Recent Blog Posts from Rowley Plastic Surgery

Considering a Breast Lift? Lubbock Women Should Plan Ahead

Women have several plastic surgery options for breast enhancement. Mastopexy, or a breast lift, creates a youthful look by raising sagging breasts. The procedure gets rid of excess skin, lifts the nipple to a more forward position, and reshapes the existing tissue to give an overall more perky appearance. A breast lift can help with asymmetry and make clothing and swimwear fit more comfortably. For women who think they may be interested in a breast lift, Lubbock Dr. Jane Rowley recommends preparing for the procedure and following all pre- and post-operative instructions. She wants all of her patients to have a comfortable and smooth experience on the day of their breast lift, and getting ready beforehand is one way you can make sure that happens.

Preparing for Your Breast Lift

At your preoperative doctor visit, you will discuss your medical history, previous surgeries, and any medications or supplements you take. You will have a physical exam of your breasts so the doctor can determine your skin tone, positioning of your nipples, and other details for your breast lift. Lubbock patients should communicate clearly with their doctor about their surgical expectations and why they want a breast lift. It is always important to consult with your doctor before any procedure so you can understand exactly what the procedure can or cannot do and what the expected recovery will be. You may be asked to have a mammogram done before your surgery to establish a baseline for tracking changes in your breast tissue.

Preparing for Your Surgery

The right preparations for the day of your surgery can have an effect on your recovery. You will need to follow any pre-surgical instructions from the doctor carefully. You will be told what things you will need to bring and what type of clothes to wear after your breast lift. Lubbock patients may be advised not to take some of the medications they are taking. Be sure to avoid any anti-inflammatory drugs or herbal supplements as they can increase your risk of bleeding. If you use nicotine, you will need to stop for several weeks before your surgery, as nicotine can affect your healing by decreasing blood flow to the skin. You will also want to make arrangements for someone to help you after your procedure.

The First Few Weeks

For the first 2 to 3 weeks following their breast lift, Lubbock patients can usually expect to bruise, swell, and have some postoperative pain. Incisions can feel sore and you may experience numbness in your nipples. All of these symptoms are normal, but they will vary from patient to patient as pain tolerance and recovery times differ for each individual. If pain management is difficult or you have any concerns about your recovery, contact your doctor.

During the first few weeks after your surgery, it is critical to give your body the opportunity to heal from surgery for the best results of your breast lift. Lubbock patients should ease gently back into parts of their normal routine as they start to feel better. Some things you can do to help your recovery be successful include:

  • Wearing a compression bra for the recommended amount of time
  • Staying elevated at a 25 to 45-degree angle, even when sleeping
  • Avoid sleeping on your stomach
  • Avoid any activity that involves lifting, bending, or straining

The First Few Months

It may take a month or two before all swelling is gone and you start to see the final results of your breast lift. Lubbock is full of fun things to do, but be patient with your body and you should be able to resume normal activity 4 to 6 weeks after your surgery. It’s important not to overestimate how good you are feeling too soon after your surgery and jump back into your daily routine too quickly. Remember that your body needs time to heal properly, so give yourself permission to slow down and take it easy. Numbness in nipples is usually gone in the first couple of months after surgery. Scars will continue to fade over the next 12 months.

Combining Procedures for Dramatic Enhancements

Some patients may wish to combine a breast lift with liposuction or tummy tuck for a mommy makeover. You can also get breast implants with a breast lift. Lubbock patients who combine procedures may requires a little longer time for recovery. Discuss with your doctor what options are best for you.

Dr. Jane Rowley is a board-certified plastic surgeon with 20 years of experience helping her patients achieve their aesthetic goals. She takes the time to discuss your goals thoroughly, explains the procedure, and give a clear expectation of what is involved with your expected recovery. At Rowley Plastic Surgery, we put our patients needs first and make their care and comfort our highest priority. Schedule your no-obligation consultation today.

Considering Liposuction? Lubbock Patients Should Know These 5 Things

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), liposuction is among the most popular of plastic surgery procedures in America. Even if you eat right and exercise daily, there can be areas of your body that stubbornly to hang on to fatty tissue. For getting rid of the fat that persists despite their diligence with healthy habits, many people turn to liposuction. Lubbock Dr. Jane Rowley has performed this surgery for years, and yet there are still some things about it that aren’t well understood by most people. If you are considering liposuction, you need to know these 5 surprising facts about the procedure.

  1. You Won’t Lose a Lot of Weight

Liposuction is not meant to be a weight loss procedure. Although fat cells are removed during the liposuction procedure, the main objective is not to help you lose weight. Your plastic surgeon will use liposuction to shape targeted areas of the body that have not responded to diet and exercise. You may notice some weight loss, but most of the impact of liposuction is visible in the mirror and not on the scale.

  1. Liposuction is Not for Obese People

If you are looking for a substitute for a healthy diet and consistent exercise, then you should consider options other than liposuction. Lubbock patients who need a quick fix for unwanted body weight will be disappointed with the results of liposuction. Suddenly losing a significant amount of weight can be dangerous for your body and general health. A natural, more gradual approach like diet and exercise will always be recommended by doctors. Liposuction is intended to target problem areas on your body for cosmetic correction and contouring. You do not need to be overweight to consider liposuction. A good candidate for the procedure is someone who is prepared to maintain their liposuction results with diet and exercise and is within 30 percent of the target body weight. The best way to determine if liposuction is right for you is to call our Lubbock office and ask.

  1. Results Aren’t Always Immediately Visible

While preparing for your procedure, it can be helpful to spend time looking at before and after pictures of others who have had liposuction. Lubbock patients will all experience different results, and it is important to remember that time may have passed in between each of those pictures. You will need to wear bandages or compression garments for days or weeks following your procedure. Results may not settle in for weeks or even months after your surgery. The best things you can do are to be patient and take proper care of your body during the healing process.

  1. Fat Can Return After Liposuction

It is true that our bodies are born with a specific number of fat cells and that we do not produce more of them during our lives; however, the fat cells that remain after liposuction can grow large enough to fill in the space left by the removed cells. Without proper diet and exercise, fat can easily expand to areas of the body previously treated by liposuction. Lubbock patients who do not maintain a healthy lifestyle may undo their liposuction results by allowing the remaining fat cells to grow uncontrolled.

  1. You May Want to Save Some of Your Unwanted Fat

Have you ever wished you could take the fat from your thighs and put it into your breasts or other volume deficient places? With liposuction, Lubbock patients with this wish can achieve their desired body contour with natural-looking results. Using fat from one area to augment another part of your body is called fat transfer, and is an option that is quickly growing in popularity. The fat removed during liposuction can be used to shape and augment your breasts or butt, rejuvenate and lift the face, or even enhance muscles like abs, pecs, and shoulders.

Taking the Next Step: What to Expect From Your Consultation

Once you decide that you want to move forward with your procedure, you should call your board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss how you would benefit from liposuction. Lubbock patients can expect the following things to happen during this important appointment.

  • You will have show your doctor the areas of your body from which you would like fat removed.
  • You may be photographed so that your surgeon can get a closer look at the areas you want to be treated.
  • Your surgeon may evaluate your skin’s elasticity and tone to determine whether you are a good candidate for the procedure.
  • Your weight will be discussed. If you are too far from your ideal weight, it’s possible that your doctor will want you to begin a weight loss program before your surgery.

Lubbock’s most trusted and knowledgeable plastic surgeon, Dr. Jane Rowley, gives all of her patients the option to have a no-obligation consultation. During this time they can freely discuss the problem areas of their bodies and learn whether or not they are a good candidate for liposuction. Lubbock patients can have liposuction in conjunction with other procedures, and this will also be discussed at your initial visit. Although liposuction removes fat cells, it is important to maintain healthy habits and keep your weight stable after surgery if you want the results to be permanent. Contact Rowley Plastic Surgery today to find out more.

How Plastic Surgery in Lubbock Can Rejuvenate Your Appearance

Your identity as an individual begins with your face. It’s the first thing people remember about you and it’s what they associate with your name after first meeting you. The effects of the aging process will eventually catch up to each of us as we begin to see a worn out or tired appearance take over. The wrinkles and lines do not reflect who we are inside or the way we feel about ourselves and they can take a toll on our confidence levels. While there are many benefits of a facelift, the advantages go far beyond restoring your natural youthful look. This plastic surgery in Lubbock allows your personality and confidence to radiate from your face as you enjoy the years to come. A facelift rejuvenates your appearance by targeting different problems in several different areas.

Repair Loose Skin

Over time, your skin and muscles lose their youthful elasticity and tone. Combined with the effects of gravity and genetics, the skin can take on a saggy appearance that can make you look old and tired. Aging causes the elasticity in the skin to relax leading to that saggy-skin appearance we see over time. During your facelift your surgeon will carefully trim and tighten the skin on your face to restore the youthful and natural look you desire. Dr. Jane Rowley has the surgical expertise and artistry to lift the face in a natural way without overly pulling or tightening the skin.

Tighten Facial Muscles

Tightening the skin and the superficial muscle layer under the skin helps to restore a younger-looking appearance. The superficial musculo-aponeurotic system (SMAS), or the underlying structures of your face, will also loosen and sag due to weakness from aging. While trimming and lifting skin during your plastic surgery in Lubbock, your plastic surgeon will first tighten and correct this underlying structure to support a more aesthetic configuration. This restructuring will also help reduce the strain on your skin over time and help the results of your procedure last longer.

Improve Deep Wrinkles

Have you heard of the latest laser treatment that claims to be the miracle treatment you need to make you look younger? There are many trendy non-surgical options intended to smooth out unwanted facial wrinkles. Many patients are tempted to try these procedures to avoid having plastic surgery in Lubbock. The truth is, some wrinkles are too deep and can only adequately be improved with a facelift. A facelift is the only procedure proven to correct deep creases and wrinkles that form because of muscle tone loss and saggy skin.

Add Definition to the Chin and Neck

The sagging in your face can continue down to your chin and neck. A facelift can also target your neck and chin giving your face a more sculpted look. Tightening the skin on your neck and taking away the excess fat in the area of your jowls provides you with a more defined neck and chin.

A facelift will restore youth to the cheeks and eye area, but many people do not realize the importance of the neck and jawline. This plastic surgery in Lubbock can be paired with liposuction to better define the neck or jowl area. The effect is slimming and can take even more years off your look than a facelift alone. Liposuction of the chin and neck area, or submental liposuction, is a simple procedure that can provide beautifully satisfying results. Removing just a small amount of fatty tissue under the chin has a dramatic effect with minimal recovery time.

Erase the Effects of the Aging Process

As we get older, time and gravity aren’t always kind to our faces and we can end up looking tired and old long before we actually feel that way. Both men and women experience less definition around their neck and chin areas. Sometimes deep wrinkles will appear around the nose and mouth. A properly trained and experienced plastic surgeon can rejuvenate the overall appearance of your face, chin, and neck to give you a healthier, younger-looking appearance. When considering facelift plastic surgery in Lubbock for the right reasons, you can have an improved self-image which leads to greater confidence. With proper care and healthy living choices, you can expect the results of your facelift to last 5 to 10 years.

Get Natural Results from Plastic Surgery in Lubbock

Dr. Jane Rowley has the knowledge and skills to give you the natural results you want from a facelift. She takes the time to answer questions and fully inform her patients before any procedure. With over two decades of facelift experience, she understands what it takes to give her patients results that are tailored to their specific needs. Experience the difference you’ll find with Dr. Rowley today. Call our office today to schedule your no-obligation consultation and explore your options for plastic surgery in Lubbock.