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Category Archives: Breast Reconstruction

How To Sleep After Breast Augmentation: 3 Tips for Resting Well

Brunette woman sleeping in bed (model)

After breast augmentation—or any surgery, for that matter—rest is paramount. But getting the sleep you need during recovery can be tough. Our breast augmentation patients have taught us a thing or 2 about the recuperation process—and we’re sharing their tips for how to sleep well after breast augmentation here. Why Sleep Is Vital During Recovery Resting with your eyes closed can feel nice, but it’s simply not the same as sleep. When you fall asleep, your body undergoes a series of physiological changes and enters …

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After Breast Cancer: Areola and Nipple Tattoos for Breast Reconstruction

Woman's shoulders and chest (MODEL)

Many breast cancer survivors often don't know they can put the finishing touches on their breast reconstruction with cosmetic tattooing. The art of areola and nipple breast tattoos has emerged as a remarkable solution, offering a path to regaining both physical and emotional wholeness. In this blog post, we'll explore the significance of post-breast cancer areola and nipple tattoos for our Los Angeles breast reconstruction patients, shedding light on the transformative power of this unique option. Finding the Right Breast Reconstruction Tattoo Artist As with …

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Our Office on Nightline!

On January 1, 2015, our office was highlighted in a Nightline special regarding breast reconstruction after breast cancer. This segment is helping women understand some of their options for breast reconstruction and shows some of our own patients going through this process. If you missed it you can WATCH IT HERE.

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Permanent Makeup: More Than Cosmetic

Meet Valerie! If you've ever visited our office on a Friday, then you may have met our artist Valerie Gilbert. She is a master at cosmetic tattooing, which includes permanent makeup along with the final stage of breast reconstruction - nipple and areolar tattooing. For many women, this is the end of a long and difficult journey and Valerie helps to complete this process with her wonderful technique, patience, and always happy personality. Micro pigmentation (cosmetic tattoo) inserts color pigments into the dermal layer of …

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Breast Reconstruction Primer Part 2: SGAP, IGAP, TUG & PAP

South Bay Plastic Surgeons in Torrance perform a variety of breast reconstruction procedures. This article describes the final four in our series: SGAP, IGAP, TUG and PAP breast reconstruction methods. The Benefits of Flap Reconstruction Compared with Implant Reconstruction The primary benefit of flap reconstruction, whether it uses tissue from the back, buttocks, thighs or abdomen, is the ability to utilize tissue from the patient’s own body, which can lead to better healing and/or a more natural appearance. Sometimes additional tissue (flap) is needed to replace …

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Breast Reconstruction Primer Part 1: Latissimus Dorsi and TDAP

As you know, the skilled plastic surgeons at South Bay Plastic Surgeons in Torrance perform a variety of procedures. This article describes two breast reconstruction methods: Latissimus Dorsi Flap and TDAP Flap. Both of these two breast reconstruction procedures use tissue (flaps) from the back to reconstruct the breast(s). The Latissimus Dorsi muscle is located just below the shoulder and behind the armpit. It’s involved in pulling movements, such as climbing a ladder or rowing. The Benefits of Flap Reconstruction Compared with Implant Reconstruction The primary benefit of flap reconstruction, whether it …

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Breast Reconstruction Primer: DIEP, SIEA, Free TRAM and Pedicled TRAM

As you know, the skilled plastic surgeons at South Bay Plastic Surgeons in Torrance perform a variety of breast reconstruction procedures. This article describes four common breast reconstruction methods: Free TRAM flap, Pedicled TRAM flap DIEP flap and SIEA flap   These four breast reconstruction procedures all use tissue (flaps) from the abdomen to reconstruct the breast(s). The primary difference between them is the choice and management of blood vessels to nourish the abdominal flap once it has been relocated to the chest wall. The …

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Breast Reconstruction Primer: Tissue Expander+Implant

As you may know, the skilled surgeons at South Bay Plastic Surgeons in Torrance, perform a variety of breast reconstruction procedures. Over the next few months, we'll describe each of the options available to our breast cancer reconstruction patients. This article describes the most common breast reconstruction method: Tissue Expander+Implant. The tissue expander + implant option is a two-stage reconstructive procedure. After mastectomy, a temporary, inflatable breast implant is inserted under the skin and chest muscle in the operating room. This inflatable implant is called …

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The Finishing Touches in Breast Reconstruction by Valerie Gilbert

Medical tattooing pigmentation restores the areola and nipple complex to help disguise surgical scars and enhance the reconstructed breast. Nipple-areola complex (NAC) is one of the final steps toward wholeness following a mastectomy. Because our Torrance plastic surgeons encourage patients to complete the process, almost 90% of our reconstruction patients elect to restore their areola nipple complex after reconstruction through micro pigmentation (cosmetic tattooing). This not only completes the reconstruction phase but also restores the woman’s confidence as well. As SBPS’s technician, I routinely hear …

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