March 9th, 2012
A US-based plastic surgeon created a smart phone app that would give women a way to visualize what they may look like if they had breast augmentation surgery. Women who are interested can upload a photo of their anatomy and select from 17 different sizes. While this way of viewing yourself is not entirely realistic for the right candidate it could be a good communication tool, however there is a bigger concern at hand.
As listed in the Herald Sun article, some parents are raising concerns with the accessibility this app has towards its young teens. The app is free to download from the iTunes store. It has a maturity rating of 12 years old and up. Although they cannot have breast augmentation until they are 18 years or older without parental consent (unless to correct a specific deformity), it still is implying that it is ok for anyone over the age of 12 to consider their options.
An Australian Family Associate spokesperson spoke out in the Herald Sun article to say that the apps were inappropriate for children and should be blocked from that age-range. The emphasis was on Apple’s rating system in respect to children’s accessibility and not on the purpose of the application.
There are some unique situations in which a teen may be a candidate for breast surgery. Mature teens may be a candidate for implants to correct a breast deformity or asymmetry with parental consent. Dr. Alexander is an expert in breast surgery and in the right candidate can provide relief for teens experiencing difficulties with their breasts.
Contact our office for more details!
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March 2nd, 2012
What is BOTOX Cosmetic?
BOTOX Cosmetic, manufactured by Allergan, Inc., is a prescription medicine that Dr. Alexander injects into muscles in the forehead, brow and crow’s feet areas. Botox provides temporary improvement to the look of moderate to severe frown lines and wrinkles for a smooth and refreshed appearance. This year marks the 10th year of FDA approval for BOTOX Cosmetic, and you are invited to celebrate!
How can you CELEBRATE?
There is a limited time offer to save up to $200 on your next 3 BOTOX Cosmetic treatments! Your first BOTOX appointment using this promotion will provide you with a $50 rebate plus 200 Brilliant Distinction points (a $25 value) toward your next treatment! Additonal $50 rebates will be deposited into your account 3 months after your last treatment. Combine this with your 200 Brilliant Distinction points and you could save up to $75 for the next two treatments. Add it all up and it is a potential $200 savings! Contact our office to learn more about the Brilliant Distinctions program and this special anniversary savings!!
To find out if BOTOX Cosmetic is right for you, Dr. Alexander can review specific details, side effects and candidacy at an appointment in his Las Vegas practice. Schedule your appointment today!
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February 24th, 2012
Generally, most plastic surgery patients are 18 and older. However, there are some specific circumstances for a young female to qualify for a breast reduction prior to becoming an adult. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) provide important questions for parents and plastic surgeons to ask before deciding weather a child or teen is a good candidate for plastic surgery. Some of these questions include:
Q: Who desires the plastic surgery?
A: Plastic Surgery should be solely for the patient. The patient may be influenced by parents, friends, boyfriend, girlfriend, or peers, but should not be forced into surgery. These people make for a great support system before, during, and after surgery, but should not be initiating the reason for having surgery. The teen must be 100 percent committed and comfortable to undergo breast reduction surgery.
Q: Is your child realistic about the benefits of the surgery?
A: If your teenager experiences a low self esteem, the teen may think plastic surgery will change their life. They may imagine this new look will bring a new set of friends and more social opportunity. While the procedure may bring about positive changes in self-esteem, teen plastic surgery does not guarantee a fairy-tale ending. Teens who are seeking plastic surgery to acquire more friends should not resort to plastic surgery. They should try other ways to be involved such as community services, volunteer work and school events. However, specifically for a female seeking breast reduction surgery, it may help the patient be involved in sports more comfortably once the excess breast tissue is removed. In that case, a breast reduction may be a positive option for a young lady.
Q: Can your teen handle the recovery and healing process?
A: The recovery and healing process can be uncomfortable. It will need to be timed appropriately around school vacations, and they may not be able to enjoy their time off. For most plastic surgery, the initial healing process is about 6 weeks and final results may take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. It is important that the teen is physically and mentally prepared for their procedure.
Contact the office of Las Vegas, NV Board Certified Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon, Dr. Alexander, for more detailed information to help decide if your teen would be a candidate for breast reduction surgery.
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February 21st, 2012
On Friday Feburary 10, 2012, Dr. Alexander supported the Las Vegas Wrangler Hockey Team to promote their “Pink in the Rink” fundraiser. This event was held to help raise awareness and gain proceeds to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Southern Nevada and the St. Rose Dominican Hospitals Health Foundation for breast cancer research and treatment. It was also a time to honor the women and the families that have lost their battle to breast cancer.
Establishing a good relationship with a primary care physician can keep you on the right track to the best breast health. Short of a doctor’s examination, there are self breast exams that you should perform each month to stay in tune with your body and watch for any abnormal lumps or changes.
The following are some of the warning signs of breast cancer.
- Lump, hard knot, or thickening in the breast or underarm area
- Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
- Change in size or shape
- Puckering or dimpling of the skin
- Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
- Pain that does not go away
Although it may be normal body changes, it is always best to seek a doctor’s recommendation if you experience any of the above. Contact board certified platic surgeon, Dr. Alexander’s office for more information on your options to restore your breast shape after mastectomy.
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February 10th, 2012
Dermabond Advanced is a topical skin adhesive usually used in conjunction with, but not in place of, deep dermal stitches that provides a secure wound closure and protective microbial barrier over a wound. In other words, it adheres the last layer of skin tissues together just like “super glue” without adding any additional stitches or steri-strip. Dermabond was also shown to add 75% more strength to the wound closure than sutures alone. The unique design and patented formulation has been shown to significantly improve patient comfort, after care and satisfaction.
Dr. Alexander uses dermabond routinely for breast surgeries such as breast augmentation, lift, and reduction. As a cosmetic plastic surgeon he stays current on using products that offer the most precise surgical outcome. Dr. Alexander has found that with normal healing using dissolvable sutures on the tissues inside and dermabond for the closure of the incision site has improved the outcome of the scars and long term result. In one study, patients rated their scar comfort significantly greater at 6 weeks and 6 months versus patients with suture alone. This included patient ratings of pain, itchiness, stiffness, scar irregularity, discoloration and irregular scar thickness.In addition to the cosmetic result of using dermabond, it also provides a microbial barrier that offers greater than 99% protection for 72 hours against the organisms most commonly associated with surgical site infection.
For many types of surgery, DERMABOND ADVANCED can help make that recovery easier and more comfortable. Schedule your consultation appointment with Dr. Alexander for recommendations specific to your anatomy!
Click here for before and after photos.
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February 7th, 2012
After you have scheduled breast augmentation with Las Vegas Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Alexander, you will be assigned a specific pre-operative appointment to review pre and post-operative care instructions. At your pre-operative appointment our nursing staff will review recommendations that will prepare you for a smooth recovery. Below is a timeline that lists some of the general things to expect before and after surgery.
1-2 Weeks BEFORE Surgery: It is very important to let Dr. Alexander know of any medications that you may be taking. Several herbal supplements, over the counter and prescription medicines contain ingredients that may increase some surgical risks. Depending on the type of medicine and your ordering doctor’s judgment, you may be advised to discontinue some of the medications that you may be taking. If you are a smoker, now is the time to quit! Minimizing your cigarette intake can improve surgical healing and outcome tremendously!
Week 1-2: Try to plan on spending the first 7 days at home as the first week of healing is the most significant! While discomfort level varies from patient to patient, most can expect to feel some tenderness, fatigue, muscle tightness and small amounts swelling. Minimizing arm activity, placing a light cold compress to the area, and sleeping at a 45 degree angle will help reduce some of the post op soreness.
Week 3-4: Patients tend to look and feel “more normal” at this point after breast surgery. Keep reminding yourself that even though you may feel good, you are still not healed! Although you can start to resume light work duties or daily activities, you will still have some restrictions. Breast massage techniques may be introduced around this time.
Week 5-6: With normal healing and upon examination, your incision and tissues are strong! Now is the time to advance to an unrestricted activity level. Most women notice that their stamina is not what it was prior to surgery and it may take a few weeks easing into your normal routines. Anytime after 6 weeks you can go bra shopping! Have fun! 
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January 27th, 2012
Myth: Breast size causes chest creases and cleavage wrinkles
Fact: While women with larger breasts do experience more movement and breast positional changes while sleeping throughout the night, cleavage wrinkles can equally affect women with A – D cup sized breasts.
Creases between the breasts can occur due to a number of reasons:
- Age- As women age, collagen starts to break down, oil gland production and estrogen levels may decrease. Add many years of unprotected sun exposure to the equation and now you have a perfect formula to create chest wrinkles.
- Sun Damage- The skin on the neck and chest gets almost as much sun and weather as the face, and yet it is thinner. Brown spots, crepe like texture or wrinkles that linger may be due to sun damage over many years. It is important to protect the area from the sun and apply sunscreen to the area daily.
- Skin & Tissue Integrity- A woman who has thicker chest skin, the amount of subcutaneous fat in the chest region, is less likely to experience wrinkles in the chest because it maintains good underlying structural support.
- Daily Behavior- The lines can also be caused by sports or push-up bras, which compress the breasts together and are often worn for long hours at a time.
- Sleeping- Many people think these chest lines are only due to the way our breasts flop and lay for hours while we sleep, but it is actually a combination of all of the above that make those lines remain while we are awake during the day. You can try to arrange supportive pillows in a way that softens those lines or lreduces the chance of them developing for your stomach, side or back sleeping habits.
As a board certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast procedures, I often get asked how to prevent cleavage wrinkles or to alleviate some of the existing wrinkles a patient may already have. The most important piece of advice for preventative measures is to apply a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, good UVA and UVB blockers. Also, getting started on the Obagi ELASTIderm Décolletage Wrinkle Reducing Lotion will help replenish elasticity and build collagen from increased skin strenth and resilience.
Contact Las Vegas, NV Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Alexander, to learn how to revitalize your décolletage skin with the Obagi ELASTIderm Décolletage System for flawless, younger-looking skin.
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January 20th, 2012
Myth: All breast implant patients should avoid chest exercises
Fact: As long as you were able to do chest exercises prior to breast surgery (not everyone can do a pushup ), then you should have the physical ability to do it after surgery. However, it is recommended for aesthetic reasons that patients that have implants placed under the chest muscle to eliminate or reduce chest exercises. The reason for this is that when you contract the muscle over time it can compress against the implant and cause it to drift away from the midline. Since most women appreciate the enhancement implants have to the cleavage area, the drift is usually something women dislike. There are exercises that work out multiple muscles including the chest muscle that may be ok as long as the chest muscle is not the primary muscle being toned. Dr. Alexander has found that most of his athletic Las Vegas patients have been successful changing their weight lifting regimen to include lighter weights and higher reps to accomplish this new work out restriction.
Myth: Tanning beds and heat can melt my implants
Fact: For one, doctors don’t typically encourage tanning due to the associated risks of skin cancer. From a plastic surgery stand point, sun damage, whether it is from the sun or artificial light, can also cause premature wrinkles, brown pigmentation age spots, actinic keratosis, or cause scars to darken. However, to bust the myth, the answer is no. Saline and silicone breast implants are high in integrity, FDA approved and considered safe. Some patients have noted that a warm or cool temperature may linger in implants slightly longer than the rest of the body, but they do not freeze or cause burns.
We are always open to new suggestions and ideas! If you would like to tell us more about your work out regimen to share with others, click here!
Wanting to know how to correct the tanning bed damages on your skin? Click here
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Myth Busters! | No Comments »
January 13th, 2012
Dr. Alexander’s breast augmentation provides women with small or unevenly sized breasts a fuller, firmer and better-proportioned look that can improve self confidence. Many women appreciate the natural-looking contours after implant surgery. Dr. Alexander’s patients are well informed of the options, risks and potential outcomes of breast implant surgery prior to the procedure. One of the facts is that breast implants may not last a lifetime. There are FDA and manufacture recommendations for each type, saline and silicone, to detect if there is a deflation or rupture. Due to the unpredictability of an implants’ life span, we disclose that a patient who selects breast augmentation surgery may need to have a breast implant exchange surgery in the future. However, not all reasons for selecting breast implant exchange are due to an implant deflation or rupture. Other motivating factors could be simply cosmetic desires. Here are some reasons why patients seek breast implant exchange surgery:
- Deflation or Rupture –This experience is not a medical emergency, but for aesthetic reasons it is recommended patients have surgery sooner rather than later.
- Size – To go larger or smaller
- Visibility – Implants may develop rippling, especially if a patient has lost a large amount of weight
- Shape – Alter projection and/or width
- Capsular Contracture – Undesirable hardening of scar tissue around the implant
- Displacement – An implant that never dropped, or moved from the original position
- Sagging- Due to lifestyle changes, weight loss, pregnancy, genetics and gravity
- Type – Change from saline to silicone, or silicone to saline
- Firmness/Movement – Desire a different palpability to the breast, or requires some adjusting of the inner implant pocket to accentuate cleavage
- Asymmetry
Regardless of the reason, any patient dissatisfied with her current implants may be a potential candidate for breast implant exchange surgery. A consultation appointment with Las Vegas board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Alexander, will provide you with all the information you need to make safe and confident decisions.
Click here to view before and after photos of Dr. Alexander’s Breast Implant Exchange patients.
Posted in Breast Implant Exchange Surgery | No Comments »
December 23rd, 2011
- The average breast weighs 1.1 lbs. and contains about 4-5% of our body’s fat
- 15 years go the average breast size was 34B, now it is a 36C
- In the middle ages wide set breasts were the most attractive, Now days more patients like them full with an accentuated mid-line
- In 2010, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported 296,000 patients selected breast augmentation surgery.
- Since 2006, breast augmentation has been ranked as the top cosmetic surgical procedure
- Initially surgeons tried many types of ways to increase breast size that lead to disastrous results such as sponges, ivory, ground rubber, ox cartilage, polyester, paraffin & silicone injections
- At one point Sheyla Hershey held the Guinness Book of World Records of the largest implants at 10,000cc
- Bra garments have existed since the 7th Century BC, but large scale production didn’t occur until the 1930’s
- Although women can be charged by public nuisance laws, women can legally go topless in 5 states in the U.S.: Texas, Hawaii, Ohio, New York, Maine
- Women who go topless in Dubai are subject to 6 months of jail time
- The chemicals in cigarettes can break down the elastin in your breast and cause them to sag
- Breast milk is healthier than cow’s milk, it contains more iron, fatty acids, vitamin E and less sodium
- The first breast implants date back to 1895.
Interested in enhancing your breasts? Click here to visit our website to review information and photos of Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon Dr. Alexander’s breast augmentation, lift and reduction procedures. Like what you see? Contact our office 702-242-6776 to schedule your consultation appointment at our Summerlin, Las Vegas practice!
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