Archive for the ‘Surgery’ Category

Breast Reduction Surgery – An Overview

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Many women seek breast reduction surgery as a way to treat excessive enlargement of the mammary glands. This condition is one which typically happens during puberty or directly afterward. In addition, some women end up experiencing symptoms during pregnancy only to find that it persists after child birth. In this article, we will outline the procedure in hopes of providing insight to treatment options and preparations.

Are You a Candidate?

There are quite a few factors that determine candidacy for the procedure. Ideal patients are well adjusted women whose oversized breasts cause medical and health concerns, disrupt sleep, interfere with activities, or suffer self conciousness issues associated with the condition.

Male Reduction

Roughly ½ of all men have gynecomastia, or the male version of the condition. Male enlargement can be the result of drugs such as blood pressure medication, anti-depressants, steroids, marijuana, and others. Gynecomastia is not a condition that can be improved though proper exercise and diet. The reduction procedure can be performed through the use of a scalpel or liposuction, depending on the exact anatomical requirements.

The Procedure

The operation is generally performed under general anesthesia, allowing the patient to sleep throughout the surgery. Prior to entering the operating room, your surgeon will draw a series of markings on your chest. These markings will provide a sort of map with which to make incisions.

Each incision is made along the marks. Flaps are then made on each side of the breast and excess fat, skin, and tissues are extracted. The nipple and areola are generally moved to a new position, but typically remain attached to the blood vessels and nerves.

Once all excess materials have been removed, the flaps of skin are refolded beneath and around, pulled to the front, around the nipple, and then sutured into place.

Risks

The surgery is generally quite successful, and patients typically feel quite pleased with the end result. However, with any surgery, there is always a chance of running into complications.

Surgery increases the risk of reduced blood flow and nerve damage to the nipple area. In such cases, sensation may be lost either temporarily or permanently. In some cases, it may be necessary to completely remove the nipple and areola and reposition them to a new location. This may also result in loss of sensation.

If you are interested in pursuing this treatment option, the first step is the process is scheduling an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon. He or she will best be able to evaluate your specific needs and concerns, while outlining the various options you have available.

Makeup For Eye Surgery Patients

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Eye surgery patients should avoid wearing makeup for a stipulated period. This may range from three days to a week and sometimes even more, depending on the scale of the surgery. The doctor may also prescribe other restrictions such as not washing the face for a certain length of time.

The reason for avoiding all contact with foreign substances is to avoid any infection that might. The operated eye is very fragile and vulnerable after surgery. Even a minor speck of dust might spark off a full-fledged infection. Even washing the face with soap and water can aggravate the infection. In fact, touching the area around the eye with a finger might be harmful.

After the completion of the stipulated period, doctor might allow the patient to start wearing makeup. However, one must still avoid all forms of eye makeup. Now, the patient may start wearing makeup foundation, lipstick, blush, and so on, as long as she applies it far from the eyes. The patient might also wear powder and facial lotions as long as the cosmetics stay away from the eyes.

The doctor might also impose this ban on makeup before the operation. The reasons are the same. Any amount of cosmetics can irritate the eye and thus, making it difficult to perform the surgery. This irritation might also lead to further complications during or after the surgery.

Beauty cosmetics used after the surgery should be water-based. This is because water-based cosmetics are easier to remove and therefore, will reduce the risks associated with post-operative makeup. Even when the patient finally starts applying eye makeup, it is best to use easily removable cosmetics, so that one does strain the eye with excessive products.

Makeup foundation and powders in cream form or pressed form are more preferable, as the chances of flakes flying into the eyes are reduced. Additionally, one should not apply excessive makeup foundation around the eye.

It is best to apply eye makeup after the eye has healed entirely. However, in the event that the person cannot avoid the application during the latter half of the healing process, he/she should apply the cosmetics very lightly and sparingly around the vulnerable area.

Excessive cosmetics around this area can put strain on the eye. In addition, the more makeup one puts around the eye, the more the risk of poking or hurting arises. To get around this, many people may apply eye shadow and liner using their fingers. However, the risk increases even more, as the bacteria on the fingers might find a way to enter the eye and obstruct the healing process.

Thus, after and before the eye surgery, it is best for the patient to avoid cosmetics altogether, unless it is imperative to apply. Even in this case, one should not apply too much makeup and need remove it as quickly as possible. Since the removal of water-based makeup is easier than waterproof makeup, the former should be the preferred type of makeup. After all, it is only a matter of days before one can start applying proper makeup again.

Tummy Tuck – The Cost of

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Known medically as an abdominoplasty but in layperson’s terms as a tummy tuck, the cost for this cosmetic procedure is not the same for every plastic surgeon. It is also not the same from state to state. In other words, there is not one uniform cost for everybody. That is why it is so imperative that you shop around and do your homework.

The total cost of having a tummy tuck can actually be broken down into three fees. There is a fee for the services of the surgeon, a fee for the anesthesia and a fee for the facility. The surgeon’s fee is not something that can be quoted to you before the procedure has been done. This is because the surgery may be more complex than originally anticipated and/or there could also be complications that could arise during the operation. As well, the fee for the surgeon is connected to his experience and qualifications. The surgeon’s fee makes up the largest percentage of the whole.

While costs vary from place to place, in a very general sense the cost of tummy tuck surgery in the United States ranges anywhere from $3,000 to $8,500. The fee for the surgeon is somewhere between $3,000 to $6,000. The facility fee is likely to be anywhere between $700 to $1,000, while the anesthesia fee will fall in the range of $500 to $700.

If you want very much to have an abdominoplasty but are bothered by the fact that you do not have the financial means to do so then the good news is that most plastic surgeons make available to their patients an affordable payment plan. Some doctors may require a down payment or lump sum while others may be perfectly fine with receiving payments from you on a monthly basis.

Some individuals may require a more extensive tuck than others. This is factored into the final price tag. The more fat and skin that must be removed from your body the more you will pay. The same can be said for the duration of time it takes for the surgical procedure. The longer you spend on the operating table the more money you will be charged. For example, a full tuck will take longer and therefore cost you more than a mini tuck.

The price you ultimately will pay for your procedure also has to do with the location for your tummy tuck. While most patients will have their tucks performed in a hospital, others may have it done in an official surgical suite or a private clinic.

The New Facelift

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Chances are, if you’re looking into the possibility of getting a facelift, that you’d like the most advanced and professional procedure available. Perhaps you’re looking for an operation that didn’t result in any scars, without the risk of obtaining that old unnatural, pulled-back look we’ve come to associate with the treatment. Well, thankfully, this dream has become a very available reality. In this article, we tell you about the subperiosteal endoscopic facelift. Here’s how this revolutionary treatment really works:

As the main signs of aging generally occur in the mid-section of the face, the procedure bases it’s focus here. Non-visible incisions, spanning less than an inch, are made around the face and mouth. Specially designed instruments are used to gently elevate the tissues of the brows, cheeks, forehead, and temple area. An endoscope, or a glass rod that conducts light, is connected to a digital chip camera, which provides high magnified visibility to the surgeon.

As tissue are set free, sutures are placed on the cheek’s underside, passed through to the temple area, and secured to the connective tissues that lie over the muscles in the temple area. Through the technique of placing sutures in the appropriate place, the cheeks are then folded. The entire process elevates each cheek in both outward fullness, and vertical dimension.

Due to the fact that the earliest aging signs include sagging in the brow, lower lid, and cheek areas, this procedure helps to correct these issues long before a traditional facelift is ever required. In fact, only when large excess’ of skin in the neck and jowl area occur is it ever necessary to make an incision in front of the ears. Many patients are finding that even in their fifties, they are able to have this treatment serve as the main procedure in the quest for a more youthful appearance.

In addition, if the complete rejuvenation program is followed by adherence to sun protection and a regimen of alpha-hydroxy and retin-a acids and anti-oxidants, individuals are able to look younger longer. And when combined with today’s laser technologies, the entire process is a win!

To find out more about this wonderful treatment, schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon. He or she will be best able to evaluate your individual situation and inform you of your available options. They will also be able to address any questions, concerns, or discussion topics you would like better clarification on.

Eyelid Surgery – 5 Common Questions

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Eyelid surgery is also referred to as blepharoplasty. This is an operation performed by a plastic surgeon in order to reduce the sagging skin that often occurs in the eye region as a result of aging. Many people have opted for this procedure and have achieved excellent results. Here are 5 of the more common questions about blepharoplasty:

Is eyelid surgery covered by health insurance? Although many people opt for blepharoplasty because of cosmetic reasons, there is also a medical issue connected with saggy skin surrounding the eyes. In many cases, this drooping tissue is hanging in the line of vision and obscuring it, especially the peripheral portion. This is a danger and concern, especially in driving. For this reason, health insurance will often pay for the procedure. If the operation is strictly for cosmetic reasons, the patient will be required to pay out of pocket. An appointment with the physician and a vision screening will provide the answers to all insurance quandaries.

What’s the difference between surgeries for the upper lid vs. the lower lid? In the upper region, excess skin usually needs to be removed while in the lower region; fatty deposits are usually the culprit. The upper region is often the area which obstructs vision.

Is an overnight stay required for this operation? Usually, this is considered to be an outpatient treatment, which means that the patient will go home that same day. Occasionally an overnight stay will be required, especially if other treatments are done at the same time.

How long is the recovery time? A patient will usually be able to return to work within a couple of weeks. The stitches will be removed within a couple of days. There will be redness, swelling and bruising initially as well as a feeling of tightness in the area. Liquid tears may be helpful in the early days, as well as adequate rest to promote healing.

How much does this procedure cost? Prices vary from doctor to doctor and state to state. Some surgeons charge as little as $2,000 while others charge as much as $7,000. The average cost is somewhere in the middle, close to the $4,000 range. When calculating fees, always be sure to add fees for the operating room and the anesthetist. Remember, though, if vision is being hampered, insurance may step in to foot much of the bill.

If a person has further questions about their specific eyelid surgery needs, they should make an appointment with a plastic surgeon that specializes in blepharoplasty. An initial consultation should provide complete details and answers.