Monthly Archives: October 2020

Breast Reduction Size

Breast augmentation with implants is one of the most popular plastic surgeries, enhancing the shape and size of the breasts with the use of saline or silicone implants. For women with smaller breasts who have always wished they were larger, this surgery can truly be life-changing and help them feel more confident and beautiful every day. However, there is also a population of women who have the opposite problem, where their breasts are too large. This can lead to health problems like chronic back and neck pain, difficulty exercising comfortably, and struggling to find clothes that fit well. These women often find themselves increasingly frustrated and unhappy, feeling trapped by a body that negatively impacts their quality of life. Luckily, the field of plastic surgery offers a solution in the form of breast reduction surgery for those women who are tired of dealing with the negative consequences of their breast size and ready to make a change. This blog post will give an overview of this surgery as well as answer a common question many women have who are considering breast reduction, which is “How many cup sizes can I go down with breast reduction without impacting the nipple?”

First, I will briefly explain the steps of breast reduction surgery. The first step is for board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Temmen to meet with the patient one-on-one to discuss the patient’s goals and plan the surgery. During this visit, Dr. Temmen performs a thorough physical exam, reviews the patient’s medical history, and discusses the patient’s goals for surgery. Often times, Dr. Temmen also encourages patients to look at real patient before and after pictures on this website and identify some examples of the kind of results they are hoping for. During this consultation, Dr. Temmen and the patient create a surgical plan together, as well as address any questions or concerns the patient has. All of this prep ensures that the patient feels safe, comfortable, and fully informed well in advance of the day of surgery. During surgery, Dr. Traci Temmen first carefully removes the excess breast tissue in order to decrease breast volume to the size that the patient desires. Removing this tissue also reduces the weight on the patient’s back and neck, helping to lighten the burden and reduce chronic pain. Once the tissue has been removed, Dr. Temmen raises the position of the nipple-areola complex and surgically tightens the skin of the breasts. This works to create a full and youthful shape and reduce sagginess. Depending on the degree of sagging the patient has, Dr. Temmen may need to make an additional incision that runs vertically from the bottom of the breast to tighten up the tissues. Although many patients are initially concerned about this scar, it fades and becomes barely noticeable with time, and the vast majority of patients are very happy with their final appearance.

One of the questions at the forefront of many patients’ minds who are considering surgical breast reduction is how many cup sizes they can go down without impacting the nipple. One point to note first is that patients tend to underestimate their cup size and might think their breasts are smaller than they actually are. Generally, Dr. Temmen is able to decrease a patient’s breast size up to about three cup sizes before the nipple will be impacted. Most patients want a reduction within this range, and therefore there is no need to reposition the nipple-areola complex. However, in some cases where the patient’s breasts are very large and she desires greater than a three cup size reduction, removing such a large amount of breast tissue may threaten the blood supply to the nipple. In these cases, Dr. Temmen recommends removing the nipple and then reattaching it to the breast as a skin graft. The grafted nipple will grow a new blood supply, but may be flatter and have reduced sensation. Nevertheless, this is a good option for women whose excessively large breasts are negatively impacting their quality of life, and would get great benefit from substantial reduction to reach a size that is much lighter and more comfortable.

Breast reduction surgery is popular among women who are negatively affected by their large breast size, alleviating many of the associated issues such as chronic back pain, difficulty finding clothing, and discomfort while exercising. Dr. Traci Temmen is experienced in this procedure, and works hand-in-hand with every patient to tailor each surgery to the individual patient’s anatomy and desires. To learn more about if you may be a good candidate for breast reduction, call 813-771-6393 to book your one-on-one consultation with Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Traci Temmen, MD, today!

Am I too Old or Young for Labiaplasty? 18-75

When people think of plastic surgery, a few of the procedures that probably come to mind first are breast augmentation, liposuction, and butt lifts. Tales of celebrities undergoing these surgeries frequently grace the pages of popular magazines, and some of these procedures even make appearances in advertisements on billboards and park benches. However, there is at least one area of plastic surgery that is becoming increasingly common, but still remains somewhat taboo – labiaplasty. This is a surgical procedure that reduces the size of the labia or “wings” that frame the vaginal opening. This blog post will explain the reasons many women are interested in labiaplasty, provide a brief overview of the procedure itself, and address a common question of there is a such a thing as being too old or too young for this procedure.

Whether it’s due to aging, the effects of childbirth, or simply one’s genetics, it is not uncommon for a woman to experience embarrassment or discomfort due to her external genitalia at some point in her life. Sometimes, women are unhappy that their labia appear elongated or asymmetrical, causing embarrassment with sexual partners or even showing through form-fitting clothing such as yoga pants or bathing suit bottoms. In other cases, the labia may be enlarged to a point of causing pain or discomfort during intercourse or from rubbing against clothing. Dr. Traci Temmen understands that experiencing embarrassment or discomfort over this very intimate area of the body can be distressing for many women, and is committed to making every patient feel comfortable and cared for from initial consultation to post-op follow up. Patients are consistently impressed with her gentle bedside manner and meticulous surgical approach, and feel at ease knowing that their procedure will be performed with the utmost discretion and privacy at Temmen Plastic Surgery.

The labiaplasty procedure itself is a short procedure that generally takes approximately 45 minutes, and is performed under local anesthesia. Most patients are very pleased with the short length of the procedure and that they are able to return home shortly after with little to no down time. During the consultation for a labiaplasty, Dr. Temmen works with the patient and makes precise measurements to determine exactly how much tissue will be removed in order to create the desired final result. During the surgery itself, Dr. Temmen carefully removes the excess tissue from the labia minora and closes the incision so that the suture line is oriented away from the vaginal opening. This ensures that there will be minimal rubbing against the incision line during intercourse, optimizing patient comfort. Generally, the goal of this part of the procedure is to make it so that the labia minora lie closer to the body where they can be protected by the outer labia majora, eliminating painful friction. For some women who wish to also reduce the size of their labia majora, Dr. Temmen may peform liposuction or surgical excision of this tissue as well during the procedure.

Now that we have gone over the possible indications for a labiaplasty as well as the overall description of the procedure, I will answer one of the most common questions on the minds of many women who are considering this procedure, which is, “What age should I get a labiaplasty?” When considering this procedure, many women find themselves asking if they’re too young or too old for a labiaplasty. In fact, for this procedure, age is actually not a big factor. As discussed above, this procedure is fairly short, requires minimal down time, and is performed primarily on the superficial soft tissue in the genital region. Dr. Temmen has performed safe and effective labiaplasties on patients of all ages, ranging from as young as 13 up to age 75, with great results across the board. There is no need to worry if you are the “wrong age” for a labiaplasty, because there isn’t really a wrong age. What’s important is that the patient has thought through her reasons for getting this procedure such as those discussed above, and feels confident in her decision and in her choice of a board-certified plastic surgeon who frequently performs labiaplasties with excellent outcomes. It is always a good idea also to view some real patient examples of Before and After pictures when choosing a surgeon in order to get a better idea of what kind of result you may expect. There are many photos of labiaplasty results in the Before and After section of this website that show Dr. Temmen’s consistently excellent surgical results.

Whether a woman is interested in learning more about labiaplasty due to embarrassment or dissatisfaction with her appearance or to alleviate pain and discomfort, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Traci Temmen understands that this is a very personal decision, and works hard to ensure that every patient feels listened to and cared for throughout their experience. If you are interested in learning more about if you may be a candidate for this procedure, please call 813-771-6393 to schedule your one-on-one consultation with Dr. Traci Temmen, MD today.

How Long do Implants Last? 10-15 years, No Medical Device is Life Long

Thanks to the wonders of modern medicine, the techniques and technology used in plastic surgery have become incredibly advanced, enabling skilled surgeons to safely create beautiful results while minimizing scars and patient down time. One great example of this are the developments that have been made in breast augmentation with implants, allowing plastic surgeons today to create full, beautiful breasts without leaving a single scar on the breast itself through the use of tiny incisions located discreetly underneath the arm. With all of the advancements that has been made, it is easy to think that plastic surgery is a one-and-done easy solution that requires no follow-up. However, when it comes to procedures like breast implantation that place a synthetic material inside the body, regular “maintenance” is an important part of long term care. This blog post will briefly introduce the types of implants before answering the common questions of “how long do breast implants last?” and “when should I change my implants?”

Breast implants can be divided into two main groups, saline and silicone. Saline implants are composed of a thin outer shell that is then filled up with sterile saline solution once in position, similar to a water balloon. Silicone implants are solid throughout, and made of soft silicone that is designed to mimic the look and feel of natural breast tissue. Dr. Traci Temmen is experienced at breast augmentation with both types of implants, as well as multiple difference approaches to scar placement (under the arm, around the areola, or in the fold under the breast), and consistently produces beautiful results. The various options for implant type, size, and surgical approach should all be explained in one-on-one conversations between the patient and their plastic surgeon. Dr. Temmen recognizes that all of these choices can be overwhelming, and takes her time in making sure each patient understands their options and feels supported in choosing the best one for her.

Whether a patient ultimately chooses saline or silicone implants, both options will require some monitoring and maintenance over time. In fact, this is true for any medical device in the body, such as a pacemaker or knee replacement. In general, most implants should be expected to last between 10 and 15 years. Of course, this is an average with some women experiencing a problem with their implant before the 10-year mark and others being fortunate enough to not have any issues more than 20 years later.

Even with a perfect surgery, there is always a risk of long term complications such as implant leak/rupture, troublesome scar formation, capsular contracture, or implant malposition. These complications contribute to a reoperation rate of approximately 10-25% over a 10-year period. Ideally, any women with breast implants should go in for an annual check-up with their plastic surgeon for assessment over time. In the case of implant leak/rupture, generally a saline implant that leaks will be visible to the patient as the breast will decrease in size, prompting the patient to return to clinic. In contrast, a silicone implant leak may be “silent” or not noticed by the patient because the implant is composed of solid silicone throughout and so will still hold its shape. At first, the silicone from a leaking implant will remain contained within the capsule of scar tissue that the body forms around the implant. However, over time, this silicone may permeate the scar tissue and leak out into the surrounding breast tissue or even local lymph nodes. Thus, it is important to be able to detect leaks in silicone implants even if they are not noticable from an aesthetic standpoint. For this reason, it is generally recommended that women with silicone implants receive an MRI on the 3^rd anniversary of their implants and every 2-3 years afterwards to assess for this complication. Implants that have ruptured will need to be removed or replaced. A board-certified plastic surgeon such as Dr. Temmen is trained not in the surgical side of breast augmentation, but also in the proper management of any complication that occurs down the road, ensuring that any issue that arises is promptly and appropriately addressed. In cases where a patient needs or desires for her implants to be removed, Dr. Temmen offers several options including simple removal, implant replacement, implant removal with fat transfer to the breast, and implant removal with breast lift to ensure that there is an option for every patient that keeps them feeling confident and beautiful. These options can be read about in more detail under the Breast tab of this website as well as in previous blog posts.

Breast implants are a great option for many women looking to increase the size and enhance the shape of their breasts. While patients are understandably more excited to pick out and receive their implants than to follow-up with them over time, this maintenance is important so that complications that require action can be detected and resolved quickly. When Dr. Traci Temmen performs breast augmentation with implants for a patient, she is committed not just to the immediate result but also to monitoring that patient over time and addressing any issues that arise in the years to follow. This is another reason it is especially important to select a plastic surgeon who is experienced, thorough, and capable of managing the care of you and your implants over time.

To view real examples of patient transformations following breast implantation, please navigate to the Gallery section of this website. If you would like to learn more about breast augmentation with implants or any other plastic surgery you are interested in, simply call 813-771-6393 to book your one-on-one consultation with Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Traci Temmen, MD, today.