Weekly update on Vaser Shape...

Hi guys! For those of you who may be watching and waiting to hear more about Vaser Shape, I thought I would begin a weekly post to update our followers on what we are seeing as we treat our first patients, the overall experiences we are having, and I would also invite any questions you may have, group chats, etc. This is very exciting and brand new technology, so we will have lots to pass on as the weeks go by.

We completed our training several weeks ago, and were fortunate enough to be one of only a few sites in the US to receive a visit and second round of training from Benedetta Baciucco, the Italian trainer for Sound Surgical Technologies and Vaser Shape, from Florence, Italy. We videotaped some footage of Benedetta's visit, which you can see on Facebook or on our website.

To date, we have treated about 25 patients and/or ourselves : ) - What woman doesn't have a little, eensy, weensy bit of fat she'd like to get rid of? We have not disappointed anyone, and I am pleased to report that we have seen the loss of 1 to 3 inches on average in 1 to 2 treatments, depending upon the size of the area to begin with and the skin tone at the outset. We are measuring and weighing everyone before and after each treatment, so Vaser Shape is not for the light of heart. We are after thorough and honest treatment results! I AM a surgeon after all, so if I don't see results, I can of course still recommend surgery.

I want to say at the outset, that I do not consider the Vaser Shape a "replacement" for surgery, but quite literally, an awesome complement to the sculpting we can achieve with Vaser in the operating room. I also firmly believe it is an alternative for patients who either cannot or will not consider surgical fat reduction.

Another interesting "side effect" is skin tightening, and we are seeing evidence of this phenomenon on the table after just a single treatment. There are a whole bunch of women (and men, I always forget them), myself included, who would like more skin tightening than even fat reduction. Do you know how many women I see each year who ask me what can I do about the loose skin of their knees, arms or inner thighs? It's like the bacteria in a urine sample from a patient with a urinary tract infection..."TNTC", or "too numerous to count"! I used to say, with much true compassion, "not very much", now I may use the Vaser Shape for some of these areas. (Okay, I confess, I did my inner thighs last Friday...and, yes, they are tighter).

We are going to make some noise about the Vaser Shape, look for our ad in The Voice this week, and for upcoming news segments on WAVE3 with Lori Lyle. We can't keep this a secret for long...

And of course, follow us here for updates!

Best to you, and so long fat rolls!

Julene

The "No Down-time Breast Augmentation"

I was visiting another plastic surgery colleague in another state recently, and after learning where I had trained, he told me he had visited one of the surgeons who trained me during my residency. It turns out, the surgeon has been in practice longer than me and does a fair number of breast surgeries, but had always told his patients that they would need significant time off work and daily activities, and that they would require a lot of pain medication during their recovery period. He mentioned this "no-touch technique" and how it so drastically reduces recovery periods to mere days, and I guess I got a pretty quizzical look on my face - I usually try to be more subtle - and he then asked me if I use that technique (especially important when placing the implant under the chest muscle, or pectoralis). I said, "well, yes!" (Again, Ms. Subtle). I put that information away to think about later, as more and more surgeons are using their new-found information about this technique as a marketing tool, and it wasn't until today, when one of my own happy breast augmentation patients said the following (she was here for some October "Boo-tox" and happily telling me of a friend she is referring to me for breast augmentation), "When was the last time one of your breast augmentation patients went to Red Lobster the night of her surgery - you know I did!" I decided right then and there that although I am happy to learn that knowledge of the technique is spreading, because patients will be the huge beneficiaries if their surgeons use this technique, I decided that I must be guilty of not emphasizing the difference this technique can make to my very own patients enough. We do tell patients that we will give them pain meds and muscle relaxants, but most tell us they didn't need them, they take Tylenol and go to back to work in 2 to 3 days. There is virtually no bruising or swelling, and this is true even when we place the implant under the muscle.

The "no-touch technique" is really the use of a very light general anesthetic, so that the chest muscle can be fully relaxed while a pocket is made under it to hold the implant. Traditionally, most surgeons are taught to fairly bluntly pull the muscle up, and although this is moments faster, it allows too much oozing into the submuscular pocket. This blood will usually be absorbed by the body slowly, but leads to much more discomfort, which is the most common cause of post-operative nausea and vomiting. The leftover blood can also stimulate a higher risk of capsular contracture (scar tissue), or if it is enough bleeding, can cause an unexpected trip back to the OR for evacuation of the hematoma. Additionally, post-op asymmetries are more common when more bleeding is allowed to occur.

Instead of this rather brutane method of pocket creation, advocates of the "no-touch" technique utilize a special hand-held cautery device that works much like a laser to control bleeding before it starts. Therefore, the pocket for the implant is very dry and controlled, minimizing down-time, helping to "control" the symmetry of the result, reducing the risk of hematoma or capsular contracture, and most importantly...reducing the risks of revisionary surgery, which I believe is the true "hidden cost" of all surgical procedures...ie, how many times does the surgeon have to operate to get it right? Additional nuances of the technique involve irrigating the pocket once it is made with antibiotic solutions, changing gloves after making the pocket, using talc-free gloves before touching the implant, opening it only when ready for insertion into the pocket, and limiting touching of the implant to the surgeon only. I am also a big believer in offering selected patients intra-operative sizing with temporary, single use sizers if there is asymmetry or uncertainty about ultimate size desired, and sitting all patients up in surgery to assess the final result before leaving the OR. All of these manuevers add seconds to the actual surgery time (still only a little over an hour or 80 minutes if sizing is performed), but drastically reduce the risk of revision or the "post-operative surprise"!

The use of the "no-touch technique" is even more important when I am using the investigational "Gummi bear" device, because this device mandates a tight seal between the implant and the capsule which forms arouond all implants. This device is currently investigational for certain patient indications (revision patients right now), and I am happy to be one of only a very limited surgeons in the U.S. invited to finish the clinical trials for Allergan. It's advantages are a tear-drop anatomic shape, very soft feel, no liquid nature to the filler (fully cohesive silicone gel), low risk of capsular contracture, and low risk of spread of silicone if the device should rupture.

How the Sciton Contour Profile laser can clean up the summer's damage!

I'll share a secret with you...I can't always follow my own advice...after a summer of fun in the sun running, swimming, biking, riding horses and chasing after my girls in the hot sun at various eventing horse trials, the good doctor does enjoy lying down for a series of awesome laser treatments by Melanie or Rita designed specifically to reduce the appearance of sun spots, wrinkles and even laxity of the skin.



I do religiously use my own skin care products...the same ones I recommend for my patients...virtually year-round, but there is really nothing as effective as the laser to provide more aggressive and rapid correction of these common skin problems. Although I have tested every cosmetic laser on the market, the Sciton Profile is quite simply the best.



I use Dermesse cleanser gel and toner morning and night, uplifting eye serum in the morning under my make-up, Latisse lash enhancement at night, and Lumiere eye cream at night. To sleep in for the rest of the face, I alternate using Essential Serum by Skin Medica with Hyalis or Biogel. Every night and every morning I use Biocream on my neck. I know this may sound like a lot of product, but when I told Christa Ritchie of the Courier Journal recently my age, I thought she was going to fall off my couch (God love her!) In addition to these topical products, I never let my Botox fully wear off, and I love Juvederm and Sculptra for filling and tightening between laser treatments.



Despite these truly revolutionary skin care products, I am a big believer in the laser for deeper treatments. I like the combination BBL and Skin Tyte treatments for brown spots and visible vessels, as well as for tightening of the skin of the face and neck. There is absolutely NO down time, no discomfort, and immediate results. The best results are seen with a series of 6 to 12 treatments.



Another favorite combination is ProFractional for skin tightening and MicroLaserPeel for skin smoothing. These treatments can be performed individually or together for even more dramatic results. The downtime is variable, and dependent upon the depth of the treatment that is desired by the patient. The depth of the treatment is chosen by the patient and the nurse or myself prior to the treatment. No anesthesia is required, and the skin is numbed and chilled for comfort.



Come in for a complimentary consultation just for mentioning this blog, and "fall" into a more beautiful Fall 2010!!! Better yet, join us on November 19th for our next "Cocktails and Consults" from 4 to 6PM...our next themed cocktail evening will be all Mexican! Bring a friend and receive special discounts on our favorite skin care products and laser treatments, or even a free texturizing facial peel.



See you soon!
Julene

Join us for our next "Cocktails and Consults" Evening!

Thanks to all of you who joined us tonight for our first "Cocktails and Consults" evening! It was fun to see those of you who could join us, and to celebrate the arrival of fall! Cynthia brewed up a great witch's brew (or two), and everyone enjoyed it. Patricia Young of "Creative Crystals" joined us and brought some of her beautiful Swarovsky crystal jewelry pieces.

We had great appetizers and even pumpkin pie! (Saved some for Kaitlyn and Lexie of course). Dan (Cynthia's cute husband) coined the term "Julene's Juice" for Cynthia's special concoction of Skyy passion fruit vodka, sparkling apple cider and cranberry juice/pineapple juice/ginger ale, a clinically proven recipe for a beautiful complexion, and we all had at least one cup (Melanie took home a cauldron). Even Rita's nose stopped running after 10 cups (or so).

We all gazed at the Vaser Shape box...it will be birthed next week. At this point, Cynthia and I at least think we should name it. Of course, it is a girl...our training is all set up for next Friday, October 15th. A couple months of melting fat and none of my staff will be recognizable, right?

We offered many specials tonight, including 40% off Juvederm, $9.00/unit "Bootox", 50% off laser procedures over $400, and discounts on many of our favorite skin care products.

For those of you who couldn't make it tonight, we are planning another "C & C" for Friday November 19th from 4PM to 6PM. We will likely choose a whole new group of specials, so be sure and call the office to check with us and reserve a space for you...and a friend...which is the only ticket you need for admission! I think we may also demo the new Vaser Shape for fat reduction (see last blog entry). If you'd like to be the evening's model patient for Vaser Shape, let someone in my office know.

Have a great weekend!

Julene