When you lose a breast to cancer or other disease, it can be traumatic. Thanks to new and improved techniques, it is now possible for a plastic surgeon to create a breast that resembles the form and appearance of a natural breast. In some cases, reconstruction is possible immediately after the natural breast is removed, sparing you the experience of seeing yourself with no breast at all.
Breast reconstruction following a mastectomy, nonetheless, is not a simple procedure. You will want to discuss with your surgeon the options available to determine the one that is best for you.
The excessive weight of very large breasts can cause a variety of medical problems, ranging from back and neck pain to skin infections. It can also make a woman or teenager feel extremely self-conscious.
Breast reduction is a surgical procedure to remove fat, tissue and skin from the breasts, making them smaller, lighter and firmer. Breast reduction can also reduce the size of the areola, the darker skin surrounding the nipple. Typically performed to provide physical relief, this procedure is designed to result in smaller breasts that are in proportion with the rest of the body.
Gynecomastia is a medical term that comes from the Greek words for "women-like breasts." The medical literature reports a wide range of incidence rates for gynecomastia and may affect one or both breasts. In the majority of cases, there is no known cause.
For men who feel self-conscious about their appearance, breast-reduction surgery can help. The procedure removes fat and or glandular tissue from the breasts and in extreme cases removes excess skin, resulting in a chest that is flatter, firmer and better contoured.
After their initial burn wounds heal, burn victims often find that that their appearance has been distorted and their function impaired. Reconstructive burn surgery can often help improve both the function and the cosmetic appearance of burn scars. Loss of joint motion or functional body parts, or changes in color and texture of burned skins all have the potential of being addressed through reconstructive surgery.
The relationship between a burn patient and the reconstructive burn surgeon often lasts many years. Treatments for scar tissue often take several months to be effective, and new issues can appear long after these injuries, especially in young patients who are still growing. Depending on the severity of the burns, patients must develop realistic expectations of the likely outcomes of these surgeries, which may involve both operative and non-operative methods.
In the early weeks of an unborn baby’s development, the right and left sides of the lip and the roof of the mouth normally grow together. In about one of every 600-1,000 babies, however, those sections don't quite meet. A child born with a separation in the upper lip is said to have a cleft lip. A similar birth defect in the roof of the mouth, or palate, is called a cleft palate. Since the lip and the palate develop separately, it is possible for a child to have a cleft lip, a cleft palate or variations of both.
If your child was born with any of these conditions, your doctor will likely recommend surgery to repair it. The medical profession has made great advances in treating these children, and can do much to help your child lead a healthy, happy and normal life.
Persons with hand injuries, degenerative disorders and birth defects of the hand today benefit from many advances in treatment. Plastic surgeons with expertise in hand surgery can help improve their function and appearance, while addressing a wide range of hand problems.
Whether a scar is caused by an accident or by surgery, it is often unpredictable. The severity of scarring can depend on everything from the size and depth of the wound, to the thickness and color of your skin, to the direction of the scar.
While no scar can be completely removed, plastic surgeons can use medications and surgical procedures to make them less obvious.
The techniques used in treating skin cancers can be life saving, but they can also be disfiguring. Depending on the location and severity of the cancer, the consequences may range from small, unsightly scars to permanent changes in the nose, ear or lip.
In such cases, your plastic surgeon can be an important part of the treatment team – no matter who removes the cancer. Reconstructive techniques, ranging from simple scar revisions to a complex transfer of tissue from other parts of the body, are used to repair damaged tissue, rebuild body parts and restore most patients to acceptable appearance and function.