Surgical procedures such as breast augmentation, facelift, rhinoplasty and tummy tuck are just some of the most popular surgical procedures that can be provided by Dr. Fodor. He also specializes in cosmetic procedures like liposuction, botox, and skin resurfacing. This Beverly Hills location can easily perform any procedure or surgery you wish, to keep looking young or just improve your overall appearance, thus building your confidence.

Scheduling a consultation appointment with Dr. Fodor will allow you to sit down one on one and discuss your desired results and decide what procedures or treatments will be right for you. This kind of detail oriented, tailored treatment will give you the best results possible. Taking the time to share your ideas and desires with your surgeon is a very important step in the decision making process. Your surgeon will become familiar with your body type, skin etc allowing him to determine what procedure will work best for you as an individual. If you are eager to get started in this process, make an appointment right away to get the ball rolling!

The aesthetics of the eyes, other than color, are entirely determined by the bony and soft tissue architecture surrounding them. Variations in the bony skeleton such as underdeveloped cheek bones, when not recognized in advance of a blepharoplasty can negatively impact the final surgical result.

Current Trends in Eyelid Surgery

The upper and lower lids are complex and delicate structures with important physiological functions essential to the well-being of the eyes. During the past decade, aesthetic plastic surgeons have come to recognize that removing “too much” from the eyelids results in an aged, rather than rejuvenated, appearance – especially over time. That is why so many of the contributing experts in “Be Your Best” by Dr. Peter Fodor have noted the current trend in eyelid surgery is preservation of skin, muscle, and fat combined with selective re-positioning of tissues and, if indicated, of the outer corner of the lids. For the best result, these surgical alterations are often combined with elevation of the eyebrows, lifting or augmentation of the cheeks, or other related aesthetic procedures.

As the comments by the contributing experts clearly reflect, careful preoperative analysis and alterations in surgical technique to fit each individual patients needs, avoiding any compromise of eyelid function, are the keys to successful blepharoplasty outcomes.

Liposuction alone is sufficient for many patients. For others, a relatively conservative approach is to limit the incision to the hollow of the armpit, producing a scar that is visible only when the arms are raised above the head with the armpit in full view. When skin excess is more extensive, such as in older patients and those with massive weight loss, a longer incision is needed. In such cases, the resulting scar extends down the entire length of the inner aspect of the arm.

Recent advancements in brachioplasty or arm-lifts have resulted in significant technical improvements – not necessarily in the length of scar, but certainly in the quality of scars associated with the more extensive traditional operation. As a result, brachioplasty has become acceptable to a larger precentage of patients who in the past would have declined the procedure due to the visibility of the scar.

An aesthetically pleasing breast size and shape, including nipple characteristics and position, has been historically idealized across all cultures.

Interventions aimed at enlarging breast size range from injections of paraffin, other oils, silicone and many other substances unfortunately have been and still are being practiced today with catastrophic outcomes, at times present only years later.

A Brief Breast Augmentation History

The first recorded surgical augmentation was that of Czerny of Heidelberg, Germany in 1895, who transferred a large lipoma from the buttock of an actress to her breast to treat breast asymmetry. The first report on silicone implants was from Cronin and Gerow in the early 1960’s, marking the beginning of a procedure which has remained one of the foremost commonly carried out operations, statistically now for more than 15 years according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery’s annual procedural statistics. A temporary dip in the popularity of implant breast enlargement, fueled in no small measure by the press and subsequently by the “ambulance chasing” tactics of trial attorneys, occurred after a television news report by Ms. Connie Chung in December, 1990. Not based on any solid scientific proof, ultimately in 1992, the FDA removed from the market, the use of silicone filled breast implants for the purpose of aesthetic breast augmentation. In spite of much confirmatory evidence of the safety of these devices, to date silicone breast implants remain a politically, financially and emotionally charged issue, which is not expected to be resolved in the near future. While hundreds of thousands of women have overwhelmingly positive experiences with improvement of their body image, self confidence and sexuality resulting from breast augmentation, some have unfortunately become victimized by fear and concern. Breast augmentation, as any aesthetic operation, is associated with potential risks and side effects not to be ignored. The fact remains that a foreign body is inserted and as the experts repeatedly recommended in this chapter, long term follow up is wise.

Breast Augmentation Safety

Initially, it may seem attractive to undergo the procedure in a “plastic surgery mill” for cost saving reasons. In the long term, the extra expense afforded by quality preoperative evaluation, implant selection, surgical intervention and postoperative care all in a patient individualized and customized manner is expense very wisely spent.

On the positive side of the coin, the breast implant safety debate and the compulsory use of saline devices has fueled much laboratory and clinical research in breast augmentation. As a result, we now know a lot more about breast implants and how to best use them, as well as about postoperative mammographic imaging. Good scientific research for better yet implant designs and filler materials continues relentlessly with a few on the horizon, the use of which hopefully will not be unduly delayed by government or regulatory issues.

Patient’s own fat injection for breast augmentation condemned for almost two decades primarily for reasons of false positive mammography is also now being revisited. Advances in mammographic techniques and in our ability to transfer fat with a better chance for long term survival has led some of us to take a fresh look at this method. To proceed with this deliberately and incrementally is of the essence, otherwise this approach with otherwise many potential advantages could readily fall into the wrong hands with disastrous consequences.

At any rate, breast augmentation is a worthwhile aesthetic surgical option for patients to diligently evaluate. A good understanding of the intricacies involved is a major step forward toward a happy outcome from this very popular operation.

Plastic Surgery Safety Committee

To further focus our attention to a “culture of safety” in May of 2005 Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Fodor created, as incoming President of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, a Patient Safety Steering Committee. Since then, a large number of patient safety initiatives have been reassessed and new ones have been implemented by the Committee and adopted by the members of our society. This Committee is expected to function indefinitely for the benefit of our patients.

Whether the modality of injury is mechanical; dermabrasion, chemical peels, or concentrated stream of pulse light; laser, the induced mechanism of repair is similar. The depth of injury defines the severity of the response and in turn this determines the symptoms, length of recovery and ultimately the result. Selecting the proper depth of the injury for any given patient depends on many different factors such as, for example, the thickness and pigmentation of their skin and acceptable post treatment course. Pre treatment can condition the skin and improve the result. Too deep an intervention, however, can bring about unwanted pigmentary changes and even permanent scarring.

A Customized Skin Care Approach

As described in this chapter in “Be Your Best” by Peter Fodor, there are a large number of different modalities to choose from, allowing the patient a customized approach. Also, as described with other cosmetic procedures, a very pleasing result may be obtained by using different methods.

While the search for the laser of “all seasons” continues and as we gain a better understanding of the effects of skin resurfacing in general, many practices have witnessed a revival of methods more commonly used in the past, such as dermabrasion and chemical peels, including phenol. In general, these traditional methods are less involved, less expensive and seemingly just as effective in the long run.

In any event, preventative and maintenance skin care programs as well as skin resurfacing, by itself or in combination with aesthetic surgical procedures, are worthwhile considerations in one’s quest to “be your best.”

A Brief History of Abdominoplasty

With the introduction of body contouring with liposuction (lipoplasty) in the early 1980s, surgeons began combining this newer technique with abdominoplasty. This stimulated the development of variations on traditional surgical contouring of the abdomen. It was recognized that a good percentage of patients who might have undergone a traditional abdominoplasty in the past could, in fact, be treated with liposuction alone. For many other patients, a mini-abdominoplasty, or a procedure less extensive than the traditional approach, could be offered with selective and judicious use of liposuction. As plastic surgeons gain further experience, it was noted that for some patients it was best and safest to perform abdominal contouring in stages, performing abdominoplasty and liposuction in separate surgical sessions. In addition, surgeons learned that through suctioning the flanks and waist, the torso could be more effectively contoured and the final results of abdominoplasty significantly improved. All of these consideration require careful planning and a high degree of customization for each patient.

Today, plastic surgeons continue to refine their techniques of combining abdominoplasty with lipsuction. Current studies have focused on methos of preserving the delicate lymphatic vessels; this can allow more extensive liposuction to be safely carried out simultaneously with abdominoplasty, eliminating the need for postsurgical drains, and reduce the occurrence of seoma (fluid that can be trapped in a wound and may require surgical intervention). These potential refinements in abdominoplasty should continue to improve the already excellent results obtained from this procedure.

Determining Cheek Augmentation Goals

Over-augmentation of the malar area, unfortunately, is not uncommon. Old photographs that illustrate how a patient looked in younger years, before aging impacted the facial contours, may be helpful in determining the optimal enhancement. Similarly, images from beauty magazines can be useful tools for the prospective patient to communicate her or his aesthetic goals to the plastic surgeon during a consultation. Injection of saline, which will absorb quickly and harmlessly, into one side of the face is a further technique that can be useful to more accurately define a patient’s desires. When considering modifications to the cheek contour, and especially those that are to be relatively permanent, careful preoperative evaluation and good communication between surgeon and patient are essential components of a happy outcome.

A Brief History of Chin Augmentation

Aesthetic enhancement of the chin, especially through adding to its projection, has been performed in various ways for a long time. Earlier and unfortunately ill-conceived methods included injection of substances such as paraffin and implantation of materials far less well-tolerated by the body than those commonly used today.

Until about a decade ago, the emphasis in chin enhancement was primarily on augmenting the center of the chin only. This tended to produce a “cherry on the chin” appearance still not uncommonly seen by plastic surgeons in older patients coming in for face lift and other surgical consultations. More recently, the aesthetic superiority of an extended “wrap around the chin” implant has been recognized. Such implants are now commercially available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes from which the surgeon may choose. Primarily made of medical-grade silicone, the implants can be further trimmed and custom-shapped before insertion. This implant design can also improve on the “marionette folds” (the vertical indentation that runs from the corner of the mouth to the jawline).

Bone reshaping procedures are significantly more complicated to perform and require a longer recovery. Nevertheless, they may be a better choice for some patients. The training and clinical experience of a board-certified plastic surgeon enables him or her to make a determination of which method will produce the most satisfying results for each individual patient.

Face Lift Surgery Techniques

The personal preference of top Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Dr. Peter Fodor, except for patients who require significant rejuvenation of the neck, is an endoscopic approach. This can provide excellent rejuvenation of the forehead and midface and, to a lesser degree, the lower face and neck via a transmitted pull. The incisions are one-half to one-and-a-half inches in length and placed only behind the hairline. The pull is more vertical than with some other approaches, recovery is rapid, and results appear very natural. Without getting too technical, the approach that Dr. Fodor favors is supraperiosteal (above the periosteum) as opposed to subperiosteal, which is one approach mentioned in this chapter in “Be Your Best”. Based on a patient’s individual needs, Dr. Fodor combines this technique liberally with the use of cheek and chin implants, soft tissue fillers for voume restoration, and Botox.

Getting Your Desired Face Lift Results

Dr. Fodor often likes to use specially designed barbed sutures for the purpose of fixating the surgically undermined tissues in their elevated position during the healing process. However, the method of fixation chosen – whether barb sutures, Endotine, tissue glue or other – is far less important to the quality of the ultimate result than many other factors. Specifically, preoperative facial analysis; choice of the appropriate procedure for each candidate, including consideration of extent of tissue undermining and vectors of pull; skillful execution of the surgery; and the surgeon’s overall aesthetic sense are critical elements in the entire process of facial rejuvenation surgery. Perhaps even more than for other aesthetic procedures, patients are well served by seeking consultation with more than one qualified face lift surgeon. This can help clarify, for each individual, the various options available to them and also lead to selection of a surgeon who shares their general aesthetic goals and concepts. The likelihood of attaining the desired results is greatly enhanced by this kind of “homework.”