analyze your diet. Take a closer look at your exercise routine. Make sure your eyebrows are neither overplucked nor overgrown. In short, spend some time thinking about what you do on a daily basis that is helping you maintain your youth and beauty, and how those daily habits can be improved.

3. MAKE THIS THE YEAR THAT YOU DO SOMETHING JUST FOR YOURSELF.

Right now is the youngest and most beautiful that you will ever be-- so enjoy it and preserve it! Don't let other people's opinions and perceived social stigmas hold you back from doing what you feel is best for you. Grow your hair out long, or cut it pixie short. Buy the jacket you have been eyeing for years. Address your "problem areas." You only have one body and one face, so make 2015 the year that you make the most of them. Live comfortably in your skin, and enjoy the little moments in your life.

Click to read the full article on Healio.com

Working over the holidays

My walk home from a long day at the hospital, January 2015

Being on call over the holidays can be a bit tough-- it involves a lot of time spent away from the fun family festivities that everyone else is enjoying.

But I really love what I do, and I always work extra hard to help my patients get back to their normal healthy lives-- and their own holiday festivities-- as quickly as possible. This year, the holidays were filled with playground accidents, facial lacerations, dog bites, cat scratches, slips, falls, car accidents, fights, broken noses, facial infections, and a few last-minute Botox and Restylane sessions.

The silver lining from working over the holidays is the kindness and gratitude of my patients, several of whom sent me the notes below. Happy New Year and warm holiday wishes!

"WITH YOUR HELP I'LL LOOK YOUNGER ON MY BIRTHDAY!"

"Hope you're having a great day! I meant to email you last night but the day/ night got away from me, sorry! It was so nice seeing you yesterday and your office is lovely. Thank you for the Botox (no bruising!) and new creams-- with your help I'll look younger on my birthday next month, ha! :)" AB, Botox and skin care

"THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR IMPECCABLE ATTENTION AT SUCH SHORT NOTICE"

"Happy New Year Dr. Devgan! Thank you so much for your impeccable attention at such short notice. Not only did you address the physical damage to my lip, but your manner was calming, reassuring, and informative. I cannot express my gratitude enough. I hope that you and your family enjoyed the holidays." CF, reconstructive repair of traumatic dog bite to the lip

"THANKS FOR YOUR STEADY HANDS"

"On behalf of George, Paige, and myself, thanks for your steady hands and strong eardrums. I have a feeling this won't be George's last trip to the ER nor his last stitches... He's doing just fine this morning." TG, parent of a 16 month old baby, reconstructive repair of traumatic forehead laceration

Winner of the 2014 Patients' Choice Award!

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Devgan has won the 2014 Patients' Choice Award from Vitals.com. This prestigious award was given to only 5 percent of the nation's active doctors in 2014. Physicians who are honored have been rated by their patients for their compassion and expertise in their designated fields. The specific areas that are considered in receiving a Patients' Choice Award are "accurate diagnosis, bedside manner, amount of time spent listening, follow up care, promptness, and ease of appointment."

We are thrilled for Dr. Devgan to have received this honor, and our practice will strive to continue to give each patient individualized and goal-driven care, abundant personal access to Dr. Devgan, and superb outcomes.

What is a board certified plastic surgeon?

The marketplace is flooded with doctors promising surgery to improve your looks. There are plastic surgeons, cosmetic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, dermatologists, cosmetic doctors, and even gynecologists and internists-- all of whom bill themselves as "plastic surgeons."

As an educated consumer, who should you trust? Who is a "real" plastic surgeon?

The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the largest and most respected body of fully-trained American plastic and reconstructive surgeons in existence. It is the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialities in the full spectrum of plastic surgery of the head, neck, trunk, and extremities.

In order to become a "board-certified plastic surgeon," a physican must graduate from an accredited medical school, complete five to ten years of additional training as a resident surgeon in a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Medical Education or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, pass a comprehensive written exam, submit nine months of operations for review by other board-certified surgeons, and pass a comprehensive oral exam that emphasizes knowledge, safety, and ethics.

Dr. Devgan is a board-certified plastic surgeon and a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. In addition to completing her education and training at some of the world's most respected institutions, Dr. Devgan achieved board scores that put her in the top 3% nationwide.

Breast Reduction: "Wow!"

Breast reduction surgery is among the most gratifying operations I perform-- both for myself and for my patients.

If you have large breasts that cause back pain, neck pain, breast pain, shoulder grooving from your bra straps, redness under your breasts, or difficulty exercising, breast reduction is a powerful procedure. It can make you feel better (AND LOOK BETTER!) at the same time. Although it takes six months for all of the swelling and bruising to go away and up to a year for the scars to fully mature, I am always amazed at how fast women start feeling great after surgery.

I received this email from a patient who had a breast reduction-- just 12 days after her surgery:

"Thank you. Wow! The difference is unbelievable! I am still in shock :)"

When large breasts interfere with a woman's quality of life, breast reduction is often covered by insurance companies. I employ the newest techniques in breast reduction (including the supero-medial pedicle), which allow for a beautiful, feminine, youthful contour. Whenever possible, I also offer my patients "short scar" (also called "vertical pattern" or "lollipop pattern") breast reduction, which can provide an excellent surgical result with fewer scars. Patients who have breast reductions are among the happiest of all of my patients.