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10 Red Flags when looking for a Plastic Surgeon.

The decision to have cosmetic or plastic surgery is a big one. Equally as important a decision is deciding WHO will do your surgery.

Below are 10 red flags to watch for.

Red Flag #1

The doctor you are consulting is not a board certified plastic surgeon. You can verify your doctors credentials at: plasticsurgery.org

Red Flag #2
Your surgery will be performed in a non accredited facility.
Accreditation ensures that strict standards are met for proper equipment, safety, surgeon credentials and staffing.

Red Flag #3
During the consultation the surgeon isn’t really listening to you and is giving you one size fits all answers.

Red Flag #4
The office or staff or doctor have an air of unprofessionalism.

Red Flag #5
The surgeon starts finding fault with other parts of your body and tries to sell you on additional procedures.

Red Flag #6
The surgeon tells you that the surgery your are considering has zero risks.
All surgery carries risk. Patients need to be informed of the risks so they can make an informed decision.

Red Flag #7
The surgeon gives deep discount deals. Ask yourself, why? Plastic surgeons price their services based on their skill, experience and demand.

Red Flag #8
During or after the consultation you feel like you have been subjected to high pressure sales tactics to get you to book your surgery.

Red Flag #9
The price is right but your gut is telling you no.

Red Flag #10
During the consultation you are shown before and after photos and it is unclear if these photos are off the internet or legitimate patients of the surgeon.
For patient privacy, I have a limited gallery of before and after photos on my webpage. However, in my office I have an extensive number of before and after photos. Prospective patients can review these during their consultation. These are photos of patients I have operated on.

The Skinny on Liposuction

The skinny on Liposuction

The skinny on Liposuction

THE SKINNY ON LIPOSUCTION

Liposuction allows the surgeon to reshape areas of the body that have excess fat deposits. The procedure improves the body’s contours.

Liposuction is the second most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in the United States. In 2015 over 220,000 liposuction procedures were performed. This is up 5% from 2014. I have performed thousands of liposuction procedures over the course of my career, and it remains one of the most in demand procedures in my practice.

 

Who is a good candidate for liposuction?

Liposuction is for patients who are at or near their ideal weight.  These patients have areas of their body where stubborn fat pockets remain despite following healthy diet and exercise routine. It is not a solution to obesity or a weight loss procedure. Common areas treated are the abdomen, inner and or outer thighs, arms, lower and or upper back, inside knees, or even the face and neck.

The ideal candidate will also be:

-Physically fit

-In good health

-No more than 25 lbs overweight

-Have realistic expectations

 

What to expect during your consultation?

During your consultation I will review your medical history and look at what medications that you are taking.  We will discuss your goals and expectations. We will also discuss the procedure itself. I will candidly talk to you about the risks associated with this procedure and answer any questions that you might have.  I will also do an exam to look at the areas to be addressed. My office staff will then talk to you about the fees and various payment options.

 

Where is the surgery performed?

Patient safety is always my top priority, this is why I perform my liposuction procedures in the surgery center at Kadlec Regional Medical Center. Kadlec’s surgery center is certified, so patients can be assured that it is a clean, sterile facility. Patients can also be assured that the support staff assisting in the surgery are trained, knowledgeable and certified. For additional patient safety, a certified anesthetist will administer your anesthesia.

 

What are the risks?

All surgical procedures carry risks, whether you are having cosmetic surgery or a knee replacement. Though complication are rare, patients need to be aware that risk does exist. Some risks associated with liposuction are blood clots and fat emboli. Be wary of a surgeon who tries to tell you there is no risk associated with surgery, this would be a red flag. Patients should be assured that in Kadlec’s surgery center,  they are in the safest type of facility should any issues arise.

 

For further information go to:

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction

https://frankflemingmd.com/

Botox

Botox – Answers to my patients most common questions.

Botox

Do you have questions about Botox?

 

Botox. Who would think that a substance that is responsible for food poisoning could also make us look more youthful!

Below I’ve listed some of the more common questions I’m frequently asked by my patients.

 

What is Botox?

Botox is a prescription drug and is made by the drug company Allergan. It works by temporarily blocking muscle activity by preventing the transmission between nerve endings and muscle fibers. In lay terms this means that when Botox is injected into your muscle the muscle will temporarily relax.

 

What areas do you treat? 

Common areas treated are:

  • Forehead wrinkles.
  • Frown lines.
  • Crow’s feet.
  • The muscle bands in the anterior neck.

 

What can I expect from my first Botox procedure? 

The procedure is quick and easy, it usually takes about 10 minutes. The first thing I will do is assess your facial wrinkling to make sure that Botox is indicated. I will then mark your face to pinpoint the injection sites. A small fine gauge needle is used to inject the Botox into the target areas. You will feel small pin pricks in the treatment areas. My patients tell me the pain is a 1-2 on the scale of 10.

 

What kind of results can I expect to see? 

Botox does not work instantly, so don’t expect to see immediate results! Results are generally seen anywhere from 1-7 days after the procedure.

Botox is not permanent, it will gradually wear off.  My patients generally return for repeat injections every 3-4 months.

 

Who administers the Botox at your office? 

I administer all of the Botox injections to our patients at Kadlec Clinic Plastic Surgery and Dermatology. The chance of complications can increase when administered incorrectly by an inexperienced injector. Complications might include problems swallowing, problems breathing, muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision, blindness and drooping eyelids.

 

At what age do people start getting injections? 

It depends. Some of my younger patients are in their early 30’s and use Botox to prevent wrinkles from forming.

 

Do you do Botox parties? 

No. While they sound like a lot of fun I do not think they are safe. For patient safety I believe in maintaining the highest medical standards. This means administering Botox in a safe clean clinical setting with no alcohol involved.

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/botulinum-toxin

 

For more on patient safety, click the following link:

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/patient-safety

 

The ever popular Mommy Makeover

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The Mommy Makeover

 

A big section of my practice is devoted to Mommy Makeovers. What I hear from my patients is that despite returning to their pre-baby weight and sticking to a healthy diet and exercise regimen, they have become discouraged because their body is not returning to what it once was. Since they are not happy with the way they look, their self-esteem and confidence has been eroded. Pregnancy changes a woman’s body. Particularly the breast and tummy areas. During pregnancy it is normal to gain weight. The breasts become larger which stretches out the skin. The result is that once the pregnancy weight has been shed the breasts will have often lost their fullness and be left saggy. The abdomen also becomes larger during pregnancy, and the skin here becomes stretched out too. Additionally, the muscles of the abdomen may separate which is known as known as diastasis recti. Once the pregnancy weight has been shed there will often be a lot of loose saggy skin left over.

The Mommy Makeover isn’t just one procedure. It’s a combination of procedures to bring the body back to the shape it was pre-pregnancy.The two procedures that generally make up a Mommy Makeover are the breast lift and the tummy tuck. The breast lift will return the breast to it’s pre -pregnancy contour. With a breast lift, sometimes patients will choose to have a breast lift with implants. The tummy tuck procedure will address the loose skin left on the abdomen. An incision will be made below the bikini line and the loose skin will be pulled tight. If my patients have had their abdominal muscles separate during pregnancy, then I can tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall during the surgery.

Roughly 325,000 Mommy Makeovers are performed each year. My patient’s who come to me for Mommy Makeovers are women who are devoted to their children and their families. They give of themselves on a daily basis and rarely put themselves first.  They’ve come to me because they’ve decided to do something nice for themselves.

   If you would like to schedule a consultation give our office a call at 509-942-3190.

https://frankflemingmd.com/

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/patient-safety