Dr. Hamid Massiha brings more than 30 years experience to each procedure he personally designs and performs to enhance the appearance and self-esteem of his patients. That “experience” which the world renowned plastic surgeon brings to each patient, however, is not limited to his countless thousands of hours in surgery. Dr. Massiha’s hundreds of writings and personal presentations fill volumes and many have set the standard by which the art and science of plastic surgery is practiced today. He is in constant demand throughout the world as a speaker and presenter on leading edge plastic surgery and methods and travels frequently to share his innovative techniques.

Many interest, many talents

In addition, the Persian born father of two, speaks not only English but Forsi and Turkish as well and still finds time to nurture personal interests in sculpting, golf, skiing, archery, opera, classical music and karate, in which he holds a black belt.

Still, Dr. Massiha finds time to support his community through his avid efforts on behalf of such organizations as The New Orleans Mission, Leukemia Society of America, Inter-national Children’s Fund, Alzheimer’s Assoc-iation, Project Hope, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and Bridge House to name only a few of the beneficiaries of his concern.

“I feel that everything I do makes me not only a better surgeon,” Dr. Massiha says, “But a better husband and father and a better person also. It’s my philosophy: When I make myself a better person, I can be more beneficial to everyone who needs me. I was brought up believing that we are born to serve others. I try to practice that every day. What I learn, what I experience, I share”.

From clay to flesh

One example of those shared experiences is a skill Dr. Massiha has honed in a hobby he happened into by chance.

“Many years ago, I was attending a seminar in Montreal,” Dr. Massiha recalls. “I noticed several sculpted busts and other works in the meeting area. I was fascinated by the work.

I began sculpting a face in my spare time,” he says. Over the past 30 years, working with clay and getting much better has translated into many groundbreaking surgical techniques by Dr. Massiha which are in wide use today.

One of those innovations which took shape in clay is called the “Combined skin/muscle flap” technique, a procedure used on the lower eyelid to correct baggy, puffy or dark circles under the eyes which are often caused by a loss of elasticity in the eye muscles.

. . . believing that we are born to serve others. I try to practice that every day.”
Dr. Hamid Massiha

It has been exceedingly successful,” Dr. Massiha says. “I’ve performed it on patients from their late twenties to their eighties. The procedure is simpler with less bleeding and less chance of skin slough and discoloration. The results are definitely superior to what we’ve had in the past. And it doesn’t cost any more. When a plastic surgeon considers his work art instead of just a vocation, he puts all his enthusiasm into it because it isn’t textbook surgery alone. It becomes a creation of art. And art comes from the heart.

01New procedure, new life

Dr. Hamid Massiha, one of America’s premier plastic surgeons, has added a new and welcomed word to the vocabulary of men and women of all ages seek-ing a facelift: simplicity.
Dr. Massiha pio-neered vertical rhytidectomy, based on vertical, as opposed to diagonal, lift to improve the appearance of the neck and jaw area.

To date, Dr. Massiha has employed his revolutionary method in more than 400 facelift procedures with phe-nomenal results.

“It’s much simpler and effective and the results are more attractive,” Dr. Massiha says. “I have had literally hundreds of my patients tell me how absolutely overjoyed they were with the simplicity of the procedure and the life changing results.”

“Instead of employing incisions that would allow for horizontal vectors of pull on the neck and jaw area, the much shorter, less deep incisions I employ a more effective vertical vector of pull.”

The benefits?

“There are many benefits to my procedure,” Dr. Massiha says. “First, there is a much less deeper dissection. This means less trauma, less disturbance of the all important blood supply needed for quicker healing. That makes this procedure especially appealing to smokers and people with circulatory problems. Also, there is a much shorter surgical procedure and recovery time. The operation lasts between 11/2 to two hours and the patient can gener-ally resume his/her normal daily activities with 24 to 48 hours.

“A facelift can make you look younger, naturally.”
Dr. Hamid Massiha

“I have one patient, an 81-year-old woman, who couldn’t believe the marvelous change in her appearance. But I knew that it meant more than just an improvement in her facial appearance. The procedure made a dramatic improvement in her self esteem and subse-quently in her quality of life.”

Facelift. Is it for you?

The ideal candidate for facelift generally is a man or woman who

  • Has experienced a loss of skin elasticity and muscle tone of the face and neck.
  • Has the appearance of jowls and deep creases between the base of the nose and the corners ofthe mouth.
  • Has developed facial and neck wrinkles.
  • Has a neck and chin which lacks youthful contours.
  • Has a ‘tired facial appearance.

The majority of Dr. Massiha’s patients range in age from the forties to the sixties. However, he has had excellent results with men and women in their seventies and even eighties.

The benefits of facelift

“A facelift can make you look younger nat-urally,” Dr. Massiha says. “That more often than not also enhances a person’s self esteem and opens a whole new dynamic of confi-dence that wasn’t there before. Of course, a facelift won’t make you look like a completely different person, nor will it restore physical vitality and health. But I think we have shown that the benefits of facelift are far more than just cosmetic.”

01You’ve admired those guys on the beach, the ones with the abdomen rippling with muscles. Or perhaps you’ve seen television star, Suzanne Somers telling how she achieved that flat tummy, and you ask, “Can I look like that?’
Let’s face it, a flat stomach is important to a physically fit appearance, but because of age or unusual amounts of sagging skin, diet and workout do little or nothing to solve the problem.
If that’s the case, abdominoplasty (commonly called “tummy tuck”) may be the choice for you.

Abdominoplasty, is a procedure which removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and may also tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall resulting in a flatter, tighter stomach profile.

Dr. Massiha, who has performed hundreds of successful tummy tucks explains the procedure: “A good candidate for abdominoplasty is one who has excess or loosely sagging abdominal skin, has an abdomen that protrudes out of proportion to the rest of the body, has abdominal walls that have been weakened by pregnancy or again or who may have excess fat concentrated beneath the abdominal skin.”

Is abdominoplasty safe?

Many thousands of people undergo abdominoplasty each year without any com-plications,” Dr. Massiha says. “However, this is an extensive procedure and in consultation with the patient, I always explain all the risks as well as the benefits. Following the procedure, the patient follows a recovery timetable that is consistent with other surgeries of this magnitude. For the first few weeks, some patients may need to wear a support garment. Some patients may require no such support wear. Gradually the patient increases his/her activities and exercise. Generally, a person may return to nonstrenous work within two or three weeks.”

Will there be a scar?

“As the months following surgery pass, the incision line will continue to fade,” Dr. Massiha says. “However, it is important to remember that abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure and that after all invasive surgical procedures there will be a permanent visible scar on the lower abdomen.”

Will it last?

“Abdominoplasty is designed to produce results for life,” Dr. Massiha says. “Unless they gain or loses a significant amount of weight, most patients can expect to retain that slimmer look for life. I have never had to do a repeat abdominoplasty.”

01Allison’s Skin Care Tips
Few of nature’s elements conspire more harshly against beautiful healthy skin than that old sun which beats down on us in southeast Louisiana most of the year.
However, that sun can permanently debili-tate the skin unless we take the proper precau-tions such as:

  • Avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun especially between 10 a.m. and 2 pm, and most especially during the summer.
  • Wearing protective clothing such as wide brimmed hats and long sleeves if you plan to be outdoors for extended periods of time.
  • Most importantly, always select a sunblock lotion or cream which will afford your skin its most protection. Always opt for a sunscreen with a sun pro-tection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Nothing less will do.
  • Also, read labels.

The difference between a true sunblock and a mere “sunscreen” are the ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. If these two ingredients are not included, your protection will be minimal.
Obagi Nu Derm’s complete line of skin health products, which includes a sunblock cream providing maximum sun protection is highly recommended by both Allison and Dr. Massiha.

“Obagi Nu Derm produces regular skin health products and an additional line for people who are undergoing treatment for acne,” Allison says. “Regardless of which product us used, the thing to remember is to reapply often. I would recommend reapplication of sunblock every 45 minutes to an hour as long as you remain in the sun. ”

Whether it’s protection from the sun or every day skin health, Allison would welcome discussing your particular skin care needs and prescribing the Obagi product designed especially for your skin type and color.