Adam J. Rubinstein, MD, FACS
Adam J. Rubinstein, MD, FACS
Adam J. Rubinstein, MD, FACS
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Tips for deciding to get plastic surgery before or after children.

What Time Is The Right Time?

Having children is a highly personal choice for each woman, and it requires a great deal of thoughtful consideration. So are elective cosmetic procedures including plastic surgery. When it comes down to decision time, it is important for women to consider their plans for pregnancy in relation to cosmetic procedures.  Timing, before or after childbirth, can significantly alter the results of plastic surgery.

Before or After Children? That is the question.

A common point of conflict for many women interested in elective cosmetic procedures is whether or not to have a procedure before or after having children. It is unreasonable to assume that women considering plastic surgery, universally, have or do not have plans for children.  It’s equally absurd to believe all women who have plans for children do not also have plans for cosmetic surgery. To make such assumptions would be counterproductive and inappropriate. Instead, it’s important to focus on helping women understand all the potential risks and rewards and provide the necessary information to help make decisions in planning cosmetic procedures.

What You Do vs. When You Do It

The particular cosmetic procedure you are seeking makes all the difference when it comes to planning. Though the process of having a child does not affect all cosmetic procedures, we’ve debunked the myths and provided facts on three common surgeries:
  1. Breast Augmentation While you may have heard that breast augmentation can interfere with breastfeeding, Dr. Rubinstein assures his patients that they have alternate options. Modern incision techniques allow for full function of the breast even with augmentation. The important pregnancy-related consideration for planning your augmentation is the preservation of your results. The changes to the body during pregnancy and childbirth may cause permanent alterations to your augmentation.
  1. Tummy Tuck It is common to hear women plan for a tummy tuck after they have had children. It is a wise decision given that the weight gain and development of excess skin associated with the process of pregnancy can completely undo the results of a tummy tuck. To maximize the effectiveness of this procedure, women who are not done having children may want to reconsider for later.
  1. Facial Plastic Surgery Generally speaking, the results of facial plastic surgery will not be impacted by pregnancy or childbirth. Patients should, of course, consult their physician when planning any procedure. Schedule a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Rubinstein today to learn more.
While there are many procedures and possible outcomes, what is most important for patients to understand is that timing is a highly personal decision.

There Is No Right Answer

For each woman, the decision to undergo elective cosmetic procedures must be made to suit her unique needs and desires. Electing to undergo the procedure before or after children may have an impact on the results, so it’s essential for women to learn all the facts about their cosmetic procedure and speak with Dr. Rubinstein about childbirth plans. Only you can decide when the time is right.

A Leopard Can’t Change its Strax (Rejuvenation)

It’s been a while since I have written about Strax Rejuventaion. If you look back at my blog posts you will find that in the past I have taken a look at the mortality rates at Strax Rejuvenation. If you haven’t read it before, you might want to read it, and the analysis is shocking! One would think that a facility with such a questionable track record would make efforts to improve performance and ensure better outcomes. I’m not sure if Strax has made any changes at all to the way they do things. Over the past year or two it seems to me that Strax has been decreasing in popularity. There appears to be less advertising bombarding us on radio and television hawking their latest specials and low prices. This might mean that Strax is seeing less patients and performing less procedures than in years past. I can say that I have seen an increasing number of patients coming to my office for consultations who express to me that they would never consider Strax for their procedures. I do, however, continue to see patients that have been to Strax Rejuvenation for a procedure and have had issues. Sometimes they are not satisfied with the results, though that can happen in any office on occasion. More often I am seeing patients that have had complications leaving them with issues that require correction. Things like infections, healing difficulty possibly caused by poor technique, and lack of attentive follow up care can cause bad scarring or worse problems. Most recently one patient came to see me who had a terrible and life threatening problem. She described her experience to me. This patient had liposuction with fat transfer to the buttocks about a year ago. In the recovery room she was having difficulty breathing. The level of oxygen in her blood was very low and a chest x-ray was performed. She was told that she had pneumonia and was given a prescription for antibiotics. Despite still having difficulty breathing she was sent home. Rather than actually going home she decided to get checked out at a local hospital. She went to an emergency room and was very quickly admitted with a pulmonary edema. This is a problem in which there is too much fluid around the lungs making it hard to get enough oxygen into the body. It is a life threatening condition. She spent many days in the hospital and, thankfully, was able to recover. Luckily this patient was smart enough to seek more care, a decision that probably saved her life. How many other patients have been in similar situations at Strax Rejuvenation and not fared so well? Sending a patient home with difficulty breathing, feeling short of breath, is never a good idea. When the patient has an oxygen saturation level of 70% (normal is generally above 95%) it is more than a bad idea, its bad medicine. So it seems the track record continues today. Though this patient didn’t die, she easily could have. I suppose the old adage is true,  leopards really can’t change their Strax, I mean, spots.

Body Sculpting 101 – Liposuction vs. CoolSculpting®

So many of us struggle with diet and exercise to achieve our dream body. The ups and downs can make anyone feel discouraged, even hopeless. The great news is that the body you have always dreamed of is still achievable! Whether your goal is a dramatic transformation or more subtle changes, you still have options when diet and exercise aren’t cutting it. Liposuction and CoolSculpting® are two top procedures that patients often choose to achieve their desired results. While a consultation in my office will best help you decide which is right for you, there are some key differences to understand about each procedure. To get you get started and hopefully answer some of the questions you may have about body sculpting, I’ve summarized the key differences between Liposuction and CoolSculpting®:

Liposuction 101

Liposuction is an outpatient surgical procedure, usually performed in a hospital or office based surgical suite. First, a small incision is made in the desired treatment area (most commonly the belly, legs, back or neck). A really thin tube is inserted into the fatty area and is used to put numbing fluid throughout the entire area to be suctioned. Then a slightly larger cannula is used to remove the unwanted fat. This is done very carefully and artistically to create a natural contour. This procedure is recommended for patients with a visible amount of unwanted fat and for whom diet and exercise are not effective. The following checklist may help you decide if liposuction is right for you:
  • I have a large amount of unwanted fat I need to remove, and diet and exercise alone have not been able to resolve it.
  • I want bold, substantial results, but have realistic expectations for what my liposuction procedure can accomplish.
  • I am in overall good health and have ample time to set aside for recovery from surgery.
  • I understand that even with liposuction, results are not immediate.
If you have identified with all of these, liposuction may be the right procedure. Call my office today to get your body transformation started. If you do not identify with the above but still want to transform your body, then keep reading to learn about CoolSculpting®!

CoolSculpting® 101

CoolSculpting® is a great option for patients who want to sculpt their body, but don’t have time for invasive surgery recovery. If you want more subtle results this non-invasive, non-surgical procedure may be exactly the solution you need. CoolSculpting® works by rupturing fat cells by freezing them.  A hand-held device is pressed against the skin in the desired treatment area (abdomen, flank/side, inner thigh, outer thigh, double chin). Skin and fat are pulled into the treatment head, called an applicator. Then the tissue in the applicator is cooled down to near freezing temperatures. The cold temperature does not impact your skin, but the fat cells beneath the skin’s surface rupture and are expelled from the body in time. The procedure causes little to no discomfort because the cooling serves as a natural numbing mechanism.  Results begin to take full effect within four to six weeks of treatment and are fully seen 3-4 months later. Though this process cannot provide results as dramatic as liposuction, it is an excellent option for many patients. To help assess if CoolSculpting® is right for you, review the checklist below:
  • My body sculpting goals are to achieve subtle, natural-looking results that diet and exercise alone cannot achieve.
  • I have realistic expectations for what my CoolSculpting® procedure can accomplish.
  • I want a non-invasive procedure that can be completed quickly without downtime needed for recovery.
  • I understand that CoolSculpting® results are not immediate and can take up to four months.
If you identify with the checklist above, CoolSculpting® may be the right procedure to help you achieve the body you’ve always wanted. Schedule your consultation in my office today. If you still have lingering questions about liposuction and CoolSculpting®, it is always best to consult a board certified plastic surgeon before committing to a particular procedure. Both options can produce significant results and, depending on your unique goals, I will provide the best plan to achieve them. Even if you have decided on a procedure, your consultation is an excellent opportunity to review your detailed medical history and customize the experience with me. The body you’ve always wanted is possible; liposuction and CoolSculpting® can help make it a reality!  

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