Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Blog

Can Nose Surgery Help Me Breathe Better?

2008-05-08T18:32:00.000-04:00

Rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, allows thousands of people each year to have a more appealing facial appearance. But did you know that a good percentage of these nose surgery patients actually choose the surgery to be able to breathe with ease?

Rhinoplasty is just as popular for non-cosmetic reasons. Many rhinoplasty candidates actually experience breathing difficulty due to their unusual nose anatomy. So, form and function can be restored with one procedure. Rhinoplasty, if performed by a highly skilled cosmetic surgeon, can successfully correct nasal breathing problems and physical deformities.

Rhinoplasty is often used to help young patients beat challenging breathing problems; however the surgery is recommended mostly for patients who have fully grown noses (about age 15), with the exception of extreme cases of nasal deformity.

A rhinoplasty works like this: Dr. Linderman will gently lift the skin to expose the underline bone and cartilage structure. He can then manipulate the tissue to a more functional shape. The skin is redraped and the new nose is prepared for the healing process. Take a look at some before and after photos to see how dramatic rhinoplasty results can be.

A patient’s ability to breathe efficiently and without obstruction should be priority number one. But choose a surgeon who is a master in both the art and skill of this procedure, and you can have a beautiful, perfectly proportioned nose that lets you breathe freely.

To learn more about the risks and benefits of rhinoplasty, contact me at Aesthetic Plastic Surgery of Indiana.

What is an Anchor Type Breast Lift?

2008-05-02T11:12:00.002-04:00

An anchor type breast lift or mastopexy is a procedure used for women requiring a significant breast lift of more than several centimeters. Patients may have a history of weight loss or severe skin stretching following pregnancy. The nipple must be moved superiority and with this pattern excess skin can be removed and the breast shaped restored. Augmentation with increase in volume may often be indicated and performed at the same time. The anchor mastopexy removes excess skin in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions. The final scar appears as an inverted T.

Example of Anchor Type Breast Lift

Click here to see breast lift before and afters or contact us now.

Sun Exposure and Tanning After Tummy Tuck

2008-04-28T17:52:00.000-04:00

After a tummy tuck, I request that my patients not expose their abdomen to the sun or go to a tanning booth for six weeks after surgery. Frequently patients will have areas of decreased sensation increasing the possibility of bad sunburn. Patients may go swimming as early as two weeks after surgery if wound healing is good and the abdomen is not exposed. However long periods of sun exposure in a bathing suit in the immediate post operative period is to be avoided.

What is a concentric or Benelli type mastopexy?

2008-04-28T15:24:00.002-04:00

Depending on the patient and the physical evaluation of the breasts, a number of different types of breast lifts or mastopexy may be indicted. For those patients requiring only a small lift or reduction in areola size, a Benelli mastopexy may be performed. In this procedure two concentric circles are marked on the breasts. The inner circle centered on the nipple is the desired final diameter usually around four centimeters. The outer circle is marked more as an oval displaced surperiorly to elevated the nipple. The intervening skin between the circles is removed and a pursestring type suture is placed to reduce the size of the outer circle to that of the inner circle. In the early healing period there may be some small amount of puckering which improves as the scars mature. This procedure avoids a vertical scar but is only indicated mastpexies. Contact Dr. Linderman to schedule your personal consultation.

Benelli Mastopexy

How do I know if I need a breast lift or breast augmentation?

2008-04-22T15:21:00.001-04:00

Many patients present to my office for breast augmentation surgery that are better treated with a breast lift or mastopexy procedure. Some cosmetic breast surgery patients may require a combination of breast lift and breast augmentation. To understand how I determine what is the best operation for a patient it is helpful to discuss breast ptosis. Breast ptosis is dropping of the breast tissue and nipple below the inframammary fold [IMF]. This is the fold beneath the breast and the relation of the nipple to the level of this fold is very important is determining what is the best surgical procedure. Grade I ptosis occurs when the nipple is at the level of the IMF. Breast augmentation alone will lift the breast and provide increased volume. In Grade II ptosis the nipple is below the level of the IMF and some type of breast lift with or without augmentation will be indicated. Grade III ptosis is even more severe with the nipple pointing down and mastopexy is always indicated. The type of mastopexy and incisions will vary with the amount of ptosis and other factors including breast volume and quality of the skin envelope. More on this at another time.

Contact us for a consultation to determine the appropriate procedure for you.

Can I have work done on my breasts at the same time as a tummy tuck?

2008-04-18T13:43:00.002-04:00

Frequently patients present for body contouring surgery with multiple requests. Patients may desire a flatter abdomen and waist contour and alteration of the size and shape of their breasts. This is a wonderful combination of surgical techniques as it allows me to balance a woman's figure with the shape of her abdomen and breasts. Tummy tuck and breast augmentation and or lift can easily be combined in one procedure. Overall surgery time, recovery and costs are decreased. Visit my online gallery to see many examples of before and after photos combining these techniques.

Click here to schedule a consultation today.

How do Injectables Work?

2008-04-10T12:47:00.002-04:00

If you are looking for a way to rejuvenate your facial appearance without a surgical solution, skin restoration procedures like BOTOX, Restylane, and Radiesse may help you turn back the clock without going under the knife.

Surgery to reverse the signs of aging can be very effective. For instance, the facelift procedure has helped millions of men and women look years younger. But facial fillers offer a safe, low-commitment way to get subtle facial enhancements without the cost or healing period of invasive procedures. There's little discomfort, and only minor swelling in most cases.

Here's how injectables work:

Your cosmetic surgeon helps you choose from a variety of nontoxic injectable solutions. Here are just a few available in practices today:

BOTOX Cosmetic (Botulinum toxin)
Radiesse (Calcium Hydroxylapatite)
Restylane/Juvederm/Hylaform (Hyaluronic acid-based fillers)
Sculptra (Synthetic Poly-L-Lactic Acid)
CosmoDerm/CosmoPlast/Cymetra (Human-based collagen)
Zyderm/Zyplast (Bovine-based collagen)

Then, the injectable is inserted under the skin with a fine syringe into specific areas of the face to smooth, enhance and rejuvenate. Popular filler areas include the lips, around the eyes, crow's feet, nasal grooves, grown lines, the forehead, and others. Injectable results can last from just a few months to much longer, depending on the type of filler you choose.

To learn more about your injectable cosmetic enhancement options, please contact our office today to schedule your initial consultation.

Nice to be a Plastic Surgeon

2008-03-20T11:50:00.002-04:00

Today is a good day. I am seeing post operative patients today and I just saw a very nice young lady whose life I have changed and it makes realize why I like my job. This young woman is two months post op belt lipectomy and breast augmentation. She had lost over 140 pounds after undergoing bariatric surgery. Today she has a bright smile and a wonderful new figure and waistline. She gave me a big hug a let me know how much I had changed her life. My profession is so much fun and rewarding when I have patients like her (see testimonial below).

"I have had a wonderful experience from my initial consultation through the surgery and recovery process. I am thoroughly satisfied and impressed with Dr. Linderman and his staff." H.H.

2008-03-17T16:15:00.000-04:00

When can I be in the sun after breast augmentation?

It is my policy to place very few limits on sun exposure following breast augmentation. I tell my patients that they may go to a tanning booth two weeks after surgery as long as their breasts are covered. Swimming is allowed two weeks after surgery. For full exposure to the sun without coverage, I recommend patients wait four weeks. Following breast augmentation, some patients may have some areas of decreased sensation which is temporary. Because of this, they are at an increased risk of suffering sun burn and this is why I prefer coverage for about a month. The sutures that are used are dissolvable and patients can go swimming quite soon.

Quick to work after breast augmentation surgery.

2008-03-13T10:35:00.002-04:00

I am often asked what is the recovery period following breast augmentation. This will vary from patient to patient as well as the physical demands placed on them in the home or office place. With the "soft touch" technique that I employ, it is not uncommon for some patients to go out the day after surgery. Much of the discomfort that patient's experience post operatively is due to inactivity and muscle spasm. By beginning stretching exercises in the recovery room, stiffness of the chest wall muscles can be greatly reduced and pain decreased. My technique uses electrocautery dissection with minimal tissue stretching to prevent trauma and bleeding thus reducing postop pain. Patients are instructed to shower after surgery and to return to their activities as soon as possible. Most patients that have surgery on Friday can be back at work on Monday.

Are there multiple surgeries required for a tummy tuck?

2008-03-11T15:19:00.001-04:00

This is one of the recurring questions about tummy tucks. In the past, a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty was done as a multi-stage procedure. Nowadays, this is, in general, no longer the case. Using the most advanced techniques available, Dr. Linderman can in most cases get great cosmetic results with only one surgery. In fact, far more often than multiple surgeries being required to conduct a tummy tuck, it is possible to conduct multiple procedures during the same operation, if you are in good health and the tummy tuck required is not too extreme.

Of course, if you have a very large amount of tissue to be removed, and your abdominal muscles are very slack, Dr. Linderman may recommend conducting the abdominoplasty in multiple stages for safety's sake. Contact us today for an initial consultation during which Dr. Linderman will consider your health and body type to make an individualized recommendation.

Mini Tummy Tuck vs. Full Tummy Tuck

2008-02-29T14:20:00.000-05:00

I am often asked how do I determine what patient is a candidate for Mini Tummy Tuck as opposed to a Full Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty. In examining a patient several factors are assessed to make this choice.

What is the laxity of the abdominal muscles and where is it located? If it occurs primarily in the lower abdomen below the umbilicus, then a Mini Tummy Tuck may be considered. If muscle tone is poor for the entire abdomen then a Full Tummy Tuck is usually indicated.

Where are the areas of fat and loose skin located? If these are just in the lower abdomen, then again the mini tummy tuck might be chosen. A Full Tummy Tuck requires repositioning of the umbilicus but allows tightening of the skin in the upper abdomen. In the typical Full Tummy Tuck most or all of the skin between the pubic area and the umbilicus is removed. Because of this the scar will be longer than in a Mini Tummy Tuck. However with proper planning, I am able to locate the scar within a typical two piece bathing line.

Liposuction is usually done with both procedures where indicated to define the waist and remove upper abdominal and anterior hip roll fat.

What is a Brazilian Mastopexy?

2008-02-25T14:10:00.001-05:00

Frequently I will see patients who are unhappy with shape and contour of their breasts but do not wish augmentation of their size. When adequate breast volume is present a mastopexy or breast lift is indicated. Mastopexies attempt to lift the breast while preserving volume and reducing the skin envelope. Over the years I had become dissatisfied with the long-term results of primary mastopexies without implant placement. In my search for a better procedure, I met Dr. Ruth Graf of Brazil who developed an innovative technique of mastopexy which provides excellent long term results and in my opinion is better than other described procedures.

The Brazilian Mastopexy that I learned from her corrects breast ptosis for those patients who have adequate volume and do not require or desire the addition of a breast implant. In this procedure the nipple is moved to its new location while maintaining an attachment to the breast tissue. A portion of breast tissue in the inferior portion is then moved to the superior breast to correct ptosis and provide superior fullness. This tissue is maintained in its new position by a loop of chest wall muscle that acts as an anchor to provide a permanent long-term fullness

Patient Post Op Brazilian Mastopexy

What is a Mommy Makeover?

2008-02-22T11:03:00.000-05:00

Recently a new buzzword has been making the rounds in the plastic surgery news--- A Mommy Makeover. Simply stated this is catch phrase for treatment of a particular group of women who are seeking plastic surgery to address the changes of age and pregnancy. Many women desire figure rejuvenation after multiple pregnancies. These include improvement in breast size and shape, removal of excess skin and stretch marks of the abdomen and fatty deposits of the hips and thighs.
Mothers who desire a return of their more youthful figures are wonderful candidates for combined procedures such as minitummy tuck and breast augmentation with selected liposuction of small areas. Frequently this transformation can be accomplished as an outpatient.

At what age do breasts start to change?

2008-02-20T14:05:00.000-05:00

Breasts are, like faces, very dynamic. They start to grow when a girl enters puberty, which is variable and dependent on genetics and nutrition, and for some women, breasts don't complete their growth until the women are in their thirties.

For other women, especially those with large breasts, some sagging is already evident by this age. These women should take care, wear supportive garments, and consider a breast reduction or breast lift.

In addition, breasts are very susceptible to life events. Pregnancy and nursing can cause breasts to swell and shrink, leaving them sagging. The most significant cause of sagging other than weight and gravity, is smoking. Women who smoke tend to lose elasticity in their skin, and this in turn contributes to the sagging of breasts. These women might profit from a lift combined with a breast augmentation, since the implant can provide structural support for the breasts. Women are advised to quit smoking before having their surgery as smoking can not only diminish the effectiveness of the operation, but slow healing and increase the risk of complications.

Dr. Linderman has decades of experience working with the effects of aging and can give personalized recommendations to you based on the effects age has had specifically on your body. Contact us today to set up your initial consultation

Liposuction vs. Tummy Tuck

2008-02-19T11:36:00.000-05:00

I am often asked how do I determine who is a candidate for liposuction as opposed to tummy tuck or abdominoplasty. This is a decision that takes experience and technical expertise. First a potential patient should seek out a board-certified plastic surgeon who has the ability and training to perform both procedures. If a doctor only knows how to perform liposuction, he is not equipped to recognize and select out those patients who would achieve a better result with tummy tuck surgery. Factors to consider in choosing liposuction or tummy tuck include the quality of the skin, the amount of fat to be removed and estimated skin elasticity. If the skin is of poor quality with many stretch marks, there is a significant risk that treatment with liposuction alone will result in excess skin or contour irregularities. The more fat removed, the more the skin must contract in the abdomen with the chance of a poor result. Tummy tucks address skin excess and quality problems with removal and tightening of the remaining skin. Frequently liposuction is combined with tummy tuck surgery to achieve an optimal result. A tummy tuck can be tailored to a patient’s contour problem. Depending on the examination a mini tummy tuck or a full tummy tuck may be recommended. More on this choice at another time.

Where are tummy tuck incisions placed?

2008-02-13T19:10:00.000-05:00

Incisions will vary depending upon the type of tummy tuck being performed i.e. mini tummy or full tummy tuck. These differences will be addressed at another time. My personal philosophy is that the location of the scar should be optimized for all patients. The idea is to hide the scar and keep it as low as possible so it does not show in a small two piece bathing suits. Ideally the final scar should be located no more than a little over two inches above the top of the vagina. The initial incision is marked pre operatively to take into account the tension on the final closure and allow for the final scar to rise higher. Occasionally a small vertical component may be added to the transverse scar in order to maintain the longer scar in the bikini line. Pre operative surgical marking can be done in the desired bathing suit to determine the final location of the scar. Although the scar will extend from hip to hip in a full tummy tuck, this part usually heals quite well and can be covered by the lateral band of most swimsuits. It is a geometric fact that the more skin taken out, the longer the scar. However scar extension can remove additional skin and fat. In some cases a circumferential or belt lipectomy can achieve a dramatic result. More on body lifts at another time.

How to choose a cosmetic surgeon?

2008-02-13T17:46:00.008-05:00

Over the past ten with the explosive growth of cosmetic surgery procedures, it has become increasingly difficult to tell who is qualified to perform what procedure. As a consumer, the choices have become more difficult and blurred. There has been a dramatic increase in the competition for elective cosmetic surgery fueled by the declining reimbursements for insured procedures. This has led to a huge influx of unqualified practitioners from other medical specialties and also non-medical personnel to compete for the cosmetic surgery patient. How is a consumer to choose?

I would suggest the potential patient seek out the answers to two questions.

1. Is the doctor board certified in plastic surgery? There are many certifying boards but only the American Board of Medical Specialties defines a specialty and certifies the type and length of training of a doctor to achieve certification but one the boards that it recognizes. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the only recognized board for training is all aspects of plastic and cosmetic surgery.

2. Does the physician has privileges to perform the procedure you are interested in by your local hospital? This is important as many unqualified physicians may perform a procedure in their office or surgery center but are not deemed qualified by their training to be granted privileges in your hospital. Most hospitals will meticulously review a physician’s training and require board certification before granting privileges to perform various procedures.

Tummy Tuck and Exercise for the New You

2008-01-25T10:53:00.000-05:00

One old Catch-22 is that to get a job you need experience, but to get experience you need a job. For many people, there's one equally binding: to get a great body, you've got to go to the gym, but to go to the gym, you've got to have a great body. If you find yourself in this bind, you might consider adding a tummy tuck to your plan for a better body in the new year.

Many people are under the impression that tummy tucks, liposuction, and other body contouring procedures are a lazy person's substitute for exercise in achieving the perfect body, but cosmetic surgery alone cannot ensure that you get the look you want, let alone maintain it. If you have had difficulty sticking to an exercise routine because you feel self-conscious at the gym, or find that you get tired too quickly to exercise for a long time, cosmetic surgery may make the difference between your old plans that fizzled out and your new resolution.

Of course, having a tummy tuck means that you won't be able to jump into exercise right away, but this is actually a good thing. One mistake people make in starting a new exercise regime is too much too soon, which often causes people to quit because the routine is such a chore. Dr. Linderman recommends that you begin exercise with leisurely short walks as part of your recovery the week after surgery, which can be gradually lengthened as you heal, then expanded to include running and aerobic exercises after 4-6 weeks. This ensures that you ease into your routine, making it more likely that you will keep it up to achieve and maintain the perfect body you've long desired.

Don't wait on breast augmentation

2008-01-24T10:42:00.000-05:00

If you are thinking about getting a breast augmentation this year in anticipation of summer sun dress and swimsuit season, now is the time to get moving. Although recovery time for breast augmentation surgery is relatively short, it takes time for the full aesthetic benefits of the surgery to be seen. After breast augmentation surgery, you can return to work after 3-4 days, and even engage in significant exercise in a couple of weeks, but you may not have the shape you desire for a while after that.

Breast implants initially appear very high on the chest, and this is partly by design. Over time, implants settle into place, achieving optimal shape around 3-4 months post-op. So, if you want to look your best for the summer, now is the time to start! Contact Dr. Linderman today to set up your initial consultation about breast augmentation surgery.

Will there be scars after a breast lift?

2008-01-17T17:39:00.000-05:00

After any surgery, there are generally scars, and breast lift surgery is no exception. However, it is the goal and the artistry of the cosmetic surgeon to both reduce scarring and to conceal the scars whenever possible. For some breast lifts, the only scars remaining will be virtually invisible periarolar (around the nipple) scars. For breast lifts requiring the removal of more skin will have what is often referred to as a lollipop scar, with a circle around the areola and a straight-line scar straight down or diagonal to the inframammary crease. Although these scars are visible, with proper care, they can be significantly diminished by the use of proper skin care.

Free Consultation

2008-01-07T14:35:00.000-05:00

Call 317-848-5400 today for a FREE Breast Augmentation consultation.

See Before and After Photo Gallery