Atlanta Plastic Surgery Blog...

02/18/13 - Dr Bedford: Board Certified by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Dr. Susann Bedford is a board-certified plastic surgeon. That’s not just a nice-sounding title — it’s an important designation that could save your life. While many doctors and clinics across Georgia advertise and perform cosmetic surgery services, a shockingly low number of them are board-certified.

The decision to have plastic surgery is a major life choice, one that can have permanent, life-altering consequences. However, most people don’t realize that in most states, it’s perfectly legal for any licensed physician to perform cosmetic surgery even if they don’t have specialized training in those procedures. Because of the recent boom in requests for cosmetic surgery — and the fact that most of these procedures are self-pay, or not covered by insurance—many doctors have begun to offer their patients these lucrative operations, even though their training in them is often minimal at best.

Sadly, far too often, this lack of professionalism has resulted in patients dying from anesthesia overdoses or being left to suffer permanent disfigurement due to burns, serious infections and other complications resulting from botched surgical procedures.

One way to guarantee that a plastic surgeon is truly qualified for the task is to seek proof that she has met the stringent requirements of certification from The American Board of Plastic Surgeons. This intensive, voluntary process means that your surgeon has graduated from a fully-accredited medical school, finished training as a resident surgeon, completed additional residency while focusing exclusively on plastic surgery, and successfully passed comprehensive oral and written exams to prove knowledge of the specialty areas of plastic surgery.

Dr. Bedford has attained this certification, and her state-of-the-art outpatient surgical facility is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare, Inc. No matter which plastic surgery procedure you seek, you can feel confident placing your trust in Dr. Bedford—Atlanta’s board-certified choice for cosmetic and plastic surgery.

06/27/12 - Atlanta Breast Reduction / Mammoplasty
While it seems that ever more Atlanta-area women are opting to have their breasts enlarged through breast augmentation surgery, many women are turning to breast reduction surgery to solve the exact opposite problem. In breast reduction surgery, or reduction mammoplasty, a plastic surgeon decreases the size of a woman’s breasts while also creating a firmer, more attractive breast appearance.

Good candidates for breast reduction surgery are non-smokers who enjoy good overall health, but often find their physical activities limited by having overly large breasts. Carrying the extra weight from heavy breasts can strain a woman’s entire frame. It often causes chronic shoulder, back, and neck pain and can leave regular indentations in the shoulders from the pressure of the woman’s bra straps.

Having large, pendulous breasts can also cause a woman emotional discomfort and embarrassment over her appearance. Often, sagging causes the skin to become overly stretched, leaving behind enlarged areolas—the darkened area surrounding the nipple—and purple or red stretch marks around the entire breast mound.

A standard breast reduction surgery will minimize or even eliminate these problems related to having larger breasts. The surgery requires general anesthesia and will take about two to three hours to perform. For the first two weeks, most women will need to take time off from work and have help performing their daily tasks. Total recovery time varies, but strenuous exercise should be avoided for around six weeks, and women can expect their breasts to settle into their final shape and size within six months.

When you’ve decided that you would be more comfortable with smaller breasts and are ready to contact an Atlanta plastic surgeon, Dr. Bedford will be happy to meet with you and help you achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of having.

05/09/12 - Atlanta Liposuction
Sometimes diet and exercise isn’t enough to eliminate unsightly fat deposits on the body. Affecting both women and men, these stubborn areas of excess fat can remain after significant weight loss, or simply result from hereditary factors. Liposuction is often the only way to remove them.

Areas of the body frequently treated by liposuction include the face, abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks. Good candidates for the procedure are of relatively normal weight, in good overall health, with firm, elastic skin. Although age isn’t necessarily a factor in choosing liposuction, older patients often have looser, less-elastic skin that can influence the end result.

Liposuction, also called lipoplasty or suction-assisted lipectomy, is performed through inserting a narrow tube, or cannula, into a series of small incisions, and then vacuuming the excess fat out of the body.

Whether you’re interested in slimming your abdomen, reshaping your hips and thighs or eliminating a double chin, Dr. Bedford offers several liposuction techniques to achieve the best result.

One option is tumescent liposuction. In this procedure, highly diluted local anesthesia is injected into the fat to make it easier to remove and to decrease blood loss while increasing pain relief. Sometimes microcannulas are used with tumescent liposuction. These tiny cannulas feature a narrow diameter and result in a smoother surgical outcome. 

During your consultation with Dr. Bedford, you will find out if your procedure can be done with local or general anesthesia, and what to expect during your liposuction procedure and throughout the recovery period.

03/25/12 - Atlanta Tummy Tuck
Abdominoplasty, or as it’s more commonly known, tummy tuck surgery, is a popular body-sculpting technique used by women and men who wish to regain a more youthful figure.

Unlike many other plastic surgery techniques which are purely cosmetic, such as breast augmentation, tummy tuck surgery can reconnect and strengthen the underlying abdominal muscles, resulting in a stronger core physique.

Having a strong set of abs makes most daily tasks much easier to perform and eliminates or greatly reduces the low back pain experienced by those carrying extra weight in front.

Women often opt for a tummy tuck after several pregnancies or significant weight loss leaves them with a protruding abdomen that doesn’t shrink with diet and exercise. These life events can also leave behind hanging fat or loose skin that can only be corrected through surgical removal. Tummy tucks are also popular with men who have stubborn “love handles” that add a little too much flab to their waistline.

Though body contouring with abdominoplasty often provides dramatic positive results, it’s not intended as a first-choice solution to abdominal fat problems. It’s important for clients to have given full effort to dieting and exercising before choosing this elective surgery. Except in rare cases, insurance doesn’t cover tummy tuck surgery, so patients must carefully consider the financial and physical cost before undergoing the procedure. Some patients are disappointed to discover that scarring is an unfortunate reality after having an abdominoplasty. Though these scars are located in places few people will ever see, some feel self-conscious about them.

When your pursuit of the perfect six-pack-abs proves fruitless despite lengthy dieting and exercising, it’s time to contact Dr. Bedford, Atlanta’s choice for plastic surgery. There are several different types of tummy tucks, and Dr. Bedford will take the time to explain which procedure will best enable you to meet your own unique goals.

02/05/12 - Atlanta Breast Augmentation
When a woman lacks confidence in the image she projects, it’s evident in her entire countenance—from the way she walks to avoiding eye contact. Whether we like it or not, we live in a society where appearance matters.

Many women suffer from self-esteem issues related to having small breasts, or feel unattractive because of the breast changes caused by pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss or aging. These changes can cause clothing to not fit well, further adding to a woman’s frustration with her appearance. This is especially true here in Atlanta, where our long, hot summers equal a great deal of time wearing bathing suits and other more-revealing clothing. Summertime can be a long season indeed for someone unhappy with her physical appearance.

Women who feel dissatisfied with the size or shape of their breasts aren’t alone. According to the 2010 report of plastic surgery statistics published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentation continues to be the top cosmetic surgical procedure—and it’s held that title since 2006.

Breast augmentation—sometimes referred to as “breast enlargement” or “getting implants”—is a safe and efficient surgical solution to breast size issues. Of course, there are many things to consider before undergoing any type of surgery—finding an experienced, reputable plastic surgeon to perform the operation is key to its success. A good surgeon will tell you any risks you’re likely to face, how long recovery should take, and what to expect before, during and after the procedure.

A standard breast augmentation surgery requires general anesthesia and will take about one to three hours to perform. In addition, recovery can take up to six to eight weeks, and it’s highly unlikely that any of the cost will be paid by your health insurance plan. So making the decision to undergo breast augmentation shouldn’t be done in haste. More importantly, don’t let anyone else pressure you into having the procedure. It’s your body, your budget and your time—breast augmentation should be your decision alone.

When you’ve decided this is a step you’d like to take and are ready to contact an Atlanta plastic surgeon, Dr. Bedford and our helpful office staff are waiting to help you achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of having.