September 28th, 2009 Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D.
Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is one of the most popular procedures requested by my Orange County plastic surgery patients.
Many patients are not aware there are three main types of abdominoplasty available.
Mini-abdominoplasty, as the name implies, is not as involved as a standard tummy tuck. This procedure is indicated in patients who have loose skin with or without stretch marks in the lower, central, part of the abdomen. The skin above the umbilicus (belly button) is normal with no loose skin or stretch marks. The incision is slightly larger than a c-section scar and is placed in the central third of the lower abdomen. If the patient has excess fat in the upper part, liposuction of the upper abdomen can be performed at the same time.
A standard abdominoplasty is indicated for patients who have loose skin, with or without stretch marks, below and above the umbilicus. However, the loose skin ends before reaching the flanks (love handles). The incision is from “hip to hip”, in the lower portion of the abdomen. With this procedure, the abdominal muscles (if separated by pregnancy or massive weight gain and loss) are also tightened, resulting in a flatter abdomen. If the flanks have excess fat, liposuction of the love handles can be performed at the same time.
An extended abdominoplasty is needed in patients who have loose skin and stretch marks of the abdomen, with extension of the loose skin up to and even beyond the flanks, extending to the lower back. In this procedure, the incision has to be extended to remove the excess fat and skin over the flanks.
The usual surgery time for a mini-abdominoplasty is 1-1 1/2 hours, 3-4 hours for a standard tummy tuck, and 4-5 hours for an extended abdominoplasty.
Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D. is a board certified plastic surgeon and a member of American Society of Plastic Surgeons. His office is located in central Orange County. If you like to schedule a complimentary consultation, please call 714-834-0101.
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September 24th, 2009 Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D.
I occasionally come across Orange County plastic surgery patients who have had or know someone who has had plastic surgery outside of the United States.
In some instances, the outcome is good. However, in my opinion, the results are sub-optimal in majority of cases.
This is not to say there are no competent plastic surgeons outside of United States. In fact, there are many outstanding plastic surgeons in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Europe.
The main issue here is the patient going overseas usually does this to lower the cost of surgery. Most outstanding plastic surgeons in other countries charge much higher rates. Therefore, the patient may not be treated by a well-trained plastic surgeon. Nevertheless, many patients tell me by the time they calculated the cost of travel and stay, the overall cost was similar or even more than United States.
However, the main problem arises when the patient has obtained a poor result and wants a revision. This places a huge burden on the shoulder of the plastic surgeon seeing the patient. In most cases, it is impossible to achieve the same result if the surgery was done correctly in the beginning. It is very difficult for patients to understand this concept, and realistic expectations should be encouraged. Unfortunately, in majority of cases the cost of revisional surgery will be higher than the original surgery, if it was done in the United States.
If you decide to travel overseas for plastic surgery, please do your homework! However, in most cases, you will find the price will be similar or even higher, if the surgery is performed by a well-qualified plastic surgeon.
Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D. is a board certified plastic surgeon, with over 10 years of experience. His office is located in Santa Ana, California. If you like to schedule a complimentary consultation, please call 714-834-0101.
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September 10th, 2009 Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D.
IGNORE THE INSIDE AND YOU WILL BE SORRY!
Many of my Orange County rhinoplasty patients complain about the shape of their nose.
Although it is important to address the cosmetic concerns of the patient, one must not forget an intra-nasal examination and address any issues inside the nose as well.
Almost all patients have some degree of septal deviation (the cartilage at the center of the nose which provides support to the non-bony portion of the nose). Many, especially in Southern California, also have enlargement of the inferior turbinates. The turbinates (three rows on each side) humidify the air. The enlargement of the lower turbinate may cause or exacerbate post-operative anatomical obstruction leading to airflow restriction. Pre-operatively, although the patient may not subjectively complain about breathing difficulty, many feel better after the turbinate is temporarily reduced by special medication spray.
It is very critical to address these issues, since in majority of cosmetic cases, the nose is not only reduced on the profile, but also reduced in width as well. This cosmetic “narrowing” may cause breathing difficulty if the intra-nasal findings are not addressed.
In almost all patients, a portion of the septal cartilage is removed as part of the straightening process. The removed cartilage is then used to improve the nasal tip and provide additional support to the surrounding structures. The inferior turbinates are reduced, so the airway passage is more open.
If these issues are addressed properly, the patient will have a cosmetically acceptable nasal shape which is functional as well.
Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D. is a board certified plastic surgeon with over 10 years of experience. His office is located in central Orange County. To schedule a complimentary consultation, please call 714-834-0101.
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September 2nd, 2009 Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D.
I believe this is a valid question, since many of my Orange County plastic surgery patients look at themselves more often after surgery than before the procedure.
For purpose of clarification, I like to divide symmetry into two categories: perfect and relative.
Perfect symmetry means both sides of the area operated on (two breasts in case of breast surgery) are exactly the same. Imagine copying one side and flipping it to the other side. There is absolutely no difference between the two sides.
Relative symmetry means the sides are very even and only on close inspection, one can find minor differences. Have you ever played the game in which ”X” number of differences exist between two seemingly identical photos? That is what relative symmetry is similar to.
Please look at your face and your body critically in front of the mirror. You will be amazed how many minor differences exist between each side. These minor asymmetries are impossible to “erase” even with plastic surgery. If God and or 5 billion years of evolution can not produce perfect symmetry, it is unrealistic to expect any plastic surgeon achieving that goal within a few hours of surgery.
I never forget one of our Plastic Surgery Seminars when a plastic surgeon superimposed one side of the face and flipped it to the other side, so that both sides were perfectly symmetrical. To every one’s surprise, these modified faces did not look “right”. In fact, some of them looked “alien” and a few downright scary! If you don’t believe me, any friend with Photoshop knowledge can do this for you. Try it for yourself.
I hope this blog article will convince you NOT to look in the mirror more than usual after your surgery looking for minor asymmetries. Just enjoy your new you!
Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D. is a board certified plastic surgeon with over 10 years of experience. His office is located in Santa Ana, California. To schedule a complimentary consultation, please call 714-834-0101.
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