With regards to exercise, I feel that early exercise increases bleeding risk and diverts healing energy away from the surgical site. As a result, I advise light activity only for four weeks after surgery, then lower body low-impact exercise starting after that. By five or six weeks after surgery, breast augmentation patients near Scottsdale can ease back into exercise, but should avoid bench press or pushups long-term, as these exercises can push the implants apart over time. Very high impact exercise like waterskiing, kickboxing or snowboarding should be avoided for at least three months after surgery, which is when the internal healing tissues reaches peak strength.

Besides exercise, eating properly after surgery is important. Patients are provided with a list of things to avoid eating around the time of surgery to minimize bleeding risks. Garlic is one of the biggest culprits on this list as well as some vitamins and herbs as well (including Ginko biloba, St. John’s Wort, and vitamin E to name a few…). Immediately after surgery patients should stick to an easy-to–digest diet like soup, toast and rice, and can advance their diet as they see fit. Staying well hydrated with water and sports drinks are important, too.

Patients often ask if vitamins after surgery are helpful. I recommend a multivitamin (with minimal to no vitamin E). I also provide patients with arnica and bromelain, which are supplements that can help to reduce swelling and inflammation.

As far as surgical garments, I generally place patients in a surgical bra with a compression strap that helps to support the breasts and gently settles the implants down into the breast pockets. This bra is worn for a week after surgery. After that, patients can switch into a light sports bra or yoga bra, and can also use normal non-underwire bras if they are comfortable. Underwire bras are avoided for 4 months or so to avoid pressure of the wire into the lower breast skin.

With all of these ways to improve their postoperative recovery, patients can play an important role in their own healing process. Patients are usually excited with their results and are eager to do whatever they can to promote the smoothest recovery possible. Although some restrictions (like limited exercise and lifting) are inconvenient, all of these recommendations are designed to maximize results and minimize complications. When I explain this to patients, they are happy to accept short term limitations in exchange for the best long term results.

Before I perform breast augmentation on Phoenix and Scottsdale area patients, I always take the time to speak with them regarding the surgical recovery period. The reason I do this is to ensure that they are aware of the important role they can play in enhancing their healing for beautiful results. Patient’s actions after surgery have the potential to speed along their recovery, but can also increase their risk of complications if they are not careful during the healing process.

Although breast augmentation is not generally associated with significant postoperative discomfort, the healing phase must be taken seriously by patients to achieve the best results possible. The majority of the healing occurs in the first six weeks after surgery, with continuing progress for a few months after that. During this period, patients must be mindful that they are not fully healed and need to plan their activities accordingly.

Since in most cases I place implants under the pectoralis (chest) muscles, lifting and physical activities should be limited after surgery. If someone strains their chest too much after surgery, there is the potential for increased pain and swelling, or in the worst case, bleeding from the muscle into the space around the implant (called a hematoma) which can require more surgery.

To minimize these risks, I advise patients to avoid lifting more than 1 or 2 pounds for the first two weeks, 5 pounds for weeks three and four, and 10 to 15 pounds for weeks five and six. Patients are also advised to avoid yanking open refrigerator doors, slamming car doors or trunks, or doing any significant housework. Patients with very young children usually have family members stay with them for a couple of weeks to assist with child care- especially lifting kids out of cribs or into highchairs and car seats. After family members leave, I recommend that they hire help for housecleaning or childcare duties.

Frequently, women considering breast augmentation near Phoenix ask me whether this procedure can correct breast asymmetry. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I feel that my goal for breast augmentation in most women is not just to make their breasts fuller – it is also an opportunity for me to improve their breast shape and symmetry.

Studies have shown that some degree of breast asymmetry is present in nearly all women. I can confirm these studies with my own experience seeing thousands of patients in my office. Breast asymmetry can include differences in the size or position of the areolas, the breast size and shape, the position of the inframammary creases (folds under the breasts), ribcage size and projection, or some combination of these things. As volume is added to breasts with implants, the degree of asymmetry is magnified unless care is taken to correct the differences.

Although some degree of asymmetry will persist after surgery, it is imperative for a surgeon to understand what differences exist before surgery and make plans to improve this in the operating room. In many cases, patients are not aware of their asymmetry before surgery. However, once the differences are pointed out, they will be more aware of the attention to detail needed to provide the best postoperative results.

The way I determine asymmetry is mostly though observation. During the initial exam, I measure the patient’s breasts, the distances to the nipples, the inframammary fold positions, and I assess the overall breast appearance on each side. I also ask patients if they feel one breast is bigger than the other in their bra or bathing suits. I also evaluate the patients’ ribcage shape and angles, and during surgery I assess each patient lying down from below to check the ribcage projection.

During surgery, I use implant sizers to double check what the real implants will look like before I make a final selection. I often check multiple shapes and sizes to ensure the best appearance. In patients that have a breast size asymmetry, I use a larger implant on the smaller breast side, or I remove a little breast tissue from the larger side depending on the situation. I also make internal adjustments to the inframmamary folds from inside the breast pockets, and I frequently adjust the nipple/areola positions as well.

When all of these variables are evaluated and addressed during surgery, significant improvements in breast symmetry can be achieved. Perfect symmetry is not a realistic goal, but if a surgeon pays attention to the details, breasts can not only made bigger, but better as well.

Can you substitute dermal fillers for a facelift? Patients sometimes ask me this question about concerns such as facial wrinkles and sagging skin on the jowl. Although dermal fillers can add volume to the face and volume to the lips, the results are not permanent. Additionally, if you have sagging skin on the lower face, jaw, or neck like many of my Tucson facelift patients, dermal fillers cannot provide the kind of rejuvenation you need.

What Facelift Surgery Treats

Facelift surgery can treat sagging skin on the jowl and neck, and deep creases below the eyes and in the nasolabial folds. Facelift works by lifting the skin, tightening it for a firm, youthful look. This procedure can correct and minimize many signs of aging, and the results can last for years.

While dermal fillers can help with concerns such as lines around the mouth, they cannot correct sagging skin on the jaw, neck, or other areas.

The option chosen depends on the patient’s specific concerns. For example, for plumping the lips and smoothing away dynamic wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes, dermal fillers and BOTOX® Cosmetic in Tucson can provide a temporary aesthetic solution.

Rhinoplasty doesn’t have to be extensive. In fact, many people only want subtle enhancement of the tip of their nose or nostrils. This procedure, sometimes referred to as a “tip” rhinoplasty, helps Tucson area patients achieve subtle improvements with less downtime.

Tip rhinoplasty requires less recovery time because it does not modify the underlying bone or cartilage of the nose. When the bone or cartilage is broken and reshaped during traditional rhinoplasty, it requires about 6 weeks to heal and is very fragile during that healing period. The recovery period is much shorter by comparison for tip rhinoplasty, allowing you to return to your regular routine more quickly.

Although there are numerous non-surgical cosmetic treatments for skin concerns like wrinkles and discolored skin, many of the common skin problems can be avoided with proper skin care. Spending time on daily skin care can keep your skin looking fresh and healthy, which means you will have to spend less on cosmetic enhancement in the future.

With good skin care, you can prevent:

• Wrinkles: The number one cause of wrinkles is sun damage. Using a daily sunscreen can dramatically reduce your chance of developing wrinkles.
• Acne: Acne can be aggravated by unclean or clogged pores and oily skin. Washing daily or twice daily can reduce skin redness and acne.
• Blackheads: Blackheads are a result of dirt and oil building up in your pores. A good cleanser and exfoliation can help reduce the appearance of blackheads.
• Oily skin: Some people suffer with very oily skin; for these people, daily cleansing and using an oil-free or water-based moisturizer can help reduce acne.
• Dull skin: Accumulated dead skin cells can cause your skin to look dull. Exfoliation can remove these skin cells and brighten up your skin.
• Dry skin: Moisturizing can help to improve dry skin, giving you a healthy glow.

Here are 3 basic steps that can help prevent some of the most common skin concerns:

Wash: Cleansing your skin is essential to having healthy skin. As a dermatologist in Tucson, I recommend that my patients wash their skin gently with a good skin cleanser, rinsing thoroughly.

Exfoliate and Moisturize: Clear away dead skin cells to avoid clogging your pores. Moisturizing your skin keeps your skin healthier and more youthful.

Sunscreen: Sun exposure can lead to wrinkles and discolored skin, so be sure to put on sun screen to protect your delicate skin.

Fat transfer has been in the news lately as more plastic surgeons are using it not just for the face but for hand rejuvenation.

Typically, fat transfer is used to transplant fat from another area on the body to the face, adding volume to the cheeks or lips or to fill in wrinkles. In this way, fat transfer is similar to dermal fillers. However, the results of fat transfer last much longer.

Just like dermal fillers, fat transfer cannot treat every type of facial wrinkle. Dynamic wrinkles, or those caused by frequent muscle contractions, can often benefit more from a different option. BOTOX® Cosmetic for my Tucson patients tends to be the most helpful solution for wrinkles caused by facial movements such as frowning or laughing. Crow’s feet and lines on the forehead, for example, generally become minimized with BOTOX Cosmetic. In some cases, I combine a filler with BOTOX for a more complete solution.

By injecting the nasolabial folds (the lines between your nose and the corners of your mouth) with fat, the lower face looks much more youthful. Fat transfer can also diminish under-eye hollows and can add youthful volume to the cheeks. When combined with BOTOX Cosmetic on the brow, wrinkles are comprehensively reduced across the face, making you look years younger.

For men and boys who suffer from gynecomastia (excess breast tissue) their appearance can cause them significant stress and humiliation. Often, this problem can impact many facets of their personal lives and relationships.

Causes

Gynecomastia is largely unexplained, but there are some factors that come into play.

• Sometimes hormonal imbalances result in the excess breast tissue that creates the feminine looking chest.
• Some adolescent males suffer from temporary gynecomastia which resolves once hormone levels stabilize.
• The use of steroids or marijuana can also contribute to this condition by altering the body’s hormonal balance.

Correction

I perform gynecomastia correction surgery for men who want a firmer, flatter, more masculine-looking chest. For many of them, the procedure is life-changing. At my practice in Scottsdale, liposuction is typically used to reduce bulk and re-contour the area. In almost all cases, some glandular tissue needs to be removed as well. This involves a small incision along the lower border of the areola (the dark circle of skin around the nipple). The areolar incision generally fades nicely, leaving almost undetectable scars in many patients. Most of my male breast reduction patients are thrilled with their results, and only regret that they didn’t have surgery sooner.

Women who choose breast augmentation have the option of either saline or silicone gel filled breast implants. One of the most common concerns I hear from women choosing breast implants in Phoenix is whether or not silicone implants are safe. Despite exhaustive scientific studies of this implant type, there are still several myths that cause women to think twice. Here are the most common ones:

Silicone gel filled implants are linked to cancer and other diseases. There is absolutely no conclusive evidence to support this statement. The fact is, silicone breast implants are among the most studied of all medical devices and after all this research, there has never been a proven connection to rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, cancer, or any other illness.

Mothers with silicone breast implants should not breastfeed. This myth is based on the misconception that silicone could get into the mother’s breast milk. The National Institute of Health’s Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that there is no evidence of silicone in the breast milk of women with silicone gel filled implants. The IOM went on to strongly recommend that women with breast implants breastfeed their children, as there is no evidence of any harmful effects in children, and the benefits of breastfeeding are significant and documented.

Silicone gel filled implants can rupture during a routine mammogram. It is extremely unlikely that the new silicone gel filled implants would rupture during mammography or any routine activity. Today’s silicone implants have a thicker shell and an added barrier layer that earlier designs didn’t have. They are made to withstand more than 25 times the force of a routine mammogram. It is very important that women get their mammograms as instructed by their primary care physicians.

A smooth and uneventful recovery is the goal of every plastic surgery patient (and their surgeon). When patients ask me for tips on how to improve their recovery, I tell them that a healthy lifestyle is the first step. Many of the measures I recommend for an improved recovery apply to general health as well:

Stop smoking – Smoking is one of the worst things you can do in terms of your health and your plastic surgery recovery. Most plastic surgeons will require that you stop smoking for at least 4 to 6 weeks before and after surgery. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, and carbon monoxide in smoke blocks oxygen delivery in tissues, which puts smokers at increased risk for anesthesia-related complications, prolonged wound healing, infection, pulmonary problems, and a host of other concerns.

Protect your skin from the sun – You should be protecting your skin from the damaging rays of the sun regardless of whether or not you’re planning plastic surgery. Skin that has been shielded from the sun remains more youthful, elastic, and resilient, allowing for a better surgical outcome, especially for procedures such as liposuction. My Phoenix patients all get a clear warning that tanning after plastic surgery can cause their scars to darken and their skin to lose elasticity.

Eat right and maintain a healthy weight – A diet rich in lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains keeps the body functioning at a higher level. The nutrients in these foods help to support the immune system and speed the healing process. Drinking plenty of water and eating foods high in fiber can help with digestion, which is sometimes affected by pain medication. A nutritious diet should also help you stay at a healthy weight, which is essential to maintaining your results.