Meet Atlanta, Georgia Plastic Surgeon John LeRoy, MD
Archive for December, 2009
Breast Augmentation Complications and How Dr. LeRoy can Help
Posted on December 30, 2009 9:03AM in Dr. LeRoy's Blog
In several blog posts, I’ve expressed the importance of having a board certified plastic surgeon performing any cosmetic procedure that you wish to undergo. Beside the fact that board certified physicians are more fully qualified to give you the best looking results possible, by choosing a certified cosmetic surgeon you run less of a risk of experiencing a surgical complication. Some of the most common complications result from the improper insertion of a saline or silicone implant during breast augmentation surgery. Below is a description of some breast implant complications and information every woman should know if they are considering breast augmentation surgery.
Bottoming out
When a breast implant is too large or heavy, or is not supported by enough tissue, it may drop or fall too low on the chest. When this happens, the breasts have a saggy or droopy look and the nipple is repositioned too high on the breast. Bottoming out is less common for patients who have an excess of original skin and tissue in the breast area and for patients that position their implant under the chest muscle. To correct this complication, a traditional breast lift may be recommended or the surgeon may reposition scar tissue under the breast to create a new crease and move the breast up higher on the chest.
Capsule Contracture
Even in a successful breast augmentation surgery, your body forms a fibrous tissue lining around the implant as its natural response to a foreign object. A capsule contracture occurs however, when the naturally formed capsule contracts and tightens around the implant – resulting in a hard look and feel to the breast. This is the most common breast implant complication and can result in four different grades of severity, ranging from Baker Grade I to Baker Grade VI. Capsulectomy is the name of the revisionary procedure to remove the capsule.
Implant Rupture or Deflation
On rare occasions, an implant can rupture causing the implant solution to leak into the body. A rupture can occur anytime after surgery and can be caused by injury or trauma, a capsule contracture, or from wear and tear on the implant over time. Symptoms of ruptures can include breast lumps, swelling, and pain. Although sometimes there are no visible or physical symptoms, so regular MRI’s are needed to diagnose this problem.
Even if you received your breast implants at another practice, Dr. John LeRoy can perform revisionary breast surgery to correct these and other breast complications. If you have not experienced a complication, but are simply unhappy with the results received at another practice, Dr. LeRoy can consult with you on the best options to surgically correct aesthetic problems and ensure that you are happy with the look of your breast. For more information on breast augmentation surgery or to look at some before and after pictures of previous patients, visit our website.
Dr. LeRoy Answers Some Common Questions About Liposuction
Posted on December 28, 2009 7:46AM in Dr. LeRoy's Blog
Can fat cells return into areas that have been liposuctioned?
When fat cells are removed from the body during a liposuction procedure, there is no way for those fat cells to return. The body has a certain number of fat cells and once they are removed, they are removed forever. However, this does not mean that the remaining fat cells in the body cannot expand.
There is a common misconception that once you get an area of the body liposuctioned, you cannot gain weight in that same area. But even though the removed fat cells cannot return, the existing fat cells in the body can expand like any other fat cell and ultimately lead to weight gain. That is why it is so important to understand that liposuction is not a weight loss solution in itself. Patients who undergo liposuction surgery should continue to exercise and eat healthy in order to maintain their results.
What is the difference between liposuction and mini/”Band Aid” Liposuction?
Depending on the amount of excess fat in a patient, liposuction or mini liposuction (called the Band Aid Liposuction technique at Dr. LeRoy’s practice) may be recommended. For a traditional liposuction procedure, the ideal candidate is within about 20 to 25 pounds of their ideal body weight. Traditional liposuction is a solution to get rid of the excess fat in “problem areas” of the body – usually the tummy, hips, thighs, arms, or lower back, that are slow to or unresponsive to diet and exercise.
Mini liposuction, on the other hand, is for candidates who are relatively thin, in good shape, and who are very close to or at their ideal body weight. Because a mini-liposuction removes much smaller amounts of fat, it is only recommended for areas with tiny, stubborn pockets of fat that are resisting the efforts of diet and exercise. Because these areas require minimal suctioning, a mini liposuction procedure can be done in-office with gentle, local numbing. The patient is awake during the procedure and can return home later that same day. While this technique is less invasive, has a shorter recovery time, and can be more cost effective – it can only be performed on patients with very small pockets of excess fat. Traditional liposuction will be the most effective solution for patients who do not meet these requirements.
Do the newer, non invasive liposuction techniques really work?
Many new noninvasive liposuction techniques have hit the market recently that boasts no incisions necessary to remove excess fat from the body. Not enough testing has been done for these types of liposuction to validate these claims. For patients who want guaranteed, appreciable results, liposuction or mini liposuction would be the most effective solution to eliminating excess fat.
Proposed Tax on Cosmetic Surgery Procedures Replaced by Tanning Bed Tax
Posted on December 22, 2009 7:49AM in Dr. LeRoy's Blog
Good news for cosmetic surgery patients and surgeons: the Senate has thrown out the proposed tax on elective cosmetic surgical and non surgical procedures! After much opposition to the proposed 5 percent excise tax (read more), the bill now proposes a 10 percent increase on indoor tanning.
We expect similar opposition to this proposal, because like the proposed cosmetic surgery tax, a tax on tanning beds would also disproportionately affect women.
Hopefully this is the end of the discussion on taxing medical procedures, but we will continue to keep you updated!
What are the Different Breast Augmentation Incision Sites? Dr. LeRoy Gives the Answers
Posted on December 21, 2009 9:53AM in Dr. LeRoy's Blog
Two of the most common questions that breast augmentation patients have when they come in for a consultation is, “Where will my incision be made?” and “Will there be scarring?” The answers to these questions depend on the needs of the individual patient and the method recommended to deliver them with their desired look. Below is an overview of the different incision sites available for breast augmentations:
Areola (Nipple) Incision
With this type of technique, a small incision is made on the outer rim of the areola (the dark area around the nipple). By carefully making the incision where the dark skin meets the light skin, the subsequent scar will be better concealed. Because a breast lift procedure requires a similar scar, this type of implant technique is often done in conjunction with a breast lift. This type of incision is made very close to where the actual implant will lie, and therefore gives the surgeon better control over the placement of the implant. However, because of the proximity of the milk duct to the incision site, your surgeon must use a protective sleeve during the operation to avoid future breast feeding complications.
Inframammary (under the breast) incision
An incision made in the crease lying under the breast is the most common type of incision. Like the areolar incision, the surgeon has more control over the placement of the implant because it is close to the incision site. Scarring from this type of incision will only be visible when a patient is lying horizontally, because the incision will be hidden in the crease under the breast. Another advantage of this incision site is that, if for any reason a revision surgery is needed, a surgeon can use this same incision site, without making additional scars.
Transaxillary (Underarm) Incision
With an incision made in the armpit, your surgeon can insert an unfilled implant into position, and then fill the implant using an endoscope and tube filler, with the desired amount of saline. Because of the post-placement filling of the implant, silicone implants are not an option with this technique. An underarm incision is one of the most discrete places to have scarring because the incision in hidden within the armpit. Although unlike the inframammary incision, this incision site cannot be used again for future revisions.
Naval Incision
A breast augmentation with a naval incision is known as T.U.B.A or a trans-umbilical breast augmentation. In this technique, an incision is made on the rim on the naval, and like the underarm approach, implants are inserted and put into place unfilled. The surgeon than endoscopically fills the implant with a pre-determined amount of saline (again, silicone is not an option). With this type of technique, the incision is very discrete and there is no scarring around the breast area.
Keep in mind that the above information is simply an overview of the available breast enhancement incision sites. To decide which incision would be the best for your needs, schedule a consultation.
For more information about breast augmentations in Atlanta, contact Dr. LeRoy and set up a consultation.
Dr. LeRoy’s Holiday Special on Restylane & Dysport
Posted on December 7, 2009 10:04AM in Current Specials, Dr. LeRoy's Blog
The contents of the Atlanta Facelift website, such as text, graphics, and other material ("Content") located at atlantafacelift.com and its subdomains or aliases ("Website") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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