Cosmetic Surgery Serving Washington, DC - Dr. Roger J. Oldham Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

FACT:  Basal Cell Carcinomas do, in fact, grow very slowly.  Although it is rare, there are reports of Basal Cell Carcinomas which metastasize.  The greatest concern, however, is that these tumors can reach a very large size if left untreated and can readily invade and destroy underlying tissue including cartilage and bone.

Pain pumps are becoming used quite commonly in plastic surgery especially with abdominoplasty surgery.  Tiny cannulas (tubes) are placed along the muscle-tightening sutures.  This allows the area to be bathed with a long-acting local anesthetic, thereby significantly decreasing the pain.  The cannulas are then painlessly removed three days after the surgery.

Microdermabrasion is a very effective technique for improving skin textures and skin complexion as well as reducing fine lines and pore size.  The procedure exfoliates the skin in a 30 to 40 minute procedure and leaves the skin feeling smooth.  The very mild degree of pinkness can be expected but this is easily covered with make-up and subsides in just a few hours.

FACT:  Fat never moves around the body any more than any other body tissue can travel.  When we are born, we are given a number of fat cells in our body which, with only minor exceptions, never changes throughout our life.  As we gain weight, each of the fat cells in our body increase in volume, and they then shrink with weight loss.  With liposuction, fat cells are removed in the suctioned area, so that there are fewer fat cells there to enlarge and the process of liposuction also helps hold the remaining fat cells in place.  When someone gains weight, the fat in the adjacent areas appear to enlarge more than they do in the suctioned areas, giving the appearance that the fat has traveled.  While it isn't essential, it is preferable to be close to one's desired weight prior to liposuction.  Liposuction should never be considered a weight loss technique.

Depending on the types of skin problems being treated, there are individual differences in how patients react following Fraxel treatment.  Generally, however, there is usually a very mild degree of swelling for two days and a minimal amount of pinkness for a couple of weeks which is easily covered with make-up.  After having the procedure on a Friday, our patient can return to work on Monday.  You can go to Fraxel.com to get more information and see photos of results.

Nearly all women with large breasts who want a breast reduction also have sagging and desire to have the breasts lifted. We define sagging in this context as nipples which are below the inframammary crease. (The inframammary crease is the fold under the breasts where the breasts and lower chest meet.) A breast lift is nearly always routinely done with a breast reduction to get the desired result.

Melanoma, a potentially life-threatening skin cancer, can start as a melanoma or it can start as a normal mole and later turn into a melanoma.  Any mole which changes in any way should be evaluated for possible mole removal.

The FDA took silicone breast implants off the market in 1992 out of concern for the safety of patients having breast augmentation.  Since that time there have been many studies which show there is no relationship between silicone breast implants and medical illnesses.  In 2006, they were re-introduced and approved for general use.

A receding chin creates an optical illusion with the facial profile which makes the nose look larger.  For a person seeking a rhinoplasty for a large nose, a chin augmentation for an underdeveloped chin is a very effective procedure to balance the profile and to make the nose appear smaller.

While some plastic surgeons do not recommend an elastic garment following liposuction and others recommend a garment for a few months, most surgeons feel that two weeks is an optimal period of time.