Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj is Double Board Certified in both Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. He is the director and founder of The Aesthetic Institute of New York and New Jersey, a leading facial Cosmetic surgery center dedicated to offering the latest and most innovative procedures in facial Cosmetic surgery. He is also a clinical instructor of Facial Plastic Surgery at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, and has affiliations with Lenox Hill Hospital, The Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Institute, St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, NJ and Short Hills Surgery Center in Short Hills, NJ. An independent health consumer council recently voted him one of America’s Top Surgeons.
Choosing the Best Facial Plastic Surgeon
If it’s true, to quote Shakespeare, that “God has given you one face and you make yourself another,” then it’s critical to do a little homework before choosing a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon so you don’t end up a bad plastic surgery cliché or suffer serious complications. While no amount of research can ensure a great result, there are a few steps you can take to minimize your risk. Just as there are rules for purchasing a new home or car, there are many dos and don’ts you need to consider before making a decision. After all, this person is going to change your appearance, forever.
1. Do avoid random searches. Thought tempting, it might not be best to randomly scour the yellow pages or Internet for a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon. This is a person who will be cutting into your body. It’s one thing to hit or miss when ordering a pizza. You can survive a bad slice. Surviving a bad slice from a surgeon’s knife is another matter altogether.
2. Do your homework. To avoid becoming the feature model on awfulplasticsurgery.com, do your research. Facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons generate business via word of mouth referrals, so ask around. See which of your friends, family members or co-workers has gone under the knife. This may seem like a ridiculous point to mention but check to see if your facial plastic surgeon has a valid license to practice. There are too many instances of doctors with suspended licenses still working in their office with other physicians performing the actual procedures.
3. Do insist on board certification. There are certifying boards for plastic surgeons, as well as surgical societies and organizations of which any plastic surgeon may be a member. However, there also are certifying boards and organizations exclusively for facial plastic surgeons, including the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Certification by these organizations indicates that a surgeon has completed extensive specialized training that conveys superior knowledge and experience, as well as a commitment to excellence in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. While it’s a good thing to trust the person who will be cutting into your face, you can verify the answer by checking with the ABFPS and AAFPRS online. For any facial plastic or reconstructive procedure, look for a specialist who is a facial plastic surgeon, double board certified, fellowship trained and who has many years experience performing the procedure that interests you.
4. Do go beyond before and after photos. Today, a good facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon will go beyond simple before and after photos to sophisticated computer software that allows you to see before and after images of yourself before surgery. Imaging software is great for facial plastic and reconstructive procedures including facelift, mini facelift, rhinoplasty, reconstructive facial plastic surgery, and eyelid lift. It gives you and your surgeon a glimpse of your surgical possibilities and helps you understand what is realistic in terms of a result for you.
5. Do find out where the procedure will be performed. Depending on a number of factors including surgical complexity, personal health issues, anesthesia use and recovery time, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures are performed in a hospital, outpatient ambulatory center, or in the doctor’s office. Since many facial plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures are not covered by insurance, hospitals can get a little pricey, but they may be your best bet if you’re overly concerned about safety (and who isn’t nowadays). Since hospitals usually have exacting standards regarding surgeon training and carefully review safety records before grant operating privileges, a doctor with hospital surgical privileges has in effect an extra stamp of approval.
6. Do ask about the risks and complications associated with this procedure. Surgery is trauma is your body. There’s no getting around this fact. So even minor procedures carry some risk. Though uncommon in the hands of a skilled surgeon, blood loss, infection, and adverse reactions to anesthesia can all occur. Fortunately, advances in medicine have lessened significantly the risk of complications. Moreover, since many facial plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures are elective, surgeons can pick and choose on whom they operate. A responsible doctor won’t perform surgery on anyone whom they deem at great risk, including heavy smokers, thereby reducing the possibility of complications. Though most surgeons will discuss complications prior to your procedure, don’t be afraid the raise the question. Your surgeon should be able to spell out all the risks, as well as tell you what his or her personal history is with a given procedure.
General Anesthesia in Plastic Surgery
February 22, 2012 By Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj Leave a Comment
You’ve heard it before – anesthesia increases your risk of complications during surgery. But recently, a study compiled by John Starling III, M.D, of the University of Cincinnati’s department of dermatology, used 10 years worth of data from cosmetic surgeons’ offices in Florida, and 6 years from offices in Alabama. What this study concludes is that “more than two-thirds of deaths and three-quarters of hospital transfers were associated with cosmetic surgery performed under general anesthesia”. Liposuction was identified as the procedure with the highest anesthetic risk – 32% of cosmetic procedure-related deaths and 22% of all cosmetic procedure-related complications were attributed to it.
The researchers noted that they were not able to obtain data on the total number of liposuction procedures performed in either Florida or Alabama, which was an obstacle in determining the overall fatality rate.
So what can we do when we are seeking a cosmetic procedure, but are fearful of the risks involved with general anesthesia? Luckily, there are options available that do not use general anesthesia and are far less invasive. For example, I have created the SLUPlift, which is a minimally invasive mini-suture face lift. This procedure uses only a local anesthetic and is done in 1 to 2 hours at the office. The SLUPlift is a very popular option for individuals who want a more youthful look with a short recovery time, while avoiding the risks of general anesthesia.
In fact, I offer several types of cosmetics surgeries using only local anesthesia. Eyelid Lift (Blepharoplasty) Surgery is another popular one, with results lasting 10-15 years. Neck Lift surgery is another option using local anesthesia, as are some rhinoplasties. Local anesthesia eliminates the risks associated with general anesthesia, does not require lengthy hospital or office stays, and wears off quickly after the procedure.
If you are interested in any cosmetic procedure, a consultation would be the next step needed to determine which procedure and what type of anesthesia would be best for you. With over 18 years of experience and dual board certification, I have seen hundreds of individuals who want a change in their appearance without the risks of anesthesia. Together we can identify the safest option for your individual needs.
Trends in Cosmetic Surgery
February 9, 2012 By Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj Leave a Comment
In the United States, cosmetic procedures are on the rise, continuing to become more and more popular, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In 2010, 13.1 million cosmetic procedures were performed on both males and females of various ethnicities and demographics. Of those, a whopping 88% were non-surgical in nature. Non-surgical and minimally invasive facial rejuvenation procedures are gaining even more popularity in my practice for good reasons.
What are the advantages? Firstly, non-surgical and minimally invasive age reversing procedures are relatively painless. Second, local anesthesia, rather than general anesthesia (“going under”) is typically used. These treatments not only take less time for me to perform than traditional surgery, they offer decreased down-time to my patients translating to less time taken off from work. Side effects typically are minimal, if any – minor swelling, redness, or light bruising – which generally disappears within a day or two. Results can be seen almost immediately. There is far less chance of scarring or infection, since these procedures are done with the least amount of cutting possible.
I developed the SLUPlift – a mini-suture facelift at the request of my international and US based patients who did not want to undergo a long recovery face often associated with traditional full facelift surgery. The SLUPlift mini-suture facelift is a good choice and very popular with my male and female patients wanting a quicker, virtually painless procedure that gives them a more youthful look, but does not take them away from work or other life activities for extended amounts of time.
The procedure takes less time than traditional facelifting surgery, and involves a tiny incision in the front and back of the earlobe. Then, the skin is elevated just in front of the earlobe and the jowl area is tightened. Perhaps the most attractive part of this procedure is that it is done under local anesthesia with an average recovery time of only a few days, and results are instantaneous. Swelling and bruising are minimal, and scarring is virtually nonexistent. The SLUPLift provides long lasting, natural looking results due to my surgical technique – making this procedure quite advantageous over other face lift threading procedures which only give you good results for a few years at most.
To see proven results and learn more about the minimally invasive SLUPLift mini face lift, visit http://www.sluplift.com.
Fear of Aging: What to Consider and What You Can Do
February 6, 2012 By Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj Leave a Comment
There’s been a lot in the news lately about Demi Moore and her seemingly uncontrollable lifestyle since splitting with her husband Ashton Kutcher late last year. The 49 year old actress is on a downward spiral- which reportedly includes drugs, excessive dieting, wild behavior at night clubs and obsession with her appearance. Reports from various news sources have claimed that Demi refuses to eat, uses prescription drugs to curb her appetite and is highly insecure about her body image. She is also known for having various cosmetic procedures to give her face and body a more youthful look – from breast augmentation to facial resurfacing treatments and more.
As many men and women age, they begin to feel pressure about their appearance, especially in a competitive job market. They may start to question themselves when they start noticing fine lines or changes in their skin texture or body weight. Insecurities about their personal beauty may surface because of the natural aging process. With the media constantly giving us the impression that younger is better, and airbrushed models are the norm, it’s understandable how these insecurities can arise.
Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj believes that beauty comes from within and from good health, first and foremost. Naturally, everyone wants to stay energetic, youthful, and beautiful – but this means different things to different people. Beauty is not defined by a standard or by the media; it’s defined by you, the individual. There are no cookie-cutter faces or bodies – and if there were, who would want to look like everyone else, anyway? People are beautiful because they have unique features that fit with their individual personalities. As we age, our facial features or bodies may change in ways we don’t exactly like, but our dislike of certain things should be based on our own preferences and definitions, not someone else’s and certainly not the media’s.
We all want to live to experience a healthy old age, but in order to get there we need to go through the various stages of life. Aging is a natural process that should not be feared, but embraced. As we get older, we get wiser, more even tempered, and confident in who we are. That being said, we absolutely have the opportunity to age well physically as well as mentally and emotionally. Certainly diet, exercise, and an overall healthy lifestyle will put you on the right track to feeling great as the years pass, but there are some things about our physical appearance that may not be solved by these methods alone.
If you are someone who feels that your beauty is not up to your standards, there are simple, non-invasive and minimally invasive ways in facial rejuvenation to make you look and feel your best.
Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj, one of New York City’s Best Plastic Surgeons with 18 years of experience and dual board certification, has seen hundreds of individuals who want a change in their appearance that best suits their unique personality and desires. Beauty is present in any age group, not just an exclusive bonus for those in their 20’s, 30’s, or 40’s. Dr. Slupchynskyj will consult with you to help you decide how you can remain a beautiful individual without conforming to other’s standards. He can explain options that will make you look and feel your best regardless of age. He won’t be talking to you about changing your appearance to look like a supermodel or famous actor; he’ll be talking to you about you, and the beauty that only you can show.
To learn more about Dr. Slupchynskyj and the services he offers, visit http://www.sluplift.com/.
