Ask A Doctor - Plastic Surgery

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Q.
What does an upper arm lift involve and how long is the typical recovery time?
A.
Patients who have lost a significant amount of body weight often present with excess skin involving the arms. This is especially true after bariatric (weight loss) surgery where patients typically lose greater than 100 pounds. Excess skin is removed from the arms and the final scars are placed in the inner aspect of the upper arm. Depending on the degree of skin excess, the scar sometimes extends down to the elbow. Most patients are very pleased with the contour improvement after this surgery and consider the potentially permanent and visible nature of the scars to be a welcome tradeoff. Finally, scars fade considerably in 6-12 months in most cases.

Q.
What treatments are available for Varicose veins/spider veins? How long is the recovery period? Who is a good candidate?
A.
Spider veins are a common complaint in patients who typically stand on their feet all day. Over a number of years, these spider veins become more prominent and this prompts patients to seek treatment. Treatment options include selerotherapy (saline injections) or laser treatments (our preferred method). Laser therapy is very effective and requires little to no down time. Multiple treatments, depending on the number of veins, present are required. The most typical treatment locations include the legs and face and the treatments must be done on un-tanned skin. Overall, the best candidates for laser treatment have a fair skin type. In contrast, Varicose veins are large, typically painful, dilated veins that require a vascular surgeon to treat.