Dr. Charles Runels is at it again. Just over a year after the release of his designer procedure, the Vampire Facelift®, Runels has released the Vampire Breast Lift™. What Is The Vampire Breast Lift™? The Vampire Breast Lift™ is a non-surgical, no downtime, form of breast augmentation. There are women who cannot afford to take time off from work to recuperate from an aggressive surgical procedure like a breast lift or breast implants. While women may like the size of their breasts, some would like more pronounced cleavage or more volume at the top of their breasts. Dr. Runels saw an opportunity to improve the shape of the breasts without invasive surgery. The aim of the Vampire Breast Lift™ is to do what a well-made bra would do; provide lift and cleavage. Good candidates for this procedure are women who are not looking to dramatically change the size of their breasts. Women who are looking to give their breasts a more youthful appearance are ideal candidates for the Vampire Breast Lift™. What Makes The Vampire Breast Lift™ Unique? The combination of products is what sets this technique apart from its breast lift, and injectable filler, counterparts. The entire procedure takes about 30 minutes and starts with blood being drawn from the patient. The blood is taken the same way it would be for a normal blood test. Once blood has been collected, it is then centrifuged and the platelets are separated from the red blood cells. The platelets are then introduced to a calcium chloride solution which causes the platelets to release growth factors. Small amounts of...
Not only doctors approve of breast augmentation with the Keller funnel, even patients have talked about the benefits of the procedure. Breast augmentation is one of the most popular elective surgery procedures performed all over the world. Considering that a large number of breast surgeries are performed annually, you will also conclude that many complications can occur after surgery. One complication that occurs is that scar tissue forms around the implant and this is called capsular contracture. It is estimated that 5% of patients undergoing breast augmentation will end up with capsular contracture, but there is no exact process to find out which ones. Bacterial contamination may be one of the leading causes of capsular contracture. If you do get capsular contracture after breast augmentation, you will experience breast stiffness and there is a possibility that your implant will rupture. The common method utilized in breast surgery is for the doctor to guide the implant into the surgical pocket through the incision by means of his fingertip. The stress that the implant experiences from this form of insertion can lead to it rupturing. Bacterial contamination is reduced to a minimum during breast augmentation with the Keller funnel because of the no touch technique involved, and the force applied on the implant is reduced as well. Dr. Kevin Keller wanted to reduce some of the risks of breast augmentation when he invented the Keller funnel. What is the Keller Funnel? The Keller funnel is a nylon pouch shaped like an icing bag, and is coated with a proprietary lubricant called LubriLAST. To improve lubrication, both the funnel and the implant are submerged in a saline...
Faster, Better - Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation Breast surgery procedure is a life changing decision, an opinion that is shared by a lot of people. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, aside from rhinoplasty and liposuction, breast augmentation happens to be one of the most common cosmetic surgery procedures being done each year since 2004. However, most people still find that having a breast augmentation is a cumbersome process, despite advances in medical technology. Recovery from the surgery will typically take around two full weeks, which naturally means being off from work during that same duration. And the two weeks off will usually raise some questions as to where they’ve been-exactly the kind of questions some patients would want to shun in the first place. There is also that risk of having post-operation scarring, and is more common than some people know. Some people are put off by this, considering this nullify the benefits of having the breast augmentation. The medical field has been listening however, and in response to all these concerns, have come up with methods to alleviate the patients’ fears, and among the favored methods is the Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation. The quick healing breast augmentation procedure capitalizes on its ability to help patients recover in record time. The accelerated recovery does wonders for people who have no time to spare and have got to go back to work as quickly as possible. In this way, hospital bills are minimized, as patients no longer have to stay for the normal several day recovery period. One way the Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation is different from...
What Is Breast Reconstruction? Breast reconstruction is a plastic surgery that recreates the breast similar to the way it was before cancer. The plastic surgeon may use the patient’s own tissue such as skin, fat, and muscle to approximate the look of the breast. The process is often helped considerably with the use of a saline or silicone breast implant. When a breast implant is used, less of the woman’s own tissue is needed to build up the breast. Key Decisions in Breast Reconstruction The two main decisions that women face when considering breast reconstruction is 1) whether to have reconstructive surgery at all and 2) when to have it. For any of these decisions, there is no wrong answer, just as there is no right answer. However the decisions regarding breast reconstruction do need to be reached earlier rather than later so that the most options are available. In other words, the sooner that you consider your breast reconstruction options, the more options you will have. Types of Breast Reconstruction Techniques There are several types of breast reconstruction surgery techniques, and each option depends on the patient’s anatomy, medical history, and personal preferences. Common procedures include implant-based reconstruction, where silicone or saline implants are used, and autologous tissue reconstruction (also known as flap procedures), such as the TRAM flap, DIEP flap, or latissimus dorsi flap. Each technique has its own pros and cons regarding appearance, recovery time, and durability. Women should work closely with a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in breast reconstruction to determine which technique is best for their needs. Alternatives to Surgery: Breast Prostheses Some women...
Stem cells are basically premature cells that could be almost any kind of cell under the right circumstances. When a pluripotent stem cell finds itself in a muscle, the chemicals that surround it tell it to become a muscle cell. Take the same stem cell and put it in the brain and you might get a neuron. Stem cells are the cells that give rise to all the specialized cells of the body, even fat cells. Scientists are excited about stem cell research because these cells could potentially be used to create new brain cells in patients with diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. They may also be able to provide new skin for skin grafts. However some researchers are trying to adapt stem cells for use in almost purely cosmetic procedures, such as breast augmentation. Using stem cells for breast augmentation is an extension of lipoinjection or fat transfer. In fat transfer, fat that has been removed by liposuction is cleaned and purified. The purified fat is then injected back into the body (aka lipoinjection) to augment an area, such as the breast. The problem is that fat tends to break down after a while if it is simply injected into a new location. Stem cells could actually form new fat cells in the area treated by fat transfer. Japanese researchers have devised a method that adds an additional step to fat transfer. Since fat that is removed by liposuction already contains stem cells, they decided to try to use them to help prevent fat breakdown. After liposuction, half of the removed fat is purified to the point that...
The ability to breastfeed has become a growing concern for women who have had breast surgeries in the past. Since more and more single and childless women have been undergoing breast operations, the medical community has come together to address this problem once and for all. The different types of breast reconstruction, or breast injury for that matter, can affect a woman’s ability to produce milk. The main concern is not whether a foreign element is placed inside the breast. Only surgeries that damage or cut the milk duct and nerves will affect someone’s breast feeding abilities. Before undergoing any type of breast surgery, make sure to consult the doctor who will be performing the operation. You may specifically ask your doctor to leave your milk ducts untouched or unaffected. However, there are some surgical procedures where doing this will be almost impossible. Choosing Breast Surgery with Future Breastfeeding in Mind Women considering cosmetic breast surgery should openly discuss their plans to breastfeed in the future with their surgeon. Procedures like periareolar incisions (around the nipple) are more likely to affect milk ducts and sensory nerves, which play a critical role in milk letdown and production. Opting for incisions in less disruptive areas, such as the inframammary fold (under the breast), may help preserve breastfeeding ability. When searching for a “breastfeeding-safe breast surgery,” prioritize surgeons with experience in preserving lactation function and ask about post-surgery breastfeeding success rates. Breast Feeding After Biopsy Biopsy operations usually involve removal of a lump in the chest area. If you are in need of such procedure yet you plan to nurse in the...
What Is Symmastia? Symmastia, or webbed breasts, is a rare congenital breast deformity which results to the webbing of the two breasts right in the middle of the chest, connected via a soft, web-like tissue. This would look like there is only one breast, instead of two. The same effect can also occur if an over-dissection were to happen during breast augmentation surgery. Although the original intention of the operation is to increase cleavage depth, the implants can end up touching each other in the middle of the chest, crossing over the sternum, resulting in another form of botched breast implants. Other terms coined for symmastia are “bread loafing”, “kissing implants”, and “uni-boob”. Causes of Webbed Breasts After Augmentation Here is how symmastia occurs after an operation. To get the implants closer together to form a cleavage, the surgeon has to release soft tissues that cover the sternum, or the breastbone. The normal anatomical attachments of skin and muscle at the medial parts of the breasts where the cleavage normally rests are surgically disrupted, and the skin between the breasts is lifted. This increases the probability of the implants meeting at the middle, and the resulting defect is the webbed breast appearance. The condition of symmastia does not usually appear right after the surgery. It would take months for this condition to develop and become noticeable. This also seems to affect thin women more than larger women, especially if implants that are too large are used on them because they have less tissue and fat covering the breastbone. Preventing Symmastia in Future Augmentations To prevent symmastia from developing after...
Gummy Bear Implants Despite being used since the mid-90s and having approval for use in Europe, gummy bear implants have finally been approved by the FDA for use in the United States. Gummy bear implants are pre-formed breast implants that have specially cross-linked silicone to help them hold their shape and resist deformation and rupture. In other words, the silicone is more of a thick gel rather than a liquid. The two principal makers of gummy bear implants, Allergan and Mentor, received approval for use in breast augmentation and reconstruction in adults. Patient satisfaction with gummy bear implants is remarkably high and the complication rate is even a bit better than with other breast implants—specifically the capsular contracture rate is lower. Not everything about this breast technology is better, however. One issue with gummy bear implants is that they feel more solid than traditional silicone implants and certainly more so than saline. They are also more expensive. The biggest drawback to gummy bear implants, though, is that they cannot be inserted through small incisions, which means the surgical scar will be longer after gummy bear implants than with saline inflatable breast implants. Gummy Bear Implants vs. Traditional Silicone Implants When comparing gummy bear breast implants to traditional silicone gel implants, the most notable difference lies in their structure and consistency. Gummy bear implants are form-stable, meaning they maintain their shape even if the outer shell is broken, which reduces the risk of leakage and deformity. This makes them an appealing option for patients seeking long-term durability and a more anatomically contoured appearance. However, due to their firmness, they may...
Breast deformity is a common side effect of losing too much weight, pregnancy or aging. Almost every women complain of dissatisfaction with her breasts’ size or position. Fortunately, there are different cosmetic surgery procedures that can help remedy this situation. However, they come with different threats and side effects that could lead the way to more complex medical problems. Breast augmentation that uses implants and gels used to be the most effective way to improve the breasts’ appearance. Thousands of breast augmentation surgeries are performed in the United States every year. However, there are some reports that have exposed different dangers that silicone gel and other implants could cause. Patients who have undergone implant surgeries consistently face risks of rupturing, hematoma, and capsular contracture. Over the years, doctors have managed to develop a breast augmentation technique that does not use synthetic fillers to give the breasts a better lift and shape. Spiral flap breast surgery completely removes unnecessary risks that patients bear when they go through other implant-assisted augmentation treatments. Ideal Candidates and Expected Results Spiral flap breast reconstruction is particularly effective for women who want a more natural breast lift without implants. Ideal candidates are those who have undergone significant weight loss, experienced age-related sagging, or post-pregnancy volume loss, and still have sufficient donor tissue in areas such as the abdomen or upper back. Results are generally long-lasting and more stable than synthetic augmentation methods. Many patients report not only improved aesthetics but also increased self-esteem and body confidence after this natural breast augmentation technique. Spiral Flap Breast Lift Technique The spiral flap breast surgery is developed by...
A lot of women are now open to getting breast augmentation. They have recognized the benefits that comes with such a procedure. It makes the body look more proportioned and more appealing as it adds to a woman’s curves. However, breast augmentation procedures are usually achieved by inserting synthetic breast implants into the patient’s chest. This detail may not sit well with some people as the use of breast implants to enhance the body is not natural. In addition, there has been a considerable amount of controversy regarding the use of breast implants circulating these past years. Implant rupture and leakage may pose risks to the patient’s health. In view of this, cosmetic surgeons have come up with an alternative procedure that involves the use of microlipo injections. What Is Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation? This breast augmentation procedure actually recycles the excess fat extracted from the patient’s body via liposuction. Excess fat tends to accumulate in the following areas; the abdominal area, the thighs, and the buttocks. Fat from these areas are extracted in liposuction, and can be re-injected into the patient’s body as breast tissue. Transferring fat from one body part to augment another is not a new idea. Augmentation of other parts of the body like the biceps, triceps, the buttocks, and the lips, can be done using this same method. Fat transfer breast augmentation can be more preferable than other methods of increasing breast size because it makes use of the patient’s own body tissue. Using the patient’s own body tissue is definitely safer and more organic than using saline or silicone-gel implants. How the Fat...
