Indiana Plastic Surgery Blog

Before pulling the trigger and paying for a procedure, we recommend doing some research to get the hard facts about surgery risks, benefits, costs and so on.

Doing so will help you in two ways:

• You will know which procedures are proven to work and which are overrated.
• You will be able to compare the risks and benefits with your individual values and goals, to see if plastic surgery is truly a good fit for you.

Where should I look?

Too often, people are looking in the wrong places for legitimate answers to their plastic surgery questions. You want objective and scientific information; here are a few tips on where you might find it.

Be Academic for a day: Do you have access to a public library? How about the library at your college or university? Don’t let the old-fashioned sound of it bother you; academic resources and peer-reviewed medical journals are far superior to what you’ll find cruising the web. The downside: many of the articles and books are written for doctors or medical students – sometimes difficult and boring to read.

Reputable websites: It’s a jungle out there I know, but there are a few websites that publish loads of useful and honest information about plastic and cosmetic surgery. RealSelf.com is a good start, where you can see consumer reviews and get answers from plastic surgeons all over the country. Yourplasticsurgeryguide.com is another popular resource. The downside: you might find a great deal of conflicting information, making your decision even more difficult.

Ask a plastic surgeon: You may want to visit a few before making a choice, but board-certified plastic surgeons will generally have your best interests in mind. They want to get you the best results possible and avoid complications. If you’re not a good candidate for the procedure, a good surgeon will tell you honestly.

Large organizations of plastic surgeons and various journalists have shared their views on the proposed 5 percent tax on elective procedures, but patients would be paying for it; so why haven’t they weighed in?

Participate in this online poll so we can gauge the opinions of non-surgeons and non-journalists, because that’s who really matters when it comes to this tax becoming law.

We want patients to have a productive surgery consultation with Dr. Robinson, so here are two easy ways to ensure that happens.

1. Preparation: Ask questions and know what you want.

If you’re seeking information and can’t find it on our website, contact us and we’ll respond in a timely manner.  Then if there are more specific facts that need to be clarified, the consultation offers the perfect opportunity for us to do that for you.  Before you come, just jot down a list of important questions.

Part of being prepared is simply knowing what you want to achieve with plastic surgery.  Many patients research a procedure off and on for years before they schedule an appointment, so it is common to see patients that know what they want.  However, that’s not a requirement; if you are just curious about plastic surgery and want honest information from a professional go ahead and schedule your consultation.

2. Communication: Be open and use visual aids

Openness and effective communication are important from the first consult all the way through the surgery.  If it’s difficult for you to communicate your goals, use pictures!  You can view our before and after photos or bring examples that you think are appealing.  Better communication about your desires and specific needs will help Dr. Robinson ensure that they are fulfilled, so use whatever tools you think will aid in that process.

Don’t hide your medical history, past procedures, goals or motivations for surgery.  There’s no need to be defensive during the consultation. Just remember that there’s no commitment during a consultation and you can take as much time as you need to consider your options afterward.

We don’t make it a habit to comment on celebrity plastic surgery; there are many others out there who can do that.  However, when misinformation prevails over solid research it might be a good idea to set the record straight.

Jeremy Piven commented briefly in an interview with STV that he quit drinking so much soy milk because he thought it might cause him to grow breasts.  People in the media seem to think that this is funny, but probably don’t know that 1) it is possible that he’s right about soy milk and 2) this is a major source of anxiety for many men out there.

The purpose of this post isn’t to laugh at Piven, but point readers to one article in an academic journal that may just validate his concern about soy milk.

This article in the May-June 2008 issue of Endocrine Practice documented an “unusual case of gynecomastia related to the consumption of soy products.”  According to the authors, a 60 year old male came in with 6 months duration of bilateral gynecomastia (male breasts) and no underlying conditions.  Because physical evaluations didn’t reveal a cause, they interviewed the man more thoroughly.

The patient “described a daily intake of 3 quarts of soy milk. After he discontinued drinking soy milk, his breast tenderness resolved.”

Gynecomastia is a hormonal and physical problem that may be caused by several different lifestyle factors.  Men who experience the condition should see a doctor to help resolve the underlying causes when possible.  If breast tissue persists after the cause is resolved, male breast reduction surgery is an option to consider.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons annual meeting took place last weekend in Seattle. On display just outside the vendor area was “Out of the Shadows…Into the Light,” an art display intended to “expose the physical effects of breast cancer and develop a dialogue about breast reconstruction options.”

From the ASPS art display

The human body is incredibly beautiful, but cancer is not. Created to raise awareness about breast reconstruction options, the Out of the Shadows…Into the Light exhibit shares the experiences of 13 women, 10 of who have battled breast cancer. Their sculptural stories are told through plaster busts, which represent various stages of breast cancer – from none, to one, to both breasts removed.[...]

We wanted to share a few pictures with you, taken by by our web development partners who were present at the meeting and saw the art display.

What plastic surgeons market as a “mommy makeover” is a series of cosmetic surgeries that are intended to help women regain the body they had before pregnancy. The most common treatments included in the package are the breast lift, tummy tuck, and liposuction.

In the video below, Fox news Charlotte speaks with Dr. Kevin Smith about the risks, benefits, and cost of a mommy makeover. A patient also discusses her satisfaction with the procedure(s).

If you’re interested in a mommy makeover in Indiana, read more about cosmetic surgery on our homepage or contact us.

Breast reconstruction can be performed immediately after mastectomy or as a delayed procedure.  When the circumstances permit, immediate breast reconstruction has several advantages over delayed reconstruction.

1. There’s one less surgical procedure requiring anesthesia.
2. The tissue is supple, allowing for a potentially better cosmetic result.
3. Because the patient goes to sleep with a breast and subsequently wakes up with one (or the beginning of one) present, psychological trauma may be reduced.
4. One recovery period allows the patient to heal from two procedures (mastectomy and reconstruction).

Delayed reconstruction is sometimes necessary.  In some cases, patients know they will need postoperative radiation.  In other cases, the patient is indecisive about breast reconstruction and decides to take time to consider it.

When possible, immediate breast reconstruction is preferred for the reasons I have mentioned above.

The price of an abdominoplasty depends on the setting: will you be at a hospital or surgery center? Because it may take longer, the cost also depends on the need for additional procedures: do you need liposuction as well?  Are you a post-bariatric surgery patient?

A basic abdominoplasty will cost approximately $6000-$7000, including anesthesia, facility and surgeon’s fee.  This price would be for a straightforward tummy tuck without liposuction.  When liposuction is involved or when the patient has lost a significant amount of weight (after gastric bypass for example) the surgery takes longer, may include an overnight stay, and therefore costs more.

Be sure to schedule an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon who can assess your condition and give you a precise understanding of what your surgery will entail and why it costs as much as it does.

Should I reach a certain ‘goal weight’ before my tummy tuck?

Tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) works best for individuals who have come as close to their goal weight as possible and have been able to maintain this weight for several months.  Abdominoplasty is not a substitute for weight loss and diet and exercise are crucial for maintaining your results.  Abdominoplasty is a rewarding surgery for many people and can help you get over the hump that exercise and diet can only partially provide.

The procedure will not only address any excess skin and subcutaneous tissue you have, but also tighten your abdominal (6 pack) muscles and remove some of your stretch marks.

How long after childbirth should I wait?

I do not recommend having the surgery until you are finished having children.  Doing so would possibly effect the beneficial results you obtained from the procedure.  Although there is no specific time when a tummy tuck should be done following pregnancy, 6 months is considered an appropriate amount of time to wait.  At the minimum, 3 months might be considered safe.

The most appropriate time to have a tummy tuck following pregnancy is when A) you have decided not to have more children, and B) when you have lost your pre-pregnancy weight.

There are a few plastic surgeons (they are definitely in the minority) who will perform a tummy tuck at the same surgical setting as the delivery.  The potential problem with this is the patient has not lost her pregnancy weight and when she does so, may experience less than optimal results.

Can I remove stretch marks with a tummy tuck?

Unfortunately, there is no good solution for addressing stretch marks other than their surgical removal.  The amount of stretch marks that are able to be removed depends on the amount of skin that is able to be removed during a tummy tuck.  Depending on the elasticity of your skin, you may be able to have some of the stretch marks removed that extend above your belly button.

It’s common knowledge among surgeons that healthy patients – with a stable weight, who don’t smoke – see more successful results. That’s why they often decline to operate on a patient who is in a poor state of health as a result of risky habits. Such patients face a greater chance of complications such as delayed healing.

Those interested in cosmetic and facial plastic surgery should first go through a sort of ‘lifestyle makeover,’ modifying their habits until they have reached a goal of satisfactory health. At Indiana Plastic Surgery, we want our patients to have the best surgical experience possible, so we ask them to first focus on being healthy. The ideal patient refrains from smoking or using illegal drugs, has a stable weight, and realistic expectations about cosmetic surgery.

Contact us for a consultation and we can provide more specific information on health and surgery outcomes.