Posted on April 16, 2019
By: Dr. Asaf Yalif
At Y Plastic Surgery we see a lot of patients with a lot of questions! It is always a great pleasure to sit with our patients in consultation and answer all of their questions! Oftentimes patients voice some interesting questions and concerns and we would like to present them to you as well. In this way you should know that you can always ask us anything that is of concern to you. As we say, there are no dumb questions! So for today’s post we present some of Y Plastic Surgery patients’ questions we have fielded in Atlanta and Alpharetta GA.
The technical answer is yes, you can. There are a few cautions though. Obviously first among them is to protect your incision from the rays/sun. If you don’t the incisions can turn dark and more visible and this may become permanent if repeated exposure happens. The second part has more to do with general recommendations from most physicians to limit time in the sun and not really tan per se, but that is a much lengthier discussion about skin cancer risk, etc.
Yes! Yes we can. It usually involves a minor procedure, which can be done in the office, where we make a small incision inside your mouth and then use a stitch that dissolves to “create” the dimple. The dimple is permanent about 90% of the time. Initially the dimple is present all the time but once the swelling and mild bruising resolves (usually within a couple of weeks) then the dimple will only be present on smiling.
There are many resources out there for patients to learn about Coolsculpting and liposuction, among other topics. We recently started a conversation too, see that post here, and it has led to more questions so we are happy to continue that discussion here.
There are reasons for lipo to be of concern– first – there are all manner of “cosmetic” providers out there that have minimal training, often no more than a weekend course in how to perform liposuction! This can lead to an untrained provider performing a procedure that is well beyond their area of expertise, possibly in an environment that is not designed for procedures to be performed. This can easily lead to a negative outcome and experience. Coolsculpting requires no anesthesia or sterile environment so this isn’t a concern for this non-invasive modality.
Second – In doing research on the procedures please make sure to discuss with your chosen provider their experience with the procedure as well as their experience with the complications and how they may deal with them. Honesty is our policy and we always have a frank discussion with the patient about their anticipated outcome from both invasive and non-invasive procedures so they can make the best choice for their needs. This is true for both Coolsculpting and lipo.
We always recommend seeing a plastic surgeon who is board certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery when you are shopping for plastic and cosmetic surgery. While others may tout their cosmetic “board certification,” if they are not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery then they have not completed the accepted standard for training in America.
That being said, liposuction can remove more fat than Coolsculpting in one session and can often times be a more cost effective procedure if multiple areas are being treated. Coolsculpting is not a good option for every body type, or if the number of places to be treated is significant. Both are excellent options when performed properly and by people who are trained appropriately. Don’t be scared! – Once you have found a reasonable provider and weighed the pros and cons, your experience should be good whether you have chosen Coolsculpting or liposuction.
This is a bit more complicated. Most of us believe that fillers and Botox stay where we put them, i.e. in the face, when we inject them. But, since it has not been studied and we are not 100% sure it doesn’t go anywhere else in the body, we cannot recommend it during pregnancy. Why would you risk any possible inadvertent injury to the pregnancy just to keep a few wrinkles at bay? I get it, wrinkles are the enemy, but the last thing we want to do is put you or the pregnancy at any risk. We promise we can go right back to the Botox and fillers as soon as you are done breastfeeding (we don’t think it gets in the milk either, but better safe than sorry, right?).
We love our patients! And we love your questions! Please keep sending them in and please feel free to come in for a consultation. You can request a personal consultation using our online form. You can also call one of our offices at (404) 476-8774 (Alpharetta & Atlanta) to schedule an appointment. And of course we respond to email as well.
Renew your look with expert, personalized treatment from Dr. Y. Begin the planning process with a one-on-one plastic surgery consultation in Alpharetta or Atlanta, Georgia. We are excited to welcome you to Y Plastic Surgery!
