Why did my friend require a revision surgery following her rhinoplasty?

Do I have to take one month off from work for a tummy tuck?

Is it possible to sculpt the body safely and effectively?

Can I rejuvenate my face without an invasive facelift surgery?

 

 

Why did my friend require a revision surgery following her rhinoplasty?
Cosmetic nasal surgery has been considered the most challenging operation in plastic surgery. The reason for this was that until recently rhinoplasty was performed using a “closed” approach. When using a “closed” approach, incisions are limited to inside the nose which forces the surgeon to operate by feel only. As a result, it is difficult for the surgeon to gauge structural shortcomings since the underlying cartilage that is misshaped cannot be directly visualized. However, over the last decade, the “open” approach which utilizes only a small extension of the traditional incision, has allowed the surgeon to directly visualize the underlying cartilage infrastructure and to more accurately modify these structures in order to obtain superior outcomes.

Today, patients should expect excellent postoperative results following a single surgery irregardless of their preoperative nasal deficits. By utilizing the “open” rhinoplasty approach, it is now possible to effectively fix all nasal deformities including: a dorsal hump, deviated or crooked nose, a long amorphous tip, we can now sculpt the underlying cartilage infrastructure and debulk the fatty tip to create a beautiful and natural looking nose. Although the “open” approach rhinoplasty provides more versatility, the “closed” approach is utilized for patients with nasal deformities limited to a dorsal hump and or deviated septum. A consultation with Dr. Mowlavi may determine the ideal rhinoplasty approach for you.

Do I have to take one month off from work for a tummy tuck?
Mini Tummy Tuck provides a unique opportunity to remove excess skin and fat circumferentially along the entire length of the torso, effectively maximizing reduction in girth yet minimizing downtime. This is in contrast to the Standard Tummy Tuck which requires a prolonged recovery time of up to 1 month. The Mini-Tuck avoids an incision and potential scar around the belly button, and avoids undermining of the entire abdomen as performed in a Standard-Tuck. When performing the Mini-Tuck judicious liposuction of the torso is first used to sculpt the entire abdomen and back. Following liposuction, the patient is flexed so that only the redundant skin can be removed. The Mini-Tuck offers smaller more tolerable incisions and a return to work on average in 1 week!

Although the Standard Tuck requires a prolonged recovery period, it is the ideal waistline reduction surgery for clients who possess extensive stretch marks or whose abdominal muscles have weakened following multiple pregnancies. When stretch marks extend above the belly button, only a Standard Tuck which replaces the position of the belly button allows for compete removal of stretch marks. Regardless of your waistline, an ideal Tummy Tuck procedure can be tailored for you. A consultation by Dr. Mowlavi can determine whether the Mini or Standard Tummy Tuck is the suitable surgery for you.

Is it possible to sculpt the body safely and effectively?
Liposuction has evolved significantly over the last 5 years both in safety and in technique. First, the physiological effects of the solution (tumescent solution) used to infiltrate the body prior to liposuctioning has been characterized. This knowledge has established the maximum limit of fat volume that can be removed safely in any single session. In addition, we have significantly improved liposuction techniques to maximize removal of fat from a desired region. Today, we utilize several styles of cannulas each with varying suction port-hole position, shape, and size. When liposuctioning an area, we have found that each style of cannula can only remove a certain volume of fat, the fat that is exposed to a particular port hole position, shape, and size. Thus, by using a variety of cannulas, can we ensure complete removal of the unwanted fat in a desired area.

In the operating room, we ensure smooth contour transitions from treated to non-treated areas by feathering (specialized low pressure liposuction) over the junction zones. In addition, we employ finger fracture of septal attachments (bands that extend from the underlying muscle to the skin) in order to break up any areas of future cellulite dimpling. Finally, we employ specialized foam cushions to avoid skin irregularities. With recent advances in liposuction, we can now effectively sculpt all areas of the body including the neck, arms, armpits, upper and lower abdomen, upper and lower back, flanks, lateral thighs, medial thighs, and knees.

Can I rejuvenate my face without an invasive facelift surgery?
Facial volume loss has been identified as an important factor in recent anti-aging studies. This loss is attributed to melting away of fat cells in several facial regions including the upper brows, temples, upper eyelids, lower eyelids, lateral nasal laugh lines(nasolabial folds), cheeks, lateral chin laugh lines (marionette lines), as well as the upper and lower lips. Synthetic fillers such as Restylane and Radiesse have offered a temporary fix for facial fat loss. Although these fillers are quite effective, they can be expensive thus limiting treatment to 1 to 3 vials (1-3 cc). Now, we can offer patients a more affordable option for facial volume replacement, your own fat. Since we are using your own fat, we can transfer 10 to 30 cc (10 times the volume of synthetic fillers), thus effectively treating multiple areas in a single session. The benefits of fat grafting include unlimited supply of donor fat, elimination of allergic reactions observed with synthetic fillers, and long term and partial retention of replaced fat volume.

Fat can be harvested from the medial knee fat pad which provides the hardiest cells that are resilient to the transplant process. As a result, patients observe an improvement in the contour of their knees. Finally, a recent advance in the transplant technique has drastically improved fat graft survival. Today, processed fat is transferred into treated areas using micro-tunnels which maximize nutrient access to transplanted fat cells. By combining fat grafting which replaces lost volume and facial laser resurfacing which tightens the skin, patients can achieve effective facial rejuvenation without a lengthy recovery time of a more invasive facelift procedure.
If you are considering a facial rejuvenation procedure, Dr. Mowlavi can help you decide whether fat grafting or a facelift will best meet your needs.