Once her treatments were complete, she asked a friend for help with a referral to a board certified plastic surgeon to perform her reconstruction. DeAnne’s friend led her to respected Washington, DC area plastic surgeon and Center for Plastic Surgery Medical Director, Albert F. Fleury.  DeAnne remembers back to that important decision, “Both Dr. Fleury’s reputation and that of his father, led me to have him as my surgeon for all of my associated reconstructive procedures.”

Fast forward to a few years later: a cancer-free DeAnne decided to give herself a lift, both figuratively and literally.  She recalls, “I had had several required (non-elective) surgeries, and now wanted to do something by my choosing. It was time to give myself a boost.”

Again, DeAnne visited Dr. Fleury, but this time, the lift she wanted was for her face and eyes.  ”Although I had been contemplating the facelift for a year or two, I didn’t hesitate one minute as to who should perform the surgery. I only considered Dr. Fleury.”

For DeAnne, there were several other factors that were on her “critical list” besides the surgeon.  Of utmost importance was the way she felt about the rest of her care team. “A physicians’ office staff is a very important part of treatment. Those who work for CPS are outstanding, compassionate and caring individuals. They treated me as an individual.  All of my experiences with the office staff have been exceptional.”

With her myriad of experiences with physicians and caregivers during her cancer treatments, DeAnne knew what differentiated a good experience from a bad one. And for her, it came down to one critical component:  ”Communication is key. It is important that a patient is part of the process and knowledge of the procedure, what to expect is important. I felt I learned a great deal and Dr. Fleury and his staff were open to answering all my questions.”

Among the most important factors for DeAnne was the AAASF accreditation of the surgery facility, that her anesthesia was being administered by a board certified anesthesiologist, and that the OR personnel were as highly skilled as possible. Safety was paramount. But in the end, DeAnne relied on Dr. Fleury’s reputation for excellence, and how he made her feel.  “I was anxious as anyone is before surgery. Dr. Fleury and I have a history in the operating room. He puts you at ease and I trust him, these are areas of importance.”

When asked what advice she would give to other patients thinking about facial rejuvenation, DeAnne replied, “It took me awhile to decide to do this, but I am so happy I did. After some very trying years physically, it was nice to see myself looking better, less tired and drawn. It was a great boost having this done. The team at CPS is exceptional, caring, passionate, and knowledgeable. I could not have asked for a better physician or staff.”

OK ladies: we all know we have it. It’s an undeniable part of being a woman and its name is cellulite (or more commonly referred to as “cottage cheese” (thighs- or insert other trouble area here). Did you know that cellulite is partially hormonally-driven? True. This is why men don’t seem to battle it. While there is no perfect way to get rid of cellulite permanently, there is a treatment that can give very nice results.

Endermologie^® uses “mechano-stimulation” to stimulate the cells and reactivate cellular activity (and it feels good too). After six, thirty five minute sessions, you will start to see stubborn fat reserved broken down, curves re-sculpted, and better skin tone. Want to know the specifics on how it works? Just click on the graphic below for nitty-gritty fat facts.

Click here for more information!

Endermologie cannot take the place of liposuction; they do two different things. Liposuction will permanently remove fat cells and change the shape and contour of a particular area. Endermologie helps with the texture and tone of the area. In fact, many of our patients use it as “icing on the cake” to enhance the results of their lipo.

Seeing if Endermologie is right for you is as easy as setting up a complimentary consultation with one of the skin health care specialists at CPS!  (877) 373-2764

Susan Before

For 63 year old Susan, needles are a terrifying thought – so much so that she even delivered her son naturally.  She said, “I wanted to give a gift to myself to take care of the turkey neck I had always hated.  I inherited it from my father, and it got even more exaggerated after I lost 40 pounds”.

Susan was also bothered by the hooding that existed on her upper eyelids and felt like a refreshed look was just what the doctor ordered.  But finding the right surgeon who could be sympathetic and work around her fear of needles was going to be critical.

Susan After

“I had several friends who had gone through plastic surgery, so I asked them for references,” says Susan. “My close friend had a ‘one-hour’ facelift. I met with her doctor, but with my fear of needles, that procedure was not going to be a viable option.

Working in a law firm, doing research & due diligence comes as second nature to her.  While she scoured the web and inquired with friends, the name Dr. Wesley Price kept popping up.  “Several people recommended Dr. Price at CPS (Center for Plastic Surgery), so I went for a consultation.”

When Susan met with Dr. Price and his Patient Care Coordinator, Diana, she felt reassured by their soft approach. “I knew what I wanted, and didn’t need to be talked into anything.  I remember saying to Dr. Price, ‘Look at this face and tell me what you would do,’ and he only recommended what I needed.  I really admired that.”

Susan’s comfort level with Dr. Price and Diana were important, but she had a few more criteria on her list that had to be fulfilled before making a final decision.  “Safety was a paramount concern.  I wanted to know that the facility was accredited, clean, that my anesthesiologist was board certified in anesthesia, and of course, that my surgeon be a board certified plastic surgeon.  The reputation of both my physician and his practice were also very important to me. CPS met all the criteria on my list and I was so excited to be going forward.  I felt so comfortable with Dr. Price that I went ahead and booked it.”

Was she nervous on the day of surgery?  “Actually, I was fine. I had wanted this so badly. I never in my life thought I would have it done.  I had a rhinoplasty when I was around 40, so knew what surgery was like. The care I experienced at both Sibley the day of surgery and CPS before and after the procedure was wonderful.  I never had pain or even a headache!”

“I took my girlfriend with me for the suture removal 5 days after surgery because I was a nervous wreck.  Dr. Price was empathetic, reassuring, and had a great bedside manner.  My friend and I ended up going out to lunch right after the appointment to celebrate.”  Later, when she returned to work, the reaction from co-workers was just what Susan wanted to hear. “I felt great and people kept saying ‘You look fabulous!’ but they all thought I was on vacation…it was a very natural look.”

Susan feels a new-found freedom and confidence after her eyelid and neck lift.  As a lover of travel (her favorite spot so far being the Algarve Coast off of Portugal), she has a journey planned for later this year to Cambodia and Vietnam.  When asked if she would do it all over again, Susan replied, “I would do it again in a second if I thought I needed it.”

Another side effect of her surgery: a change in style. “I have weeded out many of the turtlenecks I used to rely on to hide my neck,” says Susan. “Now shopping affords me so many more options.”

Training: Has the Surgeon been specifically trained to perform breast augmentation surgery?

There are some procedures where specialists may overlap in their skills and training. For example, neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons may have the background and ability to do back surgery. For breast augmentation surgery, only plastic surgeons have received specialized training as an integral part of their surgical residency.  Certifications by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and/or the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) are reliable signs that a surgeon is qualified to perform breast augmentation surgery.

Experience: Does the surgeon have a track record of performing breast procedures?

Experience usually makes for a better surgeon. You should look for someone with excellent surgical skills who regularly performs breast surgery. You can ask surgeons how many of these procedures they have done in their careers. A plastic surgeon who focuses on cosmetic surgery (versus reconstructive) usually performs between 50-175 breast augmentations per year. You should also ask to see before and after photos to get an idea of the quality of their surgical results.

Hospital Privileges: Is the surgeon permitted to perform this procedure at a hospital?

There are surgeons who can perform many procedures in their own offices, but who cannot perform those same procedures in a hospital because they cannot demonstrate a record of training in that field. Check to see if the surgeon has hospital privileges to perform breast augmentation.

Techniques: Is the surgeon experienced and are his or her skills versatile so you have options for incision sites?

There are many techniques that can be chosen by the surgeon and the patient when planning for breast surgery. There are three common incisions, two different positions for the implant and several types of implants, which may vary in shape, size and filler. Each alternative has its advantages and disadvantages. Your surgeon should be able to explain the options available to you and why he or she is recommending a particular approach. A surgeon should base their recommendation on your body type, skin tone, breast shape and the desired size and look you want to achieve.

Anesthesia: Who will be providing my anesthesia?

One very important question to ask is: Who will be providing my anesthesia? This person has the responsibility of maintaining your comfort, breathing and vital functions. He or she needs to be well trained in routine patient safety and should also be able to handle any unexpected (though rare) problem that may occur. We believe your greatest level of safety is to have a board certified MD anesthesiologist dedicated to your anesthesia care during surgery.

Operating & Recovery Room Team: Who will be with me in surgery and immediately after?

When you undergo surgery there should be a surgeon, an anesthesiologist, a scrub technician (who assists the surgeon) and a circulating nurse who is a Registered Nurse (RN). In addition, your recovery room should have an RN who is certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support dedicated to your care (as opposed to trying to monitor your care while circulating time). This is the gold standard. Do not allow anyone to compromise on staff personnel.

Facility Safety: Is the surgical facility accredited?

Your surgery should be performed in a hospital or an outpatient surgery center that has earned accreditation by an outside organization. The most highly respected are:

• AAAASF: The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. “AAAASF”.
• AAAHC: The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care “AAAHC”.
• JCAHO: Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations “JCAHO” accredits qualifying hospitals.

Depending on your specific needs, a “Mommy Makeover” can include procedures such as breast lift, tummy tuck, and liposuction to bring things back to their “full and upright position”.  Most often, patients are seeking the “flat tummy” that they had before pregnancy, and a tummy tuck is far and away the best procedure to achieve this goal.

Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is one of the most widely performed and highest rated procedures by consumers.  Patients on RealSelf.com, a cosmetic surgery education website, have given mommy makeovers and tummy tucks a satisfaction rating of 96% and 90% respectively on the “Was it Worth It” scale.*  Non-surgical options such as Zerona, Velashape, and a host of others, come in at the bottom of the list at with a satisfaction rating of 36% and less.*

So what makes the tummy tuck so effective?

First, you need to understand the anatomy of the abdomen. Think of your stomach muscles as long rubber bands that start just below the breast and end at the pubic area.  During pregnancy, these muscles get stretched out and, in most cases, don’t bounce back to their original taut state.  This is similar to an old pair of elastic-waist pants.  Over time, the elastic wears out and doesn’t have the tension it had when it was new and can no longer serve its original purpose.

If that’s not enough, the abdominal muscles also tend to separate down the middle. Here is a little at-home test you can do to see if your muscles are separated.  Lie down on your back and put your fingers at your navel. Now lift up like you are doing a crunch.  You will be able to feel a separation of anywhere   between 1-4 fingers across. This is because the muscles are no longer connected like they once were. The technical term for this is diastasis recti. The ‘pooch’ you can’t seem to get rid of is due to the muscles being stretched out and separated, literally unable to hold back everything that lies underneath.

You may have heard about variations on the tummy tuck, such as a “mini” or “extended”.  A mini tummy tuck is typically a skin tightening procedure only, not involving any of the muscles below.  Rarely is this a satisfactory option for women who have had children.  Sometimes, an “extended” tummy tuck is just what the doctor ordered.  This is an excellent option for the patient who has more curves than she wants around the hips and flanks. The standard hip bone to hip bone incision is extended up and around the flanks and the excess skin and fat is removed. This creates a nice, flat stomach and a beautiful contour to the hips.

Are you ready to learn more?  The next step is a consultation with one of our board certified plastic surgeons here at CPS.  During your personal appointment, our experienced surgeons will cover the procedure basics, do a brief physical exam, show before and after photos, and recommend a course of treatment tailored to fit your needs.  We can be reached at 877-373-2764.

*Footnotes:  http://www.realself.com/was-it-worth-it Statistics quoted from the “Was it Worth It?” page on RealSelf.com were noted on 3/8/11 and may change in the future.  Images courtesy of ASPS at surgery.org.

It’s probably safe to say that many patients’ ideal route to a more youthful face involves getting a natural result with minimal cost, pain, scars, downtime, risk, just to name a few. We love to think that the ad that says “Look Ten Years Younger in 10 Hours” is telling the truth.  We want these things and have eternal HOPE that they exist (kind of like a magic diet pill).

Medical device companies, the media, and the occasional impostor physician all play on the fears of the consumer by offering shortcuts to the perfect result, touting the latest gimmick as effective and the solution to all that ills you.  Perhaps even more frightening are the new overseas medical retreats cropping up, where patients are lured to have major surgery in faraway places at dirt cheap rates.

Starting to sound familiar?

Should we be trading off dollars for safety and/or results? You don’t have to trade off one for the other; however, most of us know deep down that “you get what you pay for”.

Getting a natural result that LASTS really does take expertise by an experienced board certified plastic surgeon, and involves some expense and downtime. But if you ask facelift patients who have undergone the procedure what they think, many will tell you that they are happy they made the investment up front to obtain a longer lasting, and more predictable result. They would tell you that there is peace of mind that comes with knowing your physician has done this technique hundreds (if not thousands) of times before.  Paying a bit more to know youare in a safe environment, surrounded by qualified caretakers both before and after the procedure, is worth it.  This patient quote that tells it all, “My facelift was the BEST money I ever spent”.

RealSelf has a great little index called “Was it Worth It?” where patients rate each procedure with a thumbs up or thumbs down. The percentage of people who say it was worth it is posted and the procedures are ranked accordingly from best to worst. It is interesting to note that facelift gets a score of 83% (high enough to be in the top 15 of 120 procedures listed) while thethread lift gets a satisfaction rating of 22% (in the bottom 5). *

Link: http://www.realself.com/was-it-worth-it

*Footnote:  Statistics quoted from the “Was it Worth It?” page on RealSelf.com were noted on 10/18/10 and may change in the future.

Recently, the State of Maryland passed a law limiting the amount of liposuction that can be done in an office setting because of a long history of poorly trained and largely unregulated physicians performing liposuction in their offices. 

We at CPS feel our that patients are well served by having liposuction performed by board-certified plastic surgeons in a certified operating room.  For the safety and comfort of the patients, we always work with physician anesthesiologists as well. 

There are continuing improvements in liposuction technology.  Our own preference, and the most common system for liposuction used in the United States, has been the MicroAire system.  Over the years, various systems such as ultrasound and laser-based technologies have been used without significant improvement in the overall results. 

Fortunately, the results from liposuction today are the best we have ever seen and the postop recovery is easier and shorter for the patients.

It was very stressful–everything felt urgent and we couldn’t come close to doing everything that needed to be done. Sometimes you’d think, “What can I honestly DO here?” The truth is we can’t fix a country or undo a disaster, but we can help one person and then another and another. In the end, the individuals we help are so appreciative.

I think this is a key thing to understand. The resilience of the Haitian people is just mind-boggling. There’s none of this “woe is me” stuff; no “Why did this happen to me?” Inside the tents what we saw was truly devastating–kids without arms and legs or with horrible extremity injuries. Every other baby had lost both parents. And we also saw a joyful, resilient people–very appreciative and polite–who reminded us of how much we have and how little one really needs. We’d walk into a tent filled with people who are dealing with absolutely the most difficult situations you can imagine. They are smiling and glad to see us. They clearly haven’t given up. Kids who’ve lost a foot or a leg, hopping around on crutches, trying to play soccer; little ones reaching up and asking “Who you?” or “Who that?”

In the end, bottom line its as much for us as it is for them to go down there. We come back better for having gone. We remember what’s important, that we don’t need a lot to be happy, how much we truly have and how being grateful for what you have is joyful.

In the end, 21 people went down on February 25 and stayed until March 2.

Everyone watching the news about the earthquake in Haiti shares a bond the ache of horror at the immensity of the loss. And my connection to the story was both strong and personal. I had just returned literally days before from Northern Haiti where I have been working at the Hopital Sacre Coeur. It is the largest private hospital in the North of Haiti located in the town of Milot. My work there is about supporting an initiative that is close to my heart Haitian-born and trained medical personnel including doctors and now a surgeon providing care for the members of their community.

When I heard what was happening after the earthquake, I wanted to go back. I was relieved to learn early on that the hospital was functioning. And over the next two weeks, I began to get word of how it had responded to the incredible need expanding from a 73-bed hospital serving the community to serve over 400 patients in tents, hastily converted spaces and a just-acquired school across the street from the hospital. While continuing to meet the needs of the surrounding community, Hopital Sacre Coeur also opened its collective doors to the earthquake victims who were streaming in. Some walked for many days, others were flown in.

And just as Hopital Sacre Coeur opened its doors to take in the earthquake victims, members of the medical communities in the United States opened their hearts, changed their schedules and went to Hopital Sacre Coeur to help. Instead of the usual team of 20 medical volunteers, the group that went shortly after the earthquake numbered 100.

You can read some of their reflections here: http://www.crudem.org/category/volunteer-reflections/