For all women considering breast implant surgery, an important step is becoming educated about the breast enhancement procedure and breast implants. There are 3 main types of implants. All implants utilized for enhancement surgery procedures have a silicone shell, they can be filled with different substances.

The Saline filled breast implant is an implant that is filled with a sterile saline solution - the same type of solution as the salt-water solution that is administered for intravenous fluids. The major advantage of using this type of breast implant is its safety. Should a saline implant become compromised and leak, the saline solution is absorbed by your body, the same as the intravenous fluids used during and after a surgical procedure. Another great advantage of using saline implants is that they offer a low infection rate, usually less than one to two percent of all breast augmentation surgery cases.

The size of my breasts are very large and sag. Can a breast reduction help me?

You may be a good candidate for breast reduction if you have: breasts that are too large in proportion to your body frame; heavy, pendulous breasts with nipples and areolas that point downward; one breast is much larger than the other; back, neck or shoulder pain caused by the weight of your breasts; skin irritation beneath your breasts; indentations in your shoulders from tight bra straps; restriction of physical activity due to the size and weight of your breasts; or dissatisfaction or self-consciousness about the largeness of your breasts.

Patients who desire liposuction surgery usually are seeking to reduce the size of a protruding fat deposits throughout the body. This procedure is best for individuals who are seeking to reduce fat deposits and are in relatively good health. Age is not a factor in liposuction, except that older patients' skin may not be as elastic and may not yield the same result as a person with more elastic skin. Eliminating these deposits may also affect an individual's confidence, leading them to seek their own Liposuction surgery procedure.

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. The plastic 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.

Liposuction is a very individualized procedure in which your goals should be realistically determined and discussed with your plastic surgeon. 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. Once your goals have been determined you will set a date for this procedure and will be given instructions about how to prepare.

During the actual treatment you should be very comfortable, feeling only some mild pin pricks or stinging. Most patients are impressed at the ease of these treatments. If you are experiencing significant discomfort during the session please advise the plastic surgeon as there are often other remedies to ease any pain you might be feeling.

Although BOTOX® may look easy to administer, it is not this aspect which is most important to the outcome. The clinician's experience and "aesthetic eye" is the key to a great outcome with BOTOX®.

Treatments take 20-30 minutes unless you opt not to have your skin numbed prior to the injections, then the treatment should take less than 10 minutes. Several tiny injections are given in the areas that you and your provider have decided upon. They usually are barely appreciable in sensation or appearance following the injection. You can reapply makeup to the treated areas immediately after the session.

There are no specific after care instructions. If this is the first time you have had Botox injections, you will not notice any change for at least 3 days and the complete effect will take up to 14 days.

Side effects from Botox are very rare, but headaches can occur temporarily after the injection – especially in patients who suffer from frequent headaches. Ironically, Botox injections often help with frequent headache patients once the Botox takes effect. Bruising can occur although very infrequently. If you are prone to bruising or are on blood thinners please notify your caregiver; special techniques and recommendations will be used to try to minimize your bruising risk. If bruising does occur it will not affect your final result and typically is minor enough that makeup coverage will conceal it.

It is always recommended that anyone considering a cosmetic or plastic surgery procedure first consult with a qualified, and experienced cosmetic surgeon. Proper research and pre-procedure planning is an important step in a decision to undergo a cosmetic procedure, and one that should not be taken lightly. Ensure you fully understand the procedure, its risks, and have a realistic expectation of the results.

The effects of gravity, the stresses of daily life, and even just the evidence of time become visible in peoples' faces, causes the formation of deep creases between the nose and mouth, the loosening and slackening of the jaw line, the development of jowls, and the appearance of both folds and fat deposits on and around the neck.

While a facelift surgery cannot stop or even slow down the aging process, it can set back the clock by cosmetically altering and adjusting the placement of the skin on your face and neck, as well as removing excess fat and tightening the muscles underneath the skin. If a facelift is performed, it may be accompanied by a forehead lift, eyelid surgery, nose reshaping, or other procedures.

Candidates For A Facelift

Ideal candidates for facelifts are men or women whose skin on their neck and face has begun to sag, although their skin still retains some of its elasticity. A strong, well-defined bone structure also makes the procedure more simple. While some patients are in their seventies or eighties, most recipients of a facelift are in their forties to sixties. After a facelift, a patient will still look like themselves, but will help you look younger and fresher and may, accordingly, increase your self-confidence; it cannot, however, give you more youthful energy or vitality.

The tummy tuck is also know as an abdominoplasty. It is a procedure for people who have loose skin and fat folds of the abdomen from pregnancy or weight loss, stretch marks, or laxity in abdominal wall who want a flatter and firmer abdomen with an improved contour. Liposuction may be used in combination for added contouring benefits. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia and often requires an overnight hospital stay. The scar will vary based on body shape and extends from the lower abdomen to as far as the lower back. Mini abdominoplasties are reserved for a select group of patients.

Despite what may be touted in the media today, there are no exercises or medications that will have any effect on breast size. Breast augmentation can be a dramatic step in creating that beautiful shape you've always wanted. It can boost your self-esteem, your self-confidence and really get you noticed. Your Plastic Surgeon will work with you to select the highest quality implant of the proper size and shape to give you a perfect, safe enhancement, tailored specifically for you.

Dermabrasion and dermaplaning can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but neither treatment will remove all scars and flaws or prevent aging. Before you decide to have a skin-refinishing treatment, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon. Men and women of all ages, from young people to older adults, can benefit from dermabrasion and dermaplaning. Although older people heal more slowly, more important factors are your skin type, coloring, and medical history. For example, black skin, Asian skin, and other dark complexions may become permanently discolored or blotchy after a skin-refinishing treatment. People who develop allergic rashes or other skin reactions, or who get frequent fever blisters or cold sores, may experience a flare-up. If you have freckles, they may disappear in the treated area.

Day to day skin care of the face is equally important to one's appearance as peeling, resurfacing, and augmentation procedures.

Plastic Surgeons and Skin Care Specialists alike employ some of the latest and most effective methods of skin restoration available today. Only a qualified expert can provide such dermatological care. These processes use beautifying products that can remove any blemishes and discolorations while at the same time promoting the growth of new, healthy skin. The new cells will be rich in the natural chemicals that are necessary to make skin supple, yet strong. You’ll love your renewed vibrance!

Laser Skin Resurfacing
Time, sun, wind, and gravity all take their toll on the skin. The laser is the ultimate technology for precise aesthetic removal of deeper lines around the eyes, lips, cheeks and forehead. Some facial scars can also be improved with laser surgery. Your surgeon will review your medical history, examine your skin type and pigmentation to determine if laser resurfacing is appropriate for you.

Chemical Peels
Depending on one's goals, skin type and degree of skin aging you may benefit from any one of a variety of chemical peeling procedures. Different peeling agents will produce different degrees of skin penetration resulting in variable improvements in facial wrinkling and fine line improvement. Your plastic surgeon will review with you which peeling agent would be best for you.

The most common reason for breast augmentation surgery is a desire for larger breasts. In general plastic surgeons not recommend cosmetic breast augmentation for women under 18 years of age. Many women requesting breast augmentation have lost breast volume after pregnancy and nursing or simply with aging.

WHAT CHANGES CAN BE EXPECTED?

The breasts will be larger. A sagging breast can be lifted The most appropriate size implant is determined after a physical examination and is a joint decision between you and your plastic surgeon. Some women want only a very small implant, to restore the breast size and perhaps shape they had before childbearing. A small percentage of women want very large breasts. This may not be advisable, because there may not be enough support in the breast tissues, and too large an implant in these women can cause thinning of the skin or increase the risk of "capsular contracture." This is a hardening of the breast caused by shrinkage of the normal scar envelope that the body makes around any implant.