The size of your breast implants will be based on the look you are hoping to achieve. If you desire a more pronounced or “model” look, the size of your implants may be larger. If you are more interested in a subtle, natural-looking breast augmentation, you may want to consider a smaller implant size. This will be discussed with you in detail during your initial consultation with our Washington DC plastic surgeons.

In addition to your aesthetic goals, our breast surgeons base breast implant size on what makes the most sense for your body. To accomplish this, we consider factors such as:

• The size of your chest and shoulders
• The size of your rib cage
• Your naturally present breast tissue
• The contours of your lower body
• The proportions of your entire frame

We do not consider cup size when determining ideal breast augmentation options. Cup sizes are inconsistent and not a good gauge of how large an implant should be. Instead, breast implants are measured in cubic centimeters (cc). This provides our doctors with a more consistent unit of measurement, improving our ability to achieve your desired goals.

It is helpful if you bring pictures of breasts you find attractive to your initial consultation, allowing us to have a visual idea of what you hope to achieve. Based on your input and our years of experience, we will tailor your procedure to meet your unique needs.

To learn more about your breast implant options, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery today to schedule an initial consultation. We serve patients in Washington DC, Chevy Chase, Fairfax, Arlington, and surrounding areas.

It has been some time since I routinely blogged for our patients and feel the need to introduce our blog and its background.  A number of years ago, I was the designated Plastic Surgery Expert Blogger for Revolution Health which was the brainchild of Steve Case after AOL. The idea was to put the control of health care information into the hands of the consumer while also informing them and making their health information more easily accessible to their healthcare providers. I blogged on a variety of topics such as surgical techniques, cosmetic surgery mishaps, and myths within our field. Everything from Heidi Montag’s desire for surgery to Donda West’s death to the rising presence of non-licensed practitioners performing cosmetic procedures was covered. After several years, unfortunately, Revolution went away, Everyday Health took over, and we never got the blog out of first gear. My goal is to reprise the blog within this space and to bring light to many topics from news stories to new products to information about specific procedures. We hope to cover all the bases, so to speak, but, should you or anyone have a question or topic that you would like to have addressed you can email us at cara@chevychaseps.com. Thank you for reading.

BOTOX^® Cosmetic is a wrinkle treatment that millions of patients choose annually for its convenience and efficacy. When you receive a BOTOX^® Cosmetic treatment, an FDA-approved neurotoxin is injected into the muscles of your face. This neurotoxin interrupts the nerve signals that tell your face’s muscles to contract. This causes the muscles to relax, and over time, lines and wrinkles disappear.

You will experience many important benefits when you choose BOTOX^® Cosmetic, including:

• Significant reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Minimally-invasive facial rejuvenation option
• Minimal discomfort
• Enjoy your results for 3-4 months
• Affordable solution to reverse the signs of aging

At Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery, we often administer BOTOX^® Cosmetic to improve fine lines and wrinkles in the following areas:

• Crow's feet
• Forehead wrinkles
• Nasolabial folds

If you’re ready to learn more about how BOTOX^® Cosmetic can smooth wrinkles and take years off your appearance, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery today to schedule your initial consultation. We serve patients in Washington DC, Fairfax, Arlington, and surrounding areas.

Blepharoplasty is the medical term for cosmetic eyelid surgery. Commonly performed to correct drooping, baggy, and puffy eyes, blepharoplasty can dramatically improve your appearance, helping you look and feel your very best.

It is important to understand that this procedure isn't right for everyone. During your initial consultation, our Washington DC plastic surgeons will determine whether blepharoplasty is the best option to achieve your aesthetic goals.

A good candidate for blepharoplasty should:

• Be in generally good health.
• Have healthy facial tissue and musculature.
• Have good skin elasticity.
• Desire improvement of aesthetic eye concerns such as drooping or puffiness.
• Have realistic expectations of what the surgery can achieve.
• Not suffer from hypothyroidism, Graves’ disease, hypertension, diabetes, or heart disease.

Patients who suffer from certain eye conditions like glaucoma and detached retina should consult their ophthalmologist before considering eyelid surgery.

If you’re ready to discover how eyelid surgery can rejuvenate your face and give you the youthful appearance you’ve been wanting, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery today to schedule your initial consultation. We serve patients in the Washington DC area.

The after effects of gravity, weight loss and nursing can leave women with sagging or deflated looking breasts that point downwards. Sometimes these women are already satisfied with the size of breasts they have, but not with the directing they are drooping in. For these women a Breast Lift procedure alone may be able to give them the perkier breasts they desire. Other women, however, are both dissatisfied with the size and sag of their breasts, for which Breast Augmentation coupled with a Breast Lift  is likely the best solution.

During the Breast Lift procedure, an incision will be made around the areola (sometimes varying incision patterns are necessary and can change on a patient to patient process- consult with your doctor). Next the areola will be placed higher to be more aligned with your perkier breasts. The excess skin is removed and the remaining skin is sutured, creating tighter, more firm and upright breasts. If desired, the areola may also be decreased.

Contact our office today to schedule your confidential consultation to learn if a Breast Lift or combination Breast Lift Augmentation may be right for you.

It is important to thoroughly communicate to your Plastic Surgeon the size implant you want, but how do you decide what’s going to be the best implant size for your body? One good way of finding an approximate estimation is to find an image of someone who has a similar body type to you and whose breast size is what you desire yours to be. You can print this picture off and bring it in to show your Plastic Surgeon. If your Plastic Surgeon is experienced in Breast Augmentations they will be able to estimate the breast size that translates to. It is important to not to get stuck on a breast cup size, as cup size invariably varies from woman to woman, body type to body type. Try to instead focus on what is going to give you the best results for you.

In your consultation you may even be able to try out different implant sizes to see what they feel like in your hand or in your bra. Perhaps the most important step in choosing your implant size, however, is choosing the best, most qualified and experienced Plastic Surgeon for you. Find one who you feel comfortable with who truly understands you and your goals and is confident in their ability to achieve the results you want.

Take a look at our Breast Augmentation Gallery to get some ideas of the results our patients have received. If you find a Before that resembles you and you like or even don’t like the results they were given, bring that in to your consultation so you can show exactly what you like or don’t like. Keep in mind, however, that every patient is different, with different bodies and different goals.

Contact our office today to schedule your consultation.

Noses, like people, come in all shapes and sizes and because they protrude out from the face, they can also tend to be an unfortunate target for moving objects. Some people may have trouble breathing due to structural abnormalities in the nose. Whether for reasons aesthetic, restorative, or corrective, Rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, can be a great tool in resolving them.

Rhinoplasty is one of the most common plastic surgeries, in fact, it’s rather of amazing, if you google search “Celebrity Nose Jobs,” there’s a seemingly endless supply of Before and After photos; famous faces you’d never known had gone under the knife and faces you wouldn’t even recognize in the Before. If you are unhappy with the shape, size or function of your nose, you may be a good candidate for Rhinoplasty.

The first step in any procedure, though, is to evaluate your reasons. Make sure you are doing it for you and no one else. Also, you want to make sure you aren’t setting an unrealistic goal for yourself. Once you have done this, you’ll want to schedule a consultation with a qualified, board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options. It never hurts to bring in a picture that illustrates what you are looking for.

Head on over to our own Rhinoplasty Before and After Gallery to get an idea of the kind of results our patients have enjoyed.

Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a devastating blow, made only worse when it means having to lose one or both breasts. Our plastic surgeons have helped countless women rebuild their confidence and life after a mastectomny with Chevy Chase Breast Reconstruction.  There are several Breast Reconstruction Surgery options- to find the best one for you, start by talking with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who can help walk you through the pros and cons of each option as it relates to your personal situation.

Breast Reconstruction can also help women born with breast abnormalities restore their breasts to a more normal, natural state. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation to discuss what options are available to you, just send us an e-mail!

Many people wish to improve the contour of the their arms. For some this is possible simply through diet and exercise, for others, particularly those with lose and hanging skin and those with concentrated pockets of fat in their arms, Brachioplasty, or arm lift surgery, may be the only way to achieve the results they want. Dramatic weight loss in one common reason people seek out body lift procedures to rid excess sagging skin. Aging is another common cause, as the skins elasticity begins to wear is also starts to sag. Arm lift surgery can give you leaner, firmer and more contoured arms.

During the Brachioplasty procedure excess skin is removed. The incision is done is the most minimally visible location possible which varies depended on the patient and the extent of the procedure. In some cases, Liposuction may be chosen to be combined with the brachioplasty to achieve the best results. The first step, however, is scheduling a consultation with one of our skilled plastic surgeons to find out if you are a prime candidate for the procedure.