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Plastic Surgeon Shares His Daughter's Breast Cancer Experience

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Plastic Surgeon Shares His Daughter's Breast Cancer Experience

breast cancer experienceAfter his daughter went through her own breast cancer experience, one plastic surgeon gained new insight into how to care for his patients, as he told savannahnow.com. Plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Laughlin had been treating patients who requested breast reconstruction, as well as a host of cosmetic surgeries for more than 25 years when he learned of his own daughter’s breast cancer diagnosis. From his years in practice, he already had an understanding of the type of breast cancer experience a woman can go through, from diagnosis to reconstruction, but this life-changing event gave him a new perspective, he says. After her breast cancer experience, his daughter Julie has been a survivor for eight years, but throughout the ordeal, Dr. Laughlin says he wanted to make sure she had the best care possible, since her family lived too far away for her to be treated locally. To this end, he kept in close contact with Julie’s physicians, listening to their recommendations and helping her understand the options. Some of the tips Dr. Laughlin gave Julie, and those he may give others going through a similar breast cancer experience were to listen to all of the recommendations of specialists and do her own research. He also stressed the importance of bringing a family member to all consultations because the amount of information can be overwhelming. Now that Julie has beaten breast cancer, Dr. Laughlin says he has learned some valuable takeaways from the breast cancer experience that he can use to help his patients in the future. He says he better understands how families can feel going through countless office visits and procedures. Dr. Laughlin knows the importance of working with each patient individually, allowing her to ask whatever questions she needs to. He also understands the importance of the entire medical team (and family) in helping each patient through her own breast cancer experience. “This whole experience has made me even more understanding and compassionate and, hopefully, a better plastic surgeon,” Dr. Laughlin says. To learn more about your options for breast reconstruction in Denver, please contact Denver plastic surgeon Dr. Mouchantat.

UK Plastic Surgery Tax to Be Implemented?

plastic surgery taxUK plastic surgeons are worried that a new tax on plastic surgery could have a negative impact, according to WebMD. Currently in the UK, a plastic surgery tax only exists on non-surgical treatments like Botox, fillers and laser treatments, a fact that plastic surgeons take no issue with. (In the UK, a VAT tax  or “Value Added Tax” is somewhat similar to sales tax in the US in that consumers must pay it on top of the price for a good or elective service.) Lawmakers in the UK, though, may soon examining whether a plastic surgery tax should apply to elective cosmetic surgeries, like breast augmentation. In the US, patients already pay sales tax on elective plastic surgeries, but not medically-necessary procedures, which are often billed through insurance. Some plastic surgeons in the UK are beginning to speak out against a possible review in the application of VAT, which may cause patients to have to pay a plastic surgery tax when they previously did not need to. Current laws regarding VAT tax stipulate that procedures are tax exempt when the “protection, maintenance or restoration” of health is the main goal. A handful of plastic surgeons argue that changing any of these tax laws could put many patient’s surgical desires in a gray area. Former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. Douglas McGeorge says the common image of plastic surgery is mega-celebrities casually undergoing elective procedures. Rather, he argues, it is members of the general public who choose plastic surgery to improve small aspects of themselves for a positive result. McGeorge uses the image of an older worker undergoing facial rejuvenation to help make themselves more competitive in the workplace. He sees the difficulty in distinguishing between what is a functional improvement and what is purely cosmetic. In response to the worry of some plastic surgeons regarding a new plastic surgery tax, the UK government says they currently have no plans to revise the VAT for cosmetic surgeries. “Medical treatment for purely aesthetic reasons has been, and continues to be, liable to VAT at the standard rate,” it said in a statement. To learn more about options for financing your plastic surgery in Denver, please contact plastic surgeon Dr. Mouchantat.

Patient Sees Cosmetic Benefits from Functional Blepharoplasty

fuctional blepharoplastyThough some procedures may seem purely cosmetic, some patients can gain functional benefits from plastic surgery, too, according to TampaBay.com. When 74-year-old Mary Lou began experiencing vision issues from droopy eyelids, her daughter suggested seeing a plastic surgeon for a functional blepharoplasty. Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is a facial procedure in which excess skin is removed from around the eyes to open them up. While it can be cosmetic, for patients like Mary Lou who experience vision issues, it can also improve function. When she first thought about plastic surgery, Mary Lou was apprehensive about any procedure. She says she always thought she would age gracefully. But after some gentle encouragement from her daughter, she realized the benefits she would gain from functional blepharoplasty were too great to pass up. In her consultation with her plastic surgeon, Mary Lou learned that the cost of her functional blepharoplasty would be covered by Medicare since it was deemed medically necessary. During her consultation, Mary Lou also decided to undergo a laser procedure to improve the look of puffiness under her eyes. This procedure is considered cosmetic, so Mary Lou paid out of pocket. After her successful functional blepharoplasty and laser eye treatment, people say Mary Lou looks 10 and sometimes 20 years younger, she shares. Mary Lou says this sort of procedure can help women look better and feel better about themselves. Mary Lou is not alone in choosing plastic surgery later in life. According to the ASPS, nearly 85,000 plastic surgery procedures were performed on patients over 65 in 2010, a number that continues to grow. And though some may worry that being older puts a patient at a higher risk for complications from surgery, research shows this to not be true. A report published last spring in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found patients over 65 were at no higher risk than younger patients. We encourage you to learn more about how plastic surgery options can improve your function, self-confidence and way of life. Please join the mailing list of Denver plastic surgeon Dr. Mouchantat.

Body Contouring After Weight Loss A Vital Procedure

body contouring after weight lossBody contouring after weight loss may not even be on the radar for some weight loss patients, according to Reuters. Oftentimes after a patient has undergone bariatric surgery which results in dramatic weight loss, they come face to face with the reality of loose skin. When the body has lost such a great amount of weight, the skin has often lost its elasticity and cannot conform to the new, slimmer body shape. Because of this body contouring after weight loss is often necessary for patients to regain ease in their lives. Plastic surgeons from the ASPS, however, have found that patients may not often know about procedures for body contouring after weight loss or may not be able to afford them. In a paper he presented last month at the annual ASPS conference, plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Spector shared the results of a recent survey he conducted. According to Spector, nearly 300 patients participated in the survey. Spector found that only about a quarter of the patients who underwent bariatric surgery discussed options for body contouring with their surgeon prior to the bariatric procedure. Just more that 10% of patients went through with body contouring after weight loss. The main reasons patients gave for not undergoing body contouring after weight loss? Being unaware of their options or the cost of the potential procedure. If they had been better informed, nearly 40% of the patients said they may have made a different decision about body contouring. Though body contouring after weight loss is categorized by most health insurance providers as a cosmetic procedure, plastic surgeons often regard it as reconstructive. They may compare it to breast reconstruction. Loose skin after dramatic weight loss can result in a range of health issues for patients. The folds can become infected or develop skin rashes and it can get caught in tight spaces. Patients with loose skin after dramatic weight loss also have difficulty exercising and finding clothing that fits their new frame. To learn more about body contouring after weight loss, we encourage you to join the mailing list of Denver plastic surgeon Dr. Mouchantat.


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    Dr. Mouchantat has been performing plastic surgery procedures in the Denver area since 1996. Some of these procedures include abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, breast reconstruction, breast reduction, liposuction, face lifts and eyelid surgery. Dr. Mouchantat is experienced in fat grafting techniques as well. Some procedures can be done comfortably in the office under local anesthesia, while others are done in an accredited outpatient surgical facility or hospital setting.

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