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A Breast Reduction using Liposuction?

A Breast Reduction using Liposuction?

Yesterday I performed a Breast Reduction using Liposuction only. To my surprise, the OR nursing staff was unaware this was possible. So I figured if they were unaware it was possible, most people probably are. So lets talk about it.

Why it works: Well, breasts are normally made up of glandular milk producing breast tissue AND fat. In fact, for many women, the breast is a preferred fat storage site. So, we are able to use liposuction to remove the fatty component of the breast. This can be done with one or two very small incisions instead of the typical larger more noticeable breast incisions.

Limitations: There are limitations to the procedure being done this way. First, you cannot get as much skin tightening this way and you cannot lift the breast as well as with a traditional reduction. Secondly, you cannot suction out the glandular breast tissue component, only the fat component. So gauging final breast size is more challenging.

In the end, it is a very effective technique that replaces the significant scaring of a traditional reduction with almost no scars yet still effectively can reduce the breast.

To learn more contact our East Louisville office at 502-721-0330

Lee E Corbett MD

Medical Director Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic Surgery and Med Spa

 

RealSelf 500

Dr. Lee Corbett Wins RealSelf 500 Award

Louisville, KY Plastic Srugeon Recognized as Top Social Influencer in Aesthetic Surgery

Louisville, KY – Marrch 7, 2016 – Local physician Dr. Lee Corbett is one of 500 doctors in the nation to receive the prestigious RealSelf 500 Award, out of nearly 13,000 board certified specialists with a presence on RealSelf—the leading online community helping people make confident choices in elective cosmetic procedures.

In a time when 1 in 4 U.S. adults share their health experiences on social media channels, the medical professionals that made the 2015 RealSelf 500 are recognized both for having an outstanding record of consumer feedback and for providing credible, valuable insights in response to consumer questions about elective cosmetic treatments, plastic surgery, dentistry and more.

Dr. Corbett is the Medical Director of Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic Surgery and Med Spa in Louisville. In his 18th year in practice, his specialties include Aesthetic Surgery of the Face, Breasts and Body as well as non-surgical facial rejuvenation.

“In 2015, these 500 doctors collectively impacted tens of millions of consumers, with nearly 30% of our total doctor content posted by this relatively small group,” said Tom Seery, RealSelf founder and CEO. “When I started RealSelf, many doctors questioned why they should ‘give away’ their expertise ‘for free’ on the web. Now, eight years later — and with over one million doctor answers on our platform — we are proud of the standard this select group has set. They’re leading the way by empowering millions of consumers to gain access to the information they need to make smart and confident health and beauty decisions.”

Dr. Corbett is an expert contributor to RealSelf, and to date has posted over 700 answers to questions on RealSelf. Each month people from all over world ask important aesthetic-related questions about all aspects of cosmetic surgery. Dr. Corbett also maintains a patient star rating of 5 out of five stars in RealSelf reviews. For more information on Dr. Corbett, please visit www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com, and for the full list of RealSelf 500 Award winners, visit http://www.realself.com/RS500.

About RealSelf

Since its founding in 2006, RealSelf has created the world’s largest community for learning and sharing information about cosmetic surgery, dermatology, dentistry, and other elective treatments. Our extensive collections of reviews, photos, videos and doctor Q&A make RealSelf the most trusted resource for those who are looking for help beyond the beauty counter. www.realself.com

 

 

 

 

 

Drains and why we use them in Cosmetic Surgery

Drains are used in all of the Surgical fields, General Surgery, Orthopedics, Urology and Plastic Surgery etc… The purpose of a drain is to evacuate fluid from building up in an empty space or a potential space where the surgery was performed.This helps lower the chances of post operative complications and infections.

What actually is a drain? Most are small, hallow tubes, made of silicone that we place in the empty space and then outside of the body they are attached to a small bulb that creates suction. This allows us to keep fluid from building up in the operative area.

In Cosmetic Surgery they are often used in Tummy Tucks, Face Lifts, and some Breast surgeries. Tummy tucks are probably the most common instance. In a tummy tuck the drain removes the fluid that naturally builds up between the top of the abdominal muscles and the overlying fatty tissue. Without a drain in place, the fluid would just collect and distort the appearance of the abdomen and could lead to wound healing problems. In most instances that we use drains we remove them not based on time but on how much fluid is actually draining out. When the output is low enough, the drain is removed. Usually this ranges from a day or two up to a week.

So, while not terribly popular with patients, drain are sort of a ‘necessary evil’ that helps your surgeon get the best outcome with your cosmetic procedure.

Lee Corbett, MD

Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic Surgery and Med Spa

I have Split Ear Lobes…now what?

Repairing a split earlobe is a pretty common event in our office yet we are surprised to learn that a lot of our patients had lived with split lobes for years. Unaware that repair was possible.

The whole process takes about 10 minutes per ear and is done in the office. We numb the ear with a shot of local anesthetic, remove the extra skin that has grown over the split, and repair it with sutures. And then you hop up and go along your way.

We need to remove the sutures at about 1 week and you can re-pierce the ear at about the 3 month mark. Problem solved!

Lee Corbett, MD
www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

Breast Implant “Profiles”…what does it all mean

Breast implant profilesBreast Augmentation is the most requested cosmetic surgery in the U.S. every year and has been for many years running. As its popularity continues to increase, the variety of implants has increased as well. I’d like to take a minute to go over the different Profile options as this is confusing for many patients.

For decades implants came  “one size fits all’ however now there are many profile options: Ultra High, High, Moderate, and Low ª. What the ‘profile’ of the implant refers to is its’ width and its’ height or projection.

For example, if you have two implants that are both filled with 350cc, the high profile won’t be as wide as a moderate profile implant, but it will project out more. The higher the profile in the order the more narrow the implant and the more it projects. What this allows for is the more narrow breasted woman to get more volume or the appearance of more volume.

Other than that, there is no difference in the implants at all. They are made the same way, have the same warranty, and the cost is the same. It just allows us to best suit the needs of our patients who all come in different shapes and sizes.

Lee E Corbett, MD

Medical Director Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic Surgery and MedSpa

ª Mentor, Allergan and Sientra are the three manufacturers of implants and they each have their own profile nomenclature.

“A Labia-what…Are you kidding me ?”

Chaturanga? Yoga Knicker - Black

I have certainly heard that question along with a look of disbelief when I discuss Labiaplasty Surgery. So, “Yes”, there is such a thing as Labiaplasty surgery and it is more common that you may think.

“Why?”, you ask? Well, there are several reasons women request labiaplasty. Primarily the patients are unhappy with the size of their inner labia, the labia minora. Common problems are dissatisfaction with their size, pigmentation, or lack of symmetry between the two sides. Many women with large labia also complain of problems and embarrassment when they wear the Lululemon type yoga pants / leggings or are in their bikini or bathing suit. Others experience discomfort when they exercise, particularly those who enjoy biking or spin class. Discomfort during intimacy is also an issue for some patients. Finally, many women simply have large, redundant and uneven labia that result from aging, childbirth, hormones or may just be the way they were born. While their anatomy is entirely normal, they simply do not care for the appearance of their vulva and choose to have some of the extra skin removed to give a more pleasing appearance.

If you have specific questions about the procedure please call our office at 502-721-0330.

Lee Corbett, MD

Medical Director Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic Surgery and MedSpa

What is Vaginal Rejuvenation?

Vaginal Rejuvenation encompasses a group of procedures intended to approve the appearance of the vaginal area and eliminate some common problems women complain of.

Often times patients complain that their labia are too large. This presents problems for them during some sports/exercise, intercourse, or more often is an issue when they are wearing yoga pants / leggings / bikinis. And some patients simply do not like the appearance of their labia because they feel they are too large or uneven.

The procedures that correct these issues typically take less than an hour, are done on an outpatient basis, and allow for a return to normal activity within a few days.

If you would like to learn more visit our website at www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

Lee Corbett, MD

Medical Director Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic Surgery and MedSpa

16

Laser Tattoo Removal

Questions about removing a tattoo are one of the most common non surgically related phone calls in our office. And based on those calls, it is clear that there is a lot of misinformation about the process out there.

I have been using lasers to remove tattoos since 1999 and have ‘lasered’ 1000’s of tattoos. Based on that experience, I’ve realized some some basic truths: (1) Removing a tattoo is not easy (2) on the front end it is impossible to tell you how many treatments it will take (3) not all tattoos are treatable (4) not all lasers are equally capable, and (5) not all practitioners are equally trained. So be careful.

The way a laser works is by hitting the tattoo ink and breaking it into tiny particles so that your body can remove it. This occurs layer by layer, top to bottom, and so it takes time. Every time the tattoo is treated the ink closest to the skin is  broken apart. But as most tattoos have several millimeters thickness of ink, it requires several treatments to work through the full thickness of the tattoo. So it’s not a “one and done” treatment. 6 to 12 treatments is normal.

Lasers are all different. Some will treat blue/black, some red/yellow/orange, some green. Very few lasers can treat  the whole spectrum of colors, so make sure the laser you are considering has the capability to actually treat the colors within your tattoo. Additionally, not all lasers have the power to penetrate the skin so as to hit the deeper layers of ink, that is another question to consider.

Who is actually treating you? The person operating the laser may very well have no medical background at all. Zero. None. Yet they are using an instrument that can burn and/or scar your skin and it’s painful. Fact: Laser treatments hurt. There’s no sugar coating that. It’s painful. So, numbing the area is essential and a topical cream won’t cut it. Local anesthesia, in my opinion, is essential. Only an MD can appropriately numb the area. Lasering the tattoo without numbing is virtually intolerable. Questioning the pre-treatment numbing is highly recommended.

When you are considering laser tattoo removal, look very closely at who is operating the laser and where it is being done. Options range from Board Certified Plastic Surgeons and Dermatologists offices to someone in a store front who bought a laser off of E Bay. On-line coupons or treatment packages, while attractive, might not be the best way to go. Do your research.

In summary, removing a tattoo is possible. But it will require several treatments, it will be fairly expensive, and the cheapest, easiest, fastest claim is probably all hype. Look very carefully and choose wisely.

Lee Corbett, MD

Medical  Director Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic Surgery and Med Spa.

 

 

If I get Pregnant and Breastfeed, what happens to my Breast Implants?

pregnant womanGreat question with an easy answer…absolutely nothing.

When we place breast implants, the normal method is to place the implant behind the muscle. So what is done is that the breast and muscle are simply lifted forward and the implant slots in behind. So, in the event of a pregnancy or breast feeding the breast acts exactly as it would with or without an implant in place. And after the pregnancy and/or breast feeding, the breast tissue will change as it would with or without an implant.

The implants themselves are inert, man made devices, they do not change in response to the changes in the overlying breast when pregnancy occurs. So, they are unaffected.

What can change is the perkiness of the breasts. If the breasts get extremely large and the skin stretches it can lead to a drooping problem. But again, this is a breast problem, not an implant problem. Also, there is absolutely no evidence that having a breast implant in place, saline or silicone filled, affects the breast milk either.

Hope this helps to answer a fairly common question particularly among our younger implant patients.

Lee E Corbett, MD

Medical Director, Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic Surgery and MedSpa

 

Swelling after Surgery

By far the most common questions I field in my Aesthetic Surgery practice following a surgery concern swelling. This is true for facial surgery, breast surgery and body contouring. “Is this normal ?” and “When will it go away ?” are usually the main ones. Well, it is completely normal for your tissues to swell after surgery and it will go away at different speeds depending what was done and the body part. Here’s why…

When you have surgery, your tissues are ‘injured’, albeit in a very controlled, sterile environment. But all the same, the tissue does undergo an injury. Our body responds to that with an “inflammatory response”. Now the term ‘inflammation’ has gotten a bad rap of late but in reality the inflammatory response is the normal pathway by which the body heals. Part of this response is that the blood vessels in the area of the surgery will get more ‘leaky’. Blood vessels are not solid tubes, they are porous to let the cells that promote healing access the area. With this movement of cells come shifts of fluid from inside the blood vessels to to injured tissue, thus the swelling. As the healing process progresses the swelling will subside.

In general, swelling in the face resolves more quickly while the breasts and body take longer. The thighs and legs will stay swollen the longest because of gravity. So, in the face it is not unusual or unexpected to have swelling for several weeks. The breasts and torso will show swelling for 3 to 6 months typically.

There are methods to minimize the swelling that your surgeon will include as part of your aftercare so check with him/her as you prepare for your procedure. But in the end, Yes it is normal to swell and it always goes away.

Lee E. Corbett, MD

Medical Director, Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic  Surgery and MedSpa