Showing posts with label laser. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laser. Show all posts

"Skin tightening" quick-fix remedies do not solve the real problems of the post-pregnancy tummy!

Posted by admin on Thursday, May 6, 2010

 

Karen M. Horton, MD answers: Non surgical skin tightening for the tummy?

I am a mother of 4 children. I had my first child at the age of 16. I was told that because of my young age my skin stretched a lot, hence all the stretch marks. Ever since I have had a lot of loose skin in that area is there anything that I can do to tighten it without surgery???

"Skin tightening" procedures, namely laser-type therapies or injection treatments, do NOT address the underlying issue of a Mom's tummy after she has had multiple pregnancies:
  • Excess skin and fat
  • Stretch marks
  • "Rectus diastasis" = separation of the muscles of the abdominal wall away from one another, creating loss of muscle tone and a bulge
Only a surgical procedure, abdominoplasty (and/or liposuction in some cases), can address each of these factors.

Beware of smooth-talking salespeople who do their best to get you to sign up for a "package deal" of procedures.

Often, minimally invasive therapies such as these prey on those Moms who are frightened of surgery and are looking for a quick fix with supposedly less downtime and fewer scars.

However, the checkbook can often be the area to suffer the most with non-surgical therapies, together with a general disappointment with results!

Visit a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon with experience in Mommy Makeover surgery to help determine which procedure(s) will best achieve your goals!
More about → "Skin tightening" quick-fix remedies do not solve the real problems of the post-pregnancy tummy!

Medical Spas - A Word of Caution to Doctors

Posted by admin on Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The following is an excerpt from a recent Medical Board of California publication about the business of Medicine:

There has been an explosion of "cosmetic medicine" over the past few years, and many Physicians are being approached to "increase their bottom line" by entering into this lucrative field.

There is a tendency for the public, and some in the profession, to view laser treatments, Botox and cosmetic filler injections as cosmetic rather than medical treatments. The use of prescriptive drugs and devices, however, is the practice of medicine, and the same laws and regulations apply to these types of treatments as those driven by medical necessity.

Cosmetic procedures are the practice of medicine, and Physicians are responsible for their patients, regardless of who performs the treatments. There is no legal scheme that allows Physicians to collect a fee for signing their name to an agreement to lend their license to an entity to practice Medicine.
Legally, the "clients" of the spa or salon are patients - the Physician's patients, and that arrangement comes with all of the responsibility and liability that goes with any other Doctor-patient relationship.




See the entire Medical Board of California article here: http://www.mbc.ca.gov/licensee/medical_spas-business.pdf


More about → Medical Spas - A Word of Caution to Doctors

What is Plastic Surgery, anyway?

Posted by admin on Wednesday, March 4, 2009





What is “Plastic Surgery”?



The word “plastic” derives from the Greek word “Plastikos”, which means "to mold or change form".



There is actually no connection with modern-day plastic, a synthetic polymer that is moldable when heated. And despite many misconceptions, Plastic Surgery does NOT involve using plastic in the body!



The first known Plastic Surgical procedure, reconstruction of the nose, was documented in 18th Century B.C. A man's nose was literally cut off "to spite his face" for punishment, and it was reconstructed using a flap of skin from his arm.



See the image with the contraption used to keep the arm attached to the face for approximately three months!



Refer to http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Patients_and_Consumers/The_Story_of_Plastic_Surgery.html and http://www.aboardcertifiedplasticsurgeonresource.com/plastic_surgery/history.html for more information on the history of Plastic Surgery.



Plastic surgery involves both reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. Common reconstructive procedures include breast reconstruction after cancer, burn surgery, cleft lip and palate surgery, hand surgery, pressure sore reconstruction, facial fracture correction, skin cancer surgery, and the list goes on...



What is Cosmetic Surgery?



“Cosmetic surgery” is plastic surgery designed to improve the appearance of the body or counteract the effect of aging.



Cosmetic surgery can often improve body image, self-esteem and help to restore a more youthful appearance to the face, breasts and body.



Most of us are familiar with cosmetic surgery in the media - movie stars, celebrities, reality TV shows...



Cosmetic surgery is enticing in that it can dramatically change the appearance of the body, usually for the better, but sometimes for worse. We are all familiar with individuals in the press who have had TOO much cosmetic surgery!



Examples of common cosmetic procedures include facial rejuvenation (facelift, necklift, eyelid lift/blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty), breast surgery (reduction, lift or augmentation) and rejuvenation of the body (tummy tucks, liposuction).



There are also non-invasive cosmetic procedures such as Botox, fillers, lasers that are often an alternative to invasive surgeries.



Future blog posts will feature details on each of the major Plastic Surgery procedures - who are good candidates for surgery, details of procedures, what to expect during recovery, downtime, risks, and representative before and after photos.



Stay tuned!



More about → What is Plastic Surgery, anyway?

Welcome to Women's Plastic Surgery Blog!

Posted by admin on Saturday, February 21, 2009


Welcome to the new blog, Women's Plastic Surgery!

I will be entering weekly updates on all plastic surgery topics, relevant to my patients, women and to the public in general.

I am one member of a unique all-women Plastic Surgeon group, Women's Plastic Surgery.

See our website, http://womensplasticsurgery.com for information on our practice and as a more detailed reference for content posted in this blog.

I will be posting topics including details of common cosmetic surgery procedures, including breast augmentation, breast lift/reduction, liposuction, tummy tucks, and the "mommy makeover" spectrum of procedures.

Special attention will be paid to the latest breast cancer reconstruction techniques, as this is a major focus of my practice. You will learn about microsurgical reconstruction including the DIEP flap, SIEA flap, TUG (inner thigh) flap, and immediate single-stage implant reconstruction following mastectomy.

Keep in tune also for information about the latest facial rejuvenation techniques, including facelifts/browlifts, eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), and non-invasive strategies such as Botox, fillers, lasers, and more!

I welcome your comments and look forward to hearing from you.

Karen M. Horton, M.D., M.Sc., F.R.C.S.C.
More about → Welcome to Women's Plastic Surgery Blog!