San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog - Page 9 of 26

Unfortunately a lateral brow lift isn’t usually effective in treating crow’s feet. Yes it’s possible it will eliminate the appearance of some of the lines, but it won’t remove all of them. Crow’s feet are small lines typically caused by laughing and smiling. Because they are created from muscular movement, the best way to treat them would be with injectables such as Dysport or Botox. These results will of course be temporary, but recovery time is quick.

If the lines are considered static (meaning you can see them even when you are not smiling or squinting) alternative options like laser resurfacing may be the way to go. The best way to answer your question definitively is to schedule a consult with a surgeon experience in brow lift treatments. You can then discuss the treatment options and decide the best route to take.
Not always. It depends on the elasticity of the skin, the anatomy of the body and other extenuating factors. And yes, the skill and technique of the doctor plays a role. A qualified doctor can give you an idea during a consultation exactly what risk you may have of irregularities in contour after surgery.

One thing to keep in mind though is that there are two types of lumping that can occur. One type is temporary and occurs because of an uneven resolution of swelling in the tissue. Sometimes this lumpiness can be seen, others it can only be felt. It usually goes away on its own given time.

The second type of lumping happens less often but is much more serious. It occurs because of under or over resection of fat, and will require that additional surgery be done in order to even out the results. Another thing to keep in mind is that people who smoke or are otherwise not in great health can also end up having lumpy results.
In every case, it is always best to reach your goal weight first, if at all possible before having a tummy tuck. At the very least, get down to a weight that you know you can maintain easily. This will only make things better for you, as you will reduce the amount of revisions that may be necessary. If you lose weight after everything is tightened then things might loosen a bit more, creating the possible need for additional surgery.

If you are actively trying to lose weight still, then keep up the good work until you are at your goal or very close to it, unless you have lost a significant amount and are experiencing itching and irritation because of the loose folds of skin hanging down.

In that case go ahead with the procedure, because there will always be SOME loosening of the skin post-op regardless, and there is no need to continue suffering needlessly. Also, if you have reached a stable weight and have stayed there for several months, it should also be ok to proceed with your tummy tuck without too much potential for loosening later.
Cereform implants are produced by a company located in the North of France. They are not however FDA approved for use here in the U.S. so you need to be very careful should you choose to go that route. If you are U.S. based and a surgeon is offering to use these you should seek another surgeon immediately.

If you are based in Europe, again I caution you to be very careful. The FDA puts medical devices through rigorous testing for safety and if they haven’t been approved yet you are risking your health unnecessarily. Currently only Allergan and Mentor produce implants that have FDA approval and I strongly recommend that only implants that have passed the FDA’s testing should be placed within your body. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon and remember that safety should always be your biggest priority.
For a procedure like this I’d recommend strongly that you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon with quite a bit of experience in augmentation and cases of tubular breasts. You’ll be able to do a physical examine and determine what specifically your best options may be.

Generally, tubular breasts require a surgical release of the lower breast. As a result, there is often not a lot of breast tissue covering the implants. Since saline implants have much more visible rippling when there is thin tissue coverage, I recommend silicone breast implants for most tubular breast augmentation patients. Again, consulting with your surgeon is important as a first step… then you can map out your game plan.
Rippling can be caused by several things. It has more to do with the amount of tissue covering the implants, how loose the skin is and how much the implants are filled. So the size of the implants is not really a major contributor, though of course larger implants can be more visible for a number of reasons (not just limited to rippling).

You can try to minimize rippling by placing implants beneath the muscle and/or using smaller implants and overfilling them slightly. In patients who have problems with recurring rippling, fat injections could be a potential solution as well.

The bottom line is that rippling can occur regardless of the type of implant used or the size used, and the best thing you can do is take steps to minimize it as much as possible. Schedule a consult with a surgeon well-versed in breast augmentation and discuss your unique situation. He or she will be able to make recommendations based on your examine and personal characteristics.
Perfect symmetry unfortunately isn’t possible. Everyone is born with a bit of discrepancy in size from one side of their bodies to the other. The goal is to make it appear as evenly matched as you can so that the discrepancies aren’t as noticeable.
Differently sized implants can help with some unevenness, but for small asymmetries it might be better to go with two implants of the same size instead. I suggest this because there are some asymmetries in the implants themselves when you choose two different sizes, which could prove problematic in reaching your goals.

Also, when you augment breasts that have an existing size asymmetry the % in the difference between the breasts will decrease even with implants of the same size. This is because the over-all size of the breasts is increased, which makes the differences in appearance less noticeable.

I’d suggest consulting with a plastic surgeon experienced in correcting asymmetrical breasts and decide your best recourse based on that. He or she will be able to examine you in person and help you decide the optimal way to achieve the results you’re hoping for.
There are usually two issues with breasts that look like they have aged – skin excess (which manifests itself as breast droop) and a loss of fullness in the upper breasts. Both need to be considered for optimal breast aesthetics.

In order to regain fullness of the upper breast, an implant will be necessary. Implants will serve to increase the volume of the breast and also create more of a perky look. That may well be the only procedure needed, provided there is minimal droopiness to the breast.

However, if there is sagging, without correcting the droop (i.e. the position of the nipple and areola); breasts can still look old even with their newfound volume. A lift procedure can correct the droop by positioning the breast higher on the chest, which will help to increase the full appearance.

In a consultation I can immediately determine whether or not a lift is needed and just how much of a lift is necessary. I can also determine what incisions would be needed.

All things considered, when the nipples have dropped to a level close to the fold, you should count on a lift being a very strong possibility in order to achieve the best results. Book a consult with a reputable surgeon experienced in breast augmentation and then go from there.
As many of you know, I was offered a wonderful opportunity this last January, when I headed to Phan Rang, Vietnam to assist with ReSurge International’s latest medical mission.

Over a 14-day period, two plastic surgeons (myself and one other) handled approximately 120 procedures on close to 80 patients. In addition to numerous cleft lip and palate surgeries, we also tackled extra thumb removals, burn reconstruction surgery, and severe eyelid droop in children (which occurs occasionally as a birth defect).

In a country with a population of 87 million, with 22% at the poverty level, and approximately six physicians per 10,000 people, it’s rewarding to not only help heal the emotional trauma of a defect, but also offer a family and child the reward of a promising future.

Reconstruction is much more than cosmetic in Vietnam: It’s a crucial step toward acceptance and opportunity. Clefts carry a stigma, with profound social and educational barriers, as well as contributing substantially to malnutrition and nutrient-deficiencies.

Likewise, it is crucial to have full use of one’s hands. With farming, mining and factories the leading industries for rural populations, anything less means hardship and failure. Congenital deformities, as well as a higher incidence of injuries and burns, can truly alter the life path of children.

It sounds like a cliche, but I truly was blessed to be part of such a large undertaking. I saw so many beautiful children with spirits that were undaunted by their setbacks, and families so grateful for the opportunity of a new beginning for their offspring.

Over the last 20 years, ReSurge has performed approximately 10,000 surgeries. I was fortunate to be part of their recent team, and very much look forward to future missions.
A thread lift lasts 18-24 months, according to a panel of worldwide experts I saw in October 2009, at the national meeting for the American Society of Plastic Surgery.

It’s entirely possible that threads will need to be removed and a facelift performed anyway should you opt to pursue the route of a thread lift. In my book, the procedure is not recommended – the idea of permanent cable threads in the cheeks doesn’t sit well with me, combined with the fact that the procedure still costs nearly as much as a facelift and doesn’t last very long, .

It’s highly advised that you discuss all your options with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, and discuss both invasive and non-invasive procedures thoroughly before you commit.