The Beauty Secrets of Hollywood Celebrities, Plastic Surgery Do’s & Don’ts, Do Red Light Masks Actually Work? & More With Dr. Cameron Chesnut.

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Facial rejuvenation with a natural appearance
Beauty, Biohacking, Body, Health & Wellness, Hormones, Lifestyle, Mind-Spirit, Podcast, Podcast-new, Self-Development, Supplements

April 27, 2024

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Interested in reclaiming your youthful appearance but terrified by the thought of a plastic surgeon transforming your face into a botched job fit for reality TV?

In today's episode, explore how to achieve natural-looking results and rejuvenate your appearance through facial plastic surgery and other effective anti-aging strategies with Dr. Cameron Chesnut, a renowned facial plastic surgeon. 

People from all corners of the globe seek Dr. Cameron's astonishing, high-impact outcomes from minimally invasive procedures that leave his patients looking natural, rejuvenated, and seemingly untouched. He is known globally for his progressive use of regenerative medicine and postoperative recovery techniques, as well as his dedicated personal preparation for performance readiness.

He is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and the founder of Clinic 5C — an integrated practice of facial plastic surgery, functional medicine, dermatology, wound care, and cosmetics.

Dr. Cameron has been described by the Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress as, “[the] best example of the new generation of modernly trained international surgeons.”

You can catch my previous episodes with Dr. Cameron by checking out the links below:

During this discussion, you'll discover:  

-Dr. Cameron Chesnut…06:12

-Dermatology and athletic background…09:29

  • Dermatology treats all manifestations of skin, hair, and nails
  • There is a whole surgical aspect of dermatology
  • Took additional training in facial plastic surgery
    • Facial plastics don't mean you're actually getting plastics
    • Comes from the Greek root meaning “to change the form of something”
  • Has a rich athletic experience
    • IRONMAN
    • College football
    • Wakeboarding
    • Now into jiu-jitsu and pickleball

-Dr. Cameron's focus as a facial plastic surgeon…10:40

  • Minimally invasive ways to lift and elevate sagging facial soft tissues
  • His main focus is facial rejuvenation
  • Doesn’t do transformational surgeries
  • Treats bags under the eyes, loose skin, and drooping eyelids
  • 50% of patients come for revision surgery — after they had a botched job somewhere else 
    • Very challenging and unpredictable

-What the procedure looks like…14:28

  • Lasers change the collagen and elastin composition of the skin — causing swelling 
  • Skin resurfacing is combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or growth factor injections and nerve blocks to avoid the use of opioid pain medications
  • Doesn’t use any opioid medication anesthesia during or postoperatively
  • Hyperbaric, PEMF, and light therapy for faster healing
  • Lasers are the most rejuvenating part of the whole procedure

-The efficacy of red light face masks…16:40

  • Photobiomodulation/red light definitely works, but not all red lights are created equal
  • Red light improves surgical recovery and slows down the aging process
    • It has mitochondrial benefits
    • Makes your fibroblasts behave differently; cells that create collagen and elastin
    • Can’t reverse the aging but it can slow it down
  • Ben does a clay mask and uses red light therapy once a week

-PRP and growth hormone…17:51

  • Dr. Cameron uses fat-based stem cells coming from the patient
    • The face has multiple layers of fat pads
    • Fat harvested from the patient is used to rejuvenate the volumetric change in fat pads
    • Progenitor stem cells
  • Fat is a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells 
    • Stem cells in your fat aren't just fat precursors
  • Some of them are vascular precursors — they make new blood vessels
  • The creation of new blood vessels via this process is called angioneogenesis

-Where the fat comes from…24:09

  • If talking about hair, it is usually taken from the back of the head for transplantation
  • For fat harvesting, it is taken from the belly button and flanks, and for women, mostly from the medial thigh area
  • In the United States, stem cells have to be autologous — taken from a person's own body and then reimplanted or used in some way for therapeutic purposes
    • Has to be for homologous use — the application of tissues or cells in a way that is consistent with their normal function or structure in the body
    • Have to be minimally manipulated
  • Use density gradient in a centrifuge to select younger, denser stem cells
  • According to the FDA, expanding stem cells is considered to be like making medicine — a pharmaceutical manufacturer
  • Dr. Cameron uses autologous cells 
  • Podcast with Dr. Adeel Khan:

-The use of hydrogel…29:53

  • Stem cells need to have some kind of growth factor stimulator — a substrate or a scaffold
  • This is where hydrogel comes in
    • Hyaluronic acid is the most common one
  • Dr. Cameron uses fat for scaffolding
  • Hyaluronic acid is a part of the skin
    • It's called a glycosaminoglycan — attracts water, holds structure
  • Hyaluronic acid fillers have gained a lot of traction in the world of facial aging
  • Most fillers are now made of hyaluronic acid
  • The problem with these products is they are mostly misunderstood and misused
  • Ten years ago, these procedures were done by people who highly knew what they were doing
  • Now, you can get them done anywhere — everybody's a “world's expert”
  • Only a small percentage of aging is volume loss
    • Adding volume can’t be the whole strategy
    • For most people, that's their 100% strategy to address aging
    • If it's 15% of your aging, it shouldn't be 100% of your strategy
  • The fillers do not go away after 6–18 months
    • Stays in the body for decades

-The effects of supplements, nootropics, and smart drugs…30:59

  • People believe that when they eat collagen powder, it goes from their gut to their skin
    • That process is way more complex
    • Collagen is an amino acid sequence that has to be broken down in the gut into individual amino acids
  • Some studies show that eating dietary collagen can increase the collagen in your skin
  • Collagen is missing one of the essential amino acids — tryptophan
    • A good protein source, if you are deficient
  • Dr. Cameron does not use nootropics or smart drugs 
  • The medical training system doesn’t teach you how to peak your own performance
    • Quite often the opposite
    • Surgeons work 120 hours a week, don’t sleep enough, don’t take care of their well-being
  • His practice is built on before and after photos
    • Results are what sets him apart — “this person looks incredible; I can't even tell it was done”
    • Patients don't look like they've had surgery, but they look much better afterward

-Dr. Cameron’s protocol…36:33

  • Visualization is essential for his job
  • It takes months to get feedback after a procedure
  • Write a detailed procedural journal
    • Referencing back to it months later, along with photos and videos
  • Using everything from before/after videos and photos to learn from
  • Dr. Phil Lenoue of Lenoue Integrative Medicine

-Ben’s ad for his Spokane home…39:09

-Why Dr. Cameron doesn't use opioids to manage pain…41:57

  • After the surgery, patients stay in some type of hotel for a week
    • Still do some kind of procedure every day — targeted IV nutrition based on their DNA genetic profiles or their lab work
    • Wants that week to be good and productive
    • Heal quickly and have a great experience
  • Taking opioids during the surgery could have some unpleasant consequences
  • His patients are not under general anesthesia — IV sedation
    • Repeated bouts of general anesthesia lead to lower IQ in kids or earlier onsets of dementia in adults
  • Long-acting nerve blocks after the procedure to control the pain — lasts about 72 hours 
    • A nerve block is going to the root of a nerve that is involved in a certain procedure
    • It's a skill set to know where the nerves are and how to block them
  • Some surgeons put patients on steroids because of the inflammation
    • Inflammation can be good because that’s how you heal
    • Making new collagen elastin is an inflammatory process
    • Inflammation should not be shut down but modulated
  • Valsalva maneuver

-What Dr. Cameron teaches his kids…46:51

  • Take pieces home in age-appropriate, digestible formats
  • They see and feel his passion for all that he does
  • The kids are not in a flow state yet, but they know about visualization
  • They ask questions, and you have to be ready to answer

-Spiritual practice and the question of vanity…48:20

  • Tries to connect with the patient before surgery
  • Prayerful, meditative time — being grateful for everything
  • Patients just want to look how they feel
  • A surgeon helps people to be satisfied and happy
  • The reality is that success is partially based on how you look
  • Fitness induces competence — beauty can also induce competence
  • Dr. Cameron is in Ben's upcoming revised version of Boundless — the beauty and symmetry chapter
  • But sometimes it can go too far
  • Dr. Cameron’s clinic: Clinic 5C

-And much more…

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Join me this October for an unparalleled biohacking retreat set in the breathtaking landscapes of Costa Rica. This is an exclusive opportunity to dive deep into the world of biohacking, wellness, and personal optimization at Kinkára, a sanctuary of rejuvenation and adventure. Over three nights, you'll get to explore cutting-edge strategies for enhancing your health and performance, from engaging lectures to hands-on meditation and breathwork sessions. We'll bond over group hikes, savor three meticulously prepared meals daily, unwind with live music, and experience the transformative Temezcal ceremony. Plus, you'll enjoy luxury amenities and quality time with me and a community of like-minded individuals. Space is intentionally limited to 50 guests to ensure a personalized and impactful experience. Don't miss this chance to elevate your well-being and connect with the essence of biohacking amidst Costa Rica's natural beauty. Secure your spot here to ensure you don't miss out!

Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.

Resources from this episode:

– Dr. Cameron Chesnut:

– Podcasts:

– Other Resources:

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