Bouncing Back After Cancer
HOW CAN RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY BE USED TO REJUVENATE MY APPEARANCE?
Recovery after cancer can sometimes be a matter of “it gets worse before it gets better” — especially when it comes to your looks. Treatments and surgeries take their toll, even years after remission has been achieved.
Dr. Mesbahi offers several procedures that patients can use to refresh their appearance after fighting cancer. From treatments to refresh the face to literally building the body patients want, reconstructive surgery can help those who are recovering from cancer come full circle.
WHAT IS CANCER RECONSTRUCTION?
Dr. Mesbahi is known for his expertise in cancer reconstruction surgery. This type of surgery usually consists of breast reconstruction, which helps rebuild the breasts after mastectomy, and skin cancer reconstruction, which restores skin and removes lesions caused by skin cancer.
BREAST RECONSTRUCTION
Mastectomy, whether it’s a complete or partial removal of the breast, often leaves visible scars behind. Removal of lumps or tumors, also known as a lumpectomy, also results in visible scarring long after recovery is complete.
Breast reconstruction helps restore the shape and size of breasts that were removed by cancer treatment. It can also correct issues with asymmetry or other cosmetic defects from a total or partial mastectomy or other types of treatment.
Breast reconstruction surgery can help women who have gone through breast cancer treatment reclaim their feminine physiques.
Breast reconstruction surgery can be done immediately after mastectomy or some time after mastectomy recovery. Dr. Mesbahi offers patients breast implants, which use silicone or saline materials to restore the breast shape, or DIEP flap surgery, which uses the patient’s fat for restoration.
Breast Implants are typically done in a two-stage process that involves using a temporary device filled with saline water to expand the skin and muscles underneath the breast before the implant is placed. This typically results in shorter surgery and recovery times.
DIEP flap surgery involves Dr. Mesbahi removing skin and fat from the patient’s abdomen and then using that to reconstruct the breasts. It is a longer surgery than implants but tends to leave the most natural look and feel.
SKIN CANCER RECONSTRUCTION
One of the first symptoms of skin cancer is the appearance of unsightly lesions. Many are easily removed, but some can grow to severely deform the skin and affect patients’ appearance.
To help patients suffering from these effects, Dr. Mesbahi works with a Mohs surgeon—a dermatologist that specializes in skin cancer reconstruction that effectively removes all skin cancer without damaging other areas of the skin.
Mohs surgery is highly precise and involves using a scalpel to remove thin layers of cancerous tissue until only healthy tissue remains. Dr. Mesbahi will then close the defect area using methods that ensure the best healing without further disfigurement.
Dr. Mesbahi will also perform more complex reconstructive surgery if lesions from skin cancer are very large or highly visible.
OTHER WAYS TO BOUNCE BACK
Fighting cancer takes its toll. Even after the battle is over, patients may be left with noticeable scarring or disfigurement from treatment and surgery. Long periods of chemotherapy or radiation can also leave many patients looking fatigued.
There are a few procedures patients can use to help them truly get back to feeling like themselves again, ranging from non-invasive methods to more intensive procedures:
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LASER SKIN RESURFACING
- Laser skin resurfacing helps restore damaged skin. It is used to remove dark spots, wrinkles, scars, deep folds, and other skin defects for younger-looking skin and a refreshed appearance.
- Dr. Mesbahi will first cleanse the skin and apply an antibiotic ointment before the laser is used to remove thin layers of skin. This removal activates the skin’s own regenerative process, leading to the creation of new, healthy skin.
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RHINOPLASTY
- Known commonly as a nose job, rhinoplasty is used to correct defects in the shape and size of the nose. It can also be used to correct structural issues that directly affect breathing.
- Rhinoplasty is performed by either using an open incision, which is made along the columella (thin strip between the nostrils) to reshape the nasal structures. Dr. Mesbahi also offers patients a closed rhinoplasty, with incisions made along the inside the nostrils.
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BODY CONTOURING
- Getting back into shape after fighting cancer can sometimes take a little more work than just hitting the gym. Dr. Mesbahi offers fat grafting procedures that patients can use to achieve their body goals.
- Fat grafting can be used to enhance buttocks and as a filler for certain areas of the face. It essentially redistributes the fat from one area to another, creating the contours patients desire.
Ready to learn more? Dr. Mesbahi has been recognized for his work in helping cancer patients bounce back via reconstructive surgery. Schedule a consultation soon!