All posts by admin

​How Long Do Silicone Breast Implants Last?

How Long Do Breast Implants Last? When Should They Be Replaced?

Chest Questions, , , , , ,

As one of the most common cosmetic surgeries within the United States, breast implants are continuously growing in popularity.

As they continue to grow in popularity there are more and more misconceptions to be found when it comes to breast implants. For instance, did you know that breast implants do not last forever?

While breast implants can last for long periods of time without causing problems or needing to be removed/replaced, they are not permanent and will require some maintenance at some point in your life.

The technology used in breast implants today is much better than that of breast implants in the past, which leads to them being more stable and having a longer lifespan. This means that regardless of the type of implant you choose, you should get more life out of them today than you would have even 20 years ago.

What are the Different Types of Breast Implants?

There are two main types of breast implants these days, saline and silicone. Each different type of breast implant comes with its pros and cons, but, you’ll be safe no matter which option you choose, but you should definitely talk with your doctor to figure out which implant type is right for you.

While both saline and silicone breast implants have silicone shells, the big difference between the two lies in how the actual implant is formed. Saline breast implants are filled with sterile salt water, whereas silicone breast implants are pre-filled with silicone. This thick gel closely mimics the consistency of natural fatty tissue.

Choosing an implant type should be based on the look and feel that you’re looking to achieve, while also taking into consideration the different methods that are required to implant them in your chest. Saline implants tend to have a smaller incision due to the fact that they are inserted into the body while flat and then filled up with saline, whereas the silicone implants come pre-filled before being inserted.

This can lead to differences in healing as well as the way the implants may sit in your chest, which is why it’s very important to discuss all options with your surgeon before you make a decision.

How Long Do Breast Implants Last? Do They Need to be Replaced?

This is probably one of the most common questions people inquire about when it comes to breast augmentation surgery – how long will the results last? The answer is, while it is possible for silicone breast implants to last for a lifetime, they may need to be replaced at some point. The older 2nd generation implants typically were all ruptured or leaking by 10 years post-surgery, but the current 5th generation gel implants remain mostly intact at 10 or even 20 years.

According to the FDA, it’s important that women continuously monitor their implants throughout their lifetime. Silicone implant ruptures are difficult to detect; they cannot be detected simply by looking at or feeling the augmented breast. The gel material is inert, so if a rupture does occur, the gel will not be absorbed by the body, so the appearance will not change.

For this reason, some patients will schedule MRIs or ultrasounds to look for any changes or ruptures in the outer shell, which are two determining factors in implant replacement.

Implants must be replaced if a rupture does occur, however. Without replacement, a ruptured silicone breast implant can cause breast pain, tenderness, or changes in the shape of the breast.

While breast implants are not permanent, as in they will not last you a lifetime, they will last you quite a long time and shouldn’t give you any major issues during that time. Of course, there is always the possibility of rupture or tearing due to your lifestyle or an accident, but from regular normal levels of stress, your breast implants should last you 10-20 years.

Why Would a Breast Implant Need to be Replaced or Removed?

There are a number of reasons why you may have to get your breast implant removed or replaced as you begin to age. If the implant has not ruptured there still may be other complications that can arise from having breast implants that may be a reason to have the removed or replaced.

Rupture

As we mentioned above, if a breast implant ruptures then it must be removed or replaced. If a saline breast implant ruptures, the saline solution will harmlessly be absorbed into the body, however you may notice your breast tissue deflate fairly quickly.

If a silicone implant ruptures it may not be immediately noticeable, in terms of your breast deflating, but the silicone can start to cause a burning sensation in your chest.

Capsular Contracture

Capsular contracture is when the tissue around the breast implant begins to scar and harden. This can cause pain, misshapen breasts, breasts to be too firm, or other problems. If this happens, the breast augmentation will have to be revised.

Rippling

If you’ve experienced significant weight loss after having your implants, you may notice that your breasts appear to have slight ripples in them. Rippling is not harmful, but it may cause your breasts to look a bit off, which could be a reason you would want them removed or replaced.

Shift in Position

While the breast implants are typically implanted in an area where they cannot move around a lot, there are times when the implants do shift in the chest cavity. This can be from trauma, hard impact, or even just the way your tissue is as you get older. In many cases women opt to remove or correct the implants through a revision augmentation to ensure that the breasts are positioned exactly where they would like them on their chest.

Desire to Change Size

One of the most common reasons we see people having their breast implants removed or replaced is that they no longer like the size that they originally chose.

Deciding to go bigger or go smaller, or change the type of implant you have, will require you to have your implants removed and replaced in order to change the size.

Breast Implant Replacement or Removal

Whether you’re considering breast augmentation or simply curious about the process, understanding the basics of silicone breast implants, including how long they last, is important.

If you’d like to know more about breast augmentation surgery, contact Dr. Adams today to schedule a consultation or to ask any questions you may have.

7 Things to Know Before Getting a Breast Augmentation

7 Things You Should Know Before Getting a Breast Augmentation

Breast Augmentation, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1. Manage Your Expectations

Before you book a consultation with a plastic surgeon, it’s important to manage your expectations. Don’t go into the consultation with a set idea of what you want. Your plastic surgeon will take measurements of your body and recommend an appropriate implant size and incision location based on your unique needs.

Tissue-based planning involves measuring parts of your body, including your breast width, skin stretch, etc. Based on your measurements, Dr. Adams will be able to give you a range of recommended implants for your breast. He will also recommend the ideal incision location, which is in the inframammary fold.

The reason that the other incisions, like the areola or the armpit, are inferior to the inframammary incision is because there is a higher risk of infection or capsular contracture with other incision locations. Dr. Adams’ will also show you his high-quality scar therapy program to give your scars their best appearance.

Not everyone is built the same, so basing your expectations off of what you’ve seen work with someone else, may not be the best option for you. This is why it’s always important to talk with your doctor and get their expert opinions.

2. Be Prepared for Future Breast Revisions

While breast implants today are designed to last longer than previous generations, they are not meant to last a lifetime. There is still a chance that you may need to replace or revise your implants in the future.

The FDA recommends getting an MRI every other year to check the status of your implants. If you start to feel uncomfortable, or notice something that’s just not quite right, you should setup an appointment with your doctor to get things checked out.

Breast implants are designed to put up with normal everyday activities, but sometimes over exerting yourself, exercising too much (or the wrong way), or participating in extraneous physical activities can sometimes cause breast implants to leak or become dislodged from their normal state.

3. Knowing What to Expect from a Breast Augmentation

A common question that many women interested in breast augmentation want answered is: what will I look like after my procedure? Many offices will have women place implants in their bras or put rice in a bag and then place it in their bras to try to show them what their breasts are going to look like after their augmentation.

Instead of using rice bags or trying on different sizes of implants in a bra, opt for the Vectra 3D imaging system. It’s a more accurate way to predict what you will look like after the procedure. With 98% accuracy, you can see a 3D image of your body with different implant sizes and shapes.

After having a scan made of your chest, Dr. Adams can decide which implants will be the best fit for your body based on tissue-based planning. And since the Vectra 3D imaging system uses 3D scans of your actual body, you’ll be able to see 3D renderings of what you would actually look like with your breast implants.

4. Take a Break from Exercising

Recovery from Dr. Adams’ breast augmentation is very rapid and allows you to go back to work, pick up children under 3 years old, and even go shopping the day of your procedure. But you do need to be prepared for some restrictions, such as exercise limitations.

It’s important to take some time off from your exercise regimen for the recommended period of time after your procedure. For the first two weeks after surgery, avoid exercise that raises your heart rate above 100 beats per minute. After two weeks, you may begin cardio and after six weeks, you may begin chest-focused weightlifting.

You will have a follow-up appointment with your surgeon where he will make sure things are healing as they should and they can give you a better estimate of how long you need to limit your exercise based on your healing.

5. Your Breasts Will Sit High in Your Chest Immediately After Surgery

When implants are first placed in surgery, they are put inside the chest. This causes the tissues to move to the upper part of the breast. Because of this, women may feel like their breast implants are very high up on their chest for the first couple of weeks after the procedure. It is completely normal to feel this way, as it takes about 6-8 weeks for the bottom part of the breast to fill out and the nipple to naturally tilt up.

6. Expect Changes in Nipple Sensitivity After Breast Surgery

It is very common to not feel any sensation in your nipples after your procedure. It is also completely normal for your nipples to be more sensitive after your procedure. When your breasts are augmented, the nerves that lead to the nipple are stretched around the implant, which in turn can cause hypo- or hypersensitive nipples.

This change in sensitivity of your nipples can be temporary but can also be long-lasting. If you have concerns about the sensitivity of your nipples before or after your surgery, be sure to discuss them with your doctor.

7. Avoid Underwire Bras and Push-up Padding

After surgery, it’s important to avoid bras with underwire or push-up padding for the first 6 weeks. These types of bras can cause improper healing and may lead to other complications.

Breast augmentation surgery can be a life-changing procedure, but it’s important to understand the risks and limitations before going under the knife. Knowing these 7 things about breast augmentation will help you to ensure a successful and safe procedure. Remember to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon and discuss any concerns or questions you may have.

If you ever have any questions in regard to a breast augmentation with Dr. Adams, please call our office at 214-965-9885 or contact us online.

liquid facelift

What is a Liquid Facelift? Will it Work For You?

Non-Surgical

If given the choice between a facelift that involved surgery or a liquid facelift, most people would probably opt for the liquid facelift. However, without an understanding of what a liquid facelift is and what it does, most of those people would probably be disappointed in the results.

This isn’t because a liquid facelift doesn’t work, because it can provide great results to those that would benefit from it, it’s because most people seeking out a facelift need more help than the liquid facelift can give.

A liquid facelift is a great way to help fix minor problem areas in people that wouldn’t necessarily require a full surgical facelift yet. It’s for younger people looking make minor adjustments to fat loss and small amounts of loose skin in the face and neck area. It’s not going to be the solution to fix major jawline issues or extreme sagging skin, but it can present a more youthful look overall.

What is a Liquid Facelift?

A liquid facelift technically is neither liquid nor a facelift. It is a minimally invasive procedure that uses injectables under the skin in the face and neck area, to help plump up certain problem areas. It can also help smooth out wrinkles around the eyes and in the folds between the nose and mouth.

A liquid facelift relies on injectable fillers like Radiesse, Restylane, Juvederm, and Sculptra to help fill in problem areas without having to undergo surgery. These fillers are injected under the skin to help replace fat and collagen that has been lost due to the aging process. It helps reduce that aging look that some people get as their skin begins to sag over time.

While this procedure is non-invasive, it still requires a needle to inject the fillers under the skin. Similar to the way that Botox is injected. In fact, when used in combination with Botox, patients tend to see better results.

But who will see the biggest benefit from a liquid facelift?

Patients in their 30s and 40s tend to respond best to the liquid facelift procedures as their skin still maintains a higher level of elasticity and the sagging and appearance of their face isn’t as drastic as someone in their 50s or 60s.

Now that’s not to say that a liquid facelift can’t be performed on older patients, it just means that the results may not be as good as a person may be expecting. Once the skin loses its elasticity and they lose more and more fat and collagen under the skin, adding fillers to the areas can cause the face to look bloated, puffy, and unnatural.

In these cases, a traditional surgical facelift is most likely the best option if you want to get the best results. But as with any surgical or non-surgical procedure, talk with your doctor before making any decisions on which method is right for you.

Benefits of a Liquid Facelift

The main benefit of a liquid facelift is that it is not a surgical procedure. Since the doctor will be using injectables as opposed to actually removing excess skin and tissue, the procedure is quicker, less uncomfortable, requires less recovery time, and is more cost effective.

However, because of those benefits you lose out on the longevity of the procedure. A liquid facelift will not last forever, whereas a traditional surgical facelift is more permanent and will last many years before you start to notice the effects of aging catching up with you.

The downside of the liquid facelift is that you’ll never be able to receive the results that you would get from a traditional surgical facelift, it’s not just possible.

How Long Does a Liquid Facelift Last?

As with most injectable procedures, the effects of a liquid facelift are only temporary. As time marches on, your body will slowly break down the fillers that have been injected into your body and you’ll start to lose the effect.

This process generally takes anywhere between 6 and 24 months, and depends on the type of filler used, where the filler was injected, and the amount of filler that was used. If you wish to maintain the look acquired after a liquid facelift, it would be best to setup a treatment plan with your doctor for regular visits.

How Much Does a Liquid Facelift Cost?

On average a liquid facelift can cost between $2000 – $7000 depending on how much work needs to be done, your geographical location, and other extraneous factors. But in most cases, you can expect to pay roughly somewhere between these amounts.

A traditional facelift can range between $7500 – $15000 depending on the location of the surgeon, the surgeon themselves, and how much work is required to achieve the desired results.

As you can see, a traditional facelift comes at a much steeper cost as well as a longer recovery period.

Liquid Facelift vs. Traditional Surgical Facelift

Both procedures have their pros and cons, but the important thing to remember is to listen to your doctor or surgeon. They have been performing these procedures for a long time and have firsthand experience with the results.

They will be able to give you a better understanding of whether or not you would even see the benefits of a liquid facelift, or if a surgical facelift would give you the results you’re looking for. There’s nothing worse than going through a non-surgical procedure expecting the results to look one way, and then being disappointed with how they actually turned out.

Liquid facelifts are not going to bring your face and neck back to what they were when you were in your 20’s, but if you’re looking for minor improvements as you reach your 30’s and 40’s, this procedure is a great way to bring back some of that youthfulness you may have lost over the years.

5 Surprising Habits That Could be Causing Your Breasts to Sag

5 Surprising Habits That Could be Causing Your Breasts to Sag

Beautiful Breasts, , , , , , , , ,

Breast feeding, age, genetics – they may all play a role in your breasts sagging a little lower than you’d like. But these uncontrollable life forces aren’t all that can cause your boobs to sag.

While we would all love it if boobs didn’t adhere to the rules of gravity or succumb to the effects of aging, there are some things that you can avoid that could help prevent your boobs from sagging in the future.

These things won’t totally prevent sagging boobs, but these are things that we can control, whereas the other outside forces working against your breasts are out of your control.

One of the biggest complaints we hear from women time-after-time is that they don’t like they way their sagging breasts look. Because of this breast augmentation and breast lifts have become extremely popular over the years among women as they get older or after they have children.

Sagging breasts are just one of those things that most women will have to deal with as they get older, but thankfully there are some things you can do to help limit the effects.

Let’s take a look at five surprising everyday habits that can cause your boobs to sag.

How to Help Prevent Sagging Breasts

1. Stop Smoking

There’s a long list of reasons to stop smoking, and you can add “causes droopy breasts” to the top of it. A small study found that more women who sought breast lifts had sagging breasts from smoking than from breastfeeding. Smoking breaks down the proteins in breast tissue that gives breasts their firmness. It also affects the breast skin the same way it does in any other area – by drying it out and creating wrinkles.

If you’ve been smoking for a long time you can still prevent future damage to your skin, as well as your breasts, and lungs. The best time to quit smoking is right now even if you think the damage has already been done. The continued smoking can only make things worse. It can cause the elasticity in your skin to fail and your breasts to stretch and sag even more as you continue to smoke and age. 

2. Avoid Yo-Yo Dieting or Gaining/Losing Weight

Breast tissue is mainly fat, so when you lose and gain weight repeatedly, the fat cells within the breasts expand and then shrink. The breasts are often the first place you gain or lose fat, and when it happens over and over, it wears down the elastin proteins in the breast and causes them to be permanently stretched.

Obviously this one is easier said than done for a lot of people, but by adhering to a healthy diet and limiting the fatty foods that you eat, you can help reduce how often the skin on your breasts stretches and constricts.

3. Work on Better Posture

Your mom was right when she told you to, “Sit up straight!” If you need another reason to put your cell phone down and take a break from the computer, perky breasts are that reason. If you spend a lot of time hunched forward, it can take a toll on your neck, back, shoulders and, yes, even your breasts.

Regularly sitting or standing with poor posture means gravity is pulling the breasts further downward and stretching the tissue and elastin fibers in the breasts. So stand straight, sit tall, and try to do some releasing, chest opening stretches daily to help keep your breasts up where they should be.

In addition to your posture, a well-fitting bra, with ample support can also help prevent gravity from pulling down on your skin and causing it to lose its elasticity.

4. Sleeping Positions

Some people have indicated that sleep can affect breast aesthetics. It can be tough to control how you sleep – since you’re asleep at the time. But your sleeping position at night might impact how perky your bust looks by day. Bad news if you’re a side sleeper or a stomach sleeper: over time, those positions can affect the shape of your breasts. Sleeping on your stomach compresses your breasts into the mattress and can prevent healthy blood flow to the area, while sleeping on one side can cause the ligaments and tissue to stretch unevenly as gravity pulls the breasts down further on that side.

Sleeping on your back or using a body pillow for support while you sleep on your side are the best ways to prevent the effects of gravity from working their dark magic on your unsuspecting breasts while you sleep. Wearing a bra while you sleep may or may not help. For women with larger breasts, a bra could be more comfortable and provide added support and lift that will fend off the dreaded sag.

Dr. Adams does not think there is any scientific proof for the sleeping position nay-sayers, but getting plenty of sleep in itself may help your body more than any physical harm that sleeping in certain positions may produce.

5. Beware of the Sun – Wear Sunscreen

Another “no-no” we all know but sometimes ignore is skipping sunscreen. Not wearing sunscreen can also have detrimental effects on your breasts. Breast skin is sensitive, and it should be protected from the sun to the same degree as the skin on the face or neck any time it might be exposed.

Experts recommend daily sunscreen use for the face and neck anytime you’re outside, even if you’re not sunbathing or exposed for extended periods of time. The same rule of thumb should apply to exposed skin on your breasts. When you apply your daily moisturizer with SPF, just extend it a little further down. Don’t forget to lather up with SPF from head to toe if you’re heading to the beach or pool. A tan looks good, but vibrant skin and perky breasts look even better.

Habits Causing Sagging Boobs

By making some simple adjustments to your lifestyle you may be able to stave off gravity for a little bit longer than if you continue with some of these bad habits. These adjustments aren’t going to immediately make your breasts less saggy, but over time they can keep your skin as tight as possible, and as healthy as possible, thus helping to keep your boobs perky and help prevent sagging.

Are bad habits causing your breasts to droop a little more than you’d like? We hope these tips help you to keep your breasts in tiptop shape for as long as possible. If your breasts have already succumb to sagging, all is not lost! Breast lifts can restore your youthful breasts by raising and reshaping sagging ones. Just take a look at our patients’ before and after breast lift photos here!

cooltone

What is CoolTone and How Does it Work?

Non-Surgical

Toning up the muscles on your body used to take months of hard work, and there was no real guarantee of success. Now there is a revolutionary new technology that can give your body a sculpted, toned look in just a few minutes and without any downtime!

This non-invasive procedure is called CoolTone and was recently given approval by the FDA as a medical device that can help people gain muscle tone. It’s manufactured by Allergen, the same company that introduced Botox and Coolsculpting to the world.

We’re going to look at what CoolTone is, how it works, and what you can expect from a treatment session.

What is CoolTone?

Despite the word “cool” in its name, CoolTone doesn’t freeze the fat like Coolsculpting does. Instead, it’s intended to help tone and strengthen the muscles in your body. The procedure is performed in the privacy and safety of a plastic surgery office in an outpatient setting.

The device itself looks like a box on four wheels. On top is a computer screen that allows the surgeon or highly trained technician to monitor and control the procedure. Attached to the box is a wand which is slowly moved along the target area of the body where the patient is trying to achieve more muscle definition.

How Does CoolTone Treatment Work? Does it Hurt?

CoolTone treatment works by a process called magnetic muscle stimulation (MMS). It sends electromagnetic energy into the muscles in your body, which then cause involuntary contractions. It feels like a light, but non-painful, muscle spasm.

The body then starts to strengthen the muscles underneath the treatment area. Over time, the muscles will become firmer, stronger, and more toned. CoolTone is primarily intended for the improvement and strengthening of the abdominal muscles as well as toning of the thighs and buttocks.

What Areas of the Body Work Best with CoolTone Treatments?

Based on the way that CoolTone works, by stimulating your muscles, it would make sense that it is best used on muscular areas of the body.

The areas of your body that are going to best respond to CoolTone treatment are areas like your abs, butt, arms, and thighs.

Sagging buttocks, loose muscle on the thighs and under arms, and even loose ab muscles are all great reasons to try CoolTone.

Remember, CoolTone is not designed to build or increase your muscles, it’s designed to help tighten and tone your existing muscles. So this will not have the ability to build muscle that doesn’t already exist.  

If you’re looking to tighten up areas of your body, then CoolTone is a great way to stimulate and work those muscles without having to exercise. It can give you more toned legs and abs, while also providing results similar to a butt lift, but in a non-surgical way.

How Long Does CoolTone Last? Is It Permanent?

Since CoolTone treatments are non-surgical procedures the results are not permanent. You can expect the results to last about six months before you may need to go in for another session, but keep in mind that everyone is different.

Everyone’s body will respond differently to the treatment and your results may vary from that of someone else. Six months is the general length for which you should expect to experience the results, but it could be less, and it could be more.

The results will be most obvious shortly after having the treatment and the effects will wear off the longer removed you are from the last session. If the muscles that were stimulated using CoolTone are not maintained, then they will begin to revert back to their original state over time.

If you love your new look and want to prolong the effects of the treatment, then light exercise and muscle toning workouts are a great way to keep your muscles looking and feeling great.

How Many Sessions Do I Need?

It is recommended that you have at least 4 sessions within a 2-week period to help get the results you are looking for. Each session lasts about 30 minutes, and you can go back to your normal routine after the session is completed.

If you would like to maintain the results from your initial sessions, then coming back for another treatment session of 3-6 months is recommended.

CoolTone vs. Emsculpt

Emsculpt is a competing device and was released in 2018. It was one of the very first muscle-building devices on the market. While it works similarly to CoolTone, the difference is that the latter has 50 percent more magnetic intensity (1.35 T versus 0.9 T) at the point of contact. It should also be noted that the clinical significance of the extra magnetic intensity has not yet established.

CoolTone is also manufactured by Allergen, the same company that owns Botox. Allergen is a well-known medical company and spends a lot of money on research and development of their products.

While there is very little difference between the two products, many surgeons and their patients tend to prefer CoolTone over Emsculpt because of their familiarity and reputation of the Allergen brand and family of products. That’s not to say that Emsculpt is inferior, but rather just a personal preference amongst those who have had the procedure performed.

Cooltone vs. Coolsculpting – Difference between Coolsculpting and CoolTone?

Coolsculpting is another FDA-approved medical device that has been proven to help reduce fat in problem areas and is one of the most effective non-surgical fat loss treatments on the market.

It uses extreme cold to freeze—and kill—fat cells. The human body will then naturally absorb and remove the fat cells. CoolTone, on the other hand, uses electromagnetic energy to stimulate the muscles, which encourages them to strengthen and tone up.

It’s entirely possible to schedule CoolTone and CoolSculpting in the same session. The abdomen is a very popular area to have both of these procedures performed, which can help reduce fat and build muscle without any incisions or recovery time!

What is the Cost of CoolTone?

The total cost of an entire CoolTone treatment depends on how many sessions the plastic surgeon thinks you’ll need to achieve the desired results. The best way to find out what it will cost is to make an appointment.

Generally speaking, most patients will need to undergo four treatments in two weeks. Many people who have gotten the CoolTone procedure performed have stated that they already can start to feel their core strength improved after just one session.

CoolTone Side Effects? Is it Safe?

There are some medical conditions where CoolTone isn’t recommended. This is why it’s highly advisable to speak with a plastic surgeon to learn if CoolTone is right for you. Some of the more common side effects can include temporary muscle spasms, muscular pain, localized skin redness, and temporary joint or tendon pain.

In most cases there are no serious side effects from the use of CoolTone. When performed by a properly trained specialist it is an extremely safe procedure.

CoolTone is performed in an outpatient setting, and most procedures last around 30-minutes. There is no downtime after a treatment session, and the patient can leave the plastic surgery office and return to their regular daily routine.

CoolTone for Muscle Toning

If you’re looking for a great way to tighten and tone those muscles in your arms, thighs, abs, or buttocks, then CoolTone is a great non-surgical option.

These non-surgical treatments are never going to be as good as an actual surgical procedure, but for areas that maybe don’t have a good surgical option, or for people that would rather not go under the knife, these non-surgical procedures have come a long way over the years and will only continue to get better.