scare

Does Plastic Surgery Leave Scars?

Bloomfield Hills, MI – Does the thought of plastic surgery scars keep you from saying “Yes!” to life-improving surgery? It shouldn’t. While other surgical procedures may leave scars, cosmetic surgery scarring is almost unheard of – sort of.

Think about it. Celebrities engage in plastic surgery all the time. These stars and starlets even go so far as to keep their procedures a secret, even when they look nothing like their former selves.

If cosmetic surgery left glaring scars, these A-list celebs wouldn’t be so successful at keeping their procedures under wraps.

So how come regular surgery procedures, such as those used to repair the heart, lungs or other organs, leave scars, but plastic surgeons are able to avoid them (almost) completely?
Here are the answers you seek. Hopefully after reading them, you’ll finally schedule those procedures that could immeasurably improve your life.

All Surgeries Leave Scars

First, let’s face facts: Cosmetic surgery does involve cutting into the skin, so it does leave scars. Anytime you are performing surgery on the skin, a scar is going to result.

Don’t let that fact cause you to avoid bettering your life through a life changing operation, however.

While scars are unavoidable, they may not be as bad as you imagine.

Cosmetic surgeons are using very precise instruments, so they are able to place incisions strategically so that any scars left behind aren’t very noticeable.

Your doctor can also use techniques like layered closures, which involve deeply-embedded, dissolving stitches that are placed in regions of the body with greater tension and thicker skin. The increased pressure prevents the scar from widening during the body’s natural healing process.

Your surgeon can also use techniques like following natural skin creases to hide scars. Natural skin creases are parallel to wrinkle lines and act as camouflage to make the scar nearly invisible.

Common Surgeries and the Resulting Scars

Now let’s look at some examples using one or more procedures you may be considering.

If you are thinking about a breast augmentation, you’ll be happy to know that scars are a non-issue. During this type of procedure, your surgeon will place the implant through a tiny incision around the areola border or in the fold below the breast.

Considering a facelift? Here’s another procedure with minimal scars. These small lines can also be hidden behind the ear, along the junction between the cheek and ear, or around the posterior hairline.

For a chin implant, the incision is made inside the mouth or within the natural crease of the chin fold, leaving no visible scarring behind.

Unavoidable Visible Scars

There are some procedures, such as those involving the back, where unsightly scars are inevitable. But a skilled plastic surgeon can help to minimize these scars so that they aren’t so obvious.

What do the Scars Look Like?

Immediately after surgery and possibly for a few months afterward, the scars left behind from surgery will appear red and raised. Given enough time, they will eventually fade to minuscule white lines.

Keloid Scars

If you have darker skin, you may be prone to keloid scars, which are thicker and appear raised outside of the circumference of a standard scar. This doesn’t mean that you are destined to live with them, however. Your surgeon will just have to be more aggressive at treating them.

Post-Surgery Scar Care

Even if a scar is unavoidable, plastic surgeons are trained body artists. Using their skill and years of training, they are often able to diminish visible scars using a variety of techniques.

Your surgeon may avoid your skin from scarring by removing stitches at certain times post-procedure. For example, removing facelift sutures 6 days after the procedure lowers the risk of developing permanent marks, also referred as “track marks”, along the line of incision.
Scars can also be treated post-surgery using a Vitamin E solution, silicone spray or steroid injections.

How You Can Help to Minimize Scarring

To help your scars heal properly, your surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to care for the body part that has been operated on. If you don’t want scars to last, you should follow those instructions exactly as described.

You may have to change out silicone pads, which are designed to shrink plastic surgery scars. Your surgeon may even suggest that you take Vitamin C and Zinc orally, which can help to reduce the appearance of scars.

You should also use a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 for a year post-surgery as the scars mature. That’s because scars may become darker or lighter than the adjacent skin (hypopigmentation) if they are immature and exposed to significant UV rays. This is true even on otherwise cloudy days.

With a skilled surgeon and the right treatment after surgery, even scars left behind post-surgery can be faded to appear next to nothing. What you’re left with is the ideal nose, tummy or pair of breasts without a single scar to show for it.

With your fears abated, it’s now time to schedule those procedures you’ve been putting off for so long. Call Dr. Ali for a consultation.

© 2016 Millionairium and Dr. Ali. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Dr. Ali are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.

liposuction

Can One Liposuction Session Treat All Areas At Once?

Bloomfield Hills, MI – For many of us, we may notice excess fat in a few areas of the body as we age. No matter how hard we exercise or how much we diet, some areas of our body just seem to retain stubborn pockets of fat. Liposuction is an excellent solution to help get rid of that fat that just seems to linger no matter what we do.

But if you have multiple areas that you’d like targeted, can you target them all in just one liposuction session? The answer is yes, and no.

“Liposuction is a very individualized procedure,” says Dr. Ali, a Bloomfield Hills plastic surgeon. “The number of procedures each patient will need to meet his or her desired goals is determined on a patient by patient basis. However, it is possible in many cases to target multiple areas at once.”

The deciding factor of whether multiple areas can safely be targeted during one liposuction procedure comes down to the patient. While there isn’t a maximum number of areas that can be target during one session, there is a maximum on the quantity of fat that can be removed in one session. The general rule of thumb is that surgeons should stay at or below five liters of fat removed.

Patients with smaller builds may be able to safely have multiple areas targeted in one session, while those who are larger in stature may require more than one session to safely and effectively remove the desired quantities of fat.

“One of the greatest benefits of liposuction is that we can use it pretty much anywhere on the body,” says Dr. Ali. “The technique has been perfected so that it causes much less trauma than ever before, however, it is important to remember that there will be swelling and slight soreness at the location of any liposuction. Recovery following liposuction of multiple areas could be longer and more uncomfortable.”

When combining liposuction procedures, it is ideal to keep them to what is termed “aesthetic units.” For instance, one session can easily target the stomach, thighs and hips, and even the bra area.

During your consultation, Dr. Ali will discuss with you your goals following the procedure. Then, he can create a customized treatment plan that will ensure the best results for you.

It is important to note that liposuction should not be used as a weight loss method. Patients should be at or near their ideal weight, but with stubborn pockets of fat that just don’t respond to traditional diet or exercise. If you are interested in reducing fat across your entire body, it would be wise to first begin a weight loss program. Once you reach your desired weight, if you find you have areas that still retain localized pockets of fat, schedule a consultation to learn about the benefits of liposuction.

© 2016 Millionairium and Dr. Ali. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Dr. Ali are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.

healthy-female

How Exactly Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

Bloomfield Hills, MI – Laser hair removal is a popular procedure, but how exactly does it work?

With summer in full swing, more people are turning to the non-invasive cosmetic procedure to be pool or vacation ready. Let’s take a closer look at how the procedure works to remove the hair, without painful waxing or annoying shaving every day.

Laser hair removal uses light wavelengths and pulses to target the melanin, destroying the hair follicle to stop hair from growing in the targeted area. The combination of pulse and light is adjusted for your hair type and skin tone to properly target the hair follicle, without damaging the skin and tissue that surrounds it.

There are two types of melanin. Those with blonde or red hair have pheomelanin, while those with brown or black hair have eumelanin. Your hair color and skin color and type will determine which laser will be used to remove your hair.

“It is important to note that laser hair removal is a medical procedure and to avoid potential risks, you should seek out only a well-trained and qualified doctor or technician,” says Dr. Ali, a plastic surgeon in Michigan whose clinic offers the procedure. “Using the wrong combination of laser and pulse can permanently damage your skin.

Before undergoing laser hair removal, it is important to limit plucking, waxing or electrolysis for six weeks prior to treatment. The laser will need to target the hair at its root, and plucking and waxing will remove this.

You should also take care to avoid sun exposure both before and after treatment. Sun can make complications after the procedure more likely.

Before the procedure, the hair that will be targeted will be trimmed very short. Then, the specially trained technician will adjust the laser to account for your specific color, thickness and location of your hair, as well as your skin tone.

“Each pulse of the laser takes less than a fraction of second,” says Dr. Ali. “A special cooling gel will be applied to protect the outer layers of your skin and help the laser penetrate the skin to target the hair follicle.”

It will take multiple treatment to fully remove the hair. The underarms, for example, can take about six sessions to ensure the hair follicles were all properly targeted. The procedure only takes a few minutes.

Pain will be minimal, but your technician can apply a numbing cream prior to treatment to relieve any burning, itching or pain that may occur.

For a few days following the procedure, you may feel as if you have a sunburn. You can use cool compresses and moisturizers to help with any irritation. Over the course of the following month, your hair will begin to fall out.

Be careful to avoid sun exposure for about six weeks following the procedure, and wear sunscreen to prevent changes in the color of the treated skin. People with darker skin may be more prone to blisters. Some patients may also experience swelling or redness, but this should subside in a few days.

If you are tired of having to shave every day, or no longer want to go through the hassle of waxing, laser hair removal is your answer. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Ali and his team today.

© 2016 Millionairium and Dr. Ali. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Dr. Ali are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.