Our Surgeons' Blog

Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic surgical procedure that results in a more youthful and firm abdomen. While diet and exercise are traditional methods of achieving a better-looking abdomen, they are often ineffective with certain body types. Additionally, major body changes such as pregnancy or excessive fluctuations in weight are extremely difficult to recover from with these traditional methods.

Abdominoplasty is a safe and simple plastic-surgery option that involves the elimination of excess fat and loose skin from the abdominal region, particularly the middle and lower abdomen. The muscle tissues are also tightened using internal sutures.

Candidates for Abdominoplasty

People who are fit and free from serious diseases or chronic conditions are fit for a tummy-tuck operation. The goal of the operation is not to help with obesity or to offer weight-reduction solutions. Techniques like liposuction are far more effective for such purposes.

Instead, abdominoplasty is strictly meant to improve the aesthetics of the abdomen and as such is fit for candidates with a good overall figure. Liposuction may be combined with a tummy tuck to perform a more intensive treatment.

Women with multiple pregnancies often find their skin stretched and sagging. The muscles around the stomach lose their rigidity and strength. The tummy tuck can get rid of the loose skin and tighten the muscles around the abdomen to bring back the shape and contours of days past.

An Overview of the Procedure

Depending upon the nature and intensity of tissue alteration, an abdominoplasty can last from one to five hours. A typical abdominoplasty has the following basic steps:

1. Delivering Anesthesia: Depending upon the intensity of the surgery, local or general anesthesia can be used. The choice of anesthesia also depends on the preferences of the surgeon and the patient. Intravenous sedation is a popular form of anesthesia for this procedure.

2. Making the incision: A horizontal incision is made in the area between the pubic region and the bellybutton. The length and shape of the incision are governed by the amount of skin and fat that is to be removed. After making the incision, the skin is lifted right up to the belly button, revealing the fat deposits and weakened muscles. The excess fat deposits are cleared and the muscles are strengthened. Subsequently, a second incision is made around the bellybutton in order to work on the excess skin and sagging. The upper abdominal skin is stretched downwards like a drape and the excess skin is removed. The upper skin is then tightly stitched together and the new orifice for the bellybutton is made.

3. Closing the incisions: After the alterations are complete, the incisions are sutured back together. The results of an abdominoplasty are visible almost immediately, and the patient is advised against any physically intensive activity for over a week.

Ready to Get the Stomach You’ve Been Dreaming Of?

If you’re feeling ready to take the next step towards a beautifully contoured abdomen, it’s time to contact our office for a consultation. Doctors Roger Friedman, Douglas Forman, Kathy Huang, and Anita Kulkarni are board-certified plastic surgeons and will be happy to help.

Image Courtesy of Witthaya Phonsawat/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In the latest issue of New York Magazine, Maureen O’Connor explores ethnic plastic surgery in an article titled “Is Race Plastic? My Trip Into the Ethnic Plastic Surgery Minefield.” She starts out in the office of a New York plastic surgeon who specializes in Asian eyelid surgery, and weaves us through a series of clinics promoting different ethnic plastic surgery procedures from Asian facial reshaping to African-American rhinoplasty. All through the article, she debates whether ethnic plastic surgery is designed to specifically “deracinate” or whether universal beauty ideals have simply been influenced by Caucasian features.

From a plastic surgeon’s perspective, I think the modern trend is to embrace ethnically and culturally diverse features. Minority patients who come to me for plastic surgery nearly universally express a desire to maintain their ethnic appearance. They usually want to refine a particular feature, but almost always insist that they don’t want to lose their racial identity. I think this is the result of a changing media landscape that now routinely includes mixed-race and ethnically diverse role models. When I was growing up, there were no Indian-Americans in mainstream media. Now, I can name a handful off the top of my head (Mindy Kaling of The Mindy Project, Kal Penn from the White Castle movies, Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef, Sanjay Gupta on CNN, and M. Night Shyamalan from The Sixth Sense). It’s not a large group, but it is a vast improvement from a television landscape that used to be completely whitewashed. Given the weighty influence of media on cultural standards of beauty, it stands to reason that people are more interested in embracing their uniquely ethnic features.

Having a single or double mastectomy can be a very emotional experience for a woman. With breast-reconstruction surgery, you can have your breasts back and start feeling more comfortable with your body again.

Breast reconstruction using tissue expanders is one of the ways in which a new pair of breasts can be surgically constructed. The process takes some time to complete but has been found to be safe with excellent results.

How Does the Procedure Work?

Before the surgery, you will be given general anesthesia so that you can be comfortable and asleep during the procedure. Next, a small incision will be made around the area of the breast and an empty prosthetic called a tissue expander will be inserted under the skin and chest muscles. The skin will be sutured closed and drains will be fitted to allow the removal of fluid that collects at the site of the incision. The incision will be dressed with gauze.

Over a course of the next four weeks or so, the tissue expanders will gradually be filled with saline until they expand enough to reach the desired size. The gradual increase in the size of the expander helps to stretch out the skin and muscles, preparing them for the insertion of permanent implants.

Once this stage is complete, you will undergo a second surgery to remove the saline-filled tissue expanders and replace them with the breast implants. Reconstruction of the nipples and areolae will be done a few weeks later.

After the surgeries, you might feel a bit of stinging at the sites of the incisions; this sensation is normal and will pass in a few days. While the expansion process is going on, you will experience some tightness and heaviness in your chest. This is because the skin and muscles are being stretched out to form the new breasts.

Post-Surgical Care Directions

You will be advised to rest at home after the surgeries. The nurses will teach you how to care for the drains at the incision sites, which will be in place for the next week or two before they are removed.

Following the placement of the breast implants, you will need to wear a compression bra for a time. Wear the bra as instructed by your plastic surgeon to help with the healing process and to help the new breasts hold their shape.

If you have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation, your doctor will keep you informed regarding the timeline for the second surgery, which might be delayed slightly.

Schedule a Consultation

Removal of the breasts because of breast cancer no longer needs to leave you feeling incomplete. With breast reconstruction using tissue expansion, you can have a new pair of breasts that look and feel natural. With everything you have already been through, you deserve the chance to feel your best.

Doctors Roger Friedman, Douglas Forman, and Kathy Huang are board-certified plastic surgeons with years of experience. During a consultation, you will be given all the details of the procedure and can ask any questions you may have. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.

When it comes to breast augmentation, all the hours of preparation and doctor consultations are incredibly important. While most consultations are devoted to envisioning the patient’s goals for the surgery, another key topic of discussion is the type of incision that will be used.

The incision type and pattern used for your breast augmentation will be chosen based on Dr. Forman’s preference and your goals. Because you’ll be discussing your options beforehand, it is important that you know the uses and limitations of each incision pattern.

Incisions and Implants

The primary purpose of incisions during breast augmentation is to facilitate proper and safe placement of the breast implants. Through these incisions, surgeons create tissue pockets – spaces in the breasts for the implants – and the shape and size of the pockets influences the final outcome.

To better understand the reasons why incisions are chosen, you must first understand a key difference between saline and silicone implants. Silicone implants come pre-filled to their intended size, meaning their size cannot be changed. Saline implants, on the other hand, do not come pre-filled. Instead, they are filled to their intended size during the procedure.

Because saline implants are inserted empty into the breast pocket, they are much smaller than silicone implants when inserted. This makes them more versatile. They can be inserted into a much smaller incision that is a longer distance from their intended position in the breasts.

Incision Types

In general, one of these three incisions is made:

• Periareolar: This option is a common approach in breast augmentation. As the name suggests, the incision is made along the lower circumference of the areola. Any post-surgical marks resulting from this incision are expertly hidden along the areola’s border. People sometimes think that this incision leads to loss of nipple sensation, but in reality, loss of nipple sensation is the consequence of choosing the wrong implant size. This incision option works well with silicone and saline implants.

• Inframammary: The inframammary incision is made along the crease of the breast or right above the crease. Many surgeons prefer this incision option, since it offers easy access for breast-implant insertion and provides an unparalleled view of the internal tissues. Any post-surgical marks resulting from this incision are camouflaged in the breast fold. This incision pattern can accommodate silicone and saline implants of any size.

• Transaxillary: This incision is quite small and is made in the armpit crease. Because it is created in this area, post-surgical marks are well hidden. Since it is farther away from the final implant location than the other options, it is best suited to saline implants. The size of the incision made is quite small in comparison to the periareolar and inframammary incisions.

Arranging a Consultation

During a consultation at our office, you will discuss your breast-augmentation incision options with a skilled medical professional. Doctors Roger Friedman, Douglas Forman, and Kathy Huang are all board-certified plastic surgeons with years of experience.

Together, you and your plastic surgeon will decide on the right incision option for you. To schedule your consultation with one of our experienced plastic surgeons, contact our office today.

Exfoliation is a well-known technique used to remove dead skin cells from the face. There are many techniques that are commonly used for exfoliation. Facials and scrubs are common exfoliation techniques, but these are ineffective for deep exfoliation and skin rejuvenation.

Microdermabrasion is a technique of exfoliation wherein dead cells are mechanically scrubbed off the skin and vacuumed away, revealing radiant youthful skin beneath. Although the word “microdermabrasion” may sound intimidating, microdermabrasion is one of the gentlest and fastest non-invasive anti-aging treatments currently available on the market.

This exfoliation treatment is suitable for all skin types. For those candidates with skin conditions like widespread acne, lupus, active sunburn, herpes, psoriasis, open sores, and fragile capillaries, a thorough medical report may need to be conducted before a microdermabrasion treatment can be recommended.

The Microdermabrasion Procedure

If it’s your first microdermabrasion treatment and you’re not sure what to expect from the procedure, here is a breakdown of the steps involved.

To get an idea of how the procedure works, imagine smoothing down a rough edge with sandpaper. Don’t jump to conclusions and assume that the process is painful, though – it’s actually quite gentle.

In general, there are two variations of the treatment. The first option involves the use of a handheld machine that targets the skin’s surface with a stream of miniscule crystals. The machine contains an attached vacuum that suctions away the loosened skin cells.

The second option – and also the most widely used – involves using a diamond-tipped wand. The wand is gently moved over the surface of the skin, causing dead skin cells to be loosened and removed. Apart from removing dead skin cells, the wand also massages the treated region to improve blood circulation.

Microdermabrasion or a Chemical Peel?

The end results of microdermabrasion and a chemical peel can be quite similar, depending on the type of peel chosen. After either of these procedures, the patient can enjoy radiant younger-looking skin free of blemishes.

However, the mechanism of action is quite different. Chemical peels rely on chemicals to remove the outermost layer of the skin. Rashes and severe redness are potential side effects of a chemical peel.

With microdermabrasion, on the other hand, since no chemicals are used, the skin exfoliation is gentler and the pink tinge left behind heals faster.

Microdermabrasion Aftercare

Removal of the outermost layers of dead skin reveals new skin cells. These new skin cells are quite sensitive and are not yet ready to withstand harsh sunlight. Aestheticians recommend avoiding direct sunlight soon after the treatment to ensure that the cells are not injured. If you do need to step out, sunscreen is mandatory to protect the skin. The key to speed up healing after a session of microdermabrasion is to moisturize daily.

Try Microdermabrasion for Yourself!

If you’re interested in trying microdermabrasion treatment for yourself, set up an appointment for a consultation by contacting our office. Doctors Roger Friedman, Douglas Forman, and Kathy Huang are experienced board-certified plastic surgeons and will be happy to answer your questions regarding the procedures we offer.

To many who were unhappy with the shape and size of their breasts, augmentation and lift procedures came as a major blessing. Breast reduction is another breast procedure that has brought comfort to those who are unsatisfied with the proportions of their breasts. For patients who want to decrease the size of their overly large busts, this surgery is an excellent choice.

Breast Reduction

Breast reduction, also called reduction mammoplasty, is a plastic-surgery option that aims to reduce the size of a person’s breasts through the removal of excess fat, glandular tissue, and skin tissue. This not only reduces the volume but also the weight of the breasts, helping the patients live normal and comfortable lives.

Plastic surgeons use different approaches to breast reduction depending on the size of the breasts and the degree of breast sag. Here are some of the main breast-reduction techniques:

• Liposuction – Patients who have breasts with excess fat in them may require only minor volume reduction without any need for sag correction. In these cases, liposuction alone would suffice.

• Donut (Benelli) technique – This technique is useful for making minor size corrections. An incision is made around the perimeter of the areola, and another concentric circle is made around this incision.

• Lollipop (vertical) technique – This option is ideal for removal of small to moderate volumes of excess tissues. A circular incision is made around the areola and a vertical incision is made that travels down from this to the crease of the breast.

• Inferior pedicle (anchor) technique – Also called the inverted-T or wise pattern technique, this surgery is used when the size of the breasts is extremely excessive. With this, sagging can also be corrected. Three incisions are made: one around the areola, one vertically from the areola to the crease of the breast, and one along the crease. This resembles the appearance of an anchor. After the excess tissue is removed, the nipple-areolar complex is moved up to achieve an even appearance.

How Breast Reduction Helps

For women who are encumbered with breasts that are large or asymmetrical, reduction surgery can do a world of good:

• Physical – The weight of large breasts often causes neck, back, and shoulder aches, not to mention the pain of bra straps cutting into the skin. Sweating and rashes under the breasts are common problems for these patients. Exercise also becomes difficult. Breast reduction gives them freedom from physical pain and improves their mobility.

• Aesthetic – Breast reduction can bring symmetry to the breasts and improve them aesthetically. The size and shape can be reduced so that it is more proportional to the body.

• Emotional – Women with larger breasts than normal for their body shape often struggle with low self-esteem. This can also mean unwanted sexual attention. Breast reduction restores proper proportion to patients’ bodies. Patients don’t look overweight anymore, clothes fit them better, and in many cases, they feel more confident.

Arrange a Helpful Consultation

Doctors Roger Friedman, Douglas Forman, and Kathy Huang are board-certified plastic surgeons who will be happy to help you reach your aesthetic goals. Contact our office to schedule your breast-reduction consultation.

The signs of aging affect everyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, and lifestyle. There are a few factors that can hasten the formation of these signs, such as smoking, genetics, exposure to sun, and stress.

Cosmetic medicine has come a long way in creating cutting-edge anti-wrinkle solutions, and many people now use injectable dermal fillers to fill their facial age lines. Injectable hyaluronic-acid fillers like Juvederm and Restylane are effective ways to eliminate facial lines, folds, and wrinkles.

Hyaluronic-Acid Fillers

Juvederm and Restylane are minimally invasive FDA-approved treatments that help improve the skin’s structure by restoring moisture. They are composed of hyaluronic acid.

Hyaluronic acid is a complex sugar that moisturizes the skin in order to restore the moisture it has lost due to the aging process and environmental factors. Once the skin’s moisture is replenished, volume is boosted and the quality of your skin is improved. Through this, your skin becomes smoother, softer, and free of wrinkles and age lines.

Juvederm and Restylane are specifically made of cross-linked hyaluronic acid. Cross-linked hyaluronic acid lasts longer in the body and is much more effective when it comes to attracting and attaching to water molecules.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Hyaluronic-Acid Fillers?

Wrinkles and fine lines can appear as early as your mid-twenties. It’s natural to find them unsightly and aesthetically displeasing. Anybody who has noticed that their face has developed obvious signs of aging such as wrinkles, folds, and fine lines is a good candidate for dermal filler injections.

Hyaluronic acid is a natural organic compound designed to cause no side effects. Dermal fillers are excellent options for people who do not want to undergo major surgical procedures such as facelifts. This treatment does not involve scalpels or create scars, and it requires zero downtime, so you’ll be able to immediately return to your daily schedule.

How Is the Injection Procedure Performed?

Juvederm contains lidocaine, a local anesthetic, which will make the procedure more comfortable by numbing the treatment regions. The first step of the treatment involves choosing the best injection points on the patient’s face. The chosen filler is precisely injected into the skin at these specific points. The compound spreads itself underneath the layer of skin. Antiseptic is applied during the procedure to minimize chances of infection.

The patient can go back to work following the procedure. They are advised to protect their skin from direct sunlight for a few days.

What Can You Expect from Dermal Fillers?

Once wrinkle fillers have been injected, your skin immediately becomes smoother and softer. Wrinkles, lines, and folds are erased, leaving you looking more youthful than ever. Hyaluronic-acid fillers produce results that can last for four to six months or longer depending on a number of factors.

Learn More About Your Dermal Filler Options

A hyaluronic-acid filler may be the best injectable option for your wrinkles and fine lines. Another option we may recommend is Radiesse, a dermal filler composed of calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres instead of hyaluronic acid. This filler is used for deeper facial folds and as a result involves deeper injections.

To find out which filler is right for you, visit Doctors Roger Friedman, Douglas Forman, and Kathy Huang, board-certified plastic surgeons with years of experience in cosmetic procedures. Contact our office to arrange a consultation regarding your dermal filler treatment options.

Male breasts can make a man feel self-conscious and embarrassed. Your situation doesn’t have to be permanent – your chest can look natural and more masculine with help from an experienced plastic surgeon. In today’s world, thanks to advances in medical technology, getting male breast reduction surgery is more convenient and effective than ever before.

Gynecomastia

Those with male breasts have a condition called gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is the condition in which the male chest appears to be enlarged, creating the appearance of breasts.

Around 50% of men in the United States tend to experience this condition in some manner or other during their lives. The condition can manifest itself at any age. Adult men develop gynecomastia due to factors like certain types of medications, hormone level fluctuations, genetics, health conditions, and recreational drugs.

Male Breast Reduction

Male breast reduction is a surgical procedure that provides treatment for male breasts. This procedure helps the patient by removing glandular tissue as well as fat from the chest area to modify the contours of the chest. This gives the chest a firmer and more masculine appearance.

While the appearance of gynecomastia can in some cases be managed by addressing excess fatty tissue, often there is also excess glandular breast tissue present, which causes even the leanest of patients to still have the appearance of male breasts. Male breast reduction can remove both types of tissue through various surgical techniques.

At the start of male breast reduction, general anesthesia or local anesthesia with IV sedation is administered in order to make the patient comfortable and pain-free during the procedure. Following this, incisions will be created in order to give the surgeon access to the underlying tissues.

To remove excess glandular tissue, excision will be conducted with the help of a scalpel. To remove excess fatty tissue, liposuction will be performed using a cannula and medical suction. In many cases, the patient will have excess fatty tissue and excess glandular tissue; this requires the use of both surgical techniques.

Why Do People Come In for Male Breast Reduction?

Most patients claim that after they’ve gone through male breast reduction, they feel confident enough to go shirtless – a feeling that they haven’t experienced in years due to their gynecomastia. Patients may experience increased self-esteem and a boost in their confidence level.

If you feel self-conscious or are uncomfortable with the way you look, or if you keep avoiding and missing out on fun activities just because you will have to go shirtless and show your chest, then male breast reduction surgery is worth considering. This procedure can give you an amazing-looking chest. It offers almost immediate and dramatic improvements.

Finding the Right Plastic Surgeon for You

Since male breast reduction surgery is a very personal procedure, it’s best to find a surgeon that you’re personally comfortable with. At our office, we have many qualified and experienced board-certified plastic surgeons to help you address your gynecomastia.

Contact our office and schedule a consultation with one of our skilled plastic surgeons. Doctors Roger Friedman, Douglas Forman, and Kathy Huang will be happy to help you get the masculine chest you deserve.

No one likes premature aging. Age lines and wrinkles on the face not only look unappealing, they appear unnatural on a youthful face. The forehead is one of the most vulnerable regions when it comes to the formation of lines and wrinkles. These wrinkles can make a person look angry or stressed even when they’re not.

With the latest developments in cosmetic treatments and surgeries, newer and better treatment options are emerging. The endoscopic brow lift is one of the many developments to have hit the market in recent years.

The Endoscopic Brow Lift

The endoscopic brow lift is a less invasive forehead lift technique than the traditional brow lift. Because of this advantage, the recovery time is much shorter and can involve less post-operative bruising and swelling. This procedure offers smooth and beautiful-looking skin on the forehead. The results of the surgery look quite natural.

During this procedure, the surgeon makes small incisions on the forehead, just below the scalp. These incisions are smaller than the one made during the traditional brow lift. An endoscope is inserted through those incisions in order to give the doctor a highly detailed view of the underlying tissues.

After general observations, the surgeon makes adjustments to the muscle tissues using another small tool, causing wrinkles to be removed. As wrinkles are removed, the forehead develops a more relaxed and youthful look. The incisions are closed with sutures, and you are free to return home and heal. You can typically return to your regular activities in several weeks.

Good Candidates for the Endoscopic Brow Lift

An endoscopic brow lift is ideal for those with drooping eyelids and facial wrinkles. Signs of aging make people look worn out, tired, or even angry and irritated. Most patients who opt for this procedure are between 40 and 50 years old. Sometimes even people in their late 20s or early 30s also opt for this procedure.

The endoscopic brow lift is safe and involves only minimal risks. Before the actual procedure, patients are advised to stop smoking a few weeks prior to the surgery. It is also advisable to purchase necessary supplies for the healing process, such as cold compresses. You’ll learn more details about the healing process during your consultation.

Benefits of the Endoscopic Brow Lift

The endoscopic brow lift procedure is a great way to regain that youthful look and get rid of age lines and wrinkles. It is amazing how something as simple as the shape of eyebrows can have such a powerful impact on the facial appearance.

Another great benefit of this surgery is that it can be used in combination with other procedures like rhinoplasty. Doing this is an excellent way to achieve more comprehensive facial enhancement.

Find Out More About the Endoscopic Brow Lift

Do you want to learn more about what the endoscopic brow lift can do for you? If so, contact our office and schedule a consultation. Doctors Roger Friedman, Douglas Forman, and Kathy Huang are board-certified plastic surgeons who will be happy to answer your questions.

The most stubborn fat on the body is around the abdominal area. Even with exercise, the lower abdomen is the most difficult to tone. When the excess fat is lost, the skin often does not have the elasticity to present a smooth and toned look, leading to sagging skin. Moreover, this part of the body is a problem area for women who have just given birth. Pregnancy causes diastasis, which is a stretching of the abdominal muscles, which often does not go away on its own.

Excess sagging skin, excess fat, and drooping muscle tissues in the lower abdomen cannot be resolved using cosmetological methods. The ideal procedure to resolve the problem is the partial abdominoplasty, also called partial tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck. This procedure removes loose skin and fat deposits from below the belly button while tightening the muscles. There is no repositioning of the belly button, and the result is a flat lower abdomen with a sculpted look.

What Does a Partial Abdominoplasty Involve?

The procedure takes only between one and two hours and is usually done under general anesthesia. Local anesthesia may be used if the surgeon thinks it is suitable for you. A partial abdominoplasty may be performed with liposuction if there is any excess fat that needs to be removed.

The surgeon makes a short incision on the bikini line. Excess skin and fatty tissue are removed from the lower abdominal wall, and the muscles are tightened using internal sutures. The skin is pulled down, and the incision is closed with stitches.

Due to the minimal invasiveness of the procedure, an overnight stay in the hospital is all that is usually required after the surgery. A bandage and/or compression garment will be applied, which will help reduce swelling as well as help the skin of the lower abdomen better conform to the region’s new contours. The compression garment should be worn for up to two to three weeks after surgery.

Recovery and Results

It is recommended that patients take at least one to two weeks off of work after the procedure in order to recover properly. The patient’s diet should also be different during the recovery period; avoid fried, spicy, and salty food, as they may cause digestion problems that could complicate the healing process. Eat foods that are easy to digest so that bloodflow in the abdominal region is minimized, which will in turn minimize swelling.

Strenuous exercise should be avoided until after at least two months after the surgery. There may be mild discomfort and pain, but these can be controlled with the help of prescription pain medication, which the surgeon will provide if needed. The results of the procedure can last for many years, as long as proper care is taken of the body. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are key to maintaining a sculpted lower abdomen.

Is the Partial Abdominoplasty Right for You?

If you’re unhappy with the look of your abdomen, you may be in need of a partial or full abdominoplasty. To find out which option is right for you, contact our office for a consultation. Doctors Roger Friedman, Douglas Forman, and Kathy Huang are skilled board-certified plastic surgeons who will be happy to help.