The importance of having a support system when having plastic surgery

Deciding to have plastic surgery is a pretty big decision that thousands of people make each year. It’s certainly not something to take lightly, and it’s also not something to go through alone, especially if it’s a major procedure. I think where the problem lies is that so many patients feel like it’s a private matter and don’t really want to tell people that they’re going to have something done. It’s understandable that patients feel this way. However, having a strong support system is fundamental to the healing process…emotionally and physically. This is why I have a psychotherapist on my staff…because plastic surgery can have a profound effect on your life.

Emotions can be tricky, and I’ve seen them all. One example I’ll give you is a breast reduction I did a few years back. It took my patient over a year to accept her new breasts…not because she was unhappy with the results, but because she felt like a piece of her identity had been taken…despite the fact that she was in back pain and something had to be done. She had lost the largeness behind which she had been hiding. I’ve also had patients who are very concerned with how others might view them. We can be pretty hard on ourselves sometimes.

And, not all patients go through emotional roller coasters, but it does happen. This is why it’s so important to have people in your life you can talk to and lean on. I wrote a post a while back on the pre-conceived notions we can have about plastic surgery, so definitely check that out.

The thing to remember is that plastic surgery, for most people, isn’t about looking “perfect.” There’s really no such thing. The biggest percentages of my patients just want to feel good about themselves. At the end of the day, having an emotional connection and sharing your experience with others can help you heal faster and be more comfortable.

What are your thoughts?

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A journey with multiple procedures

I’m pretty excited. I just booked a mother/daughter combo for the first part of next year. The mother, who has just lost nearly 60 lbs, is so proud of herself. Weight is something she has struggled with since she began to have children. She is now in her 60’s.

One of the reasons she struggled with her weight was because food was a comfort source to her. Her husband has always been a runner and in shape for the most part. He would complain, she would “rebel” and proceed with her unhealthy habits. She hit an all time high in her weight and finally decided to do something about it…at 59 years old. Just goes to show it’s never too late!

So, over the past year, she has joined a gym and been fairly serious in eating healthy. But now that all this weight is off, she’s has quite a bit of saggy skin and hates it. She has multiple procedures that she wants to have done, but we’re limiting it to three at this point. She is in great health for a 60 year-old woman, but safety comes first.

We’ll be doing a tummy tuck to get rid of the saggy belly skin, a thigh lift and a breast augmentation with lift. After that healing process (and we’ll be having her journal, meditate, and practice holistic healing), we’ll get the rest of the things done that she wants. Because of her limited budget, she’ll be financing some of it, but we have some great plans for financing her procedures, so it won’t be a big deal.

I’m excited to share her story over the coming months as she undergoes some serious transformations. I can’t wait to see her get what she’s always wanted, and I can’t wait to share the before and after photos of this body contouring package we do.

Yeah, it’s never too late!

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New Mexico as a plastic surgery destination

After a pretty brutal period economically, many people who want plastic surgery are considering going overseas for their procedures, lured by the advantage of lower costing process. However, I would ask– what are you getting for the money? There are a few things to think about before going outside of the U.S. for plastic surgery.

1. You may be taking a risk — although there are many skilled and qualified physicians practicing all over world, it is almost impossible to assess their training and credentials. It’s also hard to assess the qualifications of the facility where the procedure would be done, not to mention the anesthesiologists who work there. Don’t you want to know who is going to operate on you? I mean, you are trusting your body, your beauty, and your health to the surgeon and their team. Some vacation destinations don’t even have formal accreditation boards to certify physicians or medical facilities. Also, the devices and products used in cosmetic surgery abroad may not meet U.S. standards as they may not have been approved by the FDA.

2. Cosmetic surgery is real surgery. Every surgery has some risks, even at the highest level of care right here in the United States. Infections are the most common complication seen in patients who go abroad for cosmetic surgery (and the bacteria can be particularly nasty). Another common complication I’ve seen in those who have gone abroad are unsightly scars, especially after tummy tucks. Also, major travel too soon after surgery significantly increases the risk of complications such as blood clots, which can be fatal. I tell my patients to wait about 7 – 14 days before flying, depending on the procedure and how long the flight is.

Here’s another point: if you were to have cosmetic surgery abroad, once you return to the United States, who would you go to for your follow-up care and monitoring? This is a very important part of any surgery. It’s difficult to find a qualified plastic surgeon to treat a problem or revise a procedure that was done abroad. I’ve had to revise several surgeries done abroad: the initial technique used by the foreign doctor was substandard, and the revision surgery was more complicated than the initial operation! If you were to have complications, your bargain surgery will end up being very costly.

Finally, do you really want to make all those hotel and travel arrangements? Travelling is very stressful, and plastic surgery should be a happy, rejuvenating, and stress-free experience – the last thing you want to worry about is your luggage or your connecting flight.

With the cost of cosmetic procedures in Santa Fe and Albuquerque running at half to two-thirds of the cost for the same procedure in larger markets, I have seen an increase in cosmetic surgery tourism to New Mexico, an area known for natural and holistic medicine. The services in my office include integrative programs with both psychotherapy and nutritional counseling. Out of town patients may want to come into town early to take advantage of these and other programs designed to add to the success of your plastic surgery.

Thoughts?

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Working With The Powers Of Aroma – Guest Post by Feng Shui Consultant, Ken Lauher

Last week, I posted about aromatherapy and how we’re incorporating it into our practice. We had celebrity aromatherapist, Kris Wrede, on our show and we’re excited to now have her on our team. Well, I wanted to follow-up by sharing an article written by celebrity Feng Shui consultant, Ken Lauher, from New York City. In his post about aromatherapy, he shares a bit from Daniel Reid about how different aromas and the effects they can have….positive or negative. It’s interesting how sometimes the smallest changes can have a profound effect on our quality of life. Here is Ken:

Aromatic essences extracted from flowers and medicinal herbs have been used for millennia to cure disease and balance human energies. The volatile aroma extracted by a flower or the essential oil of a plant carries the essential energy of that plant in the air in a way similar to negative ion energy, and this energy is assimilated into the human system through the same sensitive olfactory receptors in the nasal passages.

Depending on their natural affinities for various organs and tissues, different aromatic essences may be used to cure specific diseases, balance particular energies, and stimulate various functions. This is the basic principle involved in aromatherapy, but it only works when using aromas derived from natural sources, such as plants, minerals, and animals. Artificial fragrances have smell but no chi.

Writing in the French medical journal L’Hopital, Dr. J. Valent explains the way plant aromas affect human energies:

“Carried by the bloodstream, the ionized plant aroma impregnates every corner of the body, powerfully revitalizes the polarized and discharged cells, replenishes electronic shortages by recharging the bioelectromagnetic batteries, and disperses cellular residue by dissolving the viscous and diseased substances of the body fluids.

It oxidizes poisonous metabolic waste products, increases energy balance, frees the mechanism of organic oxidation and of self-regulation, and reaches the lungs and kidneys, whence it is excreted or exhaled without trace.”

Meditators throughout the world use incense to enhance their practice due to the balancing effects it has on human energies. Sandalwood in particular is well known among meditators in Asia for its power to pacify emotions and settle energy down into the lower elixir field (second chakra) below the navel, thereby establishing the ideal conditions for entering a stable state of spiritual tranquility.

The smoke produced by burning white sage, used by native tribes of North America for purification, sublimates the dense, heavy energies generated by negative thoughts and conflicting emotions and lifts them away from the body, thereby clearing the human energy system.

It’s interesting to note that during medieval times in the Middle East, medical texts took note of the fact that people who worked in perfume and incense shops were the only ones who never succumbed to the various contagious plagues that periodically swept through the ancient world, and even today it is often noted that clerks who work in fresh flower shops rarely seem to catch the flu and other infectious ailments.

‘Flower Power’ is more than just a catchy phrase: it reflects the potent healing properties of aromatic essence.

- A Complete Guide To Chi-Gung by Daniel Reid

Ken Lauher advises individuals, businesses and organizations on how to implement practical Feng Shui solutions to help you achieve your goals & live a more fulfilling life. For more information on this, visit him at his website www.kenlauher.com.

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The healing power of aromatherapy

We had the chance to have aromatherapist, Kris Wrede, on our radio show a few weeks back. We think she’s brilliant. As most of you already know, whether you’re a patient or someone who reads my blogs, etc., you probably understand that I feel it’s extremely vital to mix different types of complimentary medicines…some people call these “alternative medicines.” I found over the years that, with integration of these practices, patients heal quicker, have better self-esteem, more confidence, and some have an entire new outlook on life. And THAT is something that excites me.

Kris Wrede has been working with natural plants, mixing, and creating healing aromatherapy blends for over 20 years. She even shares in the video her own experience with a surgery scar that was completely gone within one year. What’s even more exciting is that Kris has joined our team in both the Albuquerque and Santa Fe offices. This means life-changing stuff for our patients. And you don’t even have to be “my” patient to come in and see her.

Check out the video. Kris goes into a bit of the history of aromatherapy, her experiences with it, balancing, healing, and what she’ll be doing with us!

Kris’s website is www.kismetpotions.com. Her number is 505-275-6508. Here is her page on my website as well.

Thoughts on this? Have you used aromatherapy in the past? What were your results? If you’ve not ever experienced it, is this a practice you may perhaps be open to? Sound off now.

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Keller Funnel™ and its advancement in silicone breast implants

When patients come in to have a breast augmentation, one of the first questions I ask is whether they are interested in saline or silicone implants. One of the first questions patients’ ask is, “what’s the difference between the two?”

Basically, saline implants have an outer silicone shell. The saline is usually placed in the silicone shell at the time of surgery. There have been complaints in the past that saline implants have had a harder or less natural feel to them, however improved techniques have lessoned these complaints. If a patient is coming in for a moderate augmentation…in other words…not going very large, there really isn’t a difference between the two.

Silicone implants have also undergone some changes. Silicone breast implants are made of the same silicone outer shell as saline however, silicone implants are pre-filled with silicone gel. This gel feels very similar to human fat so many patients think they have a more natural feel. Especially when the patient is going from a smaller breast to a much larger one. Over the years, the inside texture of the gel has been made to feel extremely natural.

When it comes to the size of the incision, saline implants have traditionally required a smaller one. Because the saline is filled in a time of surgery, surgeons are able to roll up the implant like a taco and push it in through the incision. With silicone implants, because they are pre-filled, the incision is larger and has, until now, been too large to be hidden in the armpit. When a silicone implant (or a saline one, for that matter) is put in through an incision under the breast, or around the areola, the muscle has to be cut in order to place the implant behind it. Not so for the armpit incision! The implant is slid behind the muscle with no cutting. Recovery is easier and, I think, safer.

I’m excited to inform you that we now are using a new device for silicone implants to reduce the incision size. It’s called the Keller Funnel™. The Keller Funnel™ is a cone-shaped, nylon device which is placed at the incision. It has a super slick interior which allows the silicone implants to gently squeeze through the funnel, bypassing contact with the skin, and NOT requiring the traditional large incision. This technique is a much more gentle than the typical approach, wherein the surgeon stuffs the implant through the incision (this can be quite comical). Another great advantage of this technique is that the incision for the silicone breast implant can now be placed in the armpit. So NOW silicone implants can be placed through the hidden and safer armpit incision! I just did a case today.

If you’d like to learn more about this great technique or have any questions, please let me know. I’d love to discuss whether this would be the best technique for you if you are considering breast augmentation.
If you’ve already had breast augmentation, what are some of the things you experienced? Did you have saline or silicone? Would you have made a different decision? Do you think the Keller Funnel™ is a good advancement in breast augmentation? I’d like to know your thoughts.

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Travel & Plastic Surgery aka Medical Tourism

As a plastic surgeon in New Mexico, I am often asked why my prices are higher than those a few hours away in South America. In other parts of the world, prices for plastic surgery are indeed lower, but I would ask– what are you getting for the money? There are a few things to think about before going outside of the U.S. for plastic surgery. You might be taking a risk — although there are many skilled and qualified physicians practicing all over world, it is almost impossible to assess their training and credentials. It’s also hard to assess the qualifications of the facility where the procedure would be done, not to mention the anesthesiologists who work there. Don’t you want to know who is going to operate on you? You are going to trust your body, your beauty, and your health to the surgeon and their team. Some vacation destinations do not even have formal accreditation boards to certify physicians or medical facilities. Also, the devices and products used in cosmetic surgery abroad may not meet U.S. standards as they may not have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

You have to realize that cosmetic surgery is real surgery, and every surgery has some risks, even at the highest level of care right here in the U.S. Infections are the most common complication seen in patients who go abroad for cosmetic surgery (and the bacteria can be particularly nasty). Another common complication I have seen in those who have gone abroad are unsightly scars, especially after tummy tucks. Also, travel too soon after surgery significantly increases the risk of complications such as blood clots, which can be fatal. I tell my patients to wait about 7 – 14 days before flying, depending on the procedure.

Here’s another point: if you were to have cosmetic surgery abroad, once you return to the United States, who would you go to for your follow-up care and monitoring? This is a very important part of any surgery. It is difficult to find a qualified plastic surgeon to treat a problem or revise a procedure that was done abroad. I have had to revise several of these surgeries: the initial technique used by the foreign doctor was substandard, and the revision surgery was more complicated than the initial operation! If you were to have complications, your bargain surgery will end up being very costly.
Here is a short video discussing the topic:

The medical tourism pendulum has begun to swing back to the United States, where board certified surgeons are able to provide good follow-up care and monitoring. My advice to you is to make an appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area for a consultation. He or she will discuss with you the risks associated with the surgery, as well as the options of in-office or hospital procedures. Because cosmetic surgery is rarely covered by insurance, many plastic surgeons offer financing plans to their patients. Talk to your surgeon about your payment options.

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Plastic Surgery Preconceived Notions and Expectations

As a plastic surgeon, I think it’s very important to address inner expectations that people have after they come out of surgery. I think for just about everyone, there is some type of picture in their head as to what they’re going to look like and how they’re going to feel. This applies to any procedure.

My wife will be the first to tell you about her experiences with what went on in her head compared to the reality of how she actually felt – physically and emotionally. For some people, these preconceived notions are somewhere in the “I’m going to be perfect” arena. And although the goal is to work on parts of the body that the patient has never really been comfortable with for personal reasons, it’s easy to forget that the body has a period of healing and adjustment time. If it didn’t, we would never have to do check ups.

Because plastic surgery and the experiences people have with it are so different for everyone, it’s hard to describe to a patient exact feelings or emotions that will exist after a procedure. I can share stories of past patient experiences, I can run down a list of possibilities, but at the end of the day, it is YOUR experience. Does this make sense?

Last year, my wife and I recorded this session on the preconceived notions and expectations that many have going into and/or coming out of plastic surgery.

I would really like to get some feedback on some of the emotions and physical aspects that you’ve experienced with plastic surgery. I know the spectrum ranges. I truly believe if we talk about this, it may help others who are experiencing some of these things. As always, I encourage the Whole Being Plan because I’ve seen the success patients have had with this program. I’ve seen the sense of calm and improved healing. My goal is to make your surgery experience one that has you radiating beauty from the inside out.

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