As you probably already know I’m based in Scottsdale Arizona a place I love so much. This is why I was excited to take part in this year’s Scottsdale Fashion Week (SFW) and get to know my fashionable neighbours. Last night I was invited to attend a fabulous designers party at the equally fabulous Intercontinental Montelucia Resort & Spa in Paradise Valley Arizona. Wow, what an evening. The weather couldn’t be any more perfect and the Montelucia resort where the party took place was breathtaking. I was trying to take photos, but couldn’t capture how beautiful it was around there last night. Just imagine, beautiful clear dark sky, lots of palm trees, fire features around amazing pools, chocolate desserts, and beautifully dressed people.

 Marta Walsh founder of Talking Makeup (left) Kevan Hall fashion designer (right)

The highlight of my evening at the SFW was finally getting to chat with LA Fashion Designer Kevan Hall who his sleek eveningwear was worn by a distinguished coterie of celebrated artists- including Celine Dion, Sharon Stone, Angela Bassett, Charlize Theron, and Salma Hayek. I’ve been at his show over a year ago during LA Fashion Week and was so glad to bump into him. After I introduced myself to Kevan I asked why Scottsdale Fashion Week? He said that Scottsdale is known to be a city who is into fashion and he has clients from Scottsdale who fly to LA especially to shop in his studio. He also agreed with me how gorgeous Scottsdale is. Kevan also talked to me about the colors he likes to use in his designs, and he mentioned that he likes to use unexpected colors and unique shade of colors. I had to ask him if he approves my outfit. I went for a rock chic look because I can’t afford to buy Kevan Hall, yet, I told him. He said yes, and I felt like the cat who got the cream. LOL.

Marta Walsh founder of Talking Makeup (left) Kevan Hall fashion designer (right)

Well, I then I followed the smell of cigars while at the party and ended up at the Davidoff stand. I’m not at all a smoker, and not into cigarettes smell much, but I do love the smell of cigars. Strange, I know, but I love the woody smell. I took one Davidoff cigar for my hubby. After the party we went for a luxurious and I mean delicious dinner at BLT Steak at the The Marriott-Camelback Inn Paradise Valley AZ. Best steak ever and spinach (I LOVE spinach).

I also noticed that one of the sponsors of Scottsdale Fashion Week was renowned plastic surgeon in Scottsdale Arizona, Dr. Lawrence Shaw of  The Shaw Center.

Sal at Sachi salon in Scottsdale AZ did my hair color and blow out

My outfit last night: leather pants: Guess. Shirt: Forever 21. Shoes: Nine West. I dress simple:)

To learn more about fashion designer Kevan Hall visit his website here!

I’ve recently interviewed renowned plastic surgeon Dr Jennifer Walden for Beauty Interviews, and picked her brains on what to expect when considering plastic surgery.

Plastic Surgeon Dr Jennifer Walden.

Dr. Jennifer Walden is a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon who is fellowship-trained in aesthetic surgery and board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. She currently is an associate attending in Plastic Surgery at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital. She is also a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Her office is located at in Manhattan at 50 East 71st Street(on the corner of Park Avenue and 71st Street). Dr. Walden has been featured on CBS, ABC, and Fox News to discuss various topics in plastic surgery and has been quoted in magazines, such as: Vogue, Cosmopolitan and SELF.

In this interview Dr Walden talks to Marta Walsh about her fascination with plastic surgery which began in junior high, some of the challenges of being a woman plastic surgeon, her passion for sharing her knowledge in plastic surgery, gives advice to anyone considering plastic surgery for the first time, and best celebrity plastic surgery makeovers.

Marta Walsh: When did your fascination with plastic surgery begin?
Dr Jennifer Walden: My fascination with surgery began when I was in junior high, and one of our science projects was to dissect a pig. My science teacher told me I was going to be a surgeon after I completed the project in one day, after my lab partner left the room in disgust. As for plastic surgery, I decided I enjoyed the realm of producing visible surgical results and the immediate gratification that comes with that when I was a medical student in Texas.

MW: Which procedures surgical and non-surgical do you perform?
DJW: Surgical: Breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction, rhinoplasty, eyelid lift, browlift, facelift, liposuction, tummy tuck, arm lift (brachioplasty), otoplasty (ear pinning), breast reconstruction, lesion excision, facial reconstruction after skin cancer, cleft lip and palate repair. Non-surgical: Botox, Restylane, Radiesse, and Juvederm injection, chemical peels.

MW: What are some challenges, if any, do you have being a woman plastic surgeon?
DJW: In my opinion, young women in any profession have more hurdles to jump than their male counterparts, whether that field is broadcasting, government, medicine, law, or technology. This has to do with preconceived societal notions and norms that people expect women to fit into, and the way women are expected to look, act, and react to situations we are confronted with. Women also tend to juggle more as they wear so many different “hats” with childcare, childbearing, arrangement of household care, coordination of family life with profession, etc. That being said I have a wonderful practice with a very large female demographic, so I do indeed think that women appreciate having female doctor.

MW: You appear on TV and comment in many beauty magazines. Where does your passion for sharing your knowledge come from?
DJW: I used to be extremely shy as I child, so I find it wonderful that so many people ask my opinion and care to hear about it. Sharing knowledge in a public forum is another dimension of my profession that I find to be very rewarding and at times challenging; if I can effectively communicate and educate folks on a particular surgery or a disease process then I feel better at the end of the day about what I am doing.

MW: What do we need to look for when searching for the right plastic surgeon?
DJW: You should look for a plastic surgeon who is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and who has done many of the procedure that you are seeking. Ask questions, look at his or her before and after photographs on that procedure, and ask to speak to a previous patient if necessary. At the very least, you should feel quite comfortable with your surgeon and her staff; if he or she gives you the creeps or makes you feel nervous, chances are that particular surgeon is not the right fit for you. Choose a surgeon who operates in an accredited office facility or hospital, and has privileges at a local hospital so that if an unforeseen emergency occurs, you will be treated in an expeditious and safe manner.

MW: What advice can you give to teenagers who are considering plastic surgery?
DJW: First of all, teenagers that are entering into plastic surgery must have the approval and consent of a parent since they are minors. If the patient’s legal guardian and the teenage patient agree upon the planned procedure and the plastic surgeon thinks that the procedure will be of benefit to the patient, then they can move forward. Surgeries like rhinoplasty (nasal reshaping), otoplasty (ear pinning), and breast lift or reduction can be very beneficial to a young person’s self-esteem. The teenager must be emotionally mature enough to understand what he or she is undergoing, as well as the recuperation time off from school and sports activities required for its success. If all of these things line up, then the teenager will likely have a positive experience and outcome. I would advise the teen and her parents to research the procedure and surgeon, and go to a plastic surgeon who is comforting, knowledgeable, and understands the teenager’s motivations.

MW: How much will a breast augmentation and a rhinoplasty will hurt physically and our pocket?
DJW: Physically, breast augmentation should not be excruciatingly painful. My patients usually describe a period in the first 3-5 days of discomfort and muscle tightness. Any acute pain after surgery is relieved by intravenous pain medications given at the surgical facility, and once you are home, if you feel pain coming on then it can be treated with prescription analgesics filled prior to the procedure. Rhinoplasty is not a tremendously painful procedure either. Patients describe a headache-type pain and nasal stuffiness that is relieved with pain medications and subsides within the first 48 hours. Financially, breast augmentation surgery in New York costs anywhere between $6-10,000, depending upon where you are having the procedure done and who’s doing it. Rhinoplasty typically costs between $7000-12,000. A portion of your rhinoplasty procedure called septoplasty (to straighten a deviated septum) may be covered by insurance,and average prices vary from one region of the country to another..

MW: What have been the key innovations in plastic surgery over the past few years?
DJW: Lasers for melting fat, ultrasonic fat reduction that does not require incisions and is completely noninvasive (Ultrashape), fat injections to the breast for breast implant and breast reconstruction-related deformities, highly cohesive shaped breast implants (Style 410 and Contour Profile Gel), newer hyaluronic acid wrinkle fillers that are not permanent and are more natural-feeling and appearing (Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm).

MW: In your opinion, what were some of the best celebrity plastic surgery makeovers?
DJW: Ashlee Simpson is a beautiful girl who had a nicely done rhinoplasty, possible chin surgery, and lip augmentation with soft tissue fillers. Confident in nature, she reinvented herself and became a pop icon afterwards. Not only did Adrienne Curry (America’s Next Top Model) share details of her right-left-breast-asymmetry and subsequent breast reconstruction, but she has also published online pictures in which she’s happily hugging her plastic surgeon. Nicole Kidman has come a long way from the frizzy-haired girl we met in the ’80s- Botox gives her eyebrows an arch and a wrinkle-free forehead. She may have also had some injectibles to her lips and nasolabial folds (the crease between her nose and corner of mouth), as well as surgical refinement of her nose (rhinoplasty).

MW: What is your philosophy about beauty?
DJW: Beauty starts from the inside. If you are not comfortable in your own skin, you will never be comfortable with the image you see in the mirror. For those people who are comfortable with their inner self, certain procedures and surgeries can be performed to address specific anatomical areas of concern in order to enhance the beautiful person that is already there. Plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures should be individualized to a person’s own anatomy and desires. I believe Coco Chanel when she said, “”In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”

MW: What do you love most about being a plastic surgeon?
DJW: Being able to really make people feel better about how they face the world, whether it is a child who has undergone a cleft lip repair, or a young woman who is is in embarrassed and discomforted by her appearance and undergoes a surgical breast procedure.

MW: What other passions do you have besides your work?
DJW: Spending time with my family back in Texas, exercising, shopping, reading, and traveling to places I’ve never been.

I recently interviewed Plastic Surgeon Dr. Alan Bienstock for www.beautyinterviews.com .

Here it is:

Marta Walsh: When did your fascination with plastic surgery begin?
Dr. Bienstock: When I was a teenager, I watched a television show about an army plastic surgeon (played by Armand Assante) who reconstructed the mauled face of a nurse over several years. I thought back then that this was my calling since it was an amalgamation of sculpting and science.

MW: Which procedures are you most known for?
DR. B: Fat grafting, body contouring for massive weight loss patients, and lip suspension.

MW: What non-surgical procedures do you also perform?
DR. B: Botox injections, Juvederm and restylane – soft tissue fillers

MW: What are some of the most popular plastic surgery procedures today among women?
DR. B: Women are frequently having botox and fillers done in terms of non invasive approaches. For invasive surgical procedures, they are getting liposuction and breast augmentation.

MW: What advice can you give to anyone who is considering plastic surgery for the first time?
DR. B: Patients and individuals should do their homework on the surgical procedure and the plastic surgeon. Patients should look up their physicians on line and peruse and analyze their credentials. They should not rush into anything and remember that surgery does have risks. Cosmetic surgery is purely elective and should be evaluated with patience, care, and research. Many plastic surgeons have their CV posted on their website. Patients should not be awestruck by overly slick and decadent websites, advertising and offices; these can often be masks and facades and are not a true testimony of the physician. The surgeon’s surgical skills, integrity, and personality are more important than the quality of leather in his waiting room. Individuals should focus on word of mouth from their friends and colleagues opinions in terms of the physician’s quality of work and bed side manner. Most importantly, the patient should form his/her own impression of the physician during the first consultation.

MW: Which tips can you give us for achieving natural looking breast augmentation?
DR. B: The key to achieving a good, natural appearing breast augmentation is for the patient and doctor to choose the appropriate implant in terms of size, width, and composition based on the individual’s body. Breast augmentation that involves too large of an implant or placed to centrally can give the image of unflattering or excessive cleavage that does not suit the woman.

MW: How do you help your breast augmentation clients in deciding which cup size to go for?
DR. B: The surgeon and the patient must decide together what the best size implant is for the patient based on her body’s proportions. The breast width and dimensions in conjunction with the overlying skin envelope help determine a range of suitable implants. In the office, I will also give the patient a range of sizers, both saline and silicone to place in their bra to get a feel for size they may desire.

MW: Is a breast size D or DD is achieved differently on different body type, say a petite woman vs. a taller wider woman?
DR. B: The same breast implant will have a different appearance on women of different build. Cup sizes are truly arbitrary since there is no true science behind it, meaning that one patient’s view of C-cup maybe another’s B-cup. Larger breasts and implants will be more congruous and harmonious with a taller and wider woman compared to a petite woman. Breast enhancement can look very artificial when the implants chosen are too large. When the implants are too large, the breast can look very unnatural with thinned out and attenuated skin, leading to stretch marks.

MW: What are some of the main differences between saline breast implants and silicone breast implants?
DR. B: Saline filled breast implants are composed of a silicone shell that is filled during breast augmentation after the implant is inserted into the breast pocket. Silicone gel implants also consist of a silicone outer shell, but they are also pre-filled with a silicone gel rather than saline. The silicone gel has a viscous and thick consistency which more closely approximates native breast tissue while the saline implant isn’t compressible and can have a firm impression. Silicone implants frequently feel and look more natural.
However, patients are still concerned about possible silicone rupture although the rupture rates and capsular contracture rates are similar for both subsets of implants. Based on current guidelines, patients who have silicone implants are also supposed to have interim MRIs to rule out implant rupture. Furthermore, silicone implants are more expensive than their saline counterparts.

Dr. Bienstock is shown here, with The Luxury Spot’s own Stephanie, at the September 5th NY Fashion Week Launch of Ottavia et Emma.

MW: How would you go about consulting a patient before a rhinoplasty, and is bringing sample celebrity photos of one’s desired nose helpful?
DR. B: During a consultation with a patient who is interested in rhinoplasty, I focus on the functional aspects as well as the form of the individual’s nose. There is the issue of the appearance of the nose with the overall harmony with the face. In certain scenarios, the patient is concerned about their large nose, but the real issue is their under projected chin. I will also identify if there are any breathing problems or nasal obstruction such as a deviated septum. I don’t think bringing celebrity photos is helpful and can actually be a problem during the consultation. The patient may have unreasonable expectations if they want or expect to have a celebrity nose. The nose is defined by so many variables such as skin thickness, bone structure and cartilage support that no two noses are the same.

MW: What have been the key innovations in plastic surgery over the past few years?
DR. B: Some of the key inventions or novelties in cosmetic surgery are the short scar face lift, soft tissue fillers such as juvederm and restylane, and the total body lift for gastric bypass patients.

MW: Truth or Myth: Best plastic surgeons are in New York City or Beverly Hills?
DR. B: It is pure myth that the best surgeons are in NYC or Beverly Hills. There are very talented and bright surgeons throughout the US.

MW: What is your philosophy about beauty?
DR. B: Beauty is the essence of feeling fresh, healthy, young, and vibrant. An individual’s beauty revolves around his/her inner and outer core in terms freshness and natural aura. Our perception of beauty should not revolve around the media’s prejudices.  In order for patients to maintain their beauty, I encourage all of my patients to have a healthy, complete diet that is replete with vegetables, proteins, fruit, and vitamins. In addition to nutrition, I emphasize the importance of exercise, sunscreens, sleep, relaxation, moisturizers, and smoking cessation. Sun, smoke, stress, and dryness can be the biggest catalysts of the aging process.

MW: What do you love most about being a plastic surgeon?
DR. B: Plastic surgery is a great career since it incorporates sculpting skin, fat, and tissue with medical acumen, basic science, anatomy and physiology. The gamut of the field is overwhelming from breast reconstruction of cancer patients to cleft lip and palate to total body lifts for massive weight loss patients. The field is always advancing in terms of technology and technique and never stagnates.