Plastic Surgery Blog
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Wilmington Breast Enhancement
Many women unhappy with the size of their breasts have daydreamed what it would be like to have larger breasts, most in proportion to the rest of their figure. Board certified Wilmington area plastic surgeon, Dr. Chris Saunders has helped a number of these women make those daydreams a reality through Breast Augmentation surgery.
Arguably one of the most popular procedures in plastic surgery, Breast Augmentation helps women of all sizes, shapes and ages increase and enhance their busts and even create symmetry when breasts are of two varying sizes. Dr. Saunders understands that each patient that comes to him comes in with varying challenges, needs and desired results. He works to accommodate each of their individual needs and to understand the results they want. He will help evaluate what is possible from what is not and construct the most ideal treatment plan to give you the outcome you are looking for.
Have questions? Contact our office to schedule your consultation with Dr. Saunders to find out if you would be a good candidate for Breast Augmentation.
Breast Lift Surgery and Breast Reduction Surgery: Understanding the incisions or Scars
The writings or blogs are posted most recently on the top. For example, patients who are reading these writings on breast lift cosmetic surgery, it is best to scroll down and start reading the writings at Wilmington Breast Lift and Breast Reduction. This would be first. The later ones are in sequence as they have been added later.
Breast lift incisions or scars are of major concern. Poor scars on the breast are, in fact, one of the major causes for law suits against plastic surgeons. Breast incisions typically heal well and fade with time, but they can heal poorly or become hypertrophic or keloidal. Poor scars can be described as raised, red, and unsightly. A woman can have an operation to make the breast prettier, and all of a sudden she ends up with bad scars. She has become “scarred”. This is never the goal, of course. Most women do not end up like this. Most women have good or excellent results with incisions that fade well. The risk that the incisions do not fade well is one of the main risks a woman must face. Medical studies and medical research have shown extremely high satisfaction rates with these operations. The medical literature would support the conclusion that these operations really work. They improve symptoms of back and neck pain, and they greatly improve the shape and attractiveness of the breast. Most women are pleased with their operation, their surgeon, and would do it again if asked. However the “Real-Reality” of these breast operations, like many operations, is that the patient and doctor take a statistical chance. This is the chance that the incision doesn’t fade, as it is expected to, after breast lift or breast reduction surgery. The incisions or the scars and how they fade are of utmost importance. Certain operations like cosmetic eye lifts almost never get bad scars. Breast lift and breast reduction surgery have a greater chance. Although this rate is still very low, I believe it is the major factor that must be discussed before surgery. If a woman hates her breasts, and she cannot stand to look at them in the mirror, then she is an excellent candidate for this type of breast surgery. She typically will love the new shape and appearance of her breasts. The incisions are a necessary trade-off. In the great majority of cases, the incisions fade very well. They never go away. However, there really is no other option besides surgery, except not having the operation. No creams, suction massage, or puppet strings will work and lift the breast. These are not reality. You live with the existing shape of the breast or have the operation. In this scenario described, where the woman cannot stand her breasts and she believes it is not a minor issue but a major dissatisfaction, then she typically will be happy with surgery. This is a patient that probably will like the results of the breast lift. The necessary trade-off of the incisions will be outweighed by the improvement in appearance, and she will feel the operation has been worth it.
In contrast to breast lift, breast augmentation or breast enlargement have very small incisions. The incision for breast augmentation is small because the implant can be “rolled up” and placed in “empty.” It is then “filled up” inside the breast under the muscle. The incision for breast augmentation is much smaller than the breast lift and has a very high rate of fading extremely well.
Women interested in breast lift, breast augmentation, breast lift and augmentation, breast lift recovery, breast lift cost, and breast lift incisions should come in for a consultation with Dr. Saunders. Please also see the breast lift before and after photos and the breast augmentation before and after photos.
More information on Breast Lift Surgery and Breast Reduction Surgery
The writings or blogs are posted most recently on the top. For example, patients who are reading these writings on breast lift cosmetic surgery, it is best to scroll down and start reading the writings at Wilmington Breast Lift and Breast Reduction. This would be first. The later ones are in sequence as they have been added later.
The circumareolar pattern for breast lifting is mainly used for very small degrees of breast hanging. If it is used for more hanging than very small amounts, the result can be a shape that is very unnatural, with a flat and/or poor shape. A major understanding is that to make the breasts attractive in shape, with the nipples attractively lifted, the scars are a necessary evil. Make too few incisions, and you may end up with this poor shape and unattractive breasts. Larger breast incision patterns typically end up with attractive breasts with the main remaining issue being the fading of scars. Unattractive breasts after lifting or breast reduction may have changes that are difficult to correct even with re-operation. This type of re-operative surgery can be necessary after poor results. Think of it like a seesaw. On one side are breasts with minimal hanging. Some women might even say they don’t need lifting. These women can have small incisions, because there is a small amount of loose skin that needs to be removed. On the other side of the seesaw is significant hanging of the breasts, and the nipples are probably pointing significantly down. These breasts have significant amounts of loose skin and larger incision patterns are necessary. The “Real-Reality” is you cannot remove lots of loose skin with small patterns. Your anatomy determines the operation you need, typically not your wishes. Everyone wants a small incision, including the doctor.
The circumareolar pattern, as I have described, allows for only small amounts of skin removal and is for a limited number of patients with small degree of hanging. There are other problems with this pattern, including poor scar formation around the nipple, poor projection of the breast, a flat shape, and widespread nipples. Some doctors never use this pattern, because of these risks. I believe, if the woman has the correct anatomy, then the results from this pattern can be what is desired, and can be achieved.
The second pattern around the nipple and down, the “lollipop” pattern is much more frequently used than the other patterns. I like to think of it as a compromise pattern between the three patterns described. Moderate degrees of hanging and breast reduction can be done through this pattern. Lower risks of poor shape after surgery can be expected, compared to the circumareolar technique. The final pattern or “anchor” pattern might be called the “classic” incision pattern. It allows for as much skin removal as is necessary for women of any degree of breast size or shape. More severe degrees of hanging and very large breasts are typically best treated with this incision pattern. Once again, your anatomy and shape are major determinants, in regards to which pattern you will need.
Most breast lifts are done with the “lollipop” incision pattern. Patients with very little hanging can have the nipple incision only. Patients with large degrees of hanging will need the “anchor” pattern. The pattern of incision needed can change if a women decides she wants a breast lift and augmentation. A breast augmentation added to a breast lift leads to a bigger volume or size in addition to the lifted shape. The breast implant “takes up” extra skin and some patients will need smaller incisions because of this. Women interested in breast lift and augmentation might find they need just a “lollipop” incision instead of the “anchor” pattern if they add breast implants to the lift.
Finally, some women just need breast augmentation and no lift. This is if you have very little hanging however.
Women interested in breast lift, breast lift and augmentation, breast lift recovery, breast lift cost, and breast lift incisions should come in for a consultation with Dr. Saunders. Please also see the breast lift before and after photos and the breast augmentation before and after photos.
General Concepts about Facelift Surgery and Facial Rejuvenation
An important point to understand and to help us see the “Real-Reality” is to be able to get past the misinformation and false advertising that we are so constantly bombarded by in the media. It’s hard to pick up a magazine or watch television without being exposed to this misinformation. The new facelift cream that’s going to make us look 20 years younger was just discovered by Dr.” X.” It’s been proven to work through a scientific discovery. If a doctor says it is so, it must work, right? No! Absolutely not! The cream may very well not work as described. How about the new cellulite cream or the new facelift procedure that was just developed or “invented?” “Don’t they work?” “I saw it on TV.” “It was highlighted on a television show.” “I’ve heard respected Hollywood personalities have done it.” “It must work, right?” The first part of the education process and one of the first concepts that we must learn is that the great majority of these new inventions or procedures in cosmetic surgery do not work as described. Someone or some company is trying to make money, and it’s your money. They are misrepresenting the facts to take advantage of you. Have you ever heard of the expression, “there’s a sucker born every minute?” We all can be suckers if we’re not careful. The misinformation is typically presented as fact. The misinformation is typically based on “scientific evidence” or “discovery.” One of the first key concepts we must learn is the following, you can not believe everything you read in print. You cannot believe everything you hear on TV. It is not complex. You have heard this advice before. When you see advertisements related to cosmetic surgery, you should be very skeptical. Beware of the “used-car” sales pitch. Just like the proverbial used-car salesman, who tells you that the old car he is selling is great and will last for years. Maybe you should not believe him. You might be skeptical, because you realize he wants to make a buck on you. But many people are misled by the advertising and the television shows discussing the newest cosmetic surgery creams that they claim, “really work.” We must filter through this misinformation. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If it sounds hard to believe, it probably is.
Here is an overall guiding concept. Most of the time the best cosmetic results, cosmetic rejuvenation, or facial rejuvenation require an investment of time, energy, money, and recovery. Simple, easy things, such as creams or small office procedures, never give the results of big surgical procedures. Simple, easy cosmetic things tend to give small or minimal improvement. Cosmetic operations and surgery, with the expected longer recovery and downtime, give the rejuvenation or cosmetic improvement that is typically desired. It is not hard to understand this. Small and easy cosmetic procedures tend to give a small degree of improvement. These easy cosmetic procedures usually have minimal downtime and quick recovery. Bigger, more elaborate, and harder cosmetic operations or procedures tend to give more substantial cosmetic improvement. These bigger procedures, however, always require significant downtime and recovery. It is this principal concept that is frequently broken by false and misleading advertising. The claims are often the simple cream that will give you a facelift. The claims are often for the easy operation or procedure that will give you a facelift, with no downtime and no typical facelift recovery. You can not get a facelift without surgery. Although we may wish it were true, it just does not work this way. It is hard to pick up a magazine or other news outlet without being exposed to potentially wrong or misleading information about cosmetic surgery. Once we understand this misinformation, we can avoid being misled by false or inaccurate advertising. We can understand the truth more clearly. Once we are not misled by the “smoke and mirrors” of television shows, or the Internet, we can understand completely how real surgery has realistic results and realistic expectations. It is through this type of understanding that we will be able to see clearly the “Real-Reality” of cosmetic surgery.
Dr. Saunders is a board certified plastic surgeon who practices exclusively cosmetic surgery. Delaware cosmetic surgery, West Chester cosmetic surgery, and Media cosmetic surgery patients are encouraged to come in for a complimentary consultation and to check out Dr. Saunders’ deluxe state licensed surgi center.
If you are interested in facelift surgery, facelift cost, facelift recovery, or any aspects of facial rejuvenation please call for a complimentary consultation. Please also see the facelift before and after photos on our web site!
Breast Lift and Breast Reduction Incisions and scars
The single greatest issue to understand about breast reduction or breast lift surgery is the incision or scars. You cannot have a lift through the armpit or with tiny hidden incisions. This is unrealistic and never done. Breast lifting and breast reduction surgery requires incisions on the breast to perform the operation. These incisions are permanent. They fade. But they are the main concept to understand if one is considering this operation. What are the incisions going to look like? Am I going to be scarred? The “Real-Reality” of breast lifting or breast reduction is understanding the requirement for the incisions and what to expect.
Three main incision patterns are used. The first is around the nipple called a circumareolar incision. The areola is the pigmented aspect of the nipple. The second major pattern is around the nipple and down to the crease beneath the breast, where the wire is in a bra. This is typically called a “lollipop” pattern. The third main pattern is around the nipple, down to the crease, and also underneath the breast. Sometimes this is called a “keyhole” or “anchor” pattern. This is the operation with the largest incisions. Breast lift cost is not determined by the incisions.
The circumareolar incision pattern is the least frequently done around the country. It is a pattern everyone wants to have and the one doctors want to use. Remember, the doctor, and the patients both want the smallest incisions, because they have the same goal. The goal is pretty breasts with the smallest incisions possible. However, the “Real-Reality” is that small incisions allow for only a small amount of skin removal. Larger incisions allow for larger amounts of skin removal. If you have a fairly small amount of hanging of the breasts then you might only need a very small amount of skin removal. Most women seeking a breast lift have greater degrees of hanging and hence need greater amount of skin removal. You cannot have significant lifting of the breast without significant removal of skin. This same concept applies to a tummy tuck and facial rejuvenation surgery also. Small incisions allow for small removal of loose or excess skin. Bigger incisions allow for bigger degrees of skin removal, and hence bigger degrees of rejuvenation or lifting. A tummy tuck with bigger incisions allows for more dramatic skin removal and hence greater degrees of flattening of the stomach, compared with operations with small incisions such as a mini tummy tuck. With a face-lift, longer incision patterns allow for greater rejuvenation of the face, compared with short scar techniques. These concepts cannot be changed. This concept applies to breast surgery, abdominal surgery, facial rejuvenation, and most aspects of cosmetic surgery. With today’s technology, with the greatest and best state-of-the-art techniques, this understanding is important to grasp the “Real-Reality” of surgery. Understanding this will help a woman understand what incision pattern she will need and why. Most women having a breast lift or breast reduction do not need the big incision beneath the breast unless they have really large breasts or a lot of hanging. Most women can be lifted with the “lollipop” incision pattern. Adding breast implants with a simultaneous breast augmentation can help with excess skin and minimize the need for longer incisions. This operation is called a breast lift and augmentation.
This topic of breast lift and breast reduction incisions will be covered further in an upcoming writing in the near future. Look for this soon.
Dr. Saunders is a board certified plastic surgeon who practices exclusively cosmetic surgery. Delaware cosmetic surgery, West Chester cosmetic surgery, and Media cosmetic surgery patients are encouraged to come in for a complimentary consultation and to check out Dr. Saunders’ deluxe state licensed surgi center.
For people interested in breast lift cost, breast lift photos, breast lift recovery, breast lift and augmentation, or any aspect of breast lift surgery, please call for a complimentary consultation. Please also see the breast lift before and after photos on our web site.
Wilmington Face Lift
Many people, both men and women, are concerned with the toll aging and gravity have taken on their faces. They wish they could “turn back time” and see reflected in the mirror the youthful appearance that used to smile back at them, but they are concerned about getting a Wilmington Facelift for fear of it being too extreme and noticeable.
Dr. Chris Saunders is extremely sensitive and attuned to each of his patients individual aesthetic goals and understands that no two patients are alike. He is able to successful achieve a natural look in his Facelift procedure. If you are interested in the benefits of the Facelift procedure, we invited you to take a look at our photo gallery. There you will also notice the wide variety of patients who have chosen to undergo this procedure and how natural and individualized their results were.
Click here to view patients who’ve undergone combination Face Lift/Neck Lifts!
Wilmington Breast Lift and Breast Reduction
A breast lift and a breast reduction are similar operations done to improve the appearance and shape of the breast. In contrast to a breast enlargement, a breast reduction involves making a breast smaller, not larger. Breast lifting is done typically to reshape the breast and lift the nipple, with little or minimal decrease in breast volume or size. The operation for a breast lift or reduction is actually very similar, and the concepts apply to both operations. Breast lifting mainly reshapes and enhances the shape of the breasts, with a necessary removal of loose skin. Very little to no breast tissue removal can be done. Small decreases in size are typically part of a breast lift for women who want to be lifted with no significant change in volume. A slight decrease in size is a realistic expectation.
Breast reduction classically reduces the breast a cup size or more, if necessary. The amount of tissue or volume reduced can vary, and it is a decision for the patient and the surgeon to make together. A discussion about the new size after surgery is typically done before your operation.
Many insurance companies may cover breast reduction surgery. This is done because of pain and discomfort related to large breasts. Heavy breasts or macromastia often cause symptoms such as pain in the back or neck. Shoulder grooving from bra straps, rashes and dermatitis beneath the breasts, and other symptoms are the complaints that typically lead to coverage from insurance companies for breast reduction surgery. Understand clearly that insurance companies do not care about the appearance or cosmetic aspects of your breasts. They are in the business of making money, not providing you with cosmetic surgery. They often are resistant to covering any breast surgery at all. However, if a woman’s breasts are truly large, as demonstrated with color photographic documentation, and if she’s having symptoms described above, often surgery can be covered. The insurance company will typically require approximately 500 g, or about 1 pound of breast tissue per side to be removed. This does vary depending on a woman’s weight. The insurance company may require even more breast tissue removed if the woman is over weight. Remember one pound of breast tissue is a lot of breast volume. Many women mistakenly think their breast weighs 5 pounds or greater. Breasts are actually much lighter. Women who are a C cup and have 1 pound of breast tissue removed may very well have a much smaller breast size than they want. Breast lifts are typically, never covered by insurance companies, except in the case of cancer. The purpose of the operation is for cosmetic improvement of the breast, not improvement of symptoms. Your doctor will help you with the decisions about health insurance coverage and whether you meet the criteria. Most women should be very large, at least a D cup or DD cup or greater, to be a candidate for reduction. Otherwise, lifting is the more appropriate operation. Breast lift recovery and breast reduction recovery is surprisingly easy. This is discussed in detail during consultations.
Dr. Saunders is a board certified plastic surgeon practicing exclusively cosmetic surgery. Media plastic surgery, West Chester plastic surgery and Delaware plastic surgery patients are extremely close to his state licensed plastic surgery surgi-center. Please check out the center on our web page.
Patients interested in breast lift cost, breast lift recovery, and breast lift photos are invited to come in for a complimentary consultation.
Please also see the breast lift before and after photos!
Delaware Body Contouring - Understanding Liposuction
General Concepts
Liposuction is a phenomenal operation but realistic expectations are essential. Liposuction removes excess and unwanted fat from defined areas. The areas treated commonly are the neck, stomach, legs, love handles, and thighs. Patients love liposuction. It’s one of the most commonly performed cosmetic operations in America. It is extremely safe, and the recovery is reasonably easy. Most patients having liposuction have very high satisfaction and would do it again, given the chance. But, the single most important concept is what liposuction does not do. It does not tighten loose skin or muscles. The “Real-Reality” is liposuction makes you “a smaller version of you”. If your stomach jiggles, it will still jiggle after liposuction. If you have stretch marks, you will still have stretch marks after liposuction. If you have loose muscles, you will still have loose muscles after liposuction. Liposuction removes excess and unwanted fat; it does not tighten loose skin or tighten weak muscles. After liposuction you become “a smaller version of you”. You do not, however, get hanging skin after liposuction. This would be a worse version of you. Realistic expectations of what liposuction will do for you is extremely important and one of the main concepts to understand if you are considering liposuction.
It helps to understand the anatomy. The skin is the part of the body that we see. The skin may contain stretch marks, dimples, cellulite, and can be loose. Beneath the skin is the fat. This is the area treated with liposuction. Beneath the fat are the muscles of the body. People who have excess fat might desire liposuction. However, these other anatomic areas can contribute to the success or failure of the operation. Loose skin or weak muscles can significantly diminish the benefit of liposuction. Liposuction addresses the excess fat only; it does not tighten weak muscles or remove loose or damaged skin. If we consider a particular anatomic area such as the outer thighs or “saddlebag” area, it is common for people to have excess and unwanted fat in this area. Muscle tone in the legs is usually normal and muscle tightening would never be done. Poor muscle tone in this area does not contribute to a poor appearance. However, loose skin and stretch marks can be a problem. And these skin issues will not be significantly changed with liposuction. Liposuction works on the fat excess only. The skin does not shrink significantly; the skin will not act like “Saran wrap”. The skin will not hang however. People ask, “What will I look like after liposuction?” I believe the best answer is that you become “a smaller version of you”. Liposuction only addresses the fat and does not change any inherent skin looseness or weak muscle tone. You do not get worse hanging skin after liposuction. You do not become a worse version of you. If you have liposuction and you have excess and unwanted fat removed, you become a more attractive and “smaller version” of you. This is not bad news; this is good news. This is the “Real-Reality” of liposuction. Understanding this concept is essentially the most important aspect about understanding the operation. It is an understanding of realistic expectations and realistic results.
Sometimes I will see patients in consultation, who I believe have unrealistic expectations. The person might be hoping for a result that liposuction just can not achieve. Many times I have seen women come in to the office asking for leg liposuction and they show me “The Pull.” What is “The Pull?” It is when a woman grabs her legs in the upper thighs and pulls her leg skin up, lifting and pushing the loose skin into the groin area. When a woman does “The Pull” the skin is dramatically improved. This maneuver gets rid of excess skin and improves cellulite and stretch marks. However, this is what liposuction does not do. This is not “a smaller version of you.” This is an unrealistic improvement and an unrealistic result that liposuction cannot achieve. When I see a patient like this, extra time is spent, going over the concepts and principles described above. Liposuction addresses excess and unwanted fat. It does not achieve this unrealistic “Pull” of skin. It is extremely important to understand what liposuction does and does not do.
If we consider the abdominal area, muscles can be significantly weakened by surgery or having children. C-sections or other abdominal operations can also contribute to this abdominal weakness. This muscle weakness can substantially contribute to an undesired appearance in the stomach area. In contrast to the leg area described above, weak stomach muscles can be a major factor giving a woman a fat looking stomach. As described above, liposuction treats only excess and unwanted fat. It will not treat weak muscles. Women who have had children typically also have significant loose skin. Liposuction will not treat this loose skin. However, treatments are available for loose skin and weak muscles. Liposuction alone does not address these issues. This is an important concept that is being reemphasized. If a patient is 18 years old and has excess and unwanted fat in the stomach area, then liposuction is probably the best option for her. If she has not had any children or surgery, loose skin and weak muscles are probably not a factor. However if the patient is 40 years old and has had three children, she might have significant muscle weakness, stretch marks, and loose skin. Liposuction alternatives or options to this patient would be a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck. These operations would address loose skin and weak muscles. (These operations are considered in extensive detail in another chapter.) Liposuction sucks out excess fat and addresses only the fat, not the muscles or skin. This does not mean that liposuction is the wrong operation. An understanding of options is critical. A liposuction operation alone would make a significant improvement to the area treated. The patient would become “a smaller version of what she is”. A tummy tuck however might give more dramatic results and make the patient even smaller or thinner in the abdominal area. This improved result would be because the tummy tuck addresses the loose skin and weak muscles and gives an enhanced improvement compared to liposuction alone. Tummy tuck cost and liposuction cost differ with liposuction cost being much less usually. Tummy tuck recovery and liposuction recovery differ with liposuction recovery being much easier.
Dr. Saunders is a board certified plastic surgeon who practices exclusively cosmetic surgery. Delaware plastic surgery, West Chester plastic surgery, and Media plastic surgery patients are extremely close to his deluxe state licensed cosmetic surgery center. Please check out the surgical center by visiting it on our web site.
Patients interested in liposuction cost, liposuction recovery, liposuction alternatives, or liposuction side effects are encouraged to make a complimentary consultation by calling the office. Please also look at the liposuction before and after pictures!
Wilmington Rhinoplasty
Most people are unhappy with their noses for either aesthetic or health reasons. Deviated Septums are one of the most common reasons people choose to have Rhinoplasty. Having one can make it very difficult to breath properly. The other popular reason people choose Wilmington Rhinoplasty is for its aesthetic value. Some people feel self-conscious that their noses are too large or disproportionate to the rest of their face, some have bumps and disfigurements caused by injury, and still others feel their noses are too small or undefined.
The procedure itself, whatever the reason, generally takes about an hour to complete and the results are instantaneous. Of course there will be some initial swelling and bruising, but it should go down considerably over the coming days and weeks. Your bandages will then be removed anywhere from one to two weeks after the procedure and most patients return to work within a matter of days. Of course, every patient’s recovery is different, so it is important that you listen to your body and consult with your doctor if you have any questions.
Check out our drastic Before and After Rhinioplasty Photo Gallery to see the results for yourself!
Face Lift – Wilmington
While these days there are more options than ever before when it comes to facial rejuvenation, the most popular procedure for those with advanced signs of aging continues to be Face Lift Surgery. Face Lift Surgery can help create younger, smoother and natural looking results. Dr. Saunders has helped countless men and women take years off their face through Wilmington Face Lift Surgery.
During the Face Lift procedure excess skin is removed and the remaining skin is re-draped, so to speak, to eliminate the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Face Lift surgery is often combined with other facial rejuvenation procedures such as Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Lift), Brow Lift, or Neck Lift.
Contact our office to schedule your consultation with Dr. Saunders to discuss how you can benefit from Face Lift or other facial rejuvenation procedures.