Plastic Surgery
Physicians who specialize in plastic surgery are experts in performing reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery is often performed to improve functionality or to replace a part of the body that has been affected by injury, disease, tumors or a congenital defect. Cosmetic surgery is elective surgery and it is used to reshape normal parts of the body to improve or enhance its appearance.
Milford Regional’s plastic surgeons are highly skilled in performing a wide range of plastic surgery and are very sensitive to their patient’s individual needs. Our plastic surgeons require an initial in-depth consultation with each patient to determine the patient’s expectations and to discuss the patient’s general health, lifestyle, budget, and recovery time from surgery.
Some of the more common plastic surgeries performed at Milford Regional include:
Breast Reconstruction
Breast reconstruction is surgery to rebuild a breast’s shape after a mastectomy. The surgeon forms a breast mound by using an implant or natural tissues from the belly, back or buttocks. Most implants are made from silicone sacs filled with salt water, although in some circumstances silicone gel implants may be used. The type of reconstruction you get depends on your body type, age and cancer treatment. You and your doctor will decide together whether you should consider breast reconstruction, what type is best for you, and when to have the surgery.
The reconstruction can be done at the same time as the mastectomy or in a later surgery after you have healed from the first surgery. Often the reconstruction is done in stages; first the major surgery to reconstruct the breast, and a second smaller surgery to create a nipple or to reposition the breast.
Some women choose not to have breast reconstruction or implants after a mastectomy. They may use a prosthesis (an artificial breast) in their bra that gives them a natural shape, or they may choose to use nothing at all.
Breast Augmentation or Reduction
Many women who are dissatisfied with their breast size or shape consider cosmetic surgery of the breast called breast augmentation. Some women may want breast volume restored that was lost after pregnancy or weight loss. If a woman decides she wants larger, fuller breasts, a plastic surgeon can insert saline (salt water) filled implants under the breast tissue or chest wall muscle. In certain conditions, your doctor may suggest using silicone gel implants.
Women who have very large breasts can experience problems such as neck, shoulder or back pain, difficulty with posture, breathing problems or a chronic rash under the breast. Breast reduction involves removing fat, tissue and excess skin resulting in smaller, firmer breasts that are more in proportion to the woman’s body. Scars will fade over time and your plastic surgeon will, most often, make the cuts in the underside of the breast so they are less noticeable.
Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Plastic surgery of the face includes many different surgical and non-surgical treatments affecting various parts of the face including the eyelids, brows, nose, ears, neck and skin. Each patient’s individual needs and wishes are assessed to determine the best treatment and obtain the desired results.
Facial reconstructive surgery is used to correct defects in the facial skin as a result of prior surgery, injury or disease. Rhinoplasty/septoplasty is surgery of the nose in which cartilage and bone are reconstructed and reshaped to improve the appearance and function of the nose. Surgery on the eyelid is performed to improve the function and/or look of the eyes, and surgery on the ears is done to reshape the cartilage to reduce protrusion.
Non-surgical treatments include chemical peels, microdermabrasion, laser treatment and injectable medications such as Botox will improve the appearance of the face. Other surgeries aim to reduce wrinkles in the forehead or part of the face, or to remove excess fat under the chin or in the neck. In addition, implants can be used to make the lips, chin or cheeks more prominent and well defined.
Depending on the procedure and/or patient preference, procedures are performed in the physician’s office or the hospital.
Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty is surgery that improves the appearance of flabby, stretched-out abdominal muscles and skin, especially after a lot of weight loss, or from previous pregnancies. It is often called a “tummy tuck.” It can range from a simple “mini-tummy tuck” to more complicated, extended surgery.
Your surgeon will make an incision below your bikini line, in most cases, and will remove fatty tissue and loose skin from the middle and lower sections of your abdomen to make it firmer and flatter. In extended surgeries, the surgeon also removes excess fat and skin from the sides of the abdomen. Your abdominal muscles may be tightened also. Your surgeon will close your incision with stitches and a firm elastic bandage will be placed over your abdomen to provide support. Depending on the extent of the surgery, you may require an overnight stay in the hospital.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the skin. It can occur anywhere on the body, but it is most common in skin that is often exposed to sunlight, such as the face, neck, hands, and arms. Non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal or squamous cell carcinoma rarely spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma, the rarest form of skin cancer, is more likely to invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body.
Skin cancer can have many different appearances. A mole that changes in color, shape or size, a lesion that bleeds and doesn’t heal, or a mole that is asymmetrical or has irregular borders are all suspicious symptoms and should be checked by a physician immediately.
Surgery is the usual treatment for people with skin cancer. One or more of the following surgical procedures may be used to treat non-melanoma skin cancer:
- Mohs micrographic surgery: The tumor is cut from the skin in thin layers. During surgery, the edges of the tumor and each layer of tumor removed are viewed through a microscope to check for cancer cells. Layers continue to be removed until no more cancer cells are seen. This type of surgery removes as little normal tissue as possible and is often used to remove skin cancer on the face.
- Simple excision: The tumor is cut from the skin along with some of the normal skin around it.
- Shave excision: The abnormal area is shaved off the surface of the skin with a small blade.
- Cryosurgery: A treatment that uses an instrument to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue, called cryotherapy.
- Dermabrasion: Removal of the top layer of skin using a rotating wheel or small particles to rub away skin cells.
If your doctor orders a biopsy of the tumor and melanoma is diagnosed, tests will be done to determine the stage of the cancer. The stage is dependent on the thickness of the tumor and if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Surgery to remove the tumor is the primary treatment for most stages of melanoma. If it has spread into the lymph nodes, some nodes may be surgically removed as well. In addition, your physician may recommend chemotherapy or radiation therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells after surgery.
