Blog - Beverly Hills & Brea | Frederic H. Corbin, MD

How a Breast Reduction Can Reduce Chronic Pain

April 4th, 2019

Many women believe that having larger breasts will boost their confidence and make them feel more comfortable in their skin. While this may be true for some, women with naturally large breasts may disagree. It is common to want the opposite of what your current body traits are. However, when it comes to having overly large, cumbersome breasts, there is often more to this desire than simply wanting what you do not have. Large breasts can lead to many insecurities. Clothes do not fit properly, especially if the breasts are out of proportion with the abdomen and the arms, which larger breasts commonly are. You can dress to fit your breasts, which makes clothing too big everywhere else, or you try to fit the rest of your body, causing clothing to pull around the breasts or be too revealing. Either way, unwanted attention is drawn, which again, leads to insecurity. And unfortunately for women with large breasts, the discomfort does not end there.

Large breasts lead not only to emotional insecurities but to a host of physical symptoms. Back, neck, shoulder, and chest pain are all side effects of large cup sizes, and can range from being a simple annoyance to being entirely debilitating. And unfortunately for many women, this chronic pain can only be remedied by one thing: breast reduction surgery.

What Causes Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is most often caused by strain on the muscles and ligaments. As simple as it sounds, the larger the breast, the more it weighs, and this weight is directly supported by the back, neck, and shoulders. When the breasts weigh more, your posture shifts, causing a change in the alignment of your spine. Poor posture leads to unnatural curves in the spine, resulting in chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain. The constant pain makes everything from regular chores to participating in sports more difficult, and many women discover that many activities are just too painful, even with a great sports bra.

What Can Be Done?

While finding a supportive bra can help relieve some of these symptoms, the only way to truly address the underlying cause of your pain is to reduce the size of the breasts. Breast reduction surgery is performed to restore proportion and balance to your body frame. In this procedure, excess breast tissue and skin are removed so that the breasts are not only smaller and more compact but also lighter. This places less stress on the spine, which in turn can help with back, neck, and shoulder pain. Your clothing will also fit better, you will no longer have to worry about bra straps digging into your shoulders, and you will feel more confident in your appearance.

If you are suffering from chronic pain due to overly large breasts, contact Dr. Corbin by calling his Beverly Hills office at (310) 284-8384 or his Brea office at (714) 671-3033 to set up a consultation.

Categories Breast Reduction

RFAL™ by InMode FaceTite™ or a Facelift?

by Frederic Corbin

March 21st, 2019

In recent years, more and more potential patients are turning towards non-surgical or minimally invasive procedures instead of surgery. And with continual improvements in non-surgical technology, there are now many options that can successfully tighten skin. One of these options is the RFAL™ by InMode FaceTite™. This is a minimally invasive procedure that tightens skin on the lower face and neck without many of the potential complications that accompany facelift surgery. But while there are significant benefits to FaceTite™, can it replace the need for a facelift?

How Does RFAL™ by InMode FaceTite™ Work?

FaceTite™ uses radiofrequency (RF) technology to treat both the external and internal layers of the skin and tissues on the lower face, neck, and jowls. During this procedure, a tiny, inconspicuous incision is made near the treatment area and the FaceTite™ probe is inserted beneath the skin. This probe heats the deeper tissues with RF energy while the external handpiece heats the top layer of the skin. This simultaneous heating allows the skin to contract and muscles to tighten while stimulating collagen production. Once this one-time treatment is completed, you will witness a noticeable improvement in skin tightness and smoothness.

What Are the Benefits of FaceTite™ Over Surgery?

The goal behind both FaceTite™ and facelift surgery is to smooth skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. FaceTite™ uses minimally invasive means while a facelift requires full-on surgery. While an incision is made during the FaceTite™ procedure, it is small, does not need a suture, and does not result in post-operative scarring. Facelift surgery requires more extensive incisions that result in stitches, more significant downtime, and post-operative scarring. Unlike facelift surgery, FaceTite™ does not surgically remove skin; instead, it relies on RF technology and your body’s collagen to shrink and contract lax skin. Because of this, FaceTite™ requires far less downtime and patients can return to their regular schedules far sooner.

How Do the Results Compare?

FaceTite™ is a safe and effective way to tighten skin on the lower face, neck, and jowls, but only for patients with mild to moderate skin laxity. Facelift surgery reverses moderate to severe signs of facial aging along the midface, lower face, and neck. This is the most significant difference between these two procedures. Even with the benefits of FaceTite™, it cannot provide the same level of correction as surgery can. FaceTite™ tightens and contracts the skin and tissues whereas facelift surgery removes excess skin and repositions underlying tissues that may have shifted throughout the aging process.

The RFAL™ by InMode FaceTite™ is a beneficial way to treat facial skin laxity, but it cannot replace facelift surgery.

To find out more about FaceTite™ or facelift surgery, contact Dr. Corbin to set up a consultation by calling his Beverly Hills office at (310) 284-8384, his Brea office at (714) 671-3033, or by filling out our online contact form.

Categories Radio Frequency Technology

Are Your Expectations Realistic?

by Frederic Corbin

February 21st, 2019

Men and women turn to plastic surgery for many different reasons—some of these are purely aesthetic chosen by patients hoping to increase their confidence, while others are selected for improved comfort and functionality. Plastic surgery can enhance both of these areas: aesthetics and comfort; however, just like anything else, surgery does have its limits. Before you undergo your cosmetic procedure, it is best to understand what plastic surgery can and cannot do so you can ensure that your expectations remain realistic.

You Will Still Be You

Many patients go into their consultation with the image of a celebrity and the statement: “I want their nose,” or “I want their chin.” Unfortunately, plastic surgery does not work like that. No matter how many procedures you undergo, you can never guarantee that your results will physically match another person. For starters, your genetics will often not allow for it. Everyone has a different bone structure, and that may or may not be able to be altered through surgery. Also, it is challenging, if not impossible, to know how you are going to heal and how your results will take shape. The important thing to remember, especially when it comes to facial surgery, is that all of your different facial features work together to create your facial appearance, and mimicking one facial feature is not enough to make you look like them.

Bringing in photos is a good practice as long as you understand that they are there as a guideline. Attributes and similarities can be taken from these photos, and they can be helpful for Dr. Corbin in understanding what type of results you are interested in. For instance, if you are undergoing rhinoplasty, providing a photo of a nose that you find aesthetically beautiful can help Dr. Corbin plan a strategy that will combine your physical needs with your aesthetic wishes. The same goes for any procedure, whether it be facelift surgery, chin augmentation, or even breast augmentation.

Plastic surgery will not ultimately change the face that you see in the mirror. It will, on the other hand, enhance and bring forward the features that you already have.

Plastic Surgery Is Not Weight Loss Surgery

Liposuction is the second most popular form of plastic surgery. Liposuction removes excess, unwanted pockets of fat from nearly anywhere on the body. Since fat cells contribute to and make up excess weight, and liposuction removes these cells, it can seem as though liposuction is a weight loss surgery. This, however, is not the case. Liposuction is a procedure meant to trim and tone your physique not be used as an alternative to weight loss. Liposuction is best for patients who are already near their ideal weight. It can be an excellent procedure for patients who have already lost a substantial amount of weight and want to get rid of the final pockets of fat.

Procedures like abdominoplasty, brachioplasty, and thighplasty are also often misconceived as weight loss procedures. These procedures remove excess skin and tighten loose muscles, which in turn can significantly slim your appearance; however, it is not the same as weight loss. Before patients undergo plastic surgery, they should try to get near their goal weight through diet and exercise or actual weight loss surgery.

For more information, or to set up a consultation with Dr. Corbin, contact our Beverly Hills office at (310) 284-8384, our Brea office at (714) 671-3033, or fill out our online contact form.

Categories Rhinoplasty

Benefits of Having Plastic Surgery in Winter

by Frederic Corbin

December 21st, 2018

Men and women turn to plastic surgery for many different reasons. A common reason, however, is to boost their confidence by enhancing and defining the appearance of their body contours. Most of these patients link this desire to the summer months when they can show off their physiques in bathing suits, shorts, and sundresses. Unfortunately, plastic surgery is something of a multi-step process in that it requires planning, a surgical date, and a recovery period. This recovery period can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. To ensure that your recovery will not interfere with your summer plans, consider scheduling your plastic surgery procedure during the winter so that you have plenty of time to heal. By planning ahead, you can enjoy the warm, summer months participating in something you love, not spending it recovering inside on the couch.

Scars Fade

While scarring is an inevitable part of plastic or any other type of surgery, the scarring is always at its worst initially after the procedure. Even after the wound heals, scars will be red, raised, and swollen. While it can take years for all of the discolorations to fade to their final appearance, a significant amount of scar healing happens in the first few months. By choosing to have your surgery during the winter, you are giving your scars ample time to heal and fade before summer, when you may want to show off your figure and expose the areas where scarring is present. This timing can be especially beneficial for procedures such as tummy tuck surgery, breast augmentation, and liposuction.

Swelling Disappears

Just as scars can take months to lose their initial redness, swelling can be present for the same amount of time. Most swelling subsides after a few weeks, but the rest of it can take up to six months to fully dissipate. The presence of this swelling affects the overall quality of your results and hinders the appearance of your final contour. Plan for your surgery early so that all of the expected swelling is gone before summer.

Cold Weather Attire Allows for Easier Concealment

Even after you have been cleared to return to your normal activities and routines, you may still experience the visible effects of the recovery process. Winter allows for an easier concealment of these recovery effects. Long sleeves, loose sweaters, and scarves all enable you to hide the treatment areas until you feel ready to show off your results.

To learn more about the benefits of plastic surgery in the winter, contact Dr. Corbin by calling his Beverly Hills office at (310) 284-8384 or his Brea office at (714) 671-3033 to set up a consultation.

Categories Winter Benefits of Plastic Surgery

How to Achieve a Beautiful Profile

by Frederic Corbin

November 21st, 2018

Because the shape of our profile is not always evident to us, it can be a shock when we see photographs and realize that we’re not pleased with what we’re looking at. When examining your profile, certain features tend to stick out (both literally and figuratively). These features are the nose, the chin, and the jawline or neck. Traditionally, ideals of beauty are based on the interaction between these features. In essence, a face that is proportionate and balanced is more desirable because the facial features are in harmony with each other.

The nose, chin, and jawline usually have unique, individualized shapes. Chins can be weak and appear almost non-existent. Noses can have an undesirable hump or a drooping tip. And an aging neck can weaken the firm and defined jawline you may have known for years. Although each feature only makes up a small fraction of your face, together they can have a significant effect on your appearance and self-confidence.

Stay In Balance

The goal of any cosmetic surgery is to restore or enhance balance. Most patients that dislike their profile suffer from insecurities stemming from their nose, chin, or neck.

Your nose takes center stage on your face. Unfortunately, it can have significant variations in shape and size. For some patients, the nose is too small for their face, while for others it is too large. Some patients have long, drooping nasal tips; others lack definition. Some patients suffer dissatisfaction with a hump on the bridge of their nose. Whatever the concern, many patients are worried about how their nose interacts with the surrounding facial features, such as the eyes, cheeks, lips, and chin. Rhinoplasty can alter and enhance the shape of your nose to help alleviate your insecurities.

Another common facial feature that leads to profile insecurity is the chin. Some patients are born with an undefined chin or the appearance of no chin at all. For these patients, looking out of balance is a significant issue, as the lack of a prominent chin causes the upper portion of the face to look and feel more substantial than it is. An undefined chin can be altered using a chin implant. This implant allows for greater projection and definition so that your chin falls in line with the projection of your nose and forehead.

Restore Youthfulness

As you age, your skin produces less collagen. This causes your skin and the underlying muscles to lose elasticity and start to fall toward your jawline. When this occurs, you are left with jowls and excess skin on the neck. A neck that is experiencing these changes often appears older than it is. A neck lift can restore firmness and youthfulness by tightening the underlying muscles, removing excess skin, and restoring definition to the jawline. This procedure restores balance to the face by strengthening its overall structure.

To learn more about how these procedures can strengthen the structure of the lower face and improve your self-confidence, contact Dr. Corbin by calling his Beverly Hills office at (310) 284-8384 or his Brea office at (714) 671-3033 to set up a consultation.

Categories Cheek and Chin Implants, Rhinoplasty

How a Breast Reduction Can Reduce Chronic Pain

What Causes Chronic Pain?