| Mass. woman sues IRS over denial of tax deduction for sex-change
BOSTON -- After a tormented existence as a father, a husband, a Coast Guardsman and a construction worker, a 57-year-old suburban Boston man underwent a sex-change operation. Then she wrote off the $25,000 in medical expenses on her taxes. But the IRS disallowed the deduction -- ruling the procedure was cosmetic, not a medical necessity -- in a potentially precedent-setting dispute now before the U.S. Tax Court. Rhiannon O'Donnabhain is suing the IRS in a case advocates for the transgendered are hoping will force the tax agency to treat sex-change operations the same as appendectomies, heart bypasses and other deductible medical procedures. The case is set to go to trial July 24. O'Donnabhain said she could have paid back the approximately $5,000 she received in her tax refund, but decided to challenge the IRS because she believes the ruling against her was rooted in politics and prejudice.
Ageing men prefer plastic surgery
LONDON: The number of middle-aged men undergoing cosmetic surgery in the United Kingdom has doubled in just five years as they struggle to come to terms with 'menopaunch', according to a report.
Men aged over 50 are spending thousands of pounds and taking weeks off work to have liposuction and other procedures such as eye bag removal (blepharoplasty) in attempts to remove stubborn fat, The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday, quoting a cosmetic surgery company as saying.
Figures produced by The Harley Medical Group show that liposuction -- including work done on the abdomen, flanks, chest and chin areas -- accounts for 24 per cent of surgical procedures for 50-something men.
This was followed by blepharoplasty (21 per cent), face lifts (14 per cent), rhinoplasty or nose operations (11 per cent), tummy tucks (eight per cent), neck lifts (seven per cent) and ear surgery (two per cent).
Men and Botox: A new wrinkle in an increasing trend
For many men, Botoxing the fine lines away is no different from washing away the gray or splurging on professional tailoring.
Men are increasingly choosing the quick, relatively painless procedure to smooth out a few wrinkles for personal satisfaction or professional advancement.
"To me, Botox is like going to the dentist: It's part of my regimen," says Chip Laber, a self-described health nut who gets Botox treatments every four to six months. Every four to six months, Laber gets injections in two "zones" - on his forehead and in the crease between his eyes. Botox, the brand name for botulinum toxin type A, was the most common nonsurgical cosmetic procedure for men in 2005 and 2006, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (www.plasticsurgery.org).
More men looking to Botox away lines
For many men, Botoxing the fine lines away is no different from washing away the gray or splurging on professional tailoring. Men are increasingly choosing the quick, relatively painless procedure to smooth out a few wrinkles for personal satisfaction or professional advancement. .
Breast implants are linked to a higher suicide rate
Women who receive implants for breast enhancement are three times more likely to commit suicide, said a new report. Deaths related to mental disorders, including alcohol or drug dependence, also were three times higher among women who had the cosmetic procedure, researchers said. Last update: August 08, 2007 – 1:03 AM .
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