Introduction & Background

Plastic surgery refers to a specialized branch of surgery that involves the restoration, reconstruction, or alteration of the human body. It is primarily divided into two categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic (aesthetic) surgery.

• Reconstructive surgery aims to correct functional impairments caused by burns, congenital defects, traumatic injuries, or diseases (such as cancer).
• Cosmetic surgery, on the other hand, focuses on improving the appearance of a person through various surgical techniques, often to enhance facial features or body contours.

Plastic surgery has a rich history dating back to ancient civilizations. However, it has evolved significantly over time, especially during the 19th and 20th centuries. In the modern era, technological advancements, such as improved surgical techniques, better anesthesia, and innovative post-operative care, have allowed for more complex and refined procedures.

Causes of Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery can be prompted by a variety of causes, including:

1. Trauma or Injury: Accidents, burns, or other injuries may necessitate reconstructive procedures to restore the function and appearance of the affected area.
2. Congenital Conditions: Some individuals are born with physical abnormalities (e.g., cleft lip or palate) that require surgical intervention to improve their appearance and function.
3. Cancer: Certain cancers, especially skin cancer and breast cancer, may require surgery to remove tumors and reconstruct affected areas.
4. Aesthetic Desire: Many people opt for cosmetic surgery to enhance their appearance, correct perceived imperfections, or delay the effects of aging.
5. Medical Necessity: Some conditions, such as severe burns or scarring from surgeries, may require reconstructive plastic surgery to restore function or alleviate pain.

Indications of Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery may be indicated for:

• Facial Reconstructive Surgery: To correct congenital defects, traumatic injuries, or after cancer removal (e.g., skin cancer).
• Body Contouring: Following significant weight loss or post-pregnancy, to tighten loose skin or improve body shape.
• Breast Reconstruction: After mastectomy due to breast cancer.
• Burn and Scar Reconstruction: For burn victims or those with severe scarring.
• Cosmetic Enhancements: Procedures such as facelifts, rhinoplasty (nose job), liposuction, breast augmentation, and tummy tucks.

Symptoms Indicating the Need for Plastic Surgery

While plastic surgery is often elective, there are certain symptoms or conditions that may signal the need for surgical intervention:

• Severe scarring: Scars that impair movement or cause discomfort.
• Functional impairment: Conditions that hinder normal functioning, like cleft palates or congenital deformities.
• Aesthetic concerns: Psychological distress caused by appearance issues.
• Chronic pain: From deformities, such as burn scars or post-surgical complications.

Prevention Strategies for Plastic Surgery Needs

Preventing the need for plastic surgery often involves maintaining good health practices, such as:

• Protection from trauma: Wearing appropriate safety gear in risky environments (e.g., helmets, seat belts).
• Skin care: Preventing skin damage and premature aging by protecting skin from excessive sun exposure.
• Healthy lifestyle: Maintaining a balanced diet and exercise routine to prevent obesity and maintain good skin elasticity.
• Early detection of conditions: Regular checkups and screenings for conditions like cancer that might require reconstructive surgery.
• Prevention of infections: Proper hygiene and wound care can reduce the risk of scarring and deformity.

Myths and Facts About Plastic Surgery

Myth 1: Plastic surgery is only for women.

• Fact: Plastic surgery is not limited by gender. Both men and women undergo cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries.

Myth 2: Plastic surgery is unsafe.

• Fact: When performed by certified, experienced surgeons, plastic surgery is generally safe. Risks exist, but complications can be minimized with proper care.

Myth 3: Plastic surgery results are immediately noticeable.

• Fact: Results from plastic surgery often take time to fully develop, and there may be swelling or bruising initially.

Myth 4: Plastic surgery is just for aesthetic reasons.

• Fact: Many plastic surgeries are reconstructive and restore function, not just appearance.

Myth 5: You’ll need to undergo multiple surgeries.

• Fact: Many procedures are completed in one session, though some, like breast reconstruction or major facelifts, may require multiple stages.

Treatments and Therapy

Medication-Based Treatments

Before or after surgery, certain medications can be prescribed, including:

• Pain relievers: For post-operative recovery.
• Antibiotics: To prevent infection.
• Topical treatments: To improve healing and reduce scarring.

Surgical Treatments

Plastic surgery itself involves a variety of procedures. Some common surgeries include:

• Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery)
• Facelift Surgery
• Liposuction
• Breast Augmentation
• Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
• Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)
• Cleft Lip and Palate Repair
• Burn Reconstruction

Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

Following surgery, patients may need physical therapy to regain movement, flexibility, and function. Rehabilitation helps minimize scarring and promotes optimal healing.

Lifestyle and Behavioral Interventions

Patients are often advised to:

• Avoid smoking, which can hinder healing.
• Maintain a healthy diet to support recovery.
• Practice proper skin care routines to enhance the results of cosmetic surgeries.

Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Some people may explore:

• Acupuncture: For pain management and recovery enhancement.
• Herbal treatments: To aid healing and reduce scarring.

Psychotherapy and Counseling

Plastic surgery, especially cosmetic surgery, can have psychological impacts. Counseling may be necessary to help individuals manage expectations and body image concerns.

Immunizations and Vaccines

In some cases, immunizations may be recommended before surgery to protect against infections.

Stem Cell Therapy

Research into stem cell therapy is growing in plastic surgery. It holds potential for enhancing healing, regenerating tissue, and improving outcomes for burn victims or those undergoing reconstructive surgery.

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is in the early stages of use in plastic surgery. It may eventually allow for the enhancement of tissue regeneration or the reduction of scarring.

Top 20 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Plastic Surgery

1. What is plastic surgery?

Answer: Plastic surgery is a specialized branch of surgery focused on restoring, reconstructing, or altering the human body. It is divided into reconstructive surgery, which restores function and appearance, and cosmetic (aesthetic) surgery, which enhances or improves appearance.

2. How long does it take to recover from surgery?

Answer: Recovery time depends on the procedure and individual factors. For minor cosmetic surgeries like Botox or lip fillers, recovery can take a few days. For more invasive surgeries like facelifts or tummy tucks, recovery can take several weeks to a few months.

3. What are the risks of plastic surgery?

Answer: The risks vary depending on the procedure but can include infection, scarring, anesthesia complications, blood clots, and dissatisfaction with the results. Choosing a skilled surgeon reduces these risks.

4. Are the results permanent?

Answer: Many cosmetic procedures, such as breast augmentation or rhinoplasty, can offer long-lasting or permanent results. However, the natural aging process may impact the appearance over time. Some procedures may require maintenance or touch-up surgeries.

5. How do I know if I’m a good candidate for surgery?

Answer: Ideal candidates are generally in good physical health, have realistic expectations, and are emotionally stable. A thorough consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon will determine if you are suitable for a specific procedure.

6. Is plastic surgery covered by insurance?

Answer: Generally, cosmetic surgeries are not covered by insurance. However, reconstructive surgeries, such as breast reconstruction after a mastectomy or procedures to repair functional defects, may be covered.

7. How can I find a qualified plastic surgeon?

Answer: Look for a board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience in the specific procedure you are interested in. You can check credentials through organizations like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and read reviews from previous patients.

8. What are the most common types of cosmetic surgeries?

Answer: Some of the most common procedures include:

• Rhinoplasty (nose surgery)
• Breast augmentation
• Liposuction
• Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)
• Facelift
• Botox and dermal fillers

9. Is there a minimum age for cosmetic surgery?

Answer: Yes, most plastic surgeries require patients to be at least 18 years old. Some procedures like rhinoplasty may be done on teenagers with parental consent, but age considerations depend on the procedure.

10. How can I minimize scars after surgery?

Answer: Scarring is an inevitable part of surgery, but techniques such as proper wound care, avoiding sun exposure, and using silicone gel sheets or ointments can help reduce scarring. Your surgeon will give specific instructions to minimize scarring.

11. How painful is plastic surgery?

Answer: Pain levels vary depending on the surgery. Most procedures are done under anesthesia, and you won’t feel pain during the surgery. Post-surgical pain can be managed with prescribed pain medications and usually subsides after a few days to weeks.

12. Are there non-surgical alternatives to plastic surgery?

Answer: Yes, there are several non-surgical options, such as:

• Botox for wrinkle reduction
• Dermal fillers for volume restoration
• Laser treatments for skin rejuvenation
• CoolSculpting for fat reduction

These treatments are less invasive but often offer temporary results.

13. Can plastic surgery fix burn scars?

Answer: Yes, reconstructive surgery can help treat severe burn scars, restore function, and improve the appearance of the skin. Techniques may include skin grafts, scar revision surgery, and laser treatments.

14. What is the recovery process like for breast augmentation?

Answer: Recovery for breast augmentation typically takes a few weeks. Patients may experience swelling, bruising, and discomfort, which can be managed with pain medication. It is advised to avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activities during the initial recovery period.

15. How much does plastic surgery cost?

Answer: Costs vary widely depending on the procedure, location, and surgeon’s experience. For example, breast augmentation can cost between $5,000 and $10,000, while rhinoplasty may range from $3,000 to $15,000. Consult with your surgeon for an accurate estimate.

16. Is there a risk of addiction to cosmetic surgery?

Answer: While most patients have realistic expectations, some individuals may develop a psychological condition known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), leading them to seek excessive surgeries. It’s important to discuss motivations and mental health with a surgeon before undergoing procedures.

17. What is the difference between reconstructive and cosmetic surgery?

Answer: Reconstructive surgery focuses on repairing deformities or restoring function, often due to injury, birth defects, or disease (e.g., breast reconstruction after mastectomy). Cosmetic surgery is focused on improving the appearance of a person, often for aesthetic reasons.

18. What should I expect during the consultation with my surgeon?

Answer: During the consultation, the surgeon will review your medical history, discuss your goals and expectations, assess your physical condition, and explain the details of the surgery, including risks, benefits, and the recovery process. It’s also an opportunity to ask any questions.

19. How soon can I return to normal activities after surgery?

Answer: Recovery times vary. Most patients can return to work and light activities within 1 to 2 weeks. However, strenuous physical activities and exercise may need to be postponed for 4-6 weeks, depending on the surgery.

20. Can I combine multiple procedures in one surgery?

Answer: Yes, many people choose to combine procedures, such as a tummy tuck with liposuction, or breast augmentation with a facelift. However, your surgeon will need to evaluate whether combining surgeries is safe based on your health, the procedures involved, and the time required for recovery.

Conclusion

Plastic surgery plays a critical role in both reconstructive and aesthetic medicine. With ongoing advancements in technology and surgical techniques, plastic surgery is more effective and safer than ever before. Whether it is to repair physical injuries, restore function after illness, or enhance one’s appearance, plastic surgery provides valuable options for many individuals. However, it is crucial to approach it with realistic expectations and ensure that you work with qualified professionals.

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When the Center for Facial Restoration announced it had been hit by ransomware recently, the hack attack might have sounded like just another expensive cyber incident for a small business. But the hack of the rhinoplasty practice near Miami included another, darker threat. The criminals added another potential revenue stream to their enterprise — extorting patients by threatening release of potentially embarrassing photos.

So in addition to worrying restoring data that had been encrypted with malware, Dr. Richard E. Davis had to worry about the publication of before and after photos that might humiliate patients.

This dual threat — criminal hackers stealing data before they scramble it with ransomware — parallels the recent global incident involving currency exchange company Travelex.  It’s a disturbing new trend among computer criminal gangs.

When the Center for Facial Restoration announced on its website recently that it had been hit by ransomware, the firm’s website had to add this chilling warning.

“(Hackers) demanded a ransom negotiation, and as of November 29, 2019, about 15-20 patients have since contacted (the firm) to report individual ransom demands from the attackers threatening the public release of their photos and personal information unless unspecified ransom demands are negotiated and met,” the warning said, “I filed a formal complaint with the FBI Cyber Crimes Center and two days later met with the FBI where they recorded detailed information regarding the cyberattack and ransom demands. The investigation is currently ongoing.”

It’s easy to imagine the seriousness of that kind of threat. On its website, the center says it specializes in repairing other rhinoplasty — or “nose job” — surgeries that left patients unsatisfied.

“Do you avoid cameras or social situations? Let cosmetic rhinoplasty restore your self confidence with a natural-looking, attractive nose that suits your face,” the website says. “Get ready to look at the camera and smile.”

The firm has not immediately responded for comment, so it’s unclear if more patients have been threatened with extortion. But Davis told HealthITSecurity.com that he hopes the damage was limited by recent security upgrades.

“While upgrading my defenses clearly won’t help those individuals whose data has already been stolen, there is reason to suspect that the theft of patient photographs may be limited to only a very small number of individuals – mostly those patients who used email to send or receive their photographs – so the upgrades may prove useful,” Davis said.

But the trend has security professionals worried.

“At least one other ransomware group is also routinely stealing data prior to encrypting it: Maze,” said Brett Callow, a threat analyst who studies ransomware for security firm Emsisoft. “This is a recent and concerning development, especially given how susceptible the public and private sectors seem to be ransomware attacks.”

The double-whammy of ransomware and data breach can leave victim firms scrambling to respond.

“An organization whose data is stolen has no good options available,” Callow said. “Refusal to pay will probably result in the data being published; payment will get them a pinky promise that the data will be deleted. And, as that pinky promise is being made by a criminal enterprise, it carries very little weight.”

Emisoft’s 2019 report about ransomware victims found that nearly 1,000 government agencies, non-profits, and medical organizations were victims of such criminal attacks last year — and there no indication the attacks are slowing down. The dual threat gives small organizations something else to worry about.

“I am dismayed to report (our office)… was the victim of a criminal cyberattack,” Davis says on his website.  “I deeply regret that individuals currently or formally under my care have been victimized by this criminal act, and I urge you to monitor your financial information closely. … . I am sickened by this unlawful and self-serving intrusion, and I am truly very sorry for your involvement in this senseless and malicious act.”

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With the cosmetic surgery gaining currency across the world, there is no dearth of fallacy. Many are aware of the fact that it is quite safe when any seasoned doctor conducts it.

Here everything depended on the safe process. The latest the technology, the safest the surgery.

In an exclusive interview to Gulf Today renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr Samir F. Shureih, hammered in this very fact.

Dr Shureih, who has been practicing cosmetic surgery for the last 38 years, insisted that that ‘no surgery is a small surgery.’

During the interview at the the Raffles Hotel in Dubai he said “every surgery is important he says and no matter how big or small it may seem it needs to be done under utmost care and supervision.”

He stressed on the importance of choosing a board certified doctor to go ahead with any procedure whether big or small.

Dr Shureih went on to clear a few myths about cosmetic surgery that are very common among people. 

Some of them includes how liposuction is chosen to be done only for someone who is obese and huge. Whereas it is ideal to do liposuction only for someone in their ideal body weight.

He also mentioned how any surgery done on someone’s body gives a trauma to the body so we need to give it ample time to recover.

“The original results of the cosmetic surgery can be assessed only after 6 months to a year and not before that as the body takes time to recover,” he said.

Dr Shureih spoke to Gulf Today on the sidelines of Emirates Plastic Congress 2020 being held at the Raffles Hotel from Jan.16-18.

The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) hosted a Surveyor Training course in conjunction with the Emirates Plastic Surgery Congress 2020.

 Dr Shureih is very well known and is respected by his peers and patients.

He makes sure he has regular follow up sessions with all his patients to make sure they are doing fine.

He says he will continue to do so for as long as he lives.

With his tireless commitment for medicine and his primary objective being the safety and comfort of his patients, Dr Shureih is undoubtedly one of the finest cosmetic surgeons in the recent times. 

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Jennifer Aydin isn’t afraid of sharing what it’s *really* like to get a tummy tuck. The Real Housewives of New Jersey mom of five recently went under the knife after five kids and a 25-pound weight loss, and she had her plastic surgeon husband Dr. Bill Aydin and her Instagram followers with her every step of the way.

Jennifer documented everything — or, as she put it, “the good, the bad, and the pee!” That included sharing her tummy tuck recovery, posting about everything from her struggles with shortness of breath to difficulty using the bathroom post-surgery.

“Sorry if that’s TMI. I’m a doctor’s wife, so there is nothing I won’t speak about,” Jennifer just told Page Six in a new video about her total body makeover that spanned liposuction, weight loss, a breast reduction and lift, and now this tummy tuck.

There’s one procedure that Jennifer says people have been asking her about, and she’s setting the record straight. “People have even asked me if I got my butt done, because he cinched me up so much in my waist. That now he gave me like a little peach,” she said, referring to her husband Bill’s handiwork.

She’s not mad at it. “You know, it’s like a little BBL without the BBL,” Jennifer said, referring to a Brazilian butt lift. “Ok, kill two birds with one stone here and it’s good that I married a plastic surgeon,” she joked.

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Mother-of-three Louise Harvey, 36, of Norwich, died on 5 July 2018 following the operation at a Transform Cosmetic Surgery clinic in London.

Her mother said Ms Harvey had breast surgery and a tummy tuck as she was told it would be cheaper together.

Post-mortem tests found she died of a blood clot in her lungs.

The beauty therapist’s cause of death was recorded as bilateral pulmonary embolism with secondary causes listed as breast augmentation and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).

The inquest in Norwich heard her family had a history of blood clots, however, Ms Harvey’s mother, Linda Harvey, said in a statement her daughter was sent home without blood thinners.

“If Louise had been advised about this I would have expected her to tell me,” she said.

She said her daughter had been advised by the clinic to have both procedures “as it would be cheaper”.

Ms Harvey was sent home two days after the three-hour operation on 17 June and had a follow-up appointment on 26 June.

However, she collapsed on 3 July and died two days later.

“Louise’s organs were giving up,” her mother said. “She had blood clots in her heart and lungs.”

Norfolk coroner Yvonne Blake asked Ms Harvey’s consultant plastic surgeon, Manish Sinha, if he had been “aware of her family history, her sister having had a clot and her grandmother”.

“No ma’am, I was not,” he said.

He said it was not his usual practice to read a pre-assessment form completed by a patient with a nurse – in which Miss Harvey’s family history of DVT (deep vein thrombosis) was recorded – “unless specific things have been flagged up to me”.

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Recently, a 29-year-old Thai woman paid 70,000 baht to a plastic surgeon (RM9,590) for a breast reduction surgery that resulted in her losing her nipples!

The woman, who is reportedly an online trader and famous beauty agent, wanted to perform a breast lift and reduce her cup size from 380cc to 275cc. The price of the surgery was originally 79,000 baht (RM10,823) but she managed to negotiate the price down to 70,000 baht (RM9,590).

After the operation, the woman had her doubts because the surgery ended a lot sooner than she expected it to. Nonetheless, she decided not to think too much about it since she trusted the clinic and would return for a checkup.

Unfortunately, things didn’t get better for this poor woman. She said she found a black wound on her nipple a few days after the surgery and suspected that it was rotting. While the doctor assured her that this was normal, the wound began to harden and cause her pain.

She returned to the clinic and when the doctor assessed the situation, he said another operation was necessary. He then proceeded to make her lie down on the surgery bed and blocked her eyes with a towel.

According to China Press, the doctor injected her with drugs and she felt him perform a series of actions that tore the wound.

When she was finally permitted to see what was going on, the poor woman discovered that her right nipple was gone and the left nipple was slightly protruding!

Outraged by the way her body was violated, the woman talked to the doctor’s assistant and demanded 500,000 baht (RM68,502) worth of compensation money.

The woman tried to appeal to the clinic’s shareholders on this matter but they refused to take responsibility for the damages incurred on her. Not only did they refuse to apologise, they blamed her for making too many complaints and dared her to report the claim.

Sadly, the woman had to resort to finding another hospital that would undo their mistake. The estimated cost of the surgery to fix the mistake was 300,000 baht (RM41,100).

She has since been spotted reporting the case with her lawyer at the Sudir District police station, Bangkok. Hopefully, the clinic will be dealt with accordingly for their irresponsible actions.

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I’ve heard people say that it’s a common thing for a woman’s left breast to be bigger than her right, but I wasn’t sure if it was true or what the science was behind it. However, when I’d ask my friends about it, they mostly agreed it was also true for them. So why is this the case and what does it mean? Here’s the inside scoop.

“The majority of women have asymmetrical breasts—some women realize it, but many do not,” says Concord, CA plastic surgeon Eric Mariotti, MD. “One study found that 91 percent of women have some asymmetry, whether it is regarding volume, the height of the nipples, or the chest wall. Most of the time these differences are very subtle, but other times they can be quite obvious. As a plastic surgeon who specializes in breast surgery, it is part of my job to educate women about them either way.”

Dr. Jessica A. Shepherd, director of Minimally Invasive Gynecology at the University of Illinois at Chicago says the most common reason for asymmetry is hormonal changes. “Breast asymmetry is typically seen in puberty where there are rapid growth spurts, and it is possible that one breast responds more to surging estrogen levels than the other.” Dr. Mariotti agrees. “One breast may have a different percentage of true breast tissue versus fatty tissue, and may therefore react to hormonal changes differently,” he says. “Genetics also play a big role: If a woman’s mother or grandmother had asymmetrical breasts, the chances are higher that she may have asymmetry as well.”

In addition to hormonal changes during puberty, the body’s physical development can also affect the appearance of the breasts. “Any bit of scoliosis in the spine can not only make the breasts appear uneven, but if the scoliosis appears during puberty, the development of the breasts can also be different,” says Pasadena, CA plastic surgeon Lily Lee, MD. “Similarly, the shape of a person’s rib cage might not be the same from right to left. Even if a person’s breasts are exactly the same size and shape, if the foundation that they sit on (rib cage) is uneven, the breasts will appear uneven.” Houston plastic surgeon Henry Mentz, MD says a woman’s athleticism can influence the share of her rib cage as well. For those who are very athletic, “the left rib cage may be slightly higher than the right because the heart and surrounding muscles have lifted the rib cage slightly. Many people have this condition,” he says. “Some patients who are right-handed or left-handed may also have a difference in the fullness of their muscle on the corresponding side, especially if they play sports where they predominantly use one hand, such as tennis.”

Grand Rapids, MI, plastic surgeon Bradley Bengtson, MD sums it up plain and simple: “One of my favorite professors used to tell me, ‘Breasts are sisters, not twins,’ and I tell my patients that too.”

There haven’t been many legit studies on breast size, but Dr. Shepherd finds a couple especially interesting: “One study in particular was done with 100 women who desired breast augmentation, and of those women, 88 percent had natural asymmetries. Also seen in a study published in the Annals of Plastic Surgery, 600 women were evaluated, and it was found that the left breast was larger.” 

So, if your left breast is larger than your right, no need to fret. It appears to be one of those unexplainable anatomical mysteries that affects many women of all different shapes and sizes for no good reason. But, if your asymmetry is significant and it bothers you, there are several ways it can be corrected.

FAT TRANSFER
“For mild asymmetry, we use fat transfer because we can shape the smaller breast and add small increments of volume where we want it,” says Dr. Bengtson. Fat transfer involves removing fat from one area of the body that has excess (typically the abdomen or thighs), cleaning it up and then injecting it into volume-deficient areas. Many doctors prefer using fat over other options because it’s from the patient’s own body, has a natural look and feel, and typically comes with a lower risk of complications.

BREAST IMPLANTS
If the symmetry is more significant, a breast implant can be used to create balance. “Implants are usually 30–40 cc different in volume for the next implant size up or down so we can definitely dial in and make breasts more symmetrical. In addition, we have four different projections of implants, so in patients with rib and chest wall deformities (which is extremely common), we can alter projection of the implant and thus the breast as well,” explains Dr. Bengtson. Adds Dr. Lee, “We now have such a range in sizes and shapes of breast implants that we can get asymmetries closer than ever before.” 

Dr. Mariotti adds that because no two cases are identical, “these types of procedures take a surgeon with lots of experience with breast surgery to get right.” It’s important to find a board-certified plastic surgeon who is qualified and can show you before-and-after images of other patients.

A high-tech benefit for patients interested in correcting asymmetries with implants is the Vectra 3-D imaging system. “Vectra takes several 3-D photographs with a special camera and analyzes them in the computer to show differences in size and shape of the breasts and provide guidance in breast augmentation regarding the size, shape and placement of the implants,” Dr. Mentz explains. “It’s very useful and precise, and it’s illuminating for patients to see themselves with accurate measurements and views from above, below and to the side. It also allows them to see themselves with a bathing suit top on or without to see if the implant size suits them.”

BREAST LIFT
A surgical lift can be done without inserting a breast implant in many cases, especially if it’s to correct uneven nipples. “Sometimes one nipple may be lifted more than the other, and when the nipple position is more than 20 millimeters higher than the other side, a breast lift can help even things out,” explains Dr. Mentz. If it’s the nipples themselves that are different sizes, they can be surgically altered to match as well.

Because breast asymmetries are so common, it’s important to be aware of what is a “normal change” in your breast size and what isn’t. Recognizing signs of breast cancer, which will affect one in nine women in their lifetime, is crucial for women. “Be sure to talk to your doctor if you have changes in how your breasts look or feel, such as a lump or firm feeling that is near your breast or under your arm,” says Dr. Shepherd. “Also check for nipple discharge or changes that do not look like milk and are possibly bloody. Another sign could be skin on your breasts that is itchy, red, scaling, dimpled or puckered.”

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A Sioux City plastic surgeon facing action by the Iowa Medical Board says he expects to be vindicated.

The board alleges Dr. Adam Smith failed to provide appropriate care to 17 patients from December 2014 to September of 2017. 

“I have done my best for my whole time in Siouxland here to provide the best care I can for patients.”

A hearing on the allegations is scheduled for October.

“From my standpoint, it looks like they are doing their due diligence, they are investigating and they’re calling me to the Iowa Board to basically testify in front of them to why I made the decision I did.”

Dr. Smith admits he no longer has surgical privileges at Mercy or UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s because of clerical errors when his mail was forwarded to Ohio after he and his wife separated.   

“Paperwork had fallen through the cracks and I wasn’t even aware of some of these actions and they kind of snowballed downhill.”  to the point where I am supposed to have a hearing with UnityPoint to discuss these things.”

Siouxland Public Media talked to one of Dr. Smith’s former patients who says she suffered disfigurement and extreme infection after a tummy tuck. 

Dr. Smith says he can’t comment on specific patients without their permission.

Democrats in the Iowa House are continuing their call for an oversight hearing about Jerry Foxhoven’s resignation.  

The former Department of Human Services Director disclosed yesterday that he was asked to resign after reportedly objected to a salary-sharing agreement with the governor’s office, 

Foxhoven also told a Des Moines TV station he believes his objection to the salary-sharing agreement is why Reynolds asked for his resignation in June. But Reynolds’ spokesman says that wasn’t the reason, adding Foxhoven never raised concerns about it.

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Jennifer Aydin will be sporting a slimmer look when she returns to the small screen.

“Obviously seeing yourself on camera always helps motivate you,” “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” star, 42, recently told Page Six. “I was really big on top, meaning my breasts were large, and I hated them. They were like these big melons. They were mushy from breastfeeding five kids and it started off with having the breast reduction. So that’s what I did first.”

Jennifer’s transformation started with going under the knife. Her husband, plastic surgeon Dr. Bill Aydin, performed a breast reduction, breast lift and liposuction on the reality star, which resulted in a 15-pound weight loss.

“It was just breast reduction and lift with implant. So then I got down a few notches with that and then I had liposuction in my back. My husband contoured my back and gave me shape. I lost about three and a half pounds of fat from my back and it contoured me. Then I was like, ‘Wow! I’m looking smaller and smaller, I got the small boobs, I got this hourglass figure, now I wanna lose some weight.’”

She noted that the liposuction “is really not a weight-loss solution” but that it “helps in your problem areas.”

Soon after, Jennifer found herself getting a kick-start from an unlikely place.

“I was stalking Teresa [Giudice]‘s Instagram and I saw how amazing Milania looked, and they kept tagging their nutritionist [Absolute Nutrition Counseling],” she said. “I contacted them and they came over to my house over with their colleague who is the chef that prepares your meals. They basically work together calculating my macros, and how many calories I’m gonna have every day.”

She lost another 10 pounds by following Absolute Nutrition Counseling’s recommended diet and having her food delivered to her door. She added exercising to her routine just a month ago.

“It’s a work in progress,” Jennifer said. “I’ll have a week where we go out to a few dinners and going out to dinner is part of my demise. I see it coming right on right away. So then I stop for a second, I’m like, ‘Okay, I gotta calm down. We gotta make some better choices, and I gotta get back on the bandwagon.’”

Jennifer and Bill recently took a family trip to the Bahamas and her self-control was put to the test.

“I brought my oatmeal with me and I would make oatmeal for myself after the gym in the morning. Our routine was going to work out every morning, then going to Starbucks … I was having a healthy breakfast, a light lunch and then, of course, we were going to dinner. And you know what, I’m on vacation, so I’m not going to deprive myself. If I wanna piece of bread, I’m gonna have a piece of bread.”

And while she may never take after Giudice and enter a bodybuilding competition — she told us “that wouldn’t even bring [her] joy” — she isn’t opposed to getting some help from Dolores and Frank Catania.

“She’s very generous,” Jennifer said. “I saw [Dolores] and she was like, ‘You know I have a gym in Teterboro, you can come work out with me anytime you want.’”

Now she’s getting ready to go to Turkey for her brother’s wedding and helping her mom move into a new home in New Jersey. And nothing can get Jennifer down, with her cheerfully telling us, “New chapters. New beginnings!”

The post Inside ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ star Jennifer Aydin’s transformation appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

In the last 10 years, incidents of skin cancer have gone up by more than 50 percent nationwide – which means Dr. David Kelly is a pretty busy physician.

The Gilbert resident is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who deals with the ravages of skin cancer.

The job can be challenging for Kelly, one of the partners of the Center for Dermatology and Plastic Surgery – which has grown to nine clinics across the Valley, including Chandler and Gilbert, since he joined the practice in 2015.

“I do a lot of skin cancer reconstruction on the head and neck, nose, eyelids, ears,” he said, recalling how one of his more challenging surgeries involved the reconstruction of an ear.

“It basically was the entire ear,” he said. “All the earlobe was completely gone…I had to replace the cartilage in the ear and then also the skin on the front and back of the ear. So that required about three different surgeries to reconstruct the ear, rebuild it and put new cartilage in the ear to help support the ear.”

He sees a lot of the damage that unprotected skin can suffer from exposure to the sun. And the age range of patients is virtually limitless.

The sun generally inflicts most of its damage on people before they turn 30, but skin cancer can take decades to develop. Moreover, when older patients were that young, sunscreen products were not nearly as effective as they are today.

Consequently, “We definitely have a lot of patients 60, 70, 80,” Kelly said. 

“But being in Arizona, we see a fair amount of younger people in their 30s and 40s with some pretty significant skin cancers,” he added. “I see a lot of pediatric patients that pediatricians and dermatologists send me.”

Of the 19 different medical providers at the Center for Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, Kelly is one of three different types of physicians.

Besides dermatologists, the center also has Mohs micrographic surgeons.

Named after Dr.  Frederick Mohs, the founder of micrographic surgery, the procedure removes cancerous tissue while removing as little of the healthy tissue as possible.

They usually are the physicians whom patients see before Kelly, who has two Mohs surgeons on his team, in the hope that radical reconstructive surgery might be averted.

“Most patients will come in and they have a spot that’s not healing,” Kelly said. “So we’ll biopsy it and once we determine it actually is skin cancer, then I normally work with a Mohs surgeon.

“They’ll look at the skin underneath the microscope immediately and make sure all the skin cancer is completely gone.”

But what happens if the Mohs surgeon removes enough tissue to create disfigurement? That’s why Kelly and the Mohs surgeons coordinate their schedules with patients.

“I work hand in hand with them,” he said, explaining, “Nobody wants to have half their ear missing and wait a week or so to see another doctor. So, when that patient is done with having a skin cancer removed, I can do” reconstructive surgery if needed.

“It’s in my same office. I meet patients, evaluate them, talk about what we need to do, how we need to fix this, and then we try to do that the same day. That way it’s just easier for the patient.

“That makes a big difference, and that’s one of the things that attracted me to this practice.”

A Utah native, Kelly did his post-graduate medical training in North Carolina and Kentucky.

He recalled how in North Carolina, “most patients have to wait one to two weeks to get to see a plastic surgeon, so they have a bandage on their nose or the ear for a week or so. That’s just not the best way to handle things.

“It increases the risk of infection, doesn’t have as good of an outcome. So, the way it is here, it’s nicer for the patient. We can evaluate immediately.”

Kelly, whose brother is an oral surgeon and a longtime Gilbert resident, had an lifelong ambition to become a doctor – partly because his father is a pediatrician.

“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a surgeon, but I didn’t know what kind of surgeon,” he recalled.

But then he had the chance to go to Africa and Guatemala, where he helped doctors treat children and adults with significant burn injuries and birth deformities. 

And those transformations he helped work on led him to plastic and reconstructive surgery.

“I liked the concept of plastic surgery, that we basically operate on like the entire body,” he explained. “We can operate on adults, children. We kind of run the gamut.

“When I was a medical student and resident, I just loved the skin cancer aspect of it – taking care of patients with large skin cancers on their face and helping them. There’s an immediate sense of satisfaction in reconstructing the nose or the ear or the eyelid or whatever. 

“So that’s what attracted me, the variety. Every day is something different….If the patient has a skin cancer on the nose, I don’t know if it’s going to be a small skin cancer or if it’s their entire nose that I have to reconstruct. So, it’s challenge. You kind of have to use your creative skills trying to figure out how to reconstruct and how to solve their problem.”

And the potential for challenges is always there, especially since post-cancer reconstructive surgery accounts for 60 percent of reconstructive and plastic surgery that the Center for Dermatology and Plastic Surgery handles.

The rest is cosmetic, such as face and neck lifts, eyelid and breast enhancements and what Kelly called “mommy makeovers.”

Kelly – who with his wife of 18 years, Ashley, has four children ranging in age between 3 and 12 – doesn’t let the skin cancer part of his work dissuade him from hiking and running.

“That’s one of my favorite things about living here is being able to be outside most of the year,” he said.

But Kelly takes no chances and thinks everyone should follow suit – meaning a nearly slavish attention to wearing protective clothing and good sunscreen at virtually any time under the sun and getting a skin cancer checkup every year.

The Center for Dermatology and Plastic Surgery has nine locations, including Chandler, Sun Lakes, Scottsdale and Glendale. 

The post Sunny Arizona keeps plastic surgeon busy appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Dr. Rod J. Rohrich is a well-known plastic surgeon in the medical community. He graduated from Baylor College of Medicine, trained at the University of Michigan Medical Center, and completed fellowships at Oxford and Harvard. He has held a number of high offices, including President of the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute. He is highly regarded among his peers and was awarded the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation’s “Distinguished Service Award.” Throughout his career, he has gained invaluable experience, which has made him the perfect person to lead the Global Dallas Rhinoplasty Meeting.

Dr. Rohrich brought the latest meeting to China. He engaged in live surgery so that he could share techniques and help to improve results for rhinoplasty procedures in this country. Since rhinoplasty is one of the most complicated surgeries to perform, he felt the need to offer tips so that better results may be achieved. He explained that the best way to ensure consistently positive outcomes is to create an individual plan for each patient. He stressed that experience and patience are key. A surgeon must have great passion and focus and must be totally dedicated to this specialty. Even though not every procedure is fully successful, it is essential to learn from failures and mistakes so that they do not happen again. This is a sign of a true expert who can deliver excellent results.

In his talk, he acknowledged the challenges of Asian rhinoplasty. It requires advanced techniques, including augmentation of the dorsum and cartilage grafts to the tip of the nose. To provide as much assistance as possible, Rohrich and his team spoke over 15 times about advanced rhinoplasty topics. He provided multiple interactive videos and addressed a variety of issues in panel discussions. The most important part of this meeting was his live demonstrations. He gave a real look into the latest techniques available and performed both primary and revision treatments. One included rib grafting. His hope was to emphasize the importance of focusing and getting the job done right the first time so that no further surgeries are necessary. When revision rhinoplasty is needed to correct a surgical mistake, options are more limited. Also, the likelihood for a positive outcome greatly decreases.

Dr. Rohrich advocates for the open approach to rhinoplasty. This involves cutting a small incision into the cartilage that is present between the nostrils. This gives solid access to the underlying structures. In this manner, surgeons gain better control and can deliver better results.

Dr. Rohrich appreciates the opportunity to chair the Global Dallas Rhinoplasty Meeting and recognizes the large audience that benefits from the information that it provides. For example, the latest meeting taught more than 15,000 doctors in more than 60 countries. Besides conducting surgery, Rohrich has written one of the most informative textbooks that deals with rhinoplasty. He describes the treatment as “a surgery of millimeters” and explains that it requires great finesse. Hopefully, his initiative makes a difference and helps all doctors perfect their techniques. The next Global Dallas Rhinoplasty Meeting is set for March 13, 2020.

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