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Question: What is
Plastic Surgery?
Answer: Plastic surgery is a surgical method that can restore and improve both
function and appearance. Plastic surgery gets its name from the Greek word plastikos,
which means "to mold" or "to shape." Egyptian papyrus
inscriptions dating to 2550 BC suggest that plastic surgery is the oldest form
of surgery. In the United States, Dr. John Roe, an otolaryngologist-head and
neck surgeon from Rochester, NY reported the first rhinoplasty for aesthetic
purposes in 1887. In the 1900s, facial plastic surgery grew during World War I
when surgeons reconstructed the shattered faces of countless soldiers. One
notable surgeon, Jacques Joseph, significantly advanced the art and science of
rhinoplasty and facial plastic surgery during this time. Joseph also recognized
the positive effects that improving the appearance of his patients had upon
their spirit and personality.
In modern times, with the attention we devote to appearance, plastic surgery
has received great impetus. While clothes, hairstyles, and cosmetics are all
temporary improvements, the results of plastic surgery are relatively
long-lasting. Most people seeking plastic surgery have very realistic
expectations. More than 2 million people in the US undergo facial surgery each
year (source - The Face Book: The Pros and Cons of Facial Plastic Surgery).
More than 500,000 people per year seek aesthetic surgical changes to their nose (rhinoplasty).
Upper and lower eyelid tucks (blepharoplasty) have also become increasingly
popular, especially among professionals who hold positions in which a lot of eye
contact is necessary. Advances in technology have led to relatively new
techniques, such as laser resurfacing, that provide significant facial
rejuvenation. Facelift is perhaps the most commonly thought of procedure when
one thinks of facial plastic surgery; increasingly, a well-educated patient
population is presenting at younger ages (mid-to-late 40s and early 50s) when
the skin is still supple, and before excessive effects of gravity require a more
dramatic and therefore more obvious surgical intervention. The objective of cosmetic surgery is to make you look as good as you can.
Surgery cannot do more than that. While styles and fashions are constantly in
flux, the norms of a beautiful face have changed little over the past 200 years.
The goal of the surgeon is to produce "natural" facial features,
thereby improving appearance. The degree of success depends both on the
technical, analytic and artistic skills of the surgeon and also on the
limitations inherent in each patient's type of skin, bone structure and
healing capacities. Expect your surgeon to point out and explain factually
and honestly - any limitations that may exist.
Cosmetic surgical procedures have been repeated successfully countless times
and are dependable when executed by experienced surgeons. Plastic surgery is a
combination of art and science, and as such can be subject to unpredictables
usually minor in nature. No surgical procedure should be taken lightly; a slight
but real risk is involved in all surgery. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority
of plastic surgery results are highly satisfactory and pleasing when accompanied
by careful presurgical planning, meticulous surgery, and full patient
cooperation. There are a number of popular textbooks on facial plastic surgery. For those
interested in reading more on this subject, I recommend The Face Book: The
Pros and Cons of Facial Plastic Surgery. This text was prepared for the
interested non-physician by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), and may be obtained through your local
bookstore or by calling the AAFPRS at 703 299-9291.
Answer: Beauty is obvious to the observer but is difficult to quantify. Many believe
that our concepts of beauty originated with the Egyptians and from Greco-Roman
tradition. The image of Queen Nofretete (@ 1350BC) remains influential even in
these modern times. The Egyptian aesthetic ideal included a broad face, aquiline
nose, prominent eyes, full lips, and a relatively prominent chin. Our historic
concept of beauty and our "standards" for facial proportions also
derive from Greco-Roman tradition. During the Renaissance, masters such as
Leonardo da Vinci undertook artistic and mathematical facial analysis that influence our ideas
about beauty to this very day.
Wisdom and experience are revered and respected in our society. At the same
time, a youthful, vibrant appearance is considered more attractive than a tired,
worn appearance. For this reason, many plastic surgical procedures are designed
to "rejuvenate" the face, to restore a youthful appearance while
maintaining the "personality" of the face.
Patients seeking plastic surgery typically have a clear idea of the changes
they desire. Patients seeking facelift or eyelid surgery recognize a tired,
sagging appearance and request a rejuvenated appearance. A patient seeking
rhinoplasty may request a smaller, thinner nose. All across the United States,
and abroad, patients come to their plastic surgeons with essentially similar
requests.
My goal as a facial plastic surgeon is to achieve a rejuvenated, unoperated appearance.
Recognition of your favorable facial features and making conservative changes that create a
harmonious facial appearance based on a time-tested aesthetic ideal repeatedly results in the best
result -- a happy patient.
Answer: While there seems to be agreement that some facial attributes are more
desirable than others, a difficult question to answer is why some facial
features seem preferable. Are our conceptions of beauty subjective, and
culturally defined? Are they simply "the latest style?" Or is there a
timeless aesthetic ideal, a biological basis for facial beauty?
Through the ages, people have wondered if our concepts of facial beauty are subjective, that
is to
say culturally defined, or if instead there is a timeless aesthetic ideal, a biological basis for facial
beauty. It appears that there is a biological basis for our concepts of facial beauty, but
these concepts can be influenced by social trends and styles.
Recent scientific articles have outlined our expanded knowledge of the biological basis of
facial beauty (Dr. Wayne
Larrabee, "Facial Beauty: Myth or Reality?" in Archives of
Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Vol 123:571-572, 1997, and Dr. Seth
Yellin, "Aesthetics for the Next Millenium" in Facial Plastic
Surgery Monographs, Vol 13(4):231-239, 1997). Perhaps the most compelling study
revealed that even 2 month old infants preferred to look at faces that adults found attractive. This
suggests that the concept of a pretty face that we have as an adult exists in our minds as early as 2
months of age. The implication of this study is that our concepts of what constitutes a "pretty
face" are not learned but are "hard-wired" into our brain from the very beginning. This study and
others do not explain why we find particular facial patterns more aesthetically pleasing than
others. Nevertheless, the scientific literature supports the view that our perceptions of facial
beauty are based on a complex mix of evolutionary biological characteristics.
Interwoven with the concept of a "timeless ideal" for facial beauty are "styles" or trends that
sweep through our aesthetic sensibility.
In the 1960s many rhinoplasty patients sought a small, cute homogenous design.
Just as the so-called "sweet and adorable" noses of this time period
are often now viewed with distaste, the "overly rejuvenated" face from
an "overdone" facelift looks operated, unnatural, and hence
unattractive. Happily, the empowerment of women in the late 20th
century has effected a change in the ideal female American face, with a return
to more classic, time-tested ideals.
Answer: Advanced technology provides opportunities for improved results and
faster recovery. For example, botox is a relatively recent
medical advance that provides a
fairly simple way to treat certain bothersome lines and wrinkles, specifically the
"crow's feet," forehead furrows, and others. Botox is a chemical that the surgeon can
inject into the muscles that are responsible for specific lines or wrinkles. The botox then weakens
or partially paralyzes these muscles, thereby causing the wrinkles to soften or smooth.
Another technologic advance is laser technology. In the proper hands, lasers for facial lines and
wrinkles are a significant advance over deep skin peels (ex phenol peels) and dermabrasion
(mechanical sanding).
The use of endoscopes allows surgeons to perform certain procedures using smaller
incisions, so there are smaller scars and faster recovery occurs. The most common endoscopic
plastic surgical procedure is the endoscopic browlift.
Advances in instrument design allow us to perform surgical procedures with increased
precision and with less trauma to the tissues. This provides the opportunity for a better
surgical result and decreased recovery time. For over 7 years I have worked with
instrument companies in the development of improved instrumentation for facial plastic
surgical procedures. A few of them are listed below:
Answer: If you have a few simple questions prior to a visit to our office, you may e- mail our office. We will try to answer your specific questions. If you are interested in more detailed evaluation prior to seeing me in the office, you may contact our office by email or by regular mail. For the best feedback, we advise that you provide as much information as possible: Indicate what your specific areas of interest are. Closeup pictures of your face from the front and the side are important. You may use any camera, but try to provide pictures as close-up as the pictures in this website. If you are not using a digital camera, then your local camera store can have your pictures digitalized when you turn the film in to be developed. If it is more convenient for you to work with hard copies, then simply mail them to us. It is helpful and important for me to know about your medical history. Please download the Patient Questionnaire, fill it out, and return it to me with your pictures. We will need to see you in the office prior to surgery. However, if our long distance evaluation is adequate, then this office visit may be scheduled for a day or two just prior to surgery if that is more convenient for you. Please remember that e-mail is not a secure and confidential way to communicate. If that is a concern to you, then communicate with our office by phone or mail.
Answer: We have included specific instructions for each procedure (example Facelift, Laser Resurfacing, Rhinoplasty, etc ) under that procedure, because instructions do vary. We hope that this information answers your questions; of course, if you have further questions, please contact us. There are some general instructions that are important for any facial plastic surgical procedure. These may be found here: On the day of surgery, it is preferable that you wear clothes that button up the front rather than clothes that must be pulled over your head, such as sweaters, t-shirts, etc because button- up shirts are easier to put on and off after facial surgery. Remember, DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN or other similar products (ex. Motrin, Advil, Excedrin, Ibuprofen, Naprosyn, etc ) for 2 weeks prior to surgery. This is important because these products can result in increased bleeding during surgery. For headaches and other pain during this time, you may take Tylenol. Some herbal products, such as Gingko biloba, also may increase bleeding during surgery. Please notify your surgeon during your office visit about any herbal products you take so we may advise you about whether you may use them in the weeks prior to surgery. Whenever undergoing a procedure under sedation anesthesia or general anesthesia, you must not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before surgery. Without exception, someone must be with you to take you home after any procedure in which sedation or general anesthesia is used.
Answer: We are located in Sewell, NJ and Dr. Becker operates at Kennedy Hospital's state-of-the-art surgical center. For detailed directions and maps, please click here.
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