Breast Reduction Gaining Popularity

We’ve all heard of someone undergoing a breast augmentation (implants) procedure. But did you know that breast reduction surgery is among one of the most popular procedures in cosmetic surgery? In fact, according to the Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank statistics, more than 100,000 women had like-surgeries in 2012.

But why?

Large or oversized breasts can cause a number of mental and physical strains including but not limited to:

  • Poor posture
  • Decreased range of motion
  • The inability to enjoy physical activity or exercise
  • Shoulder pain
  • Painful indentations on the shoulders from bra straps
  • Rashes along the breast folds
  • Neck pain
  • Back pain
  • Wardrobe selection trouble
  • The need for special (and expensive) undergarments

Breast reduction is a procedure that can eliminate the above-mentioned symptoms, and is most often achieved through a combination of liposuction and surgery. Once excess tissue, fat and skin has been removed to decrease the size of the breast, the breasts are meticulously contoured. The areola can also be reduced in size at this time and is repositioned along with the nipple to adhere to the new shape of the breast.

Because breast reduction provides patients with such positive life-altering results, and because many insurance companies will cover this procedure (assuming certain requirements are met), we’ve seen a tremendous increase in popularity across the U.S., and right here in Bloomfield Hills at Amae Plastic Surgery Center.

If you are currently considering this procedure, or are just interested in collecting more information at this time, please contact us. Although having too large of breasts is often a problem from an early age, it is most often recommended to wait until breasts are fully developed to undergo a breast reduction surgery.

As a reminder, online research should never serve as a substitute for a professional consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon!

Can You Go Out In The Sun After a Chemical Peel?

If you are unhappy with facial blemishes, wrinkles or uneven skin pigmentation, a chemical peel may be the perfect solution for improving the texture of your facial skin. When a patient undergoes a chemical peel, a chemical solution is applied to the face and works to remove the sun-damaged outer layers of the skin. Chemical peels promote the regeneration of new and healthy layers.

Every chemical peel procedure is different and depends on the patient’s unique condition and desired results. Some chemical solutions contain a much higher concentration of chemicals than others and will result in a deeper peel.

Whether you have a low concentration chemical peel or a high concentration chemical peel, it is extremely important that you avoid exposure to direct sunlight. Following a procedure of this kind, you may have some stinging, redness, and irritation. Don’t forget that your skin is in a delicate state; the outer layers have been removed and this leaves you at risk for a serious sunburn. In addition to actually burning, direct sun can often result in an undesirable pigmentation of the treated skin. You may be instructed to avoid sun tanning or intentional sun exposure for a few days or even a few months following your procedure, so that your skin has time to regenerate.

Your qualified aesthetician should always provide you with specific instruction for aftercare, regardless of what type of procedure is performed. If you are interested in having a chemical peel, only trust a skilled specialist with extensive training. To find out which type of chemical peel is right for you, contact Amae Plastic Surgery Center.

Breast Augmentation, Reduction and Reconstruction Seminar

Have you been considering a breast augmentation, breast reduction or breast reconstruction but would like to get more information? Dr. Ali will be conducting Advances in Plastic Surgery: Understanding Breast Augmentation, a one-hour seminar on Tuesday, August 27th from 5-6pm at St. Joseph hospital in Port Huron, Michigan.

Dr. Ali is a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery. During this seminar Dr. Ali will explore plastic surgery options available to meet the unique needs of individual patients who are ultimately working toward obtaining a healthy self-image. This seminar will be a solid overview of breast enhancement surgery for anyone who is considering a procedure either now or in the near future.

This free event includes hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. For more information and to make your reservation to attend, please call 1-888-MERCYME (1-888-637- 2963). Seating is limited and registration is required.

Solutions For Flabby or Saggy Arms

It’s summertime and you’re too embarrassed to wear short sleeves. Why? You may refer to this condition as “bat wings” or “flabby arms.”

To battle saggy arms, there are a number of solutions. Two of them include aerobic exercise to burn fat and strength training to tone muscle. Although, as we age many of us experience an increase in body fat due to our slowing metabolism and a decrease in muscle tone. All the hard work in the world may not accomplish your desired appearance, causing you to veto short sleeves or sleeveless tops.

In addition to age, weight loss and gravity can also cause arm tissue to relax and appear saggy. The drooping skin, if severe enough, can compromise personal hygiene, in addition to appearance.

Patients who are very unhappy with “bat wings” or saggy arms, and are not having any luck with diet and exercise, sometimes choose to undergo brachioplasty surgery. This type of procedure reshapes the underside of sagging upper arms by removing excess skin and fat.

There are many different approaches to brachioplasty surgery, and nearly all include some form of liposuction. An incision is made in the armpit and can sometimes extend down to the elbow depending on how much skin or fat needs to be removed.

Are you currently unhappy with the appearance of your arms? If so, we recommend visiting a board-certified plastic surgeon such as Dr. Ali. Dr. Ali will take the time to get to know you, to understand your goals and to provide you with information you need to make the best decision regarding plastic surgery.

Click here to contact Dr. Ali at Amae Plastic Surgery Center today.

What Is A Liquid Face Lift?

A liquid face lift is a highly successful non-surgical alternative to plastic surgery. Liquid face lift procedures typically involve a series of facial filler injections into various “problem” areas of the face.

In the past decade, we have seen an explosion in the popularity of non-surgical procedures, which has resulted in several new FDA-approved products being introduced.

Facial filler products include but are not limited to: BOTOX®, XEOMIN®, Juvederm®, Restylane®, BELOTERO BALANCE ®, Dysport®, Sculptra®, and RADIESSE®. These injections, often used in conjunction with each other, provide lifting, plumping, smoothing and re-contouring.

The benefits of a liquid face lift include, but are not limited to:

  • A non-invasive rejuvenation of the face
  • Very fast, sometimes immediate results
  • Short procedure times (many procedures take only 20-30 minutes)
  • Little recovery time (many patients return to work the same day)

Patients may experience some tenderness or redness surrounding the injection sites, but side effects such as infection or allergic reaction are very rare.

While with most products, results can be seen immediately, they are not permanent like a surgical facelift. A liquid face lift will only improve the look of aging for six months to a year, depending on the product(s) used. Liquid face lifts require touch-up procedures over time to maintain the patient’s desired appearance.

Patients seeking more permanent results which will change the elements of the face may instead consider a surgical procedure such as a facelift, brow lift or eye lift.

We strongly advise anyone looking to have a liquid face lift of any kind to schedule a professional consultation with a plastic surgeon that is board-certified by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Although liquid face lifts are non-surgical procedures, patients often see the best results when selecting a skilled specialist with extensive training surrounding facial aesthetics. Every product is different, as is every patient. Only a board-certified plastic surgeon can determine which procedure and product is best for you.

If you are considering injectables, fillers or a liquid facelift, contact Amae Plastic Surgery Center today.

New Breast Implant Approved

Mentor Worldwide, maker of high quality implants for breast augmentation announced it has received FDA approval on a new implant. The MemoryShape is an anatomically-shaped cohesive silicone gel implant designed to be used in breast augmentation and breast reconstruction.

The silicone gel in the MemoryShape breast implant contains more cross-linking compared to the silicone gel used in Mentor’s previously approved implant. This increased cross-linking results in a silicone gel that is firmer.

Research shows that patient satisfaction with breast augmentation is 98 percent, and continued advancements such as this will only serve to maintain and improve this number. Women now have more choices than ever to achieve a natural result, and plastic surgeons have another safe alternative to offer.

As with all FDA approvals, Mentor is required to conduct a series of post-approval studies to assess long-term safety and effectiveness.

This approval makes the Mentor MemoryShape implant the fifth FDA-approved silicone gel-filled breast implant available in the United States.

Breast Augmentation Patients Report High Satisfaction

Breast augmentation continues to be one of the most popular plastic surgeries and a study published in the May 2013 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery shows that satisfaction rates are high. More than 91% of the 225 patients interviewed said the procedure met or exceeded their expectations and 98.7% indicated they would do it again. Furthermore, 91.1% of those surveyed reported increased self-esteem, and 64.3% reported improved quality of life.

Careful screening and the proper setting of expectations play a role in this level of satisfaction. Dr. Ali is very thorough and careful in assessing each patient’s health and expectations for the surgery. This insures that expectations and realistic and achievable.

If you are considering breast augmentation in Michigan, contact Dr. Ali to discuss your options. For further information on breast enhancement procedures, download Dr. Ali’s free whitepaper Introduction to Cosmetic Breast Enhancement: Understanding Your Options.

Is Social Media Driving a Trend?

In a recent survey of 753 plastic surgeons, doctors indicated they are seeing an increase in requests for plastic surgery and anti-aging procedures that is being driven by people’s desire to look good online and in social profiles. Some surgeons have speculated that this could be contributing to an increased demand for Botox, upper-arm lifts, nose re-shaping, and facelifts.

Of course, everyone wants to look good all the time, but plastic surgery is a very personal decision, and should only be undertaken to satisfy yourself, not others. In fact, there are many ways to improve your profile photo without plastic surgery.

First, make sure you have a great photo. Not surprisingly, photos taken by a professional photographer in a controlled and well lit setting are much higher quality and much more flattering than those “mug-shot” style photos taken against a white wall.

Also, an understanding of the application of cosmetics and your own physique can make a huge improvement in your profile pic. If you have a good side, make sure to get the shot from that side. If you’ve never had a professional makeup consultation, consider one.

There are many other ways to upgrade our profile photo. For a good article on this, visit check out Hello Gorgeous! 10 Tips to Look Great in Any Photo from Style Magazine.

Anti Aging: Don’t Forget Your Neck

Many women use a variety of products and undergo anti-aging facial treatments like Botox®. While these are very effective, it’s important to remember to also treat your neck with kindness. A person’s overall look can be compromised by an aging neck.

If you use daily anti-aging products, make sure to include you neck when washing and moisturizing. In order to decrease pulling on the skin, apply products in an upward motion so that you’re not stretching the skin in a downward fashion.

For quality anti-aging skincare products, consider a daily regimen from Image Skincare, Obaji or NeoCutis. An extensive line of these products is available from Amae Plastic Surgery Center. We also offer a full range of anti-aging treatments, injectables and surgical procedures. For more information, contact us today.

What is an Arm Lift?

According to the recent statistics, arm lifts are on the rise. So, what is an arm lift?

The procedure, also called brachioplasty, is designed to remove the flabby skin and fat beneath the upper arm (from the elbow to the shoulder). Often times, even with good muscle tone and regular workouts there is still excess skin in this area, causing that “wiggle” beneath the upper arm.

An arm lift may include a combination of liposuction (for fat removal) and surgery to remove excess skin. An incision is made beneath or toward the back of the arm, and the length of the incision may vary. In some cases, incisions can be small and supporting tissue tightened.

An arm lift improves the contour of the upper arm, and the results typically are long-lasting provided proper weight is maintained.

If you are considering plastic surgery, contact Dr. Ali of Amae Plastic Surgery Center for a confidential consultation.