Press
July 2018- Dr. Ahn in Best of Boston 2018
Read the full article here.
At the Aesthetic Wellness Center in Westborough, Dr. Min S. Ahn says summer is usually the ideal time for patients to schedule more in-depth procedures like rhinoplasties, facelifts, and neck lifts. Dr. Ahn’s patients range in ages from 16 to 75, so the season is ideal for both school closings and slower office hours with more availability to take time off.
November 29, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Fashionista: I Tried The Insanely Effective Acne Treatment Nobody Talks About
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So when a plastic surgeon told me about a machine that he claimed had helped clear up the skin of many of his patients, I was cynical. But Dr. Min Ahn, MD, FACS of the Aesthetic Wellness Center, was adamant that this treatment, called Fractora, was a game changer for patients with mild to moderate acne and scarring.
Fractora is a fractional radio-frequency microneedle device that debuted in June of 2011. For those not well-versed in derm speak, it’s a treatment that involves puncturing your face with tiny needles, which then deliver a radio-frequency beneath the skin. This is what makes Fractora different from your run-of-the-mill microneedling treatment — the addition of that radio frequency sends arcs of energy through your skin cells, heating them up to put collagen and elastin production into overdrive, as well as shrink the skin’s oil glands. One of the main causes of acne is excess oil, which the p. acnes bacteria feeds on and causes the inflammation that typifies a pimple. By essentially shutting down or shrinking those oil glands, it hinders the skin’s ability to produce that trouble-starting sebum in the first place.
September 18, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: How to Tell If Your Fillers Are Counterfeit, According to Plastic Surgeons
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To put it bluntly, deciding on getting fillers or Botox is a BFD. Between the endless research and choosing a trusted physician, there’s a lot to consider. Throw in the fact that there’s a possibility your injectables could very well be counterfeit (it’s a very rare but real scenario), could make the process a little more complicated (and dangerous). “There’s, allegedly, illegally imported Botox that you can get from other countries here in the U.S. market,” says Joseph O’Connell, a plastic surgeon based in Westport, Connecticut. Here, five ways to tell if your filler is fake — and what to do when it is.
The simplest way to avoid treatment with a fake filler is to have the treatment done by a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, plastic surgeon, or dermatologist, says Min Ahn, a facial plastic surgeon in Boston. “Ideally, this person has either been recommended by someone you trust or has a stellar online reputation,” he says. A quick Google search can pull up whether or not your doctor of choice is certified with the state board of registration in medicine.
September 8, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: The Dangers of Doing DIY Injectables
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Hey there, fellow skin-care fiend. In case you didn’t already know (and I’ll assume many of you do), it’s incredibly dangerous — and I can’t stress this enough — to try and administer any kind of injectable by yourself. Yes, even if it claims it’s totally safe for at-home use. (Spoiler alert: They’re lying.)
I realize that many of you are already more than aware of the aforementioned, but I only bring it up because as it turns out, myriad people seem to be under the impression that at-home fillers are of the norm. One of these people is Tracie Samara, a 44-year-old woman who was recently featured in a troubling piece highlighting the very alarming trend of those dabbling with DIY plastic surgery.
August 15, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: The “Botox Lip Flip” Is the Latest Trend in Injectables — But There’s a Catch
Read the full article here.
There are some downsides — rather noteworthy downsides — of using Botox in lieu of fillers for lip augmentation, Min S. Ahn, a double-board certified facial plastic surgeon based in Boston, tells Allure. “The tricky thing is that if you use too much [Botox], your mouth doesn’t move properly,” Ahn says. “It would look really smooth, but, essentially, your mouth doesn’t move. You can’t suck on a straw.”
To avoid the whole not-being-able-to-drink-out-of-a-straw situation, Ahn says you’d have to use less Botox. But, you see, the less Botox used, the shorter amount of time the treatment lasts. “It’ll look good, but no more eating and drinking,” he says, laughing.
August 3, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: This Injectable Treatment Dissolves Unwanted or Botched Facial Fillers in Seconds
“Hyaluronidase is an enzyme that we all have in our bodies,” Min S. Ahn, a facial plastic surgeon based in Boston. “In commercial form, it is a liquid that, when injected under the skin, dissolves hyaluronic acid into the body — within a few hours.” Quick refresher: Hyaluronic acid is the gel that makes up the most commonly used fillers, like Juvéderm and Restylane, says Ahn. “So, by breaking down hyaluronic acid, hyaluronidase can be used to ‘reverse’ those fillers — to create a clean slate.”
The treatment itself is virtually painless and takes only a few seconds to administer. “The enzyme works quickly — the material starts to dissolve immediately, and is completely done within 24 to 48 hours,” he says. However, he warns, those with bee allergies should tread lightly — and talk with your doctor — before signing up for a hyaluronidase-based procedure, as the enzyme is also highly prevalent in bee venom.
July 17, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: The Tear Trough Plastic Surgery Treatment Gets Rid of Dark, Under-Eye Circles
Dark circles. Under-eye bags. Raccoon eyes. No matter what you call the darkened area of thin skin right below the eyes — maybe due to genetics or a telltale sign of a lack of solid sleep — that everyone (literally everyone) has been plagued with at least one point in their lives, just know that there’s now a cosmetic treatment to clear them up — for good. (Well, sorta.)
Called the tear trough treatment (or lower eyelid rejuvenation with filler), the procedure targets the tear trough, which is the lower, sometimes blue-ish area under the eye, just before the cheek. According to plastic surgeons, the treatment has been gaining popularity over the last few years — especially among the younger crowd.
“Wrinkles and hollowing around the eyes begins at around age 35, and it’s a common area that both women and men are concerned with,” says Daniel Maman, a plastic surgeon at 740 Park Plastic Surgery in New York City. Adds Min S. Ahn, a facial plastic surgeon based in Boston: “It is especially popular with millennials who complain of looking tired, but because of their age are not ready for surgery — filling the tear trough area makes them look less tired, completely rejuvenating the lower eyelid area.”
June 29, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: Earlobe Reconstruction Surgery to Repair Stretched Lobes Is Trending
Click to read the entire article from Allure.
When I was in high school, I had crushes on all the boys in bands who wore studded belts and had stretched earlobes. My teenage heart yearned for these badass dudes who called themselves “emo” — no matter what my parents thought. Of course, they couldn’t stop talking about how those stretched lobes were expanded to the point of no return, and that those boys would have to live with loose, lengthened lobes for the rest of their lives. Turns out, mom and dad were so very wrong.
Stretching one’s ears (or another pierced body part) involves a process wherein slightly larger jewelry is installed into the earlobes to create larger-than-typical-pierced holes, explains John Joyce, a piercing artist and the owner of Scarab Body Arts in Syracuse, New York. If someone with stretched lobes has come to a point in their life where they no longer desire the elasticized look, there’s a surprisingly easy fix: a quick snip procedure called earlobe reconstruction. And apparently, it’s been gaining traction in the plastic surgery space.
“We have seen an increase [in requests for the procedure] — with the popularity of earrings that stretch the earlobe, the demographic has become significantly younger, like 18 to 30,” says Min S. Ahn, a double-board certified plastic surgeon in Boston. “Traditionally the patient is older, like 45 to 65, has a long history of wearing heavy earrings, and is seeking other facial rejuvenations options, such as a facelift or mini-lift.”
June 28, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: Plus-Size Models Are Getting Double Chin Removal Procedures, According to Plastic Surgeons
Call it the Ariana Grande effect, but when it comes to having my picture taken, I’ve become super picky about the angle in which I’m photographed. The camera has to be held slightly higher than the photographer’s chest, my left side should be more visible than my right, and if there are three of us in the shot, I’d prefer to be in the middle, please. Why am I so obnoxious? Two words: Double chin. I go to great lengths to avoid a potential double chin situation. It’s annoying, sure, but apparently I’m not the only who would do just about anything — including cosmetic enhancement — for a chiseled jawline.
I recently came across an article that declared women, particularly plus-size models, are going to great lengths to rid their chins of extra skin. Curious about whether this “trend” is, in fact, a trend, I reached out to Min S. Ahn, a double-board-certified plastic surgeon in Boston, for the scoop. Turns out, more women, including plus-sized models, have been requesting “double chin removal” procedures in recent years.
“We have seen an increased number of plus-size models looking to improve the contour of the neck and lower face,” Ahn tells Allure. “Models continue to value the importance of overall facial balance, so if the lower third of the face and neck are out of balance with more volume, the overall facial aesthetic is affected negatively.”
June 28, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: 70 Percent of People Want to Get Cosmetic Enhancement Procedures
The report, which questioned 7,322 people through a blind online survey, also found that the No. 1 reason people consider undergoing cosmetic treatments — injectables, body-sculpting, lasers, etc. — is because they “want to feel more confident,” “look as young as I feel or better for my age,” and to “feel more attractive.”
Among the reasons above, Min S. Ahn, a double-board certified facial plastic surgeon based in Boston, who has seen a dramatic increase in demand for both surgical and non-surgical procedures within the past few years, says there could be many reasons for the rising demand.
“Our surgical volume has increased by approximately 50 percent and our non-surgical has nearly doubled,” says Ahn. “I would attribute these increases to longer-lasting fillers with improved techniques for more natural looking results, improved surgical techniques that avoid the ‘plastic’ look, and a growing demand by millennials for non-surgical procedures.”
June 16, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: “Bra Bulge” Removal Surgery Is on the Rise
Real talk: We all probably have something we’d like to change about our appearance. Whether that means getting highlights or a procedure that requires a little more commitment (and money) — for example removing fat between armpit and bra, known as “bra bulge” — then who are we to stand in the way? According to Beverly-Hills-based plastic surgeon and RealSelf contributor Sheila Nazarian, MD, there’s been a slow but steady rise in the number of requests for “bra bulge” removal surgery within the last few years from “young, active” women in their twenties, thirties, and sometimes forties.
The procedure is a fat-reduction surgery that can be done one of three ways: via liposuction, CoolSculpting, or Kybella, says Dr. Nazarian. She adds that, in her experience, the most common procedure for this type of treatment is liposuction: It’s the oldest and best-known option. During liposuction, which is a one-time treatment, incisions are made in the area of concern and fat cells are vacuumed out with a wand. Then incisions are stitched closed. “Bra bulge” liposuction can be performed under local anesthetic within about an hour or two.
Some patients, meanwhile, opt for CoolSculpting, a noninvasive method for killing fat cells by chilling them. “When fat cells freeze, they die, which reduces some of the bulge,” explains Min S. Ahn, MD, a double-board-certified plastic surgeon in Boston. The procedure, which reduces approximately 20 percent of the fullness of the “bulge” during a 35-minute session, involves attachment of a CoolCurve applicator to the area of concern while the patient sits and waits.
April 24, 2017- Dr. Ahn in Allure: This Woman Had Lower Eyelid Surgery, and It Completely Changed Her Life
Click to read the entire article from Allure.
Last week, the Internet went caught fire after photos of lip reduction surgery results went viral. And now after a Reddit user shared her surgery story, another procedure, this time for the lower eyelid, is picking up steam online. The Redditor aimed to raise awareness of an eye condition that unfortunately causes sight restrictions.
Earlier today, Reddit user Iris231 shared a rather lengthy post about growing up with epiblepharon. Min S. Ahn, a Boston-based plastic surgeon, explained to Allure that epiblepharon is a condition characterized by a ridge of lower eyelid skin and muscle that causes the lower eyelashes to extend vertically, instead of horizontally: “Epiblepharon is one of the most common congenital abnormalities in Asian children.”
Dr. Ahn in Vogue Magazine April 2010
After almost twenty years and two facelifts, one woman discovers new-generation dermatologic treatments that compliment surgical procedures without having a repeat operation.
Min S. Ahn, MD FACS, Facial Plastic Surgeon and Medical Director of the Aesthetic Wellness Center, is prominently featured in the April 2010 issue of Vogue magazine in a cover story titled “My Three Facelifts: A 20-Year Nip & Tuck Diary.” The author, Joan Gage, describes her 20 year journey through the ever changing field of cosmetic surgery, starting with her first facelift from world-renowned surgeon Daniel C. Baker, MD of Manhattan, to her most recent procedure with Dr. Min S. Ahn, MD, FACS of Westborough, MA.
Eighteen years ago, Joan Gage wrote a sensational article titled “Diary of a Face-Lift” in Vogue magazine. The article chronicled her entire experience undergoing a facelift when it was still considered somewhat taboo. Sixteen years and an additional facelift later, Joan chose to have a consultation with Dr. Min S. Ahn of The Aesthetic Wellness Center in Westborough, MA.
After their initial meeting, Dr. Ahn recommended the Fraxel re:pair treatment, a breakthrough laser resurfacing treatment, as well as injections of the hyaluronic-acid filler Juvederm, to rejuvenate her appearance. Dr. Ahn, who graduated from Harvard University and is double board certified in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Head and Neck Surgery, was one of the first physicians in the country to offer the Fraxel re:pair laser treatment.
The author describes her experience with Dr. Ahn and the Fraxel re:pair laser and Juvederm treatments from the initial seminar at his office, up to one year post-Fraxel. Using a combination of cutting-edge, non-surgical techniques, Dr. Ahn was able to extend the results of a facelift the author received nearly a decade ago. Two years later, she is just one of many who experienced the exceptional results of the Fraxel re:pair laser and Juvederm treatments available at the Aesthetic Wellness Center.
In addition to the Fraxel laser treatment, Dr. Ahn offers an array of both surgical and non-surgical options that rejuvenate your natural beauty, while providing a very personal experience for each individual client. These options include Botox and Juvederm treatments, mini Facelifts and neck lifts, Fraxel re:pair and re:store laser treatments, laser hair removal, physician strength peels, and more. For more information on Dr. Ahn and the services provided at the Aesthetic Wellness Center please visit www.awcenter.com or call 508-426-8622.
The article on CNN.com focused on the high demand for surgical procedures during the busy holiday season:
“Surgeons in many specialties are seeing patients who, for a variety of reasons such as insurance and a slowdown at work, find that the end of December is the best time to have an operation.“
Click below to read the entire article:
CNN.COM
Dr. Ahn consulted for article in Boston Globe
Article discussed how record number of multi-cultural people are accessing cosmetic surgery. Read the article here.
Botched beauty
More and more women want to look younger and more attractive. So they’re heading to medical spas; places where you can get facials and massages, and some minor cosmetic procedures. But some women are leaving these medspas anything but beautiful. 7Healthcast reporter Dr. Deanna Lites has more.
The pictures tell a terrible story.
Women who’ve gone in for minor cosmetic procedures and who’ve left with major and sometimes irreversible damage…
Dr. Min Ahn says, “I’ve seen superficial burns, and deeper burns from chemical injury.”
Dr. Ahn is a facial plastic surgeon at Aesthetic Wellness Center in Worcester. He’s treated many patients after their beauty treatments went bad, including Wendy Bergeron of Worcester. She wanted fuller lips so she went to a medical spa for restylane shots.
She says, “It was uneven. There were a lot of lumps.”
And Wendy says her injections were performed by a registered nurse, not a doctor.
Dr. Ahn says, “In the state of Massachusetts, only physicians are allowed to perform filler treatments such as the use of restylane for lips and wrinkles.”
Beth Brooks of Holden says, “It’s supposed to be relaxing and a nice soothing treatment.”
But that wasn’t the case. She went to a traditional spa for a hot stone massage. But she says she ended up with these second and third degree burns on her back because the stones were way too hot.
Beth says, “Immediately after there were about 6 red welts on my back.”
Two weeks later her back still isn’t quite healed, and Beth is taking antibiotics to fight off infection.
“I wish I would just have spoke up,” says Beth.
Beth also wishes she would have checked the massage therapist’s credentials. That’s something Dr. Ahn says is even more important when you’re going to a medspa for a medical treatment. He recommends asking a few simple questions. “Is there a physician on site…is that physician board certified, and who is performing the procedure?” he says.
A mistake that Wendy won’t make again.
It’s important to remember that when it comes to medical spas regulations vary from state to state.
And before you get that chemical peel or Botox injection find out if the spa has a medical professional on call after hours in case you run into a problem.
ABC 5 Interviews Dr. Ahn about Asian Eyelid Surgery
BOSTON – The group of people having cosmetic surgery is becoming more diverse as more and more people look for ways to turn back the hands of time.
NewsCenter 5’s Heather Unruh reported Friday that 1.3 million procedures were performed on patients of various ethnicities last year — an increase of 44 percent since 2004. The challenge for plastic surgeons is creating a younger appearance without altering that ethnic look.
Appearance is important to Mei Ling Hester — a hairdresser on Newbury Street — but she said that when she looks at her eyes, they appear tired.
“We all spend money working out and eating healthy, and I think we need to take care of our face too,” Hester She spoke with Dr. Min Ahn about a surgery that would better define her eyelids. About half of Asian women are born without eyelid creases, and even those who do have them, like Hester, often lose the crease as they age.
“We’re trying to create a rejuvenated look that looks natural. We’re not trying to create a westernized look,” Ahn said.
About 25 percent of Ahn’s practice involves non-white patients. The biggest trend is Asian eyelid surgery, which may have been sparked by the popularity of Korean soap opera actresses who have fuller eyelids.
But the procedure is tricky. It involves placing stitches to create a crease, and doctors must be sensitive to reshaping the lid without getting rid of the Asian appearance.
“We don’t want to create an eyelid crease that is too high — that is more typical in a Caucasian or western individual,” Ahn said. “We don’t want to remove all of the extra skin that is possible to remove, because it is natural for an Asian eyelid to have a little bit of hooding, a little bit of extra skin.”
The procedure costs between $2,000 and $3,000. The result is instant and permanent. Hester envisions a livelier, alert appearance.
“I hope in the morning, I wake up and look nice and fresh for my clients,” she said.