The Consultation Is An Important Part Of Plastic Surgery

The plastic surgery consultation is an opportunity to meet your plastic surgeon, get comfortable with one another and most importantly, you will discuss with your plastic surgeon the areas of your appearance for which you desire improvement. When you contact the plastic surgeon's office to schedule your consultation, the surgeon's staff will send an you a packet that contains important information. This packet should include information about the plastic surgeon, the Surgeon's office, policies and of course, information about your chosen plastic surgery procedure as well as information about the surgical facility where the procedure will be performed. It is important that you completely read and fully understand this information in order for you to be aware of what to expect, the surgery process and options available to you prior to your consultation. This packet will also includes a patient questionnaire about you, and your medical history.

During your consultation, the surgeon will perform an examination. Depending on the procedure, the surgeon will measure the area(s) of concern, take notes and the surgeon may also take "before" photos. The surgeon will discuss with you the options available for your procedure, such as the size of breast implants. In addition the surgeon will also offer his recommendations for you. You and your plastic surgeon will also thoroughly review the planned procedure, what to expect as you recover and your anticipated results.

Mommy Makeover in San Francisco

To reverse the effects that pregnancy can take on their bodies, many women elect to have a Mommy Makeover. These procedures are meant to address the effects of pregnancy that cannot be reversed through diet and exercise. The Mommy Makeover is not just one specific procedure but is a combination of procedures performed at the same time to correct the problems that have occurred as a result of childbirth and breast feeding. A Mommy Makeover isn’t just for recent moms—some women wait several years before treating themselves.

There are several procedures that make up a Mommy Makeover but a majority of the women choose to have Breast Augmentation, Liposuction and a Tummy Tuck to get their bodies back to the days of before their pregnancy.

Dr. Poulos and Dr. Hvistendahl are Board Certified Plastic Surgeons in San Francisco who specialize in Mommy Makeover procedures.

Improve Your Sun-damaged Skin With Little Downtime

Currently, there are many lasers used to treat sun damage/photo-aging of the skin. One older laser system, the carbon dioxide laser, has been very effective for laser treating sun damaged skin but has fallen out of favor. This is because it routinely caused extensive rawness of the skin that typically required over 2 weeks of “downtime” to recover. In addition to the time it took to heal, it frequently caused skin discoloration and occasionally scarring. Many lasers available today require very little downtime and yield some improvement of the skin but are not nearly as effective as the carbon dioxide laser. San Francisco Plastic Surgeon Dr. Cedars in conjunction with Dr. Wall are doing a study designed to assess the effectiveness of a new, modified carbon dioxide laser system.

The MiXto laser is a "fractional" carbon dioxide laser, meaning that, rather than "zapping" 100% of a treated region of skin, it zaps scattered tiny zones of skin comprising a total of perhaps 25% of the treated region. Tiny treatment zones mean no skin rawness. The trade-off appears to be that more than one treatment is needed to get good results. The laser has been used to safely treat over 160 patients in Italy. It has been FDA-approved for treatment of fine lines. Patients who have been treated with this laser report less pain, less downtime, and better results than are reported with other lasers. Dr. Michael Cedars and Dr. Tomi Wall have successfully patients with this laser.

What is the Best Method For Breast Reconstruction?

The unique circumstances of each patient help to determine the best option for the method of reconstruction that can be used. The goals of breast reconstruction surgery are to re-create a breast which matches the opposite breast, or in bilateral cases, to reconstruct two breasts of a patient’s desired size. The nipple and areola (the pigmented area surrounding the nipple) are also reconstructed. It is ideal to consult with a plastic surgeon prior to mastectomy. This allows the plastic surgeon to plan the treatment that is best suited for the patient, even if the patient decides to wait to have reconstructive surgery at a later date.

Immediate breast reconstruction occurs when reconstruction is performed at the time of mastectomy. Immediate reconstruction has the advantage of usually saving the patient at least one subsequent operation, and has been shown to have a significant psychological benefit, as the patient never has to experience the total loss of a breast. All of the reconstruction options listed below can be performed at the time of mastectomy.

Delayed breast reconstruction is done at a later time. For some women, this may be advised, especially if radiation to the chest area is needed after the mastectomy. Delayed reconstruction is appropriate for these women because radiation therapy following breast reconstruction can increase complications after reconstructive surgery.

Plastic Surgery in San Francisco- Breast Reconstruction

There are many techniques available to reconstruct a breast following mastectomy. All of the techniques described here can be performed at the time of mastectomy. This is referred to as "immediate" breast reconstruction. Immediate breast reconstruction saves the patient at least one subsequent operation, and has been shown to have a significant psychological benefit, as the patient never experiences a mastectomy defect.

Breast Reconstruction is one of the most challenging and rewarding areas of plastic surgery in San Francisco. Dr. Kind is one of a very few surgeons performing the deep inferior epigastric perforator or DIEP flap for breast reconstruction. This technique allows for the breast to be reconstructed with the patient's own tissues, without the loss of any muscle.

It is always an excellent idea to do your research and seek out a qualified, skilled and experienced specialist like Plastic Surgeon In San Francisco Dr Kind to help answer your questions and understand the plastic surgery procedure fully before having the surgery.

If you are considering a plastic surgery procedure such as Breast Reconstruction, make sure you do your research and consult with a specialist prior to having the surgery procedure. Making sure you fully understand the procedure, the risks involved and having all of your questions answered beforehand can mean the difference between a successful procedure and a surgery nightmare. There are a lot of great information rich websites on the internet. One really informative website is lookingyourbest.com. This free site provides a wealth of plastic surgery information. This site even offers a free service to help locate a qualified plastic surgeon in your area.

You Can Improve Your Sun-Damaged Skin With Laser Treatments

Currently, there are many lasers used for facial and skin rejuvenation and to treat sun damage and photo-aging of the skin. One older laser system, the carbon dioxide laser, has been very effective for treating sun damaged skin but has fallen out of favor. This is because it routinely caused extensive rawness of the skin that typically required over 2 weeks of “hiding out” or “downtime” to recover. In addition to the time it took to heal, it frequently caused skin discoloration and occasionally scarring. Many lasers available today require very little downtime and yield some improvement of the skin but are not nearly as effective as the carbon dioxide laser. As with any procedure, anyone considering laser skin treatments should first consult with a plastic surgeon prior to under going their chosen procedure.

Breast Reconstruction Options

It is important to be informed about each of the reconstruction options in order to determine the best possible treatment plan for each individual patient.

The unique circumstances of each patient help to determine the best option for the method of reconstruction that can be used. The goals of breast reconstruction surgery are to re-create a breast which matches the opposite breast, or in bilateral cases, to reconstruct two breasts of a patients’s desired size. The nipple and areola (the pigmented area surrounding the nipple) are also reconstructed. It is ideal to consult with a plastic surgeon prior to mastectomy. This allows the surgical teams to plan the treatment that is best suited for the patient, even if the patient decides to wait to have reconstructive surgery at a later date.

Immediate breast reconstruction occurs when reconstruction is performed at the time of mastectomy. Immediate reconstruction has the advantage of usually saving the patient at least one subsequent operation, and has been shown to have a significant psychological benefit, as the patient never has to experience the total loss of a breast. All of the reconstruction options listed below can be performed at the time of mastectomy.

Delayed breast reconstruction is done at a later time. For some women, this may be advised, especially if radiation to the chest area is needed after the mastectomy. Delayed reconstruction is appropriate for these women because radiation therapy following breast reconstruction can increase complications after reconstructive surgery.

What It Takes to Be a Top Plastic Surgeon in San Francisco

All too often, many people think of plastic surgeons as Doctors who decided not to pursue a more in depth field of medicine such a heart surgeon, or neurological surgeon, etc. What most do not realize is that the myth of plastic surgery being a fly by night industry is not true, and while there are those surgeons who do a good job at furthering that myth, the majority of plastic surgeons are caring, skilled and experienced doctors with a sharp eye for the details.

Realize that plastic surgery is a very in depth field. Everyday a large number of plastic surgeons take a role in advancing the techniques and methods used in order to make plastic surgery procedures safer, and increase the probability of successful surgical procedures. Currently there are many techniques, and advancements for products such as breast Implants in clinical trials, being tested, research data is being recorded, and Patients taking part in these trails feedback and experiences are being sought- all in an effort to improve plastic surgery as a whole.

In order for a plastic surgeon in San Francisco to excel, be successful and maintain a positive reputation, "it takes a tireless work ethic, never ending study and education, and a desire to help people become the best they can be" states Dr James Anthony. Many of these successful plastic surgeons are also talented artists, and that natural artistic quality carries over into plastic surgery.

In short, to become and remain a successful plastic surgeon, one must always maintain a compassionate desire to help others, and do everything possible to further advance the technology, surgical methods and techniques that make plastic surgery procedures and successful results a reality.