Recently, a patient asked me if I used surgical drains as part of my routine when performing breast augmentation surgery. It’s a thoughtful question – as there are a few surgeons locally who do use drains during breast augmentation surgery, removing them at the first or second postoperative visit. Drains, by the way, are small […]
“Doctor, will a mini tummy tuck fix my tummy or do I need the full tummy tuck?” The mini tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is the smaller cousin of both the “regular” or the “extended” abdominoplasty. These latter two operations do have a longer incisional length, but are much more powerful in terms of skin tightening and muscle repair, […]
People are funny. Sometimes, no matter how carefully I think I’ve explained the hows and whys of the operations that we can do, and the options that could work for a given situation, some patients wish for what I call “plastic surgery magic”, as opposed to plastic surgery reality.The most common example of “magic” would be […]
Many people have heard the word “keloid”, and think it means “any bad looking scar”. This is a common misconception. Scars fall into a couple of categories. Since different types of scars and scar problems are treated differently, it’s important to diagnose the scar situation accurately. A keloidal scar is a scar that continues to enlarge and spreads […]
One variation of the usual abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck) is known variously as the “anchor”, the “vertical” or “Fleur-de-lys” abdominoplasty. This involves removing not only the lower abdominal skin and fat, but also adding a vertically-oriented segment shaped like an inverted “V” in the upper midline. When the surgery is completed, this leaves a T-shaped or “anchor” […]
Here is a recent press release from the Physicians Coalition for Injectable Safety – a group of 7 American, Canadian and International Surgery groups, including plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons and ophthalmic surgeons – who review & study the latest and best methods regarding injectable cosmetic products. For the record, I agree with this bulletin, […]
Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal (link) have pointed out the need for a more uniform standard in office operating rooms – namely accreditation by one of the three national OR inspection agencies.I couldn’t agree more. Improving safety standards for patient care is a good thing. Accreditation of an operating room, whether it’s in the hospital or […]
There are a few websites that claim to simulate the effects of plastic surgery on a photo that you can upload to the site. Others have adjustable 3-D renderings of models, where you can adjust their appearance by moving slider-type controls, to more closely mimic your own appearance.I’ve looked at a couple of these, and […]
One of the frustrating problems that can sometimes occur after breast implant surgery is known as “rippling” – an irregular wavy look or feel to the breast. This is caused by a combination of factors, related to the physical properties of the implant, the patient’s own soft tissue and how it may have changed over […]
Here’s an interesting press release from ASAPS (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), discussing a new survey in which Botox Cosmetic and fillers like Restylane and Juvederm were now “mainstream” topics of discussion amongst patients, and not any big “secret”. This matches with our experience – our female patients openly discuss their treatments, much like […]
