female plastic surgeon

Allyson B. Maske, MD

Eliminate the Signs of Aging with Eyelid Surgery

When a man or women gets older, one of the first places to show signs of aging is around the eyes. The eyes are the most expressive part of the face, and as we age, our skin loses its elasticity, which often causes sagging and excess skin to develop around the eyes. Though we cannot fully prohibit this natural occurrence, eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, can help alleviate some of the symptoms of aging, and give you a more youthful and rested appearance.

Eliminate the Signs of Aging with Eyelid SurgeryPatients who are ideal candidates for blepharoplasty are individuals who feel as though their upper and/or lower eyelids are too droopy, saggy, or puffy and who don’t have any medical conditions that can impair healing. If you do suffer from any pre-existing conditions, it’s crucial that you let me know during your consultation in order to ensure safety and minimize your risk of potential complications.

I can perform eyelid surgery on either the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both by making an incision along the natural crease of the eyelid or the lower lash line in order to minimize the appearance of scars. An upper blepharoplasty can minimize the appearance of bagginess and puffiness in the upper brow area, remove the loose and sagging skin that creates folds and “hooding” around the eyes, and can improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Lower blepharoplasty can significantly minimize the appearance of under-eye bags and puffiness under the eyes, while improving the appearance of lines and wrinkles in the lower eyelids and removing and reshaping fat deposits to restore the eyes and provide a more youthful eyelid surgery result.

While recovery time varies from person to person, most of my patients require rest and downtime for the first few days to allow swelling or bruising to subside. Most of my patients typically return to work within a week or two.

If you are interested in eyelid surgery, or any of the cosmetic procedures I perform, please contact my office to schedule your appointment today. Be sure to also connect with me, Dr. Allyson Maske, on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

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Post-Pregnancy: Breast Procedures to Restore Your Appearance

As a mother of two I can understand how busy a new mother can be, not to mention pregnancy and motherhood bring about many changes in a woman’s life. Some of the most significant changes that occur following pregnancy are those that occur in the breasts. During pregnancy a woman’s breasts become larger as her body prepares for nursing.  Several days after she gives birth, the breasts grow even fuller and heavier as the milk is produced.  Due to the natural shifting in size and weight, inevitably stretching and ptosis, or sagging of the breasts, is a common result.  There is very little that one can do to avoid this; it is an outcome of aging and eventually occurs in all women whether they become pregnant or not. To address such concerns, I recommend a breast reduction, breast augmentation and/or a breast lift to give your breasts a more youthful and perkier look.

Even though most mothers desire to have their pre-pregnancy bodies back, I understand some are hesitant to pursue surgery because they are worried about complications or extended recovery time. I advise women to wait until they are finished having children before considering any kind of breast procedure as additional pregnancies can ultimately affect plastic surgery results. However, if waiting is not an option for you I have broken down these breast procedures to determine what is best for your needs:

Breast Procedures to Restore Your AppearanceBreast Reduction: The goal of breast reduction is to remove excess fat, glandular tissue, and skin from the breast in order to make them smaller, lighter, and more firm.  Women who are best suited for this procedure are those who have breasts that hang low and have stretched skin, whose nipples rest below the breast crease when the breasts are unsupported, or who have enlarged areolas caused by stretching. Typically, after the incision is made, the nipple is repositioned to a higher place on the breast and if necessary, the size of the areola can be reduced. Then underlying breast tissue is reduced, lifted, and reshaped.

Breast Augmentation: Breast augmentation surgery is ideal for patients whose breasts have lost firmness or have decreased in size due to childbearing and/or breastfeeding and wish to enhance the size and shape of the breasts for a fuller, more proportionate look.  As each woman’s cosmetic goals are unique, the correct type of breast implant will be determined during your consultation with me and you’ll have the opportunity to try on various implant sizes and types to determine the best fit for your frame.

Many of my patients prefer visual examples when deciding which procedures are best suited for them.  To help guide you through your decision process, I provide Vectra® M3 digital imaging which is a new technology that gives you the opportunity to preview their cosmetic results through simulations.  Capturing three-dimensional images, Vectra® technology allows you to “try on” different implants and view results from any angle to increase their expectations and improve satisfaction of your final results.

Breast Lift: I perform breast lifts by raising the breasts to a higher position by removing excess, sagging skin and tightening the surrounding breast tissue. Breast lift surgery is designed to correct breasts that have a flatter, elongated shape or are pendulous. Additionally, there are some cases where the nipples have fallen below the breast crease or have started to point downward. Breast lifts can also be safely combined with either breast augmentation or breast reduction to further accommodate the patient’s overall aesthetic objectives.

With pressure for mothers to instantly bounce back to care giving and busy schedules, patients need time to properly recover. Mothers will need additional help for the first few days to refrain from heavy lifting or strenuous activity. Share your plan with family or friends so they will know what to expect and how to best assist you after surgery. The average downtime for a patient varies from two to four weeks depending on the breast procedure performed, so it is necessary to arrange for extra help at home.

If you are interested in a procedure I perform, please contact my office to schedule a consultation today. Additionally, Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. provides a variety of options for financing, including CareCredit℠, to assist you.  Don’t forget to connect with me, Dr. Allyson Maske, on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

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Breast Lift Surgery FAQs

The effects of aging, gravity, weight gain, pregnancy, and breastfeeding can take a toll on the body, especially in the breasts which over time gradually lose their shape and firmness. To address such concerns, breast lift surgery, or mastopexy, helps to lift and firm breasts that may have begun to sag or droop with age. A breast lift raises the breasts to a higher position by removing excess, sagging skin and tightening the surrounding breast tissue to give a firmer, perkier appearance. For those of you who are considering mastoplexy, I have shared some common questions my patients typically ask before/after undergoing surgery:

Breast Lift Surgery FAQsQ: Who is a good candidate for breast lift surgery?
A: The ideal candidate for breast lift surgery is an individual who is physically healthy, maintains a stable weight, and is satisfied with their breast size, but whose breasts are pendulous, saggy, lack firmness, and have irregular nipple placement. Most commonly, patients seek breast lift surgery after the changes that come with pregnancy and childbirth. As a mother myself, I understand the effects that breastfeeding, childbearing, and the overall signs of aging can have on a woman’s body.

Q: How is breast lift surgery performed?
A: During a breast lift procedure, excess skin is trimmed and the underlying breast tissue is then reshaped and lifted to improve breast contour and shape. Based on each individual case, the nipple and areola may also be reduced and/or repositioned to a more natural-looking position. Excess skin will also be removed in order to reshape the breast and improve breast appearance.

Typically, a breast lift is often combined with breast augmentation if you desire more fullness in the upper portion of the breast and/or you would like your breasts to be a bit larger. Based on patients’ size and what they can support, any size breast implant can be useful for this purpose. Breast augmentation surgery is performed by surgically inserting saline or silicone implants to enhance the size and shape of the breasts. During consultations, I use Vectra® M3 Imaging to allow my patients to virtually preview their potential plastic surgery results using three-dimensional simulation technology which can help in the decision making process.

Q: What is the difference between a breast reduction and breast lift?
A: A breast reduction procedure decreases the size of the breasts in order to create more manageable sized breasts that won’t inhibit daily activities or cause physical pain. A breast lift is meant to restore the natural shape and proportion to sagging breasts, but doesn’t change the overall size of the breast. It is common for me to perform breast lift surgery in conjunction with a breast reduction.

I often receive numerous questions regarding breast surgery and I will do my very best to answer each and every one of them. If you are interested in a procedure I perform, please contact my office to schedule a consultation today. Additionally, Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. provides a variety of options for financing, including CareCredit℠, to assist you.  Don’t forget to connect with me, Dr. Allyson Maske, on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

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Reshape Your Midsection with Tummy Tuck Surgery

Now that summer is over and the fall, crisp weather has rolled in, it’s the perfect time to schedule your cosmetic treatment before the upcoming holiday season gets underway. Patients often opt for body contouring procedures during this time of year as they may have more downtime to properly recover. There are many contributing factors including age, genetics, pregnancy, or weight fluctuation that can all affect the appearance of the midsection. Even following the most focused exercise and diet regimen, the abdomen is a common area where most patients struggle with stubborn, unwanted fat and/or excess skin. To help my patients achieve a firmer, smoother abdominal area, I perform tummy tuck surgery, also known as abdominoplasty.

Post-Pregnancy Tummy Tuck for Diastasis RectiIdeal tummy tuck candidates are mothers who are finished having children or those who have had weight loss surgery and wish to also eliminate excess skin. Prior to undergoing tummy tuck surgery, I can recommend a number of safe and effective exercises that can strengthen the abdominals without placing a lot of stress on the area. During an abdominoplasty, a horizontal incision is made below the navel, excess fat is removed, and weakened muscles are tightened. Loose skin is then removed and the navel is repositioned if necessary. The incision is placed low enough so scars will be hidden by undergarments or a swim suit. If you still have remaining areas of unwanted fat in surrounding areas such as the back, hips, or flanks, I often perform liposuction in conjunction with a tummy tuck to reshape and slim your figure by suctioning the fat deposits from the body.

Recovery time following surgery differs for each individual. Typically, I tell my patients that they can return to their jobs and daily routine within one to three weeks. It is important to schedule your follow-up appointments and maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine in order to sustain your results. I remind my patients that while body contouring procedures can help you achieve personal cosmetic surgery goals, it should not be a substitute for weight loss or a healthy lifestyle.

If you’re interested in abdominoplasty or other plastic surgery procedures I perform, please contact my office to schedule a consultation today. Additionally, Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. provides a variety of options for financing, including Care Credit® to assist with many of the cosmetic procedures I perform.  Please contact us with any questions you may have concerning the financial planning of your procedure.  Be sure to also connect with me, Dr. Allyson Maske, on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

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