In the Media

Although vascular occlusion is “extremely rare,” it can have extreme health consequences, says Constance M. Chen, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in New York. She encourages doctors to have thorough conversations with patients before procedures and to intervene quickly if a procedure appears to have gone wrong. “Warning signs that a patient is in […]

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According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 81% of women in the United States who undergo breast reconstruction after mastectomy use breast implants. As opposed to natural tissue breast reconstruction, implant-based breast reconstruction does not involve surgery on any other part of the body outside of the breasts. Patients do not have to worry […]

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Do you have a foam roller gathering dust in the corner of your room? If so, it’s time to dust that bad boy off. “Foam rolling may cause some swelling, which can give the illusion of a smoother appearance on the skin, but it does not actually change the fibrous bands that cause the pockets […]

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Constance M. Chen MD, board-certified plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist, says patients with BII may present with a wide range of symptoms, including “brain fog, joint aches, hair loss, swelling, visual changes, fatigue, strange body odors, skin changes such as rashes or discolored skin, nail changes (such as thick or black fingernails resistant to […]

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The objective of breast reconstruction after a mastectomy is to recreate new breasts to help a patient feel whole and normal after surgery. The traditional mastectomy resects the nipple-areola complex and leaves a woman with a straight line scar across her chest. New mastectomy techniques preserve the nipple-areolar complex so that no nipple reconstruction is […]

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“Someone might get breast surgery for any number of reasons,” said Constance M. Chen, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist in New York City. “Usually, the reasons will either be cosmetic or medical. Cosmetic reasons for undergoing breast surgery include changing the size, shape and symmetry of the breasts. Medical reasons include […]

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Constance M. Chen, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist, shares some thoughts. “While women have traditionally received radiation therapy after lumpectomy, it is an option to decline radiation therapy after lumpectomy—as long as women understand that they have a higher chance of having another breast cancer in their breast but they don’t […]

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Autologous tissue breast reconstruction creates soft, warm, and living breasts from a woman’s own body tissue, and many consider it to be the gold standard in breast reconstruction. Despite this, many thin women report that they have been told that their only option for breast reconstruction is implants because they do not have enough fat […]

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For more than 100,000 American women who undergo mastectomies each year, it is important to be as comfortable as possible during the postoperative period. Pain and tenderness, swelling, surgical drains and other sequelae from surgery should guide the choice of bras and other post-mastectomy clothing, says plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist Dr. Constance M. […]

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In October 2021, the FDA announced a series of changes to help ensure that women considering breast implants have a clear picture of what implants involve before undergoing surgery. The changes include new labeling requirements, updated screening recommendations, and selling implants only to facilities that outline their potential risks and benefits. “While breast implant surgery […]

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