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Robert T. Buchanan, M.D.
- Suite 202
209 Hospital Drive
Highlands, NC 28741 - Tel: Click for phone number
- Fax: 828-526-9730
- Send E-mail
- www.plasticsurgerytoday.com
Answered Questions
Q:
Which liposuction should I choose?
I am a 33 year old female, 5'5" and weigh 175 pounds. The only surgery I have ever had is a D & C. I just quit smoking so that I can be healthy to have liposuction on my upper and lower abdomen. I gained my weight from birth control medication which I stopped taking last year. I've joined a gym and do boot camp every other day but still cannot lose the weight. I'm unsure as whether to do laser lipo or normal lipo. Which one heals faster with less recovery time, less visible scarring and discomfort?
A:
It really does not matter what type of liposuction you have. They all can have the same results and the same rapid recovery. It is the surgeon that makes the difference. Many of the people doing liposuction are not even surgeons and have had almost no training. It is the training and experience that makes the difference in results and recovery. Therefore, make sure your "surgeon" is really such. All members of this society are board certified and surgeons with at least 5-8 years training before starting their practice. Also ask about experience in liposuction and results.
Q:
Does liposuction increase the risk of cellulite?
I have read some reviews where people said they had to have cellulite treatments after liposuction because during recovery they noticed the area became riddled with it. Is it true that liposuction can cause cellulite?
A:
Liposuction does not cause "Cellulite." If anything, it can reduce it. "Cellulite is bumpiness or waviness of the skin from fat filling the areas between fascial (the heavy tissue that connects the skin to the underlying muscle covering) bands causing the skin to bulge. If you have this problem, removing the fat from the deeper layers will not address the 'cellulite." To do this one has to use a very small canula and liposuction the superficial compartment. This has to be done very carefully to prevent dimpling of the skin. This is why it is important to select a plastic surgeon with significant experience in liposuction if you decide to do this.
Q:
How long is it safe to be under general anesthesia for a Breast Aug/Breast Lift along with a Tummy Tuck?
I recently heard on the news of a person having a Breast Augmentation/Breast Lift, and a Tummy Tuck along with Liposuction of the neck and passing away a few days later. It has not deterred me from having surgery, but from having them done together. I do see that people having these procedures done together outweighs the death occurrences that do occur. I also feel that before I plan on doing this surgery that I will get a full physical. I do believe that I am healthy enough for surgery but wonder if anything longer than 2-3 hours of anesthesia is too much.
A:
Breast lift/augmentation, tummy tuck and liposuction are frequently done together. However, to be safe the patient should stay overnight in a certified facility because of the length of the surgery and the extent of the surgery. When this is done and other precautions are taken the procedures are as safe as doing them separately. There are, however, many physicians who are not board certified plastic surgeons doing these procedures who do not have access to certified facilities that require certain qualifications of the surgeons that practice there. Make sure your surgeon is qualified and the facility is certified.
R.T. Buchanan, MD
Q:
How long a period of time should be set aside for effective skin resurfacing acne treatments done in the United States?
I am a 27 year-old woman living in Asia. Can you tell me how much time I should plan for effective skin resurfacing acne treatments to be performed in the United States?
A:
Laser resurfacing for acne scarring is a complex process. The actual down time and initial healing is relatively rapid, 1 to 2 weeks. The preoperative preparation is what takes the longest. I require a minimal of 6 weeks of skin prep with hydroquinone and Retin-A in people of northern European descent and prefer 12 weeks in people who have a significant propensity to hyperpigment or have darker skin. I generally use the Obagi system, but other methods also work. Additionally, you must have your acne under total control if it is still active. Post procedure you will be quite red for a month or so. This can be covered with a camouflage make-up. In short, this is not something you can just go somewhere and have done and go home. It has to be planned and the prep started months in advance.
R.T. Buchanan, MD
Q:
How can you tell the difference between breast hardening from augmentation or cancer?
I've had my implants since I was 23; I'm now 36. My right breast is starting to feel more firm than the left one. I don't notice it so much when I'm leaning forward but lying on my back is when it feels much firmer. I can't tell whether this would be a capsular problem or firmness of the breast caused by cancer. Please advise.
A:
Both breast cancer and implant capsular contracture feel firm. The trick is to determine if the firmness is round and smooth like an implant would be and in the proper place. The normal breast tissue can usually be felt above this. Inflammatory breast cancer, however, can also be smooth and round. Therefore, you need an expert examining your breasts and possibly a mammogram or MRI to tell if this is a peri-implant capsular contracture or a breast cancer. Make an appointment with a plastic surgeon immediately.
R. T. Buchanan, MD