Your Gateway To A Beautiful Nose

In a world obsessed with external beauty, one is often left envying those who are naturally gifted with striking features. We have always been told that good looks are a gift by nature, and man has no control over her/his looks; makeup being the only help we can use. 

And of everything that matters to us when it comes to good looks, the shape and size of the nose plays a very significant role in defining the overall appearance of the face. But no amount of cosmetics can ever change its basic structure. A fat or crooked nose will remain as it is, subjecting you to a lifetime of hating your nose and hence your appearance, whenever you look into the mirror.

The only solution comes in the form of surgery; i.e. correction of the shape using a surgical technique; however to a common man that seems very far-stretched and something that is best left alone to the likes of actors, models and socialites. But this is where she/he stands wrong. 

Yes, rhinoplasty or a ‘nose job’ as it is more commonly known, is an option even for you. It is a fairly regular procedure, which is well within your reach. 

Since nose forms the centrepiece, it is very important for the overall aesthetic appeal of your face. Your sharp features may be ruined because of a broad or blunt nose; a round, bulbous nose, might make your face look fat; or a tilted (deviated) nose might lead to difficulty in breathing. Similarly a thick, broad, bulbous or drooping tip might not be of your liking too. Rhinoplasty rectifies all these shortcomings and gives you a whole new altered and desirable look. 

Rhinoplasty is of two types: Closed, which involves a cut inside the nostril for smaller changes and Open, which involves two incisions, one on the inside and the other on the base of the nose for major changes to the shape and size of the nose. 

Both ENT specialists as well as plastic surgeons perform this surgery. The former are usually consulted when you have a breathing problem, whereas the latter have an edge over them in terms of their sense of aesthetics. In simpler words, if you want a beautiful nose, plastic surgeons are your go-to men! 

Rhinoplasty can also be combined with other facial beautification surgeries in order to suit your requirements. This surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and stretches between 45 min to 2 hours depending on the extent of correction desired. The nose is taped for a week post surgery, and the results are visible after that. Mild discomfort experienced after the surgery for a few days is taken care of by administration of paracetamol or diclophenac. You can go back home after the surgery on the same day or the next depending on your case.  There is a minor swelling of the nose for a couple of months after the surgery, which subsides gradually, enhancing your looks by each passing day.

In some cases the surgeon tapes the nostrils in such a manner that they are blocked, making breathing through the nose impossible. As a result, the patient has to breathe through the mouth for a day. Very few plastic surgeons follow the required technique to avoid this step so that the patient is more comfortable and breathing is not hampered, our team being one of them. 

So don’t let your apprehensions stop you from getting the look you so deeply wanted. Visit our website www.drrajatgupta.com or contact us on +91 9899698585 to book an appointment.

All You Need To Know About Male Breast Reduction!

Breasts being the vanity of a woman, we all are accustomed to the appearance of males as flat chested beings, and any hint of extra fat on their chest appears out of place and unwanted.

Hence male breasts or ‘man boobs’ as they are commonly referred to are a social embarrassment for those men who suffer from it. They are uncomfortable wearing fitted clothes and shy away from participating in activities like swimming etc. They feel utterly dejected about their distorted body contour and have low self-confidence when it comes to their physical appearance. They tend to develop depression due to the same and cut off their social life, stepping out in public only when it is unavoidable.

Contrary to popular belief, gynecomastia or male breasts cannot be reduced by exercising or gymming because it’s not directly related with weight gain issues. A breast gland gets formed in some males during adolescence due to hormonal changes that gives a swollen appearance to the chest. Apart from that, intake of certain medicines/drugs or some systemic diseases can also lead to its development.

General surgeons have been treating it for a long time by removing the gland and unwanted fat around it through an incision. Although this treatment makes the chest flat, the patient is still not comfortable swimming or taking off his shirt in someone’s company because of the prominent scar. 

This issue is taken care of by plastic surgery. A plastic surgeon applies the technique of liposuction to suck out the breast gland and all the excess fat by using specially designed cannulas that can remove fibrous as well as hard glands. This leaves a mere 4-5 mm long scar, which is well concealed in the underarms. Getting treated by this method makes the chest aesthetic and manly without the pain of living with a visible scar. 

In rare cases when either the gland is too hard or the patient has huge gynecomastia, there is a need of another incision around the areola to remove the gland. Since this cut is at the junction of light and dark skin (chest and the nipple), it is hardly visible.

Apart from chest flattening, plastic surgery also provides an option for chest sculpting. This surgery can be combined with high definition liposuction to give the patient a perfectly chiseled six-pack look along with a flat chest so that his pectorals look more masculine. 

Removal of male breasts is a daycare surgery. The patient does to need to stay hospitalised overnight; it is an hour-long procedure, which is performed in the morning, and the patient can go back home in the evening. A few medicines are prescribed for a few days and the results are immediately visible. 

If you’ve been delaying getting yourself treated, living under the illusion that you man boobs will go away with gymming or exercising, you are simply prolonging your agony. Immediately contact a board certified plastic surgeon to diagnose its cause and get it corrected as soon as possible and regain your lost confidence. Click here.

Till the next blog…  

Basic Knowledge You Should Be Armed With Before Going For A Hair Transplant Surgery

Along with being the most commonly known cosmetic surgery procedures, hair transplant is a very promising technique that offers a permanent solution to balding. Many men and some women also suffer from hair fall, the primary reason for which is hereditary, the genetic history going up to three generations either on the mother’s or father’s side. Though medical treatments are available, they work only in the early stages of balding and even if taken regularly, medicines cannot ever give you a head full of hair. So once hair is beyond the restoration stage, a hair transplant surgery serves as the only long-lasting solution. It has no side effects and the transplanted hair stays for life; it never falls and needs subsequent haircuts.

Even though it’s one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures, there are many misconceptions revolving around the hows, whys and whats of a hair transplant surgery and more often than not, patients are misguided about the most suitable procedure for them or the type and aftermaths of surgery; because believe it or not, every Tom, Dick and Harry is running a cosmetic surgery clinic these days and you’ll come across a hoarding offering a hair transplant surgery at almost every crossing. 

Lack of reliable sources of information and uncertainty about the qualification of the surgeons makes it important that one should be abreast with the science behind hair transplantation, the different techniques available, the surgical procedure involved and the aftermaths of the surgery before opting for one.

Let’s tackle each one by one and provide you with a wholesome picture of the surgery so that you can make a well-informed decision with no regrets! 

All of us have a zone of hair at the back and sides of our scalp that is unresponsive to male hormones which makes it permanent i.e. it never falls. In a hair transplant surgery, these permanent hair follicles are redistributed to the balding areas where they grow as normal hair. It does not look different from natural hair in terms of colour, texture and direction of growth. You can comb it, oil it, shampoo it and even shave it! 

There are two techniques for hair transplantation, namely: Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) or Strip method and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) method.

In the FUT technique, a strip of hair-bearing tissue is excised from the permanent donor area at the back of the scalp and a team of 4-5 expert surgeons uses a microscope to dissect each naturally occurring hair follicle from this strip very delicately, without damaging any hair root. With a decent strip one can easily harvest 2300 to 3500 follicles. These follicular units are then placed into tiny incisions made at the bald areas at the same angle and direction as the original hair. This results in a natural-looking growth of hair even after one session of surgery. At the same time donor area is stitched by a special plastic surgery technique called Trichophytic Closure that merely leaves a very thin and well-camouflaged linear scar, allowing patients to easily keep their hair short cropped also.

In the second procedure, called FUE, the permanent hair on the scalp is trimmed and each follicular unit is excised directly from the scalp and is transplanted to the balding regions. In comparison to FUT, this procedure is relatively blind and chances of damaging the roots while extraction of follicles stand at 5-10% resulting in wastage of grafts available for transplant. But since this procedure does not involve any incisions in the scalp, it results in a slightly less post-operative discomfort and leaves no linear scars. However, since it decreases the hair density in the donor area, it is only recommended to harvest one third of the follicles from it. Extracting more than that would result in sparse hair at the back of the scalp and the small round puncture scars would become noticeable.

Body-to-scalp FUE i.e. excising body hair follicles can also been utilised when the patient has insufficient donor hair density in the scalp. Though the survival of these hairs is significantly less than scalp hair, these are a good solution for camouflaging donor scars or adding density behind hairlines that are created with finer hairs. But the growth cycle, texture, characteristics of body hair can never match with those of scalp hair.

(Check out the spectacular results of FUT and FUE techniques here.)

Both the techniques have their advantages and no one can be termed as superior to the other. They are patient specific and are employed based on the requirement of the patients. Sometimes even a combination of the two is used in order to achieve the best possible long-term results. One can safely say that both the methods are equally scar less if done properly and if not, both can leave remarkable marks…

Furthermore, since the number of hair follicles in the permanent donor area varies and every individual has a fixed number of these, there is no such thing as ‘unlimited follicles’. So beware of the advertisements that lure you by promising a scar less, no cuts surgery with unrestricted follicle transplant. They might expunge these from the areas above and below the donor area. These hairs are not permanent and would fall off.  Also, no surgery is free of scars; if not linear, extracting follicles would lead to round scars; the trick is to conceal them as best as possible. 

Coming to the surgical procedure, the transplant is done under local anaesthesia on an outpatient basis. The patient stays awake throughout and can watch TV, listen to music, and even take lunch during the break; and goes home immediately after the procedure which, depending on the balding area and number of follicle units transplanted, usually takes approximately 2–6 hours. 

All the transplanted hair fall off within the first month of surgery, and start to grow back again after a rest of another1-2 months. The regrowth rate is around 1 cm per month and hence a waiting period of around 8 months is required to finally appreciate the results of a hair transplant surgery. The hair that grows back is permanent and would grow back even if one shaves his entire scalp. 

So before going for a hair transplant, discuss all the possibilities with your surgeon and choose a technique that is best suited for and tailored to your needs. And make sure that you never, never, never give up on your hair!

To know more about the procedure, click here. 

5 Things You Should Know About breast Augmentation Surgery

‘…really wish I had bigger boobs. I mean, not Page 3 size, not completely enormous and stupid, but you know, bigger. Just to know what it’s like…’*

If that sounds like your deep down wish, then you are at the right place. We understand that a woman’s curves are the most treasured of her assets and how not being naturally blessed with a beautiful cleavage can diminish her self-confidence by manifolds. Push-ups and pads offer a transient solution but nothing can replicate the feel of having the real thing. And because every woman deserve only the best, we have listed the must-knows before you opt for a breast augmentation surgery:

1. Type of implant 

You can either get a silicon-based or an autologous tissue implant. If opting for the former, make sure that it is FDA approved; for the latter the best option is to use fat taken out from an area of your body which has unwanted fat deposits. This is transferred to the breast tissue and you get complimentary body contouring in the process. The only flip side of using this procedure is that some of this transferred fat might get absorbed over time. 

2. Shape of augmented breast

You have the option to either maintain the natural shape of your breast which resembles a tear drop by choosing an anatomical shaped implant or you can balloon up both the upper and lower poles of your breasts by using a round implant.    

3. Visibility of scar

Most surgeons give an inframammary incision to put in an implant that gets hidden by the fall of the breast, although it may show when you lie down. Another approach is making a trans-axillary cut that is veiled in your armpit but it holds the risk of an implant shift. The best of all is a periareolar incision i.e. a cut made on the dark and light skin interface on your breast which heals beautifully and is very well concealed.  However, a plastic surgeon needs special training to be able to perform such a surgery. 

4. Placement of implant 

With respect to the location of an implant, plastic surgeons hold two schools of though, below the breast gland and below the pectoral chest muscle. Ideally a surgeon should be trained for both the techniques and must be able to tailor fit the procedure depending on the patient’s tissue characteristics. For example, if the patient is an athlete, the implant should not be placed below the muscle for the muscle movement may alter its position. 

5. Cleavage 

The depth of your cleavage can be designed based on your requirement and wish. 

With this we conclude our three-part series of the nitty gritties of a breast cosmetic surgery. Armed with this newfound knowledge, we urge you to go get your due. 

To read about the details of a breast reduction surgery, click here.

*Adapted from Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella 

Quick Guide: Scope And Possibility Of Breast Reconstructive Surgery

To go through the horrors of battling breast cancer is an ordeal in itself and to top that if it involves removal of one or both breasts it invokes unspeakable torment in a woman’s heart threatening to shatter her to the point of no return, for it is rhetorical to even wonder the importance of breasts for a woman and how indispensable and innate a part of her body and image they are. 

To want to get rid of the cancer as quickly as possible would be the top priority and it is instinctive for the patient and her family to want to tackle the treatment related procedures first. But once that is done and she is free of the cancer, the magnitude of the trauma of living without any breasts sets in. It is deeply unsettling for the patient, affecting her psychologically as well as emotionally. And in order to lead a normal life and feel no different from anybody around her, she would want to somehow get them back. A wish, that is sadly not granted to many as they are unacquainted with the options available to them after a mastectomy or feel that it is beyond their reach because of insufficient awareness and counselling. Some also have the misconception that a new breast can lead to the recurrence of the cancer or are not guided in the right direction at the time of surgery and are rendered clueless about whom to approach for a reconstruction. 

To clear the air around it, let us begin by answering these questions first. 

One, a reconstructed breast does not render one susceptible to cancer again as the breast gland has already been removed, and all that is there now posing as a breast is new tissue. So the cancer cannot strike back there. And two, a reconstructive surgery is the job of a Plastic-Reconstructive surgeon and not an oncologist. In order to craft totally natural looking and symmetric breasts, the surgeon needs to specialize in breast surgery. Breast reconstruction can be immediately performed after the mastectomy in the same surgical procedure so that the patient does not have to go through the pain of living with amputated breasts, but in case it hasn’t been done simultaneously, one can go for a secondary reconstruction i.e. the reconstructive surgery can be deferred to a later date.  

Reconstruction is of four types. A simple reconstruction involves putting in a silicone implant but it sometimes holds the threat of tearing the skin. This can be overcome by performing an implant plus tissue reconstruction where a muscle flap is used along with an implant.  The third type is an autologous tissue reconstruction. This involves taking out tissue mostly from the abdomen area and transferring it to the breast as a flap. It is advantageous in the sense that no foreign material is inserted in the body. Moreover it gives a shapely contour to the abdomen. The fourth type of reconstructive surgery is called fat grafting where undesired fat from different parts of the body is extracted through liposuction and used for sculpting new breasts. Any particular combination of these four techniques can be used depending on the requirements and individual needs of the patient. 

A breast reconstruction surgery, needless to say can have life altering implications for those who are rendered without this essential body organ, who are otherwise facing a lifetime ahead with a distorted body and quiet possibly self-image and worth, day in and day out living with the constant reminder of their illness, the agonizing experience and its vestiges.

So, if you know any woman who had to go through cancer and its aftermaths and can benefit from a breast reconstruction surgery, inform her about it, for you will be helping her get her life back. 

Coming up next week, the last in this series - 5 Things You Should Know About breast Augmentation Surgery! Till then…

Things To Know Before Going For A Breast Reduction Surgery

We all have that one friend who is tired of her big breasts and is forever conscious or that other one who is always picking out padded brassieres to boost her confidence.  In fact very few of us are blessed with those perfect feminine curves we envy on actors and models. Blame it on genetics or pregnancy and ageing, make peace with it or pretend that nothing’s wrong, the truth is that breasts form an integral part of a woman’s vanity and self-esteem; and having an option to alter their appearance can be a God-sent for many. Whether it’s a question of augmenting or lessening their size, or a breast-lift, the answer lies in cosmetic surgery which promises dramatic results, giving you a more assured, happier self!

In the first of this three part series, we are going to talk about the nitty-gritty details you should be aware of before undergoing a breast reduction/lift surgery.

Upper fullness 

Breasts slump due to excessive size so much so that the upper poles flatten. Merely reducing their size will compromise on their beauty and will prune your cleavage. Ensure that your breasts are shaped such that you have upper fullness and the desired cleavage. 

Size of nipples and areolae

Placement of nipples and areolae on the breast mound plays an important role in the physical appearance of your breasts. Therefore restoring the size, location and looks of the nipple-areola complex (NAC) to its younger self is essential. You should also be aware that’s its possible to restore NAC to a higher point on the breast mound if it has sagged naturally due to ageing, breast feeding and pregnancy.

Projection of the breast 

Your surgery can be designed in such a way that the projection of your breasts is manipulated. You have the option to choose amongst a low, medium or high projection.

Scar

A breast augmentation surgery will result in a scar and there is no way around it. So you need to decide whether you want huge scar less breasts which don’t look good and may give you pain in the your back or more aesthetically pleasing, smaller breasts with a minor scar. However you have a choice between the old inverted T practice and the latest vertical one that avoids the horizontal component of the inverted T technique, and gives a smaller mark.

Ergo don’t settle for just a reduced size ladies, strive to get gorgeous revamped breasts! 

How to choose a plastic surgeon for your cosmetic surgery

If you are reading this blog, then you are convinced that you should opt for a cosmetic surgery. Phew! Half of our job done! ;) 

On a more serious note, the next big question that arises is: How to choose a good and experienced plastic surgeon for your surgery? 

Since cosmetic surgery is not a part of the age-long and ‘routine’ medical procedures, your search for a good surgeon might not get narrowed down so easily. To help you make an informed decision, here is a list of the must-knows before you zero-in on one.

1. Training

Well, for starters you should know the difference between surgeons who earn their degree and those who buy it, so a background check of her/his college and qualifications is important.  S/he should be board-certified and a plastic surgeon by training.

It wouldn’t hurt to pick one who has international training and worldwide exposure so that you can cash maximum out of her/his experience.

2. Sense of Aesthetics

You want to undergo a cosmetic surgery to enhance your existing physical appearance. So it would be wise to choose a surgeon who has an eye for detail and suggests ways to improve the overall aesthetic result during consultation. 

An example will make this point clearer. For a hair transplant, pick a surgeon who advises you on creation of a more natural looking hairline rather than the one who tries the sell her/his technique i.e. someone who recommends inclusion of finer touches that can give you a completely natural and enhanced look.

3. Honesty 

A plastic surgeon’s credibility can be easily measured by how authentic and truthful s/he is. Make sure your surgeon conveys what ‘can-be’ and ‘cannot-be’ achieved during the consult itself. 

Honesty about the outcomes of the surgery right from the beginning gives you realistic expectations. Dissatisfaction will be ensured if you are promised the moon and it’s not delivered. 

4. Informed & Updated 

Cosmetic surgery has evolved so fast in recent years that it is imperative to choose a surgeon who has knowledge of recent trends and is abreast with the changing techniques and technologies. Here comes the role of the younger generation of cosmetic surgeons who have learned latest techniques that did not exist at the time their seniors took their training. 

Do extensive research on the classical and contemporary procedures and make certain that you don’t settle for anything short of the best. 

5. Appealing and Fine-looking Set-up

‘Style is a reflection of your aptitude and your personality.’

If your surgeon is particular about the aesthetic outcome of the surgery, it should mirror in the environment s/he works in. A shabby set-up may as well pronounce a namesake result of your surgery.  

6. Good pre- and post-op pictures 

You cannot blindly trust a plastic surgeon based on his promotional antics. Do ensure that the surgeon shares her/his body of work with you during consultation and you get a fair idea of the procedure and outcomes by viewing the pre- & post-operational pictures of her/his prior work. 

7. Duration of consultation

You should opt for a surgeon who gives ample time during consultation, taking you through the journey of expectations, procedure and outcomes lucidly and patiently so that all your doubts are cleared, and your apprehensions and fears are taken care of.

Since you are trusting this surgeon with your body, expect the best possible treatment. 

Finally, though it can't be categorised under the ‘life saving’ sort, cosmetic surgery is definitely a ‘life altering’ one for many; and since your exterior appearance is at stake, the choice of your surgeon can make or break the deal! 

So try to get as many ticks in this checklist as you can. 

Wishing you a happy surgery… and a great new look!