REVIEW
The Consumer Connection
A Publication of the Medical Library Association
Your Complete Guide to Facial Rejuvenation
Truswell, Mendelsohn, Putman, Gordon, Ellis,.Addicus Books, 2006. 147pages, index. ISBN 1-886039-20-8. $21.95.
Five plastic surgeons collaborate on a consumer guide to facelifts, brow lifts, eyelid lifts, skin resurfacing, and injectable fillers. The authors practice throughout the US and Canada, and serve as medical directors, fellows and clinical faculty members of medical institutions. Members of the team have published related consumer health books on non-surgical facelifts and nose reshaping. Each author includes a biography and an interview answering questions like, “What do you find most rewarding about your work?”
The book includes many before-and-after photos showing realistic results for people of all ages and backgrounds – one achieves a concrete sense of how facial procedures can create a more attractive, youthful appearance through the images. Technical illustrations demonstrate how various surgical techniques are accomplished. The writing style is informative, clear, and direct. People may not be aware of the many options available today for facial plastic surgery; chapters on special procedures like deep-plane lifts and midface lifts explain who may be the best candidate for each.
Everything a patient needs to know to make an informed decision is included, from how to check the qualifications of a cosmetic surgeon to types of anesthesia that may be administered. Potential side effects and complications are described in a truthful and pragmatic manner, and information is provided on factors affecting how long typical results may last. Helpful sidebars contain important questions to ask one’s surgeon, such as, “When can I go back to work?” A glossary and annotated resource list round out this authoritative and comprehensive guide.
Cara Helfner, MSLIS, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
