Florence Mussat, M.D.
680 N Lake Shore Dr. #1030 Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 751-9000

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How Far Ahead of the Big Day Should You Be Booking Bridal Treatments?

Getting everything (including yourself) ready for your big day can feel like a Herculean task. As is the case with any big project, however, starting early—and developing a realistic schedule—can work wonders to reduce stress and create stunning results. If you’re not sure where to begin, the timeline below will give you an idea of when to book different cosmetic bridal treatments.

One year before your wedding, you should start adjusting your lifestyle and improving your skincare regimen. Make sleep a priority and get into a routine; resist the temptation to stay up late planning your wedding. You should also optimize your diet: Even if you’re not trying to lose weight in time for your wedding, eating a diet rich in nutritious whole foods (and low in processed foods) will reduce breakouts and give you a natural “glow.” If you are trying to lose weight, Dr. Mussat offers a some medically supervised weight loss programs to help her patients slim down in a safe, healthy way.

Regarding skincare, you should start applying a medical-grade serum containing topical retinoids about one year before your wedding. These highly specialized compounds reduce acne symptoms while also slowly fading sun spots, freckles, fine lines, and other blemishes. Retinoids do have a few potential side-effects to be aware of, though, so they should only be used under the guidance of a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist. Your skin care provider will help you work out a plan to avoid excess sun exposure and other irritants that can compromise the effectiveness of retinoid creams.

Six Months Before Your Wedding

Six months before your wedding, you should step up your skincare game: Consider trying injectable treatments, like Botox and dermal fillers, to smooth out distracting creases and amplify your best features. Even young brides sometimes find that Botox and fillers make them look better in photos as these compounds can correct genetic abnormalities (like naturally deep nasolabial folds or forehead creases) that are unrelated to the aging process.

Trying an injectable treatment six months before your big day will allow you to experiment: Because fillers and Botox wear off within three to six months, if you try a treatment and don’t like it, you can just let it dissolve naturally before you wedding. If you do like the results of your treatment, you can repeat it closer to your wedding date.

This is also a great time to book any surgical procedures you’re interested in having. Though most plastic surgery procedures only require a week or two of downtime, some procedures take a while to fully settle. Breast implants, for example, take about six months to “drop and fluff” (i.e., settle into a natural position and reach their final size). Having surgery well ahead of time ensures that you’ll look your absolute best when you walk down the aisle. It will also give you ample time to recover before you become very busy with wedding preparations.

Three Months Before Your Wedding

In the months leading up your wedding, you should start getting regular manicures and pedicures. You should also settle on a hair color and style that works with the gown you’ve chosen.

One Month Before Your Wedding

During the month before your celebration, you should schedule “top up” injections of Botox or fillers, if you want to freshen up the results of a previous treatment. If you’re having gel or acrylic nails applied, we recommend having them placed at least a couple of weeks before your wedding. Doing this will give you time to get used to how they feel before your wedding. Finally, make sure to have your teeth whitened during the month leading up to your big day.

As your wedding date nears, have any last minute waxing done (two to three days in advance) and have your nails touched up, if needed. You should also try to avoid stress and over-indulgence: Consider meditation to ease any pre-wedding jitters, limit alcohol, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep. By caring for your body—inside and out—you’ll guarantee that you look and feel fabulous when you say “I do.”

Is it Too Late to Have Liposuction for the Holidays?

Fall and winter are both great times to have liposuction: It’s usually easier to find time to recover during these seasons, and postoperative swelling can be disguised with thick sweaters and coats. However, like all forms of invasive surgery, liposuction needs to be planned carefully so it doesn’t interfere with your holiday plans. It’s therefore important to know what to expect during liposuction recovery: Knowing when you’ll feel better and experience optimum results can help you make the most of this winter’s festivities.

Liposuction Recovery: What to Expect, and When

Liposuction remains such a popular body contouring procedure because it produces results relatively quickly, with little downtime. Most people who have liposuction performed on a small area, e.g., under their chin or their inner thighs, can return to work after just one week of rest. Still, if you’re planning to have liposuction on a larger area, like your stomach or back, you may need two weeks of rest. Not everyone who has liposuction on a large area needs to rest this long, but older patients and patients with a strong inflammatory response usually do. Because it’s difficult to anticipate exactly how you’ll respond to surgery, it’s better to err on the side of caution and plan for at least two weeks of recovery time. In other words, if you want to feel better in time for December 24th, you should have surgery during the first week of December.

Another important factor to consider is residual swelling. Though symptoms of physical discomfort generally wane within just three to five days after having liposuction, deeper inflammation can take a while to fully resolve. In rare cases, patients have reported noticing swelling for up to four weeks after having liposuction. (Note that this is also more likely when the patient is having a large area treated.) Though this swelling isn’t dangerous and probably won’t cause you any pain, it can obscure your results. Swelling can cause treated areas to look “puffier” than they actually are, making you look a bit heavier than you will after you’re completely done healing.

How much this residual swelling will matter depends largely on what you plan to wear during the holidays. If you live in a cold climate and love to show off your favorite kitschy Christmas sweaters, most people probably won’t even notice that you’re still a bit swollen. If you have your heart set on slipping into a slinky dress, on the other hand, it could end up sabotaging your style. We, therefore, recommend having liposuction during the last week of November.

Though time is fast running out, if you contact us promptly, you’ll still have a chance to arrange a liposuction consultation in 2018. When you visit Dr. Florence Mussat, she’ll help you weigh your options and determine whether or not this procedure can fit into your busy holiday plans. Don’t let the opportunity to give yourself the gift of a better body pass you by—make this the year that you finally achieve your cosmetic goals.

 

Breast Surgery Options

If you are looking for a variety of breast surgery options, then look no further than our office. Our procedures include the following: breast augmentation, lift, implant removal with lift, revision, reduction, and nipple reduction. This variety of procedures offered will be sure to cater to exactly what you need and want.

What is a breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation is arguably the most popular aesthetic procedure in the entire plastic surgery realm. It is the most sought-after procedure for a variety of reasons ranging from wanting and increase in size to evening out drastic changes in your body.

A breast augmentation will give you three choices of implants that include saline breast implants, traditional silicone gel breast implants, and form-stable silicone gel breast implants. There are pros and cons to all three of these implants.

Silicone Breast Implants

Women of today are asking for a more natural look when consulting with their surgeons. The concept of “bigger is better” may have started the fire of this procedure but it has changed over the years. More women are moving away from busty implants and choosing to go with a more natural look and size. A natural appearance is most commonly achieved with silicone breast implants. These implants are filled with silicone gel and their feel is more so like natural breast tissue. This implant will not collapse if there is a leak of gel.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants are filled with sterile salt water. If the implant leaks, the saline implant will collapse, which leads to the body absorbing and naturally removing the saline. These provide a firm feel with a uniform-like shape.

Form-stable Silicone Gel Breast Implants

These implants are typically referred to as “Gummy Bear” implants due to their inside look resembling that of a gummy bear. These implants are filled with silicone gel instead of silicone liquid. They are also available in different shapes, such as a textured, round, or teardrop. These implants have a smaller chance of complications and are less likely in need of being replaced.

Procedure

The breast augmentation procedure has a variety of ways of being performed. The incision patterns used by Dr. Mussat include the periareolar incision, the inframammary incision, and the transaxillary incision. Through consultations and your individual needs, an incision pattern will be decided between patient and surgeon.

The actual procedure involves an incision in one of four areas. These areas include the underside of the breast, under the arm, around the nipple, or through a previous incision. Each two-step has pros and cons. The implant is placed through the incision and then stitched up. The surgery is very routine.

Along with incisions is the placement options of the breast implants. The placement options include submuscular placement and subglandular placement, meaning under or above the muscle. Again, the placement is based on individual need and what Dr. Mussat considers to be the best for the individual.

Post-Surgery

The after effects are similar to any surgery. Some complications include asymmetry, ptosis, and pain. If the patient is an ideal candidate for the procedure, with small breasts, and breast asymmetry, they will be back to work within 1-2 weeks. The ideal candidate’s procedure will take 1-2 hours and will only take one surgery. This includes both the saline and silicone implants.

Following the procedure, a person can expect to take about one week off of work. There are different types of recovery depending on a woman’s age and health. For example, there is step by step guide for athletes that want to workout following their procedure. The guide is over the course of nine weeks. The exercise begins at a low intensity and slowly builds up to what the person was doing before their surgery.

Along with exercise and surgical scars is a healthy diet. There are comprehensive lists of foods to eat Pre-Op and Post-Op. Before the procedure, it is recommended that a person should stop all consumption of alcohol and any supplements they are taking. It is recommended that a person stock up on vitamins such as a multivitamins. Post-Op care includes stocking up on even more vitamins such as amino acids, protein powders, vitamin C, and fish oil. The Post-Op food and beverages include water, citrus, fresh veggies, lean meats, and almonds. Of course, these recovery plans are all dependent on the individual person.

The key to choosing a breast procedure lies in knowing what you really want. This decision comes from knowing yourself and talking with your surgeon. During your consultation, all of the information will be handed to you along with the guidance of what you should choose. Your surgeon will not lead you astray but to the ultimate goal of having the procedure that will ultimately make you happy.

Call 312-751-9000 to book your consultation today!