The Capriciousness of Healing

Lauren Greenberg, MD writes on her blog:

Posted on April 1, 2010

Yes, yes.  I know.  I love those big SAT words.  “The capriciousness of healing….” sounds like it should be a title of a novel.

But I talk about this a lot with my patients prior to surgery.  Surgery is not an exact science.  I measure, and sculpt, and use tiny instruments, and put in many sutures.  But I can’t control exactly what your body does. 

I am blunt when I counsel about surgery.  I think I may scare some patients, but you need to know what you are getting into, and I don’t know who is going to heal effortlessly, painlessly, scarless-ly, and who won’t.

Your body is not symmetric.  Your body will not heal evenly.  One side will swell more.  One will hurt more.  Your actions are not symmetric.  You likely use your right hand more, pick your child up with your left arm, and sleep on your same side every night.  You may get a small infection, or form a thicker scar in one part of the scar while the other parts of the scar heal seamlessly, or spit a dissolving suture which your body should dissolve under the skin, but instead spits out through the skin. 

The corollary to this capriciousness of healing, is you MUST keep your appointments with your doctor.  I know for most of my patients it seems like ‘why did I come in?”  When you are out a week or two, you will feel healed.  Our visits will be short.  For most of you, you are healing just right, and I am not worried about the shape, position, volume, or scar.  But when I see you, I am looking for the little things.  The signs that something is heading in the wrong direction.  When I catch those things early, we can avoid a larger problem.

Surgery is a journey.  You and your doctor are a team. And healing can be capricious, so we need to keep an eye on how it is going.

Bay Area Plastic Surgeon Discusses Latest Trends in Nonsurgical Enhancement

Dr. Lauren Greenberg, a board-certified plastic surgeon in the Bay Area, in Northern California is an avid blogger who tirelessly pursues cutting-edge plastic surgery trends. She typically covers a wide spectrum of topics, from surgical enhancement with breast augmentation or liposuction, to reasons to consider when choosing a cosmetic surgeon. In her most recent posts, she addresses the growing popularity of nonsurgical enhancement with treatments such as BOTOX Cosmetic ® and skin rejuvenating products.

Palo Alto, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) March 16, 2011

The most recent survey from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) shows 85% of the almost 10 million cosmetic procedures performed in 2009 were nonsurgical treatments such as facial rejuvenating products and skin volumizing dermal fillers. At her Bay Area plastic surgery practice, Lauren Greenberg, MD responds to this latest development in the field of aesthetic enhancement, and the growing popularity of BOTOX Cosmetic® injections, as well as skin care treatments and products.

In a recent article, Dr. Greenberg addresses the common misconceptions associated with cosmetic enhancement in general, and BOTOX injections® specifically. As the popularity of nonsurgical enhancement continues to grow, Dr. Greenberg reminds her readers this widespread acceptance of nonsurgical procedures has only come about recently. BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal filler treatments were often lumped together with more dramatic surgical procedures such as liposuction or breast augmentation. However, she says the most recent development demonstrated by the statistics from ASAPS is important because it shows the general population is beginning to understand the beneficial impact of nonsurgical procedures.

The use of BOTOX® injections to treat headaches has garnered substantial attention of late, which Dr. Greenberg says has created a gray area for patients considering such treatment. In a recent article entitled, “Will Insurance Cover my BOTOX for Headaches,” she discusses several recent cases within her practice in which insurance covered the non-cosmetic use of BOTOX® injections. She stresses that the process is fairly arduous and dependent upon the patient’s ability to document the need for such treatment. In the end, Dr. Greenberg says insurance is slow to keep up with the trends, but adds that helping patients wade through the complicated realm of insurance coverage, as well as choosing the appropriate procedures, is an important part of providing exceptional patient care.

What to Ask Your Cosmetic Surgeon

Wednesday, March 16, 2011 10:51 AM

Before having a cosmetic procedure done, prepare by asking these 6 questions.

 Research is an important part of every decision, and this is especially true when deciding on a cosmetic surgery procedure. It’s a good idea to consult multiple physicians before making a choice and to ask the right questions. Dr. Drew Ordon of The Doctors shares what patients should ask before they have a procedure done.

• Have you performed many of these procedures? Ask your doctor how experienced they are with performing your specific procedure. Some physicians specialize in certain procedures or areas of the body, so find out what your doctor’s specialty is.
• How much does it hurt? Everyone handles pain differently and the varying levels of muscle involvement go a long way toward determining how painful a procedure is. Generally, cosmetic surgery doesn’t involve deep work in the muscles or organs, and usually the pain level is not bad compared to other surgical procedures.
• What type of anesthesia will be used? He says that it depends on the patient and their procedure, but there are methods of light, general anesthesia that keep you partly awake during surgery. He also notes that anesthesia today is much safer than in the past and often, no breathing tube is even needed.
• How long does recovery take? Most patients are healed enough to be seen at 10 days and really look good at one month post operation. Dr. Ordon says that by 2 months, you should look great. If you have a procedure that stimulates the growth of collagen, final results are typically seen about 6 months following treatment.
• Have you ever been sued? Some people feel embarrassed to ask this question, however it’s an important one. Talk to your physician about their past and if they’ve been sued for malpractice or had any legal action taken against them. A reputable doctor will be forthcoming with any information. There are also websites and state licensing boards you can check with to be certain.
• How long will the results last? According to Dr. Ordon, the results are going to last forever. He says that there is no stopping gravity, so skin will continue to sag, but you will always be 10 years ahead of the curve.

Dr. Ordon says patients should also make certain that their doctor is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Furthermore, surgical procedures are typically performed at a surgery center and patients should find out if their surgery center is properly accredited by their state.

Tips for Finding the Right Cosmetic Surgeon

• The Questions Every Cosmetic Surgery Patient Should Ask
• Choosing the Right Doctor – Tip 1: Make Sure They Have Many Tools
• Choosing the Right Doctor – Tip 2: Make Sure They Have Experience

 

Sarasota, FL Plastic Surgeons Discuss Importance of Choosing Board-Certified Surgeon

At the Sarasota, FL plastic surgery practice, John Leikensohn, MD, FACS, and Jeff Scott, MD, FACS, recently discussed the importance of choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon when considering cosmetic enhancement or reconstructive surgery, such as breast augmentation, liposuction, or tummy tuck.

Sarasota, FL (Vocus/PRWEB) March 16, 2011

According to recent study conducted by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the number of cosmetic enhancement procedures performed between 1997 and 2009 – including surgical and nonsurgical – increased 147%. As aesthetic surgery becomes more prevalent, Dr. Jeff Scott and Dr. John Leikensohn, board-certified plastic surgeons in Sarasota and Bradenton, FL, discuss the importance of board-certification in light of these statistics from ASAPS.

At the Plastic Surgery Center, which has two locations in Sarasota and Bradenton, FL, Dr. Leikensohn and Dr. Scott offer a variety of surgical and non-surgical procedures, ranging from BOTOX Cosmetic ® to breast augmentation. The doctors point out the increase in types of breast surgeries alone, and say the rigorous qualification process required by the American Board of Plastic Surgery ensures their patients receive the most effective plastic surgery results. They add that the education, training, and experience they gained during that process enables them to provide patients with safer care and the greatest chance at achieving their ultimate aesthetic enhancement goals, whether they are considering liposuction or a tummy tuck.

With over 10 million cosmetic enhancement procedures performed in the U. S. in 2009 alone, Dr. Leikensohn and Dr. Scott says that board certification is a necessary component for any significant life decision such as plastic surgery. Due to the challenging evaluation process, they add that they are uniquely qualified as plastic surgeons, which contributes to the overall safety of their patients at the Plastic Surgery Center in Sarasota and Bradenton, FL.

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeons Publish Results of New Procedure for Breast Reconstruction

NEW ORLEANS, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Leading breast reconstruction surgeons Frank J. DellaCroce, M.D., FACS, Scott K. Sullivan, M.D., FACS, and Chris Trahan, M.D., have recently published their groundbreaking work and pioneering description of a new technique that allows for women historically considered too thin for breast reconstruction with their own tissue to undergo their procedure with high success rates.  The manuscript, “Stacked Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Breast Reconstruction: A Review of 110 Flaps in 55 Cases over 3 Years,” was published in the March 2011 Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.  

“Breast reconstruction continues to evolve,” state the world-renowned surgeons .  “The Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator (DIEP) flap is a well-described means of providing natural tissue reconstruction with an attendant goal of preserving muscle structure in the abdominal donor site.  The purpose of reviewing these data, compiled from three years of surgeries, was to evaluate the effectiveness and reproducibility of this new procedure.  The development of this technique was based on the desire to provide natural tissue reconstruction for women lacking the abdominal fatty volume for a routine DIEP or TRAM flap procedure.  Our results showed the use of the stacked DIEP flap in a large number of patients with high success rates and superb aesthetic outcomes over a relatively short period of time. Of the 55 patients who underwent reconstruction using 110 flaps, all enjoyed successful outcomes.”

Doctors DellaCroce, Sullivan and Trahan are international leaders in all breast cancer surgery options and have pioneered many of the revolutionary procedures at the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery, and have refined breast reconstruction into methods that now represent the state-of-the-art choice in breast reconstruction.  With over 20 years of combined experience they have performed thousands of perforator flap surgeries with high patient satisfaction. The Stacked DIEP free flap breast reconstruction, the newest addition to their repertoire, will allow women who were previously not candidates for natural tissue reconstruction another option for their breast restoration when facing mastectomy.