Style 32S Body Shaper Brief from Contour

If you look through the Yellow Pages under the heading “plastic surgeons,” you’ll probably find dozens to choose from. Look again under the heading “cosmetic surgeons,” and you’ll likely find several more. Trying to sort through these lists to find the best possible plastic surgeon for your cosmetic plastic surgery procedure or reconstructive procedure can be a daunting task. Here are some things to consider.

First of all, make sure that your cosmetic surgeon is board certified. Board certification is a step beyond medical school and residency, so it proves that your plastic surgeon has gone the extra mile to make sure he (or she) has received the proper training.

Next, Make sure your plastic surgeon of choice has experience with the type of procedure you’re undergoing. For example, if you’re having a tummy tuck and lipo, you’ll want to ask how many tummy tuck and lipo procedures your surgeon does each year. If it’s only a few, you may want to choose another surgeon.

Find out if the plastic surgeon you’re considering has a Web site or other social presence. Having a Web site or posting to social media sites won’t make someone a better plastic surgeon, but it will give you a place (or multiple places) to get more information about the surgeon’s background. For example, many plastic surgeons post information about their educational background and experience on their Web sites or on their Facebook or My Space pages. Web sites and social media sites are also a good place to look for patient testimonials and before and after photos.

Talk to your plastic surgeon candidates about what happens before, during, and after plastic surgery, including what type of post surgery support you will receive. Also ask if you’ll need to purchase any plastic surgery garments to be worn after cosmetic surgery. Post surgical compression garments help the surgical site to heal. Depending on what type of procedure you’re having, post plastic surgery, you’ll likely need one or more compression garments.

And finally, although price is certainly not the most important thing, you do need to choose a plastic surgeon who is within your price range. Many plastic surgeons offer payment plans if you do need to go a little over budget.

After Breast Implants

For example, most plastic surgeons will want you to wear a compression garment for a period of time immediately after breast implant surgery. And because these plastic surgery garments come in a variety of styles, it’s important to talk to your plastic surgeon about which type is best for you.

Cosmetic surgeons may have different preferences as to whether you should wear a breast augmentation bra or compression bra or an augmentation bandeau. Which one your plastic surgeon wants you to wear may depend on the type of incision, the shape and size of your breast implants, or whether you’re getting silicone implants or saline implants.

Other things you’ll want to discuss with your plastic surgeon before your breast implant surgery include pain control during your breast augmentation recovery, breast augmentation recovery time, and when you will be able to return to work and resume normal activities.

These are the types of decisions that will need to be made in advance, so talk to your plastic surgeon today and get ready for a smooth recovery.

Check out ContourMD on Facebook

Should you “like” your plastic surgeon on Facebook or “follow” his tweets on Twitter? Cosmetic surgeons are increasingly embracing technology by using social media to connect with their patients and to engage potential new patients. But is this really a good idea? Here are some reasons why it might be.

Social media sites allow plastic surgeons to create a more personal presence so that patients can get a better feel for who they are and what their philosophies are about certain practices or procedures. Now let’s examine some specific social media sites to see how they can help your cosmetic surgeon to communicate with you or to improve his or her practice.

If your plastic surgeon has a Facebook page, it’s likely that he or she has included some personal information, such as educational experience, board certification, and practice experience. Your cosmetic surgeon’s Facebook page may also include testimonials from satisfied patients and before and after procedure photos. A Facebook page is also a good place for your plastic surgeon to post messages about new procedures, changes in office hours, or information about new staff members.

A Twitter account will also allow your plastic surgeon to send brief updates about recent changes in practices or policies. Another good use that a plastic surgeon may have for a Twitter account is to post links to articles describing new innovations in plastic surgery. Your plastic surgeon may also use Twitter to inform patients about unexpected schedule openings, so you may be able to snag that last-minute appointment you’ve been waiting for.

LinkedIn is a good site for any professional. It will allow your plastic surgeon to link to other cosmetic surgeons, which provides your surgeon with access to consultations with other plastic surgery experts. LinkedIn also gives plastic surgeons an opportunity to share information with each other so that they can stay on top of what’s going on in their field.

YouTube is a good way for plastic surgeons to introduce themselves to potential new patients. An introductory video might include a brief description of the surgeon’s credentials and a virtual tour of the office. YouTube can also be a useful tool for showing video animations of procedures so you can see, in advance, what will happen during your plastic surgery procedure.

So go ahead and click the “like” button on Facebook or follow your plastic surgeon on Twitter. You might be glad you did.

ContourMD is on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn … follow us, friend us, watch us and connect with us for news, updates, promotions and a tad bit of humor!

What to Expect After Breast Reconstructive Surgery

If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, your doctor may have advised you to have a mastectomy followed by breast cancer reconstruction. Here are some tips that can help you through the process.

After your mastectomy, you’ll probably want to wear a breast prosthesis or breast form until you have your breast reconstruction surgery. Amoena breast forms and Camp breast forms are made to replace missing tissue and restore balance and symmetry. To keep your breast form firmly in place, you may also want an Amoena mastectomy bra, which is a post-mastectomy bra that has pockets for breast forms.

When you first leave the hospital a day or two after your breast reconstruction surgery, you may still have a surgical drain in place to drain excess fluids from the surgical site. Your plastic surgeon will take the drain out within the first few weeks after your surgery.

Following your breast reconstruction procedure, you’ll probably have some swelling and bruising around the breast for several weeks. Hot and cold packs are great to help alleviate this discomfort.  You may also have some pain, which your plastic surgeon can treat with medications or a pain pump.

You should be able to go back to work about a week or two after breast reconstruction surgery, although you’ll probably need to limit your activities and wear a post-reconstruction recovery garment for a few weeks after surgery. Your options for post-reconstruction surgery garments include compression bras and compression vests.

While most plastic surgeons can perform breast reconstructive surgery, there are doctors that specialize in this specific plastic surgery.

Mastopexy or Breast Lift Procedure – What is Involved?

Breast lift, also known as mastopexy, is plastic surgery to lift sagging breasts. As women age, the tissue that holds the breasts in place becomes lax and the breasts begin to hang lower. Younger women may also have saggy breasts after pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Although a breast lift will restore your breasts to their original position, it will not replace lost volume. To restore lost volume, you may want to consider a combination breast lift with augmentation.

During breast lift surgery, an incision is made around your areola. Excess skin is removed, and the remaining skin is tightened as your plastic surgeon closes the incisions. During a breast lift with implants, your breast implants will be inserted before the incision is closed to complete your combination breast lift and augmentation.

Mastopexy recovery can take several weeks. You should be able to go back to work about a week after breast lift surgery, but you’ll have some bruising and swelling for the first few weeks.  Wearing a good compression support bra is essential for good results after surgery.  Most women are concerned about scarring after surgery so scar gels and creams are also a good idea.

You’ll need to wear a breast lift bra for the first few weeks after mastopoexy.

Breast lift scars are permanent, but will eventually fade.

How Important are Compression Garments after Plastic Surgery?

Your plastic surgeon has advised you to wear a compression garment during your plastic surgery recovery and you’re wondering if it’s really necessary. To make an informed decision, you need to understand the reasons why plastic surgery recovery garments are an important part of recovery.

Let’s say you’ve just had breast augmentation surgery and, of course, you’re anxious to see your results. Breast augmentation recovery garments will help to minimize bruising and swelling, which means faster results and less pain. During breast augmentation recovery, breast implants also have a tendency to want to rise. Your breast augmentation bra or augmentation bandeau will keep them in place.

Or suppose you’ve had liposuction surgery. After liposuction, your stomach area will be tender. A compression girdle or abdominal binder will stabilize your torso, which will help to minimize pain when moving. Liposuction recovery garments also help to tighten the skin at the surgical site, giving you a smoother, more toned look.

After cosmetic surgery, good circulation is important to promote healing. Plastic surgery compression garments

improve circulation and flush out fluids that could potentially be dangerous.

Mid Thigh Body Shaper with Bra Top

You’ve tried diet and exercise, but nothing you’ve done has helped you lose weight. If you’re now thinking about bariatric surgery, it’s important that you understand your weight loss surgery options.

Gastric bypass surgery (stomach stapling) is a type of plastic surgery during which the plastic surgeon staples the stomach in order to make it smaller. The smaller stomach pouch is then connected to the lower part of the small intestine, allowing food to bypass part of the intestine. The result is that you feel full when eating less and you absorb less calories.

Gastric bypass surgery is sometimes done through tiny incisions in the stomach. A small camera is inserted through the incisions and used to guide the surgeon’s movements. This procedure is known as laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery.

Lap band surgery is similar to traditional gastric bypass in that the stomach is made smaller by creating a small pouch. Instead of staples, an inflatable band is used to cinch the upper part of the stomach so that you can’t eat as much at one setting. However, the intestine is not bypassed during lap band surgery, so you will absorb the calories you do eat.

When recovering from weight loss surgery, you’ll need to wear a bariatric compression garment for the first few weeks. Options for bariatric recovery garments include abdominal binders, compressions girdles, body shaper briefs, mid-calf body shapers, mid-thigh body shapers, and ankle-length body shapers.

Weight loss surgery recovery time will depend on the type of bariatric surgery you have. Ask your plastic surgeon which type of weight loss surgery is right for you.

Style 20 - Facial Compression Wrap by Contour

It would be nice if one day someone would find that elusive fountain of youth. In the meantime, there are some things you can do to turn back the hands of time.

There are several types of face surgery that can tighten the skin and reduce lines and wrinkles.

Traditional face lift surgery is done by making an incision, lifting the skin, tightening the muscles of the face, and removing excess fat and skin. It is often combined with neck lift surgery.

During an endoscopic face lift, small incisions are made above the hairline or behind the ear. The plastic surgeon is able to tighten the face muscles with the help of a tiny camera that is inserted through the incisions.

A thread face lift is a non-surgical face lift procedure that doesn’t require any incisions and does not leave face lift scars. During a thread lift procedure, the plastic surgeon uses sutures to lift the eyebrows, eyelids, the lines around the mouth, and the neck.

Laser face lift is a skin resurfacing technique that tightens the skin, which reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

Face lift recovery time will vary depending on the type of face lift procedure you choose. Following most procedures, you’ll need to wear a facial compression garment, such as a neck and chin strap, for the first few weeks to reduce swelling and bruising and to help you heal faster.

What are the Different Types of Breast Implants?

Before you schedule your breast augmentation consultation for your breast enhancement surgery, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the types of breast implants you’ll have to choose from.

Your breast implant choices are either saline breast implants or silicone gel breast implants. The most common type of breast implant is the saline breast implants.

Saline breast implants are filled with salt water, also known as saline. How much saline is in the implant will determine the shape and feel of the breast.

Silicone implants are pre-filled with a silicone gel. Some women think they have a more natural feel than saline implants.

Breast implant prices will vary, depending on your breast implant type and size, and by manufacturer. Breast implant surgeons are extremely knowledgeable about breast implant options, so your plastic surgeon can help you choose the best breast augmentation implants that are still within your budget.

Breast implant recovery time can be minimized by following your plastic surgeon’s instructions. Immediately after breast augmentation surgery, you’ll be instructed to wear a breast augmentation compression garment for several weeks. Breast augmentation recovery garments reduce swelling and increase circulation, which helps you to heal faster. Recovery garment options include breast augmentation bras, augmentation bandeaus, and compression vests.

If you’re planning to have breast augmentation surgery, you’re probably debating over what size breast implant you should get. Just keep in mind that personal preference is only one aspect of choosing a breast implant size. Remember that bigger may not always be better. When choosing a breast implant for your breast augmentation surgery, there are several things you should consider:

• You’ll need to have enough breast tissue to cover your breast implants.
• Extremely large implants also may make look disproportionate on a small woman.
• Implants that are too large for your body type may increase your breast implant recovery time.
• No matter what size, you will need a compression bra for optimal results.

Your breast implant surgeon should be able to help you choose a breast implant size that will fit your body type. Cut out some magazine photos of women with breasts that you think are too small or too large and share them with your breast implant surgeon.

Many breast implant surgeons have foam padding you can “try on for size” to see what size implant appeals to you. Because your tastes may change over time, ask if you can take home a few different sizes and wear them around the house for a few weeks so you can get an idea of which ones might feel too large or too small.

If your plastic surgeon doesn’t have pads you can wear at home, fill up some baggies with rice and wear them under your bra for a few weeks to help you decide. If you’re having a combination breast lift and breast augmentation, make sure you wear a compression bra with a lot of support so you can get a more realistic picture of your breast augmentation results.

When you have decided on a breast implant size, take the foam pad to your plastic surgeon. Be sure to consult with your surgeon on the proper post surgical bra that is best for you, as well as scar creams and post surgical vitamins to help speed up your recovery time.

Contour Compression Sports Bra

If you’re in the market for exercise clothing, Contour sports bras are an excellent choice for both comfort and support. However, if you want a sports bra to wear after breast augmentation surgery, you’ll want a compression sports bra, which is a sports bra for breast surgery recovery.

The purpose of a compression sports bra is to increase circulation, reduce bruising and swelling, and to keep breast implants in place. Breast implants have a tendency to lift following breast augmentation surgery, but a quality breast augmentation sports bra can help to stabilize them.

Compression sports bras come in different styles include racerback bras, which you can wear under tank tops.

If a sports bra isn’t your first choice, there are several other types of breast augmentation recovery garments you can choose from, so there’s no need to sacrifice comfort during breast augmentation recovery. Additional choices for post-augmentation recovery garments include augmentation bandeaus, breast augmentation bands, compressions vests, and breast augmentation bras.

Breast augmentation compression garments must be worn continuously after your breast implant surgery until your plastic surgeon gives you the okay to switch to another type of bra.

Before exercising after breast augmentation surgery, consult your plastic surgeon.

Second Stage Garments by ContourMD

If you are planning a plastic surgery procedure, you’ll need to invest in a compression garment. Compression garments, also known as plastic surgery recovery garments or post-surgical garments, improve circulation, help rid the body of potentially harmful fluids, reduce swelling, and decrease plastic surgery recovery time.

Immediately after your surgery, you’ll need a first stage recovery garment. The type of compression garment you need will depend on your type of surgery. If you are undergoing a breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast reconstruction, breast lift, or arm lift, you’ll need a compression vest or a post-surgical bra. For liposuction or a tummy tuck, you’ll want to purchase an abdominal binder, a compression girdle, or a body shaper. Facial compression wraps are recommended for facelift surgery.

A few weeks after your plastic surgery, your plastic surgeon may tell you to switch to a second stage compression garment. Second stage recovery garments are less bulky than first stage recovery garments. But don’t let the lightweight material fool you. Second stage recovery garments still provide compression, which increases circulation and helps the body heal.

Because second stage recovery garments are less restrictive than first stage compression garments, they can easily be worn undetected underneath everyday clothing. Second stage recovery garments come in a variety of styles. Mid-thigh girdles and mid-calf girdles fit well under shorts, capris, or skirts. Since they are lightweight, they are a good choice during the hot summer. Ankle body garments may be more comfortable under slacks and can add an extra layer of warmth during the cold winter months.

Whether you need a first stage compression garment or a second stage recovery garment, keep in mind that plastic surgery recovery can last several weeks, so it a good idea to have more than one post-surgical recovery garment on hand.

Compression Arm Garments from ContourMD

When preparing for arm lift surgery (also known as brachioplasty), you’ll want to consider what you need to have on hand for your recovery. For example, following arm lift surgery, your doctor may instruct you to wear an arm lift compression garment. These post-surgery support garments improve circulation, reduce swelling, and decrease plastic surgery recovery time. They also help the new skin form to your body’s contours.

The key to choosing an arm lift compression garment is to find something that provides adequate support, yet is also comfortable. Options include long-sleeve compression vests or short-sleeve compression vests.

Although short-sleeve compression garments may be more comfortable, particularly during the summer months, it’s a good idea to ask your plastic surgeon which type of garment is best for you. Plastic surgery recovery garments are typically worn continuously for several weeks, so you should purchase more than one.

Second Stage Ankle Girdle

You’re 2-3 weeks out from your plastic surgery and your plastic surgeon gives you the okay to switch to a second stage compression garment. But do you really need that second stage garment?

Second stage recovery garments are less bulky and more lightweight than surgical recovery garments, but they still provide light compression, which increases circulation and helps the body mold to its new shape. Second stage garments are less restrictive than traditional surgical compression garments and can easily be worn undetected underneath everyday clothing, so there really isn’t a good reason not to wear one.

Second stage recovery garments come in a variety of styles. Mid-thigh girdles and mid-calf girdles may be a good option for wearing with shorts, capris, or skirts, or as a lightweight option during the hot summer months. Ankle body garments may be more comfortable for wearing with slacks or as an extra layer of warmth during the harsh months of winter.

Whichever style you choose, keep in mind that plastic surgery recovery can last several weeks, so it a good idea to have more than one second stage garment on hand.