Hi friends. It has been a while since I last wrote; hope that your summer is going along well.
We traveled to Italy, visiting the Vatican and Michaelango's Sistine Chapel, Bernini's sculptures, and Da Vinci's masterpieces.

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What is reality? We hear so much about "reality" TV. In fact today I was asked by a news journalist to comment about reality TV's Heidi Montag's recent most publicized multiple marathon plastic surgeries. Is it common to video surgeries (her's were filmed) for possible use in a future "reality" TV show? Not "common", and certainly NOT reality!



Later, the same day, I met 10 year old Grayson's mom. She told me about her real life hero. Grayson was diagnosed at age 6 with an inoperable brain tumor. Sorry Heidi, but this IS reality!!!!!



Grayson's dream is to be among the top fundraising teams in this Sunday, April 11'th "Walk for Kids 2010" at Universal Studios backlot (as well as at Victoria Gardens, Rancho Cucmonga and Honda Center, Anaheim). Grayson will be walking 5K, no easy task for him.



In Grayson's words, "My name is Grayson, and I am raising money for Camp Ronald McDonald by walking 5K and getting sponsors to participate. I love going to Camp Ronald McDonald and want to make sure all kids have the same opportunity. you can read my story at www.amazinggray.org"



To donate online, go to www.amazinggray.org, click on "Support Us", and then click on "Team Amazing Gray (blue ink)".



Though the Walk will be over in a few days, I plan to leave this here for good, hopefully so that we can be reminded of true reality, and where to direct our energies.



In these days of "conspicuous consumption" as discussed by author and blogger Seth Godin (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/04/revisiting-conspicuous-consumption.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fsethsmainblog+%28Seth%27s+Blog%29), please consider supporting Grayson's team "Gray Dragon", and Camp Ronald McDonald. Thank you!



Grayson you will always be in our prayers.

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It seems that you can't go anywhere, speak to anyone, or look at any media without being exposed to Tiger Woods gossip from numbers 1 through 13 to his association with a recently arrested Human Growth Hormone (HGH) physician. Well for a few moments and sentences here I hope to fill you in on the "non-Tiger" gossip at Dr. Persky's office, what’s new, and what we look forward to in the upcoming year.



We had our annual Holiday office party last night. I began my toast to my staff by saying, "As you look around the room tonight at all of these wonderful faces, what can you say......but what a fortunate and lucky man that I am". My office staff including Felicia, Catherine, Michelle, Mason, Deena, Dana, Jennifer, and Cindy is considerate, caring, and compassionate about our patient’s well-being. It is my pleasure and privilege to have been blessed with the support and help that they each provide.



What's ahead in 2010 and beyond? Our practice now offers patients an alternative to Botox, recently FDA approved Dysport. The most commonly asked question about Dysport is how is it different from Botox? Patients who have tried both describe Dysport as creating a different feeling (more pleasant in some) of decreased muscular movement while still eliminating unwanted lines and wrinkles. My best answer to patients is to try both and see which gives you a better result. It is nice to have multiple modalities to make patients look less tired and less aged.



I have treated many patients with Sculptra and look forward to using this collagen stimulating filling agent a great deal more in 2010 and beyond, as the technique of use, dilution, and injection has been refined so that patients benefit from a safe and most naturally effective long-term replacement of lost facial volume (i.e., read facial aging reversal).



And who doesn't have a few (or a few hundred) brown and red spots on their body that they would rather not have anymore? Solta's brand new Dual Fraxel platform has received rave reviews from patients treated around the country, including those lucky enough to be our test patients last November. I look forward to getting rid of many brown and red spots from the face and body in upcoming years. We should have this revolutionary technology permanently in our office by the beginning of the year.



Accent XL, offered by Dana Kramer, RN, will continue to be the work-horse for non-surgical fat and cellulite sculpting in our office. Jennifer, our wonderful aesthetician looks forward to continuing to build her clientele with the fabulous personal regimes of skin care and peels that she gives to very happy patients.



Of course I still offer facial plastic surgical procedures though the trend over the past few years has been toward non-surgical treatments. Rhinoplasty and eyelid surgery continue to be very popular surgeries whose results are difficult to match non-surgically.



I look forward to continuing my facial plastic surgical education as well as sharing my knowledge with others through national and international meetings, lectures, and online forums such as RealSelf.com and MakeMeHeal.com. I will continue to devote my energy to determining what new technologies are safe and effective versus those that are risky and more hype than real. Speaking of which, the jury is still out on Zerona laser, the passive skin laser that promises to shed "inches" from targeted areas just by letting the painless laser light pass over the skin. Patients do lose some inches, but it is still too early to know how long the results will last.



For all, I hope and pray for peace, health, happiness, and the ability of each of us to treat each other as we hope others would treat us. Be well and G-d Bless.

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