Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Breast Augmentation Consultation: A Valuable Tool!

The best way to ensure great breast augmentation results is to use your surgical consultation well. Your initial consultation is your chance to size-up prospective plastic surgeons, get a feel for who they are and how willing the seem to spend time with you addressing your questions and concerns.

Newport Beach cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Milind Ambe, offers this advice for evaluating a plastic surgeon on his website:

"My best advice to any prospective patient is to make sure that you feel comfortable with the Plastic Surgeon that will be treating you. They should fully explain to you, without rushing or compromise, every aspect of the procedure. Their attention to detail should be obvious. Do not ever feel that you are rushed into making a decision--if the surgeon makes sense to you and their work demonstrates skill, you will do wonderfully."

A plastic surgeon should spend at least an hour with you, discussing you goals and medical history in the initial consultation. He or she will need to evaluate such physical issues as your current breast size and shape, your skin tone, the degree of droop you may have, breast asymmetry and other issues. He or she should also carefully explore with you your desired goals, discussing breast implant size and shape, incision options, breast implant placement and filler type. Before undergoing breast augmentation with any surgeon, you should be sure study plenty of before-and-after photos of their work to make sure you like the results they offer. Not all surgeons will share your aesthetic taste, and not all will offer the skill-level you seek.

No breast augmentation consultation is complete without ample discussion of surgical risks and potential complications, as well as downtime and what you should expect during recovery. Though breast augmentation is cosmetic, it is still "real" surgery and should be considered as carefully as any other. In fact, due to its elective nature, breast augmentation allows for more evaluation time than many other surgeries. Many plastic surgeons offer free initial consultations, allowing you to carefully shop around and compare surgeons without added expense. Even if prospective surgeons do charge for initial consultations, it is well worth it to visit more than one to ensure you choose a surgeon you feel comfortable with.

For more information, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons offers great advice for choosing a breast augmentation surgeon on their website.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Spiral Flap Offers Help for Deflated Breasts

We all know that not all cosmetic breast issues are the same. Some breasts are too small for our liking, some are asymmetrical, others need a little lift to correct sagging. A procedure called "spiral" flap is now being suggested to correct deflated or "pancake breasts" without the use of implants.

This year, a presentation on a technique to correct deflated breasts will be presented at a conference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The procedure uses unwanted fat from other areas of the body, such as the tummy, bra line and beneath the arm to correct the aesthetic effects of breasts that have been deflated through pregnancy, age and genetics. The breast mound is rebuilt inside a spiral flap, which is "mobile enough to permit artistry in shaping, positioning and enlarging the breast," according to an article on Plasticsurgery.org.

Though the spiral flap technique offers advantages such as a natural breast feel, the report says the technique is an option for a only small percentage of women, those with extreme breast deflation from pregnancy, age or massive weight loss. Breast augmentation, breast lifts and lift/augmentation combos are still the best option for most cosmetic breast issues.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

For many, the topic of plastic surgery brings to mind images of those who seem addicted to cosmetic procedures we've seen and read about in the media. From celebrities such as Michael Jackson to guests on television shows like Dr. Phil, we've seen that a form of plastic surgery addiction is out there and worry about what that might mean.

The "addiction" is caused by Body Dysmorphic Disorder, (BDD) a psychological condition causing men and women to become preoccupied with slight physical defects, either real or imagined. Though most of us have a few physical features we don't necessarily like, maybe even feel somewhat ashamed of, those with Body Dysmorphic Disorder become preoccupied by the perceived flaw, exaggerating it in their minds, sometimes making it difficult for them to socialize, maintain relationships, or even leave their house in some very extreme cases.

Though the appropriate treatment for BDD is still unclear, a combination of medications and cognitive behavior therapy is often used. It is clear, however, that plastic surgery does nothing to solve the problem. Instead the patient either continues to focus on the same perceived flaw even after surgery, or shifts their preoccupation to new defect.

The majority of those seeking plastic surgery, however, have a clearer perception of their appearance. They live full, relatively happy lives but wish to change some aspect of their appearance. Though plastic surgeons are not psychologists trained to diagnosis psychological conditions, they can thoroughly discuss with a potential patient what a cosmetic procedure can realistically achieve. If you are considering cosmetic surgery and believe you are a good candidate, Murrieta plastic surgery specialist Dr.Eichenberg will happily consult with you to explore your options.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Tone New Body-- Deflated Breasts

Weight loss is a tremendous accomplishment celebrated by many women, but its effects on our breasts can be less than uplifting to say the least. When our body looses fat, it loses fat everywhere. And since much of breast volume is made up of fat, our breasts tend to deflate with weight loss. For some women, the decrease in size looks proportionate and balanced with their trimmer figure, but for others the decrease can be disappointing.

“We must! We must! We must increase our bust! The bigger the better, the tighter the sweater, the boys depend on us!”

Some women used to try chest exercises to pump their breast volume up, but breasts are made up of fat and glandular tissue, not muscle. Chest exercises tone and strengthen the chest beneath the breast. At best they can give the breast a slight lifted look, but they have no effect on breast volume. If you study the figures of female bodybuilders, athletes and ballet dancers, all women with a high percentage of muscle over body fat, they tend to have flatter chests. So, though exercise can make you healthy, tone and strong, it cannot increase your bust.

Breast Lift—Offering perk without extra volume

For some women, the loss of breast volume is acceptable, if their skin would follow suit. But often the loss of breast volume can lead to unwanted sagginess. A breast lift surgically removes the excess skin around the breast and repositions the nipple for a younger, perkier look. The surgical scars can be carefully placed to decrease their appearance and give more satisfactory results.

Breast Augmentation—Adding balance and volume after weight loss

Many women want a shapely figure after working hard to lose weight, which means regaining lost breast volume through breast augmentation. Breast augmentation uses silicone or saline implants to enhance breast size, and can be combined with a lift to remove excess skin if needed to complete the look.

For more information on breast lift or breast enlargement, Los Angeles plastic surgeon Dr. Aronowitz can answer your questions.