CORRECTION OF PROMINENT EARS - Otoplasty

Ear surgery, or otoplasty, is usually done to set prominent ears back closer to the head or
to reduce the size of large ears.

CANDIDATES FOR OTOPLASTY:

The operation is done on children between the ages of 4 and 14 or adults at any age. Ears are almost fully grown by age four, and the earlier the surgery, the less teasing and ridicule the child will have to endure. Ear surgery on adults is also possible, and there are generally no
additional risks associated with ear surgery on an older patient.

CONSULTATION & PREPARATION:

Parents should stay alert to their child’s feelings about protruding ears; don’t insist on the
surgery until your child wants the change. Children who feel uncomfortable about their ears
and want the surgery are generally more cooperative during the process and happier with
the outcome.We will also give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery.

RISKS & COMPLICATIONS:

When ear surgery is performed,complications are infrequent and usually minor.
Nevertheless, there are risks associated with surgery and specific complications associated
with this procedure.

A small percentage of patients may develop a blood clot on the ear. It may dissolve
naturally or can be drawn out with a needle. Occasionally, patients develop an infection in
the cartilage, which can cause scar tissue to form. Such infections are usually treated with
antibiotics; rarely, surgery may be required to drain the infected area. Recurrence of the
protrusion, may require second surgery.

HOSPITAL STAY/OUT-PATIENT:

Ear surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure.

ANESTHESIA:

If your child is young, we recommend general anesthesia, so the child will sleep through the
operation. For older children or adults, we prefer to use local anesthesia, combined with a
sedative.

OPERATING TIME:

1-2 hours.

THE SURGERY:

The technique will depend on the problem.
A small incision is taken on the back of the ear to expose the ear cartilage. The cartilage is
sculpted and bent back toward the head. Non-removable stitches are used to help maintain
the new shape. Occasionally, a larger piece of cartilage is removed to provide a more
natural-looking fold when the surgery is complete.
Another technique involves a similar incision in the back of the ear. Skin is removed and
stitches are used to fold the cartilage back on itself to reshape the ear without removing
cartilage.

In most cases, ear surgery will leave a faint scar in the back of the ear that will fade with
time. Even when only one ear appears to protrude, surgery is usually performed on both
ears for a better balance.

THE RECOVERY PERIOD:

Adults and children are usually up and around within a few hours of surgery.
The patient’s head will be wrapped in a bulky bandage immediately following surgery to
promote the best molding and healing. The ears may throb or ache a little for a few days,
but this can be relieved by medication.

Within a few days, the bulky bandages will be replaced by a lighter head dressing similar to
a headband. Be sure to follow our directions for wearing this dressing, especially at night.
Stitches are usually removed, or will dissolve, in about a week.
Most adults can go back to work about 5 days after surgery. Children can go back to
school after 7 days or so, if they’re careful about playground activity.

THE NEW LOOK:

Most patients, are thrilled with the results of ear surgery. But don’t expect both ears to
match perfectly-perfect symmetry is both unlikely and unnatural in ears. If you’ve
discussed the procedure and your expectations with us before the operation, chances are,
you’ll be quite pleased with the result.

OTHER EAR PROBLEMS

Besides protruding ears, there are a variety of other ear problems that can be helped with
surgery. These include: “lop ear,” when the tip seems to fold down and forward; “cupped
ear,” which is usually a very small ear; and “shell ear,” when the curve in the outer rim, as
well as the natural folds and creases, are missing. Surgery can also improve large or
stretched earlobes, or lobes with large creases and wrinkles. Surgeons can even build new
ears for those who were born without them (microtia) or who lost them through injury (ear
reconstruction)

Skin Rejuvenation with Chemical Peels





What is a chemical peel?

A chemical peel is a skin rejuvenation technique designed to improve the appearance of the skin. During a peel, a uniquely formulated solution is applied to the skin surface, causing the surface cells to separate and peel off, thus allowing new skin to regenerate. The new skin is generally smoother and less wrinkled.

Following a chemical peel, the skin color may also be more uniform.



What can a chemical peel accomplish?

Chemical peeling can be used to treat fine lines, especially around the eyes and mouth, and the wrinkles that result from sun damage. Chemical peeling can also be used to improve the skin’s color. Thus, sunspots, age spots, and the blotchiness that can occur with birth control pills or pregnancy (melasma) can all be improved by chemical peeling. In addition, the pre-cancerous skin changes that result from excessive sun exposure (actinic keratoses) can also be improved with a chemical peel. The procedure can also be used to improve acne and to treat mild scars that were caused by acne. A chemical peel will make dull appearing skin appear more vibrant and revitalized.



Who are the best candidates for a chemical peel?

The best candidates have fine lines and wrinkles with minimal skin sagging. They do not have severe skin excess. Patients with lighter complexions are preferred because there is less of a chance of the skin getting darker (known as hyperpigmentation) following the procedure.



What areas of the body can be treated with a chemical peel?

A chemical peel may be performed on the face, neck, chest, hands, arms, and legs.



Why are there so many different kinds of chemical peels?

Physicians have developed many different solutions for chemical peeling in order to provide patients with a choice of treatment options. With so many different peels available, the physician and patient can select a peel designed specifically for what the patient wishes to improve and the amount of downtime the patient can allow.



How do I decide which kind of chemical peel is best for me?

A peel should be selected based upon the type of skin condition that needs improvement. If the skin changes are confined to the upper layers of the skin, then a superficial peel will be effective. However, if the changes in the skin involve the deeper layers of the skin, then a deeper and more aggressive peel will be required to obtain improvement.



Which skin changes are superficial and which skin changes are deeper?

Changes limited to the superficial layers of the skin include increased skin pigmentation and a roughened skin texture without wrinkles. When the textural changes include wrinkling around the eyes and mouth, the changes in the skin have extended deeper into the skin. The most severe changes in the skin include generalized deep wrinkling with a leathery appearance and feel to the skin. These changes imply still deeper damage to the skin.





What are the different types of peels that are available?



Superficial peels are commonly performed with either TCA (10-25%) or Jessner’s solution. Salicylic acid can also be used for superficial skin peeling. It has been used for decades and is a good peeling agent for patients who also have acne. Alpha hydroxy acids, such as glycolic acid at 30-50%, are also commonly used for superficial peeling.



Medium depth peels are usually done with TCA (35-50%), glycolic acid (70%), or 35% TCA augmented with Jessner’s solution or with glycolic acid.



Deep chemical peels are generally done using phenol. Deep peels are only done in individuals who have significant changes in the skin, and have deep wrinkles. As a general rule, the deeper the peel, the longer the healing time. Thus, full face deep chemical peels will have the longest healing time, and the redness can last for as long as six months. In addition, deep chemical peels have a higher incidence of temporary and permanent pigmentation changes. For these reasons, relatively few deep chemical peels are performed today.

Due to the increased risk with deep chemical peels, many patients prefer to undergo repetitive superficial and medium depth peels. By repeating their peels, patients obtain additional improvement that is far beyond what only one lighter peel can accomplish.



How long is the recovery period following a chemical peel?

A superficial peel has a recovery period of a few hours to a few days, depending on how aggressive the treatment was. Recovery from a medium depth peel generally takes about one week. A deep chemical peel will take from several weeks to several months to completely recover.



Is a chemical peel a painful procedure?

Generally speaking, a light to medium depth chemical peel is not painful. Most patients experience a warm to somewhat hot sensation that lasts for five to ten minutes. This may be followed by a mild stinging sensation. However, a deep chemical peel may require pain medicine during and after the procedure.



When is chemical peeling not indicated?

Wrinkles that occur during muscle action (known medically as dynamic wrinkles), deep scars, and skin sagging due to aging are generally not improved with chemical peeling. For this reason, other procedures should be used to treat these problems

Call (310) 275-6600 For a free consultation and evaluation.

Health Insurance Coverage for Body Contouring??

According to WebMD.com, about 63.6% of Americans are overweight while 26.5% are obese.

Because the condition is detrimental for health, many extremely overweight people go to bariatric surgeons to reduce the size of their stomachs, eat far less and watch the weight fall off. Not only does this drastically improve their appearance, it drastically improves their health and quality of life.

But there’s a catch-22.

A person who has lost 100 to 300 pounds is coined as having Massive Weight Loss (MWL). Because the skin of MWL patients has been stretched so much, it can’t spring back as easily as the usual fluctation of weight allow it to. Therefore, the excess skin hangs and droops on the body, often in sheets and thick rolls.

Many MWL patients say sitting on loose, drooping skin is like sitting on jell-O.

For a woman who has lost 155 pounds, her life is like having a size 26 skin on a size eight body. The flopping, loose skin makes it very hard to exercise not to mention the many infections that may often manifest under the rolls of skin.

Additionally, a lot of extra skin hanging from the stomach and chest is hard on the back.

Also known as body lift and body contouring, body shaping is basically a face lift for the figure.

Body shaping usually includes some or all of the following:

■Breast lift
■Brachioplasty, removal of excess skin hanging on upper arms
■Tummy Tuck
■Buttocks lift
■Thigh lifts

Carefully read your health insurance policy to get clues on coverage for all or parts of a body lift. Experts say panniculectomy (removing the apron of skin hanging from the stomach) has the best chance of coverage.

The bottom line: find the procedures that are medically, not cosmetically, necessary. Perhaps you control a health condition like type II diabetes with exercise. But the excess skin prevents you from working out. So coverage for a tummy tuck and thigh lift may be possible.

For more information on what your health policy may cover, call (310) 275-6600 for a complimentary consultation or email us info@bhpsg.com

www.bhpsg.com

Asclera: The Newest FDA Approroved Treatment for Successful Spider and Varicous Vein Removal

What is Asclera™?

Asclera™ is an injectable agent designed to treat uncomplicated spider veins (less than 1 mm in diameter) and varicose veins (ranging from 1 to 3 mm in diameter). The solution irritates the interior walls of the vein, dissolving the inner lining of the vessel. This, in turn, causes the walls to become sticky and constrict, eventually closing the vein completely so blood cannot enter. Without the blood rushing into the vein, swelling, bulging, discomfort, discoloration and pain associated with varicose and spider veins are effectively eliminated.

What Sets Asclera™ Apart?

Asclera™! This product is not "new" to the world, but might be the first time you've heard about this amazing product/treatment. Asclera™ has been used in Europe for over 40 years, and has been used in over five million treatments with a very high success rate. Its anesthetic (temporary numbing to decrease discomfort) properties make it an easy treatment option for patients with also less skin irritation than current treatments known today to decrease vein visibility. Asclera™ has proven to be very successful with patients' satisfaction, their overall experience, and results.

What is the Treatment and Recovery for Asclera™?

Asclera™ takes about 30 to 45 minutes for the actual injection. It takes about two, (possibly three or more) sessions for patients to see full results, which begin to show about two weeks after the first treatment and continue to improve up to 12 weeks. Recovery is quick, and most patients can return to their normal activities in about a 24-48 hours following the treatment.

How Much Does Asclera™ Cost?

Most vein removal treatments, such as the traditional Sclerotherapy, cost anywhere between $300-$400 per treatment/area. Asclera™ is a bit more value, costing about $500 per session. This price may fluctuate depending on the extent of a person’s condition or if more sessions are necessary to get the desired results.

So...are you ready for smooth, flawless skin???

LESS VEINS DESIRED? Call us Today! 310.2756600

Another Five Interesting Facts About Plastic Surgery

*Here are a few facts about Plastic Surgery you might find interesting to know...

1.) From 2000-2009, The percentage of total cosmetic procedures have increased by 69%. Surgical procedures have decreased by 20%, but minimally-invasive procedures have increased by 99% (Botox, Fillers, etc).

2.) 91% of all cosmetic procedures are performed on women, where only 9% are performed on men

3.) Breast reduction was among the Top 5 Reconstructive procedures
in 2000-2008, but was replaced by maxillofacial surgery in 2009.

4.) Tummy Tuck procedures have increased by 84% from 2000 to 2009

5.) Ages 40-54 make up the largest segment for cosmetic procedures. This includes both surgical and non-surgical procedures.

*asps

Looking for Reputable Plastic Surgeons? Call us today! 310.275.6600

Suspecious Moles or Lesions on Your Body? What You Should Know...

Not unless your Cindy Crawford, notoriously well-known for her striking beauty and also for her distinguished mole, you probably shouldn't consider new or irregular moles to be a good thing.

First, let's explain the difference between moles and lesions. A mole is typically a small mark or spot on your skin. Perhaps this small mark is even raised. This may be any small pigmented patch, a freckle, or even a skin tag.
Lesions are typically larger (more than a centimeter) and are typically changing or growing over time. A skin a lesion, is typically more complex to manage than a mole, as may also be a skin cancer.

It's important to self-exam your own skin and to be familiar with any particular markings or moles you may have, and any new ones that may appear. Also, it's important to recognize if their is any change (especially increase) in size. Regular physical exams by your doctor is always the best recommendation.

Moles and lesions are treated under local injection anesthesia. Moles are generally treated with by shaving it. They often heal inconspicuously , with little evidence of scarring. A lesion is more likely to be excised, which may result in a small, linear, imperceptible scar. *These treatments may be covered by your insurance.
(*depending on your condition and insurance benefits)

Should you have a suspicious mole or lesion that needs medical attention, you should contact our office and feel that you are in better hands with qualified plastic surgeons, rather than doctors from other specialties who are not as well trained, or as experienced for their surgical finesse.

310.275.6600 www.BHPSG.com

Two Are Better Than One

Is this the REAL "Nip Tuck" of Beverly Hills? Many who have met Dr. Layke and Dr. Danielpour might say so. Not for the drama, like the exceedingly popular t.v. show, but for the uniqueness of two Plastic Surgeons who work so well together...a DYNAMIC DUO!!!

So why two? Despite the capabilities that Dr. Layke and Dr. Danielpour have as individual surgeons, the question should be, well, why not? The benefits are many:

• two perspectives from two highly trained and experienced Plastic Surgeons

• double the efforts and assurance of obtaining your aesthetic goals

• reduction in surgical time

• more patient-to-Surgeon communication accessibility/availability
  

• increased quality and quantity of care

These are just a few benefits of what Dr. Layke and Dr. Danielpour offer each and every patient!

If you are interested in Plastic Surgery, or know someone who is, please call us today for your personalized consultation. 310.275.6600

MACS:( Minimal Access Cranial Suspension) -Short Scar Face Lift

Men and women with signs of aging in the face such as jowls, deep marionette lines and sagging necks now have an alternative to a facelift: the MACS-lift. Developed in 2002, the MACS-lift, short for “Minimal Access Cranial Suspension,” involves lifting muscle and tissue vertically and fixing them in a more youthful position with dissolvable sutures before gently redraping the skin over them. This is different than pulling the skin horizontally (toward the ears) and trimming it, as is done in atraditional facelift.

The MACS-lift not only provides a more natural post-surgical look than that of a facelift, it is also less invasive, takes less time to perform, can be performed under local anesthesia, and offers patients a shorter recovery period