Tips for an easier Breast Augmentation surgery recovery

If you are reading this, you may be getting ready to undergo the exciting process of breast augmentation. With these tips and suggestions, you can ensure your plastic surgery in Las Vegas goes well from preoperative preparations to post-op healing.

Before Your Surgery

1. Stay positive, but be realistic about what you are expecting from your surgery. You’ll have the breasts you desire, but implants may take a couple weeks to drop in the pockets.
2. Drink plenty of water. A well hydrated body tends to heal better and you won’t feel quite so nauseous after your surgery.
3. Practice sleeping on your back and being propped on pillows. This will be your life for a few days after the surgery so it’s better to make the adjustment early.
4. Quit smoking at least one month before any breast augmentation in Las Vegas.
5. Do as many chores in your home as you can in the week before the surgery. You won’t be able to get much done once you’re home from the surgery center.
6. Do some meal prep. Buy groceries that can last you for at least a week. Choose foods that are simple to make and don’t require a lot of handling. It may even be a good idea to cook some meals ahead of time and throw them in the freezer. Just in case you feel nauseous while in recovery, pick up a fair amount of soup, jello, crackers and other things you enjoy with an upset tummy.
7. Stop drinking alcohol for at least a day before your surgery.

The Big Day

1. Make sure you have someone to drive you to and from the surgery. You are going to feel groggy and will have a difficult time moving around. Someone should stay with you for the next 24 hours.  If someone can stay with you for a few days while you adjust, that is even better.
2. Leave all your jewelry and piercings at home.
3. Dress in cotton clothes that fit loosely and are easy to get in and out of. Avoid anything that you have to pull over your head.
4. Don’t wear any makeup.
5. Tie back your hair in a style you won’t mind wearing for a couple days. Braids and pony tails are great options.
6. Start a journal. From this day on, you’ll want to make sure you are monitoring your progress. A journal will help you to remember all the little things that tend to fade from memory. It will also be a fun memento for you to look at in the future.

After Your Surgery

1. Rest! Allow you body all the time it needs to heal. This can be different for everyone so just listen to your body. Don’t try to do too much too soon.
2. Remember your posture. Slouching will only make any pain you are feeling worse.
3. In case of an infection, know what to look for. If you see pus, redness, heat to the touch, inflammation or excessive swelling, you’ll want to call your Las Vegas plastic surgeon right away. This is also the case if you feel feverish or experience flu-like symptoms.
4. Do not submerge your incisions until they have closed completely. If you do, you are subject to infection that can be dangerous to the success of your surgery and to your overall health. Showers are fine after 24 hours as long as the water runs down your body.
5. Don’t take over-the-counter pain medications until your surgeon says it is okay.
6. There is a chance your nipples will be hypersensitive. Try numbing creams, nursing pads or lightweight tops that are silky.
7. If you experience mood swings, that is normal. It can be caused by general anesthesia and pain medications. It will pass after a few days.

Whether you are getting a breast lift, breast implants or a breast reduction in Las Vegas, these tips should help make your life after the surgery a little easier. Another way to make life after plastic surgery in Las Vegas easier is to make sure you are working with the best surgeon. So, schedule a consultation with Reynolds Plastic Surgery. For more information about breast augmentation in Las Vegas, call 702.410.9800.

A step-by-step explanation of the procedure of breast reduction

Fear comes from the unknown. Approach your breast reduction armed with information instead of fear. Here is a brief step-by-step explanation of what you can expect during your upcoming breast reduction procedure.

Step 1 – Anesthesia

You will be given medicine to make you sleep through your plastic surgery in Las Vegas. Depending on what your surgeon recommends, you will be given general anesthesia or a combination of local anesthesia and intravenous sedation.

Step 2 – Incisions

Once you are pleasantly sleeping, the necessary incisions will be made to begin the procedure. The patterns of the incisions depend on how much tissue you are having removed during your breast reduction in Las Vegas. Your preference and the position of your nipples also factor into the incision pattern. Types of incision patterns include:

• Micro-Incision – This incision is used if the breast tissue being removed is made mostly of fat. In these cases, the excess tissue is removed with liposuction. So, the incisions only need to be large enough for the cannula.
• Donut Incision – This is also known as the peri-aerolar incision and is made following the outline of the areola.
• Keyhole Incision – This incision combines the donut incision and a straight incision from the areola down to the crease of the breast. It takes the shape of a lollipop.
• Anchor Incision – This incision begins as the keyhole incision and adds an incision that moves horizontally along the crease of the breast. This tends to be the most common incision used in breast reduction procedures.

Step 3 – Shaping

After the correct incision is made, the surgeon will remove the excess fat and skin tissue and the breast will be reshaped. Then, the nipple and areola will be reattached in a way that gives you the youthful, perky look you were striving for. If you are making a dramatic shift in breast size, you may need a nipple graft done. Your surgeon may even reduce the size of your areola to match the size of your new breast.

Step 4 – Closure

Next, the surgeon will tighten up the remaining skin and close the incision with sutures. These are stitches used by surgeons to hold skin and tissue together. There is a good chance your surgeon will also use skin adhesives or surgical tape to help keep the incisions closed and support the new breast shape.

Step 5 – Post-Op

Once everything is said and done, your breasts will most likely be covered with sterile dressings and an elastic bandage or a surgical bra. Then, you will be taken to a room to recover and be monitored for complications.

Your surgeon should clear you to go home after a few hours. In rare cases, you may be asked to stay overnight for additional monitoring. Whether you are free to go right away or the next day, make sure you have someone to take you home. Driving will be unsafe and possibly painful.  Someone should also be with you for at least the next 24 hours.

There is really no reason to fear your breast reduction in Las Vegas, especially when you have the best surgical team on your side. For more information about breast reductions, contact Reynolds Plastic Surgery Today at 702.410.9800.

Can Botox Help Treat Depression?

Popular self-help mantras and affirmations stem from the belief that happiness comes from within. If one is able to smile through the pain and think happy thoughts, the eventual end result will be happiness. Depression, however, throws a very large wrench in this way of thinking. People suffering with this illness believe they know that feeling better doesn’t begin with an insincere happy face.

The Journal of Psychiatric Research will soon be publishing a study that agrees with the self-help view of choosing happiness. The study suggests that Botox may actually be a viable treatment for depression, since it paralyzes important facial muscles that prevent patients from frowning.

The Research

At Georgetown Medical School, a cosmetic dermatologist and a professor of psychiatry randomly divided 74 patients with major depression into a control and experimental group. The experimental group received Botox injections in the forehead muscles to make it impossible to frown. Meanwhile, the control received a saline solution. Six weeks after the injection, it was reported that 52 percent of the experimental group experienced relief from depressive symptoms, in comparison to only 15 percent of the control group.

This study and many others suggests that an external positive expression can positively impact an individual’s state of mind. Researchers stand on the notion that the brain monitors the emotional registry of the face and responds accordingly with an appropriate emotion. These results closely resemble the Darwinist idea that emotions are the result of physical expressions, rather than the cause.

Treating Depression

Light therapy is a relatively new form of depression treatment that relies on this same idea. Light stimulates the retina to excite the optic nerve. This sends signals directly to the brain and effectively treats seasonal depression. This serves as more proof that curing depression by treating the body can directly influence the brain and mind into adopting a more positive train of thought.

Botox studies like these address a large challenge mentioned previously in treating people with depression. A commonly accepted belief is that depression is due to having little interest in friends, family or living in general. These studies are taking an alternate stance by implying that this lack of interest is not a symptom that precedes depression, but rather a result manifesting after the onset of depression. These studies suggest that the act of smiling and social interaction can lead to an increase in positive thoughts.

It is still unclear whether Botox will prove to be an effective treatment for depression or not.  It will require more studies and tests, but if it is proven effective, it can be assumed that an unknown amount of patients who received purely cosmetic Botox treatments may have unknowingly treated depression symptoms.

Before deciding to undergo any procedure, schedule a consultation with Dr. Reynolds. He is a board certified plastic surgeon with many years of training and a vast knowledge base. He uses sophisticated surgical techniques and technologies to promote safety and aesthetically pleasing results. For more information about getting botox injections in Las Vegas, contact Dr. Reynolds staff at 702.410.9800.

What is carpal tunnel and how do I get relief?

The carpal tunnel is a tunnel through which nerves, ligaments and blood vessels travel from the wrist to the fingers. In a healthy tunnel, there is plenty of space for everything there to flow comfortably. Carpel tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when this busy tunnel fills with fluid or inflammation which can be caused by a heavily repetitive use of the hands. When the tissue in the wrist becomes inflamed, an individual is likely to experience weakness, pain when using the hands, tingling, aching, or burning. CTS is a painful condition but there are ways to alleviate the pain.

Tips to Treat and Prevent

One thing CTS sufferers commonly share is a vitamin B6 deficiency. Clinical studies at the University of Texas found that the B6 vitamin was a useful treatment for hundreds of patients with the condition. 100mg three times a day is the recommended dosage in combination with a B-complex to prevent an imbalance. Unfortunately, this treatment does not yield overnight results. It can take as long as three months to feel significant relief.

Since carpal tunnel is caused by inflammation, flaxseed is a good treatment option to remedy the condition. The alpha-linolenic acid inside of flaxseed helps to lower the prostaglandin that contributes to inflammation in the body. The tiny seeds also contain lignans that can help neutralize the free radicals that make inflammation worse. A suggested dose is about 30g of ground flaxseed or approximately two tablespoons of flaxseed oil to experience relief.

According to research from the Portland hand Surgery and Rehabilitation Center, overweight individuals are more likely to develop carpal tunnel than individuals who use their hands extensively. The excess weight tends to produce more fluid in the soft tissues of the body, including the wrist. The more fluid there is in the body means more pressure is put on the nerves while restricting oxygen. Participate in regular exercise because this manages your weight and carpal tunnel symptoms like pain, tightness, and clumsiness.

Supplements to try

Before taking part in any supplemental protocol, always consult a doctor to make sure your supplements don’t cause accidental damage to your health.

• Vitamin C – 500-1000mg three times a day
• Vitamin E – 200-400IU daily
• Vitamin B6 – 50-100mg daily
• Calcium 500mg twice a day
• Magnesium 250mg twice a day
• Flaxseed oil – 1 to 2 tablespoons daily
• A high-potency multi-supplement

Try to Avoid:

• Cold makes pain and stiffness more likely to occur. Avoid the cold and try to keep the hands warm at all times.
• Cutting and slicing with knives can create extra soreness. Avoid this by purchase kitchen devices that can help. Some doctors recommend you relax your grip and use tools with wider grips.
• Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that studies related to the development of CTS symptoms. Stop the intake of the chemical and you should see your symptoms fade within two weeks.

If these treatments don’t bring you relief, schedule a consultation with Dr. Reynolds. He is a board certified plastic surgeon with many years of training and a vast knowledge base. He uses sophisticated surgical techniques and a single port entry for endoscopic carpal tunnel release. For more information about carpel tunnel in Las Vegas, contact 702.410.9800.