Should I Get Plastic Surgery? Take Our Quiz

For most people, the decision to get plastic surgery is a big one. Usually, when people come to see us at Ocean Clinic, they’ve already spent years dreaming about getting their ‘problem area’ fixed. 

Committing to plastic surgery absolutely shouldn’t be rushed. However, when our patients finally take the plunge, they always tell us they wished they’d done it earlier. 

Because of this, we thought we’d put together a quiz to help you understand if you’re ready or not, and the impact surgery could have on your wellbeing. Simply select the multiple choice answers that best reflect your situation and see whether you have mostly A’s, B’s or C’s at the end…

Q1. How long have you felt self-conscious about your problem area?

1. For many years

2. For the last few years

3. Only recently

Q2. How do you feel when someone takes your photo?

1. I try to avoid being in photos

2. I try to hide my problem area in photos

3. I’m pretty relaxed about being in photos

Q3. How often do you choose clothes or hairstyles to conceal your problem area?

1. Always

2. Most of the time

3. Sometimes

Q4. To what extent does your problem area affect your romantic relationships?

1. A lot

2. A fair amount

3. Not much

Q5. Have you had a consultation with a plastic surgeon before?

1. Yes, we discussed the options

2. No, but I’ve researched clinics

3. No I haven’t looked into it yet

Q6. What is the main thing preventing you from getting plastic surgery?

1. The cost

2. Worry that it might go wrong

3. Not looking like myself anymore

Q7. What are your expectations for surgery?

1. To make the best of what I’ve got

2. To look younger/more attractive

3. To imitate a celebrity look

Q8. Have you tried other ways to improve your problem area?

1. Only surgery can fix my problem 

2. I’ve tried things but nothing has worked

3. I haven’t tried anything yet

Q9. Are you likely to have any lifestyle changes such as losing or gaining weight or becoming pregnant? 

1. Unlikely

2. I’m not sure

3. Likely

Q10. Do you smoke or use tobacco products?

1. No

2. Yes but I could stop

3. Yes and I’d struggle to stop

The results

If you answered mostly A’s

You’re a great candidate for plastic surgery. Your problem area has had a negative effect on your wellbeing for a long time. It’s affecting your relationships, your confidence and restricting your freedom. When it comes to improving your problem area, you’ve researched your options and realise surgery is the best option. You have realistic expectations about what’s achievable and you’re not about to make any big lifestyle changes meaning you can really enjoy the benefit of your surgery results. If paying for surgery is a barrier, getting an up-to-date quote and looking at financing options might make it accessible for you.  

If you answered mostly B’s

Your problem area has been on your mind for a while now… perhaps it’s time to do something about it? If you haven’t had a consultation with a plastic surgeon before, it makes sense to find out what solutions are open to you and how much this could cost. If you worry about things potentially going wrong with your surgery or no longer looking like yourself, discuss these concerns with the surgeon. Ask to see before and after photos, or even to speak with a previous patient to find out about their experience. Make sure you understand what results are achievable for you and what to expect before you make up your mind.

If you answered mostly C’s

As your appearance does not have a significant impact on your life, it might be unnecessary to go through with plastic surgery. Your dissatisfaction with your problem area may pass or you might be able to achieve improvements through diet and exercise or with non-surgical treatments. And if you simply desire to follow a beauty trend, it’s advisable to do it in a temporary way, because fads pass quickly! Cosmetic treatments like fillers and cosmetic injections can be a good way to get a boost without going under the knife. And don’t forget - smoking is a no-no for surgical procedures so you must be prepared to stop for several weeks if you do decide to have surgery. 

Think you’re a good candidate for plastic surgery? Or simply want a cosmetic ‘tweakment’? Contact Ocean Clinic for more information.

Argon Plasma-Driven Radiofrequency: A New Advancement in Body Contouring

At Ocean Clinic we’re continually exploring ways to achieve better results for our patients. One new technology we’ve recently started using as part of our body contouring surgeries is argon plasma-driven radiofrequency.

The technology has been developed to help shrink skin and tissue and do away with the need for surgical excision. 

Typically after liposuction, patients will be left with some skin laxity and one way we tackle this is with post-surgical radiofrequency skin tightening treatments. Now, however, a new argon plasma-driven radio frequency skin tightening device allows us to induce skin and tissue retraction during the surgery itself.

How does the argon plasma-driven radio frequency skin tightening device work?

The device uses pressurized argon gas to drive radiofrequency energy into a hollow cannula. 

The cannula is moved around in a similar way to a liposuction cannula, rapidly heating small sections of subcutaneous collagen matrix to 85°C. This heat generates strong contraction of the collagen within fractions of a second, causing a 40–50% reduction in fiber length.

Skin tone continues to improve over a year, as new collagen develops within the tissue. Studies show the treatment can achieve up to 36% measured skin surface area contraction.

Is it safe?

The argon plasma-driven radio frequency skin tightening device is actually safer than other radiofrequency devices because it only heats a small targeted area. Unlike with bulk tissue heating, the tissue surrounding the treatment site remains at much cooler temperatures. Clinical measurements show that in an average treatment region, skin temperatures get to about 38° when treated with the argon plasma-driven device, as opposed to 45° and higher with bulk heating devices. 

Because of the unique heating and cooling properties of the technology, immediate soft tissue contraction can be achieved without unnecessarily heating the full thickness of the dermis. 

What happens during treatment?

The treatment is carried out immediately after your liposuction procedure, while you are still sedated and on the operating table. The device is inserted and slowly withdrawn a number of times from the same incisions made for the liposuction cannula. These ‘strokes’ are done at different depths in order to trigger significant soft tissue and skin contraction that will be visible within 24 hours of treatment. 

What are the results?

When liposuction is combined with argon plasma-driven radiofrequency energy, it results in significant improvement in the contour and laxity of skin and soft tissue. Improvement can be seen as early as the next day but tissue contraction really becomes noticeable about three months post-op and continues for a year or more. 

However, results do depend upon the patient taking responsibility for aftercare, which includes wearing compression garments as instructed by your surgeon. This is vital for achieving the desired smooth contour.

Who can benefit from the argon plasma-driven radio frequency skin tightening device?

Anyone who is undergoing a body contouring treatment with liposuction can benefit from argon plasma-driven radiofrequency. The device enhances the results of liposuction, helping to restore the firm tone and defined shape of youthful body contours.

Popular treatment regions include the abdomen, flanks, thighs, knees, upper arms and bra roll, as well as the lower face and neck. Post-bariatric patients can be treated if the need for skin contraction is less than 33%. 

Women who have given birth and want to restore their physique can also be helped, although diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles) can only be slightly improved. This condition is better treated with a tummy tuck and surgery can be combined with liposuction and argon plasma-driven radiofrequency to improve the overall silhouette and skin tone. 

Argon plasma-driven radio frequency skin tightening can also be used during breast lift surgery to significantly improve the breast skin and tissue, resulting in breasts that are not only perkier but also younger in tone and texture.

Want to find out more about body contouring treatments with the argon plasma-driven radio frequency skin tightening device? Contact Ocean Clinic by telephone: (+34) 951 77 55 18 or by email: info@oceanclinic.net 

10 Things You Need To Know About Breast Uplift

Thinking about having a breast lift? Here are 10 facts about the procedure that will help you to make up your mind…

A breast lift is the only way to fix sagging breasts

If your breasts have started to sag you might have tried various things to fix them, like exercises, creams, and skin tightening devices. Unfortunately, these will only ever achieve a minor improvement (if any). Breasts are made of fatty tissue and although you can work on the pectoral muscles beneath, this will have no effect on the breast tissue itself. On the other hand, a breast lift (also called a mastopexy) is a safe and effective way to restore breasts to their youthful state. 

A breast lift won’t increase the size of your breasts

While a breast uplift will give you better-shaped breasts and get rid of upper-pole flatness, it won’t actually make them bigger. If you think you might also want to change the size of your breasts, an uplift can be combined with breast implants or fat transfer. A good way to understand what you want is to look at your breasts in a bra - are you happy with the size? If the answer is yes, then only an uplift is needed. If the answer is no, your plastic surgeon will need to add extra volume with either implants or fat transfer. 


A breast lift won’t decrease the size of your breasts

Just as an uplift won’t make your breasts bigger, it also won’t make them smaller! A mastopexy is carried out purely to reshape and reposition the breast tissue and remove any excess skin - it doesn’t include the removal of breast tissue. If you desire smaller breasts, you can combine an uplift with a breast reduction. For women with large breasts, a reduction can make their breasts less likely to sag again in the future, and prolong the results of an uplift. 

A breast lift will leave some scarring 

There are three established techniques for performing a breast uplift and the method that your surgeon uses will depend on the extent of your sagging, the size of your breasts, and position of your nipple. For light sagging, the scars will be placed around the areola and, if necessary, vertically down the breast (in the shape of a lollipop). Moderately sagging breasts require a small extension of the lollipop incision into the fold beneath the breasts. When a more severe degree of sagging is present, the incision beneath the breasts will be longer, forming an anchor shape. Ultimately, though, all scars are hidden as much as possible and will eventually fade away to become barely noticeable. 

You’ll need to take a little downtime

If you have only an uplift (not implants), recovery is surprisingly quick. That’s because the surgery only involves fatty tissue and skin rather than muscle so it’s less invasive and less painful. You can be up and walking about within a few hours after surgery. Soreness, nerve pain, and inflammation are well controlled with pain meds, however, you will need to avoid exercise and any heavy lifting for four weeks after surgery. If you have a young child who requires lifting you’ll need to make sure you have some help at home.  

You’ll need to quit smoking before a breast uplift

If you’re a smoker (or vaper), you’ll need to ask yourself if you’re prepared to stop smoking for at least six weeks (preferably longer). Your surgeon will ask you to avoid nicotine for three weeks prior to surgery and three weeks post-surgery. It’s especially important for breast uplift surgery because skin is detached in order to be lifted and tightened. During this process, normal blood flow is restricted so it’s vital the remaining blood flow is sufficiently oxygenated, otherwise there’s a greater risk of skin, fat and nipple necrosis.

A breast lift won’t affect your ability to breastfeed in future

A breast uplift will rarely interfere with a woman’s ability to breastfeed. An experienced surgeon will be able to minimise the amount of nerve damage sustained. This is important because nerves trigger the release of prolactin and oxytocin, two hormones that affect milk production and letdown. It is advisable to wait for at least 18-months after having a breast lift before becoming pregnant, giving your nerves time to recover and for full sensation to return.

Your overall silhouette can be improved with a breast lift 

Returning the breasts to their ideal position on the chest can completely transform your figure, making you appear slimmer and better proportioned. However, sometimes, you may have accumulated fat below or above your bra that detracts from your newly shaped breasts. We often perform simultaneous liposuction in the surrounding areas for a better aesthetic result.

We’ll ask you to return to the clinic for postoperative care

If you’re visiting Spain for plastic surgery, you can be discharged and return home after a week. But, ideally, we like all our breast lift patients to visit the clinic on a weekly basis for four weeks to receive postoperative lymphatic drainage massage, which is included in the price. This treatment helps to reduce swelling and speed up healing, leading to a better final result. 

Sometimes it makes sense to wait before having a breast lift 

Breast lift is a procedure with very high satisfaction rates, but it’s important to note that the results can be undone by weight loss, weight gain and pregnancy. Therefore, you need to ask yourself if it’s the right time in your life to undergo the surgery. If you’re planning to become pregnant, it’s better to wait until you’ve completed your family because pregnancy can significantly alter the size and shape of your breasts. Likewise, if you plan to lose weight or your weight routinely fluctuates, it’s advisable to wait until you’ve reached a stable size. This will avoid the need for revision surgery in the future.

Think breast lift surgery could be right for you? Book a free consultation with one of our surgeons and find out more. 

Am I a Good Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?

 Tummy tuck surgery can help you shift stubborn fat deposits and fix loose skin and muscles. If a tighter, more toned tummy is something that interests you, you might be wondering if a tummy tuck is suitable for you? 

In this article, we’ll look at who the ideal candidate is for this type of surgery…

There are a number of factors that dictate whether or not you’re an ideal candidate for abdominoplasty, let’s run through them:

1.Your weight 

Ideally, you should be within 20% of the ideal body weight for your age and height. A tummy tuck isn’t an alternative to a healthy diet and exercise, rather a complement to it. It can be used to help you shift weight that is resistant to diet and exercise and repair stretched muscle and skin (something that no amount of dieting or exercise can do).

Good candidates are often people who’ve had significant weight loss, including those who have had bariatric surgery and have been left with sagging skin and tissue. If you are still overweight or have a significant amount of intra-abdominal fat that surrounds your internal organs, you may need to slim down before considering a tummy tuck.

2. Your health

It’s important that you’re in good general health to undergo a tummy tuck and that your doctor feels it is safe for you to undergo general anesthesia. Your age may be a factor in this, as well as any history of heart issues. You’ll need to talk to your plastic surgeon about your medical history, including any previous abdominal surgery you’ve had, since internal or external scars may affect your candidacy.

If you’re a smoker, you must be prepared to stop smoking for several weeks prior to and after surgery. This is because smoking can cause a delay in wound healing as well as skin necrosis (skin death).

On the other hand, there are health issues that abdominoplasty can be used to treat, including umbilical hernias, keloid scarring, and diastasis recti. Often caused by pregnancy, diastasis recti is a condition where the left and right sides of the abdominal muscles (‘six pack’) separate. 

3. Your body shape

If you have an apple-shaped body, you’ll naturally carry more weight around the midriff. You’ll struggle to achieve a flat tummy or a defined waist through diet and exercise, yet your legs, hips, and bottom may be skinny. Some people are simply genetically predisposed to have a bit of a belly, even if they’re physically in good shape otherwise. These people are perfect for abdominoplasty as it allows them to have the body they’ve worked for in the gym.

Pregnancy can also change your body shape and the areas where you store weight. Hormone fluctuations might mean you lay down more fat on your breasts, tummy, and hips. And you may find your tummy now bulges, where before it was flat. Pregnancy stretches out the muscles of your abdominal wall and often leaves you with stretch marks and excess skin. Women who’ve experienced a change to their abdomen following pregnancy frequently make ideal tummy tuck candidates.

4. Your age

It’s not only pregnancy that can cause loose abdominal muscles and lax skin; the normal aging process can too. As we age, our muscles weaken and lose tone, while our skin also loses elasticity and begins to sag. In addition to this, our metabolism changes and it becomes harder to keep weight off.

This means that our tummies usually don’t look the same at 50 as they did at 20 - even if we’ve maintained a healthy lifestyle. Middle-aged people, both male and female can enjoy huge benefits from abdominoplasty. The surgery, which is usually combined with liposuction, can also tackle other things that creep up on us with age, including love handles, muffin tops, and bra rolls.

5. Your future plans

A tummy tuck is a fairly extensive surgery and it’s also an investment, so you’ll want to maintain the results for as long as possible afterward. If you’re a woman, it’s important to think about your family plans - is it likely you’ll become pregnant again in future? If the answer is yes, it makes sense to wait until you’ve completed your family before having an abdominoplasty. A pregnancy could undo the results of your surgery. The muscles that are repaired can separate again and skin that has been tightened will be stretched, deteriorating the skin quality. 

Equally, gaining or losing a lot of weight will have a detrimental effect on your results. Therefore, if you’re planning on losing weight, you should delay your tummy tuck. An ideal candidate for surgery has reached a stable body weight and established good, sustainable habits when it comes to diet and exercise. 

Are you a good candidate for a tummy tuck? Why not book a free consultation at Ocean Clinic to find out? Visit one of our three clinics or speak to a plastic surgeon by video call.

Q&A with Ocean Clinic's New Surgeon Dr Marco Ranieri

 Ocean Clinic Marbella has welcomed a new plastic surgeon, Dr Marco Ranieri, to the team. 

 

Dr Ranieri hails from Italy and studied medicine at the University of Rome. He went on to specialise in reconstructive plastic surgery at the University of Regensburg in Germany and now has a focus on aesthetics, honing his skills under Ocean Clinic’s surgical director Dr Kai Kaye. 

We asked Dr Ranieri about his new role at Ocean Clinic and what he’s hoping to achieve here in Marbella. 

What attracted you to move to Spain and join Ocean Clinic?

I made my residency in plastic surgery in Germany, which is where I first met Dr Kaye, at a congress in 2016. I’ve been aware of Ocean Clinic and Dr Kaye’s work since then but up until last year, I was focused more on reconstructive surgery.

I decided I wanted to make a change and start to do more aesthetics. I came to Spain and started to work in another clinic doing aesthetic surgery. At the same time, I became a member of the International Society of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery (ISAPS). Dr Kaye is heavily involved with ISAPS and has a month-long fellowship for residents and associate members of the society. For this reason, I came here to do a one-month fellowship. Then Dr Kaye offered me a permanent position and I stayed!

Do you have any particular plastic surgery specialities?

The areas I’m especially interested in are aesthetic breast surgeries, rhinoplasties and also body contouring.

You've published a number of peer-reviewed papers - what subjects have they been on?

I published seven papers about reconstruction surgery while I was a resident at university. The topics have included PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatments, fat stem cells and interaction with hyperbaric oxygenation as well as general oxygen vascularization in the tissue after a surgical procedure.

Are you working on any research projects currently? 

I’ve joined the projects that they’re doing here in the Ocean Clinic. They are doing a lot of projects about dermal fillers and other surgical and non surgical anti-ageing treatments. 

Is there any particular procedure you’re hoping to do more of now you’re at Ocean Clinic?

I would definitely like to focus on face aesthetic surgeries because Dr Kaye is really a master in performing those procedures. And I would also like to do more composite breast augmentation surgeries. Composite means you’re using breast implants and the patient’s own fat. This gives us the possibility to use smaller implants, achieving more natural-looking and longer lasting results. Those are techniques that Dr Kaye uses often and has perfected so it’s something I also want to become specialised in. 

You speak many languages. Are you hoping to attract patients of more nationalities to the clinic?

I hope so! Italian is my first language but I also speak German, English and Spanish. And I’m currently learning Russian. Ocean Clinic has an international client base so being multilingual helps me to effectively communicate with patients.  

And finally, what are you most enjoying about being part of the team at Ocean Clinic?

I’m very much enjoying working with the team because there is very good harmony in the clinic. The life of a surgeon can be very stressful because there is pressure to achieve the best aesthetic results, so if you also work in a stressful environment, that stress is doubled. Here you don’t have that and you can concentrate and enjoy your work.

I’m also happy to be working with Dr Kaye. He is a very good teacher and I’m learning a lot from him every day. My target is that one day I will have the skills that he has and be an excellent all-round aesthetic surgeon.

Want an appointment with Dr Ranieri? Contact Ocean Clinic by telephone: (+34) 951 77 55 18 or by email: info@oceanclinic.net