Plastic Surgery Seattle Blog

We all know smoking is bad for the heart and lungs. But did you know it can also cause healing problems after plastic surgery? Procedures that require skin to be shifted — such as tummy tucks or breast lifts — are especially prone to problems when performed on people who smoke. Nowadays, many plastic surgeons refuse to perform them on smokers.

“Nicotine causes the tiny blood vessels in the skin to clamp down or constrict, which reduces blood supply to the skin,” said Dr. Darshan Shah, a plastic surgeon in Bakersfield, California. Without adequate blood supply, the incisions can heal poorly, are prone to infection, bruise more and may form raised, red scars.

If you are interested in having Dr. Gottlieb perform your surgery, he will discuss your cigarette smoking and other medical history information during the consultation. For information on how to quit, visit smokefree.gov.

If your large breasts are weighing you down (physically and emotionally), you may want to consider breast reduction surgery. According to a study that recently appeared in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, large-breasted women who have breast reduction surgery later report less back pain and greater self-esteem. According to statistics, more than 150,000 women underwent the procedure last year.

The president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Dr. Alan Gold, commented on the study favorably. “This study further demonstrates that the connection between the aesthetic results of plastic surgery and the emotional, social and physical quality of life of our patients cannot be underestimated,” said Dr. Gold.

Women in or near Seattle who would like to reduce the size of their breasts can contact Dr. Gottlieb for a breast reduction consultation.

There are some things you can compromise on, but your plastic surgeon isn’t one of them. A dermatologist in California was recently reprimanded for injecting non-FDA approved Botulinum toxin into ten patients. The doctor and nearly a hundred colleagues tried to save money by buying the black market Botox without realizing it wasn’t approved for use in patients.

These findings highlight how important it is to find a reputable, board-certified plastic surgeon. If you live in the Seatte area and are interested in Botox or other cosmetic procedures, Dr. Gottlieb is a well-respected surgeon with extensive experience.