Ah Spring!

There's something about the resurgence of Spring that makes us feel the urge to improve ourselves.   Shedding the heavy sweaters , coats , sweats and long sleeved tops of the winter make us very aware of the shape we're in.  What a relief it is in spring to put on a cute, lightweight spring top and some cute capris!  The  other side of that is that we are now more aware of that extra 5 pounds that we put on over the winter.  It's a great time to get back in to a regular exercise routine and tighten things up a bit.   But, people sometimes get discouraged with their exercise routine when they are not able to achieve the results that they are working so hard for.   Know now, that there is no exercise, cream, or magic pill that will get rid of extra skin.   You cannot do enough sit ups or crunches to tighten abdominal skin that is riddled with stretch marks.   Skin stretched out from child bearing cannot be exercised back in to shape.   You can tighten the underlying musculature ,which is of course very important, but that loose, hangy skin is another thing.  Tummy tucks are wonderful procedures for giving you back that tight, flat tummy you remember from the past.   Liposuction is an amazing procedure to eliminate stubborn pockets of fat that seem completely resistant to change.  We are genetically programmed to put our fat in certain areas.   Your friend may put her excess around her waist, while you are the "pear" friend.  If you are programmed to have those pesky saddlebags even while you are at your ideal weight, consider liposuction to reprogram your shape.   If you remove the fat cells from an area, you can't have the same shape--there aren't the storage units there to accomodate it.    Come see Dr. Sellers and get your questions answered.    It's amazing how many people come in that have all kinds of misinformation about liposuction or other procedures that they have gotten from a friend or the news.   Remember everything that you read or hear on the TV  or on the internet is not necessarily true.   Some of it's downright untrue and even dangerous.  Get your information from a board certified surgeon with years of experience and training.  Knowledge is power!

Hands and Bodies

Did you know that the study of hands comes under Plastic Surgery?   Most people think that hand surgery must surely come under orthopedics.  In fact, there are as many plastic surgery trained surgeons in Hand Fellowships as there are orthopedic trained surgeons. When you have an accident with a table saw, it is often a plastic surgeon who is on call for hands at the hospital.   Don't let that make you nervous.   Plastic Surgeons are excellent Hand Surgeons and have as much training as does that Orthopedic surgeon.  They are used to dealing with all the tiny elements of the hands and fingers such as digital nerves, extensor tendons, ligaments, dupuytren's contractures, trigger fingers, and the full array of problems with arthritis of the joints.  Dr. Sellers does many surgeries each week dealing with carpal tunnel, arthritis, nerve compression problems, stenosing tenosinovitis, and the rest.   Come let Dr. Sellers examine your hands and tell you what can be done.   There is something that can be done with every joint of the hand an fingers to help you improve the quality of your life by eliminating the pain and helping with function.   If your knee hurt you'd get a knee implant.  Right?   Did you know that there are implants for several of the joints of the hand.  And with a plastic surgeon, you get a really nice scar, too.

Breast Augmentation--Balance Those Hips!

Breast augmentation patients tell us that the one surprizing comment they receive after their surgery is "you look like you've lost weight!"   This is because with the breast size now balancing their hips, their waist actually looks smaller.  They are now balanced.   Most women don't want to be "known" for their breasts.   They just want to balance out their torso and have an hourglass shape instead of a pear.  The most common comment we get from patients at their final follow-up appointment is "I absolutely love my new shape.  This is the nicest thing I've ever done for me.   I'd do it again in a heartbeat and I recommend it to all my friends!"

Fat Cells Be Gone

I love liposuction.   Losing weight for many people is a discouraging, frustrating. maddening process--one that seems to go on forever.   Statistically speaking ( and we all know that there are exceptions to every statistic) about 95% of people who actually lose weight keep that weight off.   A very significant majority of people that lose weight find that one year later they have not only regained the weight they lost but have added a few pounds to their pre-diet weight.    Eating healthily in our society is a very challenging proposition.   It requires not just an iron will during the process, but requires an almost religious commitment to a new liftestyle.  Can it be done?   Sure.  We see examples around us all the time of people who finally were able to change their total lifestyle and embrace healthy living and they look it.  It's a wonderful thing,   And I would say that most of us want to live a more healthy lifestyle.  But, alas, the majority of us view losing weight as a limited sentence--that when finished we will return to our old way of life.  If that's your  mindset, you might as well save yourself the heartache and just learn to be happy the way you are.  Losing weight is   hard, hard work.   But,  keeping it off is an even more  monumental challenge.  And losing the weight does not guarantee that you will lose if from the areas that you desire.   We are programmed to put our fat in a certain genetically programmed pattern.  Some women find that if they lose any weight it affects their breasts first.  Others can lose 20 pounds and find that their breasts remain relatively unchanged.  But, we mustn't give up.   Obesity is an epidemic and the resulting health risks are costing this nation and the world billions, upon billions of dollars in health care costs.  Heart disease, joint pain, liver and kidney disease, diabetes, (and the list goes on and on) are very real results from obesity.   Even a little bit overweight affects every organ of your body.  Anyway, that's the long reason why I love liposuction.  We do not grow more fat cells as we age.   We usually have all our fat cells by the time we're a year old.  So as we go through life, we simply fill up and empty the cells we have.  So, if you remove the little trouble makers they can no longer fill up with fat.  What a wonderful concept.  So, the long term solution for a trouble spot that retains fat is to have liposuction to remove those fat cells for a permanent contour change. We have trillions of fat cells so you cannot remove all of them, but if you reduce the total number by 25% imagine the difference.   Call for more information or it you have questions.  

Can't get the pickle jar opened?

Do you have big nobs at the joints of your fingers?   Do your fingers feel like they've "frozen up" during the night and it takes several minutes of gentle motion and some ibuprofen to get them loosened up enough to get breakfast?  Many people think nothing about having a knee or hip replaced if they have arthritis in those joints, but have never even considered a surgical approach for relief of arthritic pain in the hands. Many family practice Doctors erroneously tell their patients "well, that's  arthritis and you're just getting old.   You just have to get used to that". Did you know that every joint in the hand can be addressed to bring you relief of the constant pain  in your hand  and finger joints.  There are little implants (that look a lot like knee implants) for some joints, while fusion of some joints is the answer.   If a joint doesn't move it doesn't hurt.   Don't live in  constant pain and misery.   Come see what can be done to bring you relief.   Knowledge is vital.   When you know what can be done, then you can decide what's the best thing for you.   But, do not sit around any longer in misery, not being able to get your car started or that jar of pickles opened,  assuming that nothing can be done. You will be surprised.

Get the Glow!

About this time we notice that we get "winter" skin.   The air is dry indoors and the air outside is full of pollution and is cold and very dry.  This leads to dull, flaky  skin.   There's nothing better to revive your visage than a Mint Facial.   Come in and let our aestheticians pamper you for an hour or so.   The facial will help remove those dead, dull skin cells that are clinging  to the surface of your skin.    The mint  is so refreshing and revitalizing.   You could even add a light chemical peel to the process.   Follow up with a lustrous moisturizer and some full protection sun screen.   You'll be amazed  at your  new glow.  Call now and get scheduled.   If you'd like to have something a little different than the traditional flowers and chocolates  for Valentine's Day, this is it.   You can also get a gift certificate for any of our Spa services if a facial isn't quite what you want.   There are a lot of other great services you can try!

Tax Refund Special

Just a reminder that we're now having (until April 15th) our tax refund special.   This special  includes a 15% discount on the Doctor's fee for your surgery.   (If you're combining more than one surgery then the discount is off of the most expensive procedure).   Patients wait all year for this special.   Don't put it off any longer. Come in and see about getting your surgery done before summer.