1. Post-surgical healing foods. Nutrients such as vitamin C, protein, and zinc are excellent promoters of wound healing, according to Lippincott’s Nursing Center. You can enhance your natural healing process by eating citrus fruits, green vegetables, meats, and milk products, or through multivitamins and nutritional supplements.

2. No strenuous activity. Rest and relaxation are essential for your recovery. No exercise for at least three weeks, and no heavy lifting. Driving should be avoided for the first week, or at least until you can make an emergency stop without discomfort.

3. Proper wound care. Moisture can aggravate the incision site and slow the healing process, so avoid getting your wounds wet for one week after the surgery. Don’t sleep on your stomach. If necessary, prop yourself up with pillows to remain comfortable.

4. Be on the lookout for complications. Alert your GP or plastic surgeon immediately if you experience unexpected symptoms. These include severe pain; intense burning sensations; unusual, unexpected or excessive swelling; deflated breast; a smelly or coloured discharge from your wounds; a high fever; or lumps or aching.

5. Sports bras are your friend. Too much movement can cause bruising and discomfort in the weeks following your breast augmentation. Many plastic surgeons recommend that their patients wear tight-fitting sports bras to minimize potentially harmful movement.

6. The art of deception. There are some tricks you can use if there are people you’d prefer not to tell that you’ve had breast augmentation. People will recognize that your appearance has changed, but you can deceive and misdirect them by dying your hair, changing your hairstyle, or using different makeup. Different fashion choices can also draw them off the scent.

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon about these and other tips that can help you during your recovery period.

The study, which was conducted at the University Health Network Breast Restoration Program at the University of Toronto, asked women about the procedure three weeks after surgery, and again three months after. What it found was that even three weeks out, when healing was still taking place, is that many patients reported an improvement in their overall well-being.

Even if some patients experienced complications following their procedure, which were remedied, many still felt the surgery had improved their lives.

What was interesting, however, is that the type of reconstruction the patients chose affected how they felt about the surgery and their healing. A common breast reconstruction option is to use implants to recreate the breast. This procedure generally has a shorter recovery time than other breast reconstruction options, but may require implant revision within several years. The second, more involved breast reconstruction option is to use tissues from the patient’s own body, such as the stomach.

Patients who selected a tissue-based breast reconstruction option experienced a longer recovery, as well as weakened abdominal muscles. This weakening of the stomach muscles is an expected side effect, but some patients feel it can inhibit everyday functions, even like getting out of bed in the morning.

To remedy this, the researchers suggested that more should be done to make patients aware of the side effects of tissue-based reconstruction. This would include the patient working with a physiotherapist, to help them regain use of the stomach muscles.

Even with these new findings, the researchers stress the importance of finding a breast reconstruction option that fits with the patient’s lifestyle. What is ideal for one woman, may not work for the next.

To learn more about your breast reconstruction options in Munster, please join the mailing list of plastic surgeon Dr. Robinson.

While previously, patients were instructed to get a breast implant MRI three years after surgery and every two years going forward, that requirement is no longer in place.

“Women should feel assured that the FDA continues to believe that currently marketed silicone breast implants are safe,” said Dr. William Maisel, chief scientist for the FDA’s Center for Devices.

While there are some types of damage that a breast implant MRI can detect, such as ruptures that may not otherwise be visible, patients may not be at a greater risk. Additionally, the cost of a breast implant MRI may be too high and deter women from undergoing regular testing.

The discussion of how to track the performance of breast implants, aside from breast implant MRIs, continued. One idea favored by many is to keep a registry of all breast implant patients, though the cost of such a venture could be cost-prohibitive.

Given this new confirmation of the safety of silicone breast implants, the responsibility of tracking may come down to each individual patient. While not required, a breast implant MRI may be the only way to discover a rupture. You should discuss your breast implants with your plastic surgeon if you have any questions about safety or maintenance. He will be able to provide you with specific information about the devices used and how to monitor them.

To learn more about options for breast augmentation in Munster, please join the mailing list of plastic surgeon Dr. Robinson.

During an interview on KVOA, the news station’s plastic surgery contributor spoke about popular procedures that she considers inexpensive plastic surgery options when compared to the results post-surgery.

The best option for body plastic surgery, according to KVOA, is a tummy tuck. This procedure is the only way to truly remove loose skin around the abdomen. For women, the waist-to-hip ratio is an important indicator of perceived attractiveness, according to KVOA. By removing excess skin, the midsection appears more toned and slim.

Breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgeries performed today. Women who desire fuller breasts choose it as a long-term option. While implants are not guaranteed to last a lifetime, they can last up to a decade.

For men and women who struggle with jowls or loose skin on the neck, a facelift or neck lift provides lasting correction. Since its skin tightening effects can last so long, KVOA considers it an inexpensive plastic surgery option, as well. Skin creams can be pricey and will not attain the more youthful look that is possible with a facelift.

To learn more about relatively inexpensive plastic surgery options that can show long-term improvements in your appearance, please join the mailing list of Munster plastic surgeon Dr. Robinson.

Celebrities who have downsized in recent years allegedly include Denise Richards, Victoria Beckham, Drew Barrymore, and Jordan. Taken together they represent a trend toward breast implants being smaller than was previously fashionable.

More everyday women are hopping on the bandwagon, tired of having breast implants that are too large for their bodies, according to CBS News health reporter Stephanie Stahl.

What are some reasons that women might be downsizing their breast implants?

• They may not want or need extra attention toward their breasts.
• Misalignment and capsular contracture made the implants look unnatural.
• Women want to look and feel more natural and comfortable.
• Large breasts make it more difficult to exercise or perform other physical activities.
• Overly large breasts have been associated with back problems.

While surgery to reduce implant size involves simply exchanging one implant for another, there’s usually some reconstruction required, since the pocket housing the implant needs to be modified. Risks of the surgery are similar to regular augmentation surgery, but the recovery time is typically shorter.

Harriet Bleiman, a breast implant reduction patient who spoke with CBS, loves her reduced bust size. “I just feel like this is the right proportion for me… I liked them at the beginning, and after a couple of years they felt like two large, standing out, almost cantaloupes, and that made me very uncomfortable.”

Now, Harriet says, it actually feels as if having a smaller breast size has helped everything from her self-confidence to her golf game.

After conducting an in-depth study of silicone implant safety, the FDA has confirmed that silicone gel implants “have a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness when used as labeled.” For consumers, this means silicone gel implant augmentations performed by a board certified plastic surgeon, and maintained as instructed, should present no extreme health issues for the patient.

The FDA’s silicone implant safety study also debunked a rumor that silicone breast implants share an association with “connective tissue disease, breast cancer, or reproductive problems.” Based on current data, the FDA said there is no detected connection.

Long-Term Silicone Implant Safety Tips

Women who are considering silicone breast implants should note that though breast implants are long-lasting, no such implant will last a lifetime. Over the course of her life, a woman who has gotten breast implants will likely need to have them replaced.

Patients will need to monitor their silicone gel implants over time and note any signs of complication to their surgeon. Some women may experience a hardening of tissue around the breast, called capsular contracture, or may have a revision or removal surgery.

Silicone implant safety monitoring also extends to visiting your doctor for screenings. Periodic MRIs can detect a “silent rupture” of the implant, which the patient may not be aware of. As an added precaution for women both with and without silicone gel implants, it is important to continue regular mammograms, as directed by your doctor.

Silicone gel implants are used not only for breast augmentation, but often as a part of breast lift surgeries, as well.

The survey found that women were not just willing to trade time for beauty but also suggested they would forfeit a promotion at work, part of their salary, time with loved ones and even their health.

These findings may be unsurprising given that the survey found 46% of the women had been subject to ridicule because of their looks and 93% claimed to have negative thoughts about their appearance in the previous week.

Nearly 40% of the women said they would elect cosmetic surgery, like liposuction to remove localized fat deposits. This, despite the fact that nearly 80% of the women were either underweight or within a “normal” weight range.

These statistics only stress the importance of choosing a cosmetic treatment, like breast augmentation or body contouring, for personal reasons, not due to outside influences.

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Erica, who underwent breast augmentation for what she called her “zero” breasts, actually an A-cup, said that her silicone gel implants made her feel like she had “the Bentley of boobs.” As an alternative to silicone implants similar to Erica’s, saline implants, which may feel less natural, are available at a lower cost. As well as the implant type, other options include the size, shape, placement and the location of incisions.

Another woman, Jeanne, underwent a breast reduction due to her D-cup sized breasts that caused back, neck and shoulder pains on her small frame. More than just the associated pain, she also experienced indentations from her bra straps and had difficulty finding clothing that fit comfortably. In the type of breast reduction procedure that Jeanne underwent, the surgeon removes excess skin and tissue that add weight to the breasts and often moves the nipple areola to a more youthful position.

In addition to the cosmetic breast augmentation and reduction procedures, breast lifts are often performed to lift breasts that have begun to sag over time or after weight loss. While excess skin is removed and the nipple areola often moved in a breast lift, implants may also be used to restore breast fullness.

The most widely criticized aspect of the surgical makeover Dr. Ryan performed on Montag wasn’t the pair of nose jobs, liposuction or mini brow lift the 23-year-old had done, but rather the gigantic G-cup breast implants Dr. Ryan gave her after surgically-enhancing her breasts for the first time about two years prior.

Heidi Montag has publicly denounced her obsession with plastic surgery and cartoonish new breasts since undergoing multiple plastic surgery procedures for the second time in November 2009, however prior to his death Dr. Frank Ryan expressed shock and surprise that Montag was experiencing buyer’s remorse.

“When I asked him how he could have been so foolish as to operate on someone like [Montag], he mentioned he was completely taken aback when she went public in such a negative fashion,” a source close to Dr. Ryan told Joan Kron in the December 2010 issue of Allure.

Dr. Steven Hoefflin, another colleague and friend of Dr. Ryan’s, said of the situation, “Frank said he had expected Heidi Montag would get publicity, but he was surprised at the tone and concerned about his reputation.”

While some surgeons defend Frank Ryan’s decision to perform the breast implant revision surgery and more on Montag, others feel it was unethical, especially given Montag’s notorious attention-seeking behavior and outlandish cosmetic goals. In fact, many plastic surgeons agree that ensuring good plastic surgery outcomes and avoiding post-procedure regret is largely dependent on patient selection.

“Plastic surgery obsession is a danger made all too real by television reality shows, Hollywood tabloids and glamour magazines,” says Indiana breast augmentation specialist Dr. David Robinson. “One warning sign I always look for is a patient with unrealistic expectations. It is very important for a plastic surgeon to distinguish between what a patient desires and what is realistically achievable.”

According to Dr. Robinson, trouble and patient dissatisfaction typically follow situations where plastic surgeons don’t first consider patient safety and ethics. In fact, Dr. Robinson shares the sentiments of many plastic surgeons who feel that it is better to decline to perform breast revision surgery rather than move forward with a procedure that may unnecessarily increase surgical risks and jeopardize aesthetic results.

“In terms of how I would address a patient presenting to my office to discuss a revision on a procedure I felt achieved a successful result, such as a breast augmentation patient who wanted to go much larger, I would review the discussion and expectations we had during her two preoperative visits. If the patient remained insistent on wanting to proceed with the revision, I would decline reoperating on the patient and offer them a referral to another plastic surgeon,” says Dr. Robinson.

According to study results, performing breast surgery in an ASC rather than a hospital saved 69 minutes on average, and most of the time savings was attributable to decreased preoperative time, or time spent preparing for surgery.

Key time-saving advantages of the ASC include:

• Avoidance of unscheduled surgeries, such as add-on cases and emergency cases common in hospitals
• Better case flow as a result of having a surgeon assigned to a single room in the ASC
• Smaller, more consistent ASC staffing
• Smaller physical ASC facility that makes it easier to move patients and equipment

The study also concluded that while the type of anesthesia used during surgery can also affect recovery time immediately following surgery, this did not significantly affect overall surgical time from the preparation stage to the patient discharge stage.

Hospital vs. ASC study details

In 2005, the study authors’ ASC facility was closed, which forced all outpatient breast surgeries to be performed alternatively in a hospital setting.

Study authors Drs. Terrence Trentman, Jeff Mueller, Richard Gray, Barbara Pockaj and Daniel Simula compared the surgical records of 92 patients who had breast surgery in an ASC facility between January 2004 and December 2005 with the surgical records of 92 patients who had breast surgery in a hospital facility starting January 2006.

All study subjects were female patients of similar age, with similar recovery room times, and each breast surgery procedure was performed by the same two salaried surgeons who did not receive additional bonus pay for productivity.

ASC pre-op vs. post-op

In addition to concluding that ASC facilities offer significant preoperative time-savings, the results of the study also suggest that breast surgery patients spend an almost identical amount of time in an ASC as in a hospital once they reach the operating room.