What is Plastic Surgery?

Plastic surgery is a surgical sub-specialty that deals with the healing and restoration of patients with injury, disfigurement or scarring resulting from trauma, disease or congenital defects. It includes aesthetic, or cosmetic surgery to correct or rejuvenate facial and bodily features not pleasing to the patient. Derived from Greek, the word plastic means molding or giving form and does not refer to the use of plastic materials.

What procedures do plastic surgeons perform?

Aesthetic (also called cosmetic) problems with the face, neck and trunk, including forehead, eyes, nose, ears, lips, chin, neck, breasts, abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, calves, arms, and skin.
Congenital deformities of the hands and face, including clefts of the lip and palate.
Benign (non-cancer) and malignant (cancerous) tumors of the head and neck, skin and soft tissues.
Traumatic injuries of the bony facial skeleton and hand as well as soft tissue injuries of any part of the body.
Surgery of the hand.
Surgery of the jaw and facial skeleton.
Any type of skin cover and replacement problems.
All types of reconstruction following removal of cancer resulting in disfigurement of any part of the body including the face, breasts, trunk.

What is aesthetic (cosmetic) surgery?

Aesthetic surgery, also known as cosmetic surgery, seeks to improve an individuals appearance. These type of operations most often involve the nose, ears, face, forehead, eyelids, breasts, abdomen, hips and thighs.

Will I have a scar after plastic surgery?

Scarring is inevitable of healing, however a very fine lined scar placed in the correct orientation may be virtually invisible. A plastic surgeon spends years trying to master techniques to place scars in the most desirable location. Plastic surgeons will try to make incisions in areas that will not show, like under undergarments or along natural creases. Scars will normally fade over time, but certain areas of the body such as the back and chest, produce more severe scarring regardless of the technique used for reconstruction and closure. The severity of the scarring varies from person to person.

What is Rhinoplasty and Nasal Reconstruction?

Rhinoplasty, or nose reshaping, reshapes the nose to improve appearance, and it may also be used to alleviate breathing problems. Pain from nose reshaping procedures are surprisingly mild. A splint is usually worn over the nose and sometimes inside the nose for five to seven days. There may be some bruising around the eyes, but this usually clears up in one to two weeks.

Can I receive a second nose reshaping if the first surgery does not produce the desired result?

Sometimes a touch-up is necessary after a nose reshaping, but it is generally better to wait a year before any additional surgery is performed. This also allows the maximum time to see the final results of the surgery.

What surgery can improve the appearance of breasts?

Three common procedures are performed: breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction.

Augmentation mammaplasty is a procedure that can safely enlarge a small breast or increase an undesired size. Implants may be placed in different positions depending on the physical make-up of the patient and her breasts. The implant may be introduced through three different incisions: below the breast, around the nipple areolar complex, or in axilla (arm pit).

A breast lift is used when the patient is happy with the size of her breasts however due to aging and pregnancy the breast gland has begun to droop. Various techniques are employed to accomplish a breast lift and results are generally excellent.

Breast reduction is designed to make overly large breasts smaller. Patients seeking this type of surgery often have multiple severe physical symptoms secondary to their large breasts including neck, shoulder, back pain, paresthesia of the arms and bra strap grooving of the shoulders. The technique of breast reduction requires lengthy incisions; however, they may be placed in inconspicuous locations such as the fold underneath the breast. Typical symptoms of back pain, neck pain etc. are almost always improved after a breast reduction if not completely eliminated. This procedure is often covered by insurance.

Am I a good candidate for liposuction?

Liposuction is not used for weight loss, rather to correct problem areas or fat bulges. A candidate will be close to their ideal weight because a liposuction is typically performed in patients that have an area of fat they find hard to lose. The fat removed does not weight a lot, so patients should expect a shape change, not a weight change.

Do the results of liposuction last?

As long as the patient maintains a healthy life-style, including exercise and a sensible diet, liposuction results are long lasting. Once the fat cells have been removed from an area there is no longer a preferential fat storage area and any fat gain will be distributed more evenly over the rest of the body.

What areas of the body can be treated with liposuction?

Most body areas can be treated with liposuction, though the most common areas in females are the abdomen, hips, and thighs. Men are often treated for liposuction in the breasts, hips, and abdomen. Liposuction is not limited to these areas, though other places may include the upper arms, under the chin and the buttocks.

Does liposuction leave scars?

Incisions made during liposuction are very small and put in areas that are more inconspicuous. Most cases of liposuction will heal well and it will be difficult to see where they were originally made.

What is BOTOX?

BOTOX is a groundbreaking non-surgical cosmetic surgery procedure, in which a natural, purified protein is injected into different areas of the face to diminish forehead creases, crows feet, frown lines, neck creases, and eyelid wrinkles.

Who is the ideal candidate for BOTOX?

The best candidates for BOTOX are men and women between the ages of 18 to 65 who want to erase the tough frown lines and deep wrinkles on their face and neck to achieve the appearance of a more youthful, smoother complexion.

How does BOTOX work?

BOTOX is injected in small doses into different areas of the face to temporarily paralyze the overactive wrinkle-forming muscle tissues. The protein blocks the transmission of nerve impulses allowing the overactive muscles to relax. The procedure takes approximately 10 minutes. Pain and discomfort are minimal. Some doctors will use an anesthetic ointment or an ice pack to numb the area prior to injection.

What is the recovery period for BOTOX?

BOTOX procedures are fast and effective. There is little to no recovery time and patients can resume normal activities immediately after the procedure. Results begin to appear several days after the injections.

How long do the results of BOTOX last?

BOTOX treatments may last up to four months. It is recommended that repeat injections be administered every three to four months to maintain a smooth, youthful appearance.