Now that Dr. Mary Powers has opened an office in Westlake Village, CA, her two practices offer plastic surgery from Long Beach to Beverly Hills in Southern California. A Board Certified plastic surgeon with over 20 years experience, Dr. Powers chose Westlake Village because she says it appeals to her to her “aesthetic sense as a place to live and work!”
WLV (pop. around 9,000) residents are wealthy (average income is over six figures) and many are college educated. Attracting both retired people,as well as young families, the town is like a “mini South Hampton, but with a lower pretense factor,” Dr. Powers says. “We have a lake instead of a beach [although the Malibu beach is 15 minutes away] and many country clubs,” she adds. “I love the area physically. It is surrounded by rolling, green hills and looks and feels like a different country from LA, but it’s only 40 minutes away. There’s no traffic and you can’t see the air. The streets are wide, well designed and clean and they don’t have potholes.”
And, oh yes, while WSV residents care about keeping their well-planned community safe, secure and attractive, they also care about their appearance. That is surely a good thing for Dr. Powers!
{Life Changing Plastic Surgery Story} “It was my first time ever wearing a two-piece swimsuit!”
Julia* on the beach post-op
Julia* (name changed to protect privacy), 55, doesn’t cover up at the beach. But this wasn’t always the case. “I was looking in a mirror and my boobs were just hanging there,” this flight attendant and mother of three recalls thinking, about two years ago. Julia knew working out and dieting would not resolve this issue, so she decided surgery was “the perfect choice.” It was an opportune time for her to have this done, as her skin was “already stretched out” with “deflated” breasts and a saggy tummy from three C-sections. After extensively discussing her options with Dr. Jeffrey Ditesheim, Julia scheduled her surgery.
Did you always want to have plastic surgery?
I haven’t always been obsessed with it. I thought that if i took care of myself in my 20s and 30s, I would benefit from it in my 50s. Eating healthy and working out always helped my physical appearance.
How did you meet Dr. Ditesheim? What was your consultation like?
I used his aesthetician for years before i looked at him for surgery. He is so informative. You have very few questions when you leave his office. My biggest concern was to come out of the surgery looking believable. Dr. Ditesheim listens to what you want.
What surgery did you ultimately decide on?
He did breast implants and a tummy tuck. I went in to Dr. Ditesheim thinking I would just have him do a lift, but I didn’t have enough breast tissue to do that.
What implants did you get?
I got silicone implants, which were suitable for my extra skin. I wanted to be close in size to how I was in my 20s. I didn’t want to be any bigger than that. The surgery was performed at the doctor’s office, because I don’t have health issues and wasn’t at risk for anything. Dr. Ditesheim was meticulous about his work. He marked up my body like a map. The surgery lasted for about eight hours.
Breast Augmentation and Tummy Tuck by Dr. Ditesheim
Did you have a smooth recovery with the breast augmentation?
There was no pain in my chest– I never felt a thing. They said I would have to put cold compresses on my chest every couple of hours for the pain and that it would feel like an elephant was sitting on me.
Did you ever use the cold compresses?
I didn’t. I was waiting for the pain to start, but it never did.
How was the recovery for the tummy tuck?
A small drain was inserted to get rid of the extra fluid and Dr. Ditesheim gave my husband instructions on how to use it. I had the drain for about seven days.
What kind of pain did you experience for the tummy tuck?
It was painfully tight for about a week. It felt like my C-sections, but I followed the doctor’s instructions to a tee. I had to get up and walk every hour for two weeks. With that kind of surgery you instinctively want to bend over, but the goal is to be as straight as possible every day. If you walk straight, it feels like your stitches are going to pop out, but they’re not. When I was laying down, I didn’t have that much pain. I went on an international trip about three weeks later.
Were you happy with the results? Receive any compliments?
Here’s the thing: People didn’t know I had anything done. They couldn’t figure out what was different about me and kept saying stuff like, ‘Wow, you look great. Did you lose weight? You look so happy.’ I was happy. That year we went to the beach and it my first time I ever wore a two-piece swimsuit and walked on the beach without covering up. That was very cool.
Would you recommend plastic surgery to other FOFs?
Yes. But be realistic about the results you’ll get for your age. You’ve got to go into surgery feeling okay with yourself, rather than thinking, ‘I’m gonna have this done, and it’s going to make my life OK.’
You seem very willing to talk about the surgery!
We don’t have to be ashamed of it. Let’s face it, it’s impossible to look the way I do at my age without a little help. It’s not realistic. So why pretend? I’m happy to tell people if they ask me. If they don’t ask, I don’t tell.
Any final words?
I’m gonna tell you, I am so, so happy that I did it after turning 50. I feel like my body was already stretched out. It’s the best time of my life. My kids are gone, and it’s just me and my husband. It’s a wonderful time. The financial part of it wasn’t an issue– it wasn’t like I was taking away from college funds!
A note from Dr. Ditesheim:
After menopause, your body can change in ways that don’t make you feel good or sexy or normal. This 52-year-old woman told me that her tummy started bulging after menopause and that the last time she put on a bathing suit and felt good was five years before. She thought It would be fun to wear a swimsuit again. After her mommy makeover (a tummy tuck and breast augmentation), she was back to work in a few weeks. After a year, she was glowing and told me, ‘I love the results, I love my breasts, they feel like my own, the size is perfect.’
Having plastic surgery, (tummy tucks, liposuction, breast reshaping or face procedures) can give you a sense of confidence and freedom that was hidden or lost. Being able to wear a bathing suit comfortably or fit into clothes that make you feel sexy, attractive, and feminine is something you deserve. An experienced plastic surgeon can make a plan that addresses your frustrations and is right for your body. Always ask: Is this the safest plan? How predictable will the recovery be for me? Women who have predictable results and predictable recoveries are always the happiest patients.
{Life Changing Plastic Surgery Story} “Before, when someone complimented me, I’d say, ‘yeah right.’” Now…
Face, neck, upper and lower eyelid lift & lip filler performed by Dr. Powers
Sonya* (name changed to protect privacy), 60, feels reborn. “I am so happy with my life, it’s the life I wanted.” It wasn’t an easy road for Sonya. She had custody of her ailing mother and became very depressed. “My mother had Parkinson’s and it was tough taking care of a parent who is very ill. She passed away two years ago. During that time, I was feeding my depression with food and gained a significant amount of weight,” she says. Sonya was medicated with antidepressants and desperately wanted to lose the weight. She found a chiropractor who put her on a diet and got her off the pills.
Tell us about your weight loss.
I lost 50 lbs. It was the first step. The reward would be the surgery.
Besides the weight loss was there any other reason or incident that made you want to pursue plastic surgery?
I was dating a guy a lot younger than me. We were having fun and I wanted to look better for him. I wanted him to be proud of me. Though, I broke it off with him prior to the surgery.
What type of surgery did you have?
I initially wanted a “boob job.” After I lost the weight my breasts started to point downward and I wanted to lift them back up. After my first meeting with Dr. Powers we decided I should start with my face because that’s what everyone sees. You only get one chance for a great reaction.
Face and neck lift by Dr. Powers
What exactly did you have done?
I had a lower facelift and neck lift, upper and lower eye lifts, filler to my lips, liposuction on my thighs and abdomen.
Did you have all of this done at one time?
Yes. It was a seven hour surgery and I was under general anesthesia.
What did you have to do to prepare for this type of surgery?
Two-weeks prior to the surgery I started a vitamin regimen and this helped to alleviate the bruising. In fact, I had very little swelling or bruising.
What was the recovery like for you?
I was in the hospital for one night and they took very good care of me. My ice packs were changed every four hours. At home, my daughter came to help me, but it took a couple days before I could walk around and three days before I left the house. The most uncomfortable part of the recovery was the girdle I had to wear. After the liposuction I had to wear this “compression girdle” for a couple weeks and could only take it off to shower. That’s a small price to pay since the results are fabulous. It has been seven months since my surgery and the lipo looks natural and my body is totally in proportion.
How much did this cost you?
It cost $14,000 including the overnight stay at the hospital.
Why did you choose Dr. Mary Powers?
I interviewed Dr. Powers because she was referred to me. When I went to her office I felt very comfortable and everyone there was so genuine and nice. I noticed right away her art work. It was all over the office. The meticulous details of her art is incredible. She also has books and books of testimonials and her work didn’t look fake to me. I didn’t interview anyone else. I can’t say enough good things about her. She called me every day for two weeks after my surgery to check up on me. That’s amazing.
What was the reaction from your family and friends?
My daughter thought I was nuts. She hates LA because of the fakeness, but after the surgery she loved the results and said she understood my reasons for doing it. My daughter, my biggest critic, was really happy for me. As for the others, some asked if I had work done. This is LA, everyone has work done. Those who knew I was going to do it have been telling me that I look fabulous. After I retired and got fat, people would look at me like ‘what happened to you, you got old, you got fat.’ Now I get the opposite reaction.
How has this changed your life?
I’m 60 but I look like I’m in my 40s. I have never seen my eyelids and now I can see them. I love not having sagging jowls. That’s something that you can’t cover up. I’ve become a serial dater. I have a life now and a new identity and a new attitude. This is a new experience for me. To be thought of as beautiful and sexy. Before ,when someone complimented me I would say ‘yeah right,’ but now I can believe it.
A note from Dr. Powers:
Healthy women, and men, with signs of facial aging– such as heavy upper eyelid skin with lower eyelid bags and jaw line jowls along with neck skin laxity– are candidates for eyelifts and neck/lower facelifts. Liposuction is indicated for patients who have limited areas of fat deposits, with overlying good skin elasticity, and have tried unsuccessfully to reduce these fat deposits with diet and exercise.
The number of procedures are dependent on the patient’s goals, overall health, recovery time, and “pocketbook.” The length of a single procedure versus multiple procedures also depends on the patient’s anatomy and the extent of rejuvenation to be undertaken. Most of my patients have multiple procedures, with liposuction being the most common “add-on” procedure.
After the surgery Sonya’s confidence level went through the roof! She projected what she felt about herself: positively great! It seemed to change her perspective on the world and subsequently, her relationships–both professionally and personally. From a plastic surgeon’s perspective, that’s as good as it gets!
Interview by Ramona Duoba
Liposuction procedure performed by Dr. Wallace
“I always swore I’d never get plastic surgery,” says 53-year-old Beth*, from Dallas, TX. “But somewhere around the age of 50 I woke up and changed my mind.”
A jewelry designer and mother of two, Beth never wanted to look “overly done,” a look she sometimes sees in Dallas, she explains. But after having two kids and emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy, she was “left with a not very pretty scar” on her abdomen and some other body issues that had been bothering her. “I’m your basic pear shape,” Beth says, “with smallish, B-cup breasts and what I call my Buddha hips.” Over time, she felt her shape was growing increasingly unbalanced. “Between the scar tissue and my widening hips, it was difficult to find ready-to-wear clothes that fit.”
So Beth decided it was time for “a little mommy makeover” and went for a consultation with Dr. Charles Wallace, a Dallas board-certified plastic surgeon. Here, she ta exactly how she got the “natural look” she was looking for.
How did you choose Dr. Wallace?
I know him from college, so I always call him when I need medical advice. He did surgery on my daughter’s ears when she was a teenager, and removed a tumor from my husband’s throat so there wouldn’t be scarring. Afterwards, it looked like it never happened–it was awesome.
Were you self-conscious about going to a friend?
People always ask me that but, actually, not at all. Not at this age! I mean, I’ve had kids. And in the office, he’s all business. Very professional. I trust him: He believes less is more. He’d never push more on you than you need. That was very important to me.
So what exactly did you have done?
I wanted the scar tissue cleaned up and I wanted my stomach nice and flat. So he did a mini-tummy tuck and some lipo on the lower abdomen, upper legs and hips. I also chose to have breast augmentation.
Why did you decide to have your breasts done, too?
I had always been on the smaller side, and after breastfeeding both kids, my breasts had lost volume. I went from a B to a D after the surgery.
How did you determine what size to get?
Dr. Wallace showed me a photo book that featured models and real people. I didn’t want really big. One of my breasts was bigger than the other, so he also made them even. He was able to insert the implants under the muscle, so it looks very natural. I’ve noticed that when you hug people who have implants it can feel surprisingly hard, but mine don’t. They just look like they did back when I was nursing and full of milk!
How was the recovery?
The breast augmentation was nothing. The lower part required a bit more care. I was pretty much laying around in bed for three or four days. You wear drains that have to be monitored for a week or two. That part’s a little cumbersome. But I took the pain pills and slowly got off of them and that was fine.
What do you think of the result?
I love it. I think it looks natural and proportioned and appropriate. Exactly what I wanted.
Breast augmentation performed by Dr. Wallace
How much did it cost?
Let’s put it this way: It was quite reasonable when compared to prices I heard from my friends. It was less than a year’s tuition at my kids’ private school!
How has your life changed?
The biggest thing is dressing. I’m able to go to Neiman Marcus and find something that fits. Before I usually chose looser tops or A-line styles to disguise my stomach and hips. Now I can wear tops and dresses that are fitted all the way down. My silhouette is more proportional now.
What does your family say–your husband?
My daughters were very happy for me. My husband thought I was crazy to get elective surgery. He was worried. But he quite likes the new boobs. They were secondary to me–that was the candy I had to give him to get the whole thing done! He was excited the next summer when I wore a bikini a few times. It had been 25 years. I mean, I’m not going for a string bikini . . . but at least I don’t have to get the Miracle Suit again!
Would you consider having more work done? What about on your face?
I have no desire to have more surgery right now, but this past Christmas Dr. Wallace did Ultherapy on my lower chin and jowls. It’s non-surgical. They give you painkillers and then use ultrasound to re-generate the collagen level (without affecting the surface skin). The results are incredible. Tighter, fuller–almost like I had surgery! I want to do my whole face now.
What would you tell another FOF who is considering surgery?
To get the most out of the procedure, you need to get in as good shape–mentally and physically–as you can. I had been doing Pilates for a year before my surgery, so my stomach muscles were strong. That’s why I only needed a mini-tummy tuck. A full tummy tuck involves a more muscle reconstruction, and I’m not sure I would have wanted to do that.
Also, I’m glad I did it now–in my 50s. If I had done it when I was younger, it might have been for the wrong reason–because I wasn’t confident in myself. In my 50s I’m happy and comfortable with who I am. I’m not doing it to attract a man or keep my husband. It was just a reward for myself…sort of like getting a really, really nice used car!
A note from Dr. Wallace:
The body changes that can be expected after multiple pregnancies frequently lend themselves to the exact combination of procedures that I performed on Beth*–an extended mini-tummy tuck with some liposuction and breast augmentation. A mini-tummy tuck differs from a regular tummy tuck because it is done with a shorter incision, without attention to the muscles and without moving the belly button. This combination of procedures is what some may call a “mommy makeover,” and can be executed and replicated with unparalleled success. Beth* was a good candidate for these procedures because she is in great shape mentally and physically and had an otherwise excellent physique. Exactly what is appropriate for the patient is going to depend on their individual issues.
Charlotte, N.C. – FOF recently caught up with Dr. Jeffrey Ditesheim about a “cool” new, minimally invasive lipo-technology, called AquaShape, that uses the pulsating action of sprayed water to remove fat and sculpt the body. Dr. Ditesheim is the first first board certified plastic surgeon in North Carolina to offer this procedure to his patients.
“AquaShape is a gentle way to eliminate fat and shape your body permanently,” the doctor told us. “It’s strong enough to remove fat, but gentle enough to minimize downtime.”
Liposuction is the most popular plastic surgery, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, with more than 205,000 procedures performed in 2011.Although lipo has evolved dramatically over the years, Dr. Ditesheim reports that some surgeons continue to use outdated techniques because they’re faster. “The goal shouldn’t be to do something because it’s faster or more agressive,” he says. “I don’t look at liposuction as a way to destroy or remove fat; it’s about shaping the body to create a more beautiful or more proportional shape.”
Aquashape procedure performed by Dr. Ditesheim
About AquaShape
Using the pulsating action of a controlled water spray, AquaShape first separates the fat cells from the surrounding normal tissues and then permanently removes them from the body. A jet wand, placed under the surface through a small slit in the skin, has a gentle and delicate. movement. Additional energy isn’t needed to remove the fat from the body, since the water has already freed the stubborn fat. Less trauma to the body and a lower volume of fluid also mean less swelling and bruising and a quicker and predictable recovery. Results are immediate and permanent, Dr. Ditesheim says.
“I took only two pain pills and went back to work the next day,” says one of Dr. Ditesheim’s patients, after having the procedure. “I love my shape. I’m grateful that I chose Dr. Ditesheim to help make me look just how I feel.”
The technique is so gentle that the harvested fat can be reused in reshaping the breast, buttocks or face. Even better, anesthesia or sedation aren’t necessary. A typical treatment takes 35 to 45 minutes.
Aquashape procedure performed by Dr. Ditesheim
For more information, pricing or to schedule an appointment, call Dr. Ditesheim’s office: 704.754.8351 or click here.
Texas – FOF recently chatted with Dr. Charles Wallace, board-certified plastic surgeon in Dallas, Texas, about the latest—and greatest—innovations in the field. “We’re really excited about a couple things that I believe are game-changing advancements,” the doctor believes.
The new implant in town!
“Sientra has introduced FDA-approved, shaped breast implants that come in a broad selection of sizes, profiles, projections, and surfaces, giving women more options for breast augmentation and reconstruction than ever before,” Dr. Wallace reported.
“The new Sientra implant is simply the best we’ve ever seen. In my opinion, it’s the first truly meaningful change in breast implants for decades,” Dr. Wallace explained. These high-strength, cohesive gel implants are made from a more viscous gel than other FDA-approved, silicone gel-filled implants, he said. “They feel natural, yet retain their shape very well and are less likely to rupture and leak. If they’re cut in half, for example, they remain form-stable. The silicone gel inside the shell does not ooze or migrate out of the casing.”
The Sientra implants also minimize the potential for ripples and wrinkles, so the results are more predictable, with fewer potential problems and less likelihood for revision surgery, the doctor added.
Sientra Implant Shape Retention Demonstration. Left: Cut implant with visible gel stability. Center: Pressure induced gel displacement. Right: Gel retraction demonstration shape retention.
A non-surgical lift that really works
Ultherapy procedure performed by Dr. Wallace
Dr. Wallace is also applauding Ultherapy, an FDA-approved, non-invasive procedure that uses ultrasound to lift and tone loose or sagging skin on the face, neck, chin and brow.
“It jump starts a repair process that stimulates the production of fresh, new collagen—a natural part of the soft tissues that helps keep our skin firm, taut, and toned,” he explained.
“I like everything about Ultherapy,” Dr. Wallace added. “The results are predictable, reliable, and consistent. Usually, all it takes is a single, one-hour treatment, and there’s no downtime. You can literally go out to dinner right after having the procedure.”
While laser skin tightening uses light-based systems delivered only to the skin surface, Ultherapy delivers the energy deep into the tissues via concentrated sound waves. The system simply uses ultrasound, a tried-and-true technology, in a new way.
NOTE: Dr. Rondi Walker, board-certified plastic surgeon in Washington, DC, performed the Ultherapy treatment on me last fall, at our FOF Beauty Bash in New York. Although the before and after photos were taken in different locations, with different lighting, the results are obvious. Even under brighter lighting, the once-sagging skin below my chin and on my neck looks tighter; my eyes look brighter and more alert and have fewer crow’s feet framing them; the deep lines on either side of my nose that run down to my mouth (called nasolabial folds) are less pronounced, and my face is plumper and fresher looking.
Ultherapy is reportedly 30 to 50 percent as effective as a surgical facelift and about one-third the cost (approximately $5,000 to do a full face). It’s supposed to last about two years, while well-done facelifts can last a decade or longer. While there’s more long-term value in a facelift, there’s no cutting with Ultherapy.
{Life-Changing Plastic Surgery Stories} “I felt like my lower face was sinking into my chest.”
Written by Ramona Duoba
Deciding to have a surgical procedure often comes after a defining moment. You glance at your passport photo and can’t believe what’s happened to your looks during the last decade. You won’t go near the pool without meticulously wrapping a sarong over your swimsuit. You secretly pull back the skin on your face to see what you’d look like, minus the lines around your mouth, eyes or on your forehead. Penelope L.’s defining moment was a bit more dramatic. “When I did cardio exercise I had a sensation that lasted about a minute and then stopped suddenly. It wasn’t an ache or pain. It was something that was just different. It’s kind of hard to explain. The sensation was on my left side and probably had more to do with my breathing, but my breathing never stopped. The doctor recommended I have an EKG. On April 29, 2011, the same day as the Royal wedding, I checked in for an outpatient procedure. The last thing I remembered hearing was, ‘We’re taking you to the O.R.’ Fifty-year-old Penelope had three major heart blockages. “I was a walking time bomb,” she said.
How was a triple by-pass your defining moment?
Once I recovered I told myself I wasn’t putting off what I wanted to do. My jowls had to go. Sagging jowls run in my family. My mom is beautiful, but she has them.
When did you have the surgery and are you happy with the results?
I had a lower face-lift and neck lift surgery on December 14, 2012. I’m very, very happy with the results. I no longer walk around with my lower face sinking into my chest. Now I look more the age that I am and I really like that.
You are a practice administrator for a plastic surgeon, so you see patients and their results daily. What was the procedure like for you?
The lower face and neck lift were a breeze. I had I-V sedation, also known as a twilight. I just felt like I was having a really good sleep. Dr. Magassy pulled the neck back behind my ears and the lower face up in front of my ears. I came home with a wrap that looked like a helmet. The reason for this is to keep everything in place for the first 48-hours of healing. If you can imagine the wrap underneath your chin, pulling up, it helps with the contour. The wrap was the part that bugged me the most, but then again it was only 48-hours.
Did the procedure require liposuction?
Dr. Magassy always does a little lipo with this procedure. It’s called sub mental liposuction and it eliminates any fat that might be lying there.
Were you swollen?
Yes, but I didn’t bruise because I pre-medicated with Arnica Montana, a supplement to prevent bruising and swelling. The noticeable swelling lasted about two weeks.
How long was the recovery?
I had the surgery on a Friday and was back at work the following Tuesday. Since I work in a plastic surgeon’s office it wasn’t uncomfortable to be there with a swollen face. There was a little redness from the stitches, which lasted about three weeks. The area from the sutures is slightly raised so I use a silicone in a tube for scar management.
How did your friends and family react?
I went to have my nails done a couple of weeks after my surgery and the manicurist asked if I changed my hair color. When I told her I had a lower facelift she said, ‘You don’t look like you had surgery at all, you look well, like you had a vacation.’ No one asks if I had work done. Everyone thinks I look ‘well rested.’ I had the surgery just this past December and the friends I saw after Christmas just told me that I looked really good.
You’ve worked for Dr. Magassy for seven years. What do you like about him? Why did you choose him?
I’ve seen the results of many patients over the years and I liked them, so Dr. Magassy was an easy choice. He has the experience and I knew there would be a balance of the results I wanted and what he felt I needed. The results are subtle and natural. What you want may not be what you need.
How has this surgery changed your life?
It has enhanced how I feel about myself, the image I put forth in my job. I love telling people what I do for a living and what I’ve done to my face. I’m not hush-hush about it. I talk candidly about it. Getting natural results is the product of skilled hands. Don’t wait until it’s too late because once your skin becomes even more lax, you’re likely to look more pulled back after surgery. It’s harder to achieve a subtle result.
Are you considering other procedures?
Not now. Maybe I’ll have my eyes done, but I’ll let Mother Nature decide. When it’s time, I won’t think twice.
A note from Dr. Magassy:
Penelope was an excellent candidate for the lower face lift and neck lift surgery. Besides being motivated to do this surgery, she has nice bone structure. The surgery took about 2 1/2 to 3 hours under a local anesthesia. An incision is made in the hair line and the skin is raised. Penelope had sagging skin and it was very elastic, so her results are great. I see her every day and her attitude is terrific. I have seen this type of surgery make a big difference in a person’s life. They feel better about themselves. Much more confident. They feel as good as they look and vice-versa.
Karen B., 62, vividly remembers report card day in sixth grade. “In those days, your grades were listed with your height and weight,” Karen explains, and the teacher would read them out loud as he handed the report to you. “I remember jumping out of my seat and running to his desk in tears, begging him not to read mine.” Karen was 12 years old and 126 pounds. “I was the biggest girl in the class. Always,” she says.
Smart and ambitious, Karen excelled in school, eventually earning a B.S. in chemistry and becoming a nurse. She married a Marine in her early 20s and they had two children while he built a successful business. Through it all, Karen felt powerless over her weight, which fluctuated between 220 and 280. “I would diet, work out and then gain it back,” she says. Finally, in 1989, she had gastric bypass–then a new procedure–and lost 120 pounds. “But the brain is funny thing,” she relates now, “and you can find ways to circumvent the surgery and eat what you want.” Over the next two decades, the weight crept back. “When I retired three years ago, I was hanging out at about 215.”
Then, during a routine physical, Karen was diagnosed with diabetes. Shocked and upset, she spent the next year researching on the internet. “I found a good diet and a trainer at LA Fitness. I also started taking Byetta, a diabetes medication.” Over the year, the weight came off steadily. “I hated working out. Hated it,” Karen laughs. But ultimately, her weight got down “to the low 140s” and stayed there for two years.
Now at her “perfect weight,” Karen was thrilled, but when she looked in the mirror, she saw “all these sags. I looked like a melting snowman. My 10-year-old granddaughter would say, ‘I love your arms, Grandma!’ and would swing the skin back and forth!
“I didn’t want to grow up to be a saggy, saggy old lady,” Karen says. So she asked a friend who was in a gastric bypass support group if anyone had come to talk to them about plastic surgery. “She gave me Dr. Boynton’s name and said he seemed wonderful. So I called his office.”
Ten months and two surgeries later, and the results speak for themselves. “I want to run through the mall naked!” Karen laughs. “I have not stopped smiling.” Here, she explains the details of what Dr. Boynton did to give her “a body I never in my wildest dreams thought I would have.”
Tell me about your first meeting with Dr. Boynton.
First of all, the thought of showing someone an old body with all this saggy droopy skin on it made me want to die of embarrassment! I’ve spent my whole life trying to tuck it in and not show it. But you walk in his office, and everyone is so nice. He meets with you while you’re dressed, so you can get to know him. He tells you about his philosophy and his training, and you can just feel that he has a good spirit. I thought, ‘I can handle this!’
What surgeries did you have?
Dr. Boynton likes to do things in stages. He’s very careful, which I like. The first surgery was a tummy tuck and some liposuction on my flanks and lower back. He told me he likes to start with the tummy–the core. After having two babies my muscles were spread apart, so the muscle repair was a big deal. He did a breast lift in round two, as well as a breast augmentation and my upper arms.
How was the recovery?
Surprisingly easy. Dr. Boynton had explained that he was using Experil, a new drug that keeps you comfortable for 72 to 96 hours after the surgery. He injects the drug along the muscles and the incisions during surgery so when you wake up you really feel great. I’m a geek, so when he told me about it I went on YouTube and watched procedures being done. I was very impressed. After the first recovery, I asked him if he could use Experil again when he did my breast augmentation and he actually researched it and learned the technique for breasts at my request. I couldn’t believe he did that.
When were you able to get up and leave the house?
One and a half weeks after the second surgery I went to the mall, still with my compression garment on, because I wanted the woman at Victoria’s Secret to measure me. I wanted to see what size I was. She couldn’t believe I was out. She said, ‘no one is up like this two weeks later!’
So what is your new size?
Well, I went to Black House White Market the other day and I bought a new pair of pants, because literally everything is falling off of me. And they were a size four. A four! I’m someone who used to be over the moon about a size 10. I showed my husband and he was like, ‘did you ever in your wildest dreams think you’d be a size 4?’
What’s your husband’s reaction to all of this?
My husband is the most wonderful person. He has told me my whole life, ‘I love you no matter what you weigh.’ And he has loved me unconditionally no matter what. What makes him happy now is seeing how happy I am. That’s the kind of guy of guy he is. I said ‘honey, you have your trophy wife and you didn’t even have to get divorced and lose half your money to get it.’
What about friends? What do they say?
People who haven’t seen me for a while have said, ‘Oh my god, what have you done?’ And I just say, ‘I lost some weight and I kept it off and I had a little something something done.’ And then I hand them Dr. Boynton’s card. I went back to see my co-workers after my tummy tuck and they could not believe it. Three of them asked for his card.
Do you plan to have any more surgeries, or are you done?
In the fall we’re going to do legs and butt–get the sags off and finally finish it. We’re not quite there, yet, but as long as Spanks exist I can fake it til I make it!
What’s your overall impression of Dr. Boynton?
I have worked with hundreds of doctors over my 32 years as a nurse and assisted on many surgeries, and I can tell you he is number one in every respect. I feel like I am in such competent hands. But more than that, he’s very real and down to earth. You can talk to him. One day I came into his office with my 10-year-old granddaughter. She has a lot of physical disabilities, and the first thing he said when he saw her was, ‘You have pink river shoes on!’ And that just melted my heart, because most doctors–especially surgeons–won’t do that. They are too rushed and harried and they have no bedside manner. His heart is right there.
And trust me, you never want to go to a doctor that a nurse wouldn’t go to!
What would you tell an FOF who was considering surgery?
It’s never too late. I’m an evangelical Christian, and I remember going to a big camp meeting in 1981 with a popular evangelist minister. He had everyone close their eyes and think about the desire of their hearts. Mine had always been to be a normal size. He said, ‘I will pray for everyone here, and if you hang onto that, it will happen.’
Well, it took 32 years–diabetes, exercise, bypass surgery. It wasn’t overnight, but all this time has made me appreciate it that much more. I mean, unless you’ve lived in double your body, I don’t know if you can really appreciate size-four pants. This is the first time ever in my life that I actually feel desirable and alive and sexy. Before, that wasn’t even in my realm of awareness.
“He’s a God to me!” gushed Rodi, one of Dr. William Rosenblatt’s FOF patients, at a get-together at his New York office this week. Looking fantastic at 57, Rodi told the gathering of 15 women (and one man) that Dr. R performed a breast reduction on her and removed “three or four chins.” Delighted that she “hasn’t had to wear a bra in two years,” Rodi also is thrilled that her back “no longer hurts” from the heaviness of her breasts. As for some of the fat that Dr. R eliminated from her chin, he injected into her cheeks to give her face more fullness.
Billed as An Evening of Beauty on the email invitation from Dr. Rosenblatt’s office, the program featured a discussion of new plastic surgery trends, including an introduction to Xeomen, which the doctor calls a “new Botulism toxin.” Manufactured by Merz, the same company that brings us the filler, Radiesse, Xeomen, is “15 to 20 percent less expensive than Allergan’s Botox, but has the same effect, lasts the same amount of time, and is injected the same way,” Dr. R explained.
Although Xeomen has been around for a while, he told us, it couldn’t be introduced in the United States until some legal issues were resolved. Now Merz is charging doctors less so it can take market share from Allergan, a common tactic among drug companies.
Xeomen is used to paralyze muscles and get rid of the deep lines in the glabella region, the area on the forehead between our eyebrows, where lines develop from frowning repeatedly over the years. It’s often used also to eliminate crow’s feet around our eyes and “bunny lines,” which develop when we wrinkle our noses, Dr. R said. “I sometimes inject it to elevate the eyebrows slightly, but I don’t like to fully paralyze a forehead. It looks terrible when you can’t raise your eyebrows.”
While we sipped wine and enjoyed sushi and raw veggies with hummus, Dr, Rosenblatt covered other techniques and trends.
On Breast Implants
“Silicone breast implants, even on the rare occasions that they might break, don’t explode. They run trucks over these and they do fine, from what I understand. The silicone won’t pour out, even if the implant were to be cut. It would act more like silly putty and blub up.”
“Round silicone gels are the most popular in this country for elective cosmetic breast augmentations. Newer implants on the market, commonly known as ‘Gummy Bear’ implants, are hard, not soft like silicone. They work pretty well for breast reconstruction after mastectomy, but I don’t find that they work well for
routine cosmetic breast augmentations.”
On Breast Lifts
“A breast isn’t lifted only by an implant. To determine the sagginess of your breasts: Put a pencil or finger under the breast. If the nipple is below the line created by the pencil or finger, you need a surgical lift.”
“Just putting a really, really big implant into a sagging breast will create what’s called the ‘Snoopy deformity’: The breast is here and the implant is here,” said Dr. R, pointing to two different spots on his chest. “If you have very large breasts that sag, we do a small reduction and then lift them up. The bigger the breasts are, the more they’re going to sag. If you have smaller breasts, you can lift the skin and put in an implant at the same time.”
“Breasts are held up by just skin. They don’t have ligaments or muscles. They have nothing.”
“Different styles of implants are popular in different parts of the country: Slightly smaller implants in the Northeast. In the Southeast and California, they start where we leave off.”
On Liposuction
“Liposuction is designed for skinny people, in order to remove some lumps and bumps and a little excess fat. It’s not designed for overweight people. Diet is what works with them. The biggest liposuction we do is 12 pounds, which is a drop in the bucket for really heavy people.”
Following a brief Q&A period filled with laughs (another of the doctor’s patients, who had breast augmentation last year, said ‘they’re mine and they’re magnificent,’ recalling the famous line on Seinfeld,) Dr. Rosenblatt did live Botox and Radiesse demos.
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{Life Changing Plastic Surgery Stories} FOF Rody Russi really “gets something off her chest.”
Rody (left) on a Hawaiian vacation in 2010 before her breast reduction.
“My breasts were the first things you noticed when I walked into the room. They announced themselves,” says Rody Russi, a NYC-based FOF. “I just didn’t feel comfortable with the way I looked.” The issue had bothered Rody for years, and most frustratingly, the teacher and former fundraising exec for PBS and Unicef, couldn’t wear button-down shirts. “I always thought they looked so elegant, especially with a suit,” she says. “But, I could never do that. I’d always have to wear pullovers.”
However, it wasn’t until she endured a year of excruciating back pain due to two herniated discs that she decided to take action. At the recommendation of a friend, Rody met with Dr. William Rosenblatt, whom she ultimately decided to use for breast reduction surgery in 2011.
“Since the surgery, I haven’t had a single back issue. It was life changing and it looks great,” says Rody. “I’m 57 years old, but my breasts look like they belong to a 20 year old.”
Since the breast reduction, Rody also has had neck liposuction to eliminate the excess fat under her chin. This week, she’s having liposuction in her thighs. Read on for her story.
Tell us about yourself.
I was born in Puerto Rico. I had a 25-year career in fundraising and public relations. I went back to school at age 41 and got my masters so I could become a teacher. Now, I teach at a college. I’m happily married. I have a 28-year-old daughter from my first marriage, who is also a teacher, and a son from this marriage who’s in 7th grade.
How did you meet Dr. Rosenblatt?
He was recommended by a friend. I was told a breast reduction would probably help with my back issues which had been really bad for a year. I was impressed when I met with Dr. Rosenblatt. He’s an incredible human being, not just as a doctor, but as a person. His bedside manner is calming. He makes you feel like you are just going to get your teeth cleaned or something but also makes sure you understand the risks. I recommend him because I know and can trust him.
Besides the back issues, were there other reasons you wanted a breast reduction?
I wanted people to take me more seriously. I’d go to formal events with my husband and I had to be careful with evening dresses–the wrong one could look obscene. Conservative wasn’t my style but it had to be because of my breasts. Running also was impossible–I had to hold on to my chest as I ran.
You had the reduction in early 2011. Tell us about that.
I arrived at 10 in the morning. The surgery took a few hours and I was out out of there by 2 or 3 p.m. It was not an easy operation and it was not an easy recovery. It’s not like an enhancement where you’re just putting stuff in there. This is actually removing tissue and moving arteries around. I think he removed about 2 pounds of tissue. It was a lot.
Were the results immediate?
It’s not a pretty sight after the surgery since there are stitches and scarring. But the doctor told me it was normal. ‘You think it looks bad but it’s actually good,’ Dr. Rosenblatt said. The first two weeks were tough but I felt better within a month. Right away, I could wear things I had never worn before. So physically it was hard, but spiritually, I was feeling great.
Were you happy with the results?
He did such an incredible job. I went from a 38DD to 36C–pretty dramatic. Now, I don’t have back pain. I used to be pouring all over the place in a bathing suit. I look so much nicer now–my breasts are firm, and lifted. I haven’t looked this good in I can’t remember when.
Left: Rody at a 2012 Christmas party with her husband. Right: Rody poses with friends at a 2012 wedding. Both pictures were taken after her breast reduction performed by Dr. Rosenblatt.
Did your husband want you to have the surgery?
Well, you know how men are. They always say ‘you really don’t have to do that.’ But I’d answer, ‘try walking around with these. It’s like walking around with two bags of groceries you can’t put down.’ But he was supportive.
Did you receive compliments? From men or women or both?
Both. They couldn’t figure out was different though, or maybe they were being polite. My daughter says ‘I can’t believe my mom is 58 years old and her boobs look better than mine.’
Have you had any other treatments with Dr. Rosenblatt?
Last year he removed my double chin by taking away some of the fat. That was easy, no big to-do, not more than an hour. There was no pain. I could have been back to work within a couple of days, however, I was on a two-week school break when I had the procedure done.
Have people noticed the chin treatment?
Not really. It gave me more of a refreshed look though.
Where on your body are you having lipo done this week?
Between my upper legs. I have great legs from my mid-thigh down but I have this fat up high and can’t wear shorts. No one will notice it, but it will just mean I can wear what I couldn’t before and be more comfortable.
We’ll have to follow up with you after your lipo! Do you have any other treatments planned for the future?
Not right now. What I love about Dr. Rosenblatt is that he is so honest with what you need. He’ll say ‘you don’t need that–come back in 10 years and then we’ll talk about.’ That’s integrity.
What would you say to an FOF considering plastic surgery?
It’s not cheap–it’s something for which you have to save and plan. Unfortunately, this country is not as supportive [of plastic surgery], as in other countries. There is something to be said about owning who you are, and aging gracefully, but it doesn’t mean you can’t tweak here and there. I don’t want to be Joan Rivers. I want to look like myself. I’ll do things that aren’t too invasive but will make me feel better.
A note from Dr. Rosenblatt:
“Some of my happiest patients are those who have had breast reductions. I take a person who is out of proportion with shoulder, back and neck pain from huge breasts constantly pulling down on their bras and give them a more proportional look. The surgery can be life changing. A woman who is self-conscious about her large breasts feels better both in and out of clothing after the procedure. I tailor the surgery to their wishes, they can be left with significantly smaller breasts or just slightly smaller. They get a lift at the same time. The results are sometimes incredible.
Also, a small liposuction of the neck can improve a patient’s self esteem. It is short, straightforward surgery, but can give a dramatic result.
Couldn’t make it to Dr. Rosenblatt’s evening of beauty? Read about it here.
The Eyes Have It
“When I was young, I remember walking through the cosmetics section of a department store, where there were so many mirrors, and thinking ‘Jeez, I look pretty good,’” says Kathy H., an FOF from Indiana. “As I got older, and the bags under my eyes started getting worse, I didn’t want to go near those same mirrors.”
Now 65, Kathy decided to finally do something about her bothersome bags 10 years ago. Impressed after her initial consult with Dr. Gus Galante, she booked her procedure on the spot. A month later, he performed his magic.
So pleased with the results, Kathy returned to Dr. Galante three years later for a lower facelift. Today, she sees him for Botox injections.
“It changed my life,” says Kathy, who once thought only “movie stars and important people” got plastic surgery. “I’m happy to look in the mirror again.” Here, she chats with FOF:
Eye surgery performed by Dr. Galante.
What bothered you about your eyes?
I had bags and my upper lids were droopy. I had no crease. It always bothered me but got worse as I got older. I tried everything on the market–nothing would take them away.
How important are your looks to you?
Very–I used to be in real estate and worked with the public. Now, I work at the local humane society but still want to look good, for myself.
How did you find Dr. Galante?
A couple of people I knew had been to him. I live in Indiana, near Chicago, and there are a lot of surgeons in the city. Turns out Dr Galante was in my own backyard (Schererville, Indiana). I called and spoke to his receptionist, Marcie. When I told her what I wanted done, she made it sound so simple and told me she had it done herself. So, I went for a complimentary consultation.
Were you nervous?
Yes. I grew up in a blue collar town. I thought of plastic surgery as something only wealthy people do. Not anymore. When I went to Dr. Galante’s office, I expected to see all these beautiful, 30-year-old women. But, there were normal people like myself. And, after I spoke with Dr. Galante, my apprehensions completely went away. I knew it was going to work out well. I ended up booking a treatment for the following month.
What did you like about Dr. Galante?
He is very trustworthy and would never talk you into doing something you don’t need.
Tell us about the eye bag removal procedure.
I went in at 6:30 in the morning on a Friday and was out by noon. I had twilight anesthesia so I wasn’t completely out. My stitches were removed on Monday. I iced my eyes the way I was told. They were very swollen. Marcie told me this was normal and, in fact, I looked better than most people. Within a week, I was back at work with just slight bruising near my cheekbone. I could see the full effect after about a month, and was very happy.
What did your friends and family think?
They all loved it and thought I looked younger. I didn’t necessarily do it to look younger, I just didn’t want to look tired anymore.
Are you married? Was your husband supportive?
My husband died three years ago, but he was supportive at the time.
Do you date?
I’m dating someone now. He’s older than I am. We met in high school and his wife died a couple years before my husband died.
Do you want to get married again?
No. I like being independent.
Why did you decide to have a lower facelift, three years later?
My jowls started bothering me. I put my makeup on in front of a magnifying mirror and I thought, ‘This has got to go!’
Describe the treatment.
I went into surgery about 6:30 a.m and was home at about 2 p.m. I was out completely, under general anesthesia. I had to return the following day to have a drain removed. Healing is slower than for the eye surgery. It took about five to six months before I could see the full results.
What did you and your friends and family think?
They thought it wasn’t as noticeable as my eyes, but that it looked great. It was certainly noticeable to me.
Did you have anything else done since the lower facelift?
I go to Dr. Galante for Botox about two to three times a year.
You are pretty open about your procedures. Did you ever think about hiding the fact that you had plastic surgery?
No. It’s just the personality I have. There’s no reason to hide it.
How do you think it has changed your life?
It’s the best thing I’ve done for myself and I wish I had done it earlier. Women over 50 have done things for others all their lives. Now, they should do something for themselves. If you don’t feel good about yourself, you can’t feel good about anything or for anyone.
A note from Dr. Galante:
I think Kathy’s statement about wanting to look less tired, not necessarily younger, represents the typical expectation of the patient who seeks facial rejuvenation. Her “after” photos demonstrate just that…a clean, refreshed look. Kathy initially presented with concerns about baggy upper eyelids and puffy lower lids. The upper lid problem is excessive skin which can mask the lid and sometimes even block the peripheral field of vision. My treatment for this was the removal of the skin and a slim strip of muscle to better define the crease. The lower lid problem is the bulging outward of fat which normally sits in the eye socket to cushion the globe. I made a small incision just under the lashes to gain access to the protruding fat, and then removed it. A small amount of skin was also taken to keep the area smooth.
Kathy went on to have a facelift and most recently a few Botox injections to keep her appearance fresh. Again, the end result in these patients is to look better, not necessarily look younger. Looking good makes one feel good, and feeling good after fifty should be an attainable goal for anyone who wishes for it. The recipe to this feeling includes a healthy diet, exercise, engaging social relationships, optimizing emotional, intellectual, and spiritual well-being, using the most favorable cosmetic, hair, and clothing styles, and a plastic surgery procedure, if desired.
FOF Chris C., a 52-year-old Indiana hairdresser, liked her body in high school. While many of her classmates were insecure, Chris–above-average height, slender and well-endowed–was confident. So why, decades later, did she decide to have three different plastic surgery procedures: Breast augmentation, tummy tuck and breast lift?
“Having kids changed everything,” Chris says. Breastfeeding three babies, three C-sections and a hysterectomy left her breasts with far less tissue and her stomach looking like “a jigsaw puzzle.”
“There were scars left to right and up and down,” Chris told us.
Ten years ago, she decided to take action and met with Dr. Gus Galante, a board certified plastic surgeon, for her first consultation. She says it was one of the best decisions of her life.
“Dr. Galante has done his part to make me look the best that I can. I’d do it a thousand times over.”
How did you find Dr. Galante?
Dr. Galante and his office manager were long-time clients at a salon where I worked in Schererville. We became really good friends. But, never in a million years did I think I’d have work done.
What treatment did you have first?
I had a breast augmentation around 2003.
Breast augmentation performed by Dr. Galante on Chris.
What made you decide to do that?
I breastfed all three of my children and, as a result, didn’t have much breast tissue left. That’s what happens…you lose it. When Dr. Galante’s office manager came into the salon, I’d talk with her about having an augmentation. She suggested I consult with the doctor.
What did Dr. Galante recommend?
At that point, we decided solely on the augmentation and that maybe down the road I’d have a breast lift.
What size were you before?
I was a C but it was just skin–there was no tissue at all. Dr. Galante gave me a saline implant, and I ended up a Double D. My breasts filled up my bras again, and lingerie shopping became fun again.
You also had a tummy tuck?
Yes, about a year after the breast augmentation I went back to Dr. Galante. The skin on my stomach looked crazy because I had three C-sections. I also had a little bit of excess skin, which the doctor removed.
Abdominoplasty performed by Dr. Galante on Chris.
Were you happy with the results?
The results were wonderful. Dr. Galante did a great job removing the excess skin. I don’t have big, thick scars. After the surgery, he had me wear special foam tape religiously and now you can’t see the scars at all.
What were the treatment and recovery like?
Everything was good. The surgeries were done on an outpatient basis.
Tell us about the breast lift you had last year.
When Dr. Galante put in my implants he said I might eventually want a lift. Ten years after the augmentation, the implants didn’t move, but due to gravity, everything else did. So, I had my breasts lifted this past October.
“This is the patient 10 years after her breast augmentation,” Dr. Galante says. ”You can see how the age-related changes have affected the shape of the breast. She underwent an implant exchange with a slightly larger volume and a breast lift to improve the shape.”
At one point you never dreamed you’d have plastic surgery, but now you’ve had three treatments. Why were you hesitant?
I had three kids…and kids are expensive! The cost [of plastic surgery] is not cheap, but it was worth every penny. As a hairdresser I felt it was important to look my best. You’re not going to have your hair done by someone whose appearance isn’t good.
You used Dr. Galante for all three treatments. What do you like about him so much?
I’ve known him for years. I trust him wholeheartedly. He’s down to earth. He’ll tell you right off the bat if he doesn’t think a treatment is right for you or if what you want doesn’t work with your body proportions.
What do your husband, family and friends think?
My husband thinks I look great. My oldest daughter just had a baby and said when she’s finished having kids she’s going to Dr. Galante. My college-aged clients say they want to look like I do when they’re my age! I’ve sent three or four of my clients to Dr. Galante. I was confident about how I looked before, but knew that I could look even better.
A note from Dr. Galante:
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Dr. Gus Galante
322 Indianapolis Blvd., Suite 103
Schererville, IN 46375
Tel: (219) 322-3131
Fax: (219) 322-9494
Email: info@galantemd.com
Lauren Cahn, a yoga instructor from Westchester, N.Y., was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. Little did she know, it was just the beginning of a nightmare that would last almost eight years.
Lauren opted for implants immediately after her mastectomy but a botched implant job left her breasts looking “hard as rocks” and “square.” To add insult to injury, one ruptured just a year later.
Take two: Lauren got new and improved implants but soon after, suffered a fourth-degree burn to one from a heating pad. Disgusted, disheartened and traumatized by the whole experience, Lauren was ready to call it quits and accept spending the rest of her life completely flat chested.
A doctor recommended she meet with one more surgeon, Dr. Maria LoTempio, one of the only doctors in the world performing breast reconstruction using autologous (the patient’s own) tissue. Hesitant, Lauren sent off a few pictures to Dr. LoTempio and when she was deemed an ideal candidate, she underwent her third breast reconstruction surgery.
Lauren, who now has two of the “most beautiful, perky” breasts and a “bonus” butt lift says it was one the best decisions of her life.
When you were first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, what were your options?
There were no options besides implants. The only kind of body tissue breast reconstruction they were doing at that time was through the stomach and I really didn’t have enough fat there to create one, let alone, two breasts.
Did you get implants at the time of your mastectomy?
Yes, the cancer doctor finished her surgery and the plastic surgeon went right in. They used implants that were also the expanders. It was a terrible disaster.
How so?
Before the surgery, I had been a 32C, sometimes a 32D. I thought after surgery, I was going to look exactly the way I did before. My breasts ended up being as hard as rocks and square because there was a lot of scar tissue around them. Less than a year later, one of them ruptured and had to be replaced. I was very unhappy.
Left: Lauren in 2000 before breast cancer. Right: Lauren after breast reconstruction #1.
At what point did you get them redone?
I kept them for three years, until I heard about another doctor who was doing silicone implants with aloederm over them for softness. I had the old implants removed and replaced with new ones by this doctor. The implants were much smaller. At first, it looked really good, but then, within a year I started sprouting more scar tissue. Everything started hardening up and looking square again. I didn’t fit into any bras.
At that point you had two breast reconstruction surgeries that you were unhappy with. Were you considering a third?
For the next four years, little by little I began looking into any other options. I read about a procedure where they take flesh from the buttocks but my understanding was I wouldn’t be able to sit or exercise for months. As a yoga instructor, this was disheartening. I don’t want to be told I can’t do something.
What happened next?
In the fall of 2009 I suffered a burn to my right breast from a heating pad. It never fully healed and by January of the next year, I was developing a Staph infection. Doctors in the hospital told me it was a fourth degree burn and that they could see my implant through my skin. I had the implant removed which was very sad to me because the whole point of having the double mastectomy was to look symmetrical. Now, I wasn’t. After a week in the hospital, 60 days of hyperbaric treatment that didn’t work, two surgeries and wearing a wound vac for two months, I had given up. I went to my plastic surgeon to tell them that I wanted to have the other implant removed and would spend the rest of my life completely flat chested. I was 43 at the time.
What did the doctor tell you when you told him you decided to be flat chested?
He said ‘You must not make that decision. You can’t give up.’ and referred me to Dr. Maria LoTempio, who he said does a surgery where they make a breast of flesh from your buttocks. I said ‘Oh no, I heard about that and it sounds really debilitating.’ He said what I heard wasn’t true.
How soon after that did you meet with Dr. LoTempio?
I spoke to her that day. I sent pictures to her because she was in South Carolina at the time. Through the photos she was able to tell me that I was a candidate for this and she could definitely make two small breasts. She sent me for an MRI to have my arteries looked at to make sure there was a good harvestable blood supply. I went to South Carolina for the surgery. I had to have it the week my youngest son was graduating from elementary school which was challenging. He was angry.
Why did you have the surgery in South Carolina?
At the time they didn’t offer it in New York. The care involved is so intense. It felt like I was the only patient in the whole hospital. This type of surgery requires a lot of watching and waiting. I was on a lot of painkillers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety pills to relax me. Basically, for five days I was sedated.
How long were you in the hospital?
Seven days because they were extra careful. I was in South Carolina for another three days after that, because Dr. LoTempio didn’t want me to leave until ten days had passed. She has it down to a science. She knows exactly how many days it takes for your cells to regenerate and your blood supply to be made permanent. After that, I flew home and recovered there. I was able to sit, walk, and eventually, run and drive. I was able to do yoga within three months of the surgery.
Left: After breast reconstruction #2. Right: 2 months post-surgery with Dr. Lotempio.
And we hear you also got an extra “bonus”?
I had a butt lift! The tissue for my breast was grafted from there. I had a little more junk in the trunk before. Now, its a little flatter on the top but I still have a nice round bottom. There’s no cellulite. It’s very tight. I wear True Religion jeans which is a brand I wouldn’t be able to wear otherwise!
And since two or three years passed, everything is still okay?
Everything is great!
Where: New York Ear and Eye Infirmary, 77 Worth St. NYC, Ground Floor
When: Thursday, Jan. 24, 5-9 p.m.
What:
❄ One-on-one consult with board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Olivia Hutchinson
❄ Complimentary glycolic peel
❄ Complimentary breast exam with Dr. Rachel B. Wellner
❄ Skin analysis with a licensed esthetician
❄ Hair analysis by Elline Surianello of LeMetric Hair and Beauty Center
❄ 20% off Vivité and IS Clinical skincare products
❄ $99 photo facials booked that evening. (Regular price: $400)
❄ $100 off Juvaderm, $200 off Botox and Juvaderm combo booked that evening
❄ 20% off treatments booked at The Mezzanine Spa that evening❄ 20% off treatments booked at The Mezzanine Spa that evening
❄ Meet and greet with Barbara Hannah Grufferman, author of Best of Everything After 50
❄ And even more
Space is limited so hop to it and RSVP by:
By calling Geri at 917.846.9359 OR by entering your name, phone and e-mail below.
(Your information will be kept private.)
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SCHERERVILLE, IN — One of the most successful family-owned jewelers in the country, 107-year-old Albert’s Diamond Jewelers sells upscale brands like Cartier, Chopard, David Yurman, Ippolita and Tacori and prides itself on its exceptional prices and service. “Whether you arrive at the store wearing a t-shirt or a tuxedo, you will get exceptional service during your visit. We appreciate every one of our customers and see every person who walks through the door as an honored guest in our home,” relates the store’s website.
Part of Albert’s service is to entertain customers throughout the year at special events and sales, including the chance to get married at the 12,000-square-foot store on Valentine’s Day. Dr. Gus Galante, board-certified ASPS plastic surgeon, was a featured guest at the store’sLadies’ Night recently, where customers had the chance to see him give live Botox demonstrations on his current patients. Dr. Galante also answered guests’ questions about plastic surgery.
“I appreciate having the opportunity to inform the public about plastic surgery in such a wonderful setting,” Dr. Galante told us. Consider partnering with fine boutiques in your area for events such as this. Like Albert’s, there are thousands of sharp merchants who recognize that customers who love beautiful jewelry and clothes also want their faces to look the best they can, no matter their ages.
VASER Shape before and after.
New York – Dr. Sharon Giese recently appeared on Dr. Oz to promote VASER shape, a “cutting-edge,” non-surgical treatment using ultrasound and lymphatic drainage to smooth and shape the body. She also performed the procedure on air. The treatment, which can take as few as five minutes, uses an ultrasound device that glides over the targeted area, warms it and treats the fatty tissue. A second device stimulates the lymphatic system, draining away excess toxins and fats.
“It’s different than liposuction because it’s totally non-invasive and involves no downtime or recovery time. However it doesn’t melt away as much fat as lipo,” says Dr. Giese. “I have patients who tell me it feels like a hot stone massage.” Results can be immediately visible after one treatment and treatments start at $450 per session. According to Dr. Giese the procedure works best on the abdomen, muffin top, love handles, back and upper arms. Dr. Giese’s patients typically have one to three treatments. “You are a good candidate if you have ½-inch to four inches of fat you want to eliminate,” she says. “If you are a good candidate I’d rank this an 8 or 9 out of 10 as far as non-invasive fat removing procedures go.”
For more information about VASER shape call Dr. Giese at 212.421.3400
image source: castleknockcosmetics.ie
New York - Dr. William Rosenblatt turns cynical when he talks about the “Lifestyle Lift,” more cynical than usual. After practicing plastic surgery in New York City for decades, he thinks the field has taken a decidedly “scuzzy” direction now that dermatologists are performing liposuctions; gynecologists are performing tummy tucks and general surgeons are doing breast augmentations. He is especially skeptical of the methods used by the company that has catapulted “Lifestyle Lift” into the public consciousness. “Patients have told me that you meet with someone on the staff when you visit their offices. The doctor doesn’t appear until the day of the surgery. You give them a credit card with a down payment and if you decide to cancel your appointment, you lose the deposit,” Dr. Rosenblatt related.
Anyone considering facelift surgery must consult with the doctor who will perform the surgery, in order to cover concerns and the recommended a treatment plan. No one but a surgeon should recommend the course of treatment, Dr. Rosenblatt emphasizes.
The “Lifestyle Lift” procedure costs about $5,000 and the doctors get $1,000. Many of these are doctors who don’t have thriving practices, Dr. Rosenblatt says. He also says the pseudo facelift would never be effective “with a neck like yours,” referring to the lose skin I love so much. Funny, I wasn’t insulted and he wasn’t trying to insult me. He was trying to make a point, in a pointed way. I got the point.
Dr. Rosenblatt sent me a magazine article from one of the medical trade publications, which talks about misleading LSL advertising, inadequate follow-up care, and sales pressure. The company promotes a one-hour procedure, for instance, but shows examples of procedures that take longer. It also shows examples of procedures performed by doctors who are no longer working with the company. Sometimes, a patient can’t even reach the surgeon after the surgery is performed. One LSL surgeon, who didn’t have hospital privileges, couldn’t visit a patient in an ER who developed an acute post-operative surgical wound and breathing problems.
LSL gone wrong
Dr. Rosenblatt has also decided to steer clear of the new machines that reportedly zap cellulite and tighten collagen without surgery. “They cost over $100,000 and then you have to spend more to promote that you have them. I don’t think they work well, anyway.” He doesn’t understand why a woman would have two or three procedures on her face, each costing thousands of dollars and lasting only a couple of years when she could have a facelift that lasts for many years more.
I liked the doctor’s straight talk.
Geri Brin, founder, faboverfifty.com
Indiana- You’ve got to love a plastic surgeon who collects new and gently used bras from his patients to distribute to homeless and other women in need. Dr. Gus Galante, who practices in Schererville, IN, is part of an affiliate network of surgeons working with Breast Oasis, a non-profit organization, to donate bras throughout the country.
Bras collected at Dr. Galante’s office are inspected, sorted and laundered for packaging and delivery to charitable organizations in Northwest Indiana. Interestingly, bras are the least donated articles of clothing to women’s shelters, yet they’re among the most expensive necessities for women.
Dr. Galante is a natural partner for this innovative and worthwhile cause since he is in daily contact with women whose bras no longer fit them, following breast augmentation or reduction surgery.
For more information or to make a donation, call (800) 721-3244. Donated bras are accepted at Galante’s office, 322 Indianapolis Blvd, Suite 103, Schererville. Or visit www.breastoasis.org.
Read Dr. Galante’s profile here.
New York–Dr. Tracy Pfeifer is now offering Belotero, a hyaluronic acid dermal filler, that she says “is great for vertical lip lines and fine lines.” One treatment—which takes about 20 minutes—should last six months to a year, although it’s still a bit early to tell since the procedure was just approved by the FDA, Dr. Pfeifer adds. “Until now we did not have a great solution for vertical lip lines.”
The Belotero website claims “it is approved to smooth moderate to severe wrinkles and folds.” It is injected into the dermis and “evenly integrates with your own dermal tissues and discreetly enhances your facial contours for added confidence,” it explains.
Click here for more Belotero Before and After photos.
For more information and pricing, call Dr. Pfeifer at 212-860-0670
Images: Belotero.uk.com
Leading plastic surgeons across the country check in with the latest and greatest procedures to make us look as good as we feel. “Meet” these board-certified doctors here and learn what they’re up to in their practices. If you plan to have plastic surgery, we want to make sure it’s a beautiful thing.
Now that Dr. Mary Powers has opened an office in Westlake Village, CA, her two practices offer plastic surgery from Long Beach to Beverly Hills in Southern California. A Board Certified plastic surgeon with over 20 years experience, Dr. Powers chose Westlake Village because she says it appeals to her to her “aesthetic sense as a place to live and work!”
WLV (pop. around 9,000) residents are wealthy (average income is over six figures) and many are college educated. Attracting both retired people,as well as young families, the town is like a “mini South Hampton, but with a lower pretense factor,” Dr. Powers says. “We have a lake instead of a beach [although the Malibu beach is 15 minutes away] and many country clubs,” she adds. “I love the area physically. It is surrounded by rolling, green hills and looks and feels like a different country from LA, but it’s only 40 minutes away. There’s no traffic and you can’t see the air. The streets are wide, well designed and clean and they don’t have potholes.”
And, oh yes, while WSV residents care about keeping their well-planned community safe, secure and attractive, they also care about their appearance. That is surely a good thing for Dr. Powers!
