Do I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

There are many conditions that can affect one’s hand.  Among the most common are tendonitis, trigger fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome and degenerative joint disease.  Each of these conditions has very different presentation of symptoms and each requires different treatment options.  Today we will discuss carpal tunnel syndrome.

Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome present with a variety of symptoms, some may have several of the symptoms while others only a few.  The various symptoms one may have can include: weakness or clumsiness of the hand, decreased sensation in the fingers, awakening from sleep with numbness of the fingers, pain in the wrist and forearm.  The most common age for carpal tunnel syndrome is 40 to 60 years of age and men and women are effected equally.

There are a number of medical conditions that have been associated with carpal tunnel syndrome: rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid imbalance, multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, diabetes mellitus, local trauma to the wrist, alcoholism, hemophilia, certain tumors that occur in the hand, pregnancy, gout and hormonal changes associated with menopause.

The diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome is made the complaints a patient has, the finding on examination which include numbness in the distribution of the nerve, weakness of the hand, decreased strength of the hand, and a positive respond to nerve compression tests.  The EMG is the definitive test for carpal tunnel as it measures the speed that the nerve conducts an electrical impulse, it will always be slowed in carpal tunnel. 

Treatment options are a trial of conservative therapy with splints, anti-inflammatory medications, vitamin B6, and possibly steroids.  Failed conservative treatment requires surgery and there are several options for carpal tunnel release.  The exact approach for release depends on the surgeon and the severity of the condition.  Untreated, carpal tunnel is a progressively debilitating condition that can adversely affect the function of one’s hand. 

If you think you may have carpal tunnel syndrome, call for a consultation at 845-294-3312.

Plastic Surgery Statistics

Recent statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS) confirm what has become to be the recent trend in Plastic Surgery, less is more.  What that means is more people, including men, are having more minimally invasive procedures in recent years.  There has been some overall increase in Plastic Surgery as the economy has improved.  Botox and soft tissue fillers, the two most common minimally invasive procedures have continued to grow throughout the period of a shaky economy.  There has been an increase in men having Plastic Surgery, which was mostly eyelid procedures, Botox and fillers, related to their need to look younger in the work place.

 

The top five surgical procedures were, in decreasing order, Breast augmentation, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, liposuction and tummy tucks.  There has been an overall increase in body contouring procedures which has been related to the increase in demand from patients with massive weight loss.  Breast augmentation has increased again with 60% of women choosing silicone gel implants in recent years.

 

The top five minimally invasive procedures in decreasing order were, Botox, soft tissue fillers, chemical peels, laser hair removal and microdermabrasion. As the demand for procedures that have little to no down time, you can easily see why Botox and Fillers would top the list.

 

The top five reconstructive procedures were, tumor removal, laceration repair, scar revision, hand surgery and breast reconstruction.  Breast reconstruction is new to the list and is related to the efforts of the ASPS to make women aware of their options for breast reconstruction.

 

The Winski Center for Cosmetic Surgery is happy to provide you with any of the minimally invasive procedures to rejuvenate you appearance. Simply call the office for your free complimentary consultation.

Photofacials.. Do they really work?

PHOTOFACIALS, DO THEY REALLY WORK?

Many people have talked about photofacials as a way of rejuvenating the face.  The long term exposure of our skin to the elements, sun, and wind, cause significant damage, resulting in wrinkles, irregular pigmentation, telangiectases (fine blood vessels),  coarse skin texture, keratosis and in some cases malignancies.  Although use of destructive laser treatment, which require prolonged healing and have a risk of scarring are effective, they are not always desired by patients.  BroadBand Light is a more gentle approach to treating those same conditions, with little to no down time.  A recent study in the journal of Restorative Aesthetic Therapy, concluded that the use of BroadBand Light on a regular basis can reduce and delay the long-term signs of skin aging such as photodamage, telangiectases, fine lines and wrinkles, and skin laxity.

We are pleased to announce that The Winski Center for Cosmetic Surgery has this technology available for you to reduce the signs of aging.  The treatments are performed in the office under a topical anesthetic cream or lotion that is applied to the face.  Once anesthetized, the skin is cleansed and then treated with three different wavelengths of light energy to reverse the sign of aging and improve the quality of your skin.  The treatments take approximately 30 minutes to perform and are generally performed at six month intervals.  Aftercare is gentle cleansing of the skin, the use of a moisturizer and sunblock.

Some patients have reported the follow effects from the treatment: some initial darkening of pigmentation on their face, some crusting or flaking of pigmented spots, some redness in areas of rosacea and some dry or flaky patches.  All these conditions improved after a short period of time, and overall patient satisfaction was extremely high.

If you want to fight the signs of aging with minimal down time with a proven effective treatment, call for a free consultation today.

BREAST LIFTor BREAST REDUCTION

Breast Lift or breast Reduction

Many women come in to the office seeking breast surgery to enhance their appearance.  Some are seeking breast augmentation, but others are seeking a lift or reduction.  They are confused about exactly what procedure they need and what that procedure will do.  So let’s talk about a lift first.  With aging, childbirth and some other conditions, the shape and position of the breast change.  The droopy breast many women present with is called breast ptosis, this means that the breast is no longer positioned on the chest in its normal position.  In this case, a breast lift or mastopexy is needed.  There are various ways to perform this procedure depending upon how low the breast is on the chest.  The lower the breast position the more skin removal is required to shape and elevate the breast to a more natural appearance and position.  In a mastopexy there is no removal of any breast tissue.

Breast reduction surgery, reduction mammoplasty as it is called, is performed on a breast that is larger than one would like and results in a smaller shapely breast.  Many times there are associated physical complaints related to the large breasts such as back, shoulder and neck pain, poor posture and shoulder grooves from the bra straps. In many cases the large breast is lower than one would like, and as part of the reduction procedure the breast tissue is elevated to a more natural position.  The large breast tends not to have an aesthetically pleasing shape.  In the reduction process, the tissues is also reshaped to give a more aesthetically pleasing shape. 

Breast lifts are purely a cosmetic procedure, purely designed to enhance the appearance of the breast, not for any medical reason, as such mastopexy procedures are not covered by insurance.  Breast reduction procedures that meet the requirements of the insurance company can be a procedure that is covered.  There are many restrictions or limitations that the various companies have for authorization of this procedure and it is best to check with your individual company for their requirements.

As always if you have any questions about these procedures or to see if you are an appropriate candidate for a procedure, contact us at 845-294-3312 or by e-mail at Winskicosmeticsurgery.com

 

What is Manscaping

Manscaping is defined as the removal of male body hair.  However; manscaping is more than just hair removal, it is the correction of those imperfections that every man has and desires to remove.    As women have mommy makeovers for after their child bearing years and the effects it had on their body, modern manscaping can improve a man’s physical appearance as well.  To begin, in the more traditional sense, laser hair removal can remove unwanted hair from the neck, chest, back or any region that is desired.  Several treatments are required but the results can be amazing. In other cases, manscaping can involve a little Botox injections to soften those deep lines on the forehead giving a more relaxed and youthful appearance.  Sometimes a filler, such as Juvederm, can be added for the deep lines by the mouth, again removing the signs of aging and restoring a youthful look.

In some cases where there is excess skin on the upper eyelids or puffiness under the eyes, blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) can remove the extra skin and puffiness giving a refreshed and younger look.  In those cases where dieting and exercise have not been able to remove unwanted fat, Smart-Lipo, laser assisted liposuction, can improve the look of the chest, abdomen, love handles and even the neck. Here a laser is used to melt the fat and then cause a tightening of the overlying skin to give a more defined look.  In some cases it is that bump, or crocked appearance of the nose from an old injury that is causing some concern.  Using rhinoplasty, the nose can be straightened and the bump removed to provide a more attractive appearance.

As you can see, women are not the only one’s concerned about how the look and now with manscaping, men now have the same ability to change their appearance. As you know, when you look good, you feel good. So call today for a free consultation to improve those issues that have been your concern in a confidential and relaxed atmosphere.

LASER ASSISTED LIPOSUCTION

LASER ASSISTED LIPOSUCTION

There are many terms that are used to describe the technique of laser assisted liposuction, laser lipolysis, smart lipo, laser liposuction, just to name a few.  All these techniques use a laser of varying wavelengths to melt the fat making it easier to suction out.  Yes, they all require some component of traditional liposuction.  The laser makes it easier to remove the fat with less tissue trauma.  And less tissue trauma means faster healing, less bruising and faster return to normal daily activities. The other benefit of using the laser is that the heat generated in the tissues by the laser stimulates the collagen and elastin fiber to tighten.  This tightening effect can give the better definition to the contours that are being created and help to improve the laxity of the skin.

There are many laser liposuction systems that are currently being used.  The most up to date is Cynosure’s Smartlipo Triplex.  Early laser liposuction systems used a single wavelength to melt the fat and had very limited power levels.  The second generation combined two different wavelengths in an attempt to melt fat more quickly and provide some more skin tightening.  The third generation, Triplex, used three different wavelengths, used separately or in various combinations to achieve the best possible results.  Here the goal was to use the combinations of wavelengths that most easily melt fat in the deeper levels of the tissues and then the other wavelength combination to the heat the skin to achieve the maximum skin tightening possible.

Laser assisted liposuction can be used in all areas of the body that traditional liposuction has been performed in.  It should be noted that laser liposuction is generally used in cases of small volumes to be removed and where contour refinement is more desired.  There are some additional risks with using the laser from heating the tissues too aggressively.  All the risks of traditional liposuction are also possible with laser liposuction. 

To see if you are a candidate for this procedure, call the office at 845-294-3312 for your free consultation.

Choosing your Surgeon

Choosing your Surgeon

There are many physicians who are now performing cosmetic surgery in the United States who have little to no training in Plastic Surgery.  The current status of medicine in this country is causing physicians to go outside their training and perform cosmetic procedures. Training in Plastic Surgery requires a minimum of six years of training, in general surgery and then plastic surgery.  To become Board certified requires the completion of the required residency training and the successful passing of a written exam which tests the informational base of a candidate.  This is followed by an oral examination which tests the candidate’s ability to problem solve and think on his feet while under pressure.  It is only after both exams are successfully completed that one can become Board Certified.

 When looking for a cosmetic surgeon there are some key points you should look for.  What is his Board Certification?  Where does he do his procedures?  Does he have privileges to perform those procedures in a hospital?

The answers to these questions should be the following:

I am certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.  The American Board of Medical Specialist recognizes this as the Board that covers cosmetic surgery.

I perform the procedures in the environment that is safest for my patients.  That may be in the office or out-patient facility for minor straight forward procedures, but in a hospital for larger procedures or on patients that have significant medical problems.

I have privileges in an accredited hospital to perform the procedures that I plan for you.

By asking a few simple straight forward questions, you can learn a great deal about the qualifications of your surgeon.  Anyone who will not answer these questions in a clear and concise manner, may not be the one your trust your body to.