Face | Breast | Body | Skin
Facial Cosmetic Surgery Procedures
What problems can a facelift correct?
A facelift can reduce signs of aging (wrinkles, lines, sagging skin, drooping brow) by removing excess fat, tightening the underlying muscles, and redraping the skin around the neck and face.
I would like to improve the look of my neck, not my face. Do I need a facelift?
If your problem areas are limited to the neck, you may elect to undergo a more conservative procedure called a “necklift.”
I’ve heard that the best candidates for facelifts are in their 40s and 50s. Are older patients eligible?
Most facelift patients are in their 40s-60s, but facelifts can be done successfully on people in their 70s or 80s as well.
When can I go back to work?
Most patients return to work about ten days to two weeks after surgery.
What are the advantages of blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)?
By removing excess fat, skin and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids, blepharoplasty can rejuvenate puffy, sagging or tired-looking eyes. It is typically a cosmetic procedure but can also improve vision by lifting droopy eyelids out of the patient’s field of vision.
Will I have visible scars from a browlift?
Incisions are made along the eyelids in inconspicuous places (in the creases of the upper lids, and just below the lashes on the lower lids) to minimize scar visibility. If no skin needs to be removed during surgery, the surgeon will likely perform a transconjunctival blepharoplasty, where the incision is made inside the lower eyelid and there are no visible scars.
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Breast Enhancement Procedures
Should women who are pregnant or plan to be pregnant wait before undergoing a breast lift or breast reduction?
Women planning to have children are advised to postpone surgery, since pregnancy and nursing can counteract its effects by stretching the skin. However, breast lift surgery should not affect your ability to breast-feed. Breast reduction surgery is not recommended for women who intend to breast-feed, since many of the milk ducts leading to the nipples are removed.
How long does recovery take?
Most patients feel tired and sore after surgery, but this usually passes in a day or two and many patients return to work within a week or two. Any post-operative pain, swelling and sensitivity will diminish over the first few weeks. You should avoid heavy lifting for three to four weeks and only gentle contact with the breasts should occur for six weeks.
Does breast enhancement surgery cause scarring?
Yes, although scars can be hidden with a bra, bathing suit or low-cut top. During surgery, incisions are made in inconspicuous places on the breast to minimize scar visibility (in the armpit, in the crease on the underside of the breast, or around the areola, the dark skin around the nipple). Scars do fade with time.
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Body Contouring Procedures
On what areas of the body can liposuction be performed?
Liposuction sculpting can remove undesirable fat from the abdomen, waist, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, chin, cheeks, neck and upper arms.
Are there different techniques?
There are several different methods surgeons use when performing liposuction, including tumescent liposuction, the super-wet technique, and ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL). In all types a tiny incision is made in as inconspicuous a place as possible. A cannula (small tube) is inserted and moved back-and-forth beneath the skin, breaking up the fat layer and suctioning it out. Tumescent liposuction and super-wet liposuction use fluid injection, which facilitates fat removal, reduces blood loss, provides anesthesia during and after surgery, and helps to reduce the amount of bruising after surgery. UAL liquefies fat with ultrasonic energy and is highly precise.
What is the recovery like?
After surgery, drainage tubes, compression garments and antibiotics may be needed to facilitate the healing process. Patients are encouraged to walk as soon as they are able and many return to work within a few days, although strenuous activity should be avoided for about a month. Results are visible immediately, though improvement may continue as swelling subsides during the first three months. Scars are small and inconspicuous. Other irregularities in appearance are possible, such as asymmetric or "baggy" skin, numbness and pigmentation changes.
Who is a good candidate for a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)?
The best candidates are in good physical condition with pockets of fat or loose skin that haven’t responded well to diet and exercise. Older, slightly obese people whose skin has lost some of its elasticity can be helped. Abdominoplasty can also be useful for women with stretched skin and muscles from pregnancy, although results from the procedure will diminish if they continue to bear children. For this reason, women who plan to have children again are advised to delay abdominoplasty. Patients who intend to lose a lot of weight are also encouraged to wait before undergoing the procedure, since skin in that area typically loosens after substantial weight loss.
What is recovery like? Will there be scars?
Recovery time ranges from two weeks to a few months, but with a balanced diet and regular exercise results are long-lasting. Abdominoplasty will likely leave a permanent scar stretching between the hips, although it should be low enough for even a bikini to conceal it. Patients who have had previous abdominal surgery should know that their old scars could be raised, stretched or generally more noticeable after the procedure.
What is a mini-tummy tuck (partial abdominoplasty)?
Partial abdominoplasty is similar to abdominoplasty except a shorter incision is made and the skin is only lifted to the navel, which does not have to be moved (although it may be pulled into a different shape as skin is stretched).
Who is a good candidate for a body lift?
Candidates for body lifts typically either cannot lose significant amounts of weight, or already suffer from loose (inelastic) skin on many or most areas of the body as a result of age, childbearing or extreme weight loss due to diet, exercise or bariatric surgery. Because of this, the procedure is often combined with others such as breast lifts, facelifts and arm lifts to retain a proper body proportion.
What happens during surgery?
During the procedure, skin is lifted from underlying tissue, muscles are tightened and stitched and fat is removed where necessary, and the skin is sutured closed. The navel is often removed and replaced in its new position.
What is recovery like?
Surgical tubes may be needed for a few days to drain any fluid, and patients may need to wear compression garments for a few weeks to facilitate faster healing. Patients are encouraged to walk as soon as they are able, although strenuous activities must be limited for about a month. Results are visible immediately but improvement may continue for some time. Full recovery may take a few months.
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Skin Procedures
Can chemical peels be combined with other procedures?
Peels can be combined with other procedures such as facelifts for a younger look.
What are the different types of chemical peels?
There are three types of chemical peels, ranging from mild to strong -- alphahydroxy acids (AHAs), trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and phenol.
What does injectable collagen do?
Injectable collagen counteracts the effects of gravity, sun exposure and years of facial muscle movement by filling in wrinkles, lines and scars, adding fullness to areas of the face such as the lips, cheeks and forehead and sometimes other areas of the body such as the neck, back and chest.
Can collagen injections be combined with other procedures?
Because injections are not permanent and cannot improve severe wrinkles or deep folds, the procedure is often combined with facial resurfacing or plastic surgery (i.e. browlift or facelift) for more a satisfying and longer-lasting outcome.
Will I see results right away?
Yes, although at first the site will look too swollen. This is because part of the injection consists of salt water, which your body will absorb in the first few days.
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