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Latest News
August 2009 Q & A with Dr. Levens
(Dr. Levens’ monthly column is carried by the Coral
Springs Forum newspaper.)
Dear Dr. Levens: If a facelift has to be repeated after
12 or 15 years, is the same true for a tummy tuck? --TM
Dear TM: No. A tummy tuck is generally
considered to be a permanent procedure, unless the patient has a very
major weight fluctuation after the surgery...either from pregnancy
or simple weight gain. In such cases, the skin and/or muscles
may become stretched again and revision surgery would be needed to
restore the flat abdomen achieved during the initial surgery. That’s
why we recommend that patients not have a tummy tuck if they are considering
another pregnancy. It is also advisable to be at your ideal,
sustainable weight when you have the surgery.
Dear Dr. Levens: My husband is 49. He
has very protruding, large ears and has always wanted to get them “fixed”. I’d
like to give him the surgery for his 50th birthday present. However,
I know he worries that surgery might somehow affect his hearing. Is
that a reasonable concern? ---KL
Dear KL: Start planning your surprise. There
are risks common to any surgical procedure, such as bleeding, infection
and scar tissue formation but they occur in only a very small percentage
of cosmetic surgery cases. To my knowledge, hearing loss is
not associated with otoplasty (ear reshaping) at all. Otoplasty
can successfully reduce ear protrusion and trim the size of over-large
ears. It is important to have realistic expectations. Your
two ears are never exactly the same size or shape. Though otoplasty
can improve their shape and position, small differences will exist
after surgery. Also, cartilage forms the framework of the ear.
When moved, it tends to spring back to its original position. During
surgery, weakening and shaping the cartilage reduces this tendency. However,
if the cartilage is extremely resilient, or if there is impact from
scar tissue after surgery, ear prominence can re-occur in a very small
number of patients. In those cases, a revision procedure may be necessary.
Overall, patient satisfaction with otoplasty is extremely high and
recovery is not difficult.
Dear Dr. Levens: I have a large mole
on my face, just above my jaw line. I’ve had moles on
other parts of my body removed by a dermatologist, but since this
one is on my face, should I go directly to a plastic surgeon? --TN
Dear TN: For large facial moles, dermatologists
often refer patients to a plastic surgeon. However, dermatologists
are qualified to remove such moles, so it’s really your choice.
Dear Dr. Levens: I am considering getting
filler injections for the crow’s feet around my eyes. I
have read that these injections have to be repeated every so often. Why
is that? –SH
Dear SH: Typically, injections
of soft tissue fillers like Restylane or Radiesse must be repeated every
6-8 months for optimal wrinkle reduction, though this varies somewhat
from patient to patient and it also differs depending on the filler
used. The repetition is needed because over time, the filler dissipates
into the tissue and wrinkles start to reappear.
Dr. Levens is a Board-certified plastic surgeon.
He has served as Vice Chief of Staff and
Chief of Surgery at Coral SpringsMedicalCenter. His
column appears monthly. Send questions to Cosmetic
Surgery Today, 1725 University Dr., Suite 440, Coral
Springs, 33071 or email info@DrLevens.com.
Interested in seeing past questions? Please
see our archived Q
& A section.
Dr. Levens has been providing plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive
surgery procedures for patients in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach,
Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Davie, Delray Beach, Ft. Lauderdale,
Hollywood, Lauderhill, Margate, Miami, North Lauderdale,
Parkland, Plantation, Sunrise, Tamarac, West Palm Beach, Wellington,
Weston and throughout South Florida since 1989.
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