Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery Blog

Cosmetic Surgeon in Alexandria, VA, serving Northern Virginia & Washington DC

Obagi

12/27/2011 - 01:00

Obagi Medical Products is a pharmaceutical company that has developed proprietary, extremely effective skin care products available through prescription only. As part of your comprehensive cosmetic makeover, board-certified Virginia plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman, will be happy to discuss Obagi products and their benefits with you. These products can be used alone, or as a complement to any number of our facial rejuvenation procedures.

In addition to specialized acne and eye treatments, Obagi offers three skin care systems:

Obagi Nu-Derm System – to accelerate skin cell turnover and promote younger looking skin
Obagi-C Rx System – to correct sun damage and provide a more radiant, even tone
Obagi Professional-C Serums – for daily antioxidant protection

These products can be used alone, or combined for a customized skin care program designed to meet your specific needs. During your initial consultation with Dr. Desman, the condition of your skin will be thoroughly evaluated to help him determine the professional strength solution most suited to meet your needs.

If you live in or around Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia and would like more information about professional skin care solutions that actually work, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.

Facelift Recovery

12/23/2011 - 01:00

Your recovery from your facelift procure will depend on factors including your body’s natural ability to heal, how well you follow postoperative care instructions, and the type of facelift you have. For example, a mini facelift may only require a 48 hour recovery, whereas a full facelift could take one or more months.

During your initial consultation with board-certified Virginia plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman, what you can expect following your facelift will be covered in greater detail. The following is a generalization of recovery following a traditional facelift.

A facelift is an invasive surgical procedure conducted while you are under general anesthesia. You will need to arrange a ride home from the hospital. You can expect to be groggy and require rest for up to 24 hours following your procedure. Make sure you have arranged for help as needed.

There will be some pain in the first few weeks. This can be dealt with by taking medications prescribed by Dr. Desman. In addition to pain medications, you will need to take an antibiotic to reduce your risk for skin infections.

Bruising and swelling are common for up to one month. Swelling can be reduced by taking several walks during the day. Walking will also reduce your risk for deep vein thrombosis and blood clots. Bruising will subside naturally as you continue to heal.

You should be able to return to work within 2 weeks. At this time, swelling and bruising should have subsided sufficiently to apply makeup without irritation. However, more strenuous activities such as aerobic exercise or heavy lifting will need to wait until you are given the go ahead from Dr. Desman.

The final results of your facelift may not be apparent for up to 4 months. This may seem like a long period of time but remember, your facelift can provide a more youthful and attractive appearance for up to 10 years. This makes the initial recovery time almost negligible.

If you have questions about facelift recovery and live in the areas of Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.

What Is a Male Facelift?

12/22/2011 - 01:00

Like women, men will face the impacts aging, genetics, sun expose, and lifestyle choices have on their faces. As such, many men look to the facelift procedure to reduce wrinkles and restore a firm, handsome, and youthful appearance. However, the external and internal structures of a man’s face are very different from those of a woman. For this reason, a male facelift needs to be specifically tailored to meet a man’s unique needs.

The placement of the incisions will be the primary difference in a facelift customized for a man. For this procedure, board-certified Virginia plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman, will place the incisions along the crease where your ear meets the side of your face, around your earlobe, and underneath your hairline along your lower scalp. This placement allows for less visible scarring while also reducing instances of excessive bleeding.

Through your incisions, Dr. Desman will remove excess fat and skin before tightening your facial muscles and firming remaining skin around your facial features. This can provide you with a much more youthful and attractive appearance, restoring feelings of appeal as well as well-defined facial features.

Depending on your unique needs, Dr. Desman may recommend combining your male facelift with eyelid surgery or a brow lift. This will be discussed with you during your initial consultation.

If you are a man living in or around Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia and would like more information about the male facelift procedure, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.

The Ideal Facelift Candidate

12/20/2011 - 01:00

Are you unhappy with the appearance of your face? Have aging, genetics, and gravity all conspired to make your skin wrinkly and saggy? Do you feel self-conscious or older than you really are? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be an ideal candidate for a facelift.

Additionally, to be an ideal facelift candidate you should:

Be a nonsmoker
Be in generally good health
Have good skin elasticity
Be prepared for a surgical procedure and recovery time
Have realistic expectations

A facelift is a surgical procedure that can dramatically improve the appearance of your entire face. At the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman, can use a facelift to:

Remove lines around the nose
Remove creases around the mouth
Eliminate jowls
Remove fat and skin from the neck and chin

With a facelift procedure, Dr. Desman can remove up to 10 years from your face, providing you with a firmer, more youthful appearance that can last for several years.

During your initial consultation, Dr. Desman can help you determine if this procedure is right for you.
If you live in or around Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia and would like to learn more about your candidacy for a facelift procedure, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.

What Body Areas Can Be Treated with Liposuction?

12/16/2011 - 01:00

At the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman, can use liposuction to treat nearly any area of the body. Liposuction is a procedure in which stubborn deposits of fat can be removed from areas including:

Outer and inner thighs
Hips
Waist
Abdomen
Back
Flanks
Arms
Breasts (male and female)
Neck

In fact, any part of your body with deposits of fat that will not respond to diet and exercise can be targeted with liposuction.
Ideal candidates for liposuction should be within 10 to 20 pounds of their goal weight. Liposuction can remove excess fat and help skin firm and tighten to muscles, but cannot be safely used to remove significant amounts of fat.
Ideal candidates should also:

Have good skin elasticity
Be in generally good health
Be prepared for a surgical procedure
Be willing to follow all of Dr. Desman’s postoperative advice
Have realistic expectations

If you are close to your goal weight but have been unable to achieve the look you desire, liposuction can remove stubborn fat deposits to provide you with a more toned, appealing physique.

To learn more about what liposuction can do for you in or around Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.

Tumescent Liposuction

12/15/2011 - 01:00

Board-certified Virginia plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman, is pleased to offer tumescent liposuction to men and women in our area. Tumescent liposuction is a liposuction technique in which local anesthetic, adrenaline, and intravenous fluids are injected into the treatment area prior to your procedure. This allows the area to become tumescent, or hardened, which provides for faster and more effective removal of fat with less blood loss. It also allows the area to become completely numbed prior to liposuction, reducing discomfort.

The Benefits of Tumescent Liposuction

There are several benefits of tumescent liposuction including:

No need for general anesthesia
Smaller incisions
Less instances of bruising and swelling
More precise, targeted removal of fat
Reduced chance of skin irregularities
Reduced risk for complications such as excessive bleeding

One of the primary benefits of tumescent liposuction is the reduced recovery period. Because the incisions are so small, many people are able to return to work with little to no discomfort within 2 to 4 days.

During your initial consultation with Dr. Desman, the type of liposuction best suited to meet your needs can be determined.

If you would like more information about tumescent liposuction in or around Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.

I Have a Large Amount of Belly Fat. Is Liposuction a Good Option for Me?

12/13/2011 - 12:21

Ideal candidates for liposuction should be within 10 to 20 pounds of their ideal weight. If you are not this close to your goal weight, it's appropriate to try to achieve with other methods, such as diet and exercise. Liposuction can be used to remove stubborn fat in many different parts of the body, such as the belly.

But is liposuction good for removing your belly fat? That depends on your skin elasticity and whether the muscle in your abdomen has become stretched. If you have good skin elasticity and your muscle is still well-attached, then liposuction is a good procedure. If you do not have good skin elasticity, or if your muscles have been detached from one another, a tummy tuck or body lift can be used to remove excess fat and skin around your abdomen and restore a firmer, more defined physique.

To maintain the quality of your results, you should be prepared to adopt a healthy lifestyle complete with exercise and a well-balanced diet. Fat removed with liposuction cannot come back, but new fat can accumulate.

The best way to determine if you are an ideal candidate for liposuction is through a consultation with board-certified Virginia plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman. During this consultation, Dr. Desman will evaluate your body and let you know if liposuction will provide you with the results you desire.
For more information on liposuction in the areas of Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.

Breast Implant Shape

12/08/2011 - 12:19

There are several decisions you will need to make prior to your breast augmentation surgery. Among these will be the shape of breast implant you are most interested in. The shape of your implant will impact your final aesthetic results and must be based on factors including the size and shape of your current breasts and the natural contours of your body. Board-certified Virginia plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman, will further explain all of your options during your initial consultation.

Both silicone and saline breast implants come in one general shape: round.

Round implants are equally sized all around. These implants can naturally rotate with movement, allowing their outer shell to be smooth. With teardrop implants, there is a risk of implant rotation, which requires a textured implant. For women with sufficient breast tissue, the contents of round implants often naturally drop, producing a similarly natural appearance to teardrop implants.

Round implants come in three different profiles. The higher the profile of the implant, the more it tends to project its volume forward, compared to its base width. This can allow you to achieve the dramatic results you desire, even if you have a naturally narrow chest or breast.
The shape of implant best suited to your needs will be determined during your initial consultation with Dr. Desman. A lot of the determination has to do with the amount of stretch you have in your breast tissue.

If you live in the areas of Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia, and would like more information about breast augmentation, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.

Breast Implant Size

12/08/2011 - 12:14

One of the most important decisions you will make before your breast implant surgery is choosing the right size implant. There is no such thing as “one size fits all.” If there were, you wouldn’t be considering breast augmentation in the first place.

There are several considerations board-certified Virginia breast augmentation surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman, will need to make before suggesting the right size implant for you. This will include:

Your current breast size
Your breast size in relation to the width of your chest
The space between your breasts
The base and width of your breasts
The amount of stretch in your current breast tissue

With these considerations and a full assessment of your entire frame, Dr. Desman will be able to determine the size of implant that will best provide you with a natural and appealing appearance.

Prior to your breast augmentation consultation, you can find photographs of breasts you find attractive. You can also browse our breast augmentation before and after gallery for ideas. This will give Dr. Desman a better idea of what you are hoping to achieve.

You can also perform simple tests at home to help determine what size implant you may be interested in. These include:

The Rice Test – fill a stocking with 300 cc’s (10 oz.) of uncooked rice and place it in an unpadded bra. You can gradually increase the amount of rice until you find a size that appeals to you.
The Water Test – Similar to the rice test, only using plastic baggies and water, this test can also give you a better idea of what you might be looking for.

Bring your results to your initial consultation. Dr. Desman is devoted to helping you look and feel your very best and will carefully consider your input during every stage of your breast augmentation procedure.

If you live in or around Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia, and would like more information about breast augmentation, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.

Tummy Tuck Recovery

12/08/2011 - 12:23

There are several factors that will determine the length of your recovery from a tummy tuck. The type of tummy tuck performed, your state of health and fitness prior to surgery, and your willingness to follow board-certified Virginia plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Desman’s postoperative advice will all be factors in your recovery.

A tummy tuck is a complex surgical procedure that involves the tightening of your abdominal muscles and removal of excess fat and skin. Your body will require time to recover from these things. Nearly all tummy tuck patients believe that the procedure and recovery are justified by the results they achieve. Carefully following Dr. Desman’s postsurgical advice can help ensure your recovery time is as short as possible.

You may be required to spend the night following your surgery in the hospital. This is determined on a patient-by-patient basis. In either case, you can expect some bruising, swelling, and discomfort in the first few weeks. This can be dealt with through diligent use of the compression garment supplied by our office and the use of medications prescribed by Dr. Desman.

Your stitches will dissolve on their own, but your compression garment will need to be worn for four weeks. During this time, you may be able to return to work, but should avoid strenuous physical activity. Gentle walks will help reduce swelling and are encouraged during this stage.
Dr. Desman will work with you postoperatively to help you determine when you can resume all of your normal activities. This can take several months. It is important that you follow all of Dr. Desman’s advice during this period to help avoid complications and ensure pleasing results.

If you live in or around Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County and Springfield, Virginia, and would like more information about tummy tuck recovery, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Desman today.