Your Guide to Discussing Breast Reconstruction with Your Plastic Surgeon

Michelle / October 4, 2024

Facing a mastectomy or lumpectomy due to breast cancer or other medical conditions is daunting. Yet, the decision-making doesn’t end there. Breast reconstruction after mastectomy is a pivotal aspect of the healing journey for many women.

This article guides you through the process of meeting with your plastic surgeon to discuss breast reconstruction options.

Understanding Your Choices

Embarking on the journey of breast reconstruction begins with understanding the array of choices available. By acquainting yourself with these options, you equip yourself with knowledge that can help facilitate a more informed and meaningful discussion with your surgeon.

Implant-based Reconstruction

What is it?

Implant-based reconstruction involves the placement of saline or silicone gel-filled implants to recreate the breast mound. It can be done immediately after a mastectomy (immediate reconstruction) or at a later date (delayed reconstruction).

Procedure:

Tissue Expander: Initially, a tissue expander might be placed under the chest muscle. Over weeks or months, saline solution is injected into the expander, gradually stretching the skin and making space for the implant.
Permanent Implant: Once the skin is stretched adequately, a second surgery replaces the expander with a permanent implant.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

Shorter Recovery Time: Generally, implant-based reconstructions have shorter recovery times compared to autologous methods.
No Donor Site: Since no tissue is taken from other parts of the body, there are no additional surgical sites to heal.

Cons:

Maintenance: Implants might require replacement or adjustment surgeries in the future.
Complications: Risks include implant rupture, rippling, or capsular contracture (scar tissue around the implant).

Autologous or Flap Reconstruction

What is it?

Flap reconstruction involves using tissue (skin, fat, and sometimes muscle) from another part of your body to create a new breast mound.

Types of Flap Reconstructions:

TRAM (Transverse Rectus Abdominis Muscle) Flap: This method repurposes tissue from the lower abdomen.
DIEP (Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator) Flap: Similar to TRAM but spares the muscle, using only skin and fat.
Latissimus Dorsi Flap: Involves tissue from the upper back.
Gluteal Free Flap: Utilizes tissue from the buttocks.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

Natural Look and Feel: Since it uses your tissue, the reconstructed breast has a more natural texture.
Long-lasting Results: No need for replacements as with implants.

Cons:

Longer Surgery and Recovery: These procedures are more extensive and require a longer healing period.
Donor Site Complications: There can be complications or scarring at the tissue donor site.

Combination of Implant and Flap Reconstruction

What is it?

This approach combines both flap and implant techniques to reconstruct the breast, providing both volume and a natural feel.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

Versatility: It can be a solution for women with limited skin availability after mastectomy.

Cons:

Complexity: This method can combine potential complications from both implant and flap procedures.

By exploring these options and understanding their intricacies, you empower yourself to have a detailed and productive conversation with your surgeon. Recognizing the pros and cons of each method can help you align your expectations and desires with the realities of the procedures available.

Setting Your Priorities

Before your meeting, reflect on what is most important to you in terms of recovery time, appearance, feelings, scars, and long-term considerations.

Preparing for the Consultation

When meeting your plastic surgeon, preparation is key. Here are some crucial aspects:

Questions to Ask

What are the risks and complications?
What results can I realistically expect?
What is the recovery period like?
How will the reconstruction impact my daily life and activities?
What happens if I gain or lose weight?
How will aging affect the reconstructed breast?

Understanding Your Surgeon’s Approach

Every surgeon has a unique approach and expertise. Discussing their experience, previous results, and their suggested approach for your case can provide insight and comfort.

Visualizing Your Results

Many surgeons use 3D imaging or photographs to help you understand potential outcomes. Discuss your desires regarding size, shape, and appearance.

Understanding the Timeline

Discuss when the best time for reconstruction is, whether immediate (at the time of mastectomy) or delayed. Consider your overall treatment plan and how reconstruction fits into it.

Emotional and Psychological Aspects

Recognize that the decision is not just physical but deeply emotional. Some women find solace in regaining a semblance of their pre-surgery body, while others may choose to forego reconstruction altogether.

Financial and Logistical Considerations

Understanding costs, insurance coverage, and the logistics of recovery (time off work, support during recovery) is crucial.

The Road to Decision Making

Once armed with information, take time to weigh your options. It’s important to feel confident in your decision, knowing that it aligns with your physical and emotional well-being.

Conclusion

Choosing to undergo breast reconstruction is a multifaceted decision encompassing medical, emotional, financial, and aesthetic considerations. By engaging in open dialogues with your surgeon and reflecting on your priorities, you can navigate this path empowered and informed.

Remember, the journey is deeply personal, and the right choice is one that aligns with your unique needs and desires.

Health Benefits of Custom Orthotics Insoles

Michelle / January 13, 2017

Health Benefits of Custom Orthotics Insoles

If you have been using over-the-counter shoe inserts expecting to get some relief from your heel pain, you are most likely to end up disappointed with its results. This is not your fault, it’s because of a misconception.

Many people think that it is okay to use any standard shoe insert to treat your foot problems and pain. However, this is false as there’s nothing called an “average foot” and there’s no one-size solution for foot pain.

Different people have different feet shapes, sizes, and structures and if you suffer from foot conditions like plantar fasciitis or flat feet, your podiatrist will most likely suggest custom orthotics insoles to treat the condition.

What are Custom Orthotics?

Custom orthotics are customized shoe inserts ordered by medical professionals after examining your feet, pronation, gait and after analyzing the pain and discomfort you are going through.

You know you need customized orthotics if the bottom of your shoes is not worn evenly across the toe and heel region. People with a normal gait undergo even wear-and-tear of their shoes.

They are made from much more durable material than the OTC inserts, and thus provide pain relief for years and not months. It is only after using these customized orthotics will you realize the following health benefits it offers.

1. They are especially helpful for athletes, those athletes who have recurring foot problems. It reduces foot stress and fatigue while increasing agility. It also helps in high impact sports involving lots of running and jumping by working as shock absorbers and thus reducing the stress on the joints and muscles.

2. Custom orthotics balances the feet and provides for improved shock absorption so that the shock impact is reduced drastically before reaching your limbs and starting joint pain.

3. Customized orthotics can help correct your posture and alignment by supporting the arch. This in turn minimizes the stress and discomfort of your improper gait.

4. Orthotics are especially helpful for people who have to spend a lot of time on their feet as part of their job. They help by maintaining correct weight distribution so that there is no untoward stress on only heels or arch while standing.

5. Orthotic shoe inserts also helpful for the obese who find it difficult standing for long periods if they do not get the support of the shoe inserts.

6. Balanced and properly supported feet mean a reduced chance of suffering from an ankle or foot injury, back pain, and even knee or hip pain.

7. Flat feet orthotics help by gradually shifting the shape of the arch and thus treats flat feet to improve your walk and gait. There is also orthotics which proves helpful for those with unusually high arches by reducing the stress and discomfort of the high arches.

8. Helps relieve any foot pain, stress, and fatigue caused by ankle problems by taking pressure of foot calluses and bunions. It provides support to arches to relieve arch pain and reduce muscle stress and fatigue.

9. Customized orthotic shoe inserts help improve your poor balance which was caused by improper lower limb alignment. The inserts help by supporting your arch and cradling your heel so that your pronation is gradually improved.

10. Custom orthotics are much more comfortable than the standard inserts you find in shoe stores. This is because custom orthotic insoles are manufactured as per your individual body’s biomechanical needs. So a runner with foot pain may be prescribed a particular treatment while those with broken bones or inflamed ligaments will be prescribed some other orthotic treatment.

11. Orthotics help improve skeleton alignment by gradually changing the angles of joints to provide pain relief.

12. The shoe inserts help reduce extremity rotation caused by overpronation. It also reduces the velocity at which joints move through its ranges.

13. Orthotics are not only helpful at providing relief from foot pain, but also helps those suffering from back pain, hips or knee pain, and people suffering from arthritis-related pain. Orthotics also help treat foot pain triggered by health issues like diabetes.

So you can see that there are many health benefits associated with using customized orthotics. The trick lies at consulting the right podiatrist who has the knowledge and experience to prescribe the right feet orthotics based on your individual needs and requirements.

Possible Complications of Rhinoplasty & Blepharoplasty And How You Can Avoid These

Michelle / November 23, 2016

Possible Complications of Rhinoplasty & How You Can Avoid Them

One of the primary concern of nose job surgery is the post surgery bleeding. The bleeding may occur shortly after the surgery or it can happen at a later date like as late as two or even three weeks after the procedure.

To reduce the risk of bleeding, it is recommended that you avoid lifting heavy items or over exert yourself for at least three weeks post surgery. You should also avoid bending position as bending over can increase nasal pressure that lead to bleeding.

You should also try your best not to sneeze or blow your nose or sticking anything into it during the recovery period. If you have to sneeze, expel the sneeze through your mouth, not your nose. Instead of picking your nose, you can use a salt water nasal spray to help prevent crusting after your surgery.

Besides bleeding, the next possible complication is having the nasal bone moved out of position. To prevent this, you need to be extra careful when you are in a crowded area and when you are around people. Do not be within arm’s reach from people who like to talk with their hands for at least a couple of weeks. This will help avoid any accidental bang or struck onto your nose.

To speed up your post nose job surgery recovery, you can follow these easy tips:

When you are sleeping, keep your head lifted up as much as you can. A good way to elevate your head is by sleeping with 2 pillows.

Image of sleeping position after rhinoplasty surgery — Elevate Your Head During Sleep After Rhinoplasty Surgery

Right after your rhinoplasty surgery, take lots of deep breath and keep circulation going to prevent blood clots by walking around and wiggle your toes when you are in bed.

Two weeks prior and two weeks after your nose job, you should stop taking aspirin or any other medication that thin your blood so that you do not bleed excessively.

The healing and full recovery will take time so be patient and understand that it is a process in which you will feel better and look better as time goes by.

Rhinoplasty Singapore can change one’s appearance for the better if it is done well.

Possible Complications of Blepharoplasty Eyelid Surgery & How You Can Avoid Them

To prepare for the recovery after your eyelid surgery, have these items ready at home:

Ice pack or freezer bags filled with ice or frozen peas or corns as you will use these as cold application to your eyelids post-op.
Eye drops. You can ask your eye surgeon to recommend the suitable type for the post-op needs.
Pain relief medication. You can also request your surgeon to prescribe the right type of pain medication and avoid aspirin or herbal supplements that may increase the risk of bleeding.
Small gauze pads

Immediately after your Blepharoplasty Singapore eyelid surgery, you may experience light sensitivity, excessive tearing or double vision. Swelling and bruising is likely to happen and will last more than couple of weeks. The area around your incisions will be red and obvious at the beginning and your eyelids will be puffy and you may experience numbness for several days.

application of icepack after Apply Ice Pack After Blepharoplasty Eyelid Surgery — Apply Ice Pack After Blepharoplasty Eyelid Surgery

To reduce the swelling, apply ice packs to your eyes. Your surgeon will probably instruct you to apply ice packs or cold compresses to your eyes to help reduce swelling.

Pain is usually minimal. However if you experience long-lasting pain or extreme pain or redness after the surgery, you must inform your doctor and find out if it indicate any sign of problem.

The amount of time it takes for full recovery do vary greatly among individuals.

The general guideline is to rest in bed following the eyelid surgery and stay home to relax and apply cold compress onto your eyes for up to three days post surgery.

Sleep with your head elevated as much as possible during the first few days to reduce swelling. You can use regular pillows or sleep on a recliner.

Just like rhinoplasty, it is very important that you follow all the after surgery care instructions given by your plastic surgeon. Avoid straining, heavy lifting, strenuous activities like swimming, aerobics and jogging, for up to a month. During the recovery, you should avoid abrupt head movement or any activities that increase blood pressure in your head like bending over.

Your eyes may get tired easily for several weeks after the surgery so take frequent naps and try your best to stay away from activities like reading, watching TV, looking at computer for the first couple of weeks as these activities may dry your eyes. Put on your dark sunglasses when you are outdoor to protect the eyes from possible irritations caused by wind and the sun.

Hope you find the above recovery tips helpful in preparing for your rhinoplasty and/or eyelid cosmetic plastic surgery.

Nail Care Essentials – Maintaining Strong Healthy Nails

Michelle / November 19, 2016

Having a good nail care go far beyond just manicures and nail polish. It’s not only important to have a regular and thorough nail-care routine to remove harmful germs and bacteria, nail care is also an important part of personal grooming. Some care and attention is definitely needed to maintain the health of the nail. There are many factors that can affect the health of your nails.

Common Nail Problems

When there is abnormal nail change, it is generally not due to your diet unless you are suffering from severe malnutrition. Sometimes nail problems indicate a nutritional imbalance.

Brittle nails can be due to iron deficiency or nutritional deficiencies or the result of age or too much or too little moisture. Spoon-shaped or upturned nails can be also be due to iron deficiency or as a result of repeated trauma.

When you clip the nail too short or wear ill-fitting shoes, it can lead to an ingrown toenail. If you have white spots on the nails, it can be due to a deficiency in zinc. Good sources of zinc will include shellfish, meat, nuts, whole grain and root vegetables.

Ridging of the nails can be due to eczema, psoriasis or other skin problems but the most common reason is due to aging. Nail injury and rheumatoid arthritis can also cause vertical ridges.

Toenail and fingernail fungal infections can cause inflammation around the nail (paronychia) as well as nail lifting problem. The nail may turn thick, crumbly and yellowed. You might see white or black, powdery discoloration of the nail plate’s surface. Fungal nail infections account for nearly one-half of all nail problems. It may occur at any age but is more common in older individuals. Diabetic patients are more likely to develop a fungal nail infection.

Nail lifting may also occur with other skin conditions like eczema (including hand dermatitis), psoriasis, and lichen planus and other underlying medical problems, including thyroid disease, pregnancy, and rarely some forms of cancer. Other possible causes of nail lifting are injury to the nails, use of nail cosmetics, and aggressive manicures.

Consult a doctor if your nail lifting becomes bothersome. Your doctor will evaluate the condition and may perform tests for infection and prescribe antibacterial or anti-fungal treatment if fungal infection is present.

Fungal infections of the nails are common among the older individuals, associated with athlete’s foot. Bacteria nail infection will usually lead to inflammation of the region of the finger or toe from which the nail plate originates. Such inflammation may be short term or it could be may a long-term problem or one that is chronic – keeps coming back.

Your doctor is most likely to prescribe a topical steroid or anti-fungal medication and/or an oral anti-fungal medicine or antibiotics. You can also consume a supplementary of zinc for a period of six months to help improve the condition.

The Importance of Nail Care

Many people pay close attention to how their hair look but do not care much for their nails while there are some who understand the importance of caring for their nails as they know that nails are an important part of our body and are our handy helper. Our nails not only help us do things like scratching an annoying itch or picking up coins from the ground but they also protect the fingers and toes.

Therefore it is important to take good care of your nails. Here are some simple and easy tips to get your nails in good shape:

Keep them short and clean, trim them in the shape of the tip of your finger and cut your toenails straight across.

After washing your hands and feet, dry them well. Change your socks daily. Apply moisturizer lotion on your fingernail when your hands feel dry. And more importantly, eat healthy balanced diet to maintain good nutrition, take selected supplements to keep your nails strong and healthy.

Breast Enhancement Surgery in Singapore

Michelle / November 9, 2016

Why Breast Enhancement Surgery Is Gaining Popularity In Singapore

There are various reasons why women in Singapore choose breast enhancement surgery to help them achieve the look they desire and to boost their self-image and confidence. The common reasons are as follows:

Feel that breasts are too small and wish to increase the size and make them bigger
Your breast are uneven in shape and size and you wish to balance them up
After a significant weight loss, your breast lost the volume
After child-birth, your breast lost the former fullness and shape and you wish to rejuvenate your breasts
Due to aging over time your breast are sagging and you want to improve the appearance of your nipples

Breast augmentation surgery uses breast implants to improve the size and shape of a woman’s breasts and is usually carried out under general anesthetic. During the procedure, your Singapore breast surgeon will place the breast implant either beneath the breast tissue and on top of the pectoralis muscle (sub-glandular) or partially beneath the pectoralis major muscle (submuscular), giving your breasts a fuller shape.

Your surgeon will use either silicone gel-filled or saline-filled breast implants that are designed to fit your body shape and silhouette, to achieve your desired result. Your surgeon will explain the advantages of each type of breast implant with you.

A combination of a breast lift is performed by a surgeon to help patients whose breasts are sagging and lack volume. Breast lift surgery involves lifting and repositioning the nipple, tightening of the breast skin, and reposition the breast tissue to a higher position on the chest, at which point implants will be inserted.

Breast augmentation in Singapore is a relatively safe procedure with few complications when it is performed by well trained experienced plastic surgeons. However, as with any surgery, there are still potential risks involved thought these risks are small. Following your breast augmentation surgery, you may expect some bruises, swelling, twinges of pain, and discomfort. Changes in breast and nipple sensation may also occur. This is usually temporary.

What To Expect & Watch For After Breast Augmentation Surgery

After the first 3 days, you should start feeling more comfortable and after resting for a week or two, you should be able to return to work. You should avoid any strenuous activity for at least three to four weeks. If you are a smoker, you should stop completely before surgery and after surgery as smoking will cause a delay in your wound healing and also increase the risk of bleeding and infection.

If you develop any of these symptoms like excessive swelling or offensive wound discharge or night seats, you should consult your surgeon to seek immediate attention.

Excessive swelling of one or both sides might mean you have developed a collection of blood around the implant which needs to be surgically drained. A large amount of wound discharge could be an early sign of infection and should be brought to your surgeon’s attention.

Red hot sensation in the breasts or having chills or night sweats could also be an indication of infection. If there is an infection, your implants will need to be removed and replaced with another after 2 to 3 months.

During the first month of recovery, you should avoid any activity that puts stress on the wounds as well as avoids raising your arms above the head or lifting any heavy items. You can engage in light activities but not aerobics exercises nor swimming until after six weeks following the surgery.

Breast enhancement surgery requires long term commitment as you may need to undergo adjustment surgery at a later date. On average, most breast implants life span is about 10 years, with some lasting up to 15 years without the need to be replaced. Finding a reputable and experienced female plastic surgeon to help you achieve the desired outcome of your breast enhancement. Find out from the surgeon if you are a good candidate for breast augmentation procedure, before going under the knife.

Don’t Let Stress Hurt Your Health & Beauty

Michelle / November 4, 2016

Chronic Stress Symptoms & Health Impact

More than half the Singapore adult population claims to be suffering from stress to some level. It is no longer just the high flying executives that are suffering from stress, but the unemployed, the exhausted working mothers, and the students as well.

stress in singapore — Singapore kid is stressed about homework

There is evidence linking chronic stress to our overall well being and health, linking stress to certain diseases. These stress related diseases include high blood pressure, headaches, facial pain, neck pain, stomach ulcers, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, infections, anorexia nervosa, menstrual period problems (PMS) and the list goes on.

The most common symptoms of stress include:

disturbed sleep and early morning waking
insomnia
panic attacks
migraines and headaches
loss of appetite
compulsive eating
excessive smoking
fatigue
irrational thoughts
easily irritated, uncontrolled emotions
frequent illnesses
irrational thoughts

The 1st warning for some of us could be a bout of flu or the onset of headaches. Alternatively our digestive system or our energy levels could be affected. As time goes by, our immune system dyfunction and some of us develop migraine headaches, others get recurrent flush, irritable bowel symptom, depression, chronic fatigue or panic attacks. Some minority will simply have a fatal heart attack or develop a serious medical condition. Studies have shown that people who bottle up their emotions are more likely to die early and in particular to have heart attacks.

What We Can Do To Manage Stress Better

There is plenty of medical evidence to support the fact that persistent stress can affect us both physically and mentally. Many of us have the ability to cope with near tragedy or disaster, and it is not until it is over that we feel it is safe to “fall apart”.

Here are tips to help you cope and manage your stress better:

Get some counselling to help you sort out the stressful situations you are facing
If you are suffering from panic attacks, consult doctor to prescribe a low dose of beta-blockers to help you cope with anxiety symptoms.
Do a physical medical examination and tests to check your iron levels, thyroid function, and check for early diabetes or underlying infection.
Set aside some sacred time for yourself, time to think and time to switch off from your responsibilities.
Open up and share with your family how you really feel, and ask for their support while you get yourself sorted out

If it is work-related stress, discuss with your colleagues how you can make changes
Learn not to take on too much and learn to say “NO” to others when you feel you are already fully committed.
Prioritise your responsibilities and see if you can off-load and delegate some of the less important tasks to others
Watch an entertaining film or read a good book
Laugh occasionally as laughter is a great medicine
Make time each day to simply relax for about 15 minutes, with no interruptions. Simply switch off your phone, cut off any possible distractions and just let yourself relax
Most importantly, set aside time each week to exercise.

There are a variety of ways to control your chronic stress and is important you implement some of the above methods to prevent the harmful effect stress has on your health and beauty.