Before:

After:

June 2010: The weather forecast finally calls for a week of sunshine coming up, and it seems like folks are getting geared up for the nicer weather.  Lots of patients came in last month for liposuction procedures, and this patient really stuck out in my mind as someone who is a perfect example of how liposuction can really improve an area of fat that is stubborn and won’t respond to diet and exercise.  This 40 year old woman is very fit and athletic, works out regularly and eats right, but simply couldn’t get her tummy to look the way she wanted it to.  Utilizing liposuction, I was able to remove the excess fat of her upper and lower abdomen and create a nicer balance with the rest of her body.  The postop photo is taken at 6 weeks after her procedure and shows an improved contour of her abdomen and an overall more fit, leaner look.

Before:

After:

May 2010: I saw a lot of patients for tummy tucks last month, so it seems like warmer weather is (hopefully) just around the corner.  This young woman had had several kids and the pregnancies had left her tummy with lots of loose skin as well as loose muscle.  She also had some extra fat on her hips which really took away from how athletic and thin her body actually is.  I did a tummy tuck as well as some liposuction on the hips, and we kept the incisions really flat and low so that she could still wear low-cut underwear or bikinis that sit below her hip bones.  The After photo, taken 6 weeks after her procedure, shows both a flatter tummy as well as a narrower waistline, with an incision hidden below her underwear.

Before:

After:

April 2010: Spring still doesn’t feel like it’s here yet, but lots of my patients, especially the moms with kids in school, are planning their Mommy Makeovers before the kids are off for the summer.  The patient featured this month had had children and was unhappy with the shape of her breasts and the loose skin and muscles of her belly.  For her Mommy Makeover, I performed a breast lift and a tummy tuck.  We were able to flatten her stomach, narrow her waist, and create fullness for her breast without an implant.  Her postop photos are taken at three months after her procedure (you can find some of her earlier postop photos in my gallery) and we’re both very pleased with her results:

Before Mommy Makeover:

After Mommy Makeover:

March 2010: Spring is not quite here yet, but we’re hoping!  The case for this month is of a lovely, active woman whose breasts changed dramatically after having had children.  They not only began to sag but also lost a lot of their fullness.  For breasts that have both dropped a bit as well as lost their fullness, one nice option is a breast augmentation with a lift (augmentation/mastopexy) in which we’ll both place an implant as well as lift the breast.  In this particular patient, we were able to do so with incisions only around the areola, so they will hide over time.  The other key part of this procedure is to make sure that the breasts are in balance with the rest of the patient’s physique, and I think we achieved this goal, as seen in the after photos taken about 6 weeks after the procedure.

Before Breast Augmentation and Lift:

After Breast Augmentation and Lift:

February 2010: Valentine’s Day is approaching, and everyone wants to look their best!  We had a great month in January with lots of patients coming back for their follow-up photos, and this patient really stood out for me.  She wanted facial rejuvenation but not an “operated on” look.  Together, we decided on a lower face and neck lift as well as an endoscopic browlift.  This browlift is done through tiny incision that are in the scalp and gives a very natural final result.  Her postop photos below are taken 6 weeks after her procedure, and show improvement of her jawline, her neckline, and the position of the brow, without a pulled look:

Before Facelift and Browlift:

After Facelift and Browlift:

January 2010:  Happy New Year to everyone!  December was very busy with lots of patients having cosmetic procedures to help them look their best and bring in the new year in style.  One of my patients was interested in breast augmentation to achieve a more feminine shape, and I think she had a great result. She went from an A cup to about a C, and we used the new generation cohesive gel breast implants which have given her a lovely, natural look.  The “After” photos were taken about 5 weeks after her procedure, and during the next few months, her incision will continue to fade.

Before Breast Augmentation:

After Breast Augmentation:

November 2009: This past month I had some really wonderful patients– they were great to work with and I enjoyed taking care of them.  This gentleman was interested in an overall refinement of his profile, but still wanted to maintain a nice masculine look.  I performed a rhinoplasty for him and focused on reducing the hump, softening and gently elevating his tip.  I think he had a very nice final result which is in good balance with the rest of his facial features. The after photo shown here is about 6 weeks after his procedure, and you can see more of his photos in our photo gallery.

Before Rhinoplasty:

After Rhinoplasty:

Dr. Salemy’s Mother’s Day Seminar is Here!

I’m pleased to be holding an informational seminar on Thursday May 6th at Truce Spa in Bellevue.  In honor of Mother’s Day, there will be food and refreshments as well as an event raffle open to all who attend.  Information on the event is below and we hope to see you there!

Please join Dr. Salemy at a very special winter event hosted by Dermavita Medispa!

Our January Seminar is here!  Please join Dr. Salemy for a seminar on Cosmetic Surgery and Advanced skin care on Thursday, January 28th.  The seminar will be held at Dermavita Medispa in Kirkland, one of the eastside’s most well-respected and cutting edge spas.  The seminar will cover the full range of cosmetic surgery, including Mommy Makeovers, minimally invasive facial rejuvenation, and breast enhancement, as well as medical-grade skin care and spa services.  Space is limited, so please RSVP to Dermavita Medispa at the number below!

When:   Thursday, January 28th, 7 pm

Where:  Dermavita Medispa

11 Lake Street Kirkland, WA 98033

RSVP: Dermavita, (425) 739-0808 by Monday January 25th

Dr. Salemy’s Mother’s Day Seminar is Here!

I’m pleased to be holding an informational seminar on Thursday May 6th at Truce Spa in Bellevue.  In honor of Mother’s Day, there will be food and refreshments as well as an event raffle open to all who attend.  Information on the event is below and we hope to see you there!

Please join Dr. Salemy at a very special winter event hosted by Dermavita Medispa!

Our January Seminar is here!  Please join Dr. Salemy for a seminar on Cosmetic Surgery and Advanced skin care on Thursday, January 28th.  The seminar will be held at Dermavita Medispa in Kirkland, one of the eastside’s most well-respected and cutting edge spas.  The seminar will cover the full range of cosmetic surgery, including Mommy Makeovers, minimally invasive facial rejuvenation, and breast enhancement, as well as medical-grade skin care and spa services.  Space is limited, so please RSVP to Dermavita Medispa at the number below!

When:   Thursday, January 28th, 7 pm

Where:  Dermavita Medispa

11 Lake Street Kirkland, WA 98033

RSVP: Dermavita, (425) 739-0808 by Monday January 25th

The Holidays are Coming!  We want you looking your best for those holiday parties,   so we’ve set up a couple of very special offers for both our new and returning      patients:

1) In the months of November and December, enjoy $50 off of your first syringe of Juvederm Ultra or Ultra Plus and $100 off of your second syringe.

2) Also in November and December, take $50 off of each Botox Cosmetic Treatment, or $100 off when you combine this treatment with a Juvederm session.

We look forward to seeing you and having you look your best this Holiday Season!

Each year Washington Life Magazine, located in Washington DC, puts out a list of the capital area’s 250 most influential people under the age of 40.  As I’m living and practicing happily in Seattle now, I’ll unfortunately miss the big party for those who make the list (it was a lot of fun in 2009) but it’s still an honor and I’m looking forward to hearing about the evening’s festivities from my friends back east.

Here’s the link to this year’s full list of honorees:

http://www.washingtonlife.com/2010/02/19/2010-the-young-and-the-guest-list/

MAKE SURE YOUR PLASTIC SURGEON IS PROPERLY TRAINED AND BOARD CERTIFIED:  As plastic surgeons, we are constantly pushed throughout our training to make safety our first priority.  This starts in medical school, continues through our 6 or 7 year training programs, and is a critical element in our written and oral board examinations.  It’s quite clear that without a “safety first” attitude, in is difficult if not impossible to pass the American Board of Plastic Surgery oral board examination– for these reasons, having a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon perform your procedure can give you at least some reassurance that your surgeon has been trained properly with an emphasis on patient safety in mind.

MAKE SURE THE FACILITY IS FULLY ACCREDITED.  You would be surprised how many facilities that perform cosmetic surgery are not fully accredited and properly staffed.  While there are several accrediting bodies, one common one (and the one we use for our office) is AAAASF.  Being AAAASF-certified means not only that the facility itself is adhering to very strict guidelines and regular inspections, but it also sets guidelines on how patients are monitored after surgery- this is especially critical in liposuction (and in fact in all cosmetic surgery when any anesthesia other than local anesthetic is used) where it is vital that the patient has a caregiver stay with them overnight.

ASK QUESTIONS UNTIL YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE: Patients often feel awkward asking their doctors questions about their procedures, but you shouldn’t.  It’s a big investment and commitment to have surgery, so you should feel that you have been fully informed about all aspects of the procedure.  If you don’t, or if you feel uncomfortable about the situation in any way, you may want to reconsider your options.

http://www.king5.com/news/Woman-dies-following-liposuction-in-bellevue-70210047.html#mce_temp_url#

Call our office at 206-464-0873 to reserve your appointment as space is limited for this event.

The key is to spend some time discussing your specific goals with your surgeon, seek more than one consult, and then decide if the procedure AND the surgeon are right for you.  I think it can also be helpful to speak with some former patients to see not only what their experience was like but also if they continue to be happy with their results.  Finally, it’s important to understand that while revisions are rare, they do happen, and the rate of revision varies with the surgeon and the procedure, so ask your surgeon about his or her specific experience and his financial policy in the event you need a revision.

Here’s the link to the article online– great reading I think:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/fashion/29Skin.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=plastic%20surgery&st=cse

Patients interested in improving the appearance of their nose have often heard of “open” and “closed” rhinoplasties, and are curious as to the difference.  The basic difference is that a closed rhinoplasty is performed with incisions just inside the nose, while an open rhinoplasty uses incisions both inside the nose as well as one on the skin of the nose that connects the tip of the nose with the top part of the upper lip (a bridge of skin known as the columella).  What is more important than the incisions is the vision of the surgeon as to what can be achieved through surgery and how to combine this with your specific goals for the procedure.   I personally perform a closed rhinoplasty, but I think that you can get a great result with either approach.

Breast Reduction Surgery: The basics