BLOG

Question:

Where are the incisions made for laser liposuction of the face, and is there any scarring involved?

Answer:

I use three incisions to perform laser liposuction of the face. I place one small incision behind each ear lobe and one small incision underneath the chin. These incisions are relatively inconspicuous and scarring from laser liposuction is minimal.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld

No Comments »

Question:

How common is the risk of burning the skin with laser liposuction?

Answer:

The risk of burning the skin during laser liposuction is present but small. The laser energy is pulsed in such a way that the skin will burn only if you are not moving the laser tip appropriately during liposuction. The laser energy should only be placed along the undersurface of the skin for one pass of laser energy. Increased passes during liposuction will not really improve the results. I have always felt that during laser liposuction or any other cosmetic procedures that providing good results is essential, however, it is equally important to do no harm and aggressively over operating which can lead to significant post operative complications should be avoided.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld

No Comments »

Question:

My daughter has ears that stick out too far. My husband and I have discussed otoplasty but I am afraid that going through the surgery and having pain will traumatize her. In your practice, have you found that young children can get through the surgery unscathed? My daughter is 9 years old.

Answer:

A 9 year old female with prominent ears is an ideal candidate for otoplasty. It is likely that your 9 year old suffers from some social discrimination as a result of her prominent ears and otoplasty will relieve her of this. Children also do much better than adults when it comes to surgery when the child is prepared appropriately. They will be much less stressed out and more excited about their otoplasty than you think. but, some good parenting will be required.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld

No Comments »

Question:

I’ve heard of two approaches for reducing the conchal bowl in the ear: resecting sections of cartilage from this area, and using permanent sutures to pin back the ears. What are the pros and cons of these two techniques and is one better than the other?

Answer:

Depending upon the size of the conchal bowl you may require both cartilage resection and permanent sutures to set back the ear for your otoplasty to be successful. These otoplasty techniques are not really mutually exclusive and are often times performed concurrently. It is not a situation where permanent sutures are better or less risky than conchal cartilage resection. To achieve an esthetically pleasing ear you may have both of these procedures performed.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld

No Comments »

Question:

In all pictures that I am in, I have a double chin. Can a neck lift get rid of the rolling around the neck and chin areas?

Answer:

A necklift can take care of the majority of the redundant skin and rolls you see in the mirror and in pictures. A necklift may include submental liposuction and possibly a platysmaplasty to tighten the muscles of the neck in conjunction with a necklift. Very heavy necks which are also short necks may be more difficult to correct entirely and it is important to set realistic expectations prior to undergoing necklift surgery or any cosmetic procedure.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld

No Comments »

Question:

Will a neck lift affect my eating and drinking habits?

Answer:

Your neck may feel a little tight following a neck lift and it may be more comfortable for you to have softer foods or a liquid diet for the first few day following surgery to your neck, however, a neck lift should not create any long term alterations to your eating and drinking habits.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld

No Comments »

Question:

Whenever I see the singer Madonna, I wonder if she has had cheek implants. How would it be possible to make my cheeks look like hers?

Answer:

Madonna does have very nice facial features. Her high cheek bones are certainly coveted. I believe that her cheeks are likely natural however, you can have modifications to your face to give you an attractive and naturally appearing cheek bone. I use a great deal of filler like Perlane and Radiesse for this purpose. Facial filler can be performed in the office and the results are immediate. I also use autologous fat transfer to the face to sculpt the mid face and create cheek bones in individuals. The results are more permanent than injectable fillers but, a touch up of facial fat injection may be required. Finally, you may elect to have cheek implants placed to create more definition of your cheek bone area. The implants are safe and effective and easily reversible.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld

No Comments »

Question:

While reading about chin augmentation, I learned that a possible side effect is nerve damage. What does this mean, and how would this affect a person?

Answer:

Sensory nerve damage to the lower lip and chin is a potential complication of chin implant surgery. The mental nerve comes out of the mandible just above where the chin implant is normally placed. The nerve provides sensation to the lower lip and mid portion of the chin. Stretching of the nerve occurs commonly which results in only minor numbness which is transient. More permanent damage to the mental nerve can occur but is less common.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld

No Comments »