Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Fountain of Youth

Aired November 07, 2003 - 11:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A lot of people have questions about the series. We have been taking your questions all week long about the "FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH" series. You can e-mail us at LiveToday@cnn.com or you call us, 404-221-1855.
And to help answer your questions, we have a plastic surgeon, Dr. Leroy Young. He is co-chairman of the Breast Surgery Committee of the American Society of aesthetic plastic Surgery. Dr. Young in St. Louis. Doctor, thanks for being with us.

DR. LEROY YOUNG, PLASTIC SURGEON: My pleasure. Thank you.

KAGAN: A lot questions so we're going to get right to it. Our first e-mail is from Rich. He writes in, "I'm a 49-year-old man who had abdominal liposuction a few years ago. Is it possible that the fat cells that were removed could grow back?" Doctor?

YOUNG: Some of them can, although if you maintain a constant weight, that should not happen. What happens in most instances is the weight gradually increases and you see a small recurrence. But typically the fat gets redistributed to other areas of the body if you gain weight.

KAGAN: Our next question comes from Sandra in Tennessee. And she wants to know, "My question is what is the best vitamin or herb for the skin that help hold off plastic surgery? And is there such a thing or a product?"

YOUNG: There is no magic potion that will protect your skin or save your skin. The most important things that you can do for your skin and for your body as a whole is don't get excessive sun exposure, don't smoke and don't be overweight.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: And one thing we talk about, Daryn, in our documentary on Sunday is that a lot of people see these products for sale and they think, oh, well, the FDA must have approved this. Not necessarily true.

If the product is just claiming to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, you can put anything you want in that bottle and it's perfectly within the law.

KAGAN: Mayonnaise or cooking oil or something.

COHEN: Whatever you want. Right, exactly.

KAGAN: Let's go to the phones. We have a phone call. Caller, what's your question?

CALLER: Yes, actually I've got a two-part question regarding youth and plastic surgery with our young people developing at an earlier age because of either a combination of hormones or diet. What is the dangers of young people getting cosmetic surgery?

YOUNG: The main dangers of that is their lack of maturity and the ability to understand the risks and the potential complications. So as a rule, unless there's a congenital deformity that needs treatment, the American Society for Plastic Surgery recommends not performing plastic surgery with few exceptions of below the age of 18.

Exceptions that can exist are the need for rhinoplasty, breast reduction and the treatment of congenital deformities.

KAGAN: And real quickly, want another e-mail in. this one is from Laird. And Laird wants to know about your views on treatment such as Artecoll. You talked about this earlier, Elizabeth. It's being offered in Canada and it's awaiting FDA approval in the USA. What is it, Doctor?

YOUNG: Artecoll is polymethylmethacrylate beads in a collagen gel. And it's a permanent soft-tissue filler.

The problems that have occurred with Artecoll have been migration, lumps or grandulomas. And if it's injected to superficially, migration or erosion through the skin.

Artecoll is one of a host of fillers that are being investigated and it's unclear how soon the FDA may release this for general use.

KAGAN: And we saw in your series people aren't waiting for it to be approved in the U.S. Wasn't this part of your series where people went to Jamaica?

COHEN: The went to Jamaica (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Restaline which is another filler. Filler means literally filling in the crevice that a wrinkle forms. And you can't get it in the United States yet. It's not FDA approved. And so people to go to Jamaica to get it.

KAGAN: Another e-mail, one more. This one is from Ashley in Massachusetts. "How likely is it that a Botox injection will result in facial paralysis?" Doctor?

YOUNG: Well the Botox is going to interrupt the muscle activity for about four to six months. It's a temporary paralysis and there's no concern about permanent paralysis. And the only risk of it is that you inject it and paralyze a muscle that you didn't intend to. Most typically that can result in a droopy eyelid which is temporary and can be treated with drops. No risk of permanent paralysis.

KAGAN: Oh, the things we do for beauty. Dr. Young, thank you for that. Appreciate your time.

YOUNG: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 7, 2003 - 11:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A lot of people have questions about the series. We have been taking your questions all week long about the "FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH" series. You can e-mail us at LiveToday@cnn.com or you call us, 404-221-1855.
And to help answer your questions, we have a plastic surgeon, Dr. Leroy Young. He is co-chairman of the Breast Surgery Committee of the American Society of aesthetic plastic Surgery. Dr. Young in St. Louis. Doctor, thanks for being with us.

DR. LEROY YOUNG, PLASTIC SURGEON: My pleasure. Thank you.

KAGAN: A lot questions so we're going to get right to it. Our first e-mail is from Rich. He writes in, "I'm a 49-year-old man who had abdominal liposuction a few years ago. Is it possible that the fat cells that were removed could grow back?" Doctor?

YOUNG: Some of them can, although if you maintain a constant weight, that should not happen. What happens in most instances is the weight gradually increases and you see a small recurrence. But typically the fat gets redistributed to other areas of the body if you gain weight.

KAGAN: Our next question comes from Sandra in Tennessee. And she wants to know, "My question is what is the best vitamin or herb for the skin that help hold off plastic surgery? And is there such a thing or a product?"

YOUNG: There is no magic potion that will protect your skin or save your skin. The most important things that you can do for your skin and for your body as a whole is don't get excessive sun exposure, don't smoke and don't be overweight.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: And one thing we talk about, Daryn, in our documentary on Sunday is that a lot of people see these products for sale and they think, oh, well, the FDA must have approved this. Not necessarily true.

If the product is just claiming to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, you can put anything you want in that bottle and it's perfectly within the law.

KAGAN: Mayonnaise or cooking oil or something.

COHEN: Whatever you want. Right, exactly.

KAGAN: Let's go to the phones. We have a phone call. Caller, what's your question?

CALLER: Yes, actually I've got a two-part question regarding youth and plastic surgery with our young people developing at an earlier age because of either a combination of hormones or diet. What is the dangers of young people getting cosmetic surgery?

YOUNG: The main dangers of that is their lack of maturity and the ability to understand the risks and the potential complications. So as a rule, unless there's a congenital deformity that needs treatment, the American Society for Plastic Surgery recommends not performing plastic surgery with few exceptions of below the age of 18.

Exceptions that can exist are the need for rhinoplasty, breast reduction and the treatment of congenital deformities.

KAGAN: And real quickly, want another e-mail in. this one is from Laird. And Laird wants to know about your views on treatment such as Artecoll. You talked about this earlier, Elizabeth. It's being offered in Canada and it's awaiting FDA approval in the USA. What is it, Doctor?

YOUNG: Artecoll is polymethylmethacrylate beads in a collagen gel. And it's a permanent soft-tissue filler.

The problems that have occurred with Artecoll have been migration, lumps or grandulomas. And if it's injected to superficially, migration or erosion through the skin.

Artecoll is one of a host of fillers that are being investigated and it's unclear how soon the FDA may release this for general use.

KAGAN: And we saw in your series people aren't waiting for it to be approved in the U.S. Wasn't this part of your series where people went to Jamaica?

COHEN: The went to Jamaica (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Restaline which is another filler. Filler means literally filling in the crevice that a wrinkle forms. And you can't get it in the United States yet. It's not FDA approved. And so people to go to Jamaica to get it.

KAGAN: Another e-mail, one more. This one is from Ashley in Massachusetts. "How likely is it that a Botox injection will result in facial paralysis?" Doctor?

YOUNG: Well the Botox is going to interrupt the muscle activity for about four to six months. It's a temporary paralysis and there's no concern about permanent paralysis. And the only risk of it is that you inject it and paralyze a muscle that you didn't intend to. Most typically that can result in a droopy eyelid which is temporary and can be treated with drops. No risk of permanent paralysis.

KAGAN: Oh, the things we do for beauty. Dr. Young, thank you for that. Appreciate your time.

YOUNG: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com