F.A.Q
Questions and answers about Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Q: How can I find a qualified Plastic Surgeon?
A: Picking a plastic surgeon can be confusing task, but the most important issue is to ensure your doctor has undergone the specialized training required to be a true plastic surgeon, preparing the surgeon to perform cosmetic and reconstructive procedure all over the body. This can be identified by contacting Iranian Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Your Doctor should be a board certified and or member of Iranian Society of Plastic Surgeons. This means he or she has undergone the rigorous surgical training required by the society. As a patient you should confirm your doctor has this exact certification.
Q: Why should I choose a hospital instead of surgery center?
A: A hospital offers high quality in the nursing team, anesthesia and post-op care available. Having surgery in a hospital gives you peace of mind that every detail has been checked and checked again.
A: When necessary, twilight sleep or light general anesthesia is administered by a competent anesthetist or anesthesiologist. The level of anesthesia will vary with the needs of each patient. The type of anesthetic is clearly described at the time of consultation and is tailored to the patient's needs for surgery. The patient will remain in the recovery area until able to be discharged. Your surgeon will ask you to have a friend or family member to drive you home after the operation.
Rhinoplasty ''nose job''
Q: How Rhinoplasty ''nose job'' is done?
A: The nose is the central feature of the face, many people are self-conscious of shape which they may regard as too big, too small or have some other feature which they dislike. The characteristics of the nose are inherited from parents and develop during adolescent years. It continues until the age of 16, when the nose stops growing. It is, therefore, unwise to operate before this age. Surgery to reshape the nose is a very common plastic surgery procedure and it can both increase and decrease the size of nose. The shape of the tip, the bridge and also the nostrils can be changed as can the angle between the nose and the upper lip. Sometimes breathing difficulties can be corrected at the same time.
There is always some bruising and swelling, particularly around the eyes, which can take up to three weeks to completely disappear and you would need to wear a firm splint over your nose during part of this time. By the end of three weeks, swelling will have settled sufficiently for you to look normal to others and as if you had not had recent surgery. It is quite common for there to be some difficulty with breathing through the nose during the first week after the operation which disappears as the swelling settles.
Q: Why are pictures taken before and after surgery?
A: Pictures are taken prior to surgery to help plan the procedure. They are useful guides which surgeon will use in planning and preparing for your procedure. In addition, postoperative photos are taken to enable you and the surgeon to evaluate the results of the procedure.
FACELIFT
Q: How long will my facelift last?
A: The good news is that your facelift will not fall down at the stroke of midnight on the tenth year! Actually, a facelift (and other procedures) will turn back the clock. You will start aging again from that point forward. You will always look better than if you did not have the procedure in the first place.
Q: What is a good age to have a facelift?
A: There is no specific age for having a facelift. The results of a facelift can be subtle or very dramatic depending on the patient’s appearance before surgery.
Q: Are the incisions visible after facelift surgery?
A: No, if done correctly, all of the incisions associated with facelift surgery can be hidden in normal creases / folds of the face or in the hairline.
EYELID SURGERY
Q: How does a person get rid of the constant “puffiness” under the eyes?
A: A lower blepharoplasty (lower eyelid surgery) can get rid of the pockets of fat that can cause the puffiness.
Q: Is there any way to alleviate the heavy feeling of the eyes that make it difficult to hold the eyes open?
A: Yes, upper eyelid surgery can alleviate the “heaviness” that people feel around their eyes when the excess skin of the eyelid weighs down on them.
Q: Where is the incision for eyelid surgery?
A: The incision for upper eyelid surgery is hidden within the natural fold of the upper eyelid and extends slightly beyond the outside corner. For the lower eyelid, the incision is also hidden but below the lower eyelashes.
Q: How long do I need to take off from work after eyelid surgery?
A: It is suggested that you take off 3-5 days from work after eyelid surgery but refrain from strenuous activity for up to one month after the surgery.
LIPOSUCTION AND ABDOMINOPLASTY
Q: Can an Abdominoplasty eliminate "stretch marks" from my pregnancy?
A: If the stretch marks are located in on the lower abdomen (below the belly button) then they can usually be removed in the course of abdominoplasty. Typically all of the skin from just above the navel to the pubic area is removed. This skin usually contains the stretch marks and well as the less elastic skin. The upper skin more elastic, better quality, less or no stretch marks, is stretched across the entire abdomen.
Q: Can liposuction be used as a weight loss method?
A: No, liposuction is used to get rid of isolated areas of fat which are diet and/or exercise resistant NOT for weight loss.
Q: Who is a good candidate for liposuction?
A: The best candidates for liposuction are people at their normal weight who have isolated areas of fat. Firm, elastic skin allows for a better outcome. The patient’s age is not a factor, however, older patients have less skin elasticity and may not achieve the same results as younger patients.
Q: How long do I need to be off of work after liposuction?
A: It is suggested that you take off of work for 3-5 days after surgery but continue to avoid strenuous activity for one month after surgery.
Q: When can I start exercising?
A: We will assess each patient and discuss returning to their exercise regimen. We highly recommend walking within the first couple of days - this helps with the swelling, constipation, etc. Depending on the areas treated, most patients are able to resume exercise 2-4 weeks after the procedure.
Q: Anything I can do to decrease the swelling?
A: Most of our patients find that walking helps decrease the swelling after liposuction surgery.
Q: Will the fat return to the area that was treated?
A: If after liposuction surgery one does not eat healthy and exercise regularly, the fat cells that remain in the treated area will grow. The fat cells that have been removed are gone forever. Liposuction is not meant to be used as a weight loss program.
Q: Why do patients wear a compression garment after surgery?
A: After liposuction, swelling is expected. A compression garment helps reduce swelling and helps to reshape the tissue. Many patients see little difference or are even larger during the first week after surgery. The following week, patients usually begin to see results. After 2 months, the patient will be at about 80% of the result. Improvement continues until about 6 months after surgery when all of the swelling should be gone. I usually have patients wear there compression garment for 3 weeks 24/7 and then 3 weeks during sleep.
BREAST AUGMENTATION
Q: are breast implants safe?
A: Whatever the filling of the implant, the outer layer is made of silicone. Silicon is a naturally occurring element which becomes silicone when it is combined with carbon hydrogen and oxygen. Silicone is manufactured into many items including cosmetics, foods and medical implants. Many studies have been conducted to establish whether silicone breast implants cause certain diseases. As a result of these studies we can say that at present there is no evidence to suggest that silicone breast implants are associated with an increased incidence of breast cancer. There is also no evidence to suggest that these implants cause autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Q: Who is too old to get a breast augmentation?
A: Breast augmentation can be performed from an age of 18 years old on up. You are never too old to improve the appearance of your breasts.
Q: Should implants be placed under the muscle or over the muscle?
A: Every patient’s anatomy is different, therefore, the only way to know which procedure would give you the best cosmetic result is by having a board certified plastic surgeon examine you and discuss your options with you.
Q: Is it necessary to wait until after having children before having breast augmentation surgery?
A: No, it is a matter of choice for each woman. More than half of patients perform the surgery before having children and the majority of them have no problems breast feeding afterwards. The incisions used are small and the surgeon attempts to minimize the amount of disruption of the glands to the nipple/areola. The underlying breast implant does not harm the breast fed baby in any way.
Q: Do breast implants interfere with mammography?
A: Yes. Breast implants, regardless of their location in the sub-muscular or sub-glandular location, can interfere with mammography. Generally, the breast implants placed in the sub-muscular position tend to interfere with mammography less than those placed below breast tissue. Mammography centers are well accustomed to performing mammography on patients who have had breast implants (using displacement techniques).
Q: How do I decide to go over or under the muscle with the breast implant?
A: The decision to do a sub-muscular (under the muscle) or sub-glandular (under the breast tissue) breast augmentation is based on several factors. Some of these factors include the patient’s preference and the patient’s anatomy. Each type of augmentation has its pro’s and con’s
Q: What medications should I stop before surgery?
A: It is recommended not to take any aspirin containing medication, ibuprofen containing medication or any herbs or weight loss medications for at least 2 weeks before surgery.
Q: How long is the recovery?
A: Every Patient is different in their recovery. Most patient's are able to resume the majority of their normal activities 4-6 weeks after the procedure.
