Berman Mark

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Neighborhoods: West Los Angeles, Downtown Santa Monica
AKA: Berman MD Mark
Categories: Physicians & Surgeons, Mental Health Services, Physical Therapists, Physicians & Surgeons, Allergy & Immunology, Physicians & Surgeons, Breast Care & Surgery, Physicians & Surgeons, Cosmetic Surgery, Physicians & Surgeons, Dermatology, Physicians & Surgeons, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Physicians & Surgeons, Family Medicine & General Practice, Physicians & Surgeons, Gynecology, Physicians & Surgeons, Neurology, Physicians & Surgeons, Obstetrics And Gynecology, Physicians & Surgeons, Ophthalmology, Physicians & Surgeons, Otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose & Throat), Physicians & Surgeons, Plastic & Reconstructive, Physicians & Surgeons, Psychiatry, Physicians & Surgeons, Rheumatology (Arthritis), Physicians & Surgeons, Surgery-General, Physicians & Surgeons, Weight Loss Management, Skin Care

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Phone: (310) 394-0570

Address: 1551 Ocean Ave Ste 200, Santa Monica, CA 90401

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Berman Mark

General Practitioners

Arthritis
Medical Weight Loss
With the Pocket Protector in place, a smooth silicone gel (or saline) implant placed within it should stay soft, free from rippling, and in the advent of rupture, remains confined within its space. It is particularly designed for patients seeking to augment their breast naturally, to a size significantly less than the potential space of the pocket. It is most useful for women with thin breast tissue that tends to experience rippling with traditional operations. Such patients tend to be older or have had children, or occasionally, younger patients that have sustained significant weight reduction, particularly in their breasts.
Rheumatology
Research projects, notably the Mayo Clinic Study and the Harvard Study, demonstrated that there was no significant relation between women with breast implants and autoimmune disease. The revelations that silicone, declared to be "bleeding" (slowly leaking) out of the implants and into the surrounding body tissues of the affected patients became dubious. A control study was performed where fresh cadavers without implants were examined and revealed that there was a baseline level of silicone in peripheral body tissues equal to that of women with implants. At worst, studies of gel implants reveal a higher concentration of silicone in the capsular tissue and in the nearby breast tissue, but not in the distant body tissues. Interestingly, several animal and human studies have revealed a lower incidence of breast cancer in the presence of silicone implants. It should be noted that the American College of Rheumatology has made the statement that there is no scientific evidence to link silicone gel implants to autoimmune disease.
Family Practice

Ophthalmologists

Ophthalmology
Invited Guest Speaker – 3D Face Lift – 95th Annual Clinical Assembly of the American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, Tuscon, AZ, May 5, 2011

Pregnancy
Labor and Delivery
During childbirth or large weight gains, the abdominal muscles are often stretched to such a point that they never regain their pre-birth tightness. This condition is referred to as diastasis recti. With weak abdominal muscles, the intestines tend to push forward. This can put a considerable strain on the spine causing a fair amount of back pain. It may even cause some difficulty with bowel movements. The skin, during pregnancy, actually grows. (This concept has actually helped promote the idea of skin expansion in plastic surgery.) Unfortunately, when the skin is so abundant following childbirth or large weight gains, liposuction alone can not account for adequate shrinkage. The excess apron of skin and fat needs to be surgically removed.

Anxiety

Endocrinologist

Diabetes Care
Thyroid

Ultrasound
A few words about ultrasound liposuction, or UAL (ultrasound assisted liposuction), should be mentioned. By using an ultrasound device, the fat cells are ruptured (cavitation) leaving the grease behind. The idea is to then simply explode the fat cells without injuring the skin, nerves or blood vessels and then remove the fat with less trauma to the patient. In theory, its a good idea, and some doctors are aggressively pursuing this new technology. Unfortunately, the Europeans have had five years experience with the ultrasound and ran into many difficulties, most commonly, burn injuries to the skin. There are improvements, however, with the technology, which may bring it into more popular use. I've had some limited experience with different units and can tell you that some are only going to make a simple and safe procedure much more risky. However, there are some units I am impressed with and believe they might be quite useful, particularly in dealing with traditionally more difficult areas where there is abundant fibrous tissue.
X-Rays
Mammography
Although this is not a complication, implants tend to block out radiation, making mammography difficult to perform. Different filler materials are being tested which allow for better penetration of the x-ray. Nonetheless, mammograms can be performed by taking tangential views of the breast. Also, manual breast examinations can still be quite adequately performed and mammography is not meant to be a substitution for palpation. While a mammogram can pick up a very early tumor, a negative mammogram does not mean the vigil of monthly self examination can be dropped. Statistically, the survival rates for a cancerous tumor found by early palpation are the same as those found by mammogram, so it's very important to continue self examination of the breasts and not solely rely on mammography.

General Surgery
In general, however, it is usually reasonable to seek out a doctor who is "board certified". Generally, "board certification" is obtained by successfully completing a residency in a surgical specialty and then passing a rigorous examination. Most residency programs require an additional 5 - 7 years of training after medical school. (It is not unlikely that your cosmetic surgeon has been in the educational process for 13 - 15 years from graduation of high school. Talk about delayed gratification.) There are several residencies that provide training in various cosmetic surgical procedures. These include Plastic Surgery, Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery or ENT Surgery), Ophthalmology, Dermatology, General Surgery, and Maxillo-Facial Surgery (dentists with special training and often M.D.'s).
Arthroscopy
As you can imagine, with “new” technologies, patients often come to you when they’ve exhausted most other traditional treatments. We’ve now had a lot of experience to understand how well cell therapy can work even though we’re continuing to gather data and look for ways of optimizing treatments. So, for example, most patients with arthritic knees will consider stem cell deployment after they’ve tried pain medication, steroids, hyaluronan injections and even arthroscopy. None of these are actually treatments that repair the problem but rather mask the pain or temporize the situation. If there’s cartilage in the knee then it can potentially signal your stem cells to repair the joint. We now understand that acute injuries probably respond better than chronic ones because there are more messages (cytokines) directing and instructing the stem cells into action and repair. Still, until we have enough data and publish enough articles to support these positions our concepts remain “conjecture” awaiting to be proven.
Wound Care
It can not be overstated, the healing process is a dynamic one with many changes going on underneath the skin. It requires some time and therefore patience. Good nutrition and proper wound care help to achieve optimal results.
Neurosurgery
All practicing physicians must be licensed by the state. Once licensed, a doctor may theoretically practice cosmetic surgery or for that matter neurosurgery.That doesn't happen. State medical boards and lawyers are quick to eliminate incompetent, inexperienced, negligent practitioners from the field. Many new restrictions on advertising and accreditation are quickly gaining ground among various state legislatures, also dampening the likelihood of charlatan surgeons. (Oh how I long for the good old days when I could do a craniotomy in my garage!)
Arthroscopy
Otolaryngology
With offices in Beverly Hills and Rancho Mirage, Dr. Berman has practiced Cosmetic Surgery since 1983 and started his Stem Cell investigative practice in 2010. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and a Diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. He was the 2010 President of the Amerian Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. He’s a Co-Founder of both the Cell Surgical Network and the California Stem Cell Treatment Center.
Reconstructive Surgery
The concept of removing fat from one part of the body and injecting it into another part of the body is one of the most exciting to be added to the field of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. While fat transplantation has been done in various ways for some time (first recorded in the late 1800's), the concept of fat transplantation by micro-injection is relatively new.

Plastic Surgeons

Botox
Also, instead of cutting the muscles which wrinkle the forehead and cause frowning, they can be treated with Botox injections. Botox is botulinum toxin. When injected in appropriate amounts, it causes paralysis of the muscles for 4 to 6 months. These injections are used to remove the wrinkling by paralyzing the muscle, but would prevent indentations and defects that have been seen when traditionally cut. It is felt that when repeated once or twice as the muscle activity returns, enough muscle deterioration will occur so that future injections will not be necessary.
Brow Lift
Previous brow lift and blepharoplasty distorts the natural contours and significantly changes the appearance of the eyes.
Eyelid Surgery
The procedure is not painful and the recovery is usually quite quick, with suture removal around five days after surgery. Patients can often return to work within a few days. The healing process varies from person to person and according to the nature of the operation. Generally, there is initial swelling and bruising which quickly settles within a week, though it might take longer if one has had previous eyelid surgery.
Liposuction
Most people (doctors included) believe that stem cell therapy is still several years away from being available to the public. However, since 2010, in association with my partner, urologist Elliot Lander, MD, FACS, we have been conducting stem cell deployment as part of an ongoing investigative project collecting data on thousands of treated patients. After several successful outcomes in the orthopedic arena that I obtained in collaboration with orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Tom Grogan, Elliot and I formed the California Stem Cell Treatment Center followed a year later by the Cell Surgical Network – the world’s largest network of stem cell physicians utilizing technology we developed with renown Korean plastic surgeon, Dr. Lee Hee Young. We currently teach doctors from the USA and worldwide our techniques using the CSN Time Machine® to effectively harvest and process fat into stromal vascular fraction (SVF) rich in stem cells. Starting with a 10 minute mini-liposuction painlessly done under local anesthesia, this 1 1/2 hour process has yielded results that have been successfully recapitulated all over the world. Currently, there are about 100 CSN centers in the US and many more throughout the world, including dozens in China in association with our partners, RE Stem Biotech.
Breast Augmentation
Breast Augmentation using the Pocket Protector - First time cases. You can find more information by reading Dr. Berman's articles on Breast Augmentation.
Breast Reduction
We all come in different shapes and sizes. Certainly, that is one of the fun aspects of appearance; variety being the spice of life. Unfortunately, our shapes and sizes are not always the way we want them to be. This is especially true with breasts. Whether it is from development or changes associated with pregnancy or aging, it is not unusual to have excessively large or drooping breasts. If it bothers you physically (i.e. back or shoulder pain) or psychologically (you don't like the way it looks) then a surgical procedure, breast reduction or breast lift, might be indicated. The relief of discomfort and improvement in appearance generally make these very gratifying procedures.
Breast Lift
Following a pregnancy, this young woman was dismayed by the loss of volume and the resulting sagging of her breasts. Following a mastopexy (breast lift) procedure, her confidence is restored with the improvement in appearance.
Rhinoplasty
As a cosmetic component to the face the nose has an interesting position. Most people like the idea of having a classically pretty or handsome nose. However, the eyes and the mouth are the main objects of focus and consequently the main indicators of beauty. When a nose blends harmoniously with the face, it does not distract from the positive features of the eyes and mouth. When someone communicates with you, it is their eyes and mouth that display their expressions and emote their feelings. The nose is capable of little expression. However, if there is some element about the nasal shape that is distracting and takes our attention away from the inherent beauty of the individual, then our goal should be to reshape it so it blends more harmoniously with the rest of the face. Indeed, it should be shaped ultimately to please the patient, but its reshaping does not have to be limited to one particular style. Also, it is important to realize that the shape of the chin and the cheeks often have as much influence on the appearance of the face as does the nose. A weak chin or weak cheek bones often make the nose look larger than it really is. At any rate, the important issue is to customize the nasal surgery so the ultimate result looks like the nose that belongs on the patient's face. Nasal surgery is most typically performed when the patient and the tissues are adequately mature. Though we commonly wait until 15 or 16, there are cases when younger, fully grown children may be appropriately ready for rhinoplasty. Self esteem in the teen years is still largely based on appearance. It seems a shame to make a teen go all through high school before correcting a fully grown disharmonious nose.
Breast Reconstruction
To enlarge or reconstruct a breast, surgeons may use a breast implant. The first commonly used device was the silicone gel-filled implant, which has a silicone shell and is filled with silicone gel. Over time, some doctors began questioning the safety of the device. Recent studies show at least 15 percent of silicone breast implants eventually leak or rupture, allowing some of the silicone gel to seep into the body. Some women reported onset of autoimmune problems after implant rupture. In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration placed tight restrictions and limits to the use of silicone implants. In general, silicone implants were available only to breast reconstruction patients willing to participate in clinical studies of the device and patients needing a replacement of a ruptured silicone implant. In December 2003, an advisory panel recommended conditional approval of silicone gel-filled implants. However, early in January, the FDA rejected the recommendations to re-market the device.
Plastic Surgery
Words can be used incorrectly by so many people so often that they become accepted for their incorrect usage. Most people use the term plastic and cosmetic interchangeably when referring to cosmetic or aesthetic surgery. The word plastic is actually derived from the Greek and Latin roots, meaning to mold, shape or to form. Indeed, plastic surgical techniques have been around long before man developed petroleum based products commonly known as plastics. Even so, many people assume plastic surgery is so named because it employs the use of "plastic" materials.
Thigh Lift
Sometimes there's sagging in the medial (inner) thigh skin, in which case, a medial thigh lift can smooth out the inner thigh skin with scars hidden in the creases of the pubis and the buttocks.
Face Lift
Sometimes you need more than filling alone. These are some examples of patients improved by having facial fat grafting (Space Lift) along with a minimal face lift (short incision face lift or platysma plication). You can find more information by reading Dr. Berman's articles on Fat-Grafting.
Blepharoplasty
The first signs of aging are usually seen as subtle changes around the eyes. Fat grafting should be considered as the first treatment for the aging eyelids and traditional, cutting (skin excision) blepharoplasty should be reserved for the rare cases where filling is just not enough. This usually is seen with older (over 70) individuals or patients that always felt their lids were too "heavy" and want a different shape. Most patients that present for "rejuvenation" procedures don't want to look different, but rather, want to look like they used to. We suggest patients bring their favorite photos of themselves when they come for their consultation. Often, we can superimpose their current appearance over their old photo and they can see how the their facial appearance has changed.
Abdominoplasty
In order to achieve a flatter, tighter abdomen without the excess skin an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is performed. It is generally an out-patient procedure done in the office surgical suite, but under certain circumstances can be done in the hospital with an overnight stay. The procedure is generally performed under general anesthesia, but in select cases it can be performed under intravenous sedation and local anesthesia (usually smaller, thinner individuals). The 2 - 4 hour procedure involves elevating (separating) the skin and fat from the underlying abdominal muscles. The belly button (umbilicus) is cut out from the skin and left connected to the deep tissues from which it originated. The muscles are then tightened, making the waist more narrow and restoring their pre-stretched out position. The excess skin and fat are excised and the new flap is sutured to the bikini line incision site. A hole is made where the belly button lies under the flap, and then it is reconnected to its new site.
Nose Surgery
Example of a young woman who desired cosmetic nose surgery. However, with the computer, we can demonstrate the weak chin and the need for correction as well.
Breast Surgery
Los Angeles, CA - (HealthNewsDigest.com). A generation of women whose conventional implants have left their breasts distorted, hard, scarred or lumpy can rejoice and find new hope with the Pocket Protector, a patented breast implant device designed by veteran Santa Monica based Plastic Surgeon Dr. Mark Berman. Calling it the - biggest advance in breast surgery since silicone. Berman hopes to revolutionize the field by making implants work better and with a much higher degree of safety for the patient.
Otoplasty
Otoplasty is becoming more popular again, particularly with the shortening of hairstyles, and even among women who desire to wear their hair pulled back but are self-conscious about their protruding ears. It has also been described as an operation that can be performed on the new born simply with the proper use of tape to fix the ears into the appropriate position.
Scar Revision
With any technique, steri-strips are secured over the wound and then changed on a weekly basis for 3 - 6 weeks in an effort to minimize the tension across the wound and thus help minimize the resulting scar. In any case, the scars generally heal well around the nipple area and the vertical incision. Interestingly, the scar at the breast fold, the "hidden scar", is the one with the most difficulty healing because it's under the most tension. Scars may take six months to a year to mature, lighten in color and thin down. Occasionally, a scar revision is necessary.
Lip Augmentation
Lip augmentation with collagen is a simple way of seeing if you like fuller lips. It only lasts for two to three months, but gives you a good idea how your lips would look if you're not certain you want to try more permanent plumping techniques.
Body Contouring
FEATURED SPEAKER - "The Aging Face: Different Perspectives in Diagnosis and Treatment," Total Body Contouring Meeting, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, Atlanta, GA, 10/17/97
Laser Resurfacing
While I confess that I enjoy using the new carbon dioxide and erbium lasers for skin resurfacing, I'm a little bothered by all of the hype, particularly when doctors claim it is a non-surgical procedure. Maybe I have a misunderstanding about the criteria for surgery. I had always been taught that when a doctor physically alters some aspect of the body, whether entering it with a scalpel, or performing more superficial maneuvers, such as laser resurfacing, this constituted a surgical intervention. Nonetheless, vaporizing or burning the top layers of skin off one's face is hardly a completely benign procedure. Indeed, I can perform a face-lift on a younger patient and they are usually looking much better, much quicker than a laser patient.
Gynecomastia
Liposuction can be used for fat problems from head to toe. In the head, it is most often used under the chin. It is rarely, though occasionally, used in the face. It is not used around the eyelids, where traditional excisional techniques are safer. It can be used in the arms, the chest, the back, waist, abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, and ankles. Often, it is useful in men who have over developed breasts (male gynecomastia). Occasionally, it can be used to remove (or decrease significantly) lipomas (benign fatty tumors) without large excisional scars. And of course, it was liposuction that gave birth to the idea of fat grafting or liposculpture, so that we don't have to think only in terms or removing fat, but can also be free to redistribute or reposition fat for enhanced contours.
Cosmetic Surgery
These are representative photos of Dr. Berman's patients before and after he operated upon them. Hopefully, there are enough different types of appearances to give you an idea of how you might be affected. There are still several before and after photos throughout the online book, What you Really Need to Know About Cosmetic Surgery. Nonetheless, he thought a few additional photos might be useful.
Dermabrasion
The chemical peel became increasingly popular, taking over much of the turf dominated by the dermabrasion procedure. Some of the original peel formulas were very strong and aggressive. Solutions using phenol (e.g. Baker's solution) could virtually remove every wrinkle on the appropriate face. Unfortunately, it also removes all of the pigmentation and not infrequently would cause hypertrophic (thick) scarring. So, if you have a very light complexion, with very wrinkled skin, then a phenol peel might be worth considering. There are many doctors who still consider it the mainstay for treating aging skin, not to mention various skin conditions, such as age spots.
Facial Implants
While cheek augmentation has become increasingly popular, it is still not well appreciated. The cheekbones also help balance the face. While the chin tends to frame the mouth, the cheeks frame the eyes. Full or high cheekbones are not only attractive, augmentation of the cheek area can also help fill the face and reduce changes associated with aging. (I believe we will see significant advances in the development of facial implants to deal with the problems of the aging face.) The implant shape is determined pre-operatively during the consultation. There are several different shapes and sizes which may be utilized depending on what we want to accomplish. Occasionally, this procedure can be combined with fat-grafting to achieve the enhanced results. The cheek implants are the same type of material as used with the chin. The implants are most often placed through a small incision inside the mouth. There can be a considerable amount of swelling associated with cheek augmentation - somewhat like that associated with the removal of wisdom teeth. Most of the swelling subsides during the first week, though there may still be persistent swelling for another week or two. This will subside and the implant will stabilize and fix in place. The sutures that close the incision site inside the mouth are absorbable and do not require removal. It is advisable to be on a liquid diet for the first day and soft, smooth foods for the next day or two to avoid irritation around the incision site.
Chin Augmentation
Chin augmentation is a frequently performed procedure to help balance a face with a weak or recessive chin. If the occlusion (bite) is properly aligned, but the chin is recessive, then the patient is a good candidate for chin augmentation with a synthetic implant. The procedure can also be done by cutting and repositioning the bone. In my office we most often use a silicone rubber implant coated with Gore-Tex™. It is shaped to wrap around the normal contours of the chin. It can be placed through a small incision under the chin or from within the mouth. While any implant material runs a risk of infection and consequently needs removal, it is very infrequent. Today the emphasis is on anatomical implants that wrap around the chin as opposed to the smaller implants that just sit in front of the chin. There are several different styles and sizes available.
Forehead Lift

Dermatology
Acne Treatment
Lesions
The laser certainly has its place. And, today there are several types of lasers available depending upon what we wish to accomplish. The carbon dioxide laser is available in several different models, all of which have some minor advantage over the others, or so we are told. There are lasers that can remove tiny blood vessels and pigmented lesions. There are lasers which can remove tattoos. Some lasers are better than others for reducing scar tissue. Still, the laser is not a magic wand, but, rather, a very useful tool which is potentially helpful in a variety of specific cases.
Chemical Peels
More recently, there has been a surge of popularity toward the carbon dioxide and the erbium laser for "skin re-surfacing". "LASER" is an acronym for light amplification stimulated emission of radiation. Essentially, laser light is a very pure light source of uniform frequency (wave length). The new laser modalities essentially vaporize very superficial layers of the skin. The new skin is tighter and somewhat thicker with more collagen deposition. This is very similar to the way the chemical peel works. There seems to be a sense of better control with the laser versus the chemical peel or dermabrasion. Nonetheless, over-treatment is possible, which could result in scarring too. Results from laser treatment can be very satisfying, but with the carbon dioxide laser some people may experience long periods of redness (3 to 4 months) during the healing phase. The erbium laser causes considerably shorter periods of redness. Though the erbium acts similarly to the carbon dioxide laser, there is less heat distribution so it may be better for fine wrinkles while the carbon dioxide may be better for overall tightening. Make-up can be quite useful under those circumstances.
Rashes
Skin Care
So, what can be done to improve the surface of the skin? Clearly, preventive measures are the easiest way to keep out of trouble. There are many options for skin care available today without having surgery. One only has to witness the innumerable skin care products available and the variety of treatments provided by practicing facialists to appreciate the attention directed at fighting the ravages of time and environment. Today's facialists are providing a much greater variety of skin care treatments including several varieties of different (not great enough to be called medical) skin peels. At some point, however, the client becomes a patient when more aggressive treatment is needed to correct more severe problems. When deeper wrinkles, pigmentation problems or other more difficult skin conditions occur, then it might be time to consider stronger remedies, such as chemical peels, dermabrasion, or laser treatment.

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