Patients undergoing breast augmentation can anticipate significant swelling in the immediate postoperative period. This swelling resolves quickly with the vast majority being gone in about three weeks. Almost all of the visible swelling is gone in four to six weeks, but small amounts of residual swelling may be present for up to three to four months following surgery.
Compression bras and dressings are frequently used following breast augmentation to minimize swelling. Swelling can add to a patient’s postoperative discomfort. It can also increase anxiety regarding breast size immediately after surgery.
For these reasons, we feel it’s important for the patient and the surgeon to have good communication regarding this topic immediately following surgery. In this situation, a little reassurance can go a long way towards making this a more comfortable experience.
Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. The procedure is performed to fix localized fat deposits, which adversely impact body contour. These fat collections may be located in a variety of locations including the abdomen, hips, thighs, flanks, and arms to name a few. In many cases these areas don’t respond to diet and exercise.
When liposuction is performed, it’s unusual for this procedure to result in weight loss greater than one or two pounds. Despite this, even when patients are twenty pounds overweight, liposuction can result in improved body contour and high satisfaction rates.
When weight loss is the primary goal, a weight loss program would be appropriate. Consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon would be a helpful first step. Make sure he or she discusses all of your options and helps determine which one is best for you.
Changes in visual acuity are not uncommon following blepharoplasty. There are several possible causes for changes in vision following this type of surgery. These can include the use of ointments following surgery, dry eyes following surgery, and eyelid skin tightness which can change the curvature of the cornea.
Blurred vision can result from the use of topical ointments, which are used for a variety of reasons in the postoperative period. In our experience, the use of eye ointment is the most common cause of blurred vision following blepharoplasty. For these reasons, we recommend the use of ointment at night and drops during the day.
Eye dryness following blepharoplasty can also contribute significantly to vision changes following this type of surgery. This is typically treated with eye lubricant. Usually, eye drops are used during the day and longer lasting ointments are used at night.
Finally, tightness of the eyelids against the globe can affect the curvature of the cornea and cause refractory changes. This can be made worse when significant swelling is present.
When vision changes occur following blepharoplasty, it’s appropriate to consult an ophthalmologist. With appropriate management of these symptoms, vision usually returns to normal in a matter of weeks.
There’s no question that being close to your ideal body weight improves the results from tummy tuck surgery. It also decreases the potential for complications with this type of surgical procedure. For these reasons, we prefer that patients be within 10% of their ideal body weight at the time of surgery.
Unfortunately, reaching an ideal weight is easier said than done. The vast majority of patients are unsuccessful at losing this additional weight.
It’s also important to know that even when patients are overweight, they can potentially benefit from abdominoplasty.
Every patient must be evaluated on an individual basis.
We encourage patients to lose weight before surgery and prefer that their weight be stable for at least three months. We realize that some patients will have difficulty losing weight. We therefore encourage patients to be in a supervised weight loss program. Even with that help, some patients will be unsuccessful in their effort to lose weight.
Even without weight loss, many of these patients will still potentially benefit from tummy tuck surgery.
It’s important to realize that weight loss following tummy tuck surgery can affect the final result. This could even result in the need for revisional surgery. For these reasons, it’s important to thoroughly discuss this issue with your board-certified plastic surgeon.
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This is a commonly asked question in our practice and it’s hard to answer because of the large number of variables that are present. It’s safe to say that because of the constant force of gravity, we can set the clock back but never stop it from ticking. Women who do not have breast lifts experience progressive sag and women who have had breast lifts can expect some recurrent sag as well.
Factors that are associated with the development of recurrent sag include thin skin, large breasts, fluctuations in weight, pregnancy, failure to use a bra for support, certain types of disease that involve the connective tissue, and cigarette smoking.
Surgical technique is important as well, but less important than the patient’s wound-healing and soft tissue characteristics. Most breast lift procedures utilize the skin to create an envelope, which supports the breast tissue. Recently, techniques have been developed that utilize internal sutures to provide additional support. If breast implants are used to add volume or create additional upper breast volume they should always be placed under the muscle and should not be of excessive size.
In my experience, breast lifts are associated with high satisfaction rates and in many cases last between 10-15 years. It’s important to realize that gravity goes to work immediately and as time marches on, recurrent sag is inevitable to some degree.
