Across the world, millions of young women have grown up hearing, “You look just like your mother.” Now, they can know what to expect in the years to come, thanks to a new study from Loma Linda University Medical Center.

Using computer modeling and 3D cameras to examine the faces of 40 mother-daughter pairs, the Plastic Surgery Research team found that mothers and daughters who look similar also age in a strikingly similar pattern. When measuring the changes in the aging female face, they found that volume loss in the lower eyelid began when women were in their mid-30s and progressed steadily through life. If a mother demonstrated this type of sagging, her daughter was likely to, as well.

However, women who mirror their moms needn’t surrender their face to destiny just yet. Thanks to breakthroughs in cosmetics and skin treatments, women today know a lot more about avoiding signs of aging than our mothers did when they were young. And recognizing how your mother’s face changed over the years could help guide a plastic surgeon in the appropriate procedures to address similar patterns of sagging skin or volume loss. For example, doctors would be able to pinpoint the appropriate areas to inject dermal fillers, such as Juvederm or Restylane, says Dr. Subhas Gupta, who led the research team at Loma Linda.

The new findings may be especially helpful for women in their mid-30s to early 50s, which is the ideal window for using minimally invasive techniques to maintain a youthful appearance. Other ways to slow the aging process naturally including eating healthy, limiting sun exposure, and not smoking, Dr. Gupta notes.

An ill-advised beauty trend is on the rise in the down economy: do-it-yourself injectable filler kits that you can buy on the Web. But doctors say self-injectable facial fillers are bad for your health.

A rising number of people are interested in changing how old they look – or simply how they look – through homegrown plastic surgery. Plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Kenkel of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas recently explained that those who want the effects of facial fillers should seek out qualified doctors.

Kenkel pointed out, this can lead to unwanted lumpiness in the face, or even an infection. And through these cheap cosmetic shortcuts, a person can very easily cause damage that costs more than professional cosmetic surgery to reverse.

“It is critical to seek out a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist to ensure that the material being injected is authentic, that the proper amount is being injected and that fillers are injected in the proper location to avoid unwanted consequences,” Kenkel told United Press International. “It ends up being far more expensive and problematic to fix complications when something goes wrong. There are so many options – from skin care to laser treatments to injectable regimes – that will give you the appearance you want safely and cost-effectively.”

In the spring of 2009, The Plastic Surgery Channel reported on one example of unsafe home injection, when 43-year-old Bronx resident Siordaliza Pichardo died after a friend injected her thighs with silicone during an attempted body contouring procedure. The friend was a cosmetologist with no license or any other qualification to perform cosmetic injection. A day after the home procedure, Pichardo visited a nearby hospital, complaining of dizziness, vomiting and breathing problems. Soon after, she went into cardiac arrest and died. This is an extreme example of what can happen with unsupervised cosmetic injection, but it stresses the need for medical supervision.

Some plastic surgeons are taking the rhinoplasty process one step further by using injectable fillers after the initial surgery.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that rhinoplasty continues to be a high-demand procedure, with 152,434 performed in 2008. But an article in the November/December 2009 issue of Aesthetic Surgery Journal explained the need, in many cases, for surgeons to inject soft tissue fillers into a patient’s nose to smooth out what the nose job couldn’t quite fix. Filler uses include correcting deformities, or adding volume to make the final result more closely resemble the intended design.

“Injectable fillers allow surgeons to correct post-surgical imperfections without the expense, anesthetic risk, or recovery downtime involved with additional surgery,” a press release quoted Steven Dayan, MD, co-author of the Journal‘s article.

Doctors are using injectable fillers such as liquid silicone, hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite gel – though silicone, because  of complications, is ill-advised. Doctors tend to use these fillers on the top and sides of the nose while avoiding the nose or tip. A “less is more” technique prevents blood vessel or soft tissue damage or “bumpy” appearance that an excessive injection of filler can cause.

Fillers are becoming a common sidekick surgery due to the pressure on surgeons to “get it right the first time” and not have additional procedures.

Fillers are no substitute for excellent surgical results,” he said. “Rhinoplasty surgeons must continue to strive for perfection in the operating room.”

Despite rumors that Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake called it quits, they have continued to go out and be photographed together, including attending a Rihanna concert just this past week.

Timberlake’s grandmother even weighed in on the situation at one point, telling the Daily Mail, “Jessica was keen to marry, but Justin isn’t ready. … As far as we’re concerned, he’s always been single.”

And now, as the couple continues to be seen together, friends are spilling as to why. A close friend of the couple told Fox 411–the news site’s new gossip page–”Justin was very clear with Jessica that he didn’t want to be in a serious relationship with her anymore where he wasn’t able to date other people.  Jessica took the news very hard, but once she calmed down and they started talking again, he convinced her to stay friends who hook up, without all the pressure of a relationship.”

Around January 2008 Biel was spotted sporting a trout pout, leading In Touch to speculate that she had collagen or injectable filler put in her lips to make them bigger. The result was a lopsided look that resulted in her top lip being much larger than the bottom.

Injectables fit Biel’s MO, as she told UK’s Marie Claire that she is fearful of aging, but wouldn’t want to go under the knife to correct it. “I am really afraid of blades on my face,” she says. “That freaks me out beyond belief. I would way rather have wrinkles than have some slice-up going on.”

Biel stars in an upcoming big-screen version of the A-Team, which comes out in 2010.

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Ryan Reynolds hosted Saturday Night Live this past weekend, with Lady Gaga as a musical guest. The musical guests don’t often have a large role in the skits on SNL, except in rare and usually memorable cases, such as when Justin Timberlake appeared and performed a tune about a very special Christmas present.

Lady Gaga seemed determined to make her presence felt on the show, playing prominent roles in two sketches, including one that featured a surprise guest appearance by Madonna. The two played pop divas costarring in an MTV reality series called “Deep House Dish,” where the pop stars erupted into a funny-but-true war of words.

“What’s wrong, Madonna, can’t get into the groove?” Gaga fired.

“Looks like your wig needs a fix!” retorted Madonna.

The two then engaged in a cat fight that nearly ended in a Madonna/Brittney kiss, when SNL cast member Keenan Thompson stuck his head between the two stars.

Madonna was recently criticized for her bizarre appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, where blog sites were speculating whether she had injectable fillers put in her jaw line to appear younger looking. The result was instead a lumpy-looking jowl.

Lady Gaga has also been the object of speculation when it comes to her appearance, not much of which is hidden from public eye. Speculation includes rumors of a chin implant, nose job and possible lip fillers.

Looks like Madonna and Lady Gaga are both “material” girls.

It seems many surgeons are using a new non-surgical technique to provide nipple enhancement.

The technique involves using an injectable filler called Radiesse in breast augmentation or reduction procedures to enhance the shape and size of the nipple. Specifically, the filler can help create a visible balance between the size of the areola and the size of the nipple.

Radiesse is a calcium-based gel normally used to correct facial wrinkles and restore tissue volume. But some surgeons say it can also smooth out the texture of the nipple and give it more volume. This can be helpful after a breast augmentation or reduction that improve the breast but leaves the nipple area looking disproportionate.

Using filler injections can also reduce the appearance of scarring on the breast so it looks more natural and aesthetically pleasing.   Currently there are no real scientific studies on the safety and effectiveness of the technique. Patients interested in nipple augmentation should discuss the procedure with a board certified plastic surgeon before choosing to undergo breast surgery.

A group of unhappy facial cosmetic surgery patients in the UK are voicing their frustration over the lack of oversight in London’s cosmetic surgery industry, and they are demanding change.

The British paper The Times reported that six women are campaigning for more regulation of London’s cosmetic industry. These women have all suffered botched cosmetic filler procedures and say they are now disfigured.

Solicitor Paul Balen, who is representing the women, told the Times he believes there are many more victims just like them, but few fight back.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons released survey results showing that two out of five of its members had corrected complications caused by permanent filler injections. One in five surgeons, the survey showed, corrected problems caused during body contouring operations.

While British legislators look for ways to improve regulation of the cosmetic surgery industry in the UK, American patients who are considering injectable fillers or another cosmetic procedure should look at their doctor’s credentials to minimize their risk. Doctors who are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery have undergone years of rigorous training and passed oral and written exams to ensure they are fully equipped to help patients achieve the best possible outcomes.

It’s no secret that gravity works. In fact, men and women spend millions of dollars a year on creams, treatments, devices and surgery because of this natural law.

So when a patient considers getting permanent injectable fillers, it’s important that the person administering the filler understand how skin ages, and can project what the filled area will look like years down the road.

No one believes that permanent fillers are the perfect solution for looking young forever, but it’s also important that the filler not create a distorted or malformed appearance for the patient, too.

A new survey by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons suggests that patients who choose permanent fillers experience more complications than those who select other types of fillers.

In fact, one in four UK surgeons has seen patients with complications from permanent fillers. And one in five saw a patient who needed surgery to correct the problem.

The UK doctors surveyed said the reason for complications was unqualified practitioners administering fillers incorrectly, and studies by the U.S. FDA confirm that U.S. patients who experienced adverse events are mainly the result of injection by an unqualified provider.

Doctors advise patients to accept only approved fillers, from injections prescribed by a physician. And, they urge consumers to ask the provider to be very specific about his or her qualifications… because, as we already mentioned, gravity works.