Because Dr. Linder performs so many surgeries where scarring is such a significant part of his procedures, including mastopexies, breast lifts, abdominoplasties and breast augmentations, reducing the scarring is absolutely a main necessity.  The best product that we have used, certainly in the last decade, has been Kelo-cote or Bio Corneum.  Kelo-cote is a silicone gel spray which is used twice a day after sutures are removed, usually on day 14 to day 21, for at least three months.  The silicone gel spray greatly reduces the redness as well as hypertrophic keloiding of the scars and has smoothed out scars beautifully over the last two years. 

Look out for the next one and two-minute infomercials from Kelo-cote where Dr. Linder has been used as a scar expert for Advanced Bio Technology.  Because we believe so wholeheartedly in the use of Kelo-cote, giving worldwide testimonial as to the benefits of Kelo-cote, goes without reservation.  We look forward to seeing the Kelo-cote used worldwide and on television sets throughout the country.

This website has also been dedicated for international travelers, coming from Europe, the Middle East, Russia, the Caribbean and Asia, as both Dr. Linder and Kotler have international clients.  These surgeons also work concurrently on patients during the same operation.  For example, Dr. Kotler may do a full face lift or rhinoplasty while Dr. Linder performs the augmentation mammoplasty, tummy tuck or lipo contouring under the same general anesthetic.

Dr. Linder is proud to be an advocate as well as a specialist for Kelo-cote on their recent infomercial now playing throughout the United States.  Because a disproportionately large part of Dr. Linder’s practice is body sculpting women, scarring is an inevitable concern, especially with the multitude of breast lifts and abdominoplasty surgeries. 

Having used Kelo-cote for over two years, Dr. Linder has found it to be extremely helpful when used after sutures are removed, twice a day, for at least three months.  Bio corneum is a new product with the Kelo-cote component as well as the SPF to reduce problems associated with the UV light.  Bio corneum is used for management and preventing keloids and hypertrophic scarring.  It is excellent for patients who have had surgical scarring and desires to have less redness, smoothing, flattening and less visibility of scars. 

The benefits of Bio corneum include:  it’s 100% silicone scar treatment with SPF30.  It dries within 45 minutes.  It flattens and softens scars, reducing redness and discoloration.  It also relieves itchiness and discomfort.  The SPF30 of the Bio corneum reduces sun-induced redness discoloration.  Bio corneum and Kelo-cote are excellent products for scarring.  Dr. Linder uses them every day on his patients who have postsurgical scars associated with augmentation, breast revision, breast lift and abdominoplasty procedures.

In this month’s issue of “Pasadena Magazine,” page 27, is an interesting and informative story written by Cliff Dorfman.  He describes specialists in plastic surgery.  The article is specific to Dr. Linder and Dr. Robert Kotler, both specialists in plastic surgery of different parts of the body.  Dr. Stuart Linder is a body sculptist, who only operates below the neck and Dr. Robert Kotler is a specialist in facial plastic surgery operating only from the neck upward.  He goes into great detail, describing reasons why specialists in plastic surgery are an interesting increasing trend and the reasons that this may increase successful results in that doctors who perform the same surgery day after day, month after month, year after year, would develop great experience in judgment with the same operations, understanding the unusual pitfalls of the procedures as well as the anatomical variations.  This may allow for improved and more predictable results. 

As always, I am appreciative and humble whenever magazines come to me asking to do stories on specific issues on body sculpting in plastic surgery.

The patient is now six weeks postsurgical, status post silicone gel augmentation mammoplasty procedure with high profile gel 325 cc Natrelle implants placed to the dual plane with a small incision underneath the nipple.  She also has a full abdominoplasty, and plication of the midline rectus sheath.  The rectus muscles have been plicated into the midline.  She also has undergone a core sculpting of the inner and outer thighs.  Please note her pre- and postoperative photos.  The patient is six weeks postsurgical and is doing extraordinarily well.  This is an excellent example of our usual and customary Mommy Makeover procedure combining breast enhancement, full abdominoplasty and sculpting of the inner and outer thigh areas.

The upper pole compression band is another form of a garment that helps to reduce upper pole fullness.  It also allows the implants to be inferiorly displaced, reducing upper pole fullness that is unnatural, and is useful for lowering of the implant immediately postsurgically. 

Abdominal binders are used on abdominoplasty and tumescent lipectomy lipo-sculpted patients.  These are worn for at least six weeks, if not longer.  This allows for reduced swelling and edema.  It also helps to reduce pain and discomfort.  When contouring the thighs, girdles are usually worn that can be from the hip area or above the hip area, if the upper abdominal area is suctioned, down to the mid-thigh region or down to the knee, as necessary. 

These compression garments may also be used on mastectomy patients of course, which helps to provide support and maximum compression after recovery.  The material should be soft, often combinations of Spandex as well as cotton.  This will reduce irritation and abrasion.  Normally, the compression garments are worn continuously for a prolonged period of time in order to maintain shape of the implants postoperatively and prevent malposition of the implants.

Pre-Op and Post-Op Photos

The mini-abdominoplasty was perfect in this situation in that she did not have enough skin laxity to perform a full tummy tuck; however, I could bring the skin down, tighten the rectus sheath, plicate the rectus muscle and lipo sculpture the hips to give her a cleaner, smoother appearance and narrow the hips as well.  Notice, in her postoperative photo she has softer breasts, the nipple areolar complex is now central within the breast itself rather than inferiorly positioned as well as the cleavage is enhanced and she has more natural upper pole fullness. 

The abdominal area shows nice contouring of the lower abdominal.  The pooch is pretty much resolved and gone and the hips are much smoother.  The patient is extraordinarily pleased.  In fact, the following testimonial from the patient indicates her thoughts from her surgery.

“I live in Texas and found Dr. Linder on the internet. I called his office and spoke with Adriana the office manager. She was amazing and answered all my questions. I then scheduled a phone consult with Dr. Linder. I immediately felt comfortable and at ease with Dr. Linder and scheduled and appt. to meet with him. Always looking for an excuse to visit California, I flew out to meet with him. Afterwards, I was confident that his expertise and wisdom concerning breast revision surgery would give me great results. I scheduled my surgery and was amazed with the results. I experienced very little pain or discomfort and had excellent care by Dr. Linder post op. I am very pleased, this is my 3rd breast surgery and in the words of my husband, he says my breast look “magnificent”. We are both very happy. Thanks to Dr. Linder and his surgical staff for a wonderful experience.”

Pre- Op and Post-Op Photos

The next example is a patient who underwent augmentation mammoplasty and lipo-contouring of her inner and outer thighs and hips.  The patient presented with having had three children, loss of upper pole fullness of her breasts and desired to have her breasts filled in again.  Saline implants were then placed in the dual plane technique, under the muscle through a periareolar approach with high profile saline implants.  We were able to regain her beautiful fullness, keep her narrow on the side and give her excellent cleavage.  She had a gynoid appearance, the lower third of her body disproportionately larger than the upper and middle third upper body.  Her liposuctioning was accomplished using a Klein needle infiltrator to infiltrate tumescent fluid per the tumescent technique and approximately 1 liter of fat was removed of pure aspirate.  A small 3 mm triple lumen Mercedes tip cannula under direct one atmospheric vacuum suction pressure under general anesthesia.  The localized deep fat deposits were removed from the anteromedial and the posterolateral thighs as well as the infragluteal folds.  You can see a nice reshaping of the lower third of her body more to match the upper middle third.  However, her natural curve was maintained.  Suctioning was only performed in the localized deep fat deposit areas for two reasons:  1) to prevent contour deformity and surface irregularity of the skin; and 2) to allow her to maintain her natural contour shape.  Postoperatively, her gynoid appearance is significantly reduced with more proportionality of the upper mid and lower third of her body.

Dr. Linder is excited to be working with CBS Studios once again.  He has performed a transformation of an 18-year-old African-American female who had massive weight loss of over 150 pounds, leaving her with massive amounts of redundant skin on the breast and abdominal areas.  Even though she is young, at the age of 18, she still cannot live with skin hanging down to her belly button and umbilicus from her breasts and the skin from her abdominal area hanging down towards her knees. 

As a result, the patient underwent a formal mastopexy and a full panniculectomy or abdominoplasty without plication of the midline rectus sheath as well as tumescent liposuction sculpting of the hips and flank areas for national television.  She had a fantastic operation and the results should be stunning.  The show should air in the third week of February once all three patients have completely healed enough that they can travel to New York to be in the studio with the CBS Early Show.

No better time than the holidays to undergo your cosmetic surgery procedures.  Dr. Linder operates throughout the holiday season from Christmas to the New Year.  This is an extraordinarily busy time for plastic surgeon, but it is an excellent opportunity for patients to recover, as many patients have vacation and holiday leave during this time of year.  We also perform multiple combination procedures and total mommy makeovers during the holiday season, including augmentation breast lifts, tummy tucks and lipo-sculpturing. 

Dr. Linder and his staff send to all of his patients and to everyone out there a very happy holiday and a safe and healthy 2010.