Tummy tuck and breast lift: a real patient's experience

Body contouring surgery after weight loss, pregnancy, or the epiphany that you deserve to enjoy the best version of yourself is an enormous decision.

I see many patients who are interested in tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), liposuction, breast lift (mastopexy), breast augmentation, breast reduction, arm lift (brachioplasty), thigh lift (thighplasty), and some combination of those procedures. While each patient is different, there is one thing everyone has in common: they want to know what it's like.

Below is a patient review from one of my recent tummy tuck and breast lift patients, submitted via RealSelf.com, and verified via IP address and email address. This patient wrote this review just 2 weeks after surgery, so she is far from seeing her final results, which usually take 6-12 months to fully materialize. Still, reading her comments will help you understand what the early recovery period after surgery is like.

To schedule a consultation appointment with me regarding body contouring or any other procedure, please call my office at (212) 452-2400.

Dr. Devgan's expert commentary on how to get younger-looking hands and fingers

72 year old woman, before and 1 week after hand rejuvenation with Radiesse injectable filler. Radiesse treatment is virtually painless, takes about 2 minutes per hand, and results last for up to 1 year. For more information on Radiesse hand rejuvenation (or hand rejuvenation with Juvederm, Restylane, or autologous fat grafting) by Dr. Devgan, please call 212-452-2400.

A recent article in Aesthetic Surgery Journal described the technique of lipomodeling (or autologous fat grafting) to the fingers and hands in order to restore a youthful appearance to aging appendages.

Dr. Devgan's expert commentary on this topic, including her use of Radiesse for this procedure, was featured on Healio.com, an online medical journal for physicians.

Click to read the full article on Healio.com

After age 30, most women's hands look older than their faces. In fact, plastic surgeons often regard the hands as the easiest way to determine a person's age, as aging hands tend to appear more sinewy, veiny, pigmented and thinner than younger hands. This article describes a popular technique for hand rejuvenation: autologous fat grafting.

In my practice, I employ both autologous fat grafting as well as injectable fillers to rejuvenate aging hands. While fat grafting has the advantage of being durable and using one's own tissue, injectable filler (such as Radiesse, Juvederm, or Restylane) is quicker, less expensive, and has a faster recovery. Both techniques are an essential part of a plastic surgeon's armamentarium, and each technique has a role in hand rejuvenation. The authors also draw attention to a valuable finer point in hand rejuvenation: that both the dorsum of the hand and the fingers deserve attention.

Lara Devgan, MD, MPH
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon
Diplomate, American Board of Plastic Surgery

How to get a gorgeous smile: An invited article by Irina Starik, DMD

Image credit Stuart Miles

I'm pleased to introduce Dr. Irina Starik, a fabulous dentist on the Upper East Side whom I have trusted with my own teeth. Read her article on what you can do to maintain and achieve a beautiful smile and great teeth, below.

How to Get a Gorgeous Smile by Irina Starik, DMD

Guest Blog Post for Lara Devgan, MD, MPH

"The world is like a mirror, if you smile it smiles back, and vice-versa."  

                                                                                                            - Ras Obenn

A recent study conducted by the Max Planck Institute in Germany concluded that smiling can make you appear younger. The question then becomes, how do we keep this healthy smile throughout our life? 

As we age so do our teeth and gums. Enamel (the outside layer of teeth) changes color, wear over the years shortens the length of the actual tooth, the gum line begins to recede and our teeth move and become misaligned.   

Oral Hygiene

The first line of defense is oral hygiene. This includes brushing and flossing your teeth every day as well as regular checkups by your dentist semi-annually. The best time to brush your teeth is after breakfast and after you have had your last meal at night. Flossing should be done every night prior to brushing and incorporating mouthwash helps reduce the bacteria count in your mouth. Seeing your dentist regularly will ensure that any problems that develop are treated right away and that your daily oral hygiene technique gets the professional stamp of approval!  

Whitening Your Teeth

However with time and aging other factors start to affect your smile. As you age, it becomes vital to understand how food and drinks affect your teeth. Coffee and wine stains the teeth and other foods such as sugars and citrus fruit even break down your enamel. Whitening your teeth professionally is the best way to restore what time has diminished and monitoring your diet will help slow the wear of your teeth.

Teeth Grinding

One of the biggest obstacle to a healthy smile early on is smoking and teeth grinding. Symptoms of grinding include excessive wear of the teeth, increased sensitivity, and jaw pain. The best way to treat this is to have a night guard made by your dentist. Recently there have been new treatments developed, including Botox therapy of the specific muscles (masseter and temporalis) that control closing and clenching of the jaw.

Invisalign

With age, teeth also begin to shift and change position, even if you have had orthodontics (braces) in the past. The best and least invasive way to realign your teeth is through Invisalign treatment. This is a modern approach to braces that uses virtually invisible retainers that gently re-position your teeth. 

Lip Fillers

Facial aesthetics also have a direct affect on the beauty of your smile. Enhancements such as lip fillers will help hide receding gums. Other ways to improve your smile is to use these fillers in your gums to help plump and lower them.

There are many ways to help you maintain your youthful smile, ask your dentist about other specific options that you may have! 

Click to learn more about the author of this post, dentist Irina Starik, DMD

Revision rhinoplasty: what to do when you are unhappy with your first nose job

Actual patient of Dr. Devgan, before and 11 days after revision (tertiary) rhinoplasty. The first two operations were performed by another surgeon.

Rhinoplasty (nosejob surgery) is one of the most complex and detailed operations in plastic surgery. For this reason, it is not uncommon for me to encouter patients who have previously had a rhinoplasty done by another surgeon who are not happy with their results. Either they don't breathe well, they don't look good, or some combination of those things.

Gunter diagram for analyzing the components of the nose, for rhinoplasty and septoplasty surgery.

Revision rhinoplasty is called secondary rhinoplasty the 2nd time around or tertiary rhinoplasty the 3rd time around. In these situations, attention to detail, anatomy, and sound surgical principles is incredibly important.

Intraoperative view of nasal anatomy during a complex revision rhinoplasty operation.

My philosophy with rhinoplasty is to achieve a patient's desires by making subtle, incremental changes that preserve the unique beauty and characteristics of his or her face. This is especially important in ethnic rhinoplasty (rhinoplasty in patients of Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Jewish, or mixed heritage), as an overly anglicized nose can look artificial and incongruous.

A good rhinoplasty and/or septoplasty operation will allow you to look good and breathe well. It will make your nose less of a focal point and allow observers to appreciate your other facial features, such as your eyes, lips, and cheekbones.

If you would like to speak with Dr. Devgan about revision rhinoplasty, or if you are not happy with a rhinoplasty that has been done by another surgeon, please call (212) 452-2400 or email info@LaraDevganMD.com to set up a consultation appointment.

Actual patient of Dr. Devgan, before and 11 days after revision (tertiary) rhinoplasty. The first two operations were performed by another surgeon.

Alar Base Reduction Rhinoplasty

Actual patient of Dr. Devgan, before and 3 weeks after alar base reduction rhinoplasty

Actual patient of Dr. Devgan, before and 3 weeks after alar base reduction rhinoplasty

One of the most aesthetically important parts of the nose is its width at the base. It can be distracting and overpowering for your other facial features if your nose that is too wide for your face, or if your nostrils are disproportionately large compared to the bony structure of your nose.

Ideal nasal width proportions

How do you know if your nose is too wide for your face?

According to ideal facial proportions, your nose should be approximately as wide as each eye, and no wider than the space between the eyes. When the face is divided into fifths vertically, as above, the ideal aesthetic relationship becomes clear.

Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to facial features. Nasal width reflects heritage and ethnicity as well, and some people prefer a nose that is either wider or narrower than the above diagram indicates. Your nose is too wide for your face only if you feel that it is too wide.

What can be done for a wide nose or wide nostrils?

A traditional rhinoplasty takes apart and rebuilds the nose completely, but if your only concern is a wide base of your nose, you might be a candidate for a smaller procedure called an "alar base reduction rhinoplasty" or "Weir excision rhinoplasty."

An alar base reduction rhinoplasty narrows your nose in a short operation that takes under an hour. This operation can be done with local anesthesia only, meaning that it is a painless and awake procedure. Not only does eliminate the risks of sedation and general anesthesia, but it also means that you are able to return to your normal life (including work and school) the next day.

The incisions for an alar base reduction rhinoplasty are tiny and hidden in the crease between your nose and your cheeks. When stitches are removed one week after surgery and healing becomes more complete, they are barely noticeable-- even in people with dark complexions.

What is the next step?

If you are interested in nose reshaping surgery, including alar base reduction rhinoplasty, please email info@LaraDevganMD.com or call (212) 452-2400 to set up a consultation appointment.

Verified rhinoplasty patient review from RateMDs.com

Verified rhinoplasty patient review from RateMDs.com

Verified rhinoplasty patient review from RateMDs.com