Meet Valerie! If you’ve ever visited our office on a Friday, then you may have met our permanent makeup 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 the skin to camouflage scars and restore areola … Continue reading
Anesthesia: Why Board Certification Matters
South Bay Plastic Surgeons places patient safety in the highest regard. We only use board-certified anesthesiologists to administer sedation and monitor vital signs throughout surgery. It is of utmost importance that a specialist is present to handle this so that our surgeons can focus on their work. If you get a quote for cosmetic surgery and it contains a nominal fee for anesthesiology, you should investigate who is administering the sedation. Is it the surgeon? Is it a nurse? The importance of finding a doctor who values your well-being above everything else can not be … Continue reading
Vectra 3D: The Crystal Ball of Cosmetic Surgery
Our Torrance plastic surgery group is known for excellent cosmetic surgery results for breast, body and face. For patients who’d like another layer of reassurance as to how they’ll look after a cosmetic enhancement, we have the latest version of the VECTRA® 3D imaging system. When our patients attend a cosmetic surgery consultation at our Torrance office, our VECTRA 3D system can give them a digital look into their future! What is the VECTRA 3D Imaging System? The VECTRA 3D imaging system was developed by Canfield, a technology company in New Jersey. It can transform a digital “before” … Continue reading
Everything You Want to Know About “Gummy Bear” Implants
Have you heard of “Gummy Bear” breast implants? Do you wonder what they are and how they might compare to saline, gel-filled and other types of implants? “Gummy bear” is actually an informal name that doesn’t describe a specific implant. It is used to describe a group of relatively solid gel-filled implants. Historically, implants were filled with a watery form of silicone that was more likely to leak. Current gel-filled implants are filled with a more solid form of silicone that holds its shape if the implant shell breaks. The official term used to describe … Continue reading
Facial Rejuvenation 101: Facelifts
If you look in your mirror and are concerned about signs of facial aging that are no longer completely addressed through non-surgical means such as BOTOX®, laser procedures and/or spa treatments, it may be time to consider a surgical procedure to turn back the clock and restore a more youthful visage! What is a Facelift? A facelift is an elective surgical procedure with the goal to create a younger appearance. It can be done at any age, although most of our Torrance facelift patients are between the ages of 36 and 70, with the majority … Continue reading
Body Sculpting After Massive Weight Loss
Men and women in the South Bay area who accomplish massive weight loss as a result of diet & exercise and/or bariatric surgery, often find that after the weight is gone, they are left with unattractive and uncomfortable folds of flesh and skin. Body Sculpting after losing large amounts of weight can improve the body you have worked so hard to achieve. Options in Post-Weight-Loss Body Sculpting Almost any area of the body can be sculpted to eliminate loose skin and remaining fat and tissue, including the face and neck, upper arms, back, breasts, stomach, … Continue reading
Breast Reduction: Not Just for Hollywood A-Listers
If you experience shoulder or back pain, grooves from bra straps, or frequent irritation or rashes beneath your breasts as a result of overly large breasts, a breast reduction at our Torrance or Beverly Hills practice might eliminate these problems. Some of our breast reduction patients have none of the physical symptoms mentioned above, but seek to have breasts that are more proportionate to the rest of their figure. Dissatisfaction with appearance and difficulty finding clothing often plague women with very large breasts. Unlike other cosmetic procedures, breast reduction is sometimes even covered by insurance! … Continue reading
Introducing Dr. Whitney A. Burrell
There’s a new face at our Torrance plastic surgery office: that of skilled plastic surgeon Whitney Burrell, MD. A cancer surgeon’s daughter who hails from Atlanta, Dr. Burrell has trained at some of America’s most prestigious institutions, including Columbia, Princeton and Weill Cornell Medical College, on her journey to become a plastic surgeon. Her undergraduate degree was earned at Princeton, as well as a general studies certificate from Columbia. Her medical school training was completed at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. Dr. Burrell then enrolled in a 3-year plastic surgery residency at New York-Presbyterian … Continue reading
Breast Reconstruction Primer Part 2: SGAP, IGAP, TUG & PAP
As you know, the skilled plastic surgeons at 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 or add … Continue reading
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 breast reconstruction 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 uses tissue from the back or the abdomen, … Continue reading
