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CLAIM YOUR PROFILEDear umiw:
Thank you for the question and clarifying photo. In answer to your question about the scar near the earlobe, it can be revised. The revision could probably be done under local anesthesia, removing a bit more cheek skin, including the current scar, with the closure then being placed into the "groove" along the base of the lobe. The situation at just 2 months following the initial surgery is that the area needs a bit more healing time, so I agree with your surgeon that it needs to be deferred for a while. I do not agree that it will "be alright", as that scar will not move back towards the earlobe over time. Most surgeons recommend a full 6 months of healing before doing a revision, but I often can move that time-table up for patients by a couple of months, depending upon how quickly the scarred area is "softening" and "settling". So, keep massaging the site, to get the deep scar thickening to relax, and then a revision could be done--maybe in as little as another 6 weeks! Good luck !
Sincerely,
James H. Scheu, M.D, FACS
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dear Vicky1126:
Thank you for your question about whether you should have a facelift. The changes of facial aging which you describe are natural, and you are correct in your assumption that injection of wrinkles with fillers usually does not give as good of a result as lifting of sagging, wrinkled facial tissues. So , while it is difficult to be definite in any recommendation without an examination of your face (selfies would have been helpful),,it is likely I would recommend the lower face/ neck lift, wherein both the SMAS deep fascial layer and the skin are lifted, through incisions around the ears, to tighten the neck and jawline, reduce the "jowls" (often using some liposuction), and "smooth out" the wrinkles adjacent to the mouth, in the cheeks. If the wrinkles in the lower face are the results of too much sun exposure, a facial laser resurfacing might be recommended as well (and, using the fractional CO2 laser, this can be a tremendous addition to the "look" of the entire face, and will complement the re-juvenation of the lower face, jawline and neck resulting from the lower facelift).
Speak with a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area who has a lot of experience in facial rejuvenation, and discuss your options. Good luck!
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dear Dentona
Thank you for your question regarding anesthesia options for facelift surgery. Traditionally, facial cosmetic surgery was done under general anesthesia, usually with a tube placed into the trachea to control the airway and to deliver anesthetic gases, and oxygen, for the duration of the procedure---and this could be for as many as 6 hours.
However, more often, local anesthesia, plus oral medications for sedation is recommended, as this approach carries less risk and allows quicker discharge from the facility. If done with anesthesia personnel in attendance, intravenous agents can be given to enhance the sedation (but this gets quite close to general anesthesia, so the risks--and the cost--go up).
I prefer to use the local anesthesia/sedation option for my patients, and have done hundreds of facelift, eyelid, and laser resurfacing, fat grafting and browlift procedures over the past few years this way, with absolute safety and in comfort, even with long procedures, where multiple areas are rejuvenated all at the same time (and this option can save you thousands of dollars in fees you do not have to pay an anesthetist).
Talk with a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area, who has a lot of experience in facial cosmetic surgery to discuss the pros and cons of general versus local anesthesia. I wish you luck in your decision.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dear Maggieda:
Thank you for your question on "facelift" cost. I placed the term in quotes, because there seems to be some confusion about what constitutes a "facelift". For most of us who are board-certified plastic surgeons, this refers only to a lower face-neck lift, which includes surgical maneuvers in the neck, and then elevation of the cheek/ neck and jawline tissues, to "tighten" and then remove the excess at the incision sites, around the ears. It does not include any work on the eyes or upper face, or any fat grafting, each of which can be free-standing procedures, and have their own costs (which, when combined with a facelift, add to the base cost).
Also, all plastic surgical costs vary with the region of the country (generally higher on the coasts than in the Midwest), and the experience, reputation, and skill of the surgeon. I have seen base costs for a "facelift" vary from 6 or 7 thousand dollars (surgeon's fee alone--not including facility fee or anesthesia cost), to over 3x that. So, first, be sure your surgeon is well-qualified in facial cosmetic surgery, and see if you can get a quote over the phone (but also realize that this will be an estimate, and may well need to be adjusted upward based on what your face would do the best with, based on the recommendations, after your examination, by the plastic surgeon).
Good luck in your quest!
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dear Goducks:
Sorry to hear of your misfortunes regarding your chin. Thanks for submitting your question (some selfies in good lighting would have helped get better advice).
In cases where the tissues have established irregularities visible from work done on the facial skeleton, it is usually not going to be corrected solely by merely pulling the overlying soft tissues tighter. Also, you did not clarify whether the current chin implant status is satisfactory--because, if it is not, then you may be facing another revision of the implant, and that could correct your concerns. If that is not the case, and you are happy with the existing implant, then I would recommend "filler" injections for the jawline irregularities. . There are a number of these products on the market, and your surgeon can cover the pros and cons of each with you.
Since you are rather young, I would therefore, instead of recommending more surgery ( you have already had several in the same area over a short time-frame), lean towards using filler injections, and preferably, a more-permanent filler, like Bellafill; i don't think I would recommend a facelift (but, then I cannot be sure without an examination of your face).
Confer with your surgeon (hopefully he---or she---is a board-certified plastic surgeon) on these options, since he (or she) knows first-hand the issues with your lower facial anatomy. Good luck!
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dear Balfour:
Congratulations on your procedure. Fat grafts to the face should have attained blood supply by 3 weeks after implantation, so they should be "anchored". However, this does not mean they would be able to withstand pressure (or massage) ,so I would still be careful about pressure to the sites. Also, it is likely that there is still some swelling (fluid in the surrounding tissues), at this point on the recovery, so you need more time to ser the final result. So, even though the grafts may no longer "move around", they still need to be protected, while the healing process is completed. Check with your surgeon on this, and realize that it is difficult to get a "full take" of fat grafts, and that they may need to be repeated, even in the most capable of surgeon's hands, to get the optimal result. Good luck!
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dear CSF:
The area shown on your submitted photo seems to have a faint outline drawn on the skin, and if this is the area you meant by "strange fat" ruining your trunk contours, I agree that this is a fat deposit. Liposuction would address this area on both sides (you didn't show both sides, but I assume it is bilateral), and, for such a limited area on the two sides, I would recommend having it done under local anesthesia with some oral sedation. It should be simple and fairly easy for any board-certified plastic surgeon ---I perform most of my lipos under local anesthesia in my center. You would have to wear some compression for a few weeks, and limit vigorous activities for the first week, but most patients have an easy recovery, and a good result, if the skin contracts down where the fat is removed--and that should happen for the area you are concerned with. Good luck!
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
The fees for the "Mommy Makeover" include not only what your surgeon charges for performing the procedures, but also what the anesthesia group charges to provide the anesthesia serviced required for your comfort and safety, and then the cost of the use of the operating room (with the latter two components based on the time the surgery takes), but there is also the cost of implants if needed (some patients only need a breast lift, and not augmentation), and, in my case, since I keep all my "tummy-tuck" patients in the hospital overnight for safety, the patient pays that charge as well (insurance will not cover any of the costs)--and there can be considerable cost variances, even between hospitals in the same city.
Likely surgeon's fees alone for tummy tuck, breast augmentation, and breast lift together can be expected to at least be in the $10,000 to $15,000 range, with the other fees in addition, so be sure to carefully consider the surgical options and decide what you can afford.
Luckily, most surgeons offer financing options for their fees (the anesthesiologists and hospitals generally do not), so be sure to get all the fees itemized and discuss the conditions of payment with the Care coordinator in your surgeon's practice--and pick a board-certified plastic surgeon with a lot of experience doing cosmetic surgery. . Good luck!
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
The cost of the "mommy makeover", which would include both breast and tummy surgeries, depends upon just what is done (for example, the cost to have both breast lift and implants, which you mentioned, is about 5 thousand more than just implants, when you add the costs of the additioal 2 to 4 hours of O.R time and anesthesia fees, along with an additional surgeon's fee for the "lift"). Similarly, if liposuction is needed in the hips or thighs, in addition to work on the abdominal wall, most surgeons do not include that with their "tummy tuck" fee. There are also regional differences in fees, and even in my metro area, O.R. fees can vary between hospitals by as much as $2000 for the 6 hours that a full tummy tuck plus breast lift and implants (with the gel implants) can take. On the whole, this "makeover" of the main areas affected by your pregnancies can be quite expensive--but most practices do offer one or more financing options to help you achieve the look you want, at affordable monthly payments.
Talk to one or more board-certified plastic surgeons in your area to get a fee quotation tailored to the approach you want to take in regaining your breast and tummy contours--and good luck with your surgery!
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Thank you for the question about liposuction. It is not possible to give a fee schedule for body areas, as body weights vary, and in one person, there may be more fat to remove in an area than in that area on another person, and thus, one person may well have a different fee to treat several body areas than a slightly thinner person having the same body areas suctioned. So, the time needed to perform adequate fat removal must be factored into the surgeon's fee (and we do give price breaks when combination procedures are done), but, also, the operating room time and anesthesia fees charged are generally based on the time you are in the operating room, so the time factor plays a part in those fees, too.
The exception to this would be if your lipo is done under sedation and local anesthesia, which many plastic surgeons are now doing in their own facilities. And although your procedure may cost between 5 and 10,000 dollars, it is still the best way to achieve the contours you could probably never get on your own, short of losing a massive amount of total body weight. Also, most plastic surgeons offer financing, so the payments over time can be quite affordable. Seek the advice of a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area, and, good luck with getting yourself that better look you are wanting with liposuction!
James H. Scheu, M.D
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
I was unhappy with amount of abdominal pooch that I had developed over the past few years and decided to have abdominal liposuction. After reading several reviews online about Dr. Scheu's practice, I decided to go for a consultation. Dr. Scheu and his staff are amazing. My procedure was exactly as described during my consultation. Dr. Scheu and his assistant Michelle answered any concerns I had before and after my procedure. The follow up visits and after care they provide are outstanding. They are there every step of the way before and after the procedure.
I used Dr Scheu in February 2019 for a belt lipectomy, and lipo in my chest. I had a gastric sleeve in 2016 and had lots of loose skin after losing over 150lbs. My wife had used Dr. Scheu for several procedures over the previous 1-2 years and we had discussed me having the procedure several times during my wife’s visits, but being a typical male, I declined each time because I wasn’t Convinced I needed it. I didn’t think it was a thing that would make me look or feel better. However, after watching him and his staff interact with my wife, watching how his work helped my wife regain more confidence after each treatment or procedure, and after really listening to his advice and opening myself to the possibility that not only would I look and feel better, it would be healthier for me to remove all the extra skin so I would have less risk of infection. I decided to do the formal consultation. Normally, I would have felt embarrassed and awkward during this procedure, but Dr Scheu and his staff spoke to me and handled me in a way to really made me comfortable. They talked to me at a level that I completely understood and set me to ease while standing there in all my glory. I agreed to have the procedure. He gave me my instructions to follow for the days prior, and everything happened as was described. I was was given the option to have the surgery in a hospital if I wanted to pay for an operating room and anesthesia, or I could have it in one of his sterile procedure rooms, and be medicated, but awake, and numbed so that I wouldn’t feel any pain. I opted for the latter. I showed up and followed his instruction on how to begin my meds prior to my arrival. I was prepped and taken to the surgical suite. They turned on some music and talked to me the entire time! We laughed and joked. They really made me a comfortable as possible. Now......... I made things a little harder than they anticipated. I was a LARGE man. 6’7” and was well over 400 lbs at my biggest. Factors that ended up making his job much longer than we planned. But he didn’t let that stop him. He adjusted, he reassured me that everything was going ok and keep on going. Any time he remotely thought I was in discomfort, he would stop and ask me how I was. To which I insisted that we keep on going. Dr Scheu took over 10 hours to complete what should have been a 5-6 hour procedure and was comforting the entire time. When we finally finished we closed everything up. Suture lines looked great, and I was finally at ease. I live out of town and since the entire process took so long, I stayed the night in a hotel because he insisted that we come in the next day for follow up. Mind you, this all happened on a Friday, so he made us come in on his day off to follow up since it was more convenient for me. I have since returned ever 4-6 weeks for post op follow up. All of my results are fantastic and I couldn’t be happier. My wife is even planning her next procedure as week speak ! Dr Scheu and his staff are the friendliest I have ever met. They call, follow up, and actually care about you before, during and after. Dr Scheu is a rare physician in the fact that the isn’t all about the money. He wants people to be the best version of them that they can. He takes the time to listen, and answer questions. He genuinely seems to get joy from his patients happiness. I highly recommend him for anything you are considering having done!
I went to another doctor and had to pay $130.00 for consultations fee & did not accept my payment plan. Dr. Schue did NOT charge a consultation & accepted my payment plan ( Care Credit). Dr. Schue fee was $3,000.00 cheaper. Dr. Schue and his staff did not rush me during consultation time. I saw pictures of other patients & I got a chance to talk to a patient. The recovery time was short & I had no bruising. The before & after care was excellent. I get a lot of compliments. My look is NATURAL and not unnatural, (skin pull tight). Dr. Schue, nurse Michelle, and office assistant,Cheryl are the BEST. I give them 10+.
I couldnt' be happier with my experience with Dr. Sheu and his staff. After losing 70 lbs, I still wasn't happy with my body- the sagging skin on my lower abdomen made it impossible for me to like what I saw in the mirror. After consults with several different plastic surgeons, I knew that a tummy tuck was my only hope to look and feel "normal." However, a traditional tummy tuck wasn't really an option for me, as I didn't have the luxury to take the suggested 2-4 weeks of off/down time. I was less than a week away from undergoing the tummy ex procedure at sono bello, when I found Dr. Scheu and his version of a "midi tummy tuck" online. This particular procedure includes all the "nipping and tucking" of a traditional procedure except the muscle repair aspect. It is also done in his office, which eliminates hospital and anesthesia fees. He squeezed me in for a free consult on the day I called, and I had my procedure the very next Wednesday. It has been a month and a half, and I am already ecstatic about what I see. I do not believe that forgoing the muscle repair lessened my results in the least. It only lessened the expense and significantly reduced my downtime- I was back to work in 4 days!
Dr. Scheu makes you completely at ease about your procedure, from first consultation to the last exam. Although I had no post-op complications whatsoever, Dr. Scheu have me an unexpectedly generous amount of his time. I lost count of the post-op exams, but it was more than ten. It has been nine months since the procedure, and I am pleased with the results.
In 2016 I traveled from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Maryland Ave, St Louis Missouri, United States Of America to have Facial Nerve Corrective Surgery from a previous botched up cheek implant that kept migrating and eventually causing the nerve damage to my face. While I was in consultation with Dr Scheu we discussed a Facelift. I had that Facelift that same year with Dr James.H. Scheu from the Metropolitan Plastic Surgery Clinic after he showed me real life before and after pictures of his former patients as well as allowing me to speak with some of them in person. That consultation and the real life discussion with Dr Scheu's former patients gave me the confidence to go a head with my own procedure. Dr Scheu is a very skilled and professional surgeon who is a perfectionist in his field of Cosmetic Surgery as well as a caring Doctor. I have been going to Dr Sheu's practice now for two and a half years having other procedures done like Fat Grafting, Scar Revision, Breast Augmentation Surgery and a Leg Lift Surgery. Apart from the Doctor being a wonderful and caring person he also has a team of beautiful and wonderful caring women working for him. There's Cheryl who is Dr Scheu's Receptionist and Michelle who is the Dr's Nurse. I highly Recommend These professional people if anyone is truly interested in improving themselves and expect a high quality of work.
I felt very comfortable with Dr Scheu and his staff from my first appointment. I was hesitant about getting the surgery and it took me a while to decide. I met with Dr Scheu a couple of times prior to deciding to do it. He answered all of my questions (some more than once) and his staff did as well. There was never any pressure to go through with it. The surgery itself went well and I was never in any pain. I had a question in the middle of the night after the surgery and Michelle (Dr Scheu's nurse) answered on the first ring and calmed all my worries! Between Michelle, Dr Scheu and Cheyrl I felt that I was well taken care of. I am very happy with the results and with the care that I received. I would do it the same way again.
I can’t say enough about Dr Scheu’s excellent professionalism while under his care for several procedures from face lift brow lift and several others I would be glad to speak with u if considering a surgical procedure with him. The healing process takes time to see the benefits of surgery. Dr Scheu will work with u with any follow ups you may need and always answers your calls. His family practice treats you as family. What surgeon remembers your birthday with a cake? Any further work I may elect to do will be with Dr Scheu. Can’t say enough about the entire staff from Cheryl scheduling to accommodate your work schedule or his nurse Michelle calling u thru the healing process afterwards.
I am not one to be easily awed, but my experience with Dr. Scheu and his team was nothing short of incredible. 21 years ago, at age 41, I had some body reconstruction, specifically a tummy tuck and breast lift with implants. It was a pretty grueling experience, but I was generally pleased with the results. Well, after 20+ years, gravity had done a number on me, and even though I was reluctant to put myself through the experience, I decided at age 71 that I would explore current options. I consulted with 2 surgeons, both highly recommended and both highly reviewed. I learned about Dr. Scheu from another physician who I have seen for a number of years for bio identical hormone replacement and who I greatly trust. My biggest problem areas were obnoxious “love handles”, which made anything I wore make me look lumpy. Dr. Scheu recommended a lower body lift, and his technique was so unique that I went ahead and had the procedure. He worked with the scar tissue left from the previous surgery, and the result was complete elimination of the “love handles” and a lovely lifting of my backside. The recovery was NOTHING like my previous experience, and I was back to doing everything I wanted to in a very short time. So impressed was I that about 6 weeks later I had an arm lift and a breast lift. It is so incredible, at my age, to have the ‘girls’ perky again. My clothes look great, and I have a confidence that I thought was lost forever. His surgical assistant, Michelle, kept close follow-up with me after the surgeries, by phone and text, even on weekends. As a health practitioner myself, I know what dedicated service looks like, and this is the place.
I came to Dr. Scheu needing surgery no body else would do. Every step of this procedure has been amazing. Him and his staff have made sure i was comfortable, taking care of and walked me through each step. These are the most caring people with the biggest hearts that i have ever came acrossed. I will gladly do buisness here anytime and will pass his name around. They are all so very amazing, words couldnt possibly describe. My surgery was pain free, and it was a fast healing process with end result i didnt know would look so amazing. I thank Dr.scheu and he staff i am so grateful for all of you!
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