Awake Breast Augmentation

Yes, it’s true we can’t stop blogging about it.

I’m writing once again about Awake Breast Augmentation because, our patients are so happy with their results.

Visit our website and see our before and after pictures. Our photos tell it all – women of all ages, shapes, and sizes with beautiful results. Each of my patients was able to tell me exactly what size they wanted their breasts to be during their procedure.



How?

Well, though I met with each during their consultation and their pre-op visit, where we measured, talked about their desired outcome and expectations, chose silicone or saline implants, and size; the procedure is truly one where the patient really chooses what their new breasts will look like.

Our Awake procedure allows the patient to view their breasts and tell me whether they want them smaller or larger. A spouse, mom, friend, sister, or significant other can also view before closing is done and share in the final decision.
 Awake Breast Augmentation is performed with local anesthesia. Patients are comfortable, feel no pain and while some fall asleep during the procedure, others often talk and ask how it’s going, as well as comment that they can’t wait to see their new breasts.

Recovery time is minimal. Most of my patients are back to work in a few days. A new procedure we’ve added is a Crescent Breast Lift. If you need a “little lift,” about an inch to inch and a half, the Crescent Lift is for you.

Call Radiance at 210-804-0772 for a free consult.

HCG Weight Loss

Radiance & HCG in San Antonio
Radiance first introduced our HCG – 40-day diet program – a few months ago.

What is HCG ?
HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is a natural hormone with the ability to change metabolism. Before offering this to our clients, members of our staff tried the diet and were ecstatic with the results – significant weight loss. One staff member gave it the good old college try, lost ten pounds, celebrated a few birthdays, then started adding a few glasses of wine during the week and a few more calories, and still kept those 10 pounds off!

Though, what has us jumping for joy are patients’ results – one patient has lost a total of 55 pounds! Yes, that’s correct – 55 pounds. The total amount of weight was lost over a period of time – most during the 40-day diet and then more during the Phase 3 period – when she was off the HCG. Her body became accustomed to fewer calories, her metabolism changed, and she lost fat stores in all those stubborn places – abdomen, hips and thighs.

Another patient has gone from a size 20 dress size to a size 14. She has just started her second cycle of HCG and wants to fit into a size 10. We’re sure she will meet her goal.

How does it work? The simplest explanation is that the small amount of HCG we administer tricks your brain into thinking you are pregnant. Because calories are limited, the body starts using the thousand of calories of fat in your abnormal fat stores in the abdomen, hips, thighs, or anywhere else you have fat storage. Best of all, the diet works for both men and women.

What is your commitment to the diet program?

A a once-a-week visit to Radiance for an HCG injection, and calorie-counting.

We even make it easy for you – we give you one of the best calorie books around – “The Calorie King Calorie Fat & Carbohydrate Counter.” It even includes counts for 200 fast-food chains and restaurants.

Included in the diet program is lab work, your weekly HCG injection as well as a weekly B-12 vitamin injection, the calorie-counting book, blood pressure and pulse monitoring, and Radiance staff support.

We are now testing a new HCG cream that is applied daily – this new HCG application will mean no weekly injection or visits – just a monthly monitoring visit.

Call us at 210-804-0772 for a free consult and we’ll help you get that weight off with the Radiance HCG diet.

There are a number of HCG websites with more information. Our staff found valuable tips at www.hcgmedical.com

Breast Augmentation Interview with Patient: The Whole Truth!

“I love them!” These were the first words from Dr. Bennack’s breast augmentation patient upon viewing her newly enhanced chest in the operating room. Before L.F. was even sutured up, she was able to have her friends and family join her in the surgical suite to assess the size of her breasts. With traditional breast augmentation surgery, the surgeon makes the final decision regarding breast size, not the patient. The great advantage to this AWAKE viewing, is that L.F. was able to be alert during surgery to tell Dr. Bennack that she wanted to be a little bit bigger.

I sat down with L.F. to ask her a few questions about her procedure. She gave me permission to share this discussion with the public if we only used her initials to identify her.

Radiance: L.F., why did you decide to pursue breast augmentation and how did you decide on the AWAKE procedure?

L.F. While my breast size was average prior to the procedure, a small B, I wanted to have more volume, to look more feminine, and be able to feel more confident in my clothes. I chose the AWAKE procedure for two main reasons: it is safer than going under general anesthesia and it is less expensive than traditional augmentation surgery.

Radiance: How did you decide on the size you wanted to be after the surgery?

L.F.: I had a consultation with Dr. Bennack. She measured me and showed me different sizes of implants in both saline and silicone. I got to try on some of the implants using a special sizing bra. Once I decided on a range of sizes, Dr. Bennack ordered several implants to have for surgery day so I could make my final decision during the surgery.

Radiance: How did you feel during the procedure?

L.F.: Actually, I was very comfortable! I guess you might think that being awake for breast augmentation surgery would be terribly painful but on the contrary, I kept falling asleep! I know Dr. Bennack gave me some injections to help me relax. She also numbed up the area for surgery with a lidocaine mixture. At the beginning I could feel a little pinch now and then. In the middle of the surgery, I could feel some light tugging. But nothing I would actually describe as painful. The whole procedure was very tolerable.

Radiance: What was it like to view your breasts mid-surgery?

L.F.: It was so neat! The staff brought in a mirror to hold in front of me while Dr. Bennack raised the head of the operating table. I was able to bring in my Mom to get her opinion as well. I wanted them to be a little bit bigger so right then and there while I was watching, Dr. Bennack increased the size of my implants while I watched! Once we got them to the size I wanted, she lowered me back down and finished up the surgery.

Radiance: What was the recovery like?

L.F.: When I first woke up, I felt some nausea. Dr. Bennack gave me some medicine before I even left the clinic to take care of that. For the next 3 days I was pretty sore. Dr. Bennack prescribed me some medicine to have at home following the procedure. I pretty much took these pain killers and muscle relaxers around the clock for 3 days and slept a lot. That was definitely the worst of the recovery. By day 4, I felt much more back to normal. I still had to be careful not to lift anything heavy, and to not raise my arms too high but the pain was tolerable. I went in to see Dr. Bennack a couple of times the first week after my surgery to make sure I was healing well. My follow up visits all went well. On the second week, my external stitches were removed. I stayed in my post surgical bra for this whole time before switching to a sports bra. Now, 2 months have passed since my surgery. I wear a regular bra but in a size D!

Radiance: What would you say to someone considering the AWAKE breast augmentation procedure?

L.F. It is not a walk in the park because there is some recovery time, but it is totally worth it! Honestly, I wish I had done this years ago! My friends who have had breast augmentation under general anesthesia all say they wished they had gone bigger. I am so glad I had the opportunity to tell Dr. Bennack to adjust the size to my preference during the surgery instead of having regrets later. I definitely think AWAKE breast augmentation is the way to go…I have no regrets.

AWAKE Breast Augmentation

“I wish I had gone a little bit bigger.” This is likely the most common statement made by patients following breast augmentation. Patients are concerned prior to surgery that the breast augmentation will make them look too top heavy so they often opt to be more conservative when choosing their size. Then after the surgery, patients are so pleased with their breast enhancement that they often say, “I wish I had gone a little bit bigger.”



What if there was a way for a patient to make adjustments in their breast augmentation size during the procedure? That opportunity is a reality with Awake Breast Augmentation performed in office by Dr. Bennack.



With Awake Breast Augmentation, patients are comfortably sedated but awake for the procedure. This arrangement makes the procedure much safer than traditional Breast Augmentation since there is no general anesthesia as well as less expensive.



Patients are thoroughly numbed in the area treated for the procedure along with conscious sedation. When the temporary sizers are introduced into the breast cavity to assess for size, the patient, along with her family, friends, and others as desired, can come in to voice their opinion as to the final outcome of the augmentation before the last suture is made. Finally patients can be happy with the breast augmentation outcome by choosing their size during the procedure with Awake Breast Augmentation.

40 Day Medical Weight Loss Program

How can I safely lose 1-2 pounds per week and keep it off? How can I lose weight and not be hungry? How can I lose weight and still have energy? It is Dr. Bennack’s opinion that these questions can all be answered affirmatively with one medically supervised 40-day weight loss program.

A low-calorie diet combined with a weekly injection of the hormone HCG, in our experience, has been shown to burn fat, reduce hunger, and increase energy. If this sounds like a modern-day miracle, it is not. But it is physiologically sound and an effective way to lose weight and keep it off.

What is HCG and how will it help me lose weight? Here is the Cliff Note’s version. A link is also provided for those of you who like to engage in the more serious research. HCG is a hormone released during pregnancy. And yes, this diet is for both men and women. When HCG is injected into the body in a non-pregnant state while a low calorie diet is maintained, the body assumes pregnancy. Since insufficient calories are being consumed to support both the host and the non existent fetus, the body pulls fat stores from your body to burn. The net result is that these stores create energy, a feeling of fullness, and burned fat. Individuals who follow the program in its entirety for 40 days often lose between 25 and 30 pounds.

Now although this diet has been used safely for years, HCG has not been approved by the FDA for use in weight loss. However, many physicians are using the hormone in this manner with great results.

For more information, you can check out: http://www.hcgdietinfo.com/HCG-Weight-Loss-FAQ.htm

SmartLipo vs. Slim Lipo

There is no secret that outpatient liposuction is becoming increasingly popular. There is less down time than traditional liposuction, it is less expensive and fat is permanently removed.

But what about the different types of outpatient liposuction available?

The new SmartLipo MPX has two wavelengths vs. the Slim Lipo that has just one. The dual wavelengths mechanism is especially helpful to both melt fat and tighten skin. Both machines boast an impressive wattage of 30 Joules of energy.

The website Realself.com offers a quote describing one Physician’s perspective on SmartLipo and Slim Lipo: “The fact is SmartLipo MPX is a dual wavelength laser that is FAR superior to Slimlipo in many ways.” He goes on to say that Doctors who choose to invest in a Slimlipo machine are wasting their money because patients will choose to go elsewhere to get SmartLipo. He advises Physicians: “You better think twice before you buy Slimlipo.”

When you take the time to investigate the reviews and assess patients’ results and reactions the difference can be summarized with a single statement. The most important factor in selecting a method for liposuction is the Doctor’s level of comfort and experience in both the procedure and the equipment she uses. Ultimately this will be reflected in the time and care the Doctor takes in performing the lipo.

Don’t Fry Day” at Radiance MedSpa!

It is finally here!

The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has declared Friday May 22nd, the Friday before Memorial Day, as “Don’t Fry Day.”

Skin cancer is the leading form of cancer in young women. The American Cancer Society reports one American dies every hour from skin cancer, and one in five children will grow up to get skin cancer.

In recognition of “Don’t Fry Day” Radiance customers will enjoy:

Discounted Sunscreen, a free skin care consultation, discounted digital skin care analysis and discounted skin care treatments for sun-damaged skin. This promotion is good for the next two weeks only.

To protect against skin cancer, The National Council on Skin Care Prevention recommends: we slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher, slap on a hat, and wrap on sunglasses.

Stop by on Friday for a free sunscreen sample and see Dr. Bennack “Slip, Slip, Slap…and Wrap” for the media. That is an event you do not want to miss!