What is Eyelid Surgery

The eyes are the windows of the soul. But with age, eyelids stretch and the muscles supporting them weaken. In my practice, I often meet patients who come in for face rejuvenation that involves the eyes. 

Drooping lids and bags under the eyes make the face appear tired, angry or sad. Apart from making you look older, sagging skin around your eyes can reduce your side vision (peripheral vision), particularly the upper and outer parts of your field of vision.

Are you considering eyelid surgery?

Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) is a popular procedure for both men and women. I mostly perform it on patients between the ages of 30 and 70 who have excess eyelid skin that causes a “tired” appearance. You are an ideal candidate for blepharoplasty if you are a healthy individual aged 30 years or older and have realistic expectations about eyelid surgery. Younger patients may undergo the procedure if they have a family history of baggy lower eyelids.

Before you can undergo blepharoplasty, you will need a consultation with a plastic surgeon. During the session, the surgeon will evaluate and discuss your expectations, goals and concerns. She will also take your medical history, examine your eyes and eyelids, and take you through the available surgical options, including their risks and complications. 

Why should you undergo blepharoplasty?

Eyelid surgery is conducted on the upper or lower eyelids and involves an eyelid lift with selective fat removal. The surgery is performed under local or general anesthesia in an outpatient setting with no overnight hospital stay. The goal is to remove excess eyelid skin which can produce a “hooding” effect that may interfere with vision, address slight drooping of the eyelids, or treat bags and dark circles under the eyes.

With upper lid blepharoplasty, you can expect an incision just above your eyelashes, over the upper lid, and leaving a fold above the eye for an area to apply makeup. For the lower lids, the incision will be hidden underneath the eyelashes to provide a nice contour. The key to this surgery is being conservative and doing only what is necessary.

Although frequently done for aesthetic reasons, you can have the procedure for functional reasons. For instance, you might consider eyelid surgery if droopy eyelids are keeping your eyes from opening completely or pulling down your lower eyelids. Removing excess tissue in your upper eyelids can improve your vision and, at the same time, make your eyes look younger and more alert.

Blepharoplasty is for you if you have:

  • Baggy or droopy upper eyelids
  • Baggy or droopy brow (brow ptosis)
  • Excess skin in the upper eyelids that interferes with peripheral vision
  • Bags under your eyes
  • Excess skin on the lower eyelids

Eyelid surgery can performed at the same time as another procedure, such as face-lift, brow-lift or skin re-surfacing.

What risks are involved?

Blepharoplasty is generally well tolerated by patients. Successful operations done by an experienced plastic surgeon will enhance the appearance of the eye area, producing a more youthful and rested look. However, it is considered a major surgery, so you should think carefully about your specific expectations and goals.

Complications are rare, but after the operation you can expect some swelling and bruising that lasts about 2 to 6 weeks. An over-resection of the upper eyelid skin can result in dry eye symptoms if the eyes do not close correctly. In some cases, over-resection of the lower eyelid skin occurs, leading to ectropion, an inversion of the lower lid that causes irritation. Also, undergoing both upper and lower eyelid surgery can cause unwanted changes in the lateral corners of the eyes.

Satisfying results

Blepharoplasty rejuvenates the upper and lower eyelids through the removal or repositioning of excess skin and fat. It gets rid of loose or sagging skin folds that create a heavy eyelid, eradicates excess fatty deposits, and eliminates the puffiness around the eyelids that create bags under the eyes. The final result is a more relaxed, refreshed and youthful appearance. When surgery is done for functional reasons, patients are usually able to see better when driving or reading at night.

You may schedule a consultation with me by calling (813) 542-2587. For more information on face rejuvenation, eyelid surgery and other plastic surgery procedures, visit the Politis Plastic Surgery website.

What You Need To Know About Breast Augmentation

Do you find your breasts too small or have one that is smaller than the other? Would you like to reduce the size of your breasts after pregnancy? Do you want to correct uneven breasts after breast surgery for other conditions and to improve your self-confidence?

If so, then breast augmentation is a perfect procedure for you.

Also called augmentation mammoplasty, breast augmentation is a surgical procedure to increase the size, shape or fullness of the breasts. During the procedure, the surgeon makes an incision and places a silicone, saline or alternative composite breast implant under breast tissue or chest muscles. Fat from another part of the body may also be used—a procedure called fat transfer breast augmentation.

What are breast implants made of?

A breast implant is a medical prosthesis placed inside the breast to create, reconstruct or augment the physical form of the breast. There are three main types of breast implants used in breast augmentation.

1.     Saline implants

These are implants filled with sterile saline solution. The salt solution is contained within an elastomer silicone shell. The amount of saline that your surgeon will allow in the elastomer depends on the goals of the surgery, including the firmness, shape or size to be achieved. If the saline implant leaks, the salt solution is absorbed and expelled naturally by your body.

2.     Silicone gel-filled implants

These are implants made of a silicone outer shell and filled inside with a silicone gel. Again, the amount of silicone gel added into the silicone shell depends on the shape, size or firmness of breasts to be achieved. If a silicone-filled implant leaks, the gel either stays in the shell or escapes into the breast implant pocket. Since leaking silicone-filled implants may or may not collapse, you will need more regular checks with your doctor for this implant than if you choose saline-filled implants.

3.     Alternative composite implants

Breast implants may also be filled with soy oil, polypropylene or other material. When choosing an alternative composite material, your plastic surgeon will consider whether you have adverse reactions or allergy to any of these materials. In the end, the material chosen should not cause problems if it leaks into your body.

What can breast augmentation do for you?

  • Increase the fullness and projection of your breasts
  • Improve the balance of your breasts and your hip contours
  • Enlarge breasts that are naturally smaller
  • Restore breast shape and size after weight loss, pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Restore your breast symmetry when your breasts are asymmetrical
  • Reconstruct your breast(s) after mastectomy, injury or various conditions
  • Boost your self-image and self-confidence

When considering breast augmentation, you will first discuss your goals with your plastic surgeon. The goals should be realistic and informed by what the procedure can do. Your surgeon will also help you understand the possible risks, complications and follow-up care. A typical breast implant lasts 7-12 years on average.

Breast augmentation does not correct severely drooping breasts. Actually, drooping breasts require a different procedure called breast lifting. The breast lift can be performed along with breast augmentation to make your breasts both fuller and lifted, but it can also be a separate operation. Your plastic surgeon will guide you in making this decision.

How should you prepare for breast augmentation?

You will start by choosing a surgeon to help you with the procedure. A skilled and experienced plastic surgeon such as Dr. Effie Politis will offer good advice and perform the procedure with a higher chance of success. So if you are considering the operation, speak with your plastic surgeon about it and be specific about your preferences for breast size, feel and appearance. Once you choose to have breast augmentation surgery, your plastic surgeon will help you choose the size and shape of implant you need by putting different sized implants into your bra to see how they fit and feel. 

The surgeon will describe the specific types of implants that may be used—textured or smooth, round or shaped like a teardrop, saline or silicone—together with options for surgical techniques. It is your responsibility to review information provided to patients by the manufacturer of the implant. You will also need to keep copies of this information for your records.

Before you undergo the procedure, consider the following:

  • Breast implants do not last a lifetime; the average life span is 10 years.
  • Breast implants do not prevent breasts from sagging; you may need a breast lift in addition to breast augmentation to deal with sagging.
  • After breast augmentation, mammograms might be more complicated.
  • While most women are able to breastfeed after the procedure, some find it a challenge.
  • A routine MRI is necessary three years after a breast augmentation—though studies are yet to demonstrate the usefulness of the imaging.
  • If you change your mind and opt to have breast implants removed, you will need a breast lift or other corrective surgery to restore the appearance of your breasts.
  • Breast implants and the related surgeries and imaging tests are not covered by insurance.

Your plastic surgeon may recommend that you have a baseline mammogram before the surgery. If you are on certain medications, such as aspirin or other medications that increase bleeding, your doctor may adjust them. If you are a smoker, you will have to stop for a while before the procedure. Likewise, you should arrange for a friend or family member to drive you home after the surgery and even stay with you for a day.

What should you expect during the procedure?

This is a surgical procedure. A general anesthetic will be used so that you are asleep during the operation—though local anesthesia may also be used, which means you would be awake during the procedure.

There are three incision options your surgeon will consider.

  1. Incision in the crease under your breast (infra-mammary incision)
  2. Incision in the armpit (trans-axillary incision)
  3. Incision around the nipple (periareolar incision)

The choice of incision depends on the type of implant, surgeon-patient preference, your anatomy, and how much enlargement is involved.

After making the incision, your plastic surgeon will insert the implant into a pocket. 

There are two ways of placing the implant.

  1. Sub-mammary (sub-glandular) placement behind the breast tissue, over the pectoral muscle.
  2. Sub-muscular placement under the pectoral muscle—recovery may take longer and there may be slightly more pain after the procedure.

To close the incisions, your plastic surgeon will apply layered sutures or stitches in your breast tissue. The stitches, surgical tape or skin adhesives will help to close the incisions and keep the skin closed. While the incision lines will be initially visible, they will fade in time. Swelling caused by the surgery will resolve within two weeks.

How long does recovery take?

Soon after the surgery, the anesthetic will wear off and your surgeon will provide medicine to relieve the pain. The sutures are made of absorbable or dissolvable material and will disappear within 6 weeks. But if your sutures do not dissolve or if drainage tubes are placed near your breasts, you will need a follow-up appointment to remove them.

Your surgeon will also provide information on how to care for your breasts after the procedure, how to take prescribed medication, when to schedule a follow-up visit and when to call your doctor for help. You will be advised to seek immediate medical help should you experience any sign of infection, such as chest pains, shortness of breath, unusual heart beats, fever, warmth or redness in the breast area.

Your doctor will also advise you on what type of brea to wear and post-operative exercises, such as moving and flexing the arms to relieve discomfort and pain. You should not engage in strenuous physical activity for the first 6 weeks after the surgery.

What are the risks and complications of breast augmentation?

Every surgical procedure has risks, including breast augmentation. Among patients who undergo breast reconstruction, 46% of those with silicone gel implants and 21% of those with saline implants typically require at least one additional surgery within 3 years. Likewise, 25% of women with silicone implants and 8% of those with saline implants change their mind and undergo surgery to remove the devices.

It is not uncommon for breast augmentation patients to have some kind of complication.

The common risks and complications include:

  • Need for additional surgeries
  • Breast pain or changes in nipple and breast sensation
  • Infection, bleeding, fluid accumulation or leaking of the implant
  • Systemic symptoms, commonly known as Breast Implant Illness (BII)
  • Rupture (tears or holes in the shell) of saline-filled and silicone gel-filled implants. The rupture can be a deflation (with visible change to breast size of saline filled implants) or a silent rapture (without visible change to breast size of silicone filled implants).
  • Capsular contracture, which is the hardening of the area around the implant and which can distort the shape of the implant by becoming red, thick and painful.
  • Breast-Implant Associated-Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a rare cancer of the immune system. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes women with breast implants have a very low but possible risk of developing ALCL, though further research is still necessary to fully understand how breast implants are related to ALCL.

Breast augmentation is a great option for enhancing the size and shape of your breasts, improving your body image and boosting your self-confidence and self-esteem. At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer the procedure to women who want to increase the fullness and projection of their breasts, enlarge small breasts, restore breast symmetry, reconstruct their breasts after mastectomy or injury, restore breast size and shape after breastfeeding, pregnancy or weight loss, and to boost their self-image and self-confidence.

If you are dissatisfied with the appearance of your breasts and considering breast augmentation, contact Dr. Effie Politis for a consultation. For more information on breast augmentation, visit the Politis Plastic Surgery website.

7 Benefits of Plastic Surgery

Have you ever considered plastic surgery? As a surgical specialty that involves the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body, plastic surgery has a lot to offer. It has evolved to successfully address numerous aesthetic concerns by producing natural and long-lasting results in most cases. It is also effective in repairing cleft lips or cleft palates, treating bones of the face and skull, reattaching severed fingers, toes or limbs, managing complex wounds, and treating congenital problems. And while plastic surgery, like all surgery, comes with a degree of risk, having it done by an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Effie Politis means you can rest assured your procedure will be as safe and successful as possible.

So what are the benefits of plastic surgery?

1. Repair of damaged or missing tissue

Plastic surgery helps to restore the function of tissues and skin. It can repair abnormalities existing from birth, such as cleft lip and palate, birthmarks and webbed fingers. It can reinstate areas of the body damaged by removal of cancerous tissue, such as from the breast or face. It can also restore the body’s function and appearance after excessive burns or other serious injuries, including the treatment of burn injuries soon after an accident or reconstruction after burn wounds have healed.

A good example of how the procedure can benefit you is blepheroplasty (eyelid surgery), which helps to correct droopy eyelids and dry-eye problems while also improving vision. In fact, many patients report near immediate relief from the chronic debilitating effects of droopy eyelids and dry eyes. Blepheroplasty is a great tool to repair defective eye tissue through plastic surgery and often results in patients who are much happier with their physical appearance as well as their newly improved vision.

2. Improved appearance

Is there something about the physical appearance of your body that you want to change? A plastic surgeon can correct many features to align your natural appearance with your desired appearance. The surgeon will work on the symmetry, balance and proportion of your entire body and facial contour. After undergoing the procedure, your appearance will change forever, allowing you to look and feel your best. Remember that plastic surgery will not make you look like a different person, but it can make you feel like a better version of yourself.

3. Enhanced self-confidence

When you feel like you have imperfections in your body, that feeling can weigh on you and keep you from enjoying the assurance and poise that would otherwise contribute to success in your personal and professional efforts. Since plastic surgery removes or corrects these imperfections, it can make you feel better about how you look and increase your confidence. According to various studies, up to 96% of plastic surgery patients have a favorable outcome, both immediately after the procedure and over time, while about 87% find satisfaction in the procedure and report enjoying an enhanced overall body image.

4. Superior physical health

Plastic surgery not only improves looks, it can also boost physical health. For example, rhinoplasty (nose reshaping surgery) enhances the look and shape of the nose, thereby improving breathing as well as aesthetics. A common reason for rhinoplasty is a deviated nasal septum which causes difficulty in breathing and can trigger excessive snoring. If you have a deviated septum, you can have this fixed during a rhinoplasty, which in turn will lead to improved sleep and prevent a lot of problems related to poor sleep.

Likewise, breast reduction surgery, a common plastic surgery procedure, helps to improve body posture and contour as well as relieve physical discomfort such as back, shoulder and neck pain and skin irritation that may result from disproportionately large breasts. It also boosts a woman’s ability to tolerate exercise, enabling her to take advantage of exercises she could not easily participate in previously. Similarly, after liposuction, ease of movement allows for increased physical activity which leads to a reduced the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.

5. Better mental health

You are more inclined to socialize if you feel good about your appearance. Those who are unsatisfied with their looks are more likely to struggle with anxiety and depression, both of which are mental health problems. But the increased self-confidence and self-esteem inspired by improved looks can reduce anxiety and depression. Actually, it is not unusual to experience greater control over your life with a renewed sense of confidence after plastic surgery.

6. More youthful outlook

Plastic surgery is effective in turning back the clock on your appearance, which in turn makes you feel younger. For example, if you undergo a body contouring procedure such as liposuction or tummy tuck, it will help reduce your body weight, motivate you to maintain a healthy diet and exercise program, and make you feel younger and stronger. A healthier weight leads to a healthier body in ways that can boost life expectancy. When you look into the mirror and see a younger version of yourself, you might be inspired to start your day with a renewed vitality. 

7. More opportunities, lasting results

By improving your appearance, plastic surgery can give you the confidence to pursue professional and personal opportunities. The opportunities that come with being more confident are both immediate and long lasting. Of course, you still have to take care of yourself after the procedure. If, for example, you undergo tummy tuck surgery, you still have to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle to maintain your results.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer both cosmetic and restorative surgery that can give your body optimal form and function. We are able to reshape and mold various parts of the body, including the face, ears, breasts, hands and other extremities for cosmetic enhancement. We can also repair congenital problems, such as malformed bone structure in the feet or hands, and repair or replace body parts damaged by illness, accidents or malformation. Some of our most requested procedures include breast augmentation, facelift, rhinoplasty, liposuction, tummy tuck and the mommy makeover. To learn more about plastic surgery and how you can benefit from our services, visit the Politis Plastic Surgery website.