August 11th, 2010
Each day in my Maryland and Virginia offices I see people in consultation for Liposuction. While Liposuction is one of the most popular procedures that I perform I find that often it is the most misunderstood.
Liposuction is not only about the fat—it’s about the overlying skin. Liposuction can be used to remove fat from just about any area of the body but the key to a nice looking result is having good skin tone. When I evaluate my Clientele in Maryland and Virginia for Liposuction, with their permission, I pinch them to assess the skin tone.
If the skin tone is good (good elasticity) and I remove fat from under the skin, the skin will shrink up and that person will have a nice result. If the skin tone is loose, I can still remove fat, but the skin may wind up looser, wavier or more irregular. In order to be happy a patient with a skin tone that is loose will need a different set of expectations then a patient with good skin tone.
The paradox of liposuction is the people who do the best are often the people who need it the least. Young people with good skin tone often get the best results from liposuction. This is not true with all procedures of cosmetic surgery.
The best candidates for cosmetic liposuction have good skin tone and specific diet resistant areas. It is much easier and safer to satisfy a patient with a specific goal than someone who says “make me skinny”.
I used to think the term “body contouring” was just an attempt to call liposuction something sexier. Twenty years later body contouring describes exactly what I do. I can’t make a heavy person skinny, but I can make them more streamlined. I can’t erase all fat but I can make it fit the body better.
Liposuction can be performed alone or in combination with a procedure such as abdominoplasty. The treatment option depends on a patient’s goal, healthy, amount of fat, and location of area or areas that need treatment. If you live in the Maryland, D.C. or Virginia area and have been considering liposuction and want to be as healthy as you can be; contact my office. I’d be happy to give you a pinch and a heartfelt opinion.
Tags: Liposuction
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July 6th, 2010
Every day I see ads in newspapers, magazines and circulars offering Botox® at insanely low prices. It leaves me wondering how patients really know that they’re getting good Botox treatment. Botox is reconstituted with sterile water. Add more water and you may stretch a bottle farther, but you also may see less of a result. Older Botox may not work as well as a freshly opened bottle. So, paying for Botox by the site can mean a better or worse result, depending on how generous or frugal your doctor is.
In my own practice we reconstitute the Botox® strictly according to the manufacture’s guidelines. It is a concentrated solution that allows us to put smaller but stronger amounts in the areas of concern. This increases its effectiveness and minimizes its migration to areas we don’t want it to affect.
We have a steady stream of Botox patients, which allows us to use our supply of Botox quickly – meaning fresher and more effective Botox.
We also charge by the unit. What does that mean? Botox bottles contain one hundred units of botulinum toxin. Common areas treated include the area between the eyebrows (glabella), crow’s feet, and forehead. While the average full area will cost about $350, charging by the unit means our patients can buy more or less if they want. If a small area needs refreshing, we charge only for the units necessary and not the whole site. I think this is a more common sense approach.
Botox is not an exact science. We ask each of our patients to return in 10 days to evaluate the results of their treatment. By recording how satisfied they are and how they reacted to their last treatment, future treatment plans can be fine tuned. We can also discusses other procedures that you may be interested in such as a facelift.
If you’d like to learn more about the best Botox please feel free to contact my office to schedule a consultation.
Tags: Botox, Facelift
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May 25th, 2010
I have used my hands in a creative fashion since I was a child. While of course there is always the learning of surgical technique, working with my hands, creating art, has always been a part of who I am. With my father, a clergyman, and self proclaimed contractor I have built countless projects since I was old enough to hold a hammer. I continue to build and renovate my own home today for the sheer satisfaction and joy of it.
I grew up in the home of an artisan. My mother became a goldsmith when I was young and my father and I built her an art studio. What I didn’t realize while building the studio was that I would spend more time in it than she would. Through grade school and high school I made sterling silver jewelry and sold it at street fairs and events in New York. Some of my pieces were even chosen to be displayed in a school show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
I would listen to the television at night while working in the studio. One night NOVA had a show about plastic surgeons creating normal faces for people with facial deformities. I was drawn to the show and realized that the tools I was using in the studio were extraordinarily similar to the tools needed to restore hope to these patients. I knew then that I wanted to be a board certified plastic surgeon. I have subsequently had the honor of meeting many of the people featured in the documentary.
So daily, I work in an occupation that fulfills my needs as human, artist and craftsman and physician. There is only one thing more gratifying than using these skills to help others…teaching my daughter how to make jewelry and my son to hold a hammer.
To learn more about me contact my office today to schedule a consultation. I would be happy to help you determine what procedures are appropriate and together we can enhance your natural beauty whether it is setting back the hands of time and rejuvenating the face, slimming the waist line by liposuction, or boosting your self confidence with a breast augmentation. Together we can achieve your aesthetic goals.
Tags: plastic surgeon
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April 30th, 2010
This week I attended the annual meeting of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery here in D.C. at the National Harbor. This meeting brings together plastic surgeons from all over the United States and the world. While it would seem to the outside observer that this meeting is all about the plastic surgeons and the innovations in the exhibit halls, in reality this meeting is about safety, consistency and predictability for our patients.
Early in its evolution cosmetic plastic surgery was an offshoot and little publicized branch of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Surgeons had different approaches and techniques that they generally kept to themselves. There were no defined standards for evaluation and comparison. The creation of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery brings us together to share ideas, learn new concepts and critically evaluate the old ones. The Society continually promotes the safety, certification and training of its members so that we can go forward and practice the most advanced and reliable cosmetic medicine possible.
So what did I learn this week…? More than I could write in this blog even twenty years after graduating from Columbia Medical School. What I took away was the knowledge that cosmetic medicine is ever evolving and will continue to strive for excellence, that the search for safety continues, and that critical evaluation by our peers and colleagues keeps us moving forward with greater wisdom and integrity.
I think that the public can be easily confused by the variety of newly created medical boards that offer weekend diplomas to self proclaimed cosmetic surgeons. The American Society for Plastic Surgery and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery are it; the real deal. They work hand in hand promoting the finest in surgery and safety for our patients. I felt privileged to be at the meeting this week, and I am proud to be a member of this organization.
To learn more about cosmetic plastic surgery procedures that will help you achieve your aesthetic goals, contact my office today to schedule a consultation.
Tags: cosmetic surgery, Plastic Surgery
Posted in Plastic Surgery | No Comments »
April 15th, 2010
The best time for cosmetic surgery is when you have the time and support to recover. Each operation that I perform has different timing in terms of average recovery. Things that require pulling or stretching of muscles like tummy tucks for example will need a longer recovery than skin tightening procedures such as breast lift. While each patient is different I offer some general rules of thumb:
1. Give yourself off about a week for all but the most minor procedures:
It is better to be pleasantly surprised and need less recovery time than to need more time and not have it. I go into detail about the expected average recovery for each procedure in consultation. Some patients may take less than average amounts of time to recover but some may take more. Better to be on the safe side and have more than adequate time.
2. Have support at home:
My clientele is made up of healthy people. As such, I perform most of my surgeries outpatient. It is my firm belief that hospitals are full of illness and harmful bacteria. I feel strongly that my patients get better care in a cleaner and healthier environment when they are at home with the support of a spouse or loved one.
3. Plan ahead:
If you want to enjoy your figure in the summer have your surgery in the winter or fall. I see an influx of breast augmentation patients just before the summer each year. Implants take 3- 6 months or more to settle post op. Patients who come in earlier in the year will look more settled and natural by the time summer comes.
4. Don’t do surgery right before a major life event.
Each year I see the bride who wants breast implants two weeks before the wedding or her mother who may want a face lift. While I would love to be the physician for these patients it makes no sense to have surgery just before an important life event. Plan at least six months ahead if you can.
5. Stay in the area for a while:
In a perfect world my patients would live next door for a week following surgery. While not realistic I at least want to have my patients in the vicinity. Once in a while I have a patient who plans to hop on a plane and recover in an exotic location. It is just as important for me to be available to you after surgery as before. Stick around for a while.
6. Stop Smoking.
Without doubt this is the toughest of the recommendations and the hardest for patients. Smoking exponentially increases the risks of healing problems or infections. While not everyone is able to stop it is one of my strongest recommendations and requires the most forethought.
7. If you have any medical problems schedule even further ahead:
My goal is to perform your surgery as safely as possible. For patients with medical issues we need time to get appropriate testing and clearance where necessary. It can take more time to get these evaluations and results.
If you would like help in safely planning the procedure you are considering please don’t hesitate to call my office and schedule a consultation.
Tags: cosmetic surgery, Expert Advice
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