Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Blog

The breast consists of milk ducts and glands, surrounded by fatty tissue that provides its shape and fee. Situated beneath the breast is the pectoralis major muscle, a large muscle that assists in chest movement, and where a breast implant is placed when having submuscular breast augmentation. Factors such as pregnancy, rapid weight loss and the effects of gravity as you age, combine to stretch the skin, which may cause the breast to droop or sag. Some women also have a variation in size or shape from the right to left breast, which is called…

One of the first questions patients ask when preparing for their surgery is “When will I be able to return to work?” Recovery for each patient is different, but, generally speaking, when having an abdominoplasty, you can expect to go back to work within two to four weeks. For breast lift surgery, you will be off work for a week. When having breast augmentation surgery, you may be able to return to work within four to seven days. Patients having a treatment of Lipodissolve, are free to return to work the same day. All of…

All breast implants are made of a round or shaped silicone elastomer or rubber shell. When having breast augmentation with saline breast implants, a saline solution is used to fill the breast implant. Saline solution is used as it is similar to the fluid in our body, and would simply be absorbed by your body should the breast implant leak or break.

Breast augmentation offers a unique opportunity to “customize” the shape of the breast rather than just bra size. You may want to wear an outfit that reveals more cleavage, change your wardrobe, or create the proper balance between your breasts and your hips. Generally speaking, the larger you want your cup size, the larger the breast implant Dr. Niessen and you will consider.

You should be close to your ideal weight. A significant loss of weight after having breast augmentation surgery could alter your results in a manner that is unpleasing to you. If you were to lose a significant amount of weight, there could be some ptosis or droopiness and a reduction in breast size. A significant gain in weight could cause an increase in breast size.

Many women with breast implants have successfully breast fed their babies. A peri-areolar incision is more likely to affect this ability. Some women experience mastitis, inflammation of the breast ducts, during this time, which can also cause capsular contracture. Taking antibiotics when symptoms first appear may minimize the potential of this problem.

With summer approaching, many women want to know if they can tan if they have had breast augmentation surgery. Tanning at salons or sunbathing will not hurt your breast implant, but it may make your scars unfavourable. You should cover your scars with sunscreen should you choose to tan, until your scars have faded.

Your breast implants may be placed either partially under the pectoralis major muscle (submuscular) or on top of the muscle and directly beneath the breast (subglandular). When breast implants are placed subglandularly, it can make your breast augmentation surgery shorter and reduce the recovery time. Possible disadvantages could be having your implant edges more visibly noticeable under your skin. Also, imaging during mammography may be more difficult when your breast implants are placed subglandularly. Placing breast implants submuscularly may provide you with a more youthful-looking breast for a longer time, may reduce the chances of…

Women often ask me what is involved in having a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty. I explain to them that an abdominoplasty is a procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen, and to tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall. This surgery is helpful in women who, through multiple pregnancies or significant weight loss, have stretched their abdominal muscles and skin beyond the point where they can return to normal. (more…)

For patients who come to our office wishing to have an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck, one of the first questions they ask is how long is the recovery. We tell them recovery is generally two to three weeks. Dressings come off at day 5 post-op. Post-op surgical drains stay in for approximately 10 days, depending on how much you are draining. For one to two weeks your abdomen will be swollen, but by one week post-op you should be able to resume light activities.

Our office is often asked if we provide financing for cosmetic procedures. Financing your surgery offers a simple and affordable way to pay for your plastic surgery procedures. It offers an ideal alternative to writing a cheque. We have financing available with two companies. Both companies provide innovative financial services that allow patients to focus on the treatment, not the payment. We have financing available with Credit Medical. Their contact information is 1-800-270-9290 and their website is www.creditmedical.com. We also have financing available with Medicard. Their contact information is 1-888-689-9876 and their website…

Dr. Niessen asks that women wait 2 months before wearing under wire bras, after having had breast implant surgery. Your body is forming scar tissue around the breast implant for this period. During this time, the pressure from the under wire bra could cause irritation to your incison, and we suggest women wear a sports bra or a similar supportive bra. After this initial healing time, under wire bras may be worn.

I had a patient contact me this week who was interested in losing a large amount of weight with the help of Lipodissolve. I explained to her that lipolysis injections must not be regarded as a new miracle drug for weight reduction. For fat deposits which can not be eliminated by nutritional therapy or exercise, Lipodisolve can initiate a process during which fat is melted away and then eliminated from the body through the usual metabolic process. The lipolysis solution is directly injected into the area concerned. The fat cells start to melt,…

I reported back in December of 2007 that Dr. Niessen had begun treating patients with injection lipolysis or Lipodissolve. The response has been incredible! We have patients calling the office asking how it works, and which areas can be treated. We direct them to our website at www.lipodissolve.ca. Our website describes in detail how injection lipolysis works, and the many, many applications for its use. Lipodissolve works beautifully on the face, jowls, saddlebags, inner thighs, upper and lower buttocks, hips, upper and lower belly, those nasty fat deposits at the shoulder-arm joint, upper arms,…

This is a photo of one of Dr. Niessen’s patients who had submuscular breast augmentation surgery with silicone gel implants. She couldn’t be happier with the appearance of her breasts!