Monday 25 July 2016

Marbella, Spain – At the Centre of Facial Feminisation Surgery Advancement

People are often surprised to learn that one of the world’s leading Facial Feminisation Surgery (FFS) departments is based here in Marbella – and that Ocean Clinic is a part of it.



Our Oral & Maxillofacial specialist Dr. Luis Capitán is the director and founder of Facial Team Europe, while Ocean Clinic’s Medical Director Dr. Kaye is on board as a plastic surgeon for the unit.

Dr. Luis Capitán
Transgender women from across the world come here to Marbella to receive cutting-edge treatment that will bring their facial features closer in shape and size to typical female features.

This expertise in Facial Feminisation Surgery is one of the topics that will be covered at the Marbella International Plastic Surgery Summer School (MIPSS), taking place in Marbella this week. The three-day event has been organised by Ocean Clinic and is the first international plastic surgery meeting in the south of Spain.

Facial Team Europe’s Dr. Capitán will lecture peers from across Europe and Africa on FFS techniques and tendencies, while two specialists from Germany will make presentations on transgender genital surgery.



For anyone considering FFS (also called Facial Gender Affirmation Surgery) Facial Team Europe offers free intensive evaluations in Marbella. It’s a rigorous assessment process that includes:

·      One-hour consultation with FFS Maxillofacial surgeon
·      Opportunity to meet with different specialists (i.e. hair transplant specialist, plastic surgeon for rhinoplasty)
·      Tour of the hospital
·      Complete cranial 3D CT scans
·      Three-dimensional animated reproduction of your face (from September 2016)
·      Clinical photo session
·      Photo simulation of your results (available by request)

The service also includes a free round-trip airport taxi transfer, as well as help with travel plans, if required.

Prospective patients can also visit Jenny’s Nest, a shared-living safe-haven, where manager Jenny Bowman provides experienced and nurturing aftercare.

At the end of your stay, you will be provided with your personalised quote and diagnostic results to take home and think over. You can view video testimonials of patients from the UK, Australia, America and Canada on Facial Team Europe’s YouTube channel.


To request an appointment for a facial feminisation consultation email consultations@facialteam.eu with your full name and mobile phone number. Skype video-consultations are also available (Skype username: facial.team)

Thursday 14 July 2016

Am I Normal ‘Down There’?

This is a question many teenage girls ask themselves and it’s leading to an increasing number of them seeking genital surgery. So much so, that the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has voiced its concern.
It’s worried that girls aged 13-19 may have unrealistic expectations about the appearance of their genitals due to exposure to images portrayed on adult websites. 
The ACOG is calling on doctors to help educate young women about what is ‘normal’ when it comes to their vaginas.
The truth is that vaginas come in all shapes, sizes and colours. And this variety is totally normal!

A study by Dr Brook McFadden of Ohio State University, which looked at 168 women, found there to be a massive range in labia size. The labia majora (outer lips) ranged in length from 4 cms to 11.5 cms (with an average size of 8.1 cms).

The labia minora (inner lips) ranged even more, from 0.8 cms to 8 cms – plus the right and left lips had different average lengths (left – 4 cms / right – 3.8 cms). Meanwhile, clitoral length ranges from 0.4 cms to 4 cms.

To get an idea of what ‘real’ vaginas look like, girls are encouraged to check out websites such as The Great Wall of Vagina and Labia Library.

Reasons to have labiaplasty

Labiaplasty (genital surgery) is about more than making the vulva ‘look good’, it is a corrective procedure that can address issues such as

    •       Labia is chaffing and causing discomfort
    •       Labia makes sport, such as cycling or horse riding        uncomfortable
    •       Labia is low-hanging and protrudes from underwear/bikini
    •       Labia has suffered trauma and requires repair
    •       Labia has been mutilated and requires reconstruction
    •       Labia has stretched as a result of childbirth or age
    •       Labia is inhibiting sexual enjoyment 


The right age for labiaplasty

It is never advisable to have genital surgery during adolescence, unless there is an urgent need, because the body is undergoing hormonally driven physical changes
Ideally, patients should wait until they are fully matured – around 20-years-of-age. By this time, all developmental changes are complete and the patient has had time to fully consider the surgery.

Addressing your concerns

If you are aged below 18 and your labia is causing you marked discomfort or serious psychological distress we may still be able to help you. Please make an appointment for a free consultation and we can advise you on the best course of action. Follow the link to our contact form.

Friday 8 July 2016

The Rise of Silver Surgery – Why More Seniors are Choosing Cosmetic Surgery

Over the last 50 years, life expectancy in the EU has increased by 10 years – on average, people are now expected to live to 80-years-old.  Not only are they living longer, they’re enjoying better health and mobility than ever before.


Because of this, members of the older generation increasingly want to look as good as they feel, and this is fuelling a rise in demand for cosmetic procedures.

A survey by website RealSelf reveals that 76% of surgeons have witnessed an increase in patients over the age of 60 in the last five years. This trend is echoed by the website’s own data, which shows that in the last year alone, roughly 2 million people aged between 60 and 90 have researched a cosmetic procedure.

Credit: RealSelf

It’s no surprise that this demographic is mostly interested in anti-aging facial treatments such as facelifts, fat grafting, fillers, cosmetic injections and eyelid surgery to remove bags and droopy skin.

But it’s not just their faces they’re looking to rejuvenate; also popular are breast augmentation, liposuction and tummy tucks. According to the survey, both women and men are seeking out surgery.

Ocean Clinic Marbella treats a high percentage of older patients, due to Head Surgeon Dr. Kaye’s reputation for facelifts. Indeed, it is our most frequently requested treatment.

Dr. Kaye has developed his own facelift technique, which has gained much interest in the medical community and led to him being invited to demonstrate it to peers around the world.


Says Dr. Kaye: “The older patients I see are vibrant people still living life to the full, so they want to feel good about the way they look.

“Some of them are divorced or widowed and on the dating scene once again, or maybe they’re with a younger partner. This can make them more concerned about their appearance, but it’s not just this driving the increased demand.

“Other factors include the extra disposable income the ‘baby boomers’ have and the reduced stigma around cosmetic surgery we’ve seen in recent years.”

According to the research conducted by RealSelf, 80% of surgeons say their older patients have simply decided it’s time to do something for themselves, now that their children have left home and they have possibly retired.

However, 30% report that staying competitive in the job market is also a driver for older people undergoing cosmetic surgery. Statistics show that almost 20% of Americans aged 65 and over are still working (this figure has almost doubled since the 1980s).

Credit: RealSelf

“For those who don’t wish to retire at 65, competing with their younger counterparts means they need to look as capable as they are. We can help these patients maintain their confidence and presence,” says Dr. Kaye.

Is Cosmetic Surgery Safe for Older Patients?


Older patients are generally thought to be a higher risk category than younger patients, primarily because they are more likely to have medical problems such as high blood pressure and heart problems. They are also more likely to be taking medications that could impact on the outcome of the procedure.

That said, all patients need to be in a good state of health before undergoing cosmetic surgery. At Ocean Clinic Marbella, we routinely conduct blood tests, blood pressure readings, ECG tests and a full medical history survey prior to offering treatment.

If you are in a generally good state of health and fitness, there’s no reason you should not be able to have surgery – whatever you age. A study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic in the US backs this up.

The study reviewed 216 facelifts performed by a single surgeon over a three-year period. Patients were divided into two groups, younger than 65 years (148 patients) and 65 years and older (68 patients).

The research took a number of variables into consideration, including operative details, co-morbidities and overall health status. When this information was combined with statistical analysis, the study found that if elderly patients were properly screened prior to the surgery, they had complication rates comparable to those of younger patients.

It concluded that age was not a determining factor of success or safety in facelift surgery. The most important consideration is having good health prior to surgery.

“Just because a patient is older doesn’t mean they’re in bad health,” says Dr. Kaye. “If you’re an older person considering cosmetic surgery, the best thing is to make an appointment for a consultation with one of our doctors who will be able to assess your suitability.”


To book a free consultation contact Ocean Clinic Marbella on 951 775 518 or email info@oceanclinic.net

Friday 1 July 2016

Get the Low-Down on Liposuction – Everything You Need to Know

Do you have stubborn areas of fat that won’t go away no matter what you do? Do you feel your figure is spoiled by a particular problem area?  Liposuction might be the solution you’re looking for.

The procedure can be used to effectively sculpt your silhouette and remove those lumps and bumps that make you feel self-conscious. Read on as we answer the most frequently asked questions about this treatment…

What parts of the body can be treated with liposuction?


Liposuction is a versatile treatment that can be used on most areas of the body where fatty deposits collect. The most frequently treated areas are the stomach and flanks, hips, buttocks, outer and inner thighs, arms, back, chin and neck area.

In more colloquial terms, people often want to know if we can treat their “love-handles”, “saddle bags”, “bra rolls”, “banana rolls”, or “double chin” – and the answer is yes!

What type of liposuction does Ocean Clinic Marbella offer?


There is a wide variety of liposuctions machines available and many different brand names such as CoolLipo, SmartLipo, AquaLipo and Vaser. You can read more about all the different types here.

Our preferred method is Tickle Lipo – otherwise known as Nutational Infrasonic Liposculpture (NIL). This method uses a vibrating cannula which breaks up the fat high at the same time as infusing the tissue with pain-numbing fluid. The vibration can cause a tickling sensation for the patient, hence its name.

How much does it cost?


The cost of your treatment will depend on how many areas you’re having treated, as well as the volume of fat you’re having removed. Liposuction at Ocean Clinic Marbella starts at €2,500.

How much fat can be removed?


It’s important to recognise that liposuction isn’t a treatment for obesity and it’s not an alternative to healthy eating and exercise. Liposuction is best used for areas of fat that prove resistant to diet and exercise. You should therefore have a healthy starting bodyweight to be a good candidate.

Safety is our first priority when performing liposuction and for that reason we will usually only remove up to 5,000 cc of fat (11 lbs) in one session. Larger amounts can be removed but the potential for cardiac and pulmonary complications rises dramatically and the patient must be closely observed.

Where do you make the incisions and how big a scar are you left with?


Incisions sites for liposuction are typically very small and hidden as much as possible. They can be concealed in the belly button when treating the abdomen and waist, in the pubic hairline when treating the lower tummy and pubis area, and in the creases of the buttocks, groin, breast and neck for treating other areas. 

We can also place them in existing scars, such as C-Section or appendectomy, or mole removal scars. The incision site does not always have to be right next to the area being treated.

Do you have general aesthetic for the procedure?


We perform liposuction on an outpatient basis, which means you do not have to be fully put to sleep or stay in overnight.

Local anaesthetic is delivered by the tumescent solution that is injected into the area/s prior to fat aspiration meaning you won’t feel any pain. It is now standard for patients to be awake during treatment as this is safest way for it to be performed and patients can normally go home within half an hour of surgery completion.

Removal of larger amounts of fat (above 5,000 cc) does require general anesthesia and an overnight stay.

How painful is it?


There is very little pain during the treatment itself, although you will feel a prodding or tickling sensation.

Following surgery, the level of pain you experience will depend on the amount of fat you’ve had removed and the areas treated. You will be most sore in the two days immediately after liposuction, but this can usually be controlled with over the counter painkillers.

As you continue to heal over the following four to eight weeks you may experience a tingling, itching or burning sensation, or sudden sharp pain, which occurs as the damaged nerve fibres fuse back together.

How long is recovery?

If you have a desk job you can usually return to work very quickly – within a few days. Light exercise/activity is also recommended to prevent blood clots and discourage swelling. Heavy exercise and other strenuous activities should be avoided for two to three weeks. 

You may have some stitches and dressings that will prevent you from being able to bathe until they are removed, around a week later. You may also have compression garments to wear for several weeks in order to decrease swelling and encourage loose skin to retract.

Liposuction is a well tolerated but invasive treatment and complete healing of the tissues can take some months. Fibrosis (scar tissue) can cause hardened areas under the skin but this can be helped by massage and radio frequency treatment and is usually gone within four to six months.

In general, final results from liposuction can be seen within six months, but it can take up to a year.

Are there any possible complications?


All surgery comes with risk of complication, such as infection and bleeding, but these are very uncommon.

More common side effects from liposuction include contour irregularities like lumps and dimples, but these are often short-term and resolve themselves as the body recovers and heals.

How long do the results last?


Unlike dieting or exercising, liposuction permanently removes fat cells. The body will not produce new cells, however the remaining fat cells can still increase in size should you increase your calorie intake or become pregnant. This means it is still possible to gain weight.

To maintain your results you should implement good eating and exercise habits prior to surgery and stick with these habits after your treatment.

Want to know more? Contact Ocean Clinic Marbella for a free consultation.