On this page, you will find a generously detailed explanation of many aspects of cosmetic surgery. Dr. Conrad shares this information, with respect for his patient’s trust, intelligence, and interest in their procedure.
Results in any form of plastic surgery depend not only on the skill and experience of the surgeon, but also on the health, skin texture, bone structure, and healing capacity and the particular problem of the patient.
The media has repeatedly given to the public much information regarding cosmetic surgery but unfortunately, in most instances, it has added unnecessary sensationalism. This may have encouraged some patients to expect a miraculous transformation or to seek absolute perfection.
Such patients are not suitable candidates for cosmetic facial surgery. On the other hand, a surgeon who does not strive for absolute perfection by paying meticulous attention to every detail, may not be a suitable choice.
We must not forget that facial cosmetic surgery has to combine art and science with aesthetics as the measure of a successful result. In choosing your surgeon, you must be sure that he not only has manual skill and artistic imagination but also the scientific understanding of the function of the body parts which will be surgically altered.
While he will make every effort to satisfy the patient's individual expectations, it should be understood that sometimes the patient's desires are not surgically unattainable. Therefore, the patient must ultimately trust the professional judgment of the surgeon for only he can evaluate artistic goals within the framework of functional anatomic limitations.
The practice of surgery is based on a thorough knowledge of the basic medical sciences and clinical problems that require many years of studying, practice, and constant efforts at self-improvement, revision and comparison of results on the part of the surgeon.
It also involves, however, many factors that are impossible to predict, such as the patient's ability to heal and to resist complications.
The amount of pain and discomfort following facial surgery varies with the type of operation and the individual patient's sensitivity. Generally, a small quantity of pain-killing medication is necessary. Recovery after some operations is painless.
The patient is incapacitated to some extent following these operations and he or she must be mature enough to tolerate the discomfort, understanding that it is temporary. Cosmetic operations would not be so popular today if the risks were substantial.
Complications are rare but they do exist. I will answer any questions with regard to the specific risk of any operation you are contemplating, during your office consultation.
All wounds heal by scar formation. The surgeon has little control over this process after the operation has been performed. However, the incisions for various cosmetic procedures are carefully designed in order to make the scars inconspicuous.
You must plan for the procedure(s) you wish to have and schedule the work in a responsible manner taking under consideration your financial situation.
Cosmetic surgery is a purely elective procedure. It is not an emergency or medically necessary treatment and the fees are payable before surgery. Your operation can be planned well in advance, enabling you to have sufficient time to arrange your finances.
Payment in advance does two things: One, It assures the surgeon that the patient is not undertaking elective surgery that is beyond their means. Second, it assures the patient that the surgical fee for that particular operation and the usual post-operative care is paid in full. There will be no unexpected additional charges by the surgeon.
The surgical fee in some instances will differ for similar operations, depending on the amount of work required. Please be sure to discuss the particulars of your payment with me personally.
Health insurance does not cover the costs of cosmetic surgery. Sometimes, when a cosmetic improvement is the by-product of another operation, or part of it is designed to improve function or relieve symptoms, the insurance company may contribute towards the hospital expenses to some degree.
Cosmetic facial surgery is designed mainly to enhance one's appearance by camouflaging the signs of aging or by changing irregular anatomy in order to bring harmony to the features.
The face and neck show signs of aging earlier than other parts of the body; therefore cosmetic facial surgery is the most commonly sought after service in our youth-oriented society.
During the last two centuries, hairstyles and fashion have been changing rapidly but the image of harmonious facial features has remained the same. It is common to see a girl or woman whose features would be considered quite beautiful were it not for the shape of her nose, receding chin or inadequate definition of the cheek bones.
This is why nasal plastic surgery combined with other feature enhancing or rejuvenating procedures constitute a large portion of cosmetic facial operations.
Cosmetic facial surgery is not limited to women. It has become increasingly popular with men; particularly those active in business and public life. It will enhance the natural potential by improving the balance of facial anatomy in the maturing male, restoring a more energetic appearance.
These remarks have been prepared to give general information to those considering cosmetic surgery. It is intended to give you facts with emphasis on limitations, so that you may gain a realistic and unretouched picture.
If you have been misinformed through nonscientific sources about the "miracles" of plastic surgery, I want to disappoint you before you make your decision to become my or anyone else's patient. If you have little information, I wish to share with you the truth about the work of a facial cosmetic surgeon.
In discussing various cosmetic procedures, only the most common principles are outlined here. There are variations and only during a consultation will the patient's individual problems be carefully evaluated and clarified.
Plastic surgery is performed on all parts of the body, not only on the head and neck. There are cosmetic surgeons who practice their art on virtually any region of the body (hands, buttocks, thighs, breast, etc). There are also regional cosmetic surgeons who confine their interest to a particular area only, such as the face and neck, which is my specialty.
This specialization can be compared with the general trend in medicine where you will find experts in internal medicine, pelvic surgery, brain surgery or heart surgery, just to name a few.
A great deal of research and postgraduate training of already fully qualified and certified surgeons has been taking place under the auspices of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery since its foundation in 1964. A sister organization of specialist surgeons, the Canadian Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, was established in 1980.
I would like to emphasize to all my patients contemplating plastic surgery that I perform only facial cosmetic plastic surgery for which I am trained and certified by the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada.. I do not perform general plastic surgery.
All the patients shown on this web site are examples of my own work.
View Dr. Conrad's Before & After Photo Gallery
Please make sure you report, during the pre-operative consultation, all the medications you are taking.
Any medicine containing aspirin (enquire with your druggist if necessary) must be discontinued or substituted by your family doctor for two weeks before the operation and at least one week after the surgery.
Birth Control pills or any medication containing sex hormones (used for menopause or after gynecological operations) must be discontinued for two months after a chemical peel, laser skin resurfacing or dermabrasion, in order to decrease the risk of hyper-pigmentation [darkening] of the treated skin. You can continue with these medications for any other type of facial surgery.
Post-surgical depression is not unusual and is unrelated to the course or outcome of your surgery. It is not profound and dissipates within three to ten days, without medication.
Strenuous exercise and heavy work (lifting and moving heavy objects) must be delayed until the third post-operative month. Some activities may gradually be commenced during the sixth post-operative week. This will vary with the type of surgery carried out.
Getting out of bed and walking around as soon as the sense of balance returns to normal speeds up the recovery process. Avoid prolonged exposure to extreme weather conditions (i.e. sunshine or frost) during the first eight months after surgery.
All patients undergoing facial cosmetic surgery are required to have medical photographs taken. The purpose of medical photography is multiple; the photographs provide accurate documentation of the appearance of the part of the body that will undergo surgery.
Although the surgeon examines the patients in his office on more than one occasion, the photographs are necessary for him to do his " homework" before the operation.
The photographs are also displayed on a screen in the operating room during surgery for easy reference. They show the patient's features affected by the force of gravity in an upright position. Some of these features change considerably while the patient is lying on the operating table.
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