Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Risks And Recovery Time For Eyelid Lift Surgery

Eyelid surgery is relatively simple but as with all operations it is not 100% risk-free. Here are few things that you need to consider before opting for eyelid surgery and if you have any concerns about them then your surgeon will be more than happy to discuss the procedures with you:

Potential Risks With Eyelid Surgery
Initially you may experience some minor complications such as temporary double or blurred vision. Some patients complain of a stinging, gritty sensation in the eye as well as excessive watering and even a slight asymmetry in the size and shape.

These are usually temporary and nothing to worry about but more serious, but again normally temporary, some complications can include very dry eyes, problems with closing eyes completely, prominent scars or the drooping of the lower lid.

In nearly all cases these problems rectify themselves after a few days but if the problems persist it may be necessary to have further surgery to correct the problem.

A more severe, but thankfully rare condition is bleeding behind the eye. This is quite serious as it temporarily increases the pressure around the eye and may need a procedure to release the pressure.

There are some medical conditions that can cause complications after eyelid surgery and you will need to discuss them with your surgeon before agreeing to the surgery. The conditions include, dry eyes or lack of sufficient tears, thyroid problems, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. If you suffer from any of these problems, please tell you surgeon about them as they can increase the risk of the problems mentioned earlier.

After The Operation And Recovery Time
How can you expect to feel after the operation? Well, as the anaesthetic begins to wear off your eyelids will feel tight and sore with a possible burning sensation. You will have some swelling for several weeks after the procedure and bruising for at least 10 days.

To speed up the recovery process keep your head elevated with extra pillows above the level of your heart when you are laying down. You might find that using cold compresses and ice packs during the first 48 hours will also reduce the swelling. Your surgeon will also advise your to avoid alcohol. This is good advice as alcohol dries out your eyes, causes fluid retention and significantly extends the time you need to recover.

The fine stitches used for closing up the incision will be removed three to five days after the procedure. You will need to clean the eye area for a week to ten days after the stitches have been removed, as the eyes will become sticky and itchy. In some cases your surgeon might recommend that you use eye drops or an eye lubricant, especially for use at night.

Do not try to wear contact lenses for one to two weeks after the operation. You might feel more comfortable to wear large sunglasses to cover the bruising and as protection against the light and dust because the eye area will be very sensitive to the sun, wind and other irritants for several weeks after the operation.

Your surgeon will explain all of these points to you before you decide to have the operation and will help to allay any fears or concerns that you might have.

Should You Have An Eyelid Lift?

One of the first signs of getting older is droopy or hooded eyelids. In cases like this many people decide to have eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty).

An eyelid lift can restore the contour to the lids and help get rid of the bags under the eyes. However, it won’t get rid of your wrinkles or crows feet. You will need to have Botox treatment for that.

Generally, droopy upper eyelids and/or puffy lower ones are often genetic and run in families and it affects men as well as women. What happens is that the eyelid skin begins to thin and stretch as we get older and then becomes loose. The muscles around the eyes weaken and the fat pads that cushion the eyeball move forward resulting in saggy eyelids.

Puffiness of the eyes can occur when a fat pad starts to pull away from the bone of the lower eye and begins to sag. Droopy upper eyelids can result in hooding over the eyes as the lids get fuller and heavier.

So if that is happening to you and you are considering having an eyelid lift what can you expect and what is involved?

The procedure itself if relatively simple. It may be performed under a general anaesthetic or ‘twilight’ anaesthesia, which is also known as conscious sedation. This is where you are asleep but not unconscious. This is not as scary as it may sound. In fact, if you are only having eyelid surgery it is likely that you will be admitted as a day patient, using the twilight method, which means that you won’t have to spend a night in hospital.

Lower Eyelid
There are a number of was that the surgeon will perform the operation but the most common method of performing lower eyelid surgery is to make an incision along and under the lower lashes. The surgeon then lifts the skin and muscle to remove a small amount of fat. Excess skin and muscle are then trimmed from the lower lid.

If it is just your lower eyelids that are affected by fatty deposits the fat can just be removed from the inside of the eye without leaving a visible scar.

Upper eyelid
Surgery on the upper eyelid involves making a curved incision across the eyelid crease in the natural skin fold. This follows the shape of your eyelids. The surgeon will draw a line to identify the lower edge of the skin and will then trim it away. Next, the excess skin of the upper eyelid is marked out and this is removed along with any fatty tissue and a thin strip of muscles to give the eyelid crease more definition. The incision is then closed and the scar will be hidden by the natural fold in the upper eyelid.

Operating time will generally be about 1 to 3 hours and as I mentioned earlier you will be released from hospital shortly after it, probably the same day.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

All About Breast Lifts And Reductions

A lot of women are unhappy with their breasts and are confused about the kind of operations available. In this article I am going to explain what a breast lift and reduction is, what is involved in the procedure and what the potential risks are.

Breast Lift
A breast lift (or mastopexy) is a surgical procedure to raise and reshape breasts that have sagged as a result of pregnancy, breast-feeding or are just the result of a lack of gravity caused by old age. It can also reduce the size of the areola, which is the darker skin surrounding the nipple.

When it comes to shape and balance, there is no typical type of breast as depends on the woman. As a result some breast lifts may be combined with a breast implant where the size needs to be enhanced or reduced. Your surgeon will discuss this with you when you go for your consultation.

Breast Reduction
If you are having a breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty), the surgeon will lift the breast tissue and the nipple into a higher more youthful-looking position. He will then remove any excess skin and tissue to reduce the overall size of the breast. The more tissue that is removed, the easier it will be for the surgeon to improve the shape of the breast.

What Is Involved?
Both the breast lift and the breast reduction procedures are performed under general anaesthesia. There are a number of different techniques that can be used depending on the degree of sagging.

The techniques might include:
  • Removing excess skin from around the areola as well as from the bottom of the breast
  • Tightening of the skin around the breast
  • Reshaping the skin to lift the position of the nipple so that the shape of the breast looks more youthful
  • Increasing the size of the breast using breast implants for perkier, projected breasts

A good surgeon will reduce the appearance of scars by performing traditional and modified incision techniques. The most common of these is the ‘anchor’ incision. This involves making cuts around the nipple areola, vertically down the breast and horizontally all the way underneath the breast.

The ‘vertical mastopexy’ is often used for many types of breasts and this involves an incision around the nipple with a vertical line down the centre of the breast.

The ‘doughnut’ mastopexy where the surgeon just cuts around the areola is usually just used for women with small breasts that are only mildly droopy. This is so that only a little bit of the skin actually needs to be removed.

What Are The Risks?
Probably the most common risks are the quality of the healing process and your own acceptance of the scars. This could be a problem if you are prone to scarring problems such as keloids, which could result in the scars being lumpy and red for many months.

It is quite rare for bleeding and infection after a breast lift but if in the unlikely event it does happen then you need to seek medical advise immediately as it can cause the scars to widen.

Another possible risk is unevenly positioned nipples and the breast symmetry being out of sync. Some women also complain about the lack of sensation in their nipples after the operation.

If you plan on having babies in the near future and want to breast-feed, then you need to make sure that you mention this to your surgeon before deciding to go ahead with the operation as there is a strong possibility that you may not be able to breastfeed after excisional breast surgery. This is a real concern for any woman and you need to bear this in mind before making your decision.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Implants The Risks You Must Know

What Are The Risks, Effects And Recovery Times Of Breast Enlargements

As the popularity of breast implants grows (no pun intended), it is becoming safer than ever to have a breast enlargement operation. However, no operation is ever without it's risks and you need to be aware of any potential problems. The risks are slim but here is a list of the more common ones:

• Rippling or indentations of the skin
• Implant rupture or leakage and subsequent deflation of the breast implant
• Implant shifting
• Painful hardening and/or distortion of the breast due to scar tissue (capsular contraction)
• Temporary or permanent loss of sensation in the nipple or breast tissue
• Formation of calcium deposits in surrounding tissue.

Screening Risks

Another thing to consider is that there is some concern over the issue of mammograms, as they have a hard time 'seeing past' cosmetic breast implants. This means that the results may be less reliable. However, these reports have not been confirmed yet and the research is still ongoing but it is another thing that you must discuss with your surgeon prior to going ahead with the surgery.

If you are concerned about this and you have a family history that increases the risks, you may be advised to have a baseline mammogram before surgery. However, this will all depend on your age at the time of surgery and as I mentioned earlier, your family history. Unless, told otherwise, you will continue with your screenings as normal after the surgery.

How Long Will Your Implants Last
It's impossible to predict just how long your implants will last as it could be anything from 6 months to 20 years. However, reports from recent research seem to suggest an average of 16 years.

Implant Removals
Depending on your age when you have your implants placed, you will probably have your implants removed at least once during your life. The reason might be to reduce the size again or to have more implants put in. However, if you are not happy with your implants, it is possible to have them removed at any time you want.

If you have had your implants in place for a number of years, removing them might result in a droopier breast shape but this depends on the size of the implant and the quality of the breast tissue. If they sag too much then it is possible to reshape the breast with a breast lift. The surgeon might recommend some removal of the saggy skin.

Post operation effects and recovery time
You will need somebody to escort you home from the hospital and to provide some general help over the following few days.

Your breasts will be wrapped with a gauze bandage and a surgical bra or elastic band. It is important to keep the dressings dry at all times. You might also have some drainage tubes placed in the incision for a few days to eliminate excess fluid.

After five to seven days, the gauze dressing will be removed and then you may need to wear a non-under-wire support or sports bra. You will need to wear this continually for several weeks. Your breasts will be taped in place. At first they will look firm and swollen, however as the swelling goes down, they will drop into a much more comfortable position and shape.

To speed up the healing process try to avoid stretching and lifting. Minimize your arm movements and raise your elbows no higher than your armpits. Avoid aerobic activity for three to four weeks and your surgeon may even advise you not to have any kind of sexual activity for a week or longer.

The stitches will finally come out within a week to ten days and then the swelling and bruising will subside over several weeks.

Don't worry about the scars. They will remain pink for several months but the won't be too obvious after that period.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

How To Prepare Yourself For Cosmetic Surgery

I know a lot of people who have spent many years planning and saving up for cosmetic surgery. They have been unhappy with a particular part of their body or face for such a long time and suddenly, just before the operation they have dreamt about is about to happen, they start to feel anxious. They are not having second thoughts, they just feel anxious about the procedure ahead of them.

This really is normal. In fact it is to be expected because nobody faces cosmetic surgery, cosmetic or otherwise, without some level of fear and anxiety. Here are some of my suggestions to help alleviate some of the anxiety before your surgery:

Preparation
Preparation, both mentally and physically, in advance of the surgery is very important and will definitely ease some of your anxiety and make the procedure go a lot smoother. If you don’t take the time to prepare then your anxiety levels will be significantly increased.

How Can You Prepare Yourself Before The Cosmetic Surgery?
Be sure to read all of the information brochures given to you by your surgeon. Reading information like this report shows that you are doing your homework and researching on the procedure and what you can expect and will be a great help to you.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask your doctor or surgeon questions about the procedure and what you should expect. They really won’t mind answering your questions for you. In fact they would be more surprised and concerned if you didn’t have any questions. Write down the questions that they give so that you can digest the information properly in the comfort of your own home where you can feel relaxed enough to consider and take in what they have told you.

Preparation For After The Surgery

I recommend arranging in well in advance a close friend or relative to pick you up after the surgery and be on hand for the next day or so. This may or may not be your partner but whoever it is, make sure that they are calm, capable and won’t stress your out after the surgery. Only you know who this person will be
A month or so in advance start stocking up on health and low-salt food, healthy snacks, ice packs, extra pillows, glossy magazines and entertaining DVD’s. You will be thankful for these after the surgery.

The Night Before
The night before the surgery is the most stressful. You might get a headache because of the stress, or be irritable. You might not get much sleep that night or in some case have high blood pressure because of pre-op nerves.

To try and combat this, start practising some deep breathing techniques, watch a funny movie or just try to relax by pampering yourself with a long, relaxing soak or massage.

Immediately After the Cosmetic Surgery
It is possible that after all of the excitement and anxiety before the operation, you may feel tired and slightly depressed for a few days or weeks after the operation. This won’t be helped by the fact that every time you look in the mirror you might look like you have done a few rounds in the boxing ring with Mike Tyson. Try to remember that this is just temporary.

The worst period for feeling like this are three days after the operation, especially if you have had general anaesthetic.

However, once the swelling has gone down and you start to see the final results, the euphoria will soon kick in and you will be delighted with the new you.

All of your anxiety will be gone and all of the years you planned and saved for the procedure will be worth it. Your confidence will be rebuilt and you can start living life to the full again.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Cosmetic Surgery Just For You

How To Choose The Right Cosmetic Surgery Treatment

With so many choices around, doing your research is essential when opting for cosmetic surgery. So be honest with both yourself and your doctor to get what’s best for you.

As well as considering factors such as cost and recovery time, for a lot of people, choosing the right treatment or procedure has a lot to do with the inevitable fear factor.

When you do your research you may feel that some procedures are a lot scarier than others. However, that might be a misconception. For example, I know of many people who believe that liposuction is brutal and invasive, while in fact it’s a fairly gentle procedure that leaves tiny scars. A tummy tuck on the other hand, which perhaps sounds a minor procedure, is a much more invasive and risky operation. So try and find our exactly what each treatment entails before making your decision.

Be Sure Of What You Want
It is common practise in cosmetic surgery for the doctor to hand you a mirror at the start of the consultation and ask you to specifically point out what is bothering you. It is your responsibility to communicate your goals at this point. You should be able to explain specifically exactly what it is that you do not like about your face or body. Explain to the doctor what doesn’t look good as it once did and what you want to change or improve and the appearance you hope for at the end of the operation.

To help you, prepare a list of questions, so you don’t forget anything important. It is also a good idea to take notes during the consultation, as they will come in handy later.

Make sure that you ask about the basics of procedures and how they apply to you as an individual.

Another very important point to consider is this: understanding the limitations of procedures is vital to avoid being disappointed. It is no good pointing to a picture of Angelina Jolie and saying that you want to look like that.

The quality of the result is going to depend on many different factors including your skin type, skin elasticity, bone structure, general health, previous surgery to the area and your own healing pattern. Remember, too, that the procedure that’s done wonders for your best friend or work colleague may not be the best for you. If you are realistic from the start then you will avoid bitter disappointment and you will be happier with the results.

Another tip is to bring a list of practical questions, including fees, payment methods and scheduling appointments. A lot of these questions can asked when you speak to the doctor’s secretary or nurse/manager.

Another common mistake from a lot of people considering cosmetic surgery is to zero in on one specific concern, while ignoring something else that really needs attention to achieve a degree of change that is aesthetically pleasing overall. What do I mean? Well for instance, you might be fixating on your eyelids when really your brows need lifting too, or having your neck lifted but missing the little lines ageing your mouth. Your doctor may mention these to you but as I said earlier, it is really up to you to get these points across so that the doctor can give you the best possible results and the cosmetic surgery will live up to your expectations.

Remember that enhancing one feature can cause other features to stand out unflatteringly in comparison, a bit like painting only one wall of a room.

Do your research, prepare well and be realistic. If you keep these points in mind then you will be able to choose the right cosmetic surgery treatment that suits you.

Friday, March 14, 2008

The Right Cosmetic Surgeon , How?

How To Choose The Right Cosmetic Surgeon And What Questions Should You Ask Him?

Somewhere out there, an excellent, reliable doctor or surgeon is waiting to transform you. The trick is finding them. To do that, you need to ask the right questions, in the right places, and then you can go ahead with much more confidence.

There is never just one specialist doctor for any procedure in the world of cosmetic surgery and treatments. There are almost certainly several, sometimes many, practitioners and surgeons who can give you an equally good result.

The best way to find a great cosmetic surgeon is to ask around. Get references and talk to patients who are happy (or unhappy) with their results. Talk to your own doctor or gynaecologist and, if you have access to other doctors, anaesthetists and theatre nurse, ask them too. They are great sources of information because they work within the profession and see the results almost on a daily basis.

Ask beauty gurus and journalists, and collect information from magazines, newspapers and the Internet.

Before scheduling an initial appointment, request brochures, which describe their practise, experience and special interests. Also check their web sites. Most surgeons will charge a fee for the first visit, so ask in advance or look out for things like this in your research. Try to get a short list of two, or preferably three or more surgeons.

Never go with the first or only cosmetic surgeon you see (at least, when it comes to having an operation. A non-invasive procedure doesn’t carry the same risks). Even if you are excited about the first one you meet, and feel very comfortable and confident with him/her, please go to see the others for information and comparison, even if only to confirm your initial impression. Only then are you qualified to choose wisely.

Remember that you should always feel comfortable with the doctor and with their recommendations for your treatment. They should also counsel you to make sure that you are ready to undergo this treatment and understand all the implications and risks. If you don’t like the person, continue with the interview but wait and have another think: certainly don’t commit unless you are sure. Once you decide, get all the fees and hospital costs in writing.

To help you, here are a list of questions that you should ask every surgeon you have a consultation with:

  • Have you had any legal action taken against you as the result of surgery you’ve performed, or is there any case outstanding? (You can check this with the General Medical Council).
  • What are your qualifications and training?
  • How long have you been practising and where?
  • What professional bodies do you belong to?
  • How many of these procedures have you performed during the last year?
  • Can I see pre and post operative photographs of other patients that you have operated on?
  • Exactly what do you recommend for me, and why?
  • Where will it be performed?
  • What kinds of anaesthesia will I have and who will be administering it? (The qualifications and experience of the anaesthetist are as important as those of the surgeon)
  • How long will the procedure take?
  • Will I need to stay in hospital overnight and where will that be?
  • How many incisions will there be and where exactly will they be placed?
  • What is the estimated length of time for recovery? Absence from work and overall healing?
  • How long do you expect the results to last?
  • What results can I reasonably expect?

Don’t be afraid to ask these questions. Any good cosmetic surgeon will be more than happy to answer them and to put your mind at rest.

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