Something for every season

As all of us in the Bay Area struggle through another "unusually" hot and humid July week (is it fair to call it "unusual" when these bouts of weather seem to be a regular part of summer now?), I start to think a little about passing time - both the little and big things that happen every year, giving us a way to mark days gone by and to anticipate the enjoyment of fleeting pleasures.

In grade school we learn to name the four seasons, the delights of which are perhaps not fully appreciated here in the year-round pleasantness of the South Bay - speaking as a born and bred Midwesterner (not that I miss having to wake up a half hour earlier to scrape ice off my windshield).

And in plastic surgery, there are trends you notice as the years go by - a different kind of seasonality. Even at my office in Mountain View, I've noticed definite ebbs and flows of cosmetic patients as the seasons change.

Late fall and winter bring in patients interested in little tweaks and touch-ups, with special attention to the face and skin. In November and December at the office, Dr. Weintraub and I go through a lot of Botox and fillers, like Juvederm and Restylane. I think many folks like to do a little something for themselves in the winter, perhaps to look especially ravishing at all those holiday parties.

After the holiday season, it gets quieter. People seem to be recovering from all those parties - or trying to give their wallets some recovery time after the big flurry of buying gifts. Things pick up a little as you approach Valentine's Day - again, who doesn't want to look good for the holiday of love and romance?

Spring continues to stay busy, until mid-April: Tax Day. That ominous day tends to start a slowdown; everyone tends to get a bit more serious when they're thinking about what they owe the IRS.

And then you transition into summer - always a fun and exciting time. At Duet, we've had a rush of people interested in "tummy tucks" and breast augmentation. I think it's swimsuit season that makes everyone think a little more about plastic surgery and body procedures. We're seeing a lot of women, who are so happy to be talking to a pair of female plastic surgeons who truly understand what it's like to wear a bikini.

All of a sudden, it's fall, then winter, and the cycle begins anew.

It's a different perspective by a plastic surgeon's calendar - a neat and unique way to watch the days go by.