December 28th, 2008 Kenneth M. Rose MD
Does your fourteen year old want a nose job? Does your seventeen year old want her thighs liposucked? Children present a special problem for plastic surgeons.
In general, anything besides a purely reconstructive procedure should be carefully considered by you, your child and your surgeon. It is not necessarily wrong to have a minor undergo a cosmetic procedure, but many are not emotionally equipped to deal with the physical changes, even if the result is surgically terrific, and even more are unable to with the complications should they arise. (In case you you didn’t know, all surgery does carry with it inherent complications.) I’m certainly not singling out the young in this regard. There are many older people, both men and women, who find it hard to deal with the physical changes cosmetic surgery brings. It can be extra difficult for those still finding their way in the world.
In addition, children’s bodies are always changing. Some “problems” may just disappear on their own if they are given enough time.
Finally, make sure that your child, and not you, wants the surgery. All too often I have mothers come in to the office with say that their sixteen year old “wants a breast reduction.” It’s clear that the poor girl has very large breasts, but it’s frequently the mother who wants the surgery rather than the patient. This is never a good situation and no surgeon should ever agree to operate under these conditions.
Cosmetic surgery in the young is a collaborative effort between the surgeon, the parents and the patient. It is a decision that should be made very carefully.
Posted in Children and Plastic Surgery, Home | Comments Off
December 25th, 2008 Kenneth M. Rose MD
A little known thought among patients considering nose jobs is the quality of their nasal skin. It is very important. If a patient has skin that is too thick (usually seen in men), the work done by the surgeon underneath will not show as well. The result is frequently a nose that looks the same as it did before surgery. On the other hand, a thin skinned nose (usually seen with women) may show too much of the rearranging underneath and make the nose look odd.
I would compare a thick skinned nose to someone lying on a bed under a thick quilt. You can’t see the outline of the body. A thin skinned nose is like someone that is lying under only a sheet-you can see everything. (Or maybe too much.)
So before you think about having a nose job, think about your skin. It makes a huge difference.
Posted in Home, Nose Jobs | 1 Comment »
December 25th, 2008 Kenneth M. Rose MD
As patients begin to grow older and endure instances such as stress, many times, their true age may begin to be revealed through the eyes, causing patients to experience imperfections such as sagging skin, “bags,” drooping, and wrinkling throughout the upper and lower eyelids.
Eyelid surgery (“blepharoplasty”) can be a beneficial procedure to assist patients in achieving a more refreshed appearance.
Types of Eyelid Surgery
If needed on the upper eyelids, upper eyelid surgery can performed to help remove pockets of fat and excess skin through an incision located on the natural creases of the upper eyelids.
Commonly performed in conjunction with upper eyelid surgery, lower eyelid surgery can also be used to reduce excess fat from the inside of the lower eyelids through an incision hidden within the lower eyelashes.
Performed at our state-of-the-art surgical center, patients can look forward to receiving excellent care during their stay.
Dedicated to providing patients with optimal results, eyelid surgery could help you attain the refreshed, younger looking appearance you desire. With incisions carefully disguised on the upper and lower eyelids, patients will be able to enjoy long-lasting, natural-looking results.
Posted in Eyelid Surgery | 1 Comment »
December 22nd, 2008 Kenneth M. Rose MD
There was a great article in the New York Times today. It explains the concerns Plastic Surgeons have when choosing patients to operate on. In brief, if you’ve been in practice long enough, you’ve met all of these types. Read it to see life from our side of the exam table.
However, I wish discuss how patients should choose a surgeon. My best advise is to choose someone you feel comfortable with. We all hope your surgery goes well and usually it does. But remember, nothing is ever guaranteed. If something goes wrong your procedure you want someone who you think will help you through your tummy tuck complication with kindness and compassion. Of course there are other normal considerations: board certification, recommendations from friends or other patients, and the overall feeling you get from the office and staff. It is frequently a tough choice and I empathize, but try to understand, the doctor-patient relationship is a two way street. You need to trust us and we need to trust you.
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December 7th, 2008 Kenneth M. Rose MD
This is a good article from The New York Times about Gerald Pittman a plastic surgeon here in Manhattan. It makes a strong case of how to avoid plastic surgery. I think it’s a little exaggerated, like surgery is the absolute last resort (after all he makes his living by operating), but there is a lot of truth to it.
Believe it or not most good plastic surgeons turn down a large percentage of their prospective patients. Some are just not candidates for surgery. That could be because they are not psychologically realistic about the results, they are poor candidates for the particular surgery they want (i.e. an obese person wants a tummy tuck or a heavy smoker wants a facelift) or the surgeon’s personality and the patient’s just don’t mesh.
The best thing you can do as a patient is be realistic about the results (liposuction and tummy tucks are not dieting substitutes) and try to be in the best physical shape before the procedure. This combination of positive attitutde, good surgical judgement on the part of your surgeon and prime physical condition, is the best way to insure a a great result.
Posted in Facelift, Plastic Surgery, Tummy Tuck | 3 Comments »