The Botox Basics

Aug 22, 2014 | Uncategorized

Botox injections are a popular non-invasive cosmetic procedure used to treat crow’s feet, lines between the eyebrows, and forehead wrinkles. It’s common in pop culture to mock the stretched, unmoving faces that result from improperly administered Botox injections, but thousands of men and women in and out of the spotlight receive regular Botox treatments. Botox is an easy, relatively inexpensive way to gain more youthful skin without undergoing facelift surgery. If you want to refresh your appearance this summer without worrying about the cost and recovery of a face or neck lift, Botox may be the procedure for you.

Benefits of Botox

Botox is popular because of its minimal discomfort, short recovery time, and non-permanent status. Botox allows men and women to enhance their self-esteem by minimizing or eliminating lines around the eyes and forehead. It subtly smooths the skin, resulting in more youthful appearance without patients appearing to have “had work done.” Botox procedures require no anesthesia, take less than fifteen minutes, and cause no lasting discomfort. Although Botox is used to treat wrinkles and creases beneath the surface of the skin, studies show it may also reduce the effects of recurrent headaches or migraines.

How Much and How Often?

Cases of “Botox gone bad” are often the result of miscalculations by non-accredited physicians or misinformation on the part of the patient. The amount of Botox injected and how soon a patient should receive another treatment are determined case-by-case. Dr. Brantner will determine how much Botox is necessary based on the severity of a patient’s lines and wrinkles, the elasticity of his or her skin, and whether the patient has had previous Botox injections. Botox injections typically last between 3 and 4 months, at which time the patient can schedule another treatment. After several treatments, the effects of Botox build up, resulting in smoother skin and less frequent injections.

To schedule a non-permanent “lunchtime facelift,” call the scheduling coordinator at Dr. Brantner’s Johnson City office.

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

Questions to Ask Your Surgeon

Aug 15, 2014 | Uncategorized

The success of a cosmetic surgery procedure depends not just on the skill of the surgeon, but also on the openness of communication between the patient and the physician. Before your plastic surgery consultation, create a list of questions to ask your surgeon about the procedure. Make sure you include these on the list of questions to ask your doctor.

Cost, Facilities, and Accreditation

• Are you board certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery?
• Do you have hospital privileges?
• What experience do you have in plastic surgery?
• Will the surgery take place at an accredited ambulatory surgery center?
• What is the cost of the procedure? What additional fees can I expect?
• What payment options are available?
• Will insurance cover any of my plastic surgery costs?

Surgical Procedure

• What surgery or surgeries do you recommend based on my needs?
• Am I a good candidate for the procedure?
• Do you have before/after images I can view?
• How does the procedure work?
• What are the risks involved with this plastic surgery procedure?
• How long is the recovery period? Will a friend or relative need to care for me during my recovery?
• Will there be prolonged discomfort after the procedure?
• Will I have visible scars after my surgery?
• What are my options if I require additional surgery?

Preparing for Surgery

• Which foods and medications should I avoid leading up to my surgery?
• How long before/after the procedure should I quit smoking?
• What sort of clothes should I wear or bring to my surgery?
• When should I arrive at the surgery center?
• How long will the surgery take? Do I need a family member to stay with me?
• When do I need to schedule a follow-up appointment?
• How often should I take medication during my recovery?

Dr. Brantner will likely answer all these questions and more during a surgical consultation, but preparation helps patients feel comfortable about their plastic surgery choices. Make sure you ask your surgeon about your procedure, costs, recovery, and results before scheduling a cosmetic procedure.

 photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

Which Implant Is Right for You?

Aug 8, 2014 | Uncategorized

Once a patient chooses to have a breast augmentation, it might feel like the decisions are over. Planning plastic surgery is a personal choice that each woman must make based on her physical ideal and emotional satisfaction. However easy or difficult it is for a patient to choose a breast augmentation, she also needs to consider several factors in getting the results she wants.

Choosing the Right Implant

During a cosmetic surgery consultation, Dr. Brantner will discuss the medical procedure, educate the patient about physical limitations before and after surgery, and ask about the patient’s implant choices. Many women find it beneficial to consider their preferences beforehand. Patients must make four major decisions about their breast augmentation surgery. We will discuss size/type today and positioning/scarring next week.

1. Size of implant. Before scheduling your surgical consultation, research your desired bust size. Dr. Brantner can make suggestions based on a patient’s height and body type, but only you know exactly what aesthetic you want. Find photos of celebrities with your desired breast size whose proportions are similar to yours. Knowing your desired cup size is also beneficial, but keep in mind that the lingerie industry has inconsistent sizing. What is a B cup at one store may be a D cup at another.
2. Type of breast implant. In order to create a natural, beautiful look, you need to decide what type of implants you want. Saline breast plants are filled with sterile saltwater. If the implant were to burst, the body would absorb the saline from the implant. Saline implants create subtle ripples beneath the skin, which some women find unappealing. The gel in silicone implants feels more like natural breast tissue. If the implant leaks the gel will stay in the implant shell or trickle into the implant pocket, but silicone implants rarely collapse entirely. Women with silicone implants should visit their doctor regularly to ensure their implants are functioning properly. For more information about the shape and texture of breast implants, schedule a consultation.

Do you have questions about choosing cosmetic breast implants? Call Dr. Brantner’s office and stay tuned for next week’s blog. photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

Breast Implants (It’s All About Choices)

Aug 1, 2014 | Uncategorized

The goal of a breast augmentation is to give women larger breasts without the stretched, plastic-looking roundness of poorly placed implants. At a breast augmentation consultation, Dr. Brantner will discuss the size of implant desired by the patient, the pros and cons of saline and silicone breast implants, and details of the surgical process. Two other factors he determines with his patients are the location of the scar and the position of the implant.

Choosing a Scar Location

The incision during a breast augmentation is typically small, around an inch long. During a consultation, Dr. Brantner and his patients discuss the location of the scar. The goal is to find the least visible location for the scar. Other factors include body type, the type of the implant, and the desired size of the breasts. Dr. Brantner generally recommends a transaxillary incision (an incision along the armpit) or an incision around the nipple area, although inframammary incisions (incisions beneath the breasts) are also common incisions in breast augmentation procedures.

Breast Implant Position

When patients choose breast implants, they must choose the size, type, and location of their new breast material. Placing the implant beneath the pectoral muscle gives a more natural slope to the breast. When a woman has little natural breast tissue, placing the implant on top of the muscle can create stiff, overly round looking breasts. The same unnatural look is often created by using implants that are too large. By implanting the new breast material beneath the muscle, Dr. Brantner can create a natural, gentle slope that lacks the fake look of many celebrity breast implants. In a few special cases, Dr. Brantner recommends placing the implant over the muscle tissue. Over-the-muscle implants generally work best for competitive body builders or select women starting with at least a B-cup.

Call Dr. Brantner’s office to schedule your cosmetic consultation today.

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos