Weather Watch from the Comfort of Southern California
By Dr. Juris Bunkis, Medical Director, Orange County Plastic Surgery
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Latvia
One topic that unites us all—across geography, politics, and professions—it’s the weather. Over the past few days, that truth has been on full display.
Here in Orange County, we found ourselves grumbling last Thursday about a bit of rain. Yesterday brought sunshine, but the temperature barely reached 66 degrees, prompting a few extra layers and perhaps a raised eyebrow or two. For longtime Southern Californians, that qualifies as “cold.” Yet while we were mildly inconvenienced, a very different reality was unfolding across much of the rest of the country.
What meteorologists quickly labeled a “Storm of the Century” carved a swath nearly 2,000 miles long, stretching from Texas and Oklahoma through the Midwest and into New England and the Southeast. This was not simply a snowstorm—it was a complex, punishing system bringing heavy snow, freezing rain, ice, bitter winds, and historically low temperatures.
The numbers tell a dramatic story. Thousands of flights were canceled nationwide as airports struggled with ice-covered runways and unsafe conditions. Major highways were shut down, stranding travelers and disrupting supply chains.
Freezing rain coated power lines and trees with ice, snapping branches and plunging hundreds of thousands of homes into darkness, some for days. Entire communities woke to landscapes transformed into frozen sculptures—beautiful at a glance, but dangerous and destructive underneath.
Certain regions were hit especially hard. Parts of the Midwest and Northeast recorded snowfall measured in feet rather than inches, while temperatures in some areas plunged well below zero, with wind chills making it feel even colder. Southern states unaccustomed to prolonged freezes faced freezing rain, burst pipes, impassable roads, and widespread school and business closures. And forecasters warn that the frigid conditions are expected to linger through this week, offering little immediate relief.
Watching all of this from California invites perspective. Our “winter hardships” pale in comparison. We live in a region blessed with remarkable natural beauty, a temperate climate, and the rare ability to enjoy outdoor life year-round. A rainy day here nourishes our hillsides rather than crippling our infrastructure.
As we check the weather app and debate whether a jacket is necessary, it’s worth pausing to feel gratitude—for sunshine after rain, for mild winters, and for the extraordinary place we call home. Sometimes it takes a storm thousands of miles away to remind us just how fortunate we are.
Our grandchildren, Kate, Colton and Kinley, enjoyed Oceanside last weekend.
Feeling as Good as You Look: The Role of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement
By Dr. Deborah Ekstrom
Orange County Plastic Surgery, Corona del Mar/Newport Beach
Quiz Of The Day
As we age, declining hormone levels can affect all of the following—except one. Which is it?
A. Energy levels
B. Weight and metabolism
C. Libido and sexual health
D. Mood, sleep, and focus
E. Shoe size
Correct answer: E. (If only it were that easy!)
For more than 40 years, Dr. Bunkis and I have helped patients achieve the appearance they desire—refreshed, rested, and more youthful. For the past ten years, we have also been able to offer something equally important: a way to help you feel as good as you look.
Both women and men experience a natural decline in key hormones—estrogen and testosterone—as we age. This gradual shift affects far more than most people realize. Common symptoms include decreased energy, increased weight, reduced muscle tone, diminished libido, mood changes, poor sleep, and mental fog. Over time, low or suboptimal hormone levels are also associated with increased risks of heart disease, prostate disease, and breast and prostate cancers.
Many patients are surprised when they ask their primary care physician to check hormone levels and are told everything is “normal for your age.” But most of us don’t want to look, feel, or function our age. The goal of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is to safely optimize hormone levels to those more typical of your 30s—when energy, vitality, and well-being were at their peak.
Traditional hormone replacement methods—oral estrogen, topical creams, or weekly testosterone injections—often rely on synthetic hormones. These can cause hormone “spikes and crashes” and have been associated with increased risks of heart disease, breast disease, and blood clots.
At Orange County Plastic Surgery, we use the BioTe® bioidentical hormone replacement system. Bioidentical hormones are structurally identical to those your body naturally produces. Treatment begins with extensive laboratory testing, allowing us to create a customized dosing plan for each individual.
The hormone pellets are placed into the patient’s fatty layer, usually just above the buttocks, during a brief, in-office procedure using local anesthesia. Once inserted, they release a steady, physiologic dose of hormones over several months. One of the biggest advantages of pelleting is consistency—no daily pills, no messy creams, and no dramatic ups-and-downs. When levels naturally begin to wane, patients return for re-pelleting.
Many of our hormone therapy patients have also undergone facial rejuvenation. Now, we can offer our facial rejuvenation patients something more comprehensive—a way to feel youthful on the inside as well.
We believe so strongly in this combined approach that we offer a complimentary pelleting procedure to every facial rejuvenation patient—our gift to you, so you can truly feel as good as you look. If you’d like boost your energy or maybe add some spice to your Valentine’s Day, and feel good every day thereafter, please give us a call.
Feeling younger than our age – in Cabo San Lucas.
Orange County Plastic Surgery at CosmetiCare
1101 Bayside Drive, Suite 200
Corona del Mar, CA 92625
Take the elevator to the second floor (Suite 200) and check in with the front desk for your consultation or follow-up.
Free Parking Available.
If you want to see if you can have any part of your body improved, contact us for a consultation:
For CA, please call 949-888-9700 or visit www.orangecountyplasticsurgery.com
