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The Reality of Plastic Surgery Recovery

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Plastic surgery is a surgical procedure where a plastic surgeon repairs or reconstructs parts of your face or body. Various types of plastic surgery in San Francisco involve the plastic surgeon transferring tissue from one area of your body to the next.

Cosmetic surgery is meant to improve your appearance. On the other hand, reconstructive plastic surgery involves surgical restoration or repair of a lost, injured or defective body part.

Regardless of the type of reconstructive and plastic surgery you have done, you could be facing an extensive plastic surgery recovery process. It’s important you have a good support system and plan in place, and remember this is a healing process, so it will take some time and patience.

To help provide you with a better understanding of the post-surgery recovery process, below are 10 tips for a healthy recovery.

Tips for Post-Surgery Recovery

If you follow these tips and rely on a friend or loved one for your post op surgery care, you could lighten your recover period and resume your regular activities faster.  There are a wide variety of plastic surgery procedures that could be performed by board certified plastic surgeons including breast surgery, facelift surgery, eyelid surgery, or even a nose job.  All of these will obviously have slightly different processes and a different recovery time.

1. Have a Support System in Place

You’ll not only require help after your plastic surgery procedures, but you’ll also require someone to bring you to and from your cosmetic surgery since you won’t be able to drive. Plus, depending on your plastic surgery procedure, you’ll likely be out of commission post op for days or weeks following your procedure.

Let a family member and your friends know about your upcoming plastic surgery procedure and ensure you have a support system ready with people around you to help the first week with the:

  • Cleaning around the house
  • Cooking
  • Performing day-to-day tasks

You might be limited in the types of tasks and activities you can perform during your period of recovery. The first few days after your procedure will be the hardest since you’ll no doubt be experiencing some uncomfortable soreness. So, you’ll want someone around to help take care of you.

2. Learn What to Expect For Your Recovery Period

Some minor surgeries only take a few days to recover from, while other (more intense) can take about two weeks or even months. It’s essential you talk with your plastic surgeon before your surgery to learn what to expect during your recovery. It will probably affect many other areas of your life like your social life or work.  Always be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions following any reconstructive and cosmetic surgery.

3. Follow Your Surgeon’s Post-Operative Instructions

It’s essential you follow the exact recovery instructions your doctor provides you depending on the procedure performed , which could include:

  • Putting ice on the affected area
  • Pain medications used for controlling swelling and pain
  • Avoiding direct sunlight exposure during your recovery period
  • Elevating the affected area to reduce swelling
  • Using tubes or drains effectively, which the surgeon may insert to help drain excess fluid in your initial healing phase
  • Keeping all follow-up appointments with your doctor
  • Wearing compression garments

4. Avoid Sun Exposure

For the first several days of your recovery period, you should avoid direct sunlight. Use sunscreen if you go out, that blocks alpha and beta rays. Try sunscreen with a 30 or 40 SPF; anything higher could block your pores.

5. Hydrate

Whether you just had a minor or more intense surgery, you will still want to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, at least six to eight glasses of water each day to flush toxins out of your body and rejuvenate your skin.

6. Schedule Some Time Off of Work

It’s likely you’ll require at least a week off from work following your surgery. So, you should plan your surgery around your paid vacation days.

7. Eat a Healthy Diet

Consume a high-calorie, nutritious diet that will help nourish your body back to health quicker. Ask family or friends to help prepare your meals in advance so you’ll have them ready post-surgery and can simply warm them up without extensive cooking.

8. Talk With Your Doctor About Medicine Use

It’s important you let the doctor know if you’re taking any medications or supplements on a regular basis. Some medicines, such as aspirin or blood thinners, can be detrimental to your healing process and could increase swelling and bleeding. You should also beware of some natural supplements and remedies that could be of concern.

  • Disclose all medications to your doctor so they can evaluate the safety of them and ensure nothing will worsen bleeding or conflict with wound healing.
  • Your doctor will inform you of which medicines you need to stop before your procedure, when you should stop them and when you can restart them. There may also be medicines you can continue taking throughout your surgery process.

9. Stay Occupied and Relax

When recovering from surgery, it’s essential you relax and limit activity. Avoid strenuous exercise and allow yourself to heal properly.  Recovery times could take longer if you try and rush the process. Keep yourself occupied. Download some books on your Kindle or go to the library and check some out. Watch movies on Hulu or Netflix. Taking it easy will help you recover better and maybe even quicker.

10. Be Patient

It takes time to heal. Minimal discomfort is normal.  Swelling won’t go away right away. Scarring will be pink for a while as they heal, and it may take weeks or months for you to see your final results. Patience is key here.

cosmetic surgery recovery

Set Up an Appointment for a Consultation Today

Contact our San Francisco Plastic Surgery office at 415-915-9000 today to set up your consultation with Dr. David Sieber San Francisco Plastic Surgeon and/or to learn about the top cosmetic procedures he performs. Alternatively, you can go online here to set up your appointment.

References

https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/after-cosmetic-surgery-taking-care-of-your-skin_#1

Plastic Surgery Scars: Top Tips for Reducing

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One of the biggest fears expressed by patients is the appearance of a scar after plastic surgery. Unfortunately, Sieber Plastic Surgery San Francisco hasn’t yet figured out a way to perform scarless surgery!

Whether you’re having a procedure with tiny incisions like liposuction, or a more involved procedure like a tummy tuck, there are a few different things you can do to make sure you end up with the best scars possible.

What causes scarring?

Skin is a seamless organ, so when there is damage to it, scars form as your body attempts to heal from the trauma. After your procedure, cells called fibroblasts come into the area and lay down new collagen (yes, the same collagen we want in our faces to tighten the skin!) to heal the tissue. Right after the procedure, your body relies on the strength of the sutures used to hold the tissue together. As time goes by and more collagen is placed, your incisions gain more strength and the sutures dissolve and disappear.

Once the scars are formed, your body then goes through and organizes the collagen that was placed. This process can take up to a year, so be patient! Here are the main things which determine how you will scar after surgery:

Plastic Surgery ScarsHow well your surgeon closes your incisions

Plastic surgeons are known for their skill for meticulously wound closure incisions. This careful attention to each suture placed will ultimately influence your final result. I make sure to leave you with the best incisions possible before leaving the operating room.

How your body naturally heals

Some people are just blessed with better genetics than others. You probably know by now whether you scar badly or not. Unfortunately, this part of the equation is largely out of your control and is based on the genes you were born with. If you’re someone who forms keloid scars or hypertrophic scars, which form when scar tissue grows excessively, that’s ok because the next section will address other steps which can help improve scarring in everyone.

What you do to care for your incisions after surgery

This is probably the most important sections as it contains information on what YOU can do to improve your scars during plastic surgery recovery.

The MOST important aspect for improving scars is avoiding UV exposure to your incisions for 1 year after your procedure. As the sun contacts your healing skin, the body does not know that the pigment produced is supposed to be there temporarily. What happens is the body builds the pigment procedure within the skin into your scar tissue, leaving you with a dark pigmented scar. That is why it’s extremely important for you to either use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 or keep your incisions covered for the first year. If you’re going to be outside, sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours.

All of my patients are placed on a scar treatment therapy program after surgery. This is a must! The main component of this program is silicone topical treatments. Silicone gel and silicone sheeting has been clinically proven to reduce the amount of scarring resulting from incisions. The most basic scar therapy should include at least 3 months of a silicone-based gel which you will apply to your incisions twice daily. I recommend that patients continue using the gel for one year after surgery for the best possible results.

A more advanced scar therapy program utilizes silicone sheets which are first applied two weeks after surgery and left in place for a 12-day cycle. A total of 5 cycles is needed to complete the entire process. Once the silicone sheets are no longer needed I transition patients onto the silicone gel for a total of a 1-year treatment.

Many patients ask about topical treatments like Mederma, Vitamin E, and other creams and lotions. None of these have been scientifically proven to help with minimizing scarring like silicone-based products have so don’t waste your money!

If you’ve already had surgery and don’t like the scar appearance,  there are still many options to improve the appearance. I utilize intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments to remove pigment and redness from the scars. Laser therapy, like Halo or Profractional, may also be used to improve scar texture and color. As a last resort, larger scars can be excised and reclosed and using the methods above, you should be left with a finer more inconspicuous scar.

Questions and Answers

What is a Keloid scar?

A keloid results from an overproduction of skin-healing protein, collagen. These scars typically exhibit a raised, uneven texture and develop after the healing of an injury or condition, like a surgical incision or acne scars.

Keloids are generally benign and do not require treatment. However, if someone finds them aesthetically displeasing, a medical professional can sometimes reduce their appearance.

Can plastic surgery get rid of keloid scars?

When nonsurgical treatments fail to address a keloid scar, scar revision treatment may be considered. One surgical approach involves the direct removal of the scar tissue through an incision, followed by the placement of stitches to facilitate wound closure. In certain cases, skin grafts may be utilized to aid in the wound closure process.

What are hypertropic scars?

Hypertrophic scars are a thickened and elevated scar, representing an atypical reaction to the wound healing process, leading to the excess formation of connective tissue within the original injury site. This overgrowth results in the scar being raised. In the typical scenario, minor wounds to the superficial skin layer tend to heal smoothly.

What is the difference between hypertropic and keloid scars?

Hypertrophic scars remain localized to the initial injury site and can, over time, decrease in size. Conversely, keloids extend beyond the original injury boundaries and do not naturally shrink. Microscopic examination reveals that hypertrophic scars typically exhibit an organized, wavy collagen pattern, while keloids lack a distinctive collagen arrangement.

What is scar revision surgery?

Scar revision is a surgical procedure performed to modify the visual characteristics of a scar. The scar revision may enhance the scar’s cosmetic appearance, restore functionality to a previously restricted area of the body due to the scar, or alleviate the discomfort associated with an itchy scar.  Scar revision procedures can include skin grafting in some cases.

Book Your Plastic Surgery Consultation Today

To make an appointment or if you have other questions about scar therapy, make an appointment with San Francisco plastic surgeon Dr. Sieber at his office today 415-915-9000.

12 Most Common Cosmetic Surgery Procedures

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According to a report released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 24 million common plastic surgery procedures were performed in the United States in 2022, and the numbers have been on the rise.

The society releases an annual study that details the number of cosmetic procedures performed in the US, as reported by its board certified plastic surgeon members. The latest report has found that while cosmetic procedures are increasing in popularity, several procedures are seeing large increases as more and more people realize their potential benefits.

Let’s take a look at which surgical and minimally invasive procedures are the most sought after at Sieber Plastic Surgery in San Francisco.

Brazilian Butt Lift

The Brazilian butt lift, aptly named after the country where the procedure originated, is also known as buttock augmentation with fat grafting. The Brazilian butt lift started to gain a more widespread practice in the 1980s, but it wasn’t until 2010 when these plastic surgery procedures saw explosive growth. A shift in cultural trends driven by various celebrities is thought to have influenced the continued growth in popularity, with a 19 percent increase between 2017 and 2018.

The Brazilian butt lift is essentially two plastic surgery procedures in one, as fat is taken through liposuction from another part of the body and injected into the buttocks, shaping it to the patient’s desired aesthetic.

Liposuction

The second most common cosmetic surgery procedure is liposuction. It remains a very popular option, and the number of liposuction procedures done will likely continue to rise. More than 325,000 liposuction surgeries were performed in 2022, which was a 23 percent increase from 2019. This fat-removal procedure is very desirable due to its ability to immediately shape and refine the contours of the body with minimal scarring.

Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation was the most popular surgical procedure in the report, with more than 575,000 breast augmentation surgeries done in 2022 compared to 498,000 in 2019. While just a 4 percent increase was reported between 2017 and 2018, breast augmentations have risen by nearly 65 percent since 2000.

Whether it’s to correct breast asymmetry, restore lost volume, or to increase the size of the breasts, breast augmentation surgery can help address a variety of concerns while boosting self-esteem and improving body image.

Botox

Treatments using botulinum toxin type A, including Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin, were by far the most popular minimally invasive procedures, with more than 7.4 million anatomic sites injected in 2018 alone. As these wrinkle-smoothing treatments have become more mainstream, there has been an incredible 845 percent increase in their use since the year 2000. Not only are these neuromodulators used to soften wrinkles, but their roles have expanded to treating conditions like excessive sweating, jaw clenching, migraines, and more.

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser skin resurfacing has grown 248 percent since 2000. This skin rejuvenation procedure is a popular treatment used to reverse sun damage and keep fine lines at bay and helps skin look healthier as it ages. Laser technology continues to develop. Many types of lasers, which treat a variety of skin concerns with little downtime, are now available. Two of the most sought-after laser rejuvenation treatments are the Halo by Sciton, which is highly effective for overall skin rejuvenation, and Broadband Light, an IPL treatment that targets pigment and sun damage.

Platelet-Rich Plasma

Treatments with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) were among the most popular minimally invasive procedures in 2018. PRP treatments saw a sizable 12 percent increase during the reporting year. PRP treatments use a patient’s own blood plasma, which has a high concentration of growth factors. The PRP is injected back into the skin to stimulate collagen and cellular growth*.

Fat Reduction

Non-invasive fat-reduction procedures, such as Coolsculpting and TruSculpt ID, are relatively new procedures that are becoming increasingly popular. The number of these procedures has increased 6 percent since 2017, and the outlook promises to be even more positive in the years to come. Patients are turning to these non-invasive treatments because they can reduce stubborn pockets of fat without the lengthy downtime of a surgery*.

Facial Fat Grafting

The most popular minimally invasive soft-tissue treatment, facial filler procedures using fat, surged by 16 percent in just a year. In these procedures, fat is harvested from a patient’s own body and is then processed and injected into areas of the face to restore volume. Many of those who opt for facial fat grafting may find their results last much longer than traditional fillers, which break down in the body within one year. Because fat cells are transferred from one part of the body to the face, the fat cells will live in their new location. Fat grafting is also commonly used to restore lost volume in the hands.

Thigh Lift

The number of thigh lift procedures has nearly doubled since 2000. These procedures are often performed on individuals who have undergone extreme weight loss. As a result, the skin is unable to contract, leaving excess skin on their inner or outer thighs that is uncomfortable. This procedure is recommended only for those who have reached or are close to their ideal weight*.

Breast Lift

One of the 10 most popular cosmetic surgery procedures, breast lifts remove excess skin and reposition the nipple, essentially moving the breast to a higher position on the chest. Women whose breasts have become more droopy due to aging, genetics, or weight loss or those whose breast shape has changed due to pregnancy can benefit from a breast lift. This procedure saw a 4 percent increase since 2017 but has risen by 108 percent since 2000.

Lower Body Lift

The procedure that has seen the most rapid rise over the past two decades is a lower body lift. Lower body lifts have seen an incredible 4,295 percent increase since 2000. Also called a belt lipectomy, this procedure helps to shape and remove extra skin and fat around the “belt line.” The areas of the body treated during the procedure will vary from patient to patient depending on needs. Generally, this procedure involves removing excess skin to tighten the butt, thighs, hips, and/or abdomen*.

Tummy Tuck

As one of the top five most popular cosmetic surgery procedures, more than 130,000 tummy tucks were performed in 2018. With a 107 percent increase, this procedure has more than doubled in popularity since 2000. The tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is an especially popular procedure among women who are living with permanent changes to the muscle and skin on their abdomen from pregnancy.

A tummy tuck will not only return the look of their body to its pre-baby appearance, but it has several other benefits that can significantly improve a woman’s quality of life*. The surgery has been found to increase core strength, improve urinary incontinence, and relieve back pain that many women experience postpartum.

most common types of cosmetic surgery

Book Your Plastic Surgery Cosmetic Procedures Today

Emerging technologies, improvements in techniques, better plastic surgery scar treatments and greater accessibility to treat the most common aesthetic concerns all shape trends in popular cosmetic procedures. They can be interesting to explore, but a plastic surgery consultation with San Francisco Plastic Surgeon Dr. David Sieber, a board-certified plastic surgeon, can help you better understand the various treatment options available to you so that you can live your best, most confident life.

*Disclaimer: Results may vary from person to person. Editorial content, before and after images, and patient testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of specific results.

References

Planning for Body Contouring Before and After

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Body contouring before and after photos show the amazing transformations this procedure can achieve for weight loss patients and others seeking a dramatic change. You’ve put in the hard work to get where you are today — now, it’s time to reap the rewards.

Of course, a major surgery like this requires a lot of planning and preparation.

Below, we’ve created an outline regarding how to prepare for your body sculpting procedure. Feel free to use this as a guide leading up to your surgery to ensure you get the outstanding results you deserve.

What Is Body Contouring?

Body contouring is a plastic surgery procedure aimed at getting rid of excess skin, tissue, and fat on the body after significant weight loss.

After an individual loses a large amount of body fat, their skin, tissues, and muscles sometimes do not “bounce back” to their new shape. Instead, skin laxity causes loose skin folds (stretched skin) to become uncomfortable and cumbersome.

Rashes, chafing, and sometimes even infection can result. This is not even to mention the overall physical discomfort when trying to shop and fit into clothes and the frequent self-consciousness and embarrassment individuals feel about carrying around folds of excess skin.

A body contouring procedure addresses major areas of concern, which typically means the abdominal area and sometimes, the chest, upper arms, buttocks, and thighs — depending on the patient’s goals. The face and neck area can also be addressed if the patient desires.

Everyone’s anatomy is different, so some patients may struggle with skin laxity in certain areas but not others. At your consultation appointment, you will work with your surgeon to determine which procedures will be best for achieving your desired results.

What Procedures Can Be Included With Body Contouring?

Tummy Tuck Surgery

Tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) removes unwanted folds of excess skin from the abdomen. Depending on the severity of the loose skin and the patient’s desires, multiple abdominoplasty techniques can be employed.

Liposuction

Non Surgical Body Contouring Before And AfterLiposuction removes unwanted fat from stubborn areas. Some patients may benefit from a fat transfer procedure using liposuction as well.

A fat transfer BBL (Brazilian butt lift), for example, is a procedure that reinjects the fat from liposuction into the hips and buttocks. See body contouring hourglass tummy tuck before and after photo galleries online for examples of this.

Body or Arm Lifts

Lower body lifts and upper body lifts aim to reduce loose skin (as well as excess fat and tissue) from various areas on the body. Lower body lifts focus on the thighs and buttocks. And upper body lifts focus on the arms, chest and breasts, and back.

Other Procedures:

In many cases, additional areas of the body may be addressed with surgery as well, including the breasts, face, neck, thighs, and elsewhere. If a patient doesn’t want a full upper body lift, for example, a breast lift alone may be performed. Like essentially any plastic surgery, the procedure can be catered to the individual.

How to Prepare for Body Contouring

Once you decide to undergo body contouring surgery before and after you have a lot of planning to do. Here are some helpful tips as you prepare for this life-changing procedure:

1. Strategize with your surgeon. Attend a consultation with your board certified plastic surgeon, and work together to create a personalized surgical plan that aligns with your goals and expectations.

2. Maintain a healthy lifestyle overall. Maintain a balanced diet and regular exercise routine to optimize your body’s condition before surgery. Living clean and healthy will help immensely during your body contouring surgery recovery.

3. Abstain from smoking and alcohol. Quit smoking and limit alcohol intake several weeks before your surgery to minimize complications and support a smoother healing process. Most surgeons have specific guidelines concerning use of these substances.

4. Prepare your home for the recovery period. Make your living space recovery-friendly. For example, set up essential items so that they are easy to reach, prepare freezer meals, buy snacks and bottled water, and create a comfortable recovery area in a central living space. Also arrange for assistance, especially for the first few days of the healing process.

5. Follow your surgeon’s guidelines carefully. Adhere to your surgeon’s specific instructions, which will be unique to you. They will go over wound care, bathing, medication use, compression garment use, physical exertion limits, and more.

6. Prepare mentally and emotionally. Mentally and emotionally prepare for the significant changes you’ll experience after surgery. It’s important to have realistic expectations and patience as you heal.

Q&A: Body Contouring

How painful is body contouring?

Body Contouring Hourglass Tummy Tuck Before And AfterBody contouring procedures require longer, more extensive surgery. Therefore, discomfort and pain may be more acute and longer-lasting when compared with simpler, one-surgery procedures. Still, all patients will be under general anesthesia during surgery and will receive the proper pain medications and other pain-reducing guidance as they recover.

Do non surgical body contouring before and after photos show as dramatic results as surgical body contouring photos?

Typically, no. If a patient only opts for nonsurgical body contouring, their results will occur more slowly and less drastically than if they had chosen the surgical route. Often, patients will use non surgical body contouring procedures as add-ons to surgical body contouring.

How long does body contouring last?

It takes time for your body contouring scars to heal, it will usually take up to a year or more to see your fully healed results after body contouring surgery. However, after this point, your results should be long-lasting. Most patients maintain their results for 10 to 20 years or more.

Of course, you must maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid gaining or losing large amounts of weight to keep your results. The healthier and fitter you are long-term, the more you will benefit from body sculpting.

Contact Us to Book Your Body Contouring Consultation

Stop letting loose skin hold you back from living the great life you deserve. By sculpting your body with body contouring, you can regain your comfort, ease of movement, and confidence.

Dr. David Sieber is a double board certified plastic surgeon performing body contouring procedures for patients at his San Francisco Bay Area practice. Call today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sieber and his team.

References

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/body-contouring

Most Common Breast Augmentation Risks

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Breast augmentation risks are rare, but it’s important to be aware of them before you decide to undergo breast implant surgery.

In this article, we’ll discuss the risks of breast augmentation during and directly after surgery as well as for the duration of time your implants are in.

Immediate Risks During or Right After Surgery

Potential breast augmentation complications during or directly after surgery include the following:

  • Excessive bleeding
  • Infection
  • Reactions to anesthesia
  • Changes in breast sensation

Excessive Bleeding

Excessive bleeding around the implant (haematoma) can happen right after surgery or sometimes within the first few weeks of recovery. Extreme tightness and swelling are usually the most common signs of a bleed that won’t stop.

In most cases, you will be able to retain your implant and have a successful outcome. However, you must contact your surgeon if you suspect this complication so that you can have the bleeding stopped and drain the excess blood.

Infection

Infection is a risk after any type of surgery, though it is rare. If an infection occurs, it usually occurs in the first one to two weeks after surgery.

Discharge from the incision site, redness that won’t go away, and a persistent fever are a few signs of infection. If you have concerns about an infection, be sure to contact your plastic surgeon as soon as possible.

Reactions to Anesthesia

Rarely, certain patients may have an adverse reaction to the use of anesthesia during surgery. This generally occurs when anesthesia is used for a prolonged period of time and may include an extended recovery due to anesthesia effects, nausea, vomiting, and, rarely, difficulty breathing.

Changes in Breast Sensation

Over- or under-sensation in the nipples and breasts can be a complication of breast augmentation surgery. This is quite normal but can be alarming. Many patients experience oversensitive nipples and/or numbness in their breast tissue.

Most of the time, these sensation changes will disappear over time. But if they do not, contact your surgeon.

Long-Term Risks

Rarely, patients may experience long-term breast augmentation complications associated with their implants. These may include:

  • Capsular contracture
  • Breast implant rupture

Capsular Contracture

Capsular contracture occurs when the body forms a protective capsule of scar tissue around the implant. This in itself, is normal, but in some cases, the scar tissue can contract, causing the implant to become misshapen or hardened. As this occurs, it can lead to breast distortion and discomfort or pain for the patient. Severe cases of capsular contracture may necessitate corrective surgery to remove the scar tissue or replace the implant.

Breast Implant Rupture

Implant rupture can occur due to a variety of factors, such as trauma, natural wear and tear, or manufacturing defects. With saline implants, ruptures are typically more noticeable as the breast deflates, causing a visible change in size and shape.

With silicone implants, ruptures can be less obvious since the cohesive gel inside tends to stay within the implant shell. Monitoring is crucial because a silent rupture can only be detected through imaging, like an MRI. In the event of an implant rupture, surgical removal and replacement are typically necessary to ensure the best outcome.

Breast Implant Illness

Breast Augmentation ComplicationsBreast implant illness (BII) is not an easily diagnosable illness with specific symptoms. Rather, it is an assortment of possible symptoms that are associated with having breast implants. These symptoms include chronic fatigue, anxiety, dry eyes and mouth, trouble sleeping, and muscle and joint pain, among others.

It’s difficult to draw definitive conclusions about breast implant illness, but fortunately, it is rare. Breast implant removal generally results in a reduction or eradication of symptoms.

Breast Implant Associated Lymphoma

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is not the same as breast cancer. Instead, it is a type of immune system cancer, also known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Swelling and severe and persistent pain around the implants and/or a lump in the breast are the most common symptoms.

BIA-ALCL is rare, but it’s important to know about prior to getting breast implants. It appears to occur most commonly in patients who have textured breast implants. Textured breast implants are most common with silicone breast implants that are teardrop shaped. The texture helps to keep the implants from rotating within the breast pocket. Still, round and saline implants may be textured as well.

Dr. Sieber’s Approach: Rapid Recovery Technique

Dr. Sieber aims to mitigate complications and recovery symptoms by using the Rapid Recovery Technique when working with breast implant patients.

The Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation Method is not just one single step to minimize trauma and help patients recover faster. Instead, it is a long list of steps taken by Dr. Sieber, his staff, and the patient, which, combined, minimizes tissue trauma, leading to decreased discomfort and bruising. Rapid Recovery can enable patients to resume their daily activities within just 24 hours.*

This method encompasses a comprehensive process. Before the final implant is positioned, the surgical pocket will be flushed with an antibiotic solution to ward off postoperative infections and lower the likelihood of capsular contracture.

Following this, all incisions will be sealed using absorbable sutures. Other key steps and a comprehensive healing guide for patients help to speed up breast augmentation recovery and avoid complications.

Q&A: Breast Augmentation Risks

Are there fat transfer breast augmentation risks?

As with any surgery, fat transfer breast augmentation carries some risks. These can include the potential for fat absorption, irregularities in fat redistribution, and the need for additional procedures to achieve your desired results.

What are the risks of second breast augmentation surgery?

Risks associated with a second breast augmentation surgery (breast implant revision) include complications related to anesthesia, infection, scarring, and the possibility of developing capsular contracture. Additionally, the pre-existing scar tissue from the initial surgery may complicate the revision process.

Learn More at Your Consultation Appointment

Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation RisksAs a breast augmentation patient, it is critical to prioritize safety and make informed decisions about your breast augmentation surgery. For this reason, always make sure to choose a board certified plastic surgeon who has unique experience with breast augmentation and breast implant safety.

Dr. David Sieber is a double board certified plastic surgeon who has extensive experience with breast augmentation surgery. To schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Sieber, please contact our office today. Dr. Sieber will be able to answer any questions you have about your surgery including how to prepare for a breast augmentation.

*Disclaimer: Results may vary from person to person. Editorial content, before and after images, overview breast augmentation and patient testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of specific results.

References

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/what-know-about-breast-implants

Sieber Plastic Surgery San Francisco Bay Area
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450 Sutter St #600, San Francisco, CA 94108

Proudly serving the San Francisco Bay Area communities, including Mill Valley, Marin County, East Bay, South Bay, and much more.

Dr. Dave Sieber and his staff are so awesome! Dr. Sieber is personable yet professional, his work is impeccable. He listens to his patient and works with them to achieve what they want. He’s like my hair dresser, a magician, you just want to do a happy dance with the results, only these results are lasting. Ok, but seriously, the procedure was very smooth, the staff and the doctors (Dr Sieber and the anesthesiologist) had great communication and made sure I was comfortable with very clear and concise pre op and post op directions. The healing process was very easy and the results are FABULOUS. Side note, Dr. Sieber has really awesome skin, I feel like this is impressive and important because really, would you trust a dentist with bad teeth? I am so elated and satisfied with the results, the size is perfect and they look and feel very natural. They are exactly what I wanted.*

SF Scientist

Dr. Sieber is a doctor who is not only extremely knowledgeable about the latest in cosmetic procedures, but a doctor who truly cares about his patients. I highly recommend him!*

christinemv

Dr. Sieber is a doctor who is not only extremely knowledgeable about the latest in cosmetic procedures, but a doctor who truly cares about his patients. I highly recommend him!*

jamiee

Dr. Sieber is attentive, responsive, and well trained. I had seen him for Botox and filler and he had done both without any pain or bruising and more importantly the results were fabulous. He has met with me on time at each appointment. He communicates what to expect, made sure I was comfortable throughout the procedure, checked on my healing every day post procedure. He couldn’t be more delightful not more talented. I had seen other plastic surgeons for in office treatments over the past decade and Dr. Sieber is at the top of the list in terms of delivering the desired outcome and high quality care.*

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