Body Language - Denver Cosmetic Surgery Blog

When CNN News reported the tragic death of an 18-year-old Florida girl during breast surgery earlier this month, it underscored the seriousness with which any surgical procedure should be viewed, says Dr. Ben Lee, double-board certified plastic surgeon. In this particular news story, the surgery was performed by a doctor in West Boca Raton, Florida to correct the young lady’s breast asymmetry when she went into malignant hyperthermia and died.

The condition called malignant hyperthermia is rare and the vast majority of plastic surgeries performed on healthy people do not result in complications or even death, Dr. Lee explains.

Still, any elective medical decision is just that—a decision—and should be taken seriously and entered into thoughtfully.

Dr. Lee spends extensive time with his patients prior to treatment reviewing their concerns, goals and overall reasons for desiring surgery in the first place. “It’s important that a patient wants surgery for themselves, not at the behest of a partner, boyfriend or husband,” says Dr. Lee. “I counsel with the patient to ascertain if their goals regarding any surgery are realistic before scheduling the procedure.”

To ensure that a patient is making a wise, informed and realistic choice in surgery—especially breast augmentation—Dr. Lee recommends the patient be over 18.

Additionally a full evaluation of a patient’s health is important when any surgical procedure is performed, Dr. Lee says. Adherence to recovery instructions after the surgery is very important, explains the Doctor, as the procedures he and his staff recommend a patient follow after surgery are designed to streamline recovery, net optimum results and ensure that the patient is comfortable.

Share This

Last year, Americans spent $13.2 billion on cosmetic surgery nationwide. That amount was the cost paid for 11.7 million surgical cosmetic procedures. Non-surgical treatments like BOTOX injections counted for another 2.8 million procedures done in 2007, according to a survey by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery that included responses from 12,000 surgeons, dermatologists and otolaryngologists.

Dr. Ben Lee saw a rise in numbers of his patients interested in pursuing breast enhancement surgery due to FDA approval of silicone implants. Until the FDA gave the go-ahead for silicone, a number of patients were “on the fence” about enhancement surgery, says Dr. Lee. These patients were not willing to proceed with the surgery when only saline implants were approved because of the advantages of silicone over saline.

Silicone implants require less recovery time as the implant is placed over the muscle tissue, unlike saline implants that are inserted under the muscle which results in a longer recovery period.

“Time is precious to people,” says Dr. Lee. “Patients are increasingly desirous of keeping their youthful looks and even improving their natural looks, but they have to fit that into their active lifestyles, careers and obligations when scheduling their elective surgery.”

The top five cosmetic surgeries performed in 2007 were:

• Liposuction
• Breast augmentation
• Eyelid surgery
• Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)
• Breast reduction

Cosmetic surgery has gained speed since the 1990s. Since 1997, surgical procedures have increased by 114 percent while noninvasive cosmetic treatments have risen 754 percent.

Besides breast enhancement (augmentation and reduction), Dr. Lee performs liposuction, the most popular cosmetic treatment of all in the 2007 report. Half a million liposuction surgeries were performed by doctors nationwide in 2007. The types of liposuction he performs are Lipoplasty, traditional liposuction and tumescent liposuction, depending on the area treated and the patient’s unique needs.

Dr. Lee also performs eyelid surgery and tummy tucks, procedures he says patients seek to look more youthful, giving them back the eyelids they had as a young person that don’t droop over the eyes and eliminating the bags under the eyes. The same goes for tummy tucks, he says. Patients are opting for tummy tucks to restore a sleek abdominal area, often after childbirth.

Share This

Q. I am the mother of three children and I’m done with “birthin’ babies,” but I’ve never been able to shake off the extra weight since my last child’s birth. I don’t know why that is because I’m on the go more than ever before. What can I do about it?

A. A tummy tuck could be your solution. In 2006, 164,800 women had tummy tucks nationwide. Often their reason for desiring a tummy tuck is because their tummy area is stretched and flabby years after giving birth. A tummy tuck removes excess folds of skin and tightens the abdominal muscles to create a lean, flat stomach and sometimes diminishing stretch marks caused by pregnancy.

Q. What do I have to do to get ready for a tummy tuck?

A. If you’ve lost substantial weight recently, you’ll want to keep that new trim figure of yours for up to 6 months before having a tummy tuck. If you intend to have more children, you will want to wait until you’re done with the child-bearing phase of your life before choosing a tummy tuck. The reasons for that are obvious: your tummy area will stretch again and if you’ve already had a tuck, you’ll be disappointed that your firm tummy is once again compromised. Plus the vertical muscles that are tightened during a tummy tuck procedure can separate during pregnancy. If you’re past child-bearing and in good shape, but still can’t lose that baby fat, you are an ideal candidate.

Q. Are you a candidate for a tummy tuck?

A. If you are at your ideal body weight and have maintained that weight for 6 months, don’t smoke, and have realistic expectations, talk to your doctor about this surgery.

Q. Where is the incision made for a tummy tuck?

A. There are many variations both to the design of the incisions and the technique itself. In some instances, it may be possible to avoid an incision around the navel. When the amount of loose skin is minimal and the excess fat deposits are located below the navel, a short horizontal incision is all that is necessary. This procedure is called a partial, or “mini” abdominoplasty.

During a traditional abdominoplasty, a long incision is made from hipbone to hipbone and a second incision is made to free the navel from the surrounding tissue. The skin is then separated from the abdominal wall all the way up to the ribs to reveal the vertical muscles in your abdomen. These muscles are pulled close together and tightened and then stitched into their new position providing a firmer abdomen wall and a narrower waist. The skin is then stretched down and the extra skin is removed, a new bellybutton is created and the incisions are stitched shut.

Sometimes, a tube is inserted to drain excess fluid from the incision.For optimal results, liposuction may be used or in conjunction with abdominoplasty, to remove abdominal fat. Endoscopic abdominoplasty is another technique for minimizing scars and may be useful when patients have only a mild degree of excess fat and muscle laxity.

Q. What are the risks?

A. Risks associated with a tummy tuck are:

• Aesthesia reaction
• Belly button death
• Bleeding
• Hematoma
• Infection
• Keloid
• Puckered skin
• Seroma
• Skin irregularities
• Skin necrosis or skin death (more common in smokers)
• Suture Rupture
• Swelling.

Share This

Q. What are the most popular plastic surgeries women are having today?

A. According to the FDA, the top five cosmetic surgeries for women in 2006 were:

• Breast augmentation = 383,885
• Liposuction = 350,420
• Eyelid surgery = 182,397
• Tummy tuck = 164,800
• Breast reduction = 145,822

Q. How do I know if I’m a candidate for a particular surgery?

A. As with all surgery, says Dr. Lee, one must be realistic about expectations and outcomes. “No cosmetic surgery will change your life, but patients regularly report back that their self image is improved after plastic surgery. That translates to their outlook on life and they feel better about how they look in clothing. We want our patients to seek surgery for the right reasons: not at the urging of a partner or spouse, but rather because the patient has tried all else—exercise and eating right—and has yet been unable to restore their physique to that of their younger years.”

Some surgeries just go with the territory of aging. Eyelids begin to look puffy and eyelids that get too droopy can impede vision. Tummies that aren’t toned get flabby and particularly after childbirth, the tummy can be extended and never again return to its original tautness. Dr. Lee recommends that patients do a couple of things prior to electing cosmetic surgery:

• Quit smoking as it increases the chance for blood clotting
• Exercise to firm up muscles that have gone “soft” without adequate workouts
• Diet to lose the extra weight and maintain that ideal weight for 6 months prior to surgery.

By doing these three things, a person can expect the best results from the surgery they opt for and they will also improve their overall lifestyle, important after the surgery so that the surgical results can be maintained indefinitely.

Share This