Michael J. Will, MD, DDS, FACS
Maryland (301) 874-1707
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Cosmetic Surgeries Give Mom Her Pre-baby Body Back
Fatma Rice, mother of a five year old, recently shared with the Today Show how she got her pre-pregnancy body back with cosmetic surgery. Many new moms struggle with areas like their breasts and stomach that they can’t get back to their pre-pregnancy look even with diet and exercise.
Rice had a “mommy makeover,” which refers to undergoing multiple cosmetic surgery procedures to restore or improve your post-pregnancy body.
Rice said that before pregnancy she was fit and happy with her body. “I worked out a lot … Obviously I had more time on my hands,” she said.
Rice gained about 48 pounds while she was pregnant, and even after she lost the weight she said her breasts and stomach were saggy. She tried to get rid of the stubborn fat by varying her workout routine, but nothing helped her trouble spots.
“My confidence level went down,” she said.
To get back to what she used to look like and how she used to feel about herself, she decided to get a mommy makeover.
Rice had three procedures, liposuction, a tummy tuck and a breast lift, and she appeared on the Today Show two weeks after the surgeries to show off the results. “I’m ready to start 2011 in a new beautiful body,” she said.
Dr. Loren Schechter, her surgeon, emphasized that Rice was a great candidate for a mommy makeover because she works out and she has a healthy lifestyle. “Not everyone is a candidate to combine surgeries,” he said.
How long should moms wait before getting cosmetic surgery? “We do advise women to wait until the changes associated with pregnancy have resolved. Usually at least six months, if not a bit longer so that swelling from pregnancy can go down,” said Dr. Schechter.
Ever popular, breast enhancement continues to be one of our most requested surgical procedures at Will Surgical Arts. Recently, however, an interesting trend has developed—women are less often seeking out large, buxom breasts and instead, are opting for a smaller, more natural appearing chest.
LifeSculpt Commercial – Not Featured During Super Bowl
This oh-so-glamorous commercial for LifeSculpt body contouring was not featured during the Super Bowl, but it looks like it easily could have been.
What is LifeSculpt?
Seniors More Interested in Cosmetic Surgery
Divorce rates in the over 50 crowd have nearly doubled in the past two decades. And as a result of their newly single status, more senior* men and women are looking to enhance their looks with cosmetic surgery.
Well-preserved so-called female ‘silver separators’ like Susan Sarandon, 66, and ‘silver foxes’ like Richard Gere, 63, have become a source of inspiration for seniors as they re-enter the dating pool. They’re walking-talking proof that age doesn’t have to define a person’s looks or lifestyle.
Senior Cosmetic Surgery: Facts & Figures
According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), men and women between the ages of 51 and 64 make up nearly 28 percent of cosmetic enhancements annually. While seniors over 65 make up a little over 8 percent – a nearly 80 percent increase in the past 10 years.
So what cosmetic procedures are the most popular with the over 50-crowd? According to the ASAPS, it’s mostly anti-aging surgical procedures that rejuvenate the face:
Because cosmetic surgery is elective, it should only be performed when the risk of complication is extremely low. Seniors are more likely to be diagnosed with medical conditions that can increase their risk of experiencing post-surgical complications.
They’re also more likely to be taking medications such as anticoagulants (like a daily aspirin) that can interfere with the surgical process. However, generally speaking a patient’s overall health is a better indicator of their candidacy for cosmetic surgery rather than their actual age.
If you’re thinking about cosmetic enhancement, it’s best to schedule a consultation with a qualified cosmetic surgeon. He or she will be able to determine if surgery is safe and effective option available for you.
*We’ve chosen to loosely define senior by AARP standards as 50 years of age and older.
Migraine Surgery Developed from Cosmetic Brow Lift
When a plastic surgeon noticed that after undergoing endoscopic brow lift surgery some migraine patients were having less headaches, he developed a migraine surgery technique. The treatment, which involves “surgical deactivation” of “trigger sites” in the muscles or nerves that produce pain, appears to have some success: after five years, 88 percent of patients had less frequent or severe migraines, according to a new study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal.
In addition, the study found that 59 percent of patients reported that their headaches were significantly better and 29 percent said their migraines were eliminated completely five years after surgery.
The researchers followed 69 patients after they had migraine surgery; in order to confirm the trigger sites prior to surgery, each patient was tested with Botox in places like the forehead, temple and nose. For most patients the surgery targeted at least two trigger sites.
Other findings from the study included:
Average migraine frequency decreased from about eleven to four per month
Average migraine duration decreased from 34 to eight hours
Migraine surgery led to significant improvements in quality of life, with few serious adverse effects
An additional benefit to the migraine surgery is that patients may end up with fewer wrinkles. “For those patients, commonly the aesthetic outcome is pleasing. They just look like they’re less angry or are less serious,” said Bahman Guyuron, MD, the surgeon who developed the technique.
While more research is needed to refine the surgical techniques and to clarify the reasons for the effectiveness of surgical deactivation of trigger sites, the researchers wrote that “the findings provide strong evidence that surgical deactivation of one or more trigger sites can successfully eliminate or reduce the frequency, duration and intensity of migraine headache, and the results are enduring.”
Experts say migraine surgery is probably only a good idea for those who’ve tried less invasive treatments first.
Scientific Meeting Highlights Advances in Cosmetic Surgery
Highlighting advances in cosmetic surgery, the annual scientific meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) in January had record attendance and named a new president.
Dr. Gerald Edds, MD, FACS, was officially inducted as the 2012 president at the meeting in Las Vegas.
“To be elected president of the leading organization for cosmetic surgeons worldwide is an incredible honor,” said Dr. Edds. “The AACS remains the trusted source for the highest quality training and continuing medical educations for doctors practicing cosmetic surgery. We will continue to set the standard in these areas and expand our presence internationally.”
The AACS’s 28th annual scientific meeting had its highest attendance in history, with more than 700 medical professionals.
Dr. Will served as a session director for “Advanced Topics in Face and Neck Surgery” at the meeting
Dr. Edds said that this year’s meeting focused on the education mission of the AACS to advance cosmetic surgery and quality patient care by featuring sessions customized for each specialty within the field, focused on best practices, practice gaps, patient safety and quality improvement.
Cosmetic surgeons could attend sessions on a wide range of cosmetic surgery topics, including: Advanced Topics in Body Contouring and Post-Bariatric Surgery; Rhinoplasty and Otoplasty; Blepharoplasty and Browlift; and Advanced Topics in Breast Surgery.
Keynote speakers came from around the world, including Dr. Jean Carruthers, of Vancouver, Canada, who is a pioneer of the cosmetic use of botulinum A exotoxin and Dr. Luitgard Wiest, of Munich, Germany, a renowned dermatologist.
To learn more about the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, visit www.cosmeticsurgery.org.
What Affects The Natural Feel of Breast Implants?
What type of breast implant feels natural? Does saline feel natural or is silicone the most natural-feeling implant? These are common questions during surgery consultations.
Surgeons generally agree that silicone implants mimic natural breast tissue more closely than saline. However, natural results can be achieved with either implant. If you’re concerned about a natural look or feel in your breast implants, there are a few factors to consider:
The amount of tissue covering the implant will affect the way it looks and feels, so you may want to consider sub-muscular or partial sub-muscular implant placement.
After breast augmentation with saline implants, the breasts can be very firm but over time the tissue and the implants may soften.
Women with a thin body and thin breast tissue will often be advised to choose silicone implants due to the possibility of visible implant wrinkling caused by a lack of adequate coverage.
Choosing the proper size is critical for achieving a natural result that matches your body proportion.
Male breasts — a condition known as gynecomastia — are embarrassing and emasculating, and they’re not something you should have to live with long term. Male breast reduction surgery may be what you need to restore your confidence and stop you from hiding your condition under excess weight or baggy clothes. You may be a candidate for male breast reduction surgery at Will Surgical Arts if you have persistent, painful male breasts that affect your daily life.
If you happened to take a quick peak in a mirror earlier today, you might be able to relate to the results of a new study.
St. Tropez (a self-tanning retailer), decided to investigate aging and how appearances change throughout the work week. And what they found was that women look their oldest around 3:30pm every Wednesday.
The Aging Effects of Work Stress & Weekend Partying
So what’s the deal?
According to the study, Wednesday is when low energy levels, work stress and the effects of late weekend nights prevail – leaving some women looking a little worse for wear.
Of those surveyed, about one in ten women (12 percent to be exact) revealed Wednesday to the most stressful day of their week – with one in five admitting they usually work through their designated lunch hour.
Wednesday isn’t the only stressful day of the week though; a quarter of women surveyed also admitted to feeling stressed out several times a week.
As far as weekend drinking goes, you might feel the physical effects the next day, but they won’t appear on your face for about 72 hours – otherwise known as Wednesday afternoon.
Thursday, Friday & Beyond
Interestingly enough, the study also revealed that once women make it over that Wednesday afternoon slump, they start feeling frisky. Thursday is when women are most likely to get romantic – giving them a rosy Friday glow.
As a result (along with several other reasons) Friday is the happiest day of the week for 60 percent of study participants.
While we’ll admit the results of this study are certainly interesting, it’s important to consider the source. In addition to researching the aging process, St. Tropez also sells anti-aging products. This study in particular, coincides with the release of their newest anti-aging self-tanning lotion.
New Device Reshapes Newborns’ Ears without Surgery
A new infant ear correction system can reshape a newborn’s ears starting in the first month of life without surgery.
Stanford University’s Children’s Hospital reports their surgeons are now using the EarWell system, which was approved by the FDA in 2010. EarWell has a custom-fit plastic molding device that babies can wear for six to eight weeks early in life to reshape their ears and permanently correct their shape. The system works because the circulating estrogen left over from pregnancy gives infants’ cartilage high flexibility.
“We see an immediate result, even within the first two weeks,” said Rohit Khosla, MD . “It’s very remarkable.”
Between one-fifth and one-third of babies have prominent or misfolded ears.
“It’s painless and non-surgical. And it allows the patient to avoid potentially many years of social stigma associated with ear deformities,” said Khosla.
According to Khosla, early intervention with EarWell is key for a successful outcome. The device has greater than 90 percent success when treatment is started within the first month of life, but it is less effective in older babies.
“We can take advantage of the patient’s biology in this specific window of infancy to correct a deformity that will otherwise be uncorrectable until the child is older,” Khosla said. “And with this technique, the cost of surgery, the pain and the recovery can all be avoided.”
Ear surgery is another option for correcting such problems as prominent ears and can be performed on patients at a fairly young age — as young as five. Also known as otoplasty, ear surgery pins back protruding ears.
“Patient care was incredible! We are so very happy our child was referred to Dr. Will. We appreciate the attentiveness given to his medical condition. Will highly recommend to others.”
Divorce rates in the over 50 crowd have nearly 
Highlighting advances in 
Male breasts — a condition known as gynecomastia — are embarrassing and emasculating, and they’re not something you should have to live with long term. 
