Rick Noodleman, MD

I had a lot of reservations, first about spending 10k plus on something, second would I get results, third that I wouldn't have regrets, along with many other. I am 4 days post opp, so far, I'm absolutely ecstatic that I took this leap. I'm relatively small, 125 lbs going into surgery with areas treated with smart lipo being inner outer thighs and knees and thermi-tight also on knee area. My inner thighs have a gap! My outer thighs do not look like sausages squeezing into pants. I did not "lose" weight per se, but I lost fat and I look trim and it's only been 4 days. I did not expect to see results for at least a month. I do not know how smart lipo works on larger fat pockets, but I am very happy I went through with this. So far so good, will give a one month post opp update too. Recovery has been really easy. I'd say the only difficult parts are this darned compression garment, but if that's the worst part, so be it. Still a bit of drainage happening in one spot. I'd say take off a full 4 days, just so the drainage can pass. The soreness is just as if you ran stairs for an hour somewhere, it's totally livable.

Updated on 14 Nov 2015:
The photo on the right is 2.5 weeks post opp

Dr. Noodleman performed Mohs procedure basal skin cancer removal on my left cheek. Dr. Noodleman has 25 years experience and has performed several Mohs procedures. He is certified in Mohs. Dr. Noodleman prepared me with all the facts options risks answers and information I was looking for to prepare for my surgery. I felt very comfortable with him and his staff was beyond amazing! I did not have to use a cosmetic surgeon to revise my scar. My scar after 1 year is very minimal and I do not wear makeup. I would chose no other but Dr. Noodleman for this procedure. I am extremely happy with the results of my surgery. Dr. Noodleman did a fabulous job!

Updated on 24 Aug 2013:


Updated on 26 Aug 2013:


Updated on 2 Sep 2013:
:-)

When I first went in for my consoltation I was verh hesitant to actually go through the procdure. I am 33 years old. Weight at pre-opt 212 (with only jeans on). I am just under 6 feet tall. Skinniest part of abdomen is 34 inches and the largest part 41 inches. Basically the left over baby pooch that needs. But we ended up do very upper, very lower abdomen and all in the middle.

Had the surgery done yesterday. Arrived at 8:30 ready to go at 1:30. No problems in the OR. Some pain when they inject the fluid. I scaled it 4/10. Also some pain during the actually suction partition
Left the office with no problems :)

Once home I took a short walk every hour until bedtime, 8:00 pm. On these walk I would time myself to make sure I was improving. Also on each walk I would walk more each time. (I am in a complex so the first time I walked up and down the hall. The next I would do it twice, and so on) Just before the last walk I noticed some fluid built up in my upper/inner thigh (kind of looked like a large blister). It was slightly pain again but of course i panic over it and couldn't find anything on the internet about this and if it is common or not. (found out from my DR it is common and it could also happen to the vulva) So happy its just my leg!

For food I had a cup of cabbage soup and two kiwis blended with some ice. The cup of cabbage was too much and couldn't finish it. But the kiwis were tasty and I could handle all of it. Today I am going to keep with the kiwis and cabbage soup and for dinner make another veggie soup of some type.

Sleeping has be a problem not because I can not get comfortable I am just not tired. Usually I am early to bed and rise early (9pm to 5am).
I took the sleeping pill around midnight and had a pain pill around 10 but nothing. In total I only sleep 4 hours. Dr said it is normal and is a result from the medications that were given to me in the OR. Should be able to sleep better tonight.

Overall no really pain. I can not pick things up off the floor with out hurting myself. Getting up and down from a couch or toilette the first day back I needed assistance. Today, day 2, I can do it on my own just slower than normal. Stair are no problem just slow goings.

Will update tomorrow of sooner if anything comes up.


Updated on 16 Apr 2013:
Ok less than 24 hours after surgery I attempted to shower. Basically I cleaned my tummy with a surgical cleanser and nothing else could be done. I have posted pictures of what it looks like at that point. None of the marking came off because I didn't even rub my tummy at all. I rebadged up even though the leaking is pretty much non existent. I wasn't woozy at all expect once I was done and actual looked at the wounds.

Almost 24 hrs after and it is finally starting to hurt. I am being very emotional, I think due to lack of sleep. I have also been feeling very cold.
Still not really hungry. Can only eat small amounts but the other food being cooking in the house smells delicious. I ate 1/2 of a tortilla with avocado and arugula and my stomach it making tons of noises. Then I fell asleep from 3pm to 5pm.

Updated on 17 Apr 2013:
Went to the DR today for the "check up." They said all looks good. My movement is improving but my upper/inner thighs are still VERY swollen and numb. DR said I could even start doing crunches (haha don't feel like that is possible).

Updated on 26 Apr 2013:
Still feeling somewhat "fat"
In currently in Spain but I know some of you wanted to see some newer pics. It's really dark in my room but at least it something.

15 years agao, my Dermatologist recommended Sculptra for the hallowing of my cheeks and temples. I had never heard of the product, but trusted his expertise and agreed to it. He injected 2 vials the first time, which was a little uncomfortable. 4 months later, I received a third vial and a couple months after that, a 4th vial.

Today, at about a year and 1/2 out, I looked at my before and after photos and there is NO difference. My doctor said that the "tank has to be full," before you see results, so I may need another vial or two. I do have 3 lumps. Two in my cheeks on the inside of my mouth (they are very small and not visible) and one larger one near my cheek bone (again, not visible). I was told by my doctor that lumps will occur and if you look at the research about 50% of patients will experience lumps. I probably will not get more vials because the product seems to be unpredictable to me and I don't want to risk any more lumps just in case they become visible. Filler products like Radiesse last very long for me (up to 2 years) and the nurse who injects these fillers for me is a pro. So I will probably go back to fillers because I don't have that much volume loss, I still look pretty young for my age.

One more thing, it isn't my physician's fault. He is a trainer for other doctor's using Sculptra and he used all the right procedures when injecting Sculptra. I guess I don't respond well to it.

Updated on 29 Sep 2012:
I meant 15 MONTHS ago, not years.

I had a series of six full face fraxel treatments about a year ago with the Fraxel 1 machine. I had mild (tiny but deep) ice pick scarring from acne on my nose and cheeks. At 46, the additive effect of sun damage (bigger pores, a little pigmentation, and thicker skin) and the existing scarring was really starting to look noticeable, even with makeup. Each session was 6 passes and I would say the last two passes were quite painful - especially in the forehead area. The physician did the first and last treatment. A physician's assistant did the middle four. The recovery time was about 3 days of looking mildly pink and puffy after all of the sessions but the last. (The first day or two after there are still significant traces of blue dye that I was reluctant to scrub off - it was more the smurf look than redness that kept me in.) Each session increased intensity. I went every 3 or 4 weeks depending on my schedule. By the third session I was seeing improvements. On the last session my doctor and I agreed that I was tolerating them well and we really turned up the energy which cause a great deal of swelling and redness and mild oozing which did not resolve for 5 - 6 days. (If each session had been like the last it would have been a nightmare.)

But the results, while not perfection are a very good improvement in the scarring, excellent healthy skin texture, excellent pigmentation (and yes, spf 45 for me every day now) Bonus: my mild crows feet and undereye wrinkles are gone. I also think it was mildly tightening. I am very glad that I did it. It was well worth the money and short term pain. It did feel like a real commitment due to the repetition and down time. I have had strangers walk up to me in the street and ask what I use on my skin. My husband says he thinks it took off about 7-10 years. I am considering treating my neck which is looking crepey, especially next to my porcelain chin and jaw line. My question is whether I would get additional benefit on the lingering scarring or if my scars are as improved as they can be.

I was in my late 20's when I had initially gone to dr noodleman for liposuction of my tummy and under chin. I was too young to or just stupid not to have done my homework before. I should have never made the appointment looking back in the first place because he is a skin dr not a plastic surgeon! A plastic surgeon is trained to do liposuction a dermatologist's most complicated case is removing skin cancer. what was I thinking putting my body in his hands?! Anyway I came out very lump bumpy ( go figure) and full of scars all over from below my breast to every few inches around my abdomen and my neck has a deep wrinkle as a result of the neck surgery ( which he used Botox to help solve soon after the procedure but it didn't do anything that's just how I had healed! So years later I had to go back to him and complain and I was in tears explaining how insecure I had become could not change in front of people, wear a bikini, even tight dresses showed some of the lumpiness! He and his staff drilled me about perhaps having gained weight (nope, was even lighter) perhaps had a pregnancy (nope, none). Finally in the end was apologetic and suggested he would redo it so long as I paid to get another area done at full price. I chose my flanks. He suggested lasering the scars (never did it for me) and paying to do vela smooth after the procedure to help my abdomen heal smooth this second time around. At this point I had invested around $20,000 in this doctor and still the outcome sucked!! The instant the bandage came off even the vela smooth lady noticed I had a huge fat deposit near my belly button. She insisted she would focus on that part. Ugh anyway getting my skin pulled under the rollers go this machine just a short time after having had surgery might have been the most painful thing I've gone through! I can't imagine it was a sound medical decision that this skin doctor had made for me. Anyway I could not last after a few sessions I had to stop and ask to get my money back for the future sessions. This was over $2000 this smoothing procedure. So they wrote me a check and would only give it to me after signing that I would never sue their a$&es!! Anyway today I'm trying to get things resolved with a tummy tuck by a real plastic surgeon. I have had two children since and have extra skin with the same lumpiness????