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Q: Is cosmetic surgery safe?
A: With improvements
in surgical techniques and anesthesia healthy patients today can
expect a safe outcome. Although not without risk, serious complications
are uncommon.
Q: How do I select my plastic surgeon?
A: The single
most important decision you will make is the selection of your
plastic surgeon. Many doctors refer to themselves as plastic surgeons
but not all have the same surgical training. Membership
in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons assures you
that your surgeon is Board Certified
by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
(ABPS). This oldest, most prestigious Board of Plastic
Surgery has been certifying plastic surgeons for over 50 years.
It is the only plastic surgery board recognized by the American
Board of Medical Specialties. To achieve Board Certification your
surgeon completed an approved general surgery program of at least
3-5 years and an approved plastic surgery program of an additional
2-3 years. Your plastic surgeon earned Board Certification only
after passing comprehensive written and oral examinations administered
by the ABPS. This certification assures you that your surgeon
has been fully trained in both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.
Q: I now notice that I appear tired even when I am well rested.
Can this be corrected?
A: As gravitational
and textural skin changes occur around your eyes you will tend
to look tired. There are several techniques to correct this tired
appearance. Most often correction requires an eyelid tuck (blepharoplasty),
often in conjunction with browlift, or skin resurfacing laser
treatment. It is also possible to use Botox to soften facial expression
lines. Most patients benefit from active participation in a skin
care program to prevent further skin damage and restore skin quality.
Q: I seem to be aging faster than some of my friends. Is there
anything plastic surgery can do for me?
A: We all show
visible aging changes at different rates. These differences reflect
our genetics such as skin quality and facial bone structure. They
also reflect our lifestyle including sun exposure, drinking, and
smoking. These factors may determine when you are ready to consider
surgery to restore a more youthful look. The foundation for improvement
is the facelift, tightening the skin, the deeper muscles and soft
tissues of the face and neck. This procedure will help you look
refreshed, often ten years younger. Newer techniques result in
improvements that last longer and are more natural in appearance.
Facelift surgery is often combined with other techniques to enhance
your result. We can assist you in selecting the best approach
for your aging concerns.
Q: I exercise regularly, but after two children I cannot get a
flat tummy. What can I do?
A: During pregnancy
your abdominal wall muscles stretched separating in the midline.
Your skin may have lost elasticity and stretch marks appeared
below the belly button. Exercise to tone the muscles is important
but will not correct excess skin or reposition the abdominal muscles,
only surgery can achieve this. The most common procedure for correction
is a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).
Q: After my pregnancy my breasts remain large and are now causing
back and shoulder pain. My gynecologist suggested a breast reduction.
Would this help?
A: Breast reduction
is one of the more common procedures performed by plastic surgeons.
It has a very high satisfaction rate improving postural discomfort,
including back and shoulder pain. This procedure is often but
not always covered by insurance.
Q: My breasts now sag following my pregnancy. Can this be repaired?
A: During pregnancy
your breast enlarges for breastfeeding. After pregnancy your skin
may not shrink adequately. This leaves a disproportionate amount
of skin and thus your breasts sag. Correction may require removal
of excess skin, the addition of an implant to increase the apparent
breast volume or a combination of both. The procedure must be
tailored to your specific needs. Improvement can be achieved with
one or more of these techniques.
Q: Are breast implants safe?
A: We presently
use saline filled implants with a silastic shell for primary breast
augmentation. Today these implants are FDA approved. As with all
implants, however they are not expected to last a lifetime and
most patients will replace their implants at some time in the
future. Replacement is most often necessary because of deflation
but occasionally because of firmness (capsule formation) around
the implant. These secondary procedures are generally outpatient
surgeries.
Q: How much weight can I lose with liposuction?
A: Although
liposuction is not designed for weight reduction there will be
some weight loss with the procedure. Most often the procedure
is performed to remove localized abnormal fat deposits such as
saddlebags, or love handles. The isolated fat deposits rarely
recur and although removal of fat cells may aid in weight control
it will not keep you thin. Only you can control your weight! A
good candidate for liposuction is not more than 15% over their
ideal weight. Most recently liposuction has been shown to be beneficial
for patients with diabetes.
Q: My child is very sensitive about his prominent ears. Can this
be corrected and at what age?
A: Prominent
ears can be corrected with surgery and young children tolerate
the procedure well. By the age of 4 to 6 years the ear has reached
85% of its adult size. This fact allows us to operate and correct
these deformities anytime after the age of four, thus minimizing
the psychological impact of this deformity on these children.
We've performed this procedure on patients as young as 4 and as
old as 70 with pleasing results. Insurance companies rarely cover
this operation.
Q: I'm noticing tiny veins on my legs and face. Is there any treatment
for these?
A: Advances
with lasers now allow for treatment of many small unsightly veins
around the face and recently the lower legs. Although several
treatments are required, newer treatments have little or no downtime
and discomfort is minimal. The technique can also be used for
congenital port wine stains.
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