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Ok. Chances are you’ve googled countless sites on why your body could be holding on to those pesky fat stores. How many years have you researched “how to remove stubborn belly fat,” only to have wasted 10 minutes of your time learning something you’ll never really follow through with? If you can’t seem to lose those small, but noticeable fat stores, you could have one or the following things happening:

Have you ever looked at pictures of an event or party you attended, only to realize that the woman in the corner of the picture looking the other way with the flat butt is you? Oh, the horror.

We all know that Dr. William Silver is an extraordinary artist when it comes to facial plastic surgery but did you know that he is a talented sculptor?

Now with the availability of laser tattoo removal and the introduction of new ink that can be more easily removed, more and more people are buying tickets to tattooville...And it’s no longer a one-way ticket, either; but can be a round trip! (Ok, you have to give us points to creativity on that...)  In fact, about 17 percent of those who get tattoos consider having them removed.  Because of the rising interest in tattoos, some experts believe that the demand for removal technology in the future may grow exponentially, creating a greater need for more qualified dermatologists.

Current dermatologists are already reporting an increasing interest in tattoo removal over the years; the majority of those being young adults who got tattoos in their teens, and are struggling with getting jobs and with the stereotypical image often associated with tattoos. (Having the Japanese word for “Love” tattooed on your wrist during spring break ‘98 may not have gone over well when shaking a potential boss or client’s hand!).

Saggy Breasts

Gravity can be a wonderful thing. Without gravity, the earth would cease to revolve around the sun. And we all know the consequences of that. However, if we’re looking at aging, gravity can be a real....Downer. Yes, the pun was intended.

Sagging or drooping of breasts is a natural, inevitable process that happens to almost all women at some point. Although it’s a part of life, it’s just plain depressing to watch gravity take its toll on one of the most beautiful, uniquely feminine parts of our bodies.

If you’ve ever wondered why breasts sag, think about this: Breasts do NOT have muscles in them. They have ligaments and connective tissue. Those ligaments and skin stretch as gravity pulls on the breast tissue, causing the breast to droop. This depends on the elasticity of your skin and of your ligaments, as determined by your genes and diet, and also on normal aging processes. Large breasts are obviously most susceptible to sagging quickly, along with breasts of women who engage in high intensity sports, but neglect to wear proper sports bras. They do make a difference, so invest in some good ones!

The most common reason for breast sagging is called breast involution, and it happens when the milk-making system inside the breast shrinks because it is not needed anymore. This happens either after weaning, or right after pregnancy if the woman does not breastfeed at all, or during menopause. The tissues inside the breast shrink, but the surrounding skin doesn't, leaving the breast looking saggy. Although after weaning, a woman’s body does usually deposit some fat back to the breast tissue; but the breast still looks saggy.

Another culprit for breast sagging is weight loss. While it may be great for the hips, it can be bad for the breasts. When you lose weight, some of that fat disappears from your breasts. Typically the skin and the ligaments inside the breasts do not retract accordingly, resulting in an 'empty' looking breast that then sags.

KaylinReque is from Suwanee, Georgia. She is a member of The Atlanta Hawks Cheerleaders. Recently she was a contestant on the hit NBC show "Minute To Win It" during their "Girls of Summer" series. She is a classically trained ballet dancer. Upon graduating from high school in 2006, Kaylin continued her dance studies in Philadelphia at the prestigious Rock School. She attended Georgia Perimeter College for two years majoring in Communications and plans on furthering her education once she completes her reign as Miss GA USA. Kaylin coaches and mentors the Hawks Jr. Cheerleaders, a program designed to promote self-esteem, pride, commitment, & discipline among young dancers through mentoring.

With the holidays behind us it's time to gear up for the New Year - the one time of year when we put pen to paper to outline all our resolutions. While losing weight and saving money may top your list this year, don't forget about your skin. Here are some quick and easy resolutions your skin will love in 2012:

Protect your skin from the sun everyday: Make a commitment to protect your skin from UV damage and wear sunscreen under your makeup or purchase makeup that has at least SPF 15. If you don't know what’s right for your skin type ask your doctor what they recommend. UV damage can cause premature wrinkles and sun spots. By protecting your skin from UV rays you will continue to look more youthful throughout the New Year!

Throw away outdated skincare products: Make-up that hasn't been used in a while and outdated skincare products may be hosting bacteria and can cause breakouts. Open the medicine cabinet and empty your make-up bag. If you haven't touched that skincare product or piece of makeup in a few months it’s time to say goodbye. Your skin will thank you later. 

Sleep without make-up: Not removing your make-up is one of the worst don'ts when it comes to your skincare routine. Makeup clogs pours and can leave your complexion looking dull. Wash, tone and moisturize your skin every night before bed this year. 

Exfoliate: This is the step most people skip as part of their skincare routine. Try exfoliating at least once a week with an at home facial scrub – you will see an immediate difference. If you can make it into the office, try microdermabrasion, a chemical peel or hydrafacial. Peels in particular can take years off your face. 

Consult a trained professional before pursuing aesthetician services (Botox, dermal fillers): Minimally invasive procedures including Botox® and dermal fillers such as Artefill®, Juvederm® or Restylane® continue to grow in popularity.  But not every physician is trained to perform these procedures. Make sure you check the physician's credentials and validate they have extensive experience using the products they have recommended. 

Manage stress: Stress affects your health and over time can cause over-production of oil and inflammation which results in bad skin. Relieve stress this year by taking a walk, going to a yoga class or taking up a hobby. You will stay happier, your health will improve and it will be reflected on the outside.

Louis M. DeJoseph, M.D.

Acne and the scarring that acne causes is a tough problem that we see in many patients here at Premier Image Cosmetic and Laser Surgery.  The first step in treatment is to get the acne under control. In some cases we refer our patients to a dermatologist to get them on a specific care program for their skin.Hormones can play a role in the development of acne and when this is determined to be the cause, we can use hormone replacement for those patients.  In other cases we may put patients on low dose antibiotics. We also carrypharmaceutical grade skin care products that are very effective in treating acne. The important thing is to shut down the active acne.

Once the acne is under control then we begin our treatment of the acne scarring. Scarring comes in many different forms and acne scarring is different than other types of scarring. Acne scars are bound down and depressed. They form as a result of the body's healing process but form with too much collagen in a particular spot. The original acne wound occurred within the dermis which causes the scar to be within the skin, rather than on the surface. This is why it is so difficult to improve.If the scarring is light with angular, well-defined edges and these are referred to as boxcar type of scarring. Then the very severe type of scarring is called ice pick scarring. It looks as though someone has poked holes in the skin.  This is one of the most difficult things we face as plastic surgeons in trying to improve someone’s skin that has this type of scarring.

Traditionally the treatment of choice was dermabrasion where the outer layer of the skin is roughed up with a rotating tool. When the skin healed, smoother skin appeared. It wasn’t the most pleasant procedure and involved a lot of bleeding and a large amount of recovery time was required.

Today, we have fractional CO2 laser resurfacing. In this procedure, little tiny, microscopic holes are drilled into the skin which goes deep into the skin. This procedure puts deep heating into the skin, through the acne scars. When the skin heals it contracts leaving the scars dramatically improved.

Rhinoplasty, or what is commonly referred to as a nose job, is a surgical procedure whose purpose is to correct deformities of the nose.

What constitutes a beautiful nose? Actually a beautiful nose is one that is balanced to the individual's face. What is considered a beautiful nose on one person might not look good on another. Therefore, it is important to choose a surgeon who will listen to your desires and be honest about how it's going to look and function. It takes a very experienced and skillful Rhinoplastic surgeon to perform a beautiful and balanced nose operation correctly and to make it function properly. The board certified surgeons at Premier Image Cosmetic and Laser Surgery, William E. Silver, M.D. and Louis M. DeJoseph, M.D. have years of experience performing Rhinoplasty surgery, and have extensive training in this specialized field. They are well known in the medical community for their work in Rhinoplasty and obtain many of their patients are referrals from other physicians, locally and around the country. Dr. William E. Silver teaches a Rhinoplasty course and he's written chapters on the art of Rhinoplastic surgery for several major textbooks.

The face is not a one-dimensional structure, and there are many different aspects that go into the harmonious appearance of it. Volume can be added to it through check or chin implants, which give a second dimension to the face. This can achieve a rounding of the cheeks or add structure to the lower area of the face.