WINTER NEWSLETTER 2008

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Cosmetic Tourism – Patients from around the Globe

When comparing the benefits of having Smartlipo over traditional Liposuction, its no wonder that SmartLipo is gaining popularity both here in the United States and abroad.

Over the past year New Image Cosmetic Surgery has been receiving an influx of patients from not only across the United States but from Brazil, China, Japan, Ireland, Australia Turkey, England and Canada.

I recently spoke to a patient who flew in from Baltimore, Maryland to find out how she heard about Dr. Shafer and New Image Cosmetic Surgery and this is what she had to say.

Toni: "How did you hear about us?"

Patient: "I had thought about having traditional Liposuction but from what I saw on TV I was really put off. I decided to do some research to find out if there was any new or up and coming procedures that would be less traumatic on the body but still deliver the results that I was looking for. In my research I came across SmartLipo and found Dr. Schafer."

Toni: "What factors compelled you to schedule your surgery with Dr. Schafer instead of a cosmetic surgeon on the East Coast?"

Patient: "I wanted to have lip-sculpture for a very long time and I was very nervous about the procedure. I wanted to make sure that the surgeon was not only reputable but understood what I was hoping to achieve.

"I was very impressed with Dr. Schafer because of his wealth of experience not only with traditional liposuction but that he has also performed over 400 Smartlipo procedures. That was really the wow! factor for me.

"The staff is very friendly and I felt like my best interest was the most important thing. They helped me set up my hotel and offered me a car service to get back and forth from the center. It was a great experience and I would do it all again."

Patients coming from out of town will usually arrive in San Diego the day before surgery. A pre-operative appointment is arranged that day. Transportation is provided the day of surgery both to and from the procedure. A follow up appointment is scheduled the morning after surgery and then the patient is able to fly back home. It is recommended that Dr. Schafer do a follow up visit one month after surgery to be sure the patient is healing well and for post operative photos.

Why Do I Bruise So Easily?

A bruise develops when small blood vessels under the skin tear or rupture.

About 1 in 10 persons have the tendency to bruise. A bruised area can be treated with the Erchonia Laser, a low energy laser. The laser will speed the healing but won't damage the skin and is not painful. Treatment takes about 15 minutes and can be done up to three times per week. Studies show about 50% improvement in bruising after each treatment.

Topical creams and gels can also speed up healing time. Bromelain (pineapple enzyme) and Arnica Montana are natural supplements available over the counter at most Health Food Stores (Henry's, GNC, etc.)

To minimize bruising during a treatment or after a procedure, the following recommendations can be helpful:

• Avoid NSAIDS (Aspirin, Motrin, Aleve, etc) Tylenol is okay up to one week prior to treatment.
• Take or apply Arnica Montana at least 3 days before a planned treatment and can be continued for 10 days post treatment.
• Mephyton (prescription Vitamin K) should be started one week before a procedure.
• For procedures involving a local anesthetic, epinephrine is used to coagulate the blood vessels and the use of ice both before and after treatment is helpful.
• Apply ice immediately and elevate the area treated above the heart.

Dr. Schafer uses Mephyton and Arnica Montana in his Rapid Recovery Program.

Male Breast Reduction – A topic not often talked about

Gynecomastia is breast development that occurs in men.

It can happen at any age and for a number of reasons. During the teen years when one or both breasts can become enlarged and the breast or breasts can be tender and grow unevenly. Hormonal changes of puberty are the usual cause of what can be a very embarrassing problem. The condition will usually disappear after a few months. A doctor can diagnose and monitor progress. If the breasts are abnormally large and causing psychological problems, surgery may be indicated.

Increasing breast size in adult males is almost always due to an increase in testosterone, which results in fat over the pectoral region. If male breasts suddenly increase in size and/or become painful, then medical diagnosis is required.

In old age, hormonal imbalances may be the cause.

Dr. Schafer's technique for removing the unwanted tissue has been published in medical papers and he has lectured extensively on the procedure as well.

The surgical removal of the tissue involves two small incisions hidden in the armpit. There are no scars on the chest itself.

The procedure is performed in the office under local anesthesia. It takes approximately 30 minutes per side and a compression vest is worn for about 10 days.

The patient is able to return to work in 2 days.