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    Before and After Pictures…use them wisely.

    Author Archives: drlcorbett

    Before and After Pictures…use them wisely.

    Posted on July 4, 2009 by drlcorbett

    I have dozens of them on my website. Most every plastic surgeon does. There are Breast Augmentation sites all over the internet that have huge galleries of before/ after augmentations.

    They serve a valuable purpose. I think they allow the prospective patient a glimpse at what their prospective surgeon produces, they show what implants look like, and the allow you to see how the different types of implants look.

    BUT…be careful trying to use them to answer your most important question…”How am I going to look?

    The first problem that I encounter when women bring in after pictures is that they don’t take into account the starting point they see in the photo vs. theirs. For instance, if you are 38 and have had 3 kids and breastfed, your tissues are not going to be the same as a 24 year old who has never been pregnant. You may be the same height, same weight, same starting bra size, but your breast is just different. So, your result will probably be different.

    The other main issue is size. I can put the very same type and size implant in two women who on paper are identical, only to have them look totally different from a size perspective. Why? Because the width of your chest, the base width of your breast, the amount of skin laxity you have all factor in. Plus, your band size has to be taken into account. A C cup on a 34 bra is smaller than a C cup on a 36 or 38 band bra. Why? Because a woman with a 38 band has a bigger torso than a 34 band woman, so it takes more breast to make a C cup on her than it does on the 34 band woman.

    My advice is to use the galleries as a guideline for size and appearance. If you print out a picture and tell your Plastic Surgeon you want to look exactly like this photo, he or she will probably hesitate. Look at lots of photos and develop a size range and then see how your surgeon thinks this will work for you.

    Lee Corbett, MD

    www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

    502.721.0330

    All posts on this blog are presented by Louisville Breast Augmentation surgeon, Dr. Lee Corbett.

    Help, I’ve got Cellulite!

    Posted on July 3, 2009 by drlcorbett

    Well, you’re not alone, that’s the good news. The bad news is that if you’ve got it, you’re stuck with some degree of it.

    Cellulite, most typically found on the thighs, results from ligamentous attachments that span from the skin undersurface down to underlying muscle or bone. Basically, the attachments are tether points and are immobile. As the skin around these points looses a little of its’ elasticity and we add weight, the skin stretches out except at the fixed point. The result…a dimple. Cute on your baby’s face, not on your thighs!

    The problem with getting rid of cellulite is that it represents normal anatomy coupled with a little skin laxity we all experience with age, pregnancy, and weight gain. So, you really can’t get rid of it.

    You can watch your weitht and avoid significant swings in your weight. But lifting weights or running to tone your leg muscles will not help cellulite.

    There are a lot of lasers and medispa treatments, like endermologie, which claim to help. I can’t say that these don’t work because I have not used most of whats out there, but be very cautious before spending a lot of money. Likewise, Liposuction is not an answer. It may help or it may not. It may even make it worse if the skin is really lax.

    If there was a sure-fire treatment, trust me, every Plastic Surgeon in the world would be all over it!

    Lee Corbett, MD

    https://www.corbettcosmeticsurgery.com/

    502.721.0330

    All posts on this blog are presented by Louisville Liposuction surgeon, Dr. Lee Corbett.

    Size change operations for Men.

    Posted on July 3, 2009 by drlcorbett

    Two or three times a month my office will get a call from a male patient inquiring about increasing his size. There are options out there for this situation but none of them are very good.

    First, I don’t do any of these operations / procedures. If they are done, it is typically done by a Urologist.

    The only surgical operation I am aware of is to cut the suspensory ligaments that anchor the base of the  penis to the pubic bone. This will typically add length but may affect the ability of the penis to rise with erection. The length gains are limited, an inch or so.

    To increase diameter, or thickness, several things have been tried. Fat injections have been used, more recently Hyaluronic Acid fillers (Juvederm & Restylane) have been used, and even Alloderm (cadaver dermal grafts) have been used. Fat can cause scarring and leave the shaft with lumpy or even bent. The HA fillers will go away in a year and re-injection will be necessary. The Alloderm grafts require the penis to be degloved (skinned), the grafts placed and the skin repoistioned.

    The bottom line is that these procedures are all associated with some significant potential side effects and you should think very, very carefully before you have any of these procedures.

    Lee Corbett, MD

    www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

    502.721.0330

    All posts on this blog are presented by Louisville Cosmetic Surgeon, Dr. Lee Corbett.

    What is a “Liquid Face Lift”?

    Posted on July 2, 2009 by drlcorbett

    The study and analysis of facial aging is ongoing in the world of Plastic Surgery. One of the realizations that we have made is that as the face ages, it loses volume. This is where the “liquid face lift” comes into the picture.

    In the last few years there has been an increasing number of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers hitting the market, the most commonly known ones being Juvederm and Restylane. These fillers are long lasting (over 1 year) and effectively re-establish facial volume.

    The new fillers can be used to camoflauge the signs of facial aging. Typical placement spots include: the groove between the lower lid and upper cheek,  just under the cheek bone, the groove between the cheek and the upper lip, around the mouth, and along the jaw line. When all of this is done in combination, it can offer significant facial rejuvenation, thus a liquid face lift.

    In Louisville, KY facelift surgery is a popular option for many. For a lot of others though, the thought of surgery is just not appealing. But remember, a facelift is a facelift and will always produce more dramatic results than fillers. So you need to be very clear with your doctor about your goals. But for those not interested in surgery, using fillers is now a very nice option we didn’t really have just 5 years ago.

    Lee  Corbett, MD

    www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

    502.721.0330

    This one is for the Men.

    Posted on July 2, 2009 by drlcorbett

    This blog is created with Men in mind. Ladies, you already know this stuff.

    Not infrequently, I field the question, “My wife/girlfriend wants a ‘boob job’, what’s that cost?” In Louisville, boob job is typically synonomous with Breast Augmentation or the combination of a Breast Augmentation with a Breast Lift.

    An augmentation is where only an implant is placed behind the breast to increase its’ volume. Often, her complaint is that with aging and after kids the upper half of the breast has lost volume. An implant will restore the volume and give her the full appearance and improved cleavage she has lost.

    Now, if most of her breast and or the nipple  rests below the fold under her breast, she will need a lift with or without an implant. If she is happy with her size, a lift alone is good. If she wants everything back up where it used to be and size, she will need the lift implant combo. This is a more complex operation with a higher cost and more scarring implications.

    Costs vary pretty widely depending on what type of implant is used and how much of a lift is needed. Things can range from $4,000 up to 7 or $8,ooo depending on her starting point.

    Guys, I hope this helps. It’s not all inclusive of what’s involved,  but it will catch you up with what your wife/girlfriend probably already knows.

    Lee Corbett, MD

    www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

    502.721.0330

    All posts on this blog are presented by Louisville, Kentucky breast implant specialist, Dr. Lee Corbett.

    Why do I have to wear this after surgery?

    Posted on July 2, 2009 by drlcorbett

    One of the things that make recovery after Cosmetic Surgery procedures different is that we frequently will put you in a compression garment. This is true for facial cosmetic surgery, breast surgery, and body contouring surgery.

    We do this for a couple of reasons.

    First, we are trying to minimize swelling. Swelling is universal after soft tissue surgery. In fact, it is a normal part of the healing process. By providing compression, be it with a chin strap, bra, girdle or wrap, we are trying to keep the swelling to a minimum. We don’t want the compression so tight that it cuts of circulation or is uncomforatble, just enough so that the garment or wrap is snug.

    The second issue, particularly after Liposuction, is to aid in skin redraping and retraction. Skin has the capacity to ‘snap back’  and some compression can aid in this. Since I have yet to meet a patient who appreciates loose skin, the garments are truly a mandatory part of your recovery.

    How long you will have to wear whatever we put you in depends on you. Your skin tone and elasticity and your age are the biggest factors. A woman who is 40, has had 3 babies and doesn’t have a stretch mark is less likely to have to wear the garment as long as a 40 year old with 3 kids and stretch marks all over her skin. Likewise, the 40 year old without stretchmarks is going to need to wear it longer than her 30 year old clone simply because of the age difference. Skin wise, 20 beats 30, 30 beats 40 and so on.

    Lee Corbett, MD

    www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

    502.721.0330

    All posts on this blog are presented by Louisville Liposuction surgeon, Dr. Lee Corbett

    Intimacy after surgery.

    Posted on July 2, 2009 by drlcorbett

    This is a touchy, but oft asked question I field as a Louisville Plastic Surgeon when patients are considering or are recovering  from surgery.

    There are a few rules that apply.

    First, after any surgical procedure there is the risk of unwanted bleeding. This is highest in the first 24 hours when 99% of bleeds occur, but the ptoential for bleeding lasts for as long as 2 weeks. So, my recommedation is to avoid any physical activity that increases your pulse and blood pressure during that time interval.

    Second, and the most obvious, is comfort. A guideline I offer for all of my patients after any type of surgery is “If it hurts, quit doing it.” Add this one in there as well.

    A third factor is based on what part of you we did surgery on. Obviously you will have more freedom if you had your upper eyelids done than if we did a tummy tuck, breast aug, or liposuction of your inner thigh area. Point here is we don’t want the operated area to be traumatized early on and potentially damage your incision or work done under the skin surface.

    Those are the factors I consider and so my recommendation is that you give it at least two weeks to avoid bleeding. After that point, you can try things out and let your comfort be your guide. And remember, if it hurts, your body is sending you a message…so quit!

    Lee Corbett, MD

    www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

    502.721.0330

    Help, I’ve got no Butt!

    Posted on July 2, 2009 by drlcorbett

    Though most of us find we have a bit too much of a backside for our liking, I do have patients seeking  larger, rounder backsides. Think J-Lo!

    For those interested, there are two main options out there.

    The first is buttock implants. Buttock implants are made of a soft, solid silicone. The implants are placed through an incision at the top of your gluteal cleft. They sit above the level of your coccyx (tail bone) and provide fullness to the upper buttock.

    Your other option is to use fat grafting. Large volume fat grafting evolved from our South American colleauges. In Brazil, where a lot of plastic surgery literature is produced, the aesthetic goal is a larger backside and smaller breasts, the opposite of the American ideal image. This technique involves harvesting fat, usually from the thighs or tummy area, and then injecting it back into the buttocks.

    If you are considering either of these techniques, make sure you have a very thorough discussion with your plastic surgeon because recovery  can be prolonged and long term outcomes can vary.

    Lee Corbett, MD

    www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

    502.721.0330

    All posts on this blog are presented by Louisville Body Contouring surgeon, Dr. Lee Corbett.

    Will I get stretch marks if I get implants?

    Posted on July 1, 2009 by drlcorbett

    My answer to this question is “No”, but it is possible.

    Having done Louisville breast augmentations for many years, and having placed thousands of implants, I have seen only one woman who returned with stretch marks after an augmentation.

    Stretch marks represent a tear of the deep surface of the skin and the tear heals by making scar. So a stretch mark is a scar. The amount of stretch we put on the breast skin is typically not great enough to create stretch marks. Also, the skin of the breast is typically very mobile, much more so that the skin of the hips or tummy where stretch marks typically occur. This laxity and mobility serve to protect against the problem.

    If you look in the product literature from the implant manufacturers, stretch marks are not even mentioned in the list of potential complications.

    An offshoot of this question is “Will implants make stretch marks worse?”. My experience is that they don’t go away but they tend to be less noticable after an augmentation.

    Lee Corbett, MD

    www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

    502.721.0330

    My ears stick out…what can I do?

    Posted on July 1, 2009 by drlcorbett

    The operation that fixes this problem is called an Otoplasty.

    This is a very slick operation. In Louisville, Otoplasty requires anesthesia and an hour or so in the operating room. After surgery, the recovery isn’t bad, but you will need to wear a head strap for several days.

    The operation isn’t very common for adults, because more othen than not the ear was corrected when the patients were children.

    In the O.R. we make an incision in the crease behind the ear. We lift the skin off the back of the cartilage and then place sutures in the cartilage to pin it back more. The incision is closed and that’s it.

    If you do have protruding ears or even one ear, you do have an option.

    Lee Corbett, MD

    www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

    502.721.0330

    All posts on the blog are presented by Dr. Lee Corbett, a Louisville, KY Plastic Surgeon.

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