Eye Opening look at Eyelid Surgery

For people in Lubbock, plastic surgery thoughts don’t usually conjure up a picture of eyelid surgery. But just like many other cosmetic changes, blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, can help you look and feel younger.

 

What is it?

Eyelid surgery is often referred to as an “eyelid lift;” however, this term is not entirely accurate. A small incision allows for the removal of skin or the removal or addition of fat around the eye. This can be combined with a laser resurfacing of the eyelid skin which reduces existing lines and wrinkles. Small changes can have dramatic results around the eyelid.

 

How is it done?

The small incision is often made to the top of the eyelid where excess skin and fat are removed. The skin is then brought together with small stitches. This helps recreate the crease at the top of the lid. This procedure can also be performed with an incision at the bottom of the eyelid, just below the lash line, or on the inside of the eyelid. By placing the incision on the inside of the lid, called a transconjunctival approach, the incision is not visible after healing. This method allows for the removal or addition of fat to the eyelid without impacting the fold or look of the eyelid. For an understanding of which surgical approach would be best for you, come into Rowley Plastic Surgery in Lubbock; plastic surgery expert, Dr. Jane Rowley will give you a personal consultation with the information and counsel you need to make the best choice for you.

 

Why is it done?

An excess of skin or fat around the eye can make the eyelid heavy or puffy. This slightly extra visual weight around the eyes can age the look of your face and can even block the upper field of your vision.

 

The removal of skin and fat or the addition of fat can reshape the look of the eye. A tightening of the eyelid skin can correct sagginess. And both this contouring effort and tightening can be paired with the laser skin resurfacing to reduce wrinkles and smooth skin texture.

 

What is the recovery?

Unlike other more involved surgeries, blepharoplasty can have a relatively short recovery time. The day after the surgery you will typically experience some bruising and swelling around the eyes, but these will reduce quickly, particularly if you regularly apply cool compresses to the eyes during the first 48 hours. You should be able to resume normal activity after ten days and experience a full recovery after two weeks with the majority of the bruising and swelling gone by then.

Dr. Jane Rowley always carefully consults with her patients for the best surgical plan for them. Schedule your no-obligation consultation visit today and discover your cosmetic possibilities. rowleyplasticsurgery.com

Health Benefits with Popular Plastic Surgery Procedures

Plastic surgery procedures are as varied as the patients who request them. But plastic surgery can go beyond just looking younger or trimmer. A board certified plastic surgeon with experience can give patients a greater measure of self-confidence in their physical appearance, help with greater range of movement, and take away insecurities associated with their bodies. Here are some health benefits that are a result of plastic surgery patients in Lubbock may not have known.

 

Breast Reduction

A woman with excess breast tissue can experience headaches, chronic neck and back pain, and painful bra strap marks in her shoulders. A breast reduction can relieve these chronic discomforts as well as making it easier to participate in exercise and other life activities otherwise too difficult with to do with larger breasts.  

Liposuction

Removing stubborn fat around your hips, abdomen, and back to give your body a better contoured shape is the purpose of having liposuction. Fat cells are permanently removed. Some studies have shown that removing fat cells lowers triglycerides and benefits your heart’s health. The important element is to continue with a healthy diet and exercise program after liposuction to keep new fat cells from forming.

Tummy Tuck

You can have a trimmer looking body when excess skin in removed with a tummy tuck. But, this procedure also tightens the abdominal muscles which can add to better posture and muscle tone. A tummy tuck also can help reduce the effects of Stress Urinary Incontinence caused by childbirth.

 

Even if you are looking into a plastic surgery options so you can feel better about the way you look, your procedure of choice could also have some real health benefits to consider. Dr. Jane Rowley is the leading plastic surgeon in Lubbock that has over 20 years of surgical experience and can talk to you about your options to help you achieve your cosmetic goals. Learn more at www.rowleyplasticsurgery.com

 

Will Insurance Pay For My Breast Reduction?

Any surgical procedure will have a price tag associated with it, but the cost of a breast reduction can be covered by your insurance under the right circumstances. You have two major conditions at play when trying to get your reduction costs covered: your body and your insurance type. Not all breast reductions are the same, and some situations will merit coverage when others will not. And, again, not all Lubbock insurance coverage is the same, and not all doctors and procedures are covered by every plan.

  1. Start by contacting your insurance provider directly. This will give you the opportunity to get general information about whether a breast reduction is potentially covered by your insurance plan. It will also give you the opportunity to ensure your board certified plastic surgeon of choice is within your network of coverage.
  1. You’ll most likely need an evaluation from a surgeon to meet specific requirements established by your Lubbock insurance provider to cover the breast reduction. Criteria may include:
  • An estimate of at least 500 grams (half of a pound) will be removed from each breast
  • Documentation of injury (like back pain) due to the large size of your breasts
  • Documentation that the surgery is needed in order to correct the disabling symptoms
  • Photographic documentation

Essentially, insurance companies are often looking for proof that the breast reduction is medically necessary and not just a cosmetic surgery for appearance purposes only. Patients can work with the staff at our Lubbock office to coordinate insurance billing. If the procedure is deemed medically necessary after a consultation with Dr. Jane Rowley, insurance may cover all or part of the surgery and the hospital costs for your procedure and recovery care. Dr. Rowley sees many happy patients after their plastic surgery, but patients who have a breast reduction are some of the most satisfied patients. Call for your no-obligation consultation today. www.rowleyplasticsurgery.com

Combining Plastic Surgery Procedures for Greater Effect

Did you know that some plastic surgery procedures work well when performed together? Women in Lubbock who feel they need cosmetic help after pregnancies and as they age with different areas of their bodies like tummies, breasts, hips, and buttocks can combine plastic surgery procedures for a more dramatic effect on their physical appearance.  Mommy makeover is a popular term referring to a combination of procedures to target different areas of your body during one surgical time. What plastic surgery options go well together?

 

  • Tummy Tuck

This procedure “actually involves the entire core of your body, with the tightening of the abdominal muscles and tightening of the skin, explains Dr. Jane Rowley. A tummy tuck can help correct the saggy belly some women have after c-section deliveries and can remove some stretch marks from pregnancies.

 

  • Breast Lift and/or Augmentation

Age, pregnancy, and gravity can take their toll on a woman’s breasts. A breast lift removes sagging skin from the breast, moves the nipple in a more upward position and reshapes the breast to a more youthful look. If your nipples currently point down, you may be a good candidate for a lift. A breast lift can be done in tandem with breast implants if the breasts have also lost volume.

 

  • Liposuction

When stubborn pockets of fat around your hips and outer thighs don’t respond to diet and exercise, liposuction can successfully reshape your body and remove that fat. Liposuction works well in a mommy makeover as women tend to hold on to fat as they age.

 

With each added procedure, your recovery time will also increase. But the overall change in your appearance also increases. It’s important to find a trusted, board-certified plastic surgeon you can thoroughly consult with about your cosmetic goals. When you are looking at combining plastic surgery procedures, you have many things to consider carefully. Dr. Jane Rowley always listens to her patients and guides them with expertise to the plastic surgery plan that best fits their needs and bodies. You can find our your best options at a no-obligation consultation with Dr. Rowley. Learn more at www.rowleyplasticsurgery.com

Chin Augmentation: A Quick Recovery Facial Cosmetic Surgery

If random people walking down the street in Lubbock were asked about surgical implants, the majority would comment on breast implants. While breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures, patients have other implant options such as chin implants.

 

Why Patients in Lubbock Choose Chin Implants

 

The appearance of your chin contributes to the contour and overall look of your face. When someone has a smaller chin, his or her facial features can seem off balanced. People seek chin augmentation when their chin is:

  • Recessed
  • Squared or pointed
  • Out of proportion with the rest of their face
  • Giving them a fleshy neck look

Patients should be in good health, have reasonable expectations with the surgery, and not smoke before surgery and during the recovery time.

 

Chin Implant Surgery in Lubbock

 

A chin implant looks like the chin guard on a sports helmet. They can be shaped and carved to give the patient a custom look. A small incision is made under the chin. Then a small pocket is made where the implant is slipped into place. Patients may need to eat only soft foods during the recovery to avoid too much chewing action.

 

A chin implant can give the right patient a stronger, natural looking jawline. Dr. Jane Rowley is the leading board certified plastic surgeon in Lubbock who listens to her patients and explains the procedures that will best help them with their plastic surgery goals. Schedule your no-obligation consultation today and find out if a chin implant is right for you. www.rowleyplasticsurgery.com

Gauged Ear Correction— Return to Normal Earlobes

When you think about plastic surgery, you probably think about breast augmentation or tummy tuck procedures. Cosmetic surgery also has benefits to help boost your confidence in your physical appearance in ways you may not initially think about. You know the old song “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” Maybe you were someone who thought low hanging ears looked cool, so you tried the gauge fashion statement. But over time you’ve decided to change your look. If you have ears that call too much attention to themselves due to gauges or for other reasons, your board-certified plastic surgeon in Lubbock can help.

 

Gauge Correction

 

Earlobes can be intentionally stretched with gauges, also known as cogs, caps, plugs, or tunnels. Once an earlobe hole is stretched passed six millimeters, it will not shrink back. People are increasingly seeking to correct their stretched lobes because of careers choices, age, social stigma. Whatever the reason, a simple corrective surgery can repair earlobes to their natural look.

 

Procedure and Results

 

Each person has different needs with their repair. Your doctor will carefully examine your lobes to know better  what needs to be done during your procedure. The surgery is done as an outpatient procedure with local anesthetics. Excess lobe tissue is removed, and then the lobe is stitched up. An experienced surgeon will carefully reshape your earlobe to a more natural look. If you want to re-pierce your ears, you can have that done during the procedure. Your earlobe may be smaller than you originally had. Remember to follow all recovery instructions from your doctor carefully. If you smoke, you will need to stop smoking before your surgery and during your recovery.

 

Plastic surgery is a science and an art. A board-certified, experienced surgeon can help you regain confidence in your physical appearance. Whether you have earlobes that were accidentally torn or intentionally stretched, your earlobes can be repaired in around 45 minutes.

At Rowley Plastic Surgery, patients in Lubbock know they are in good hands for all of their plastic surgery procedures. Dr. Jane Rowley wants her patients to understand their cosmetic potential fully and listens carefully to her patient’s expectations. Call today for your no-obligation consultation. 

www.rowleyplasticsurgery.com

What are the Benefits of Eyelid Surgery?

Lubbock plastic surgery

 

I passed my friend in the store one day, and we stopped to chat. She still had her sunglasses on while we were inside the store. I didn’t want to pry, but then she told me she was wearing her glass because she had just had surgery on her eyelids and didn’t want people to see the bruises. She took off her glasses and showed me her eyes. I couldn’t even tell she had the bruises. She said her eye doctor had been telling her for years that she should have her eyelids lifted, and she finally did. Now, she could see again.

 

Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, can be performed on both the upper and lower eyelids. You can elect to have the surgery for either functional or cosmetic reasons. The surgery is done on an outpatient basis often using local anesthetics with sedation.

 

Like my friend in the grocery store, in Lubbock plastic surgery on your eyelids may be right for you. Here are a few of the benefits of this eyelid surgery:

 

  • Improved vision

Apart from cosmetic results, improved eyesight may be reason alone to pursue an eyelid lift. Significant drooping of the upper eyelid can impair vision. A slight lift of the brow and upper lid can remove the extra skin which causes the droop. Not only can this improve your line of sight, but some patients find that this correction relieves a strain in the brow muscles from constantly trying to raise the upper lid.

 

  • Bags and lines

By lifting the upper and lower lids, early signs of aging are corrected. Fine lines and bags around the eyes give a fatigued look even when you are well rested. To enhance the results of this lift, you can also include a skin rejuvenation treatment like a chemical skin peel or medical facial to provide additional smoothing of the lines or to reduce the visibility of dark circles.

When coming to see Dr. Rowley in Lubbock, plastic surgery on the eyelid for either functional or cosmetic reasons will result in an overall refreshed appearance. Blepharoplasty can give your entire face a younger, healthier look. This procedure enhances the shape and appearance of your eyes which can have a noticeable impact on your image as a whole. Schedule your no-obligation consultation today. For more information visit rowleyplasticsurgery.com

A Natural Approach to Breast Reconstruction

breast augmentation

 

Hearing a diagnosis of breast cancer can feel like a nightmare. No woman wants to undergo the fear of cancer with its treatments which may include mastectomy. Breast cancer affects one in eight women. It is treatable if detected early. Each individual patient will need to discuss treatment and recovery with their doctor. Breast reconstruction may be something to opt for. Breast reconstruction is more than just a breast augmentation. It usually requires more than one surgery. Breast reconstruction can not only help restore your body physically but can be instrumental in healing you emotionally after a mastectomy.

In Lubbock, plastic surgery patients can choose to have their breasts reconstructed with implants. Implants are put into place immediately after the mastectomy procedure. Patients may have tissue expanders put in place to increase the space for a future breast reconstruction procedure. But there are other options for a more natural breast reconstruction.

Natural Breast Reconstruction Technique

A more natural breast reconstruction technique uses a flap of the patient’s own tissue. The tissue has blood vessels, fat and skin and sometimes muscle that is moved from a place on the body to rebuild the breast. This can give a more natural feel and look to the reconstructed breast area. These flaps can be taken from different areas, stomach, inner thigh, buttocks, or the back of your body, depending on where your doctor feels is best. These flaps make breast reconstruction more natural and will even respond like the rest of your body, enlarging and shrinking if weight is gained or lost. Before this type of plastic surgery, Lubbock doctors will advise you of the risks and what to expect so you can know if this is the right type of breast reconstruction for you.

Whether implants, fat transfer, or tissue flap procedures, reconstructive breast surgery is a personal choice between patient and doctor. For women in Lubbock, plastic surgery may be what you need to feel completely recovered from the experience of breast cancer. Having a good doctor to discuss your options with is so important. Rowley Plastic Surgery has the trusted doctors and experience to help with difficult choices.

Which Breast Procedure is Right for You?

Lubbock plastic surgery

 

Plastic surgery covers many procedures from tummy tucks to nose jobs. But women often worry about the appearance of their breasts. Breast surgery offers three different procedures, each with options to consider and different reasons for having the procedure. Clients looking for options in Lubbock plastic surgery can consider each procedure to discover what is best for your personal situation.

 

Breast Augmentation

If you are interested in enhancing the appearance, breast size, or shape of your breasts with plastic surgery, Lubbock surgeon Jane Rowley can discuss options with you. Breast Augmentation can help women who feel their breasts are too small or have changed after pregnancy. Some women have breasts that are not symmetrical. Breast Augmentation may be the option you are looking for. This procedure uses implants to achieve the client’s desired look.

 

Breast Reduction

Women who have too much breast tissue can experience back pain, neck pain, and breathing problems. Large breasts can inhibit exercise and other activities. There is also the difficulty of buying clothing that fits well. Tummy Tucks aren’t the only option if you feel you are carrying around a little extra uncomfortable weight. Breast reductions remove excess breast tissue, fat, and skin to make your breasts shapely and lighter. With a breast reduction, women can feel a new life with unrestricted movement and less chest weight from breasts that are out of proportion with your body size.

 

Breast Reconstruction

With breast cancer and possible mastectomy, some women face actually losing one or both of their breasts. Lubbock plastic surgery is at its best with Rowley Plastic Surgery to help you look at options for breast reconstruction. With the latest technology, surgeons can create a breast that comes close to the feel and appearance of a natural breast. Women who have reconstructive surgery can experience a faster recovery emotionally from the treatments of breast cancer.

 

With so many options in breast plastic surgery, Lubbock is the right place to be to see the right doctors at Rowley Plastic Surgery to discuss your individual needs and goals.

Am I a Candidate for Breast Reconstruction?

breast reductionIf you are needing a mastectomy, breast reconstruction is a very personal decision that you may consider if you are eligible. More than just a breast reduction or breast implant,  breast reconstruction is plastic surgery, Lubbock breast cancer patients will need to consider after a mastectomy as part of the their full recovery cancer.

Immediate Reconstruction

Lubbock plastic surgery at the time of the mastectomy is called immediate reconstruction. This approach allows all of the surgical work to be performed as one procedure since Lubbock plastic surgery and the breast cancer surgeon coordinate their efforts.

You may be a candidate for immediate reconstruction if you do not need additional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy; if you are getting a mastectomy as a preventative measure due to a high risk of breast cancer (a prophylactic mastectomy); and if you do not have diabetes, circulatory problems, or a bleeding disorder.

Delayed Reconstruction

If a reconstructive surgery is postponed until you have had time for a full recovery of your mastectomy, this is called a delayed reconstruction. If some reconstructive surgery is performed at the time of the mastectomy but is completed later with plastic surgery, this is called a delayed-immediate reconstruction. Unlike a breast reduction or implant independent of a mastectomy, the priority for your body is ensuring the cancer is completely treated. If a delay in reconstruction is needed, just know that the health of your body is the top priority of your health care providers.

Ultimately the choice of whether to get reconstructive plastic surgery, Lubbock doctors would advise you make carefully and for yourself. It is something you can choose much later after your mastectomy, so there is no need to rush into it. Healing emotionally after breast cancer is just as important as healing physically, and reconstruction may be part of that healing or may come after other cancer treatments. Your health care providers should be able to guide you in knowing what your options are for reconstruction and support you through the process.