Aesthetic Surgical Images

How Long Do Breast Implants Last?

This is a commonly asked question and a frequent source of confusion amongst patients. There is a common misperception that breast implants should be replaced every ten years. The origin of this belief is unclear, but is probably secondary to misinterpretation of implant warranty terminology.

The manufacturers of breast implants clearly state that these devices are not intended to last a lifetime, despite this many patients can expect to have implants last their entire lifetime. Current studies suggest that implants deflate at a rate of 1% at one year and 3% at three years. Over time this number can be expected to grow.

Implants may deflate with no apparent cause or may deflate secondary to some type of trauma. Under these, the decision to replace implants is easy.

Not sure what to get that special Dad for Father’s Day? How about some Bro-tox? Bro-tox is Botox for men! Bro-tox makes a great gift for all those hard working Dads!

Does Dad always look stressed or angry? Does he have lines between his eyes? Are the lines on his forehead getting deeper?

At Aesthetic Surgical Images, we can help get rid of those angry frown lines by performing a simple Botox injection. For the months of June & July, men will receive a 10% discount on Botox injections. Let this be our gift to you and our way of saying thank you for another year of continued support!

Call today and say you were referred by the Father’s Day Botox Special!

402.316.5739

Insurance Coverage for Breast Reduction

Breast reduction surgery is often covered by insurance carriers, but not all of them cover this procedure and significant restrictions may exist. Some insurance companies actually exclude breast reduction as a contract exclusion. When insurance carriers cover breast reduction, they may have specific criteria that must be met.

For instance, most insurance carriers require documentation of symptoms. Examples would include back pain, shoulder pain, breast pain, and headaches to name a few. They may also require documentation of attempted non-surgical management of symptoms. Examples might include physical therapy, support devices, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Some insurance carriers require a minimal amount of breast tissue removal from each breast. This is often based on calculations, which utilize the patient’s weight and height.

For many patients, breast reduction surgery is a life-changing experience. Symptoms such as back, neck, and shoulder pain seem to improve almost overnight. Patients note that clothes fit better and over time, their self-esteem and self-image improve as well.

Patients who are overweight do not differ from other patients in this regard. They note similar improvement in quality of life and significant improvement in symptoms.

When patients who are overweight undergo breast reduction surgery they often experience additional benefits. They note increased exercise tolerance and subsequently become more physically active as they adopt a healthier lifestyle. In many cases, this results in significant amounts of weight loss.

Liposuction is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedures in men. The flanks, abdomen, chest and neck appear to be the most commonly treated areas. This procedure is associated with high satisfaction rates when patients are near their ideal body weight.

Liposuction in men has limitations because the fat tends to be more fibrous. In addition, a large amount of the abdominal fat is located within the abdominal cavity where it can’t be reached by a liposuction canula. These characteristics can limit the amount of fat that can be removed with this procedure. Men generally have thicker skin than women and as a result, skin sag is less likely to occur in this group.

Rippling Following Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation has extremely high satisfaction rates, but occasionally, rippling can occur following this procedure. This can occur with either saline or silicone breast implants.

Several factors have been associated with rippling following breast augmentation. These include saline implants, large implants, thin, soft tissue, and placement of implants on top of the muscle.

The soft tissue characteristics of patients are extremely important. Patients with minimal breast tissue and thin subcutaneous tissue are much more likely to develop rippling than those with thicker, soft tissue. A large amount of breast tissue relative to implant size minimizes the potential for rippling. Larger implants, saline implants, and placement on top of the muscle are all associated with a higher incidence of rippling.

Browlift Vs. Blepharoplasty: Which is Best for Sagging Eyelids?

Facial aging affects the entire face, but nowhere is it more noticeable than in the area around the eyes. The eyes are truly the window to our souls and tell everyone how we are feeling. Aging of the soft tissue in this area not only makes us look older, but can change how we are perceived. Excess eyelid skin can make us look tired and less energetic, while brow descent can make us look serious and even angry. For these reasons, Blepharoplasty and Browlift are commonly requested cosmetic procedures.

The big question is: When and why do we choose each of these alternatives? Patients with aging of the eyebrow and eyelid complex may have several things going on simultaneously. With aging, we develop redundant eyelid skin with prominent fat pads. This is typically one of the earliest signs of facial aging. As time goes on, our brows start to drop as well—this is typically associated with transverse forehead wrinkles and vertical frown lines as we subconsciously compensate for our brow descent. At first, it would seem that this is a relatively simple problem; all you need to do is fix each of the individual components of the aging process. In reality, however, it’s much more complicated because the soft tissue of the brow interacts with the soft tissue of the eyelids. For example, lifting the brow is frequently accompanied by a decrease in eyelid skin laxity.