CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has been a hit television show for CBS since 2000. It has spawned numerous spinoffs, including a New York and a Miami version. And with the show's popularity, its stars have also grown in popularity, including the actress Jorja Fox, who plays the character Sara Sidle on the show.

What is interesting about Jorja fox is how she has become a sex symbol, appearing on fansites and wallpapers surprisingly scantily-clad, despite the fact that she is the antithesis of what we might describe as a Las Vegas beauty. There is no way that anyone would mistake Jorja Fox for a chorus girl. Though she is slim, she is small-breasted and has a masculine face characterized by slender lips and a firm chin. She is also visibly older than the feminine ideal of beauty, and many shots on the show accentuate the wrinkles and bags around her eyes and her heavy smile-lines.

This leads us to wonder what exactly makes a woman a sex symbol. Is the ideal of beauty changing, starting us into a period of androgynous ideals such as seems to come up periodically (as in the 1920s and 1970s)? Or are we really sold on the character, such that once we are convinced that we know this woman from watching her go through so many crises and revelations on television?

If either of these are true, it could have profound consequences for the cosmetic surgery industry.

Labels: beauty, celebrity, TV

Chin augmentation surgery (also known as chin implant surgery) is a common facial plastic surgery that brings balance to the facial structure by correcting a chin problem due to congenital deficiency, age-related bone resorption, or facial trauma.

Why Chin Implants?

Chin implants can be used for either cosmetic or reconstructive enhancement of the jaw line and will provide a more natural-looking break between your neck and face. The goal of a chin implant is to give greater definition to your chin and provide balance with the rest of your face.

A weak chin can make your nose appear large and can make an already prominent nose seem even larger. A weak chin may also give the appearance of a fleshy neck. A chin that is too prominent may give the appearance of having too small of a nose and may throw the face off balance. The end result of chin augmentation surgery is to achieve a balanced relationship within the structure of the face.

The Procedure

Insertion of a chin implant may take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. During the procedure, Dr. Bray will select the proper size and shape implant to enhance your appearance and will insert the implant into a pocket over the front of the jawbone. The small incision to create the pocket and insert the implant is placed inside the mouth, along the lower lip or in the skin just under the chin area.

The chin is usually taped after surgery to minimize swelling and discomfort. Sutures in the skin will be removed in five to seven days or the sutures will dissolve. Most patients experience some discomfort and swelling in the affected area for several days following surgery. Smiling and talking will be difficult during the healing process, and black and blue marks may be visible around your chin and neck. Dr. Bray will instruct you on post-surgery care of the surgery site and advise you about any dental hygiene needs post-surgery.

With chin surgery, as with any facial surgery, you may feel and look better in a short period of time. Certain activities will be restricted, however, especially those that may jar or bump the face. Surgical risks will be discussed with you at the time of your consultation.

If you would like to learn more about how chin augmentation surgery can change your look and improve your self-confidence, please contact Drs. Bray at the Bray Plastic Surgery Medical Center today to schedule your initial consultation.

Every facelift is one-of-a-kind, since every human face is unique. In the case of a facelift, the best cosmetic surgeons always discuss with the patient what other procedures could be combined to give a more complete facial rejuvenation. A lot of variables go into such a decision:

• The patient's age
• Overall health
• Any previous surgeries
• The patient's goals in having facial surgery
• Budgetary considerations
• The patient's schedule

From a medical perspective, it's often easier and simpler to do several procedures together, once the patient is on the table. In the case of facelifts, for example, there could also be:

• Eyelid surgery
• A brow lift
• Neck liposuction
• Platysmaplasty
• Cheek implants
• A chin implant

Recovery time would adjust accordingly. In some cases it might be better to do each procedure separately. The issue would be discussed beforehand, and the various pros and cons laid out clearly.

Dr. Rusca at Aesthetic & Plastic Reconstructive Surgeons, P.C. in Atlanta, Georgia, is a big believer in patient education and careful preparation before any surgery is carried out. His website explains his philosophy in this regard, and also gives a great many Before and After photos, for specific procedures, which help a prospective patient understand how his or her own face could change after a facelift.

Dr. Rusca does do facelifts for both men and women. Men are coming in increasing numbers for cosmetic surgery these days. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), in its 2006 statistics, puts nose reshaping as the top male cosmetic procedure (85,000), with eyelid surgery second (37,000). In 2005, nose reshaping was also the top cosmetic procedure (99,680) with eyelid surgery third (32,988). Dr. Rusca's website lists male and female cosmetic procedures separately, with different sets of Before and After photos for males and females.