Dr. Gordley Plastic Surgery

Summer is approaching. Is your skin ready?

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:35:54 +0000

As the first hot sunny weekend of 2009 comes to an end, I’m reminded of countless patients with skin cancer and sun damaged skin that I’ve treated. It is really never to soon to start taking care of your skin. The damage from the sun is truly cumulative, no matter your skin type, and even young people need to avoid excessive sun exposure early on. The tell-tale signs of sun damage to the face are rough skin, dark pigmented spots, and in general uneven blotchy skin discoloration.

Ideally, we should all use some sort of sunblock on our face every day to prevent this. There are different types of sun block; those that block the UV rays via mechanical or via chemical properties. Mechanical type sunblocks (using Zinc Oxide) are easier on the skin, a little more appropriate for daily use, and are less oily and over which it is easier to apply makeup. There are several excellent sunblocks for this use, and our office can help to provide these if you are in need.

If you are a little behind on UV prevention, and have already accumulated sun damage, this can be reversed. There are several good skin care regimens that excel in creating a more uniform skin color, removing “sun spots”, and creating smoother feeling and appearing skin. In addition, laser or chemical resurfacing can help you get a jump start in reversing this damage in appropriate patients. Drop by for a consult and get your skin back on track.

What is Plastic Surgery?

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:34:11 +0000

Most people, when asked about the meaning of plastic surgery, usually assume that it involves placing a plastic substance in the body. This has always amused me somewhat, as if to picture an entire specialty centered around the use of Tupperware. Or better yet (thanks to mass media), to assume that our surgical field revolves solely around surgical enhancement of the female body. However, the real meaning stems from the greek word ‘-plastikos’, meaning to reshape or reform. Our specialty is a relatively new one, and arose out of need from WWI surgeons that needed to create new techniques to reconstruct injured soldiers. Our specialty continued to evolve, as we became experts at anatomy, discovering how different tissues receive their blood supply, and ultimately how to manipulate these tissues to close complex wounds. As such we became the ultimate problem solvers, the “surgeons’ surgeon” if you will, tackling complex issues and thinking outside the box. Our tools and techniques now range from pediatric craniofacial surgery, to hand surgery, to cancer and trauma reconstruction, complex wound care, and now aesthetic surgery.

The following quotation from a true surgical forefather truly sums up our purpose, and has often times kept me focused on the real task at hand.

“We restore, rebuild and make whole those parts which nature hath given but which fortune has taken away; not so much that it may delight the eye, but that it might buoy up the spirit, and help the mind of the afflicted.” -Gaspar Tagliacozzi, Plastic Surgery Pioneer, 1597

Liposuction vs. Tummy tuck

admin — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:28:13 +0000

I’m often asked by women about which option (liposuction or tummy tuck) is best for improving the appearance of their abdomen. While every individual is different, there are some generalizations that you may apply to yourself.

-The better the tone of your skin, the more likely it will successfully recoil after the fat is removed following liposuction. As we age, our skin loses its elastic quality, making liposuction a less viable alternative as time goes by. We try to counteract this by utilizing a compressive garment postoperatively that will aid in conforming the skin to its new position. In addition, people who were previously heavy and then have lost significant amounts of weight also develop “loose’ skin that doesn’t tighten well after liposuction. They almost always need to have excess skin excised.

-”No pain, no gain.” Although not everybody is a candidate for a tummy tuck, it almost always yields a more dramatic result than liposuction; but not without a more significant recovery. Although the scar is concealed in the bikini line, it is significant and runs from hip to hip. A special series of sutures holds the abdomen in like an “internal corset,” which gives the abdomen a youthful shape that liposuction will never accomplish. The downside is more extensive recovery (several weeks), with no heavy lifting for 6 weeks. Alternatively, liposuction has a short recovery of only several days. A tummy tuck is usually performed under general anesthesia, adding other risks, albeit rare (~1%), such as blood clots in the legs, and wound healing problems. Liposuction, however, can be safely performed in the office (if only the abdomen and flanks are addressed), greatly reducing the cost to the patient. Multiple areas suctioned should be performed in a controlled surgical hospital setting.

Ultimately, the choice for the procedure depends on a lot of different factors, from your individual anatomic specifics, to postop job requirements, to plans for future pregnancies, and overall health. Only after an examination and long discussion may we choose the custom tailored option that is perfect for you.

Did your cheek fat head South for the winter?

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:38:48 +0000

As we enter this new year, we are confronted with the fact that not only will we turn a year old this calendar year, but that at some point, despite our best efforts we will begin to look our age. Once we hit our 30s, the normal cheek fat starts to begin its enduring descent southward, which does some unfortunate things. First off, it creates those deepened wrinkles from the nose to the mouth called nasolabial folds. In addition, it makes the lower eyelid skin and the cheek skin seem separate instead of having the smooth transition of youth, which makes us look tired. As we enjoy life into our 40s and 50s, this cheek fat descends more and the skin loses some of its elasticity. This results in jowl formation and a drooping neckline.

We don’t have to grow old gracefully; we can fight tooth and nail. Short and long term fillers such as Juvederm and Radiesse can help efface these deep nasolabial folds. In addition, we can utilize fillers to “build-up” the bone under the eyes, and yield a more refreshed appearance. Depending on the extent of the aging process, a lower lid blepharoplasty may offer a more complete and enduring correction.

In addition, an appropriate skin care regimen is essential in fighting the aging process. A skin cleanser, moisturizer, a combination of Retin-A and/or hydroquinone, along with a sunscreen is critical in creating skin with good tone, uniform color, and minimal sun damage.

Now is the time to start thinking about this process and what options that you might have in fighting it. Come in for a comprehensive facial rejuvenation evaluation, and let me help get you on the right track to a more refreshed appearance.