What is ERAS Protocol?

ERAS stands for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery.  

An ERAS protocol refers to a series of pathways designed to be followed to ensure improved patient experience before, during, and after surgery.  They are a bundle of evidence-based interventions that ensure more rapid surgical recovery, shorter length of hospital stay, greater patient satisfaction, and reduced cost of both open and minimally invasive surgeries.

In the last 10 years, ERAS has become increasingly popular in different surgical specialties as a means of ensuring faster recovery and reducing complication rates following surgical procedures.

The key elements of ERAS are patient education, patient optimization before admission, minimal fasting before anesthesia, multi-modal analgesia with the right use of opioids when indicated, return home soon after the procedure, and return to normal diet and activities usually the day after surgery.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we have made efforts to incorporate the tenets of ERAS in our reconstructive and aesthetic surgery operations during the last 5 years. And with  increased implementation, we have been able to achieve faster recoveries, minimized post-surgical pain, and a speedier return to day-to-day life.

How does the ERAS protocol work?

With the ERAS protocol, the medical team works together with you before surgery to learn about your medical history and pain tolerance. This enables the medical team to create a surgical care plan that includes strategies to minimize pain after surgery, speed up recovery, and reduce narcotic usage. 

By design, the ERAS interventions help to reduce negative experiences related to surgery. It includes a multi-modal approach to treatment of post-operative nausea and vomiting and to pain management. 

For instance, as a patient, you may be given a scopolamine patch prior to surgery to prevent nausea and vomiting. Then once under anesthesia, you are given additional medications through IV for enhanced management of nausea, including steroids and anti-nausea medications.

Pain management is approached in a similar manner. For example, you may be started with Tylenol (an anti-inflammatory drug), together with a neuro-modulator, before the surgery. Then while already under anesthesia, a long-acting local anesthetic may be given to help numb the surgical area. 

And so, by beginning anti-nausea and vomiting medication before surgery, these negative reactions are prevented. 

Also, by administering pain medication before surgery, there is reduced body response to pain and less need for anesthesia and narcotics after surgery. 

Therefore, when used, ERAS almost always results in less post-operative pain, nausea, and vomiting.  

It results in faster recoveries, though recoveries still depend on the type of procedure a patient undergoes. 

How is the ERAS protocol applied before surgery?

As part of ERAS protocol prior to surgery, the surgeon works with an anesthesiologist to determine and set the expectation of pain. 

Since not all patients experience pain in the same manner, setting pain expectations through pre-operative assessment of the patient helps to tell how much pain the patient will experience and how to minimize it.

According to ERAS principles, the surgeon has to discuss with you how you generally tolerate pain, how you recovered from previous surgeries, and how you see yourself recovering from the impending operation.  This helps the team to set your pain expectations. Then, after setting your pain expectations, the medical team will provide you with a blend of non-opioid medications that target how your nerves function. 

A critical part of ERAS before surgery is educating you about what to expect and how to prepare. That’s because educating and preparing you for surgery reduces fear and apprehension. 

 It also helps to optimize your diet and exercise routine, to stop smoking for at least 1 month before surgery, reach a BMI of less than 30, and abstain from alcohol.All of these  are steps that reduce the risk of complications after surgery.

How is the ERAS protocol applied during and after surgery?

As part of ERAS protocols, you are provided with medications to reduce nausea and vomiting during surgery. 

A local anesthesia and a pain-relieving technique are applied to numb the area where the procedure is performed. The result is a blockage of nerves associated with the area from activating, which results in minimal discomfort during surgery.

After surgery, you will receive medications similar to the ones used before surgery to control pain. The drugs continue to keep the nerves associated with the surgical site from firing strongly. 

Nevertheless, since pain tolerance differs from one person to another, there will be a need for continuous communication between you and your plastic surgeon regarding the pain. 

Be sure to speak with your doctor when you have concerns and make sure to attend follow-up appointments.

ERAS protocols and the management of pain

One of the key pillars of ERAS is eliminating opioid medications in pain management—due to increased deaths caused by opioid overdosing. So plastic surgeons that follow the protocol avoid prescribing opioids to patients unless it is entirely necessary based on pre-operative assessment, pain expectation, and pain tolerance. Surgeons use alternatives to opioids, such as local anesthesia and non-narcotic medication. 

In case you decide that it is necessary to take opioid medication for pain tolerance after plastic surgery, your plastic surgeon will inform you of the possible side effects and the appropriate dosage you should take. It is advisable that you speak with your doctor about anything you are not sure regarding prescribed pain medications.

Safe, quick-recovery plastic surgery

While pain is part of any plastic surgery procedure, the ERAS protocol helps to significantly reduce the amount of pain experienced.  

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we follow the ERAS principles to develop effective pain management plans and minimize complications related to surgery. We have embedded the ERAS protocol as a standard model of care in our practice.  

We continuously refine our interventions and measure our outcomes to ensure we achieve the highest standards of care. We are proud that the protocol has helped us achieve more rapid surgical recovery, shorter hospital stays, enhanced patient satisfaction, and reduced costs of care. 

For more information on plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures, contact us.

Getting Pregnant After A Tummy Tuck

Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure involving  the removal of excess fat and tissue from the abdominal area to produce a tighter, more toned stomach. It is a perfect procedure for restoring your body shape and contour. 

Generally, plastic surgeons recommend that women undergo tummy tuck after they are done with having children. In some cases, there may still be a desire to get pregnant after getting the procedure. For these women, there may be some apprehensions as to whether it  will be safe to do so. 

 Can you get pregnant after a tummy tuck?

Yes. A pregnancy after a tummy tuck is safe for both you and your unborn child.  The pregnancy will also not adversely affect the results achieved through the procedure.

A tummy tuck does not adversely affect your abdominal walls and can still stretch and widen seamlessly to accommodate a growing fetus.  If you don’t experience any complications after abdominoplasty, your fertility will not be affected and you’ll have no problems getting pregnant. 

How soon can you get pregnant after a tummy tuck?

Since tummy tuck is a major surgery, it is important to give your body enough time to heal and recover from the side effects of the procedure. a A pregnancy is quite demanding on the body, you will need to be fully recovered for it. 

In general, you need to wait for at least one year after abdominoplasty to consider  a pregnancy. This period will not just allow your body to heal and improve, but will also help you and your doctor to rule out potential complications from the surgery. Nevertheless, before you get pregnant, make sure you speak with both your plastic surgeon and gynecologist about it.

For some mothers, the belly may not stretch out enough after a tummy tuck and may not look the same as their previous pregnancies.  tThis is completely safe and harmless to the growing child. 

 As long as the abdominal wall is able to stretch enough for the baby, there is no need for revision surgery. A tummy tuck revision is only necessary if and when the skin and abdominal muscles stretches too much during pregnancy, especially in the case of a twin pregnancies. 

Will a pregnancy affect your tummy tuck results?

Provided you stay healthy, the results of the tummy tuck procedure will last long after the pregnancy. 

In some cases, a touch-up procedure might be required after a pregnancy. It is also important to keep in mind that the effects of pregnancy depend on the body type and the extent of muscle repair that occurs before and after the pregnancy. 

 A tummy tuck leaves a scar that is usually hidden below the lower abdomen But, during pregnancy, the skin on the belly can stretch and expose the scar, which one may find unsightly. 

 If you need a caesarian section (C-section), the incision will be made along the tummy tuck scar, making the scar even more visible. However, you should know that having a C-section after a tummy tuck is not much different from having it before the procedure. Usually, your gynecologist has to work with a scar from a previous procedure, whether from a prior C-section or from a tummy tuck. 

 The gynecologist will not have any issues working with the abdominoplasty scar.  The only minor problem is that the gynecologist may not close the new C-section with the skill of a plastic surgeon and that may affect the appearance of the scar.

Informed plastic surgery decision-making

Would you like to get pregnant after a tummy tuck?  If so, schedule your consultation with a plastic surgeon today to discuss your options.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we ensure that you consult with both an OB-GYN and a plastic surgeon so that you are better guided on how to plan for pregnancy after a tummy tuck. 

As a practice, we often offer abdominoplasty to women who are done having children. However, we still ensure that those who have undergone the procedure can have a safe, successful pregnancy. 

For more information on tummy tuck and other plastic surgery procedures, contact us today.

The Benefits of Combining Facial Rejuvenation Procedures

Facial cosmetic surgery: Benefits of having more than one procedure at the same time

Having more than one facial cosmetic surgery at the same time is not only convenient but for many increases overall satisfaction and improves results. 

Combining two or more procedures guarantees all the problematic issues are addressed simultaneously. There will be fewer issues left unresolved, which delivers a better outcome. 

 What are the benefits of combining facial rejuvenation procedures?

  1. Delivers more transformative results

Combining facial rejuvenation procedures addresses multiple areas of the face and neck produces more dramatic results. 

For example, when a facelift is blended with an eyelid or brow lift, the surgery can produce a more balanced and proportional face. In this combined procedure, the facelift treats the lower and middle regions of the neck and face, while the eyelid surgery or brow lift procedure rejuvenates the eyes. 

Another example is combining chin augmentation with rhinoplasty to balance the proportions of the chin and nose. Since the nose is usually a primary area of focus on the face, having it in proportion with the chin ensures a more attractive, aesthetically-pleasing face. 

In this combined procedure,  rhinoplasty is the more complex part.  It needs to be performed in a safe manner and  must also be done to address both its cosmetic and functional aspects.  When done by a doctor who has perfected the techniques and steps involved and by using general anesthesia, it delivers amazing results and comes with the shortest and most comfortable recovery process. 

With chin augmentation synthetic implant or dermal fillers are used. There are multiple shapes and sizes of chin implants, allowing plastic surgeons to match the augmented chin to the operated nose, delivering  more elegant results.

  1. Comprehensive anti-aging remedy

When struggling with aging, a blend of surgical procedures can help address both minor and advanced signs of aging, such as deep creases, jowl formation, and hollowing in the mid-face. Though a single procedure can be effective, combining procedures gives even better results. 

For instance, combining a facelift with facial fat grafting restores youthful volume in the mid-face and other key locations.  It also removes redundant skin to create a more vibrant, youthful-looking face. 

Combined with fat grafting, it can make the results of a facelift last longer while producing  firmer skin. 

Another combination is using laser technology alongside Botox to produce comprehensive anti-aging results in a single treatment session. 

A laser technology, such as CoolPeel or CO2 laser resurfacing, can be used to address fine lines, facial wrinkles, enlarged pores, irregular skin texture, brown spots, mild skin laxity, and other pigmentation irregularities.

Botox injected as a neuro-modulator can help  minimize dynamic wrinkles that usually appear around the eyes and on the forehead. By relaxing the facial muscles, Botox helps to smooth out wrinkles. 

The laser and Botox combination can be done without anesthesia or downtime and with results that are fully evident within about one week. Of course, the laser component of the treatment may require sessions spaced across 4 weeks apart to ensure the best possible results.

  1. Eliminates a wide range of irregularities at once

For patients who desire to accentuate a firmer facial appearance with full skin rejuvenation, a combination of procedures can help create  smooth, radiant skin.

 A combination of a facelift with a chemical peel can help eliminate facial irregularities and boost appearance. 

A chemical peel is a wonderful addition as it helps fully exfoliate the skin   for optimal rejuvenation. 

And because the patient is already asleep for the facelift, a deep chemical peel can be comfortably performed to eliminate lines and wrinkles, pigmentation irregularities, uneven skin texture, and tone. 

With a chemical peel, such as trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peel, applied alongside a surgical facelift, the deep peel would help to remove the outer layers of the skin in order to reveal the smoother, softer skin beneath. 

About one week of flaking and peeling follows the treatment before a dramatic improvement of the overall skin is achieved. 

  1. A single recovery time and less downtime

With combined facial cosmetic surgery, only a block of time is needed for consultation and recovery instead of having to schedule multiple surgeries with different recovery periods. This allows a patient to undergo one surgery and recover from all the procedures simultaneously. 

Of course, the single recovery period may be a little longer than needed to recover from a single procedure, but ultimately the recovery period is much shorter than when you undergo each procedure and its recovery period separately.

  1. Saves money and reduces complications

When multiple cosmetic surgery procedures are combined there are reduced financial implications, including saving money on repeat consultation sessions, operating room costs, and expenses related to anesthesia. 

Combining the procedures means many fees are paid only once, saving money in the process.

, When implemented as a single surgery with a single round of anesthesia, there are reduced risks of infection and adverse reactions to anesthesia.

Safe, effective facial cosmetic surgery

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer a wide range of cosmetic enhancements to help you look your best at  every stage of your life. With our array of choices, including surgical, nonsurgical, and many aesthetic enhancements, and our ability to combine them efficiently and effectively, we are able to deliver natural, beautiful results for our patients. 

Schedule your consultation today to find out how we can tailor a safe and effective combined cosmetic surgery treatment plan for you.

Should I Remove or Replace Breast Implants?

As a woman, your breasts are an integral part of your overall appearance. And whether they are small or large, perky or not, their appearance can cause a feeling that impacts all areas of your life. 

Plus, the psychological fallout that follows when you’re dissatisfied with the way your breasts look can be devastating for some women, including a nose dive in confidence, loss of self-esteem and feeling unattractive.

Fortunately, through breast augmentation using breast implants you can:

  1. Make your breasts larger, fuller, perkier, and higher on your chest, achieving an enhanced, more youthful appearance.
  2. Correct asymmetry and eliminate embarrassing difference in size between your breasts.
  3. Enjoy psychological and lifestyle benefits, including a renewed freedom in shopping for clothes, enhanced capacity to embrace new opportunities and engage in relationships, and an overall feeling of being more attractive, more confident, sexier and happier overall.

How long do breast implants last?

While breast implants can help restore feminine curves and boost self-image, they don’t last a lifetime. 

Generally, the lifespan of breast implants—whether saline or silicone—is 10-20 years after initial augmentation surgery.  But since every patient heals and responds differently to surgery, the actual life of your implants would depend on your body and how well you take care of them.

Before surgery, your plastic surgeon will explain to you how to care for the implants and the necessary check ups you should undergo to ensure they last longer. Nonetheless, no matter how well you care for them, you should still understand that the implants will need to be removed or replaced at some point.

What are the common reasons for implant removal or replacement?

  1. Capsular contracture

Sometimes, no matter how skilled and experienced your plastic surgeon is, complications still arise after surgery due to the unique healing process that every patient undergoes. Capsular contracture—the development of a thick and hard scar tissue around one or both implants—is one such potential complication.

When you have unusually hard capsules of scar tissue around the implants after surgery, you will have aesthetic problems and, in extreme cases, pain in the breasts. So in rare instances you may need to undergo revision surgery to remove or replace the implants, particularly if the scar tissue causes tightness, pain, tenderness and changes in breast size and shape.

  1. Implant rippling

Breast implant rippling refers to formation of wrinkles and folds around an implant. When the folds and wrinkles are extreme, they become noticeable on the skin and may require revision surgery to correct. Causes of rippling include poor tissue coverage of the implants, scar capsules that are too loose, under-filled or overfilled saline implants, or round-shaped implants.

Rippling may arise after breast reconstruction with saline or silicone implants and tends to develop on the outer perimeter (side, bottom, near cleavage) of the reconstructed breasts. It is also associated more with saline-filled implants than with silicone implants.

When the rippling is visible on the skin, your surgeon may recommend revision surgery. The revision options your surgeon may consider include an operation to replace an undersized implant, tighten the scar capsule, replace saline implant with silicone implant, reposition the implant, change shape of the implant, or remove under-filled or over-filled implants.

  1. Saline or silicone implant rupture

New saline and silicone implants rarely rupture. 

But in older models it can sometimes happen so in those instances saline implants may deflate quickly like balloons. The saline solution then leaks out through the tear and is absorbed harmlessly into the body. In turn, breasts lose size and shape, and look different. Though the risk of saline rapture is rare, it increases by 1-percent every year after the surgery.

Silicone gel-filled implants have a thick silicone gel inside that stays either inside the implant or surrounding tissue even after implant rupture. So it is difficult to notice when a silicone implant ruptures; except that the breasts show uneven appearance and have changes in breast sensation, such as swelling, tingling, numbness, or burning.

When a saline or silicone gel-filled implant has ruptured, your plastic surgeon may recommend surgical removal or replacement. In some cases, your surgeon will also remove the capsule of scar tissue surrounding the implant or just remove the capsule by making small incisions. Typically, implants in both breasts are removed even if only one has ruptured, then replaced during the same surgery.

  1. Positional change

Implant malposition is one of the common reasons for revisionary breast surgery. Generally, breast implant malposition is caused by the implant pocket being too large for a given implant, resulting in the implant not being centered inside the breast. 

To correct implant malposition, your surgeon can opt to perform revision surgery to replace the implant, and then follow that with a precise suturing of the pockets from the inside of the breasts to have the implants properly fitted. Plus, the doctor may switch the implant pocket location or add a lifting procedure to create the desired breast appearance.

  1. Personal desire to change breast appearance

Tastes and preferences are never constant and tend to change with time. So some years after your breast augmentation, you may feel that you need to change the appearance of your breasts or to remove them entirely.

Your plastic surgeon will listen to you, carefully assess your goals and expectations, and guide you on making an informed decision. Then, the surgeon may recommend that you undergo revision surgery to replace the implants with larger or smaller implants, or to remove them entirely based on your lifestyle and aesthetic priorities.

What should you expect during breast implant removal?

Since your implant can be removed or replaced by any qualified plastic surgeon, you won’t necessarily have to go to the surgeon who did the first surgery.  During your consultation session with the surgeon, the implant will be evaluated and your surgical options explored. 

Depending on the problem with the implant and on your preferences, the surgeon will:

  1. Do implant removal alone.
  2. Remove the implant and perform a breast lift.
  3. Remove lumpy or hardened tissue

Since implant removal can lead to cosmetic abnormalities, such as sagging, dimpling, deflation, or asymmetry, your surgeon may recommend replacing the removed implants with those of a different shape or size.

What should you expect from breast implant replacement?

Implant replacement is the procedure in which your doctor replaces your problematic implants for newer implants. You may stick to the same type, size, and shape or go with different implants altogether.  

The replacement can be combined with a breast lift or with scar tissue removal. But usually, the cost of implant replacement is higher than that of implant removal as you will need to pay for the initial removal, replacement implants, and any other related procedures.

How do you care for your implants to make them last longer?

One of the best steps to take to ensure your implants last longer is to consider carefully and choose the right size and shape the first time. That’s because most cases of implant removal or replacement arise from unhappiness with implant size and shape.  

So pick breast implants of the size and shape you feel you can live with for 10-20 years—remember your tastes will change over the course of your lifetime. 

Speak with your plastic surgeon about your cosmetic goals and implant preferences, and request broad advice and recommendations. By being open with your plastic surgeon and following recommendations, you will make a better choice. 

Because implant removal or replacement may be necessary due to local complications, such as ruptures, deflations, wear and tear, or surgical error, you need to choose a skilled, experienced surgeon who performs the procedures regularly. A surgeon with experience in the removal or replacement is ideal.  

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we make sure that you are aware of the lifespan of implants and that they aren’t guaranteed to last a lifetime. In fact, during your consultation, our board-certified surgeon will explain to you what to expect from different types of implants and help you to choose the right implant. 

For more information on breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast lift, and other plastic surgery procedures, visit the site “Politis Plastic Surgery.”

What is circumferential body contouring?

Circumferential body contouring is a surgical procedure to remove excess loose skin, tissue, and subcutaneous fat in the abdomen, waist, and buttock area. During the procedure, a circumferential incision is made around the abdomen, extended to the sides, then into the lower back.


Through the incision, the surgeon removes excess skin and fat and repositions and tightens tissues. The result is a smoother, more youthful body contour, enhanced body shape and image, and a renewed sense of self-confidence.

Who is a candidate for the procedure?

Circumferential body contouring helps in reshaping a specific area of the body. It is often recommended after massive weight loss surgery, diet, or exercise to correct areas of loose skin on the arms, belly, flanks, neck, chin, thighs, or buttocks.

You are an ideal candidate for the procedure if

1. You have undergone bariatric surgery and have excess, loose skin.
2. You want to improve loose, saggy, or wrinkled skin due to natural aging.
3. You have experienced massive weight loss due to diet or exercise and want to remove surplus loose skin, fat, and tissues.
4. You have failed to reshape your body via diet and exercise.
5. You want to look and feel leaner or attain a certain body shape.
6. You want to achieve a smoother, younger skin appearance.

What happens before circumferential body contouring?

Before the procedure, your plastic surgeon will schedule a consultation session to listen to your specific concerns, your desired goals, and expectations. The doctor will also use the session to note your medical history, do a physical exam, run specific tests, answer your questions, and ascertain whether the procedure is right for you. Your surgeon will equally confirm that you are a healthy non-smoker with a stable weight, positive outlook, and realistic expectations.

More specifically, the plastic surgeon will:

1. Examine and measure the areas to be treated or reshaped.
2. Use a marker or pen to mark out the areas
3. Take pictures
4. Discuss with you options and recommendations
5. Develop a tailored surgery plan
6. Review surgical risks, discuss anesthesia, and explain post-operative pain control
7. Have you sign a consent form giving permission for the procedure, including consent for risks involved.
8. Explain post-operative instructions, the routine healing process, and follow-up care.

What happens during the procedure?

Circumferential body contouring is usually done inpatient, with the patient admitted for at least one night in the hospital. Only very minor contouring may be done on an outpatient basis but with a nurse going home with you to assist with post-operative care.

Typically, the surgery takes 4-6 hours to perform and goes on under general anesthesia. The surgeon will make a circumferential incision around your abdomen, stretch it around the sides, and then into your lower back. Through the incision, the surgeon repositions and tightens tissues, and removes excess skin and fat.
Sometimes, there is a need for extensive incisions and to combine the procedure with liposuction, particularly if you have so much excess fat. Your surgeon will explain this to you before the procedure.
To complete the procedure, your surgeon will use deep sutures within the underlying tissue to help create the newly shaped contours. After that, the doctor places multiple drains to remove any small amounts of fluid that may build in the treated area. The drains are then left in place for 7-10 days after surgery.

What happens after circumferential body contouring?

After the surgery, you’ll have to wear an abdominal binder for 12 hours a day to reduce swelling and support the new contours. You should avoid standing fully or upright so that internal sutures do not bend and stress as they heal—sleeping on pillows to elevate your knees is advisable during the first few days after the procedure.

Returning to light walking as soon as possible is recommended as a way to minimize potential blood clots and other complications. Numbness and a feeling of firmness over the skin surface will resolve over time, but you’ll have to wait for 2 weeks before returning to work and 6-8 weeks to resume vigorous exercise.
Follow your surgeon’s instructions on caring for the treated area. If you experience any pain or swelling, contact your doctor immediately for help. It will take up to a year for incision lines to refine and fade, but they will not be a problem as they’ll be hidden by your clothing and swimsuit.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer circumferential body contouring procedure that produces results that are visible almost immediately. However, we encourage patience as it may take several months for the final results to fully develop. These results are long-lasting, provided a stable weight and general fitness is maintained.

For more information on circumferential body contouring and other plastic surgery procedures, book for a consultation with us today.

Improving Your Skin Health by Going on a Skin Care Diet

No matter your skin type—dry, oily or sensitive—a daily skin care routine can help you maintain overall skin health and improve specific concerns like scarring, acne, and dark spots.

A typical skin care routine includes cleansing, using serum, moisturizing, and applying a sunscreen.

While a skin care routine can produce a clear and healthy skin, it can also result in an overload of ingredients. Unfortunately, when there is excess application of ingredients, your skin’s protective barrier can break down and you may experience extreme inflammation, redness, rashes, sensitivities, and breakouts.

What is a skin care diet?

A skin diet is a tailored application of skin care products to rebuild and regenerate the skin. A carefully customized skin diet recreates stratum corneum layer of your skin, minimizes irritation and inflammation, and produces a clearer, healthier, glowing skin.
You may not need a skin diet if your skin is already clear and healthy. But when you’re experiencing problems or are not responding to various products you’re using, then you need to consider a skin care diet.

A skin diet is made of four basic products—a cleanser, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen. However, as with choosing the ingredients for any menu, you’ll need to be careful and deliberate as you pick all the products to include in your skin diet. For instance, you’ll need to avoid harsh actives, fillers, synthetics, and artificial fragrances.

1. Cleanser

A good cleanser is the cornerstone of a great skin diet. Ideally, you should go for a gentle cleanser that is known to work well for all skin types. Avoid cleansers with free alpha or beta-hydroxy acids and other exfoliating agents. Also, avoid a cleanser that will leave your skin tight after washing.

2. Serum

A serum with vitamin C or growth factors or peptides is great in the morning, under sunscreen. Then at night, retinol or prescription retinoids tend to work best.

3. Moisturizer

A moisturizer pairs well with a cleanser to ensure your skin has enough moisture to perform cellular functions. In fact, even an oily skin needs a moisturizer, though you’ll need one that is lightweight, gel-based, and non-comedogenic (doesn’t block your pores).

Additionally, an ideal moisturizer is one that contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, but you should avoid a super-thick cream. A dry skin may benefit a lot from a cream-based moisturizer—most brands label their products as gel or cream on their packaging.

4. Sunscreen

You need to apply sunscreen on a daily basis to protect your skin from the sun. Most preferably, you should go for a mineral-based sunscreen with at least 30 SPF 15 minutes before you head outdoors—sunscreen takes time to activate.

Even with a darker skin, you still need sunscreen. That’s because hyper-pigmentation is harder to correct. Try a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB product, making sure to avoid anything that may irritate sensitive, acne-prone skin.

Why should you go on a skin care diet

1. A skin care diet goes back to the basics, enabling you to use only products that are beneficial to your skin. A tailored diet rebuilds the protective skin barrier and boosts skin balance and pH levels, preventing redness, rashes, blemishes, and sensitivities.

2. A skin diet gets rid of the many unnecessary ingredients that when used for too long can cause skin sensitivity and damage the skin. In a carefully planned and tested skin diet, the regimen includes a few effective products.

3. A skin diet enables you to eliminate harsh products from your skin care routine. Remember, harsh products can remove natural oils from your skin, damage the skin barrier, and make your skin more susceptible to harmful aggressors, pollutants, and premature aging.

4. A skin diet prevents adverse product interactions by allowing you to gradually and carefully combine various products and achieve synergy—enabling you to get better results from less.

5. A skin diet prevents aggressive skin exfoliation that may cause red, irritated skin and increase the risk of wrinkles and fine lines. While physical and chemical exfoliation is excellent in removing dead skin cells and promoting cell turnover, over-exfoliation can trigger cosmetic problems.

How does skin care diet work?

Basically, you opt for a skin diet when you have a skin-related problem. But the dieting process depends on the principle that it takes time to identify products that are best for the skin.

To start off, you give your skin a break from all the products you have been using to allow the skin to rebuild and revitalize. So you stop using everything, including cleansers, moisturizers, serum, sunscreen, acids, sulfates, fragrances, and exfoliating agents.


Next, you note down everything you’ve been using. A list of what you’ve eliminated will help you identify the ingredient that is behind your skin problem.

You’ll also need to clean your makeup brushes and consider every possible cause of skin irritation. Remember, a skin problem may be due to diet, age, genetics, or even menopause.

At the core of the skin diet is the minimalist approach. You begin with a basic and simple routine—cleanser, moisturizer, serum, and sunscreen—then observe how your skin reacts. Once you’re comfortable, you can add extra products, such as masks, exfoliating agents, and spot treatments to enhance your skin’s health.

Every time you add a new product, make sure to conduct a patch test, particularly if you suspect that you have sensitive skin. Patch testing will also help you identify potential allergic reactions.

To patch test a new product:
1. Apply a small amount of the product on your skin in a discreet area, such as on your inner arm or inside your wrist.
2. Allow 48 hours to see if your skin reacts to it.
3. Check the area at 96 hours of the application to see if you have a delayed reaction.

An allergic reaction may include itchiness, small bumps, irritation, or redness. If you notice any of these reactions, wash the area with water and a gentle cleanser. Then, you can return to the product and try another that better suits your skin type.

How do you care for your skin with a skin diet?

1. Choose products—cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, and serum—that fit your skin type and sensitivity. Make sure to read the product labels. Some products, such as retinol or prescription retinoids, should only be applied at night.

2. Get your skin prepared through healthy dietary changes and increased water intake. Staying hydrated will help your skin absorb and use the ingredients you’re applying.

3. Use a cleanser, serum and moisturizer. Also, wear sunscreen every day and apply 15 minutes before going out. Of course, the products you use should have easy-to-pronounce ingredients and with no harsh actives, fillers, synthetics, or artificial fragrances.

4. Use a particular product for at least 2 weeks before you add something new. As you use a product, observe how your skin responds to it. If you notice irritation, eliminate the product from your skin diet.

5. It will take 4-8 weeks to achieve desired results. So be patient and stick to the minimalist, one-product-at-a-time approach.


Honest, trustworthy plastic surgeon

Are you struggling with a skin-related cosmetic issue? Or are you considering a plastic surgery procedure and would like to get sound advice before you take the step?

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer a wide-range of natural, medical, and surgical solutions to aesthetic problems. Our open, compassionate approach ensures that we listen to you, appreciate your goals and expectations, guide you through all the options, and help you make an informed choice.

You can rely on us to turnaround your appearance and help you gain and regain your self-esteem and confidence.

For more information on facial treatments, light-based therapies, and plastic surgery procedures, contact us today!

What To Do When Your Implants Are Too Large For Your Chest?

If you’ve had breast implants, it’s normal to experience some form of complication, or maybe a change of mind. 

You may have felt that your decision on opting for larger implants has caused you more discomfort and inconvenience. Not to mention, all the other issues that may come up in the long run. 

What follows when your breast implants are too large?

Issues associated with implants that are too large include:

  1. Increased difficulty performing routine activities

The resulting larger breasts will not be ideal for an active lifestyle, like daily workouts, jogging, gym visits, running marathons, or enjoying sports.

  1. Difficulty finding clothing that fit well 

The larger breasts will widen your frame and make it difficult to find tops and bras that fit. You may also find it difficult to find bras and lingerie with supportive straps.

  1. Sagging, drooping and unappealing breasts

The weight due to the larger breasts will cause the skin on and around your breasts to stretch, resulting in a saggy, droopy breast appearance. The heavy breasts may also move apart from each other and appear asymmetrical.

  1. Chronic, unbearable pain

Larger breasts tend to trigger chronic neck, back, and shoulder pains. They may also cause frequent headaches. Plus, rashes may develop underneath your breasts and shoulders, which can appear red and irritated.

  1. Poor, uncomfortable posture

With larger breast implants, the quality of your posture may be affected. With the extra weight of larger breast implants, you may find yourself slouching more often. You may also experience difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position.

What can be done to fix large implants?

Fortunately, you don’t have to live with implants that are too big for your chest for the rest of your life. There are several options if you aren’t happy with your breast augmentation results. 

  1. Implant replacement

If you find your implants too big, you can undergo implant replacement surgery. You surgeon will conduct a procedure to remove them and replace them with a pair of implants that are appropriate or proportional in size.

Breast implant replacement may also be necessary due to hardened scar tissue (capsular contracture), rupture of implants, implant rippling, or change in position of the implant– all of which can happen when you have implants that are too large for your chest. 

Your surgeon will assess your breast size and help you consider whether replacement would help you achieve your goals.

  1. Implant removal

Your other option is to have the implants entirely removed and not replaced. During the removal procedure, your surgeon may also get rid of scar tissue or silicone from implant leaks.

  1. Breast lift

Your surgeon can also conduct a breast lift to change the shape of your natural breasts and to eliminate any sagging due to the implants. The procedure will help to rejuvenate your breasts, making it firmer and perkier. 

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we use the bio-resorbable GalaFLEX scaffold. It is a soft-tissue reinforcement that immediately helps tighten and lift the breast tissue. It is also known as an ‘internal bra.’

Safe, effective procedure

During your consultation, an important question that you need to ask your surgeon is whether or not they follow the 14-Point-Plan. ⁣

The 14-point plan includes a series of steps that meet the required standards of sterilization and infection control during surgery. When followed, the 14 steps reduce the number of bacteria attaching to the implant during the surgery and minimize the risk of breast implant complications. 

Dr. Effie Politis strictly follows the 14-step plan and achieves great results for our patients.

To avoid poor outcomes, we encourage you to discuss your goals and expectations in advance with your plastic surgeon. With proper consultation and preparation, you’ll be able to achieve a more favorable result.

Dr. Effie Politis is a board-certified plastic surgeon with expert skills and experience to help you select the right implants for you based on your height, chest width, and preferences. 

For more information on breast implant revision surgery, visit the site “Politis Plastic Surgery.”

7 Benefits of PRF Treatment

Aging can cause a variety of cosmetic problems. Your skin can become tougher, slacker, and more fragile. You may also lose fat below the skin, nose, cheeks, temples, and eyes, resulting in a sunken look and a ‘skeletal’ appearance.

There are many ways you can restore your natural, youthful appearance. While surgery and other invasive procedures are effective in correcting cosmetic problems related to aging, they are often associated with pain, bruising, and a longer downtime.

So what is the alternative?

Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) Treatment is one of the safest and most effective natural alternatives to surgery and other invasive procedures. It uses components of your blood to trigger protein growth, which in turn enhances skin appearance.

With PRF, blood is drawn from your body and is spun in a centrifuge at a low speed to enable platelets to be trapped in a fibrin matrix. The platelet-rich plasma is separated, collected in a vial, and used without additives and anticoagulants.

When injected into targeted areas during treatment, the PRF causes increased production of growth factors, collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. As a result, the treatment promotes wound healing, enhances skin texture, and resolves various cosmetic problems, such as acne scars, hair loss, and aging skin.

What are the benefits of PRF treatment?

1. Enhances collagen production

With advancing age, the production of collagen slows down in your body. This could result in dry, sagging skin. Injection of PRF can stimulate collagen production and help to revitalize your skin.

2. Eliminates wrinkles and facial folds

PRF delivers a high concentration of platelets and fibrin to affected areas. This causes natural tissue regeneration and healing, which helps to eliminate wrinkles, fine lines, and facial folds.

3. Treats under-eye loose skin and dark circles

Since the area around your eyes has the thinnest and most sensitive skin, it is usually the most commonly affected by wrinkles, dark circles, and slackness. When PRF is injected, it fills up under-eye hollows and reduces visibility of wrinkles and fine lines.

4. Boosts skin texture and treats acne scars

PRF treatment increases skin moisture level, enhances elastin production, promotes blood flow, and protects the skin against sun damage. Hence, it helps to revive skin complexion, refine skin tone, and reduce scar appearance. Plus, it helps to achieve a younger, smoother skin.

5. Promotes hair growth and vitality

Alopecia and other hair loss or hair thinning conditions tend to be more common with advancing age. But with injection of PRF into the scalp, hair growth is enhanced while hair loss slows down.
No matter the cause of your hair problems, whether iron deficiency, metabolic issues or other conditions, PRF treatment can enhance your hair color, radiance, and vitality.

6. Improves overall facial appearance

PRF treatment stimulates production of proteins and growth factors that ensure an enhanced facial texture, volume and pigmentation of the face. So you can undergo the treatment to correct facial volume concerns and to achieve a fuller, healthier, and more vibrant face. The results of PRF treatment will last up to a year, depending on how your body responds to treatment.

7. Minimal risk of adverse effects

PRF is prepared from blood obtained from your body and injected into targeted areas. And so your body will not recognize it as a foreign material. When prepared and injected by skilled professionals, it will work marvelously without adverse effects.

Also, it consists majorly of platelets and fibrin and lacks anticoagulants and additives. This minimizes the possibility of adverse reactions. The only side effects it may produce include pain, soreness, swelling, and minor bruising. But these can be managed effectively using topical anesthetic and ice.

Reliable, effective cosmetic solutions

Do you have cosmetic issues that require prompt, safe and effective treatment? Would you like to speak with a plastic surgeon about various natural options for your cosmetic problems?

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer a variety of surgical and non-surgical treatments for a full spectrum of common cosmetic issues. We don’t merely offer the latest, most effective options, but also provide open, friendly consultation to help you make the right choices about your specific issues.

For more information on plastic surgery procedures and various cosmetic solutions, contact us today.

How To Fix A Gummy Smile Without Surgery

A gummy smile means an excessive display of gum tissues at the top of your teeth when you smile. More specifically, a gummy smile is defined as having your gums exposed by 3 millimeters or more when you smile.

So generally, for the condition to qualify as “gummy tissue”, the gums must be prominently visible. Alternatively, an exposure of the gums by 2 millimeters or less when you smile is not categorized as a gummy smile.

What are the causes of a gummy smile?

  1. Short teeth covered by gum tissues
  2. Genetic issues resulting in teeth shorter than gums
  3. Shortness of the upper lip
  4. Hyperactivity of the upper lip
  5. Overgrowth of gum tissue or gingival hypertrophy
  6. Jaw development problems
  7. Abnormal tooth eruptions

Why should you have your gummy smile fixed?

A gummy smile is aesthetically undesirable. It can adversely affect how you present yourself publicly, making many people anxious and self-conscious about their smile and leading to a loss of confidence.

But overgrown gums can also be red and inflamed, especially when gum disease is the reason for the extra tissue. The swelling and redness can cause discomfort, which can result in bleeding when you brush and floss.

Plus, the extra gum tissue can trap food particles and bacteria, resulting in persistent bad breath, inflammation, swelling, and bleeding. Overgrown gums can equally accelerate tooth decay as they make it difficult to clean your teeth.

How can a gummy smile be fixed without surgery?

Speak with your plastic surgeon about the problem in order to find out the treatment option that is right for you.

Some gummy smiles can only be fixed through surgery but many can be treated without surgery. Your doctor will help determine whether or not you’re an appropriate candidate. When surgery isn’t necessary, your doctor may recommend any of the following options.

  1. Using Botox injections to fix your gummy smile

Botox injection is a safe, effective non-surgical method of fixing a gummy smile. When injected, Botox helps to relax facial muscles and to treat hyperactive lips. Plus, it prevents your lips from being pulled up excessively when you smile.

Before the injection, your doctor will identify the correct muscles to target. And depending on the specific muscles, the surgeon will use a few pricks on each side of your face to administer Botox.  There is no downtime after treatment and you can get back to work thereafter.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we generally begin Botox treatment with what we believe is the minimally effective dose. Then we review the effects after two weeks and add additional doses as required. The treatment produces high patient satisfaction and gives excellent results within 48 hours to 2 weeks.

  1. Using gum fillers to fix your gummy smile

An alternative way to fix a gummy smile without surgery is using dermal fillers or lip fillers.  The fillers are injected into the lips to plump them up and minimize the extent by which your gum can show. 

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we use dermal fillers to increase lip volume, thicken lips, and boost symmetry.  The treatment takes around 10 minutes and is a safe, effective way of eliminating a gummy smile. 

Working with a highly-trained, experienced licensed surgeon

Do you show too much gum when you smile and would like to discuss treatment options ? Are you struggling with self-consciousness and lack of confidence because of an embarrassing gummy smile?

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer surgical and no-surgical treatments for gummy smiles. Dr. Effie Politis is a skilled, licensed, board-certified plastic surgeon who can treat a gummy smile with various surgical and non-surgical options. 

Book your consultation today to have your questions answered and to see how we can help you regain beautiful, confident smiles. For more information on surgical and non-surgical plastic surgery techniques, visit the site “Politis Plastic Surgery.”

Surgical Vs. Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

Undergoing a facial rejuvenation treatment is a critical cosmetic decision you may elect to make at some point in your life. The treatments are effective in changing, refreshing, and revitalizing the face, eliminating adverse effects of aging, and restoring a glowing, youthful appearance.

There are a variety of facial rejuvenation procedures. And so the right procedure depends on the cosmetic issue you want to resolve, whether you want a short-term or long-term solution, and on whether you want an invasive or non-invasive option.

 

What are the most common surgical facial rejuvenation procedures?

 

1. Facelift

A facelift is a surgical procedure to create a younger look in the face, often by removing unwanted wrinkles by tightening the skin of the face. The procedure can reduce sagging skin. It can also help smooth folds of skin on the cheeks and jawline

A facelift can help you to:

  1. Remove fat and sagging skin, especially in a less defined chin
  2. Eliminate jowls that appear clearly distinct
  3. Remove deep skin folds that cause thick lines to appear around your nose and mouth

Pros and cons of a facelift

Pros:

  1. Tightens facial muscles
  2. Repairs loose skin
  3. Improves facial contours
  4. Produces long-lasting results

Cons:

  1. Like every other surgery, there are risks
  2. Out of pocket costs
  3. Aftercare needed
  4. Requires prolonged recovery time

2. Endoscopic brow lift

Endoscopic brow lift is a surgical procedure to correct loss of soft tissue elasticity in the upper third of the face.  During the procedure, your doctor inserts a flexible tube through a surgical incision. Then, the tube is used for various reconstructive and cosmetic surgical techniques.

Brow lift surgery removes excess sagging skin from around the forehead. And since sagging of forehead skin is a major cause of drooping (ptosis) of the brows and wrinkling of the forehead, the procedure helps to create a more refreshed, youthful appearance.

Pros and cons of endoscopic brow lift

Pros:

  1. Treats drooping eyebrows, which when untreated can obstruct vision
  2. Corrects sagging eyelid skin, which can makes many appear grumpy and fatigued
  3. Eliminates frown lines and forehead creases between eyebrows
  4. Makes you look younger, friendlier, and more pleasant

Cons:

  1. May cause scarring, fluid accumulation, bleeding, and eye irritation
  2. May cause hair loss around the incision sites

3. Eyelid surgery

Eyelid surgery is a cosmetic procedure to remove excess skin or fat from the eyelids. It improves drooping or hooded eyelids.  There are two types of eyelid surgery:  upper eyelid surgery and lower eyelid surgery.

Upper eyelid surgery removes excess skin in order to achieve a refreshed eye appearance. On the other hand, lower eyelid surgery corrects eyelid bags and hollowing.

Pros and cons of eyelid surgery

Pros:

  1. Corrects eye puffiness
  2. Eliminates fine lines around the edges of the eyes
  3. Removes hooded skin around eyelids
  4. Reduces eye bags around the lower eyelids
  5. Makes eyes to appear younger, healthier, and refreshed
  6. Improves peripheral vision

Cons:

  1. Results take time to appear after the procedure
  2. Can cause itching and dryness
  3. Can cause scarring, bruising, and swelling
  4. In rare cases, may cause temporary blindness and double vision—which tends to last a few hours after the procedure; sight usually regained in a day

4. Facial implants

For reconstructing, augmenting or rejuvenating facial contours, facial implants are a great option. Your doctor makes an incision and inserts an implant at the treated area. Upon healing, the area acquires enhanced contours. 

There are a wide range of sizes and styles of facial contours and your doctor will give the right recommendation depending on the nature of your facial contours.

Pros and cons of facial implants

Pros:

  1. Quick procedure that produces permanent results
  2. Eliminates facial deficiencies and asymmetry, particularly at the chin, jaw, or cheek
  3. Does not require procedures elsewhere in the body, such as abdominal fat grafting

Cons:

  1. Comes with the risk of infection, which may require implant removal
  2. May cause abnormalities if the implants shift
  3. May damage facial muscles and nerves

 

What are the most common non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedures?

When you want to get rid of wrinkles and restore a youthful appearance but can’t afford a prolonged recovery time, non-surgical rejuvenation may be ideal.  The non-surgical methods take just a few minutes to perform, require no downtime, and produce results that can last 3 months to 5 years.

Common non-surgical procedures include:

  1. Dermal fillers
  2. Botox injections
  3. Fat transfer
  4. Ultrasound
  5. Laser lifts
  6. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
  7. Kybella

1. Dermal fillers

If your skin has become wrinkled, saggy and lax, due to your age, you can rejuvenate the affected areas through dermal fillers. Tissue fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane are effective in sculpting, firming, and restoring affected areas by stimulating collagen production.

Dermal fillers can help to treat:

  1. Jowls
  2. An aging neck
  3. A lax jawline
  4. Chin wrinkles
  5. Volume loss
  6. Marionette lines
  7. Nasolabial folds (smile lines)

The pros and cons of dermal fillers are:

Pros:

  1. Quick, non-invasive treatments
  2. Help to achieve cosmetic goals
  3. There are a variety of filler options

Cons:

  1. Results last for varying times—some a few months, others up to a year
  2. May require repeat treatment to maintain results
  3. The costs of treatments and touch-ups may be high

2. Laser treatments

The two major laser options are laser skin tightening and laser skin resurfacing. Both are quick, easy techniques of addressing subtle signs of aging.

Pros and cons of laser treatments

Pros: 

  1. Smooth out wrinkles
  2. Long lasting results
  3. Even out skin tone
  4. Tighten the skin
  5. Eliminate age and brown spots
  6. Stimulate collagen production
  7. Treat acne scars
  8. Treat sun damage
  9. Provide skin with a beautiful glow

Cons:

  1. Longer recovery period
  2. Can have adverse effects, such as scarring, cold sores, and skin darkening or lightening, depending on how powerful the laser used is.
  3. Skin redness after treatment, which gets worse before it can get better

3. Botox injections

Botox treatment involves the injection of the cosmetic form of botulinum toxin. When administered, Botox reduces or eliminates facial lines, including forehead creases, Crow’s feet, and frown lines.

Botox works by removing tension from muscles, which in turn reduces wrinkles and produces a younger, smoother, more refreshed appearance. It also relieves migraine headaches, helps with excessive sweating, and minimizes muscle spasms in the neck and eyes.

Pros and cons of Botox treatment

Pros:

  1. Softens wrinkles, producing a refreshed appearance
  2. Relaxes muscles of the forehead and eyes, giving outstanding results.

Cons:

  1. Accompanied by flu-like symptoms (rare) and headache
  2. May cause a little pain and bruising

 

Which facial rejuvenation treatment is best for you?

Since there are a variety of facial rejuvenation treatments, it can be difficult to make the right choice. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon, and don’t hesitate to talk about your desired outcomes. They will assess you, consider your goals and expectations, explain to you the available options, and guide you in making the fitting choice.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer a wide range of surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments. Dr. Effie Politis is a board-certified plastic surgeon, who has extensive experience in facial rejuvenation procedures. She will gladly assist in examining which options are suitable for you, to get the best possible outcome. 

For more information on facial rejuvenation treatments and options, contact us today!