Aloe vera has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. Clinical and experimental evidence indicates usefulness for skin moisturization, promoting wound healing, thermal skin injury, frostbite, and ischemic skin insults. Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, antimicrobial, and proliferative actions, which have been investigated in various experimental models and in various in vitro studies. This extensive literature review of the properties and actions of Aloe vera finds substantial evidence for the reported and also likely clinical usefulness for Aloe vera in Plastic Surgery and in wound care and wound healing. Though further clinical investigation is warranted, Aloe vera use may likely be indicated in situations where its effects could positively influence outcomes, such as wound healing, flap vascularity, and inflammatory skin pathologies.

Over the past 6 decades through innovation, creativity, ingenuity, and hard work, liposuction is now one of the most popular cosmetic procedures around the world. Several different liposuction technologies now exist, which include suction-assisted lipectomy, power-assisted liposuction, and so on. We have devised a new technique geared toward the incoming Generation Y surgeon called millennial-assisted liposuction. With such great advances in current liposuction techniques, one might ponder the need to introduce a new technique. This may become more common as the “Me Generation” sets forth in the working community and takes over for the prior generation of plastic surgeons. This article was written and developed by a millennial and the senior author, a nonmillennial, to help conform to the changing dynamic of incoming plastic surgeons. The technique was developed to solve the problem regarding millennials requiring constant reinforcement, around-the-clock assistance, immediate feedback, work-hour limits, frequent breaks, and lack of trophies.

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Summary: Mortality after gluteal augmentation with fat transfer techniques is extremely high. Placement of fat subcutaneously versus in the gluteal musculature, or both, is considerably debated. The purpose of this study was to radiographically show the anatomical difference in live subjects in different procedural positions: the flexed or “jackknife” versus prone position. A total of 10 women underwent computed tomographic scanning of the pelvis with venous phase run-off in both the jackknife and prone positions. A computed tomography–specialized radiologist then reviewed images and measured distances from the inferior and superior gluteal veins to the skin and muscle. Three-dimensional imaging and analysis were also performed. Measurements were significantly shorter with respect to distance from skin to muscle, skin to vessel, and vessel to muscle observed from inferior and superior gluteal veins in the jackknife versus the prone position. Three-dimensional modeling showed a significant reduction in the volume and inferior and superior gluteal vein diameters when in the jackknife position. When placed in the jackknife position for gluteal augmentation with fat transfer, extreme caution should be taken with the injecting cannula, as the underlying muscle is only 2 to 3 cm deep. Three-dimensional analysis showed narrowed and reduced volume of gluteal vasculature when in the jackknife position; this is a possible indication of torsion or stretch on the vessel around the pelvic rim that could cause vein avulsion injury from the pressurized fat within the piriform space.