BEATING THE CLOCK

They say growing old is better than the alternative, but aging certainly is not for the faint of heart. By the late 30s to early 40s, fine lines and wrinkles begin to appear. Changes in skin texture, volume and appearance, pigmentation problems, broken capillaries and dullness become more pronounced with every birthday. We cannot stop the hands of time, but knowing the factors involved with aging can lead to an understanding of what we can and cannot influence when striving to look our best.

First, the basics – the skin has three layers: the epidermis, the dermis and a deeper subcutaneous tier. The epidermis is the outer layer and its role is protection. This layer loses lips (fat-like substances), making the skin dry. In your 30s it will shed itself every two months. The dermis is the skins inside layer, responsible for texture and elasticity. This is the home of collagen and elastic fibers that break down over time. The subcutaneous inner layer is composed of fat and connective tissue and allows us to maintain constant body temperature.

Intrinsic Aging: Changes that happen within the body.

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Thin and transparent skin
• Loss of subcutaneous layer attachment to bone, resulting in sagging and folds
• Thinning of underlying fat, leading to hollowed cheeks and eye sockets and loss of firmness on the hands and neck
• Drying of the skin
• Gray hair and hair loss 

Extrinsic Aging: Skin changes due to external factors:

• Sun exposure, resulting in age spots, loss of elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles
• Facial expressions: Repetitive facial movements actually lead to wrinkles, often referred to as “character lines”
• Gravity: Our skin gradually ceases to “snap back” due to gravity
• Sleeping positions: Resting your face on the pillow in the same way every night can contribute to the development of facial folds
• Smoking: People who smoke regularly are more likely to develop wrinkled, leathery skin, especially wrinkles around the mouth.

Prevention + Treatments: We cannot stop the aging process, but we don’t have to surrender quietly. Signs of aging can be corrected with fillers, lasers or ultrasound. Pharmaceutical-grade skincare products can further repair damaged skin. 

• Avoid deliberate tanning, including use of indoor tanning devices. 
• Apply sunscreen year-round. Sunscreen should be broad spectrum (offers UVA and UVB protection) and have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Using an effective sunscreen, such as Enza Essentials Advanced Protection SPF 30, on a daily basis will make a big impact on the skin and help prevent future damage. 
• Consult with Dr. Rucker and his staff. We have developed a skin treatment program that has been used by over 1,000 patients. Let us discuss personal options that will fit your lifestyle and priorities.
• Tri-Peptide Cell Activator: Dr. Rucker’s exclusive wrinkle-reduction serum formulated with Resveratrol, Tripeptide-3, and Swiss apple stem cells, clinically proven to reduce signs of aging. 

For more information, please contact our staff at 800-456-8222 or email us at info@ruckermd.com. Check out our website at www.ruckermd.com.

Doctor, do I need a breast lift with my augmentation? And what is the difference between silicone and saline?

It’s hard to give the best answer without the benefit of an examination, however, there are three general complaints you may have that will indicate whether you need a breast lift with your breast augmentation.
Three good indicators are:

• You feel you have lost fullness on the upper portion of your breasts
• You feel a push-up bra is a necessity
• You feel going braless is not an option

Before.

After.

A good at-home test to decide whether a lift is right for you is to place your index finger beneath the fold of your breast and point upwards toward your nipple.  If your finger tip protrudes over the upper portion of your areola or above it, then a lift is probably needed, however, a detailed examination by your plastic surgeon is recommended.

If a lift is needed, but not done with your augmentation, your breast sagging may appear more pronounced after your breast augmentation procedure. In my experience, 75% of my patients that opted for a breast lift also chose a breast augmentation. A breast augmentation and breast lift combination may be the best option for you if your goals include any of the following:

• Regaining a "perky”  look
• Improving your cleavage
• Being  able to go braless

Your next decision may be choosing between a saline versus a silicone implant. I personally believe that current saline and traditional gel-filled implants will be obsolete in the near future.  I use the Sientra  “Gummy Bear” implant.  The benefits of this new implant option include a natural feel, less complications in the event of rupture and a probable less chance of scarring around implant. See video for more details. Choose wisely.

“Some people think that women with perky, well-formed breasts are stupid. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Women with perky breasts make men stupid.”

To schedule a consultation, call us at 800.456.8222 and visit our website www.ruckermd.com 

5 FACELIFT FACTORS TO CONSIDER.

1. Sunken Eyes. Gravity begins to pull the fat under the eyes down, which results in a sunken appearance. Typically a blepharoplasty is addressed at the time of the facelift.

2. Loss of Volume. A loss of fat in the face results in droopiness. Volume can be restored through injectibles, fillers, fat, or a combination during or after your facelift.

3. Wrinkly Skin. Various factors over time can cause the skin to age and wrinkle. Think sun exposure, pollution and free-radical damage.

4. Deep Folds in Skin. This is due to the bone density changing over time. Excess skin is removed and remaining skin is pulled back.

5. A Saggy Jawline. As time goes on, bones become less dense and gravity begins to wear on the skin. Eventually, only surgery can correct and tighten the jawline.

For the full article, check out our latest issue of Profiles magazine. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rucker, call the office at 715.833.2116. Our staff is always happy to assist!

TYPES OF FACELIFTS

Lower (Standard)
Tightens the lower face’s underlying structures that slacken with age. Also trims excess skin, smoothing it to eliminate facial creases, and giving a visual lift to the bottom third of the face.

Mid-Facelift
As people age, the cheeks and eyelids tend to sag. This procedure restores a youthful, rested look to the lower eyelids and cheeks.

The Mini “Weekend” 
Performed quickly with a shorter recovery period, the procedure enhances key facial areas. However, the “weekend facelift” is a minor surgical procedure. Results are much less impressive than a standard facelift.

Thread Facelift
A less invasive approach that has come under criticism for not producing the results as promoted. I do not offer this technique because of the questionable level of improvement.

For the full article, check out the latest issue of Profiles. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rucker, call the office at 715.833.2116. Our staff is always happy to assist!

PROFILES IS OUT.

The Fall/Winter issue of Profiles is out! Pick your complimentary copy up at the Rucker MD Plastic Surgery Clinic, the Enza Medispa or grab one of these upcoming newspapers:

• Leader Telegram: Saturday, October 5th.
• Pioneer Press: Wednesday, October 9th.

This issue's topics include:

• Functional vs. Cosmetic Rhinoplasty
• 5 Facelift Factors to Consider.
• Dr. Rucker in Arizona Sports and Lifestyle Magazine.
• Your 5 Minute "Anywhere Workout" by Lori Heck.
• Do you need a Facelift?

For your free copy, email us at info@ruckermd.com or call the office at 715.833.2116. Our staff is always happy to assist!

The Top 5 Nose Complaints. Sound Familiar?

While we can often disguise protruding ears with different hairstyles and soften the appearance of our eyes with makeup, the nose is the most noticeable facial feature and is more difficult to hide or disguise. In the 500+ Rhinoplasty procedures that I have performed, I have employed a highly focused individualized approach which avoids the dreaded “operated on” or “done” appearance.

FUNCTIONAL nasal problems usually arise from an injury and result in a disfigurement of the nasal shape with complaints of obstructed nasal breathing.
     Most functional Rhinoplasty candidates  have sustained an injury to the nose that has resulted in a possible nasal fracture and/or displacement of the internal partition of the nose, which separates one nostril from the other. The most common concerns - difficultly breathing through the nose and severe headaches.
     The nose may appear disfigured, often identified by a hump at the mid-portion of the bridge. An internal examination may confirm that there is, in fact, a deviation of the nasal partition resulting in a partial blockage of nasal airflow. We then would develop an operative plan to restore the displaced nasal structures to their original position, and to rearrange the displaced nasal partition in an effort to restore normal nasal airflow. The reconstruction of a functional nasal problem is usually covered by one’s insurance.

COSMETIC nasal problems include the above complaints of “my nose is too large”, “I hate my hump” or “the tip is too large”. These are characterized as cosmetic because their improvements do not affect the function of the nose and the ultimate goal is to produce a better appearance of the nose. I refer to this type as an “aesthetic” Rhinoplasty. It is important to understand that the shape of the nose is dictated by the bone and cartilage framework beneath the skin.  It is therefore the goal of the cosmetic nasal surgeon to reshape the framework beneath the skin to reduce the size and shape of the nose, without producing a result that looks “done”.
     In the case of an aesthetic Rhinoplasty, I feel the most important aspect of the initial consultation is to determine whether the results of the procedure can realistically meet the patient’s expectations.  Difficulties can arise when a patient states, “I want my nose to look exactly like this,” and presents a photo of a celebrity.  This type of result is often not realistic, firstly, due to other facial features contributing to the nasal appearance, and secondly, because the nasal framework may not allow a specific result. However, certain characteristics of someone else’s nose may be incorporated into each individualized Rhinoplasty. A detailed examination of the candidate is performed and an operative plan to address the patient’s concerns is formulated. Because this is a purely cosmetic procedure, it is not covered by insurance.

The Nasal (Rhinoplasty) Procedure:  Both functional and cosmetic procedures are done under a general anesthetic and on an outpatient basis.  Each procedure takes about two hours to perform. Most patients rate the pain on a scale of 1 to 10 as a 4 to 6.  There is a dressing in place for 6 to 7 days, and upon its removal the patient’s result is noted with a moderate amount of swelling.  Patients typically feel comfortable being in public after Rhinoplasty in seven to eight days.

To set up a consultation, call Dr. Rucker’s office at 715.833.2116. Our staff is always happy to assist!

We're on Bloglovin!

Add the RUCKER MD Plastic Surgery Blog to your Bloglovin list and you'll always get our latest posts on plastic surgery.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Future of Breast Augmentation.

Silicone or saline? That is the question that many women on the market for a breast augmentation face. When weighing the options, there have always been strong arguments for both sides. Thanks to new technology, the future of breast augmentation is here with a new implant that has the best of both worlds.

Up until five years ago, the salt water filled implant (saline) has been the preferred implant. The standard silicone implant has since returned to favor, but there has always been that lingering doubt of what happens if it leaks. 

Saline Implant Benefits:

• Non-toxic in the event of leakage since it is filled with salt water.
• Size can be varied by merely adding more fluid to enlarge it.

Saline Implant Drawbacks:

• Does not feel natural.
• Tends to reveal itself more by producing ridges on the breast.
• Higher chance of leakage.

Over the past five years, many of my patients have chosen the silicone-filled implant because it does feel much more natural, and it tends to not show the ridges beneath the skin that the saline implant does. Nonetheless, it still causes some concerns if there was leakage, and the silicone was to leak into the breast tissue.

Currently, I feel the saline-filled implant and the standard silicone gel filled implants will be obsolete within the next two years. This is due to the current availability of the revolutionary high tension, gel implant – AKA the “Gummy Bear” implant. The term is coined from the fact that when cut in half, the breast implants are able to retain their shape with no leakage, similar to the popular gummy bear candies.

The benefits of the “Gummy Bear” implant are so pronounced that it has become my implant of choice.

"Gummy Bear" Implant BENEFITS: 

• Smaller chance of a leakage of gel into the body if a rupture is to occur.

• Natural feel, similar to the gel-filled implant.

• Multiple shapes and sizes offered.

• Cost is very comparable to the standard gel-filled implant.

• Some studies suggest that there may be less of a chance of scarring around the Sientra “Gummy Bear” implant.

With these suggestions and information in mind, it is important to remember that a consult with your plastic surgeon is highly recommended to determine your personalized needs. For more information or to set up an appointment, please call 715.833.1068 and speak to our patient coordinator.

Doctor, What Size and Type of Implant would you Recommend?

When choosing a breast implant, there are two major factors one must consider (1) what size implant is best for me and (2) what type of implant should I choose. The following information is meant to guide you in making an educated decision

IMPLANT SIZE: While there is no specific chart that will display exactly what size implant should be used, most surgeons will have a general suggestion for each of their patients. The surgeon must make a determination based on the cup size that the patient desires as well as the body size of the patient. Generally I offer the suggestions listed below:

• Small statured women (<5'3") with an A cup requesting a C cup. My implant range suggestions are between 280cc to 380cc
• Medium statured women (>5'3") with an A cup requesting a C+ cup size. My implant range suggestion is between 380cc and 480cc
• Large statured women (>5'8") with an A cup requesting a C+ cup to a D cup. My implant range is between 480cc and 540cc

IMPLANT TYPE: When it comes to implant type, I personally think the saline filled implant and the standard silicone gel filled implants will be obsolete within the next two years. This is due to the many benefits of the revolutionary Sientra "Gummy Bear" Implant. The benefits of the Sientra implant are so pronounced that it has become my implant of choice due to the following reasons:

• There is a smaller chance of a leakage of gel into the body if a rupture is to occur
• Has a natural feel similar to the gel filled implant
• There are multiple shapes and sizes offered
• The cost is very comparable to the standard gel filled implant
• Some studies suggest that there may be less of a chance of scarring around the Sientra implant

With these suggestions and information in mind, it is important to remember that a consult with your plastic surgeon is highly recommended to determine your personalized needs. For more information or to set up an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Rucker, please call our offices: 715-832-1774. All inquiries are welcome and can be answered by an experienced Rucker MD staff. 

Why Trust a Plastic Surgeon with your Skincare Needs? Dr. Rucker is about to tell you!

How to easily treat Marionette Lines

Marionette lines are long, vertical lines that start at the corners of the mouth and extend downwards towards the chin. They are visible on a person's face as landmarks for general expression. However, for some, these lines deepen or turn downward and may create a cosmetic concern. To improve these lines, I would recommend a filler introduced in the following manner: 

1. A direct placement of the filler of your choice in two planes beneath your marionette lines will diminish the problem

2. I would also place a small amount of filler on the underside of the upper lip near the corner. This will roll the lip up nicely to produce more of a smile while also reducing the deepened marionette lines. 

3. This is a 5 minute procedure with minimal to no downtime.