Plastic Surgery Information Blog

THE DIEP FLAP
In the mid-1990′s it was recognized that the TRAM flap could be harvested without the rectus abdominis muscle by dissecting the blood vessels (the perforating vessels to the skin and fat) through the muscle (see figure 2). This flap, called the deep inferior epigastric perforator or DIEP flap (see figure 3), uses the same skin and fat of the lower abdomen as the TRAM to reconstruct a breast. There are several published series in the medical literature that show that patients who undergo this procedure have less pain and a faster recovery than patients who undergo TRAM flap reconstruction. There is also less risk of abdominal wall weakness and herniation. Finally, since the flap is taken from the low abdomen like a TRAM flap, there is the added benefit of a “tummy-tuck”, with the abdomen nicely re-contoured.

Figure 2

Figure 3

The DIEP harvest is longer and more complicated than a TRAM flap, but for most patients this is more than offset by the benefits to the abdominal wall.

This is pretty interesting information. personally, I had no idea breast surgery was this involved. The techniques and the advances in breast surgery are simply astonishing. Even Specialists at the forefront of researching new surgical techniques, like San Francisco Plastic Surgeon Dr Gabe Kind agree that the DIEP FLAP reconstruction technique is bay far the most advanced form of breast reconstruction available today. Anyone have any comments? Has anyone ever had this type of breast reconstruction? Let’s discuss Shall we?

A liposuction can help such individuals restore a thinner and fitter looking contour to their bodies. The specified portion of the body is made smaller to better match the shape of the patient. A surgeon accomplishes this by removing excess fat through a vacuuming procedure. This not only helps to restore the physical appearance of the patient, but also restores self-confidence and respect to the patient. Please  to learn more about liposuction surgery. Liposuction is a very individualized procedure in which your goals should be realistically determined and discussed with a doctor such as Valencia Plastic Surgeon Dr Howard Hu, MD. Together you will determine what specific procedures will be performed. Liposuction is often performed in conjunction with other procedures such as abdominoplasty to achieve an effect that better matches the proportions of the body

Many people wish to reshape their nose to better fit the proportions of their facial features. In fact, changing the nasal shape is one of the most common reasons an individual consults a plastic surgeon like Southern California Plastic Surgeon Dr Dan Mills, MD.

If you want to decrease or increase the size of your nose, change the tip or bridge shape, narrow the span of the nostrils, or alter the angle between your nose and upper lip, plastic surgeons can perform a rhinoplasty to reshape your nose. This Procedure is also used to correct a birth defect or injury, or in some cases to help relieve some breathing problems.

While there is no age cap for rhinoplasty, Most surgeons prefer not to operate on individuals until they have hit the mid to late-teens, when the nose is near full development. Typically, the earliest age fro surgery is around 16 years for girls and about 18 for boys. This standard typically yields the best result, as one’s facial proportions tend to change significantly through puberty.

So what do you all think? It is obvious that Rhinoplasty is here to stay and the number of patients who have or will get a nose surgery procedure is increasing. What about the youngest age people can have rhinoplasty procedures? Should there be regulations in place to prohibit teens from having a rhinoplasty? Let’s Discuss this further.

Over the years, factors such as pregnancy, nursing, and the force of gravity take their toll on a woman’s breasts. As the skin loses its elasticity, the breasts often lose their shape and firmness and begin to sag. Breastlift, or mastopexy, is a surgical procedure to raise and reshape sagging breasts – at least, for a time. (No surgery can permanently delay the effects of gravity.) Mastopexy can also reduce the size of the areola, the darker skin surrounding the nipple. If your breasts are small or have lost volume – for example, after pregnancy – breast implants inserted in conjunction with mastopexy can increase both their firmness and their size. If you’re considering a breast lift, this brochure will give you a basic understanding of the procedure – when it can help, how it’s performed, and what results you can expect. It can’t answer all of your questions, since a lot depends on your individual circumstances. Please be sure to ask a doctor such as Tulsa Plastic Surgeon Dr Brian Whitlock, if there is anything about the procedure you don’t understand.

A breast lift can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won’t necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon.

The best candidates for mastopexy are healthy, emotionally-stable women who are realistic about what the surgery can accomplish. The best results are usually achieved in women with small, sagging breasts. Breasts of any size can be lifted, but the results may not last as long in heavy breasts.

Many women seek mastopexy because pregnancy and nursing have left them with stretched skin and less volume in their breasts. However, if you’re planning to have more children, it may be a good idea to postpone your breast lift. While there are no special risks that affect future pregnancies (for example, mastopexy usually doesn’t interfere with breast-feeding), pregnancy is likely to stretch your breasts again and offset the results of the procedure.

Let’s Discuss this Subject further. I am very interested in understanding more about Breast Lift Surgery.

More and more patients are opting to have non-surgical procedures, such as BOTOX® and collagen to treat different areas of the face with very little downtime. Doctors such as California Plastic Surgeon Dr. Dan Mills, M.D. uses botulinum injections or “BOTOX®” to treat frown lines, forehead furrows, “crow’s feet” and lines and wrinkles of the lower face. BOTOX® most effectively treats lines and wrinkles caused by the muscles, specifically the muscles that contract during facial expressions (i.e. frowning and squinting). BOTOX® is recommended by many as “preventative maintenance,” meaning that it can treat early signs of aging by minimizing wrinkles and lines to become more pronounced by restricting their source (i.e. the muscles that form the lines and wrinkles.)