Do not feel that you are unique with this concern; most breast augmentation patients ask this same question when they begin. However, after the consultation and custom sizing, they feel very comfortable with their choice.

This is your personal decision, and most patients start with a general opinion of how they want to look. Our before-and-after gallery on our website can provide assistance. You can also consider how you think that people you know, or even celebrities you see, look when they wear the same type of clothing that you would like to wear after your procedure.
When you come in for your private consultation, we will discuss your body type and your amount of breast tissue. In addition to me, my cosmetic coordinator is very experienced in making recommendations that will make you look your very best, including high-profile implants. We also will have you “try out” various sizes under any clothing you wish to bring with you, so you can get an excellent idea how you will appear with different sized implants after augmentation.

I have found that some patients give a lot of consideration to what they think their friends or family will say, or how they think you should look. While this may be a factor, I urge you to make your final decision based on how you feel you want to look. It’s your body, and you are the only person that will live with your decision every minute of the day.
Lastly, this is good timing. You will have great weather to enjoy the “new you” this year, and the slow re-opening of everything will give you more recovery time.

The pharmaceutical company Gilead is now sponsoring tests of their anti-viral drug Remdesivir in 2400 patients with severe Wuhan virus symptoms in 152 hospitals and clinics worldwide, and in 1600 patients with moderate symptoms at 169 sites worldwide. This drug intercalates itself into the DNA to try to disrupt the virus growth. It did not perform well in the inhibition of another RNA virus, Ebola, when it was trialed in multinational compassionate use during the Africa pandemic outbreak in 2014. A University of Chicago investigator reports data on the performance of this drug is preliminary. Those of us anxiously awaiting drug trial results must acknowledge that it typically takes multiple years and a billion dollars to bring a drug through rigorous testing. Streamlining the FDA approval process is a Herculean task. The legal hurdles and compliance requirements alone can take months. Rank and file patients awaiting magic drugs, off-label use medications, antibody tests, or vaccines to materialize have to recognize that sweeping away scientific rigor on safety, efficacy, specificity and sensitivity aren’t prudent. Government facilitation in recent weeks to allow companies to roll out new tests has facilitated many but we must keep in mind that cries for “more testing” must first acknowledge that the very tests we need were not even invented a few weeks ago. The swabs weren’t even produced, let alone established pathways to test. The reagents need to be scaled up and distributed, and machines need to be created, verified, calibrated and deployed. The native response is, “why does it have to be this way?” Why, indeed.

Those who are keeping their distance from others publically, may be experiencing some melancholy and stress in their home relationships. The harmful psychological effects of solitary confinement are well described in animal models as well as in studying those who are incarcerated. A third of solitary inmates developed a specific psychiatric syndrome, characterized by hallucinations, panic attacks, overt paranoia, diminished impulse control, hypersensitivity to external stimuli, and difficulties with thinking, concentration and memory. Some inmates lose the ability to think clearly, while others develop crippling obsessions.

The difference in our current society restriction is that we are confining ourselves with government decree as a public health measure, and each of us are practicing self-imposed restriction. We have a way out of our front doors, and can leave our homes at will to shop and attend essential functions. We also have access to tools in our homes that allow us to maintain social relationships and obtain stimuli- reading materials, TV, video, phones and perhaps cohabitating family members. But of course this new found time is a bonanza for hobby and personal development. (Time to dust off that old accordion!) It may be time to put down the phone and play a game with your children, actually engaging them in conversation. Home schooling is stressful for parents and kids, who are used to a different structure to their educational day. The tools and creativity you employ to engage those children will probably have you achieve a new appreciation for the teachers in their lives.

Your time of solitude may be an opportunity for mindfulness. It may allow you to pay attention to yourself in a way that our frenetically paced world hasn’t allowed. Despite your fear of the Wuhan virus and its economic uncertainties, right now in this moment you may rejoice in the notion that you are well. We just celebrated Easter- acknowledging the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins- through the death of Jesus Christ. I hope you can find solace in your own rewards for your own sacrifices, now and in the coming days.

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Feed the Front Line

Feeding the Front Line is a community-based campaign in partnership with local restaurants to share meals with front line staff. These hot delivered meals boost morale and show support for our health care heroes helping to care for patients during this crisis. To coordinate a donate meal, click here. You may also make a monetary donation towards a meal, here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Donate a Meal” color=”blue” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.signupgenius.com%2Fgo%2F9040b4cadae2ba2f49-feeding||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Monetary Donation” color=”blue” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Flander.lakehealth.org%2Fsupporting-the-community||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585951530425{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][dt_media_gallery_carousel image_border_radius=”0px” slides_on_wide_desk=”2″ slides_on_desk=”2″ slides_on_lapt=”2″ slides_on_h_tabs=”2″ slides_on_v_tabs=”2″ project_icon_border_width=”0px” arrow_bg_width=”36x” arrow_border_width=”0px” r_arrow_icon_paddings=”0px 0px 0px 0px” r_arrow_v_offset=”0px” l_arrow_icon_paddings=”0px 0px 0px 0px” l_arrow_v_offset=”0px” include=”56947,56948,56949,56950,56951″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”56902″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

In the midst of much uncertainty, I have some encouraging news from the frontline fight against Coronavirus COVID-19! Hydroxychloriquin, the anti-malarial drug, in conjunction with Azithromycin, is showing great promise in blunting the severe immune reaction created by the virus in causing the lung damage associated with the deadly effects of Coronavirus.

While authorities have not yet had enough time to allow early applications to be studied scientifically against control measures, the early tremendous clinical response by patients has spurred physicians to utilize these medications in their frontline fight against this novel Coronavirus. Certainly the most rigorous science deserves to be pursued in this health crisis, but until other treatments are discovered, we will most likely widely deploy this initial combination of drugs in the current fight against this deadly pathogen, COVID-19.

Legislative measures have been taken to hasten the process of getting new products to those who need them. Instead of awaiting single source testing, U.S. tech companies appear to be able to scale up their testing infrastructure and deploy timely, accurate tests. Turning loose the power of individual companies to use CRISPR Technology has allowed for quickened expansion of nationwide testing. Personal protective equipment is also in heavy demand, and deployment is still awaiting increased manufacture rate, but red tape and bureaucracy have been cut through by federal action at the highest level.

As America’s Best work to find remedies and vaccines, our society must restrict interaction and reduce the passive transmission of this virus. I urge you to stay home, if possible, and also stay in touch with family, friends and neighbors who are elderly and/or immunodeficient, as they truly are the most vulnerable.

By Mary Malik

After 28 years as a dental hygienist, Debbie Scaletta knows how important it is to take good care of yourself, and how your outward appearance can affect your self-confidence. With her 93-year-old mother still living on her own, and her grandmother living to 110, Debbie expects to be around for a long time—and she enjoys looking younger than most people her age.

“I take good care of myself and pay attention to issues before they become serious,” says Debbie. “Three years ago, I had surgery on my leg for a melanoma. The surgeon performed a skin graft, which turned out to be quite disfiguring. I was embarrassed to show my leg and lost confidence in my appearance.”

Losing confidence was especially problematic for Debbie’s second career, acting in movies filmed around Northeast Ohio.

“Seven years ago, one of my daughters talked me into going downtown and trying out as an extra in The Avengers movie being filmed here,” says Debbie.

“I was skeptical but went and stood in line for hours. Debbie didn’t give it a second thought until she got the call that she had been chosen to be in the film. “It was an incredible experience and gave me the bug to give acting a try,” says Debbie.

She has been amazingly successful, appearing in nearly 40 major films. But subsequent auditions soon made her realize the acting business required a thick skin to handle the scrutinization and rejection that comes with it. Beauty, poise and talent are important, but personal confidence is absolutely essential to retain the necessary perseverance.

Talking to a friend about her scar, Debbie learned about Dr. Paul Vanek, a double board-certified general and plastic surgeon at Vanek Plastic Surgery in Mentor. As a biochemist and physiology expert, Dr. Vanek knows how the human body responds to surgical procedures. He can manipulate its structures to produce aesthetically pleasing results for his patients, even if he didn’t perform the original surgery.

“It’s such a relief when a cancer is removed, but it can be difficult to live with that constant reminder in the form of an unsightly scar,” says Dr. Vanek. “As a result of a skin graft, Debbie was left with a large defect in her leg that concerned her. Working in planned stages, I reduced the scar size and also improved the contour of her skin, making it barely noticeable.”

Debbie knew from her first appointment that she was in the hands of the right surgeon. Dr. Vanek is not only an expert in his field, he also conveys his expertise without overwhelming his patients. Debbie appreciated the time he took to explain each session thoroughly and was comfortable throughout each process. Dr. Vanek performed various procedures to minimize her scar, giving her the confidence to wear dresses and skirts again.

“Things like that can definitely shake your confidence,” says Debbie. “The scar on my leg was holding me back. My relationship with Dr. Vanek and his entire staff has helped me to step even further out of my comfort zone and go after things I may not have tried in the past.”

Dr. Vanek’s treatment for Debbie’s leg included an intralesional excision procedure, Sciton ProFractional lasering of the scar, and an autologous fat transfer to fill the depression in her leg.

“The excision was done in two stages and allowed me to reduce the defect by more than 50 percent,” says Dr. Vanek. “Then I used advanced Sciton laser technology to improve the color match of the area to the rest of Debbie’s skin. Finally, autologous fat transfer, where Debbie’s own fat was removed from her abdomen and filled any puckering or depressions in the skin left by the previous surgery, improved the contour of her leg.”

“The same combination of procedures I performed on Debbie’s leg can improve contouring for breast reconstruction surgeries, tummy tucks and many other areas of the body,” says Dr. Vanek. “They are virtually pain-free procedures with very little downtime, if any.” Vanek Plastic Surgery also offers many non-invasive procedures like chemical peels, OxyGeneo facials and Hydrafacials, microneedling with RF, dermaplaning and microdermabrasion, as well as fillers and injectables.

“We have all the latest technological offerings, but you’re never just a procedure in my practice,” says Dr. Vanek. “I enjoy taking the time to talk with you and discuss your realistic goals. We form long-term relationships to achieve your goals together, taking your confidence to a whole new level.”

Because of her trust in Dr. Vanek, Debbie plans to take advantage of some of the other services his practice offers. “I’ve always felt that if there’s something that bothers you about how you look, get it fixed,” she says. “There are so many things, even simple, non-invasive procedures, that can help you feel better about yourself.”

Debbie is no longer using bandages to hide her scar, and she’s wearing dresses again. Just in time for her latest role as Dottie in “Song Of The Tree Frog,” which starts production this fall, she’s feeling more confident than ever.

Dr. Paul Vanek is double board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery, and is a Fellow of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. His offices are at 9485 Mentor Avenue, Suite 100, in Mentor. He offers various payment options. For more information, call 440-205-5750 or visit MentorPlasticSurgery.com or ThisCanBU.com, where all photos are of actual patients like Debbie, and not retouched.