Dr. Devgan featured on "Inspiring Women in Surgery"

Recently, I had the distinct honor of being featured on "Inspiring Women in Surgery," an Instagram page dedicated to inspiring females of all ages and backgrounds who are involved in surgical fields.

Read my story, as written by Inspiring Women in Surgery, below, and follow my life in and out of the operating room, office, hospital, and New York City at @nyplasticsurgeon.

inspiringwomeninsurgery Meet Dr. Lara Devgan @nyplasticsurgeon - a world-renowned board-certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. Dr. Devgan has all of the prestigious credentials - Yale undergrad, Johns Hopkins Medical School, and Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery training at Columbia (NY Presby). What inspires me most is her commitment to the profession, her excellence as a practitioner, and her advocacy for the advancement of women in surgery. And it gets better. Dr. Devgan is a dedicated wife and mother of 4 boys (ALL UNDER AGE 4 - wow!). While you may have thought Dr. Devgan was engulfed in science during her undergrad at Yale, she wasn't. She was an English major that has a love of literature. She has also always had a strong affinity for fine art and has had her work shown in galleries in Los Angeles, New York, New Haven, and Baltimore, which only enhances her ability to curate beauty in the O.R.. Dr. Devgan is as good as they come and her work to help women with breast reconstruction post-cancer, facial injuries / deformities and other types of cancer is truly inspiring. Everything about Dr. Devgan is about direct personal connection - all of her patients have her cell phone number and she gives them full access pre- and post-op to make them as comfortable as possible. Often times, surgeons (irregardless of gender) are seen as cold and detached. Dr. Devgan defies that by learning about all of her patients, understanding the hardships or issues that they are going through, and then proceeding with the absolute best course of surgical care. Thank you, Dr. Devgan for your advocacy. Your accomplishments, continued voice, and amazing work will continue to be our inspiration, and the 'standard-of-excellence' that so many of us hope to achieve in the years to come! (http://www.laradevganmd.com) #ILookLikeASurgeon

Confessions of a SkinCare Expert: What's Inside My Medicine Cabinet?

Thank you to HintMD for featuring me in their Latest Trends. Read my feature below.

THE LATEST TRENDS

Confessions Of A Skincare Expert: What's Inside Dr Lara Devgan MD's Beauty Cabinet?

By Georgia Gould on November 24, 2015

Ever wondered what skincare solutions top derms, plastic surgeons and doctors count as some of their personal favorites? Us too. Which is why we asked Dr Lara Devan, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City and diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, to fill us in on some of her at-home beauty must-haves.

As a woman and plastic surgeon (who has many of the same concerns as my patients about getting older and looking good), I'm frequently asked about my beauty routine. So, here's a sneak peak at the ten beauty products I couldn't live without...

1. Dr Devgan Scientific Beauty Platinum Triple Glow

The one product I absolutely couldn't live without is this prescription-strength retinol, brightening and anti-inflammatory cream. It takes about two months for Platinum Triple Glow to really set in, but once it does, you can say goodbye to fine lines, melasma, and dull skin. Yes, this product's from my own self-titled line, but that's because I spent over a decade formulating the blend of products that would most effectively smooth out wrinkles, even out dark spots and and give the skin a baby-soft glow. 

2. Latisse

I love Latisse, the prescription-only lash serum that helps your eyelashes grow longer, thicker and darker. I use it religiously and love the way my eyelashes are lustrous and long even without a speck of mascara.

3. Diorshow By Dior Mascara

This mascara was recommended to me by a very talented makeup artist years ago, and it's been my favorite ever since. I prefer to avoid long and complicated beauty routines, so for me, a swipe of mascara is ideal. Dior Show darkens, defines and elongates all-at-once, and in combination with Latisse, it's unbeatable.

4. Argan Oil

Argan oil has been used for centuries as a restorative natural oil. It holds in moisture and gives a lustrous shine to the hair and skin. I like keeping my hair long, so I use it once or twice a week to keep my locks youthful and shiny.

5. PCA Skin Acne Cream

Although I don't break out often, it's important to have a reliable acne product on hand for those occasions when your complexion is marred by an unwanted pimple or blackhead. And this is mine. With 5 percent liquid benzoyl peroxide , it's the perfect treatment for dotting directly on troublesome spots.

6. Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Black Honey

While heavy, matte lipsticks are great for special occasions, I always think a semi-translucent lipgloss is far more youthful. At the moment, my favorite is Clinique Black Honey, which has just enough color to bring out the berry tone of the lips, and just enough translucency to let the lips shine and look natural.

7. Dr. Devgan Scientific Beauty Platinum SPF 45 Daily Tinted BB Cream

My other favorite product from my line is this BB cream. As a makeup minimalist who still wants to look put-together every day, this product is my go-to every morning. Not only does it contain a gentle moisturizer that won't clog pores, but it also contains a titanium-based SPF of 45, and a natural tint that blends with every skin tone.

9. Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush SPF 50

On days when I know I'm going to be outside for a prolonged period of time, I always add a mineral powder sunscreen on top of my BB cream. This one brushes on easily, stays put for hours, and provides excellent sun protection without making your skin look caked in makeup.

8. Obagi Medical Biafine Topical Emulsion

Although I do my best never to damage my skin, sunburn, scratches and scrapes are inevitable sometimes. That's why I always keep a soothing ointment like Obagi Biafine Topical Emulsion on hand. It's a great option to soothe and protect wounds, abrasions, ulcers, burns, sunburn and dermatitis.

10. Chanel No. 5

The sense of smell is one of the most important and underappreciated parts of human existence. Although perfume is sometimes brushed aside as non-essential, I find a few spritzes of a classic scent to be an incredibly powerful influencer of my overall mood. My favorites include: Chanel No. 5, Truth by Calvin Klein, and L'Eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake. 

I love my patients

RateMDs.com review from a rhinoplasty and submental liposuction patient.

I am convinced that I have the best patients of any plastic surgeon in Manhattan. I am incredibly dedicated to giving each individual the absolute best possible results-- it is my passion and the driving force behind my private practice. At the same time, I feel very fortunate to have such wonderful patients who are constantly sending me flowers and cards (my favorite!). Thank you to my patients. I will continue to strive to be the best possible doctor and surgeon for you. 

Plastic Surgeons Operate Better When Listening to Music

Image credit David Castillo Dominici

Music to a patient's ears:

when surgeons listen to their preferred music, their stitches are better and faster

July 30, 2015

GALVESTON, Texas – A new study from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston shows that when plastic surgeons listen to music they prefer, their surgical technique and efficiency when closing incisions is improved. The study is currently available in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal.

From classical to rock, music can be heard in operating rooms across the world. Although previous studies have shown that listening to music during operations can lower the stress levels of surgeons, there is limited information on the effects of music on technical performance while completing a surgical task, such as closing incisions. Stitching prowess and speed is especially important for plastic surgeons.

Fifteen plastic surgery residents were asked to close incisions with layered stitches on pigs' feet obtained at a local food market – pigs’ feet are widely accepted as similar to human skin.

The residents were not informed of the purpose of the study. They were asked to do their best and to notify the researchers when they completed a closure. The day after the first incision closing exercise, the residents were asked to do another repair using identical technique with the music either being turned on or off, in opposition to the first closure. They were not told that the researchers were comparing times or that the results would be graded until the study was completed.

“We recognized that our subjects could potentially improve on the second repair simply as the result of repetition,” said author Dr. Shelby Lies, the UTMB chief plastic surgery resident. “This effect was reduced by randomly assigning the residents to music first or no music first groups.”

The average repair completion time for all residents was 7 percent shorter when their preferred music was playing. This effect was magnified as the experience of the surgeon grew. Playing their preferred music led to a 10 percent reduction of repair time for senior residents as compared to an 8 percent time reduction seen in the junior residents.

“Spending less time in the operating room can translate into significant cost reductions, particularly when incision closure is a large portion of the procedure, such as in a tummy tuck,” said Lies. “Longer duration under general anesthesia is also linked with increased risk of adverse events for the patient.”

The quality of the work was judged by plastic surgeons who did not know whose work they were analyzing or other conditions of the study. The judges’ ratings confirmed an overall improvement in repair quality while music was played, regardless of whether the resident did the repair with their music first or second.

“Our study confirmed that listening to the surgeon's preferred music improves efficiency and quality of wound closure, which may translate to health care cost savings and better patient outcomes,” said author Dr. Andrew Zhang, UTMB assistant professor of surgery in the division of plastic and reconstructive surgery. 

Image credit sattva

REPRINTED FROM SOURCE: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

How to plan a perfect breast augmentation

There are no guarantees in life, or in plastic surgery, but I believe that meticulous pre-operative planning can make an ideal surgical result much more likely. 

When it comes to breast augmentation, how can your surgeon develop a perfect pre-operative plan?

• Appropriately assess your tissue laxity. Everyone's skin quality and elasticity is different; the less elastic your skin, the younger and tighter it looks, while the more elastic your skin, the larger an implant it can accomodate.
• Make precise preoperative measurements. The essential pre-operative measurements for breast augmentation are skin pinch, sternal notch to nipple distance, nipple to inframammary fold distance, breast base width, intramammary distance, and areolar diameter.
• Correct for any asymmetries or anatomical irregularities during surgery. This will make your breasts look more similar after surgery, even if they were not perfectly symmetric before surgery.
• Use appropriately sized breast implants that will adequately fill your tissue pocket, without putting undue strain on your skin and soft tissue. Not every patient can safely have every type of breast implant. Choosing the correct size for a given patient's anatomy and desires requires surgical judgment.
• Minimize handling of your tissues in the operating room. Tissue trauma increases swelling, bruising, tissue injury, and likelihood of a longer recovery.
• Minimize handling of the breast implants in the operating room. Excessive handling of breast implants risks contamination and may increase the risk of capsular contracture, infection, and implant-related failure.
• Listen to your goals and expectations for surgery. Good communication is key in delivering a result that will make both the surgeon and the patient happy.

For questions about breast implants (breast augmentation), or to make an appointment to see me in my New York City based practice, please call (212) 452-2400.