Archive for the ‘Cosmetic surgery’ Category

What to Expect with a Forehead Lift?

Saturday, May 30th, 2009

Some people tend to have more frowns and furrows on the forehead than others. This gives a serious, sometimes worried look to the face. The forehead lift procedure is an innovative surgical procedure that helps to lift up the skin between the brows and the top of the head. It can correct sagging brows or deep furrows between the eyes, taking away years of wrinkles and environmental effects that are causing the deep creases on the forehead.

A forehead lift is often performed to treat conditions associated with aging. It may be done in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures to achieve a more harmonious facial appearance. Younger adults who have a low brow or who already have deep frown lines due to stress or over activity of muscles may benefit from the Forehead Lift procedure. Many people undergo this procedure in conjunction with nose reshaping surgery, facial skin tightening procedures, or dermal filler treatments to fill out hollowed cheeks.

How the Forehead Lift is Performed?

Forehead lift is performed under enhanced local anesthetic. The forehead lift involves removing and sculpting facial tissues and muscles right above the brow bone, and suturing the skin and tissues in place so that wrinkles disappear. There are two types of surgical techniques available for a forehead lift, including the classic forehead lift and the endoscopic forehead lift. In this technique the surgeon decides to use largely depends on where the hairline is located, and if the hair can reasonably cover up the scar and incisions. The incision is designed to be inconspicuous when healed. Through the Forehead Lift incision, your plastic surgeon can modify or remove parts of the muscles that cause wrinkling and frown lines, remove excess skin, and lift your eyebrows to a more pleasing level.

Therefore, the procedure is painless and the patient is asleep during the operation that comprises lifting of the forehead skin. As a result, the furrows on the forehead are gone and the eyebrows are lifted. After the forehead lift, the rejuvenation effect is also visible in the expression of one’s eyes. The eyes appear more open and younger. When the surgery is complete the surgeon will wrap the head in gauze and bandages; this reduces bleeding, and also secures the tissues in place. The bandages may be removed a few days, or up to a week after the surgery. At this time, the tissues will have re-integrated and the incisions will have started to heal. Once the bandages are removed, there could be some tingling or numbness expected

Possible complications associated with forehead lifts

Every year, thousands of people undergo successful Brow Lift surgery and are pleased with the results. However, anyone considering surgery should be aware of both the benefits and risks. Both the conventional technique and the endoscopic technique can provide natural-looking results, and neither one involves an extensive amount of recovery time.

Some of the effects of surgery include:

  • Swelling of the tissues, especially around the cheeks and eyes
  • Bruising of the tissues
  • Pain around the head, or migraine headaches
  • scar formation
  • eyebrow movement problems
  • sensation loss

Exceed your expectations after plastic surgery with massage therapy

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Whether plastic surgery is utilized for health purposes or cosmetic reasons, the after effects are the same for everyone that is pain, swelling, scarring, heightened anxiety and, at times, depression. In some cases, medication may be prescribed for the pain and anxiety. But there are also other options that can help reduce the dosage or length of time of drugs are used, as well as aid in the healing process. Regular massage therapy treatments offer countless health benefits on their own, but are now becoming an effective post-surgical treatment for improving skin tone to boosting circulation. Massage is an effective way to help you manage the pain and stress that you suffer after cosmetic surgery or plastic surgery procedures.

To enhancing general health and wellness, massage therapy can help patients prepare for surgery, as well as ease pain and discomfort during recovery. Some of the massage therapy is performed by licensed massage therapists in our spa-like setting.

  • Swedish Massage
  • Therapeutic massage
  • Manual Lymphatic Drainage
  • Reflexology

Massage therapy reduces anxiety and stress

One of the primary benefits of massage is a reduction of stress. Numerous studies over the years have shown that massage therapy increases the levels of endorphins and serotonin in the body, thus reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation. It also reduces certain hormone levels such as cortisol, which is responsible for increased stress.

Massage Therapy for Pain Relief

The use of massage therapy can ease the pain caused by swelling and the muscle tightness caused by the surgery instead of turning to pain medication. Health experts suggest that massage treatments are an incredibly effective way to handle pain, anxiety, and distress following major surgery.

Other benefits of massage therapy after surgery include:

  • Improved blood flow
  • Improved skin tone
  • Deeper sleep
  • Reduced symptoms of depression

Go ahead with surgery to reverse or reduce presbyopia

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

People usually develop a condition called presbyopia typically beginning between the ages of 40 and 50. Presbyopia is the inability of the eye to focus at all distances, usually noticed when fine print starts to blur. It sometimes even results in blindness, as a result of muscular degeneration.

Presbyopia is the primary reason that nearly everyone after their mid-40’s uses bifocals, reading glasses, or removes their distance glasses in order to read at a comfortable distance. With age, the power of the eye begins to deteriorate, and focusing objects up close becomes more of a strain. Some people embrace it as a sign of wisdom and maturity, and others try to disguise it, grasping desperately to what they perceive to be their fading youth. Presbyopia is caused either by stiffening of the eye’s lens, continued growth of the lens or atrophy of the muscles controlling the lens, but other theories exist as well.

In the past, the usual remedy was to wear reading glasses for presbyopia. But now in modern times, surgical remedies for presbyopia also are available for qualified candidates. One of the first effective surgical options for presbyopia correction involved producing what is known as monovision during LASIK. Other surgical procedures such as conductive CK, also exist and they which give eye surgeons additional options for correcting this common vision problem.

Monovision and LASIK:

Monovision is the term for the surgical correction of one eye to achieve enhanced vision up close. Normally, both your eyes work together equally when you look at an object, to produce what’s called binocular vision. However, you probably have a dominant eye that your brain tends to favor for “sighting”. Therefore, in monovision, one eye does more work (sighting) than the other. If one of your eyes is set for distance vision and the other is set for near vision, the distance eye will do most of the work when looking at objects in the distance, and the near vision eye will do most of the work when looking at objects close by. To perform this surgical enhancement, doctors typically use procedure: LASIK, the famous name in eye surgery.

Some LASIK surgeons will produce monovision in their presbyopic patients by purposely leaving the non-dominant eye slightly nearsighted so that these patients can see up close without glasses. It’s better to try monovision with contact lenses or trial lenses in the doctor’s office first to be sure you can adapt. With the advancements in customized technology, eligible patients can receive better corrected vision with a slighter chance of side effects. As with all surgical procedures, there is a learning curve for surgeons.

Scleral expansion bands

The surgeon inserts four plastic segments made out of PMMA just below the surface of the scleral, which increases the distance between the muscles that focus the lens and the lens itself. Researchers think the extra distance augments the tension of the muscle, thus allowing it to do a better job of focusing the lens. Resulting from early phase clinical trials involved five patients, all of whom were able to read newspaper print after scleral expansion bands were inserted. Overall, some eyes that have received the implants show improvement, and some do not.

Tempted by cosmetic surgery, but don’t know where to start?

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Since you don’t want to compromise your health and well-being when pursuing plastic surgery, search for the best cosmetic surgeon. The best way to select your plastic surgeon is to do your own research. Take your time, interview at least two or three plastic surgeons, make sure you like the results of the doctor’s work and that you feel you have a good rapport with him. There may be hundreds of cosmetic surgeons in your area, but only a few will offer professional treatments, exceptional follow up services, and provide the right care you need for a successful procedure. So do it yourself, don’t just blindly take someone else’s recommendation. Anyone who refers you to a plastic surgeon has far less at stake in the outcome than you do, so it’s up to you to take responsibility for finding the best doctor.  Just a few extra steps is all that takes you to reduce the risk of a poor quality treatment that compromises your health.

How do you make the right choice?

  1. Get a recommendation from a satisfied patient- references from patients is the first place to learn more about the prospective cosmetic surgeon as that patient might be satisfied with the results he achieved.
  2. Make sure that the surgeon is board certified in plastic surgery. Remember that the board certification test is a written test; it does not evaluate the surgeon’s manual dexterity, his artistic talents, whether he cares about his patients’ well-being, or whether his results are excellent, just passable, or bad.
  3. The next is consultation- none of us are ever offended if a patient has scheduled a couple of consultations. You need to find the plastic surgeon who you like and trust. Trust your instincts, look out for salesmen, don’t get up-sold for something you didn’t come in to discuss and ask about the process of fixing a complication. A personalized consultation leads to personalized results!
  4. Learn about financing options- many doctors now offer convenient payment plans and low interest financing to help you manage costs of your services. This can help you plan ahead and make a better decision.
  5. Get a referral from a hospital referral line- a hospital referral line will send you at random to one of the plastic surgeons who work at that hospital. Hospital referral lines don’t take skill or patient satisfaction into account at all. but to none of the doctors who don’t work at that hospital.
  6. Learn about risks involved with your procedure- no matter how innovative and painless a procedure may sound, make sure you understand all of the risks and potential side effects involved. An honest surgeon will go over both benefits and drawbacks of the treatment, so take the time to learn as much as possible about your prospective procedure.

Herbal Supplements could pose risks for plastic surgery

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

There is a tendency to believe that herbal supplements are gentle and natural, but while many patients ask if there are any vitamins or supplements which could speed up healing after surgery, it is unfortunate to note that herbal supplement could be harmful to your health when you’re pursuing plastic surgery.

When undergoing any surgery, the most serious and potentially dangerous effects of alternative medicines and herbal supplements occur during the operative and in the immediate postoperative periods. The effect of natural supplements including Ginkgo, Ginseng, Ginger, and Green Tea can increase chances for bleeding after surgery, but could typically be used to boost the immune system. The American Society of Plastic Surgeon has identified the following herbal supplements as harmful during and after surgery:

Garlic – garlic can interfere with anticoagulants prescribed during recovery which can cause digestive irritation and bleeding effects so it is recommended to reduce garlic supplementation during the surgery process.

Echinacea- this supplement can boost the immune system and prevent bacterial infections; however, it prevents from recovery of wounds and cuts and will interfere with the healing process.

Ginkgo–  a powerful antioxidant and concentration booster, ginkgo has been used medicinally for thousands of years. However, ginkgo is also an anticoagulant which can interfere with recovery after surgery as it causes bleeding effects too.

Glucosamine – a supplement which commonly found in diet pills, it has been linked to extremely low blood sugar and can create significant problems for patients who go without food for extended periods of time during surgery.

Chondroitin – this supplement is commonly used to lubricate the joints, but can cause blood complications such as bleeding effect during surgery,  making it difficult for patients to recover adequately.

Patients need to be aware that full disclosure of all medications both those that are prescribed and those that are obtained over-the-counter is extremely important to their health and safety.  According to Dr. James Bradley, the co-author of the study at the University of California, all patients need to understand the potentially harmful side effects of several herbal supplements as most herbal supplements can interfere with the recovery process and may need to be eliminated from the diet completely for up to one month before and after surgery.  Stopping certain herbal supplements prior to surgery is just as critical as stopping aspirin, ibuprofen and many other common drugs.

Bariatric surgery as the last hope for weight problems

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

For individuals who have been unable to achieve significant weight loss through diet modifications and exercise programs alone, gastric surgery may help to attain a more healthy body weight. There are a number of surgical options available to treat obesity, each with its advantages and pitfalls. Despite countless diet programs and fitness regiments extolled by nutritionists, dietitians and the media, obesity continues to be a national health problem.

The most common form of gastric bypass surgery is Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. The surgery is the most commonly performed operation for weight loss in the United States. Health reports say that over 72 million adults in the U.S. are obese, a startling number that continues to rise with failed diet programs, poor eating habits and drugs that cause weight gain. For many obesity sufferers, bariatric surgery is the last hope for tackling the weight problem effectively and presents other advantages.

The following are the various types of bariatric surgery:

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass- within about 14 months, patients who undergo the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass lose an average of 60 percent of their excess body weight.

Sleeve gastrectomy- a new procedure, and data  indicate that average weight loss falls between the losses seen with the Lap-Band procedure and the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Lap-Band® procedure- the Lap-Band procedure averages 50 percent of patients’ excess weight—or about 80 pounds.

Biliopancreatic diversion bypass- Patients who undergo BPD surgery lose an average of 70 to 80 percent of their excess body weight within the first two years of the procedure.

Other studies show that for the severely obese, bariatric surgery is more effective at achieving and maintaining weight loss than nonsurgical treatments. As weight loss occurs, bariatric surgery patients may see improvements in a number of serious medical conditions. Here are some of the benefits of bariatric surgery:

1. Reduced chances of sleep apnea

2. Lowered risk of diabetes

3. Reduced risk of hypertension

4. Improved joints function

5. Boost of self-esteem

6. Ongoing weight loss

Ear pinning surgery for protruding ears

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Children who have protruding ears are often the best candidates for the plastic surgery procedure known as an ‘ear tuck’, or Ear Pinning Surgery otoplasty. The procedure involves repositioning or reconstructing the ear to achieve a more attractive appearance. While taunting by other kids because of prominent ears can be difficult to face, parents should not push undergoing the procedure unless the child is willing. It has been shown that patients already secure with themselves will be happier with the cosmetic outcome than patients that undergo procedures for the wrong reasons. Ear pinning is commonly performed to reduce the size of big ears, reshape asymmetrical ears, or add skin tissue to create a more balanced look.

How Ear Pinning Surgery is performed

Ear pinning surgery can be performed under local or general anesthesia depending on the extent of the surgery. The surgeon may prefer to use local anesthesia, combined with a sedative, so you or your child will be awake but relaxed. The surgeon makes a small incision in the back of the car to expose the car cartilage and then will sculpt the cartilage and bend it back towards the head. The stitches which are non removable may be used to help maintain the new shape. In another technique, a similar incision is made in the back of the ear. Skin is removed and stitches are used to fold the cartilage back on itself to reshape the ear without removing cartilage. The wounds are dressed with bandages and held in place for a few days after surgery to promote healing. It will leave a faint sear in the back of the ear, which will fade with time. The surgery usually takes two or three hours, the technique depends on the problem.

What could be the risk

When ear surgery is performed by a qualified, experienced surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. There are some risks associated with surgery and specific complications associated with this procedure. A small percentage of patients may develop a blood clot on the ear which may dissolve naturally. Some patients develop cartilage infection, excessive scarring, pain and soreness, and swelling of the skin tissues around the treatment area.

Belt lipectomy surgery - to cut draping or loose skin

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

You feel wonderful after losing significant weight on your own or after surgery. However, when you look in the mirror, you may not feel that you have achieved all of your goals because loose, baggy skin remains on your lower body. This is a common experience among those individuals who have lost a great deal of weight. So to deal with the amount of loose skin that is very large, especially excess weight around belly, hips, back, buttocks, and outer thighs, more extensive plastic surgery is needed, so the procedure chosen by the plastic surgeon is belt lipectomy, which is also known as a lower body lift. It can remove excess body fat and completely reshape the middle and lower body to create a streamlined silhouette.

How belt lipectomy surgery is performed:

Belt lipectomy is a comprehensive surgery for completely transforming your lower body to the best shape possible. This procedure is referred to as a lower body lift, circumferential body lift, total body lift, or abdominoplasty and buttock lift. The belt lipectomy is typically performed under sedation or general anesthesia, and can take several hours depending on the initial size of the patient. he recovery time differs from person to person. Most people need about two to three weeks before they can return to light activity. Usually, people will need about two months before they feel completely recovered.

Key benefits of the Belt lipectomy

The belt lipectomy is most effective for individuals who have lost a significant amount of weight and now have excess skin, or those who want to get rid of excess weight without undergoing bariatric surgery. Any loose skin around the hips, the lower abdomen and rolls of skin and fat around the back can be eliminated with the belt lipectomy. Other benefits of this body reshaping procedure include:

  • Complete reshaping of the buttocks and thighs
  • Tighter and toned midsection
  • Permanent removal of excess skin around the midsection
  • Transfer of fat if needed
  • Removal of excess fat around the abdominals

Belt lipectomy is indicated in several types of patients, but the largest group comprises patients who have had a significant loss of weight due to gastric-banding or stomach bypass surgery or as a result of successful dieting and exercise.

Zyoptix - Laser refractive platform for eye surgery

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

For today’s advances in laser eye surgery and emerging technologies, having sharp, near-perfect vision for life is a clear choice for many. When considering laser vision correction surgery, you want the best for your eyes you need the best surgeon, the best care before and after treatment, and the best treatment system available is Zyoptix laser eye surgery. It was the first system in Europe and Asia that applied Wavefront technology in laser eye treatment to provide Personalized Vision treatments.

The Zyoptix system is designed by Bausch & Lomb, and the company claims that this system is more precise than the standard Lasik treatment. Zyoptix surgeries report that 91.5% of patients had unaided vision without glasses or contacts and 70.3% of patients had unaided better. This procedure may be more beneficial to you when you want to minimize the risk of complications and common side effects associated with the Lasik surgery.

Zyoptix ideally treats patients who have night vision problem, with naturally large pupils, pre-existing higher order aberrations and nearsightedness and/or astigmatism. Zyoptix offers several benefits for the average, and some of them are:

1. The Zyoptix is an advanced eye surgery procedure that delivers a treatment unique to every individual, taking laser vision correction to a new frontier and more than improving your vision, it can enhance your life.

2. The Zyoptix system can measure aberrations in the eye that are causing vision problems, and generate a three-dimensional map which can then be used as part of the laser correction process to target specific areas.

3. The Zyoptix uses the latest most advanced technology to detect and treat very small vision errors. A recent FDA study, significantly more patients had better quality of night driving vision than patients treated with standard LASIK eye surgery. Zyoptix is like standard LASIK eye treatment, but is fast and virtually painless.

4. The Zyoptix lasers can smooth out the cornea with an innovative ‘dancing light’ laser. This scans the eyes and makes it easier to target the laser in exactly the right area.

5. The Zyoptix laser offers a 30% greater chance vision than standard lasers. This means you can undergo laser eye surgery just once to correct vision problems.

Cheaper & quicker Mini facelifts for youthful skin

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

As people age, the natural aging process, in combination with a lot of other factors like sun exposure, smoking, environmental influence, and other things can speed up the aging process in the form of sagging skin and wrinkles. To get the youthful appearance, some people undergo the cosmetic surgical procedure called a facelift. However, there is a common face lift without surgery, Mini face lifts. It is the modified version of the traditional face lift, and these mini face lifts are usually more tailored to the patient, addressing specific areas or spots. The areas for Mini face lifts are the neck, jowls, and nasolabial folds. Mini face lifts can make the patient’s entire face appear younger, simply by addressing these regions and can help eliminate those signs of aging without extensive incisions.

So if you are searching for an alternative to facelift surgery and looking for near-instant results, here are some reasons why you should undergo for a mini facelift.

1. A mini face lift can get rid of sagging skin and is a skin tightening treatment that can tighten up loose skin around cheeks, chin and jawline giving you a fresh look and youthful appearance in considerably lesser price than the usual facelift approach.
2. Healthy skin that has not lost too much elasticity and still heals fairly quickly is much more likely to respond to facelift surgery. If you don’t tan or smoke, you could easily go for this type of procedure because your skin will heal and recover.
3. If you’ve already undergone the facelift surgery but need to fill out wrinkles or enhance the skin a few years later, you can easily switch on the mini facelift to get better solution. The mini facelift can help strengthen any loose skin tissues to recreate the results of your previous facelift procedure.
4. If you have frown lines and wrinkles around the upper facial area, and  you’re not interested in settling for injectable filler treatment, a mini facelift can help you achieve a smooth and tightened look.
5. A Mini Face Lift procedure is shorter in duration than a traditional facelift and can usually be done under local anesthesia with or without sedation. It has potentially fewer risks that cause less tissue trauma resulting in a more rapid recovery. Also the cost is usually a fraction of a traditional facelift.