Among the many questions that I receive about breast augmentation in the Baltimore area, one query

inevitably always comes up: “How long will my breast implants last?” It’s a smart question, because making the decision to have breast augmentation is an investment in yourself – and you want to know how long that investment will last. Here are the details:

• Breast implants are not meant to be permanent. An ethical surgeon will tell you that breast implants are not designed to be lifetime devices. That being said, many people do have their implants all their lives with absolutely no problems and no need for additional surgery. On average, however, breast implants are expected to last 10 to 15 years.
• The life span of your implants depends on many factors. Whether you have your implants replaced will depend on things such as your body’s ability to heal, the type of implant you have and how your implants were placed.
• You may decide to change your implants based on aesthetic preferences. It is not uncommon for women to change their minds after their initial surgery. They want their breasts bigger (or smaller), or they want silicone rather than saline implants (or vice versa). In this case, your implants can be changed to accommodate your new wishes.

It’s no secret among New Orleans plastic surgeons that cosmetic surgery can help to restore a person’s outer beauty and self-confidence. At my practice, we aim to provide professional naturopathic products that are doctor-recommended to treat the inner you. Focusing on your needs to achieve both inner balance and outer beauty is what sets us apart from other practices, and our patients couldn’t be happier.

• Not all vitamins are created equally. At my practice, only whole food vitamins are used from trusted and well-established companies.
• Synthetic vitamins can’t equal the quality and smaller quantity required of the whole food vitamins we provide in the office.
• Menopause (for women) and andropause (for men) often start around age 40. Hormone imbalances and deficiencies can often account for symptoms such as fatigue, decreased libido, weight gain, loss of muscle and moodiness. I perform evaluations for patients who show these symptoms to determine if medical treatment with bio-identical hormones will be effective.
• There is no question that diet and exercise can impact total body wellness. I have established relationships with weight management consultants, dieticians, health trainers and local fitness clubs to help my patients find the best fit to achieve all of their goals.

Almost any plastic surgeon in Baltimore will tell you that breast reduction surgery offers more than just aesthetic benefits; it can also improve a woman’s quality of life. Heavy breasts can cause unwanted physical problems that affect everyday activities. Additionally, women with large breasts often experience difficulty engaging in exercise and finding clothing that fits properly. They may feel self-conscious or insecure about their size. So while many people see large breasts as a desirable trait, those who are “well-endowed” know that their attributes can be burdensome.

Advantages of Surgery

Breast reduction surgery offers more advantages today than ever before. Thanks to advances in technology and better surgical techniques, women can now have improvements to the shape and size of their breasts with fewer unwanted side effects.

I use a short-scar technique for breast reduction that helps reduce operating time, lessen scarring, create a more flattering breast shape and provide longer-lasting results. This approach uses a vertical incision that runs from the nipple to the breast crease. The vertical incision is less disruptive to the breast tissue and leaves blood vessels and milk ducts intact, which leads to better healing. There’s less scarring, and breasts can usually be shaped fuller and rounder than with traditional breast reduction surgery.

Women who have this procedure feel the physical benefits almost immediately. Back, shoulder and neck pain is almost always reduced. Shoulder pain from bra straps is also reduced, and posture often improves. Women are often able to engage in sports that they previously avoided, such as running or swimming. Perhaps most important is a women’s sense of confidence, which often increases after surgery. Many of my patients report feeling more proportional and beautiful after their procedure, and their renewed self-esteem often carries over into their personal and professional lives.

There’s a lot of speculation about the safety of breast augmentation in New Orleans. On television and in magazines and newspapers, you can find a wealth of misinformation about the reliability of breast implants, especially silicone implants. Fortunately, advances in implant technology have paved the way for safe and beautiful results, and breast implant materials (both saline and silicone) are safer today than ever before.

At my practice, I offer the MemoryGel® silicone implant. This material is more cohesive than earlier silicone breast implants to prevent it from spreading through the body if ruptured. MemoryGel implants are often compared to gummy bear candy because they have a similar consistency. If a gummy bear is cut in half, it remains solid. The same is true for MemoryGel breast implants. This thick texture ensures that the silicone will not travel through the body if trauma or injury occurs.

Saline and silicone implants are both approved by the FDA and are widely used for breast augmentation. If you have concerns about the safety of breast implants, talk with your surgeon. She or he can give you honest, trustworthy information about the risks and benefits of breast surgery.

Most people who are familiar with plastic surgery in Baltimore know that liposuction is a great procedure for removing small areas of fat around the thighs, abdomen and buttocks. However, liposuction can also transform other areas of the body, such as:

• Chin and Neck: Liposuction can create a more defined jawline and reduce the appearance of a double chin.
• Knees: Fatty deposits can cause wrinkles or bulges around the knees. Liposuction removes this fat for sleeker, better-contoured legs.
• Breasts: Liposuction can be used during breast lift or breast reduction procedures to give the breasts better shape.

Complementary Approaches

Liposuction is great as an adjunct procedure to other body-shaping surgery. I often use liposuction during a tummy tuck to remove excess fat around the waistline and create a flatter stomach. Liposuction can also be used as part of a Mommy Makeover to contour areas of the body that are affected by pregnancy. Addressing multiple concerns at one time often provides more complete benefits and reduces the overall amount of downtime required after surgery.

One of the most common concerns expressed by new filler patients at my facial rejuvenation centre in Vancouver is, “What if I don’t like the results?” My answer to this question is always, “Whatever you don’t like can be fixed.” If you are unhappy with your results, you should contact us so that we can help you with your concerns.

Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are naturally broken down over the course of several months, so the results are temporary. However, some fillers such as JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® can be easily reversed with a natural enzyme called hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase dissolves the filler so that the effects typically disappear within 4 to 7 days.

I usually recommend that my patients wait 2 weeks for any swelling and/or bruising to subside before deciding to reverse a filler, since these temporary side effects can mask the true results. I often tell my patients that if they are not happy 2 weeks after treatment, they should come back and visit me, because we can usually adjust it.

There’s no reason to walk around feeling self-conscious about the way you look. Your results should make you feel vibrant, confident and empowered. If something doesn’t feel right, there’s always a Plan B.

One of the most common questions I am asked by my New Orleans liposuction patients is, “How long will the results last?” Since liposuction removes unwanted fat cells, the results are theoretically permanent. However, weight fluctuations or changes in lifestyle can diminish the effects of the procedure over time.

Liposuction does not prevent weight gain. Therefore, it’s important to maintain a healthful diet and a regular exercise routine in order to make the benefits last. This is also true for other body contouring procedures, such as tummy tucks and body lifts.

The results of facial plastic surgery can best be maintained with proper skin care treatments. Many of my patients use BOTOX® Cosmetic, dermal fillers and medical-grade skin care products to maintain healthy skin long after surgery. This not only encourages a youthful-looking complexion but also enhances the effects of surgery.

If you are considering cosmetic surgery of any kind, here are some things you can do to ensure that you enjoy your results for years to come:

• Eat healthful meals and exercise regularly
• Take good care of your skin with high-quality skin care treatments
• Avoid smoking
• Follow all of your surgeon’s post-operative instructions
• Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum

A face lift in Vancouver may be a great option for some people. However, many people do not need such an invasive procedure. At my practice, I offer several techniques for facial rejuvenation that require no surgery or downtime. But how do you know if a less-invasive option will work for you? Here are 3 clues:

1. You have good skin elasticity. Individuals with good skin elasticity usually respond very well to skin tightening procedures such as Ultherapy®, Accent XL® and Pellevé®. These treatments use thermal energy to encourage new collagen formation and promote skin contraction.

2. You do not have severe facial sagging. Heavy facial sagging usually requires a surgical solution, since excess skin must be removed. People with only mild to moderate degrees of skin laxity are good candidates for a non-surgical alternative. I evaluate my patients’ skin during their consultations in order to determine which procedure is best for them.

3. You want a soft, refreshed look. A face lift can provide dramatic results, but many people want more subtle enhancements. I offer a procedure called Soft Lift™ that addresses one of the most common (and commonly misunderstood) causes of facial aging: volume loss. Soft Lift restores facial volume and lifts the skin using a combination of BOTOX® Cosmetic and JUVÉDERM® injections. Unlike surgery, which pulls skin tighter at the jawline, the Soft Lift addresses the mid-face for subtle, yet noticeable, results.

There are a number of things you can do to avoid surgery and look great. However, if you do decide that surgery is right for you, adding non-surgical procedures such as BOTOX, dermal fillers and laser treatments can enhance the results of your surgery for longer-lasting effects.

Many people mistakenly believe that liposuction in Vancouver can reduce the look of cellulite. Although liposuction can provide some improvement, in actuality it is not a cellulite treatment. That’s because cellulite is not just a fat problem; it’s a structural problem in the skin (which is why even thin people can have cellulite). At my practice, we offer 2 treatments for cellulite:

• Accent® XL: This is a non-invasive treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to selectively heat the tissue. This process shrinks fat cells, promotes collagen production, tightens skin and smooths body contours. Accent XL is a comfortable procedure for most patients with little or no downtime involved, and side effects are mild. Results vary, and a number of treatments at 2-to-4-week intervals may be required.
• Lipodissolve™/Mesotherapy: Also known as “injection lipolysis,” Lipodissolve and Mesotherapy are minimally invasive injectable treatments that dissolve pockets of fat beneath the skin. We can selectively target mounds or dimples for a smoother appearance. There’s no need for a general anesthetic, and the treatment can usually be performed in as little as 15 to 30 minutes. This procedure is also great for individuals who want to lose inches as well as reduce cellulite, because the treated fat is gradually broken down and eliminated by the body. We frequently combine Lipodissolve with Accent XL for optimal results.

A recent study released by The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) found that 42% of patients receive most of their information about plastic surgery from social media.

Patients from Rapid City, Scottsbluff and Cheyenne want a plastic surgeon who can fulfill their needs, and certainly many of those people turn to social media resources for information to assist them.

While social media is a great way for people to gain support when planning for a procedure, it shouldn’t be a person’s only source of information. I recommend checking a surgeon’s qualifications, including whether he or she is a board-certified plastic surgeon, and finding out how much experience the doctor has with the particular procedure you are considering.

You can check a doctor’s website to see before-and-after photos that will give you a better idea of the doctor’s abilities. When considering popular procedures such as liposuction and breast enlargement, Rapid City and Cheyenne patients should talk with the doctor first and be sure he or she offers options for creating personalized results.