Preparing for a Facelift

You’ve had your consultation and are now just two weeks from your facelift! This is an exciting time, one of anticipation and even a little anxiety. Now it’s time to focus on your results, and the best results start with proper preparation. There are many things you can do and in fact, must do, in the 14 days before your procedure.

Skincare

The condition of your skin going into surgery has a direct impact on the procedure and your recovery. Well-cleansed and hydrated skin responds best to surgery itself and is ready to heal immediately afterwards. Get a really good exfoliating, nourishing and hydrating facial about a week before your facelift. It’s a good practice to have a facial every month if you can. Your face will love it and it’s a great way to treat yourself to some very important quiet time just for you and your youthful face.

Medications

There is a very long list of medications, vitamins and natural supplements you will be required to stop taking two weeks prior to your facelift procedure. Aspirin products and many vitamins and herbal supplements impact blood flow and clotting. Some can interfere with anesthesia.

Nicotine

Nicotine—whether from cigarettes or patches—should also be stopped prior to the facelift. This chemical can interfere with blood circulation and increase the risk of complications from receiving anesthesia. You may be required to sign a waiver that says you completely understand the risks associated with smoking and use of nicotine prior to surgery. Your surgeon takes your health and safety seriously enough to be certain you are completely informed.

Food

No food or water past midnight prior to your procedure. Again, this is important for anesthesia and is the standard of care for any surgical procedure.

Hair

Yes, your hair can play an important role in your procedure. For facelift patients, having hair a bit longer may give you options to camouflage incisions or style differently as your heal. Often these little things mean a lot and unless you’ve had facial surgery like this before, you wouldn’t think this could have such a positive impact on your recovery.

It is vitally important that you follow your pre-procedure instructions carefully and work closely with your surgical coordinator to get your questions answered. A positive attitude and attention to detail will serve you well, in the weeks before and the weeks after. Here’s to your youthful and refreshed look after your facelift!

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Here’s What to Expect from a Liposuction Procedure

First thing’s first: you should know that liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. It is surgery to remove diet-resistant fatty deposits from hips, thighs, tummy and back. It is also done on the neck and chin area, upper arms and chest. The best outcomes are experienced by patients who have been successful on a medically supervised weight loss program, and have changed their lifestyle and adopted healthy eating habits and regular exercise that includes cardio and strength training.  The best liposuction surgeons combine years of experience, skill and artistry to sculpt the body into pleasing curves, leaving youthful fullness yet revealing the muscle tone and bone structure that makes your look and shape unique.

All patients undergoing liposuction should be medically cleared for the procedure. Different forms of anesthesia are used for different types of liposuction and your safety is vital. Generally, liposuction is done with tiny incisions and a skilled plastic surgeon will hide them in natural body folds. A thin tube, a cannula, is moved back and forth to loosen the targeted and fat and suction pulls the fat through the tube into a collection bin or syringe.

Once the procedure is done, you will be asked to refrain from strenuous physical activity to allow your body to heal. Most patients experience short-term bruising and swelling in treated areas. Your body’s natural healing powers go to work over the next weeks and months as your new shape is revealed. Your surgeon will monitor your recovery and gradually allow you to return to normal activities as your body and incisions heal. You may also be required to wear a compression garment. Do this as long as directed or longer. The constant and consistent pressure helps your skin form nicely to your new shape.

Laser-assisted liposuction is a common in-office procedure that targets small areas of fat as a final finesse to your shape or to remove small pockets of unwanted fat like the bra area of the back or sculpting the chest or waist. Local anesthesia is typically used in this procedure and the patient remains awake. The laser liquefies the targeted fat which is removed using a tiny cannula and surgical vacuum device.

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What are Bioidentical Hormones?

Bioidentical hormone therapy or “natural hormones” act just like the hormones we produce in the body.  By contrast, conventional HRT uses synthetic hormones, like estrogen that is made from the urine of pregnant horses. These act differently in the body than the estrogen we produce naturally, and so can have side effects. Bioidentical estrogen is typically made from wild yams and soybeans into a chemical structure that is identical to the estrogen produced in the human body. Testosterone and progesterone also come in bioidentical formulas and your doctor determines the dosage and therapeutic combination that is right for you based on blood work.

Bioidentical hormones are typically prescribed for patients that are in hormonal decline. This includes men and women, not just women experiencing menopausal symptoms. Hormones are the driving force of all body processes; chemical messengers that coordinate growth, influence the immune system and play a role in energy, hunger and stress responses, to name only a few. As we age, hormone levels naturally decrease and the human body responds. Replenishing these hormones alleviates some of the unpleasant physical effects and can return the body to a more harmonious balance.

Patients interested in bioidentical hormones start with a thorough blood panel and evaluation by a hormone specialist. The prescription is sent to a compounding pharmacy where the hormone is made into a capsule, cream, injectable, suppository or pellet.

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What to Expect from a Rhinoplasty

The medical term rhinoplasty is a harsh-sounding name for a procedure that skillfully refines the shape of your nose. The term dates back to the early 1800s and is a combination of two Greek words, rhino - nose, and plastos - molded or formed. Although the nose doesn’t appear to be more than a bony bridge and cartilage, it is quite complex so surgeons have developed a number of ways to refine, reshape and repair this prominent facial feature.

Refining and reshaping: Depending on the patient’s preferences, the nose can be made larger or smaller, the angle of the tip changed in relation to the upper lip, or corrections made to irregular bumps or indentations.

Repair and reconstruct: Revisions and reconstruction surgeries may be necessary to correct a deviated septum that is obstructing the airway, or restore the nose to proper alignment after an injury.

A surgeon performs rhinoplasty by making incisions to access the cartilage (soft bone-like material) that form the framework of the nose.  The incision is usually made inside the nose so as to obscure it from view. Depending on the desired outcome, several cartilages may be carved, altered or removed, or accentuated by adding tissue taken from another part of the body. After the cartilage is rearranged, the skin is draped back on, stitched up and then covered with a sterile dressing or splint as it heals.

The bandage can be removed after a week, or until the surgeon’s further advice. The face may feel puffy during the recovery period, characterized by swelling around the eyes and nose. A rhinoplasty expert will have a proven recovery protocol, that if followed closely, will ease you through the recovery process, help you manage the discomfort and keep you focused on the results that will be revealed in the weeks following your surgery.

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PRP Therapy - Using Your Own Blood for Rejuvenation

PRP Therapy Miami or platelet rich plasma for rejuvenation is gaining popularity, particularly after a few celebs have had it done. Kim Kardashian had the so-called vampire facial done by Dr. Julio Gallo at The MIAMI Institute on her reality show and tweeted her post-procedure picture to her fans.  PRP Therapy isn’t new, it’s just being used in a new way following clinical trials that showed its efficacy for facial rejuvenation.

What is PRP?

PRP is platelet rich plasma - a part of your blood. For the procedure a vial of blood is drawn form your arm and then spun in a centrifuge. This action separates the platelets from the other blood components. PRP contains growth factors that stimulate fibroblast production; essential for new skin cell development, and new blood vessel formation which transports nutrients to the skin. The growth factors know where they are needed and get to work renewing and regenerating below the surface.

How is PRP used in a Facial?

Once your blood is separated into it components, the PRP is drawn into a syringe. It is best that a facial plastic surgeon do this procedure, or at least a medical esthetician who is specifically trained in facial rejuvenation. The artistry and skill of a plastic surgeon give you, as the patient, a more precise and targeted facial that can address your specific skin type and signs of aging, rather than a general procedure that perhaps isn’t nearly as effective. The surgeon uses a needling device, sweeping it over your skin, causing micro injuries as the needles quickly penetrate the epidermis. This action alone stimulates collagen production, your body’s natural healing reaction to these tiny punctures. The PRP is dipped onto the skin as the needling device moves across that area. The needles push the PRP deep into the skin layers where those growth factors go to work restoring, rebuilding, rejuvenating. Your surgeon may also inject some of the PRP into laugh lines or other creases to naturally plump like a synthetic filler would.

The PRP therapy for the face take about an hour. Often patients schedule a collagen mask immediately after this treatment, capitalising on the opportunity to infuse their skin with nourishment. It is also works to soothe the skin after the needling. Most patients experience redness following the PRP facial, but it quickly calms and the following day the skin is beautiful and smooth. The effects of the treatment keep getting better over the next few months as the growth factors continue to work.

Most patients have PRP therapy as a facial twice a year. It’s quite popular in the late fall as a preparation for holiday parties and family gatherings. That fits nicely with a second treatment in the spring as a fresh approach to the upcoming summer season of travel.

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Questions to Ask Yourself before Cosmetic Surgery

If you suffer from self-esteem issues caused by the shape of your body or seek to refine some facial features, you may have already considered undergoing cosmetic surgery. After all, cosmetic surgery has helped so many people regain confidence that leads to more professional and personal success and a better quality of life.

Before you agree to go under the knife, however, you should carefully consider all your options. Meet with a cosmetic surgeon beforehand to discuss the procedures, answer your questions and concerns. After that initial consultation, ask yourself the following questions:

“Have I found the right doctor?”

The “right” doctor should never be based on the price tag. During your initial visit, do not be afraid to ask your doctor where he or she has studied. When you arrive home, browse the web to be certain your surgeon is board certified and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons or the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.

“Can I afford this procedure?”

The answer to this question goes beyond the depth of your checking account. It is also about taking time off work to recover, sacrificing some activities for a while and relying on family or friends to assist during recovery, which may also require a few days off from work. You’ll have to be mindful of all of these aspects and you’ll need to be sure that you can afford to take the time off work to allow your body to heal properly.

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