Doctor Q&A

A wider gap after breast augmentation can be caused by true lateral implant displacement, but it can also become more noticeable after weight loss or hormonal volume changes. When natural breast tissue becomes thinner, the chest wall and implant edges can look more obvious, and a gap that was always present may appear larger.
Lateral displacement usually means the implant pocket has stretched outward, allowing the implant to sit too far to the side, especially when lying down or without a...

Breast augmentation and breast implants put no more demand on a person with HIV than any other elective surgery. All you need is a sufficient T4 cell count to ensure you don't have an elevated risk of infection from the surgery. Having HIV will not affect breast implants, but also just as importantly, vice versa is true as well. Costs for surgery vary, but given today's costs for doing business in LA, expect to pay around $10K for an experienced ABPS certified surgeon to perform the surgery...

It is rare, and fortunately I've never seen that in my practice, but yes. An injection on the face in a risky area could potentially cause a vision problem. Important to know where the swelling is and how the injection is done, and to make sure not too much is injected.

Hi Humorous376845, I am sorry about your injury, and I understand missing your old nose. From your description and photos there is genuinely encouraging news here.

A bump after trauma is usually a mixture of healing bone, thickened soft tissue and residual swelling, and it continues to remodel for far longer than people expect, often a full twelve months. The fact that yours has already reduced a great deal since February is a good sign that remodelling is still under way.

I would also...

Hello and thank you for your question. This will depend on if you are able to obtain medical clearance from your primary physician . I also recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D. FACS
Harvard-trained board certified plastic surgeon

The two procedures can be done together, but I prefer to separate them. Rhinoplasty causes post op swelling of the whole area, including the upper lip. I want the incision line of a lip lift to heal as good as possible without the extra swelling of rhinoplasty. A lip lift can easily be done as a local procedure once the swelling goes down and the location of the new nose is noted.

Based on your photos, I think your edited goal is realistic. A well-performed BBL can absolutely add fullness to the lower pole of the buttocks and improve the transition into the gluteal fold, creating a rounder appearance.

The key is that a BBL isn't just about adding volume, t's about strategic fat placement. By carefully shaping both the buttocks and the surrounding areas with liposuction, we can often create a smoother, more projected, and more balanced contour.

That said, the final...

Thank you for your question, If you are in the initial weeks of recovery, severe bruising across your flanks, upper thighs, and beneath your breasts is expected. During 360 liposuction, the cannula disrupts tiny blood vessels in the subcutaneous tissue. Because gravity pulls pooled fluid and blood downward, discoloration frequently migrates beyond the immediate treatment zones into your sides, upper legs, and submammary folds.
Wear your garment as instructed by your surgeon to compress...

Thank you for your question! The fat transferred during a Brazilian Butt Lift behaves like the rest of your body's fat, so when you lose weight with a GLP-1 medication or another weight loss injection, the fat loss is generally distributed throughout your body, including the arms, abdomen, breasts, and buttocks. Since your goal is to lose only the 10 pounds you gained after surgery, I would expect any change to your BBL results to be slight to moderate. Most patients do not experience a...

Hi! Thank you for sharing your story in such detail. First of all, congratulations on your weight loss and, more importantly, on maintaining a stable weight for the past six years. That is an important factor when considering body contouring surgery.

Based on the photos you've shared, you appear to be a suitable candidate for the procedures you are interested in. Before we can provide a definitive assessment, could you please let us know your height so we can calculate your BMI? For this...

It's difficult to tell you exactly how small you can be after a breast reduction, since there are so many variables to take into consideration. In general terms, you can be a lot smaller than you are now no matter what technique is used. But if you want to be even smaller than is possible with standard techniques to keep your nipple alive, then the procedure can be done with a free nipple graft which would allow you to be almost as small as you could request. Best advice would be to ask...

Thank you for your question and photo. From this limited view frontal view photo, you can expect a nice result with subglandular breast augmentation (you have enough breast tissue to cover the implant and look natural). With submuscular implants, one might experience breast animation/distortion with muscle activity. There's a possibility that you might need a breast lift, but that can be determined only through an in person physical examination. your cleavage is very narrow, and the pocket...

Infection after breast surgery is almost always related to the surgical period itself, it is not something that keeps coming back randomly years later. Six months after removal with a healed, calm breast, reimplantation is generally reasonable, and the recurrence risk is low when the new operation is done with strict antibiotic and sterility protocols. The retained capsule is usually harmless, but in a breast with an infection history many surgeons prefer to remove it during reimplantation...

Hello. It is technically possible to perform surgery using implants alone in your current condition. However, in that case, we would need to use implants with a smaller diameter and a higher projection. Even after surgery, your breasts would likely still have a somewhat sagging appearance.

For this reason, I recommend a periareolar mastopexy (donut breast lift) combined with breast implants. This approach can correct the sagging while restoring volume. It also allows us to use implants with...

Looking at your concerns, I think improving facial harmony is more about repositioning tissues than adding volume. A well-performed deep plane facelift, with a neck lift if needed, can restore better balance and definition to the lower face and jawline. Depending on your anatomy, complementary procedures such as fat grafting or chin enhancement may also be worth discussing with your surgeon. The best approach really depends on your facial structure and goals.

Hi Alime78, thank you for explaining your history so clearly, and I am sorry for what you have been through. What you describe has a logical explanation, and there are good options.

Early surgical menopause and aromatase inhibitor treatment reduce oestrogen support to the skin for longer than natural menopause would, which accelerates loss of collagen and elasticity. A 20kg weight loss then removes deep facial fat, so the envelope loosens at the same time as the volume beneath it disappears...

First, congratulations on your weight loss that's a huge accomplishment. Looking at your photos, I think you have a nice foundation to build on, and I understand why you're looking for more balance and smoother contours.

From photos alone, I can't diagnose lipedema, but because you've always had proportionally larger legs, even after significant weight loss, it's certainly something worth evaluating with a surgeon who has experience treating it.

If lipedema isn't the primary issue, I think...

This is always a tricky question to answer without an in-person consult, because a lot depends on your goals and the status of your abdominal skin.
In general, liposuction can reduce overall fullness and enhance contours, but it does not tighten skin on its own. So, if your goal is just to reduce the amount of fat and slightly enhance the shape of the lower abdomen, you could be a great candidate. That being said, many plastic surgeons would recommend combining the liposuction with some...

Thank you for your question, Experiencing skin burns or surface skin breakdown after liposuction is an unexpected complication, but understanding what caused it and how to manage it properly will help protect your skin and minimize scarring., our suggestion is ask your doctor after that what is the next step to take, and if they have a plan for this particular unplaned situation.
Please make sure to share clear pictures of the area with your surgical team so they can guide you on the exact...

Thank you for your question. The best approach depends on the amount of loose skin and the location of the excess fat, which is difficult to determine without photographs or an in-person examination. If the fullness is isolated to the pubic (mons) area, liposuction through one or two small, well-hidden incisions may be all that is needed. If you also have significant lower abdominal skin laxity after weight loss, a tummy tuck may be recommended, as it can tighten the lower abdomen and...

It is likely that an upper bleph will help you to feel more refreshed. That can be done right in the office and will take about 1 hour. This is done with dissolving sutures.

Thank you for your question, Yes, it is worth pursuing a second opinion, provided you target the right sub-specialist and adjust your goal toward modest tissue restoration and eyelid support rather than aggressive skin removal.The fact that one professional turned down your case is actually a positive sign of ethical practice. It indicates they recognized that standard skin excision in your specific situation carries a high risk of pulling the lower eyelid downward.
Dr. Luis Mejia
Let's...

This is not a cosmetic surgery, this is strabismus surgery. It can help but you're not going to find good responses on a plastic surgery website! I would look for a strabismus specialist to discuss this with.

We have reviewed your photo. You may be a suitable candidate for revision blepharoplasty. We recommend an in-person consultation to evaluate your eyelids and determine the most appropriate surgical plan