Grand Rapids Plastic Surgery

3D Breast Imaging and Simulation

Dr. Ringler — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:52:30 +0000

When women determine that they’d like to enhance their breasts through breast augmentation surgery, there are many questions. What type of breast implant do you prefer; saline implants or gel implants? There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Some implants have a higher profile and can look quite different depending upon the clothing worn. The next biggest question usually pertains to implant size. The way breast implants look on a friend’s body or in before and after pictures are not necessarily the way they will look on your own unique frame and build.

While there is no replacement for the doctor-patient relationship, the new e-stitex 3D breast imaging and simulator technology gives us another tool so you may view options in 3D on your own body image. After taking before photos in our office, within a few minutes you can begin to look at your own body image through our office computer with various sizes or types of implants. In addition, you can see your “new body” in various types of clothing, with everything from a bathing suit to evening clothes.

Although not an exact replica of your own result, the 3D Imager is the closest thing we have to give you a fairly realistic idea of what type of results you might expect. The e-stetix Imager also allows you to view the images privately on your own computer, through a secure website, so that you may take time to consider and discuss options with family or friends prior to making a decision.

If you are considering breast augmentation surger and are interested in 3D Breast Imaging, please call Dr. Ringler to schedule your personal, complimentary consultation.

Plastic Surgery Market Shows Significant Growth in 2011

Dr. Ringler — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:27:31 +0000

Last week the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) released their statistics for plastic surgery procedures performed by board certified plastic surgeons in 2011. Despite a challenging economy, there were 13.8 million procedures performed in 2011. These numbers include both minimally invasive and surgical procedures. The numbers represent a 5 percent growth since 2010.

Surgical cosmetic procedures showed an increase of 2 percent, with 1.6 million procedures being performed. Heading the list, top surgical procedures included:

-Breast Augmentation (307,000 – up 4 percent)
-Rhinoplasty (244,00, down 3 percent)
-Liposuction (205,000, up 1 percent)
-Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) (196,000, down 6 percent)
-Facelift (119,00, up 5 percent)

There has been significant growth in the facelift procedures, which have not been one of the top five procedures since 2004. This is not surprising considering the aging baby boom generation, but the non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures still show the most growth. The top five minimally invasive procedures included:

-Botulinum toxin type A , Botox, Xeomin, Dysport (5.7 million, up 5 percent)
-Soft Tissue Fillers like Juvederm, Radiesse, (1.9 million, up 7 percent)
-Laser hair removal (1.1 million, up 15 percent)
-Microdermabrasion (900,000, up 9 percent)

If you are considering plastic surgery, seek out a board certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in cosmetic procedures.

Options for Treating the Neck and Chin – Grand Rapids

Dr. Ringler — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:01:15 +0000

The neck and chin areas are both quick to show signs of facial aging; excess fat, jowls, and skin laxity are a few areas of concern. Many of my patients are surprised to learn that a full facelift or necklift is not always necessary to correct the problem.

Excess fat in the neck area can be helped with the use of SmartLipo Triplex laser liposuction. Using a very small cannula, in a very short, outpatient surgical procedure, the fat cells can be removed from the neck and under the chin for greatly improved contour. SmartLipo Triplex also offers the benefit of additional skin tightening, very minimal downtime for the patient with excellent results.

Our advanced techniques in Ultherapy can also help to reduce fat in the neck with the use of focused ultrasound energy. Using many more lines of energy than is typical with Ultherapy, this office procedure can help reduce fat, as well as subtly lift and tighten the skin of the neck. Many patients report that their skin just seems to “fit better” after Ultherapy treatment. This treatment is best for those without too much skin laxity in the neck, but recommended for those who have skin that is just beginning to lose some of its tone.

For patients with excessive laxity of the neck skin, the best results will still be achieved through a surgical necklift, often combined with a MACS facelift. Face and Necklift procedures today offer excellent results, minimal downtime, and turn back the clock about 10 years on the facial aging process. It is important to select a board certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in facial rejuvenation for best results.

To find out which of our Neck or Chin enhancements may be right for you, please call our office today to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Ringler.

Ultherapy & Facial UltraLift Grand Rapids

elle — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:32:31 +0000

Doctors at the forefront of medical innovation agree that Ulthera or Ultherapy is a great advancement in the noninvasive treatment of aging skin. Dr. Ringler offers Ulthera to his patients in Grand Rapids as a nonsurgical option to the traditional facelift. Ultherapy lifts and tones skin from the inside out. Ultrasonic waves are directed onto the outer layer of the skin, but also deep into the tissue heating and gently tightening. Ultherapy engages the body’s own regenerative process and creates natural, beautiful results.

Dr. Ringler is introducing UltraLift as a non-surgical approach to facial rejuvenation for men and women. Dr. Ringler created the UltraLift technique through the use of advanced techniques in Ultherapy along with a personalized plan for liquid facelift, using a combination of facial fillers, such as Radiesse and Juvederm, to help restore lost volume to the face and address other areas of facial aging such as wrinkles or uneven jawline. UltraLift can help restore a more youthful appearance to the face, neck and brow for those not ready for a facelift or to enhance or prolong results of a surgical facelift. Ultherapy and UltraLift are in-office procedures that offer little or no downtime. Although not as dramatic as a surgical facelift, the results from UltraLift can be very satisfying for patients looking for subtle and natural results. Contact us for more information or to schedule a consultation.

PIP Breast Implant Removal

Dr. Ringler — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:47:23 +0000

This week the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) supported the French government’s recommendation that all women who received the faulty, Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) breast implants should have them removed or exchanged. Estimates are that around 30,000-40,000 European women have had the PIP manufactured breast implants, which have proven to have a higher than acceptable rupture rate and were manufactured using an industrial-grade silicone as opposed to medical grade silicone. The company is no longer in business.

The German government has concurred with French government that all women with the implants should be removed as a precautionary measure, however, the British government has determined that the risk posed by the implants does not merit removal, but rather has advised women to have regular examines to make sure the implants have not leaked.

The PIP implants were never FDA approved for use in the United States. The two current manufacturers of breast implants with FDA approval in the U.S. are Allergan and Mentor. Both companies enjoy good safety records and have warranties on their breast implants. There are several other breast implants awaiting FDA approval including the “Gummy Bear” implant and the Ideal Implant. Although sometimes cumbersome, it seems the FDA should continue to error on the side of caution when it comes to approval of breast implants.

Surgical and Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

Dr. Ringler — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:51:48 +0000

It is fairly often that patients ask me if they are going to be able to achieve the same benefit from a non-surgical facelift as they are from a full facelift. Although a facelift is still the gold-standard for turning back the clock on facial aging, there are more non-surgical options available today than ever before for patients who are not ready for a facelift.

For those men and women who have lost their skin elasticity and have considerable jowling of their jawline and sagging in the neck, a facelift is going to give the most satisfying results. For younger patients, or those with good skin elasticity and realistic expectations, there are some great non-surgical options available.

Ultherapy, is an in-office procedure that offers zero downtime, and uses ultrasonic technology to help lift and tighten the skin. Additionally, many of our patients who select Ultherapy receive a “liquid facelift” by filling in some of the more permanent lines with facial fillers such as Radiesse or Juvederm. Radiesse can also help create some structure to a face that has lost volume. The experience and expertise of the Radiesse injector is of particular importance as the results are long-lasting. Radiesse typically lasts about 12-18 months. As many people know, Botox and Xeomin are best used for the scowl lines between the brows to relax animated muscles and prevent further wrinkling of the brow.

For those who prefer a longer-lasting solution, a MACS facelift will typically make you appear about 10 years younger, will lift and smooth the jawline, gently tighten the skin, and remove excess skin or fat from under the chin. This procedure is often done in combination with a necklift or eyelift for maximum results. Many MACS lift patients also utilize the benefits of facial fillers and liposuction to enhance their result. A MACS lift requires much less downtime than with previous facelift techniques, and offers excellent results. Patients often opt to maintain their MACS lift result longer through some of the non-surgical options that we have available. The quality of your result is highly dependent upon the experience and skill of your plastic surgeon.

Dr. Ringler is an expert in facial rejuvenation and has been performing the MACS lift for over 10 years. Please join us for a seminar on Facial Rejuvenation and learn about the many options for facial rejuvation currently available at the Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery.

Younger Patients Most Satisfied with Facelift Benefits

Dr. Ringler — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:52:15 +0000

Conventional wisdom informs us that women and men consider having a facelift when they have exhausted all of the other possibilities for maintaining their facial appearance. This typically occurs in the mid-fifties to early sixties. However, a recent study to be published in the January issue of ASPS – Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® indicates that younger patients are generally more satisfied with their short-term and long term results.

Drs. Liu and Owsley compared the short-term and long-term patient satisfaction ratings with expert analysis of follow-up photographs. They analyzed differences in long-term outcomes for patients in three age groups: patients younger than 50, 50 to 60 years, and over 60 years old at the time of facelift surgery.

Consistent with a previously published study, younger patients had higher and more consistent satisfaction scores at both short and long-term follow-up. Those subjective ratings were supported by expert analysis of follow-up photos, which showed that patients who underwent facelift surgery before age 50 had “remarkable maintenance of their youthful appearance.”

In contrast, at the time of surgery, patients in the over-60 group already had “significant facial aging changes.” At long-term follow-up, they still looked more youthful than other people of the same age, although they did show signs of “regression” in the five facial areas graded by plastic surgeons. Patients in the 50 to 60 year old age group had intermediate results.

The patient satisfaction ratings were generally consistent with the expert ratings of before-and-after photographs. On long-term follow-up, using a 5-point scale (5 being most satisfied), patients in the under-50 age group continued to rate all facial areas with 4′s and 5′s, compared to 2′s to 5′s for the 50-to-60 group and 2′s and 3′s for the over-60 group.

According to the authors of the study, Drs. Tom S. Liu and John Q. Owsley of California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, patients younger than 50 should be considered preferable candidates for facial rejuvenation due to their superior long-term results.

Although there is no perfect age for a facelift, the study suggests that early intervention may be most effective in facial rejuvenation. Many patients in my practice achieve excellent results with the MACS facelift, which offers much quicker recovery time than a traditional facelift.

If you would like to learn more about facial rejuvenation or facelift surgery, please call our office to schedule a private complimentary consultation with Dr. Ringler to determine which of our services may be right for you.

Laser Hair Removal

elle — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:17:01 +0000

The embarrassment of unwanted facial and body hair is a common complaint. At the Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery in Grand Rapids, we use IPL laser hair removal to treat all skin types and hair colors on the face and body. Men and women benefit from laser hair removal.

Laser treatment can create lasting, beautiful results without the pain and hassle of shaving or waxing. The IPL laser hair removal is procedure is rapid, safe and gentle. It is also much more comfortable than many other types of hair removal systems. A series of treatments are required to reduce unwanted hair but luckily there is no downtime.

Depending on the area, treatments may be spaced 4-6 weeks apart, to accommodate hair growth cycles. Don’t wait to start experiencing the benefits of this safe and effective treatment! Winter is a perfect time to begin IPL hair removal treatment when we typically are not suntan. By beginning treatments now, spring break and summer will have your body smooth and rid of any unwanted hair. Please contact Dr. Ringler today to find out more information on this procedure.

Lifestyle and Hair Loss in Identical Twins

Dr. Ringler — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:00:26 +0000

Genetics have traditionally been thought to weigh heavily in hair loss in men and women. However, a study presented at the ASPS meeting in Denver in September by Dr. Bahman Guyuron demonstrated that external factors and lifestyle choices also significantly impact hair loss, particularly in women.

The study looked at 84 sets of female identical twins. Surprisingly, the strongest determinant was not genetic, but rather the marital status of the women. Women who were divorced or widowed exhibited more hair loss than women who were married. Those with heavy alcohol consumption also had significantly higher hair loss in the front of the head. However, those who had a couple of alcoholic drinks a week had significantly more hair in the temporal region of the head. Additionally, heavy smokers experienced more hair loss in the temporal area of the head.

A second study evaluated 66 male identical twins. While the male study showed a stronger genetic link for hair loss in the front of the head, smoking, heavy consumption of alcohol, heavy sun exposure and dandruff resulted in more hair loss elsewhere on the head. Additionally, hypertension, lack of exercise, and higher levels of testosterone also had a significant impact on hair loss.

Clearly, the genetic component of hair loss in identical twins would be expected to result in similar hair growth patterns, but as this study indicates, external factors such as stress and unhealthy lifestyle seem to also play a significant role.

Over the past 20 years, Dr. Ringler of the Hair Restoration Institute, located at the Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery, has been conducting numerous clinical studies on hair loss and improving the growth and quality of your hair. Our new product line of Hair Prescriptives® will be available exclusively in our office in early 2012.

If you would like to learn more about the causes and treatment for hair loss, link here for more information.

Minimally and Non- Invasive Plastic Surgery Procedures

Dr. Ringler — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:16:30 +0000

Language can be a funny thing. We say one thing, particularly in medicine, and sometimes make the assumption that we will be fully understood or that words mean the same thing to everyone. However, as a recent article by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS) pointed out in an article about language and light-based technology, the language can be confusing or ambiguous. What does “minimal downtime” or “some redness” really mean? The ASAPS is attempting to standardize the terminology so consumers, physicians and manufacturers are all speaking the same language.

Since we specialize in many “minimally-invasive” and “non-invasive” procedures, perhaps it’s important to shed more light on how we use that terminology.

When we say “non-invasive” we are referring to procedures that are non-surgical. In our office, Botox, Xeomin, Radiesse, Juvederm, Ultherapy® and CoolSculpting® fall into this arena. In addition to being non-invasive, they offer “no downtime.” This means that you should be able to return to your normal activities immediately following treatment. You may experience some redness with some of these procedures, or temporary bruising that may be covered with cosmetics, but basically, most patients return to their normal routine immediately.

“Minimally- invasive” procedures tend to be a bit more ambiguous since recovery times for patients can vary greatly, but typically these procedures are performed as outpatient procedures and offer less downtime than standard surgical procedures. Examples in our office include; SmartLipo Triplex (when a local anesthetic is used), MACS Facelift, which offers far less recovery time, bruising and scarring than a full SMAS facelift, Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation, which has patients returning to normal activities within 1-2 days instead of the typical one week, Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) which most of our patients recover from within 1 day and resume activities almost immediately with the help of concealing cosmetics, and our mini tummy-tuck or Avelar tummy-tuck, which does not include the use of surgical drain following the procedure and offers quicker recovery than a standard tummy tuck.

If you are interested in any of our non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures, please feel free to call the office for a complimentary consultation.