Cosmetic Surgery Center

Acne rosacea (also called adult acne)is an inflammatory skin disease that affects approximately 14 million Americans between the ages of 30 and 60. Rosacea is much more common in women than in men and most often affects fair-skinned people of European or Celtic descent.

Rosacea differs from acne in that it is not associated with a bacterial skin infection as acne is. Instead, it is characterized by facial redness (known as erythema) in areas such as the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin. Rosacea is also characterized by bumps and pimples and by spider veins, which occur when blood vessels under the skin of the face dilate, showing through the skin as small red lines.

Factors that trigger rosacea include activities that cause the face to become flushed such as stress, sunburn, exercise, alcohol, hot caffeine drinks, spicy foods and even embarrassment. The condition is chronic and gets worse over time. It is also cyclical, which means it flares up for weeks and months and then subsides.

Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for this skin disease at the current time; however, antibiotics are sometimes prescribed, providing mixed results.

If you would like to learn more about the cosmetic surgery treatment options for various problems associated with the face, please contact Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center today to schedule your initial appointment.

In March 2007, the United States Food & Drug Administration and the manufacturers of the drug isotretinoin implemented the iPLEDGE program to educate women about the serious risks of becoming pregnant while taking this drug (Accutane), which is prescribed to treat severe recalcitrant nodular acne. IPLEDGE was developed through a cooperative effort of several of the drug's manufacturers and seeks to reduce the risk of inadvertent pregnancy by making the drug available only to women who have had a negative pregnancy test. Isotretinoin has also been known to cause birth defects.

One measure undertaken by the FDA to implement the drug's safety is an increase in iPLEDGE call-center staffing to handle the increase in calls that is expected concerning the drug and pregnancy.

If you would like to learn more about treatments for acne or any other problem that affects your appearance and self-confidence, please contact Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgery Center in Dallas, Texas to schedule your initial consultation.

Chin augmentation surgery (also known as chin implant surgery) is a common facial plastic surgery procedure, which brings balance to the facial structure by correcting a chin problem due to congenital deficiency, age-related bone resorption, or facial trauma. The procedure can be as simple as injecting a temporary soft tissue augmentation filler to implanting a silicone chin implant.

Why Chin Implants?

Chin implants can be used for either cosmetic or reconstructive enhancement of the jaw line. Chin implants will provide a more natural-looking break between your neck and face. The goal of chin implants is to give greater definition to your chin and provide balance with the rest of your face.

A weak chin can make your nose appear large and can make an already prominent nose seem even larger. A weak chin may also give the appearance of a fleshy neck. A chin that is too prominent may give the appearance of having too small of a nose and may throw the face off balance. The end result of chin augmentation surgery is to achieve a balanced relationship within the structure of the face.

The Procedure

Insertion of a chin implant may take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. During the procedure, I will select the proper size and shape implant to enhance your appearance and will insert the implant into a pocket over the front of the jawbone. The small incision to create the pocket and insert the implant is placed inside the mouth, along the lower lip or in the skin just under the chin area.

The chin is usually taped after surgery to minimize swelling and discomfort. Sutures in the skin will be removed in five to seven days or the sutures will dissolve. Most patients experience some discomfort and swelling in the affected area for several days following surgery. Smiling and talking will be difficult during the healing process, and black and blue marks may be visible around your chin and neck. I will instruct you on post-surgery care of the surgery site and advise you about any dental hygiene needs post-surgery.

Risks will be discussed with you at the time of your consultation.

With chin surgery, as with any facial surgery, you may feel and look better in a short period of time. Certain activities will be restricted, however, especially those that may jar or bump the face.

If you would like to learn more about chin augmentation surgery, please contact Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, TX today to schedule your initial consultation.

Otoplasty, or ear pinning, is the only cosmetic surgery regularly performed on children because the ears are a special case. Unlike most of our bodies, our ears have achieved close to their full size and shape by age 4. This makes them ideal sites for early intervention on the part of a skilled and sensitive plastic surgeon.

Often, children are teased relentlessly if their ears stick out, and this can do a great deal of damage to their self-image and confidence.

Much of children's bodies are constantly changing; they often grow right out of clothes and shoes. They lose their baby teeth to get adult teeth and even wisdom teeth. Most cosmetic procedures are not recommended for children, but otoplasty is. The cartilage in children's ears is more easily shaped, making this a procedure that is best done at a young age.

Otoplasty is a safe and permanent solution

Otoplasty will not affect your child's hearing because only surface-level changes are made on the ears. The surgery begins with an incision in the natural fold where the ear joins the head. The surgeon then may remove skin and cartilage to achieve the desired effect. At this time, the ear can also be reshaped as well. Sometimes, it is not necessary to remove any tissue but simply to move the ear and hold it in its new position with sutures until it heals permanently in place.

The child will have to wear bandages for a few days, and if he or she is a side-sleeper, there may be some disruption of sleeping for a week, but the surgery heals quickly and children are allowed to return to their normal activities as soon as they feel able. When they return to normal activities, they will be happier without the teasing they had experienced before surgery. The scarring is very slight and well-concealed in the natural fold behind the ear.

Because the ears have finished growing before the procedure is performed, the changes are for life and need never be redone. As the child grows and moves on to higher grades and new schools and finds new friends, the unpleasant memories of their early days will be forgotten, and you can watch them grow knowing that your decision has contributed to their happiness.

If you would like to learn more about otoplasty, please contact Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas today to schedule your initial consultation.

Labioplasty, often spelled labiaplasty, is a surgical procedure that involves reduction of the labia. Most often, women request this surgery for two reasons: some feel discomfort during sexual intercourse and desire a change, and others simply wish to change the appearance of their external genitalia. Most women want to reduce the length of their genitalia.

The best candidates for labiaplasty are women who have long or hanging vaginal lips. Some women have always been this way, while others develop the problem after childbirth or as they age. Women with fully fatty mons (vaginal lips) can also safely undergo liposuction of that area.

Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas Texas has found that before labioplasty, female patients are often self-conscious when wearing thongs, bikini bottoms or other underwear. In some cases, prominent labia affects the everyday activities of patients, and, sometimes, sexual activities are affected, also.

Labiaplasty is typically performed under general anesthesia instead of local anesthesia. The procedure is out-patients and only takes a couple of hours. Following the procedure, there may be 5-10 days of discomfort, and full recovery can take 2-3 weeks.

If you would like to learn more about labioplasty, please contact Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas today to schedule your initial consultation.

Endoscopic surgery, often referred as simply endoscopy, is a surgical technique that involves the use of an endoscope, a special viewing instrument that allows a surgeon to see images of the body’s internal structures through very small incisions.

For decades, endoscopic surgery has been used in surgical procedures such as gall bladder removal, tubal ligation, and knee surgery. However, endoscopic plastic surgery is fairly new. As important research continues, endoscopic surgery is being used on a limited basis for cosmetic and reconstructive procedures in plastic surgery.

At the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas, I use endoscopic surgery for procedures including tummy tucks, forehead lifts, and breast surgery. Regarding abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), endoscopy is sometimes used as an adjunct for patients who have lost abdominal muscle tone. Guided by the endoscope, the muscles that run vertically down the length of the abdomen may be tightened through several short incisions. I don’t typically perform endoscopic surgery in patients who have a significant amount of loose abdominal skin.

Some patients may benefit from an endoscopically-assisted facelift. When I use an endoscope, the incision along, or in the hairline, is elminated, and small incisions, instead, are made where the most correction is needed. To tighten the loose muscles of the neck, incisions may be concealed beneath the chin and behind the ears. The endoscope may also assist in the positioning of cheek and chin implants.

Of all the cosmetic procedures that use endoscopy, the forehead lift is the one which plastic surgeons most commonly perform. Instead of the usual ear-to-ear incision, three or more puncture type incisions are made just at the hairline. The endoscope guides me as I remove the muscles that produce frown lines; eyebrows are then repositioned at a higher level.

The best candidates for endsoscopic plastic surgery are those patients who do not have large amounts of loose hanging skin.

If you would like to learn more about the endoscopic plastic surgery procedures offered by Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas, please contact the office today to schedule your initial consultation.

When you hear the words "plastic surgery," images of Hollywood hotties (male and female alike) having nose jobs, face lifts, and breast enlargements may pop into your head. While plastic surgeons do perform those procedures every day, they also perform surgeries to rebuild faces that have been mauled by vicious dogs, reattach limbs that have been caught in machinery in factories, and reconstruct the torsos of people suffering from third degree burns. The title, plastic surgeon, is misleading because plastic surgery has nothing to do with plastic, actually. The name comes from the Greek word "plastikos," which means to form or mold.

The education and training involved with becoming a plastic surgeon is long and intense.

Prerequisites for Plastic Surgery Residency

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) Or Osteopathy (D.O.)
OR 3 years of clinical training in general surgery with progressive responsibility in the same program (this is a minimum requirement before entrance into plastic surgery residency)
OR An accredited residency training program in neurological surgery, orthopaedic surgery, otolaryngology or urology.

D.M.D. plus M.D. degree or D.D.S. plus M.D. degree
OR Completion of residency program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, approved by the American Dental Association (ADA).
Must include Doctor of Medicine degree (M.D.) and a minimum of 2 years post M.D. surgical rotations

M.D. degree from outside of U.S. or Canada
OR Satisfactory completion of accredited residency training in general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, otolaryngology or urology, including evidence of current admissibility to the respective specialty board's examination process in the United States required.

Required Graduate Education in Plastic Surgery

Training in an accredited 2 or 3 year plastic surgery program with the final year at senior level is required. Beginning on July 1, 1995, both years of a two (2) year program or the last two (2) years of a three year program must be completed in the same institution. In either instance, the final year must be completed at senior level.
Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc.Must pass qualifying (written) exam and certifying (oral) exam.
Supplemental education

Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) means that the plastic surgeon has completed the training and practice needed to perform the scope of the specialty of Plastic Surgery. However, some surgeons may choose to further explore their interests in one or more areas through additional clinical or academic experiences. Fellowships

Fellowships in plastic surgery offer the surgeon an opportunity to pursue additional experiences in the basic science and clinical practice of plastic surgery. These fellowships cover a wide variety of topical areas; however, they are not required to follow any generally recognized format or any approved curriculum. Certificates of Added Qualification

Certificates of added qualification (CAQ) provide board certified surgeons a way to highlight their interest in a particular area. Currently, hand surgery is the only area in which plastic surgeons certified by the ABPS may obtain a CAQ. However, treatment and management of hand diseases and trauma are an integral part of the core curriculum in plastic surgery residency training.

Plastic surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and who are members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons have undergone rigorous training and have been evaluated by their peers on their practice of plastic surgery, from both the technical and ethical perspectives.

For answers to all of your cosmetic surgery questions, please contact us online today or call us to set up your personal consultation with Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center, serving patients in Dallas, Texas and surrounding areas.

Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) is a procedure that removes fat, usually along with excess skin and muscle, from the upper and lower eyelids. Blepharoplasty can also correct drooping eyelids and bags under your eyes. These features all make us look older than we feel, and some may even interfere with our vision. Blepharoplasty cannot remove crow's feet or other wrinkles, and it cannot eliminate dark circles under your eyes. Blepharoplasty can be done alone, but, often, it is performed in conjunction with other facial surgery procedures such as a facelift or browlift.

Before deciding to have any surgery, you should discuss what you'd like to change with us and allow us to explain all procedures to you in great detail. We will discuss your desired results and whether or not we can achieve them through plastic surgery.

The best candidates for eyelid surgery are women and men who are physically healthy, mentally stable, and realistic in their expectations. Most of our patients are 35 or older, but if droopy and baggy eyelids run in your family, you may opt for blepharoplasty at a younger age.

There are some medical conditions that make any surgery risky, including eyelid surgery. Those conditions include thyroid problems such as an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and Grave's Disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, circulatory orders, or dry eye or lack of sufficient tears. We will get a thorough medical history from you when you come to our office for a consultation.

If you would like to learn more about eyelid surgery and you live in the Dallas area, please contact Dr. Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas today to schedule your initial consultation.