Q&A with Dr. Sabbagh

A bandage is wrapped around the head and neck, but not your face. This bandage is removed the next morning. There will be swelling, discoloration and tightness of the skin for ten to fourteen days and possibly longer. Some numbness may be present around the operative areas. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual. Normal healing is a gradual process and final result is not fully realized for approximately six months.

All sutures are usually removed by the seventh day.

The hair must be washed the next morning. Wash your hair with your regular shampoo, at least every other day thereafter, and before each visit to the office. Postoperative instructions will be given to you when you schedule your surgery.

Hair color and/or a permanent can be applied three to four weeks after surgery, if completely healed. New facial makeup can be applied to cover up any bruising as early as seven days after surgery, but not on the incisions. It is important to gently remove all makeup.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed between one and two weeks after surgery depending on the type of procedure. Strenuous exercise and activities such as sports should be avoided for three to four weeks. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

The eyes are not bandaged. There will be swelling and discoloration around the eye area which will diminish gradually. Redness of the eyes, if present, disappears gradually. Slight blurring of vision, tearing and sensitivity to bright light may occur. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual. All sutures are usually removed by the seventh day.

The hair can be gently washed anytime after surgery. The healing process may cause your physician to change these instructions. New facial makeup can be applied to cover up any bruising as early as seven days after surgery, but not on the incisions. It is important to gently remove all makeup.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed three to seven days after surgery. Strenuous exercise and activities such as sports should be avoided for two to three weeks. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

A Rhinoplasty can be performed on patients as young as fifteen years old depending on the patient’s physical stage of development and emotional maturity.

Depending on the technique used, small external scars may be present at the base of the nose. These scars become almost invisible. The majority of the incisions are placed inside the nose.

A splint is applied immediately after surgery and left in place for seven days. You will experience some discomfort with breathing and your nose may seem “stuffed up” due to the swelling of the nasal tissue. “Black eyes” plus swelling of the lids and nose will be present for seven to fourteen days or longer. External sutures will be removed within the first week. Some numbness may be present around the operated areas. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual. The nasal tip drops to its permanent position in three to six months. Although your “new nose” generally looks better after two to three weeks, it usually continues to improve for many months. The nose does not have its permanent appearance until one year postoperatively. Minor adjustments or revisions are sometimes desirable and may require additional surgery.

The hair may be washed after the splint has been removed. If you wish to wash your hair sooner, ask your surgeon for instructions. Facial makeup may be applied to cover up bruising anytime after surgery, but not on any external incisions.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed seven days after surgery. Strenuous exercise and activities should be avoided for three to four weeks. Body contact sports should be avoided for at least two months. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

There will be some discoloration and swelling for approximately seven to ten days. Some numbness may be present around the operated areas. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual. Dressings and sutures are removed five to seven days after surgery.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed three to seven days after surgery. Strenuous exercise and activities should be avoided for ten days. Body contact sports should be avoided for six to eight weeks. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

Large pressure dressings and bandages are applied around the ears and head, turban fashion. Bandages are left in place for three to four days. Then a clean headband should be worn at night for three to six weeks following surgery. There will be discoloration and swelling for approximately ten to fourteen days. Some numbness may be present around the operated area and tenderness may last up to three months after surgery. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual. Occasionally, an ear can protrude again, necessitating a second operation.

All sutures are removed within ten to fourteen days.

The hair can generally be washed after the bandages are removed (usually by the fifth day). The healing process may cause your physician to change these instructions.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed five to ten days after surgery. Strenuous exercise and activities should be avoided for two to three weeks. Body contact sports should be avoided for six to eight weeks. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

Some numbness, swelling and bruising may be present around the operated areas. The intensity and duration vary with each individual. If surface imperfections such as skin dimpling often called “cellulite” are present before surgery, they will remain after.

Sutures are minimal and removed seven to ten days after surgery. A compression garment is worn immediately after surgery for four to six weeks, possibly longer.

A shower can generally be taken the day after surgery. The healing process may cause your surgeon to change these instructions.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed three to five days after surgery, depending on the extent of surgery. Strenuous exercise and activities such as sports should be avoided for approximately three weeks depending on the extent of the surgery. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

Liposuction is a powerful procedure that helps get rid of the stubborn fatty deposits from certain areas on your body that refuses to budge despite an exercise and diet schedule. Your liposuction procedure may lead to a considerable amount of swelling. Everybody has a different body that heals differently and this swelling may last a few months for some people. You will see your results once the swelling settles which usually takes about 4 weeks. Your surgeon will suggest that you wear a compression garment post your procedure for the first few weeks. This helps in controlling the pain as well as keeping the swelling in check meaning you can see your results sooner and enjoy your new contours.

Even though liposuction helps you lose fat deposits from your body and regain more youthful contours, it must not be mistaken for a weight loss procedure. Millions request and undergo liposuction every year across the globe to get rid of stubborn areas on the body that refuse to respond despite following a good diet and exercise schedule. You must understand that a good candidate for liposuction is healthy and fit and near their ideal body weight, suffering only from localized fat deposits. You can benefit from the procedure to get rid of deposits from your ankles, calves, knees, thighs, hips, buttocks, abdomen, breasts, arms, cheeks, neck and the chin as well. If you are dealing with obesity or want to lose weight, consult your surgeon to find out about weight loss techniques before liposuction can help you slim down certain areas

Liposuction can be performed using different techniques like the ultrasound assisted or the tumescent; these help with reducing blood loss and make it easier to remove the fat. Once the fat cells are liquefied, it is removed from the area using a thin cannula. The fat cells hence destroyed is a permanent result. When you gain weight in the future, the fat cells will not return to the treated area. When you take in more calories than you can burn, while the treated areas do not regain the same amount of bulk; the remaining fat cells in your body will get enlarged. This means that ultimately your liposuction results will get canceled out and you will not be able to enjoy your contours anymore. This makes it imperative that you continue with a healthy lifestyle and exercise regimen so that you can retain your stunning results.

Liposuction uses different methods and techniques to help you get rid of unwanted localized fatty deposits. Whether you and your surgeon choose ultrasound assisted, power assisted or tumescent liposuction technique, there is not much discomfort or downtime involved with the procedure. During your treatment, a numbing agent is used in the treatment area and a tiny incision is made. This means that your procedure will be painless. After your procedure, there might be some swelling, bruising and soreness in the area which feels like the discomfort when you have a small bruise. This can be handled with pain medication for those who have a lower pain threshold. Since everybody has a different threshold for pain and varied healing periods, it is impossible to generalize the amount of discomfort after the procedure; however, it is safe to say that liposuction is not painful.

When you choose an experienced surgeon for your liposuction, you will get stunning results from the procedure. However, there are a few things you can do as well after your liposuction to ensure that you get the best results and retain them. First of all, you should have reached your stable weight before the procedure through sustainable means. When you regain weight after liposuction, even if the treated area may not change again, other areas will increase in size and lead to ruining your body contours ultimately. Hence, it is important that you follow a healthy lifestyle to maintain your results. You can also choose to get SmoothShape treatment with a lymphatic massage after your liposuction. Drainage and manual massage also help with healing and improving your results. Obviously, it is important that you follow all post care instructions given by your surgeon and the most important one is to wear a compression garment for the first few weeks that reduces swelling and promotes healing.

Any surgical procedure is accompanied by associated risks and complications. Most of these stem from the use of anesthesia since everybody’s body reacts differently to the use of anesthesia. Other than the risks associated with anesthesia, the risks involved with the liposuction procedure include dimpling, lumpiness, skin irregularities, and bleeding. An additional procedure can help control these side effects of the procedure. With the continuous enhancement in the procedure and the latest techniques used, these complications have been further reduced. Additionally, when you choose a surgeon who has sufficient experience with liposuction, you are guaranteed to enjoy stunning results with minimized side effects and risks.

A dressing plus a binder is usually applied for support. The dressing is removed in approximately two days and a binder is worn for three to six weeks or a soft, wireless, elastic stretch girdle can be worn afterwards for support. Your doctor will advise when to discontinue its use. You may experience some postoperative pain. However, pain medication may be administered as necessary. Discoloration and swelling is present around the incision area. Any straining of abdominal muscles should be avoided. Some numbness may be present around the operated areas. Numbness from the lower abdomen to the navel could be permanent. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual.

The sutures and/or staples will be removed seven days after surgery. The healing process may delay suture removal.

When all the dressings are removed, you can take a shower daily, with the consent of your surgeon. The healing process may cause your surgeon to change these instructions.

Generally, full social and employment activities can be resumed approximately two to three weeks after surgery. Strenuous exercise and activities such as sports are restricted for approximately six weeks and may be increased gradually every day, with the consent of your doctor. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

Since the implant is placed underneath the breast tissue, it does not interfere with breast-feeding. This should be discussed further with your surgeon.

A soft wireless, full support brassiere (cotton stretch) may be worn as tolerated by the patient or instructed by the surgeon. There may be some swelling and discoloration for a few weeks. A sense of fullness and tightness will be present for a few weeks. Some numbness of the nipple and operative areas may be experienced. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual. Since a breast implant is a foreign substance, the body surrounds it with scar tissue. Generally, the scar tissue is thin. In some patients the scar tissue becomes thick, contracts, and changes the shape and softness of the breast. Your doctor will discuss this with you at the time of your consultation.

All sutures are usually removed by the seventh day.

A shower can generally be taken the day after surgery. The healing process may cause your surgeon to change these instructions.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed three to ten days after surgery. Excessive use of the arms must be restricted for at least five to seven days. You may drive a car with an automatic shift and power steering after one week. Strenuous exercise and activities should be restricted for two to four weeks. Body contact sports should be avoided for six to eight weeks. The healing process may cause the length of time to vary.

A surgical garment is applied immediately after surgery and is worn for seven days. Once it is removed, a soft, wireless, full support brassiere (cotton) must be worn twenty-four hours a day for two to four weeks, unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. There will be some swelling and discoloration. Some numbness will be present around the operated areas. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual. There could be some loss of sensation in the nipples (especially grafted nipples). Sagging of the breasts can recur with the aging process, pregnancy, and weight changes. Wearing a brassiere is recommended to help maintain your new appearance.

All sutures are removed seven to fourteen days following surgery.

A shower can generally be taken two days after surgery. Your surgeon may change these instructions.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed seven to ten days after surgery. Strenuous exercise and activities should be avoided for four to six weeks. Use of arms should be limited during this period. You may drive a car with an automatic shift and power steering in two weeks. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

A pressure garment is worn for approximately three weeks. There will be some swelling and discoloration. Some numbness may be present around the operated areas. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual.

External sutures are removed seven days after surgery. The remaining sutures dissolve.

Usually, a shower can be taken two days after surgery (when dressings are removed). Your surgeon may change these instructions.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed ten to fourteen days after surgery. Strenuous exercise and activities such as sports should be avoided for three to four weeks. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

There will be some discoloration and swelling for two to three weeks and possibly longer. Some numbness may be present around the operated areas. The intensity and duration of these conditions vary with each individual.

All sutures are generally removed in seven to fourteen days.

Usually, a shower can be taken two to three days after surgery. Your surgeon may change these instructions.

Normally, full social and employment activities can be resumed two to three weeks after surgery. Strenuous exercise and activities such as sports should be avoided for six to eight weeks. The healing process and your occupation may cause the length of time to vary.

You will still have expressions. The muscle activity is temporarily reduced, giving a softer, more relaxed look.

Typically, results last in most patients three to four months.

Discomfort is usually minimal and treatment only takes about 10 minutes.

We offer Juvederm® and Voluma© which are hyaluronic acid based products, a hydrating substance we naturally have in our skin. These fillers be used for the lines from the nose to the month, the corners of the month, lips, and the lines from the corners of the month down into the chin and cheeks area. They are used to put back volume that the skin loses as we age. We also offer Radiesse which has calcium based microspheres which increase volume and diminish the signs of aging. It can be used in all the areas listed above, except for the lips.

Fillers can last six (6) months to one year, but can vary from person to person. Voluma© may last up to 2 years.

You will see the difference immediately, but there can be some swelling and possible bruising which is usually minimal and can be covered with make up.

Juvederm®, and Voluma© have a built in anesthetic to provide a more comfortable experience. For Radiesse, the surgeon numbs the area with a local anesthetic, similar to what a dentist would use.

Occasionally, a patient does not like the result. The facial fillers Juvederm® and Voluma can be reversed.

Typically 3 to 5 days of swelling Sometimes the skin becomes darker in color until it starts fading or peeling which may take up to 7 to 10 days.

3 to 5 treatments, once a month depending on the skin challenge and the patient.

Yes, as long as you use a 45+ SPF with a hat and sunglasses during summer months.

The skin may darken for 24 to 48 hours and slowly fade. The brown spots can turn to a light scab by day three and eventually flake off on their own.

Yes. Sunscreen should always be used which is recommended regardless.

Microdermabrasion is a gentle exfoliation of the skin which leaves the skin looking moist and soft.

When you start it is always best to do a series of three (3) spaced no more than ten (10) days apart. A periodic maintenance is recommended to keep the skin healthy.

Yes you can. However, professional machine with a powerful suction will give you a deeper, more even peel.