Category: Uncategorized

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 14.6 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in 2012. Many people equate cosmetic surgery with plastic surgery, and with millions of cosmetic surgery procedures being performed each year, people often question the difference between a cosmetic surgeon and a plastic surgeon.

Cosmetic Surgeon

Cosmetic surgery is a specialty of medicine that focuses on enhancing a person’s physical appearance through medical and/or surgical techniques. Cosmetic procedures can be performed on all areas of the body, face, and neck.

Any licensed physician may perform cosmetic surgery procedures. Currently, there are no residency programs in the United States devoted exclusively to cosmetic surgery. Any physician who seeks to perform cosmetic surgery may do so, and his/her training and experience is primarily obtained after completing general residency training. A cosmetic surgeon may be a general surgeon, ENT (ears, nose, and throat) specialist, internist, cardiologist, gynecologist, pediatrician, radiologist, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, general practitioner, anesthesiologist, psychiatrist, etc.

In addition, the term “cosmetic surgery” is not a recognized discipline by the American Board of Medical Specialties, which means that there is no such thing as being board certified in cosmetic surgery. Therefore, if a cosmetic surgeon claims to be “board certified,” you should question in what specialty the surgeon is certified.

Plastic Surgeon

Plastic surgery is a specialty of medicine concerned with correcting or restoring form and/or function. This discipline focuses on both reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries.

Reconstructive Plastic Surgery

Reconstructive plastic surgery is intended to correct dysfunctional areas of the body and, as the name implies, is reconstructive in nature. It focuses on facial and body defects caused by birth disorders, trauma, burns, or disease. Types of reconstructive plastic surgery include cranio-facial surgery, e.g., cleft lip or palate; maxilla-facial trauma; burn surgery; and hand/microsurgery.

Cosmetic Surgery (Aesthetic Plastic Surgery)

Many plastic surgeons specialize in cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic plastic surgery encompasses cosmetic surgical procedures that are aesthetic in nature, and it focuses on enhancing a person’s face, neck, and body through surgical techniques. Types of cosmetic plastic surgery include breast augmentation, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), liposuction, rhinoplasty, face lift, etc.

For a physician to become a plastic surgeon, he/she must complete an approved and extensive residency training program in plastic and reconstructive surgery. A plastic surgeon may become certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), which means that he/she has graduated from an accredited medical school and has completed at least five years of additional training as a resident surgeon, including a minimum of two years devoted entirely to plastic surgery. Certification by the ABPS is entirely voluntary, and the physician must pass comprehensive written and oral examinations to become board certified in plastic surgery.

Before undergoing any cosmetic or plastic surgery procedure, it is best to choose a board certified plastic surgeon with years of experience performing the type of surgery you wish to undergo. It is also recommended that you review your surgeon’s before and after photos of prior patients who have undergone this same procedure to see the type of results you may expect to receive.

If you are interested in any cosmetic or plastic surgery procedure, please call The Aesthetic Institute to schedule a consultation with our board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert M. Wald. Dr. Wald is certified by both The American Board of Plastic Surgery and The American Board of Otolaryngology and has years of experience performing many aesthetic plastic surgery procedures. To schedule your consultation with Dr. Wald, please call 888-401-2806 or fill out our online contact form.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 20th, 2013 at 10:19 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.

Lately, it seems that everyone is becoming more health and exercise conscience and looking for ways to better their physique. From cross training to swimming, men and women alike are constantly working on toning and strengthening more than their abdominal region. Simply being thin is no longer good enough, which is why ultra-skinny, frail models and actresses are no longer considered role models for the general public. Toned arms and legs are all the rage right now; but, when hours of exercise and healthy eating no longer provide the desired results, many turn to others forms of body contouring.

Get a Leg Up on the Competition!

There are several ways to achieve healthier looking legs. While some are only temporary fixes, others offer more permanent solutions.

Makeup and Self-Tanners

A quick fix for a night out or special event is using makeup and self-tanners to give the appearance of a toned leg and/or arm. From bronzers and highlighters to spray-on tans, the careful strategic placement of these products can help you achieve a sculpted and healthy look. But, what happens when your next shower washes away the illusion of a muscular thigh? Now, with the help of plastic surgery, you can attain the shape you want with a longer-lasting result.

Implants

Calf implants are nothing new and it seems like these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to surgically enhancing the legs. There are now various procedures that can be performed in order to help men and women achieve a more sculpted and healthy appearance.

Liposuction

One of the more common surgical procedures that offer more permanent results is micro-liposuction, which can be performed around the thighs and even the ankle/calf area. Typically, excess fat in the outer thighs (“saddlebags”) can be difficult to reduce through diet and exercise, which is where micro-liposuction comes into play. Similar to traditional lipoplasty, a metal rod called a cannula is inserted via small incision in the area to be treated; however, this cannula is smaller, more precise, and better suited for the area. This technique can also be used to remove fat in the “cankle” area – the point where the calf/ankle meet and does not show an obvious separation.

Sclerotherapy

In addition to liposuction, patients who suffer from spider veins or other vascular malformation, such as varicose veins, often consider sclerotherapy. This is a non-invasive procedure that takes only minutes to perform. Sclerotherapy entails using a very small need to inject a fluid into the veins in order to reduce their appearance. In many cases, unsightly veins completely disappear!

The best way to determine an appropriate treatment plan for your specific needs is to schedule an appointment with a qualified professional. To learn more about how to achieve healthy, sculpted legs, we encourage to you to contact The Aesthetic Institute. Our board-certified plastic surgeon, Robert M. Wald, Jr., M.D., has years of experience and can help you achieve the look you desire. To schedule your consultation with Dr. Wald, please call us at 888-401-2806 or fill out our online contact form.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013 at 9:11 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.

As the bathing suits are put away, and warmer clothes are brought out, it can only mean that the change of the seasons is here. With fall and winter upon us, some people may be wondering if there is a “best time” to undergo plastic surgery. Although there is no particular time of the year that plastic surgery must be performed, generally the fall and winter months present the best time to undergo plastic surgery. Here are a few reasons why:

Holidays

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve are arguably the three most social holidays of the year. These holidays are also the only time that some people get to see certain family members and friends. To look their best in these yearly situations, people often undergo facial enhancements such as facelift and brow lift surgery.

Covering Up

Scarring is an inevitable part of the surgical process for many surgical procedures. However, the cold weather allows many people to wear many layers of clothing, which cover the body while scars diminish. This allows individuals to feel less self-conscious about being in public directly after undergoing invasive procedures such as a tummy tuck or liposuction.

Recovery Process is Easier

Typically, people have more time off during the fall and winter seasons. Knowing that they can undergo plastic surgery without missing work encourages potential patients to get the breast enhancement they’ve always wanted.

Right now there is no better time of the year to undergo the surgical procedure you desire. To learn more about how you can improve your appearance, contact The Aesthetic Institute today. Call (888) 401-2806 or fill out an online contact form to schedule a consultation with Dr. Robert Wald. Our board-certified plastic surgeon is dedicated to helping you look your best this holiday season.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 7th, 2013 at 5:54 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.

Looking Better is Invigorating

Cosmetic surgery not only makes us look more youthful, but also makes us feel younger. I constantly hear from my patients that they are looked at differently at work and socially following cosmetic surgery. The psychological aspects of this surgery are very uplifting. As we get older we may feel young, but it is depressing to see our aged appearance in the mirror.

Being an Orange County plastic surgery specialist, I find cosmetic surgery to be extremely rewarding. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the psychological changes in people following all kinds of beautification surgery. The fees for this surgery seem quite reasonable considering a person enjoys the benefits of these procedures every day.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 at 11:12 am and is filed under Uncategorized.

Today skin cancer is very frequent. This is due to a large degree from excess sun exposure we have growing up. Occasionally these cancers can be herefitary. Most patients believe that their dermatologists are the best doctors for treating these problems. However when one realizes the extensive surgical training a plastic surgeon receives, it is easy to understand that the quality of surgical care is superior.

Not all plastic surgeons trat skin cancers. For this reason, the patient must inquire of that doctor before making an appointment.

In my practice I see several patients a day for facial and body lesions. My first step is to determine whether a biopsy needs to be done. If the lesion appears to be suspicious for skin cancer, a shave biopsy is performed and the ledion is sent to the lab. After the pathologist examines the lesion and the diagnosis is skin cancer, treatment options are discussed. In most cases, minor surgery is required to remove the lesion. Frozen sections or immediate pathological examination is performed to insure free margins around the tumor. At this time, reconstruction using skin flaps or skin graft is performed. After several months of healing, these surgical scars blend well with minimal, if any deformity. The doctors in my community realize the superior cosmetic appearance following a plastic surgeons care and treatment of these problems. It is important that the patient realizes the advantages of a plastic surgeon performing skin cancer excision and reconstruction.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 24th, 2008 at 4:42 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.