Hello, Warriors! How are you feeling? Thank you for taking time out of your active schedule to visit The Breast Place blog. Welcome! We cover a range of topics here, including breast cancer management, anti-aging skin treatments, and tips for overall health and wellness. The Breast Place is committed to sharing the best health practices and treatment options with you! While you’re here, be sure to check out our previous posts about the importance of genetic testing and male breast cancer!
Today, we’re discussing the intricacies of breast reconstruction. There’s a bunch of information available to those looking to undergo breast reconstruction. We wanted to make things easy and give you an in-depth look into the options available to you. We hope this makes your decision a bit easier! The Facts Women who have undergone a double mastectomy (which includes the full removal of both breasts), a mastectomy (which includes the full removal of single breast), or a lumpectomy/segmental mastectomy (which includes the removal of a portion of the breast), often choose to also undertake a breast reconstruction. A breast reconstruction is a medical procedure which involves replacing the tissue which was removed during the mastectomy in order to alter the aesthetic appearance of breasts. According to studies conducted in 2016, 40% of women who underwent a mastectomy went on to have reconstruction surgery. In 2018, 101,600 women in the United States alone underwent breast reconstruction surgery, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the Plastic Surgery Foundation. Considering how many women undergo breast reconstruction every year, it’s astounding only 23% of women are knowledgeable about their breast reconstruction options. This is why the next section will be devoted to a comprehensive overview of the options available to women looking to undergo reconstruction. The Options There are two time-based factors which alter the type of surgery you’ll undergo. The first type of reconstruction is immediate reconstruction. An immediate reconstruction, as the name suggests, occurs immediately after a mastectomy. This type of reconstruction is more common, with three-fourths of reconstruction patients adhering to this type. The positive attributes of an immediate reconstruction include improved aesthetic results, heightened psychological well-being post-operation, and lower costs. Patients are able to mitigate a bit of the body dysphoria which can accompany a mastectomy, as well as lessen scarring, with this method. However, immediate reconstruction can be associated with more postoperative complications when postmastectomy radiation therapy is required. The second type of reconstruction is delayed reconstruction. This type of breast reconstruction is done some time after the initial mastectomy and is much less common. The reason for this is because multiple surgeries mean further healing, multiple scars, and longer downtime. However, unlike immediate reconstruction, this type is not associated with higher risk of complications when combined postmastectomy radiation therapy. Therefore, this type might be recommended for breast cancer patients who still have a ways to go in their treatment, even after their mastectomy. Underneath the broader umbrella of immediate and delayed, there are further types of breast reconstructions, which are differentiated by their chosen makeup. Implant-based reconstruction (IBR) is the first type and 81% of breast reconstructions consist of this type. Further, within IBR, there are two subsets: single-stage (or direct-to-implant placement) and two-stage. The single-stage IBR entails a single surgery, during which the chosen implant is the only implantation. While the two-stage IBR entails two surgeries, the first of which includes the placement of a tissue expander, and the second of which includes the placement of the permanent implant. Two-stage is actually the more common of the two subsets of IBR, with 68% of women receiving this type. Beyond single-stage and two-stage, there’s also the choice between silicone or saline implants. Silicone implants are known to have a more natural appearance and feel, which results in greater levels of patient satisfaction. Thus, silicone implants are used in about 95% of breast reconstructions. We’re still not done with IBR, because patients also need to consider the anatomic plane in which their implant will be placed. There are three planes in which the implant could reside: the total submuscular, the partial submuscular, and the prepectoral. Which anatomic plane you choose can affect the final appearance of the breasts after reconstruction and the risk of unintended side effects. Therefore, you should conduct plenty of research and ask your doctor about the implications of each plane. While a total submuscular placement lends vascularized soft tissue coverage and does not require the additional placement of an ADM (discussed later), this plane limits the overall size of the implant and has a high rate of animation deformity. Animation deformity is characterized by a distortion of the reconstructed breast when in motion (such as when the major pectoralis muscle is contracted). Around 80% of breast reconstruction patients whose implants are placed on the total submuscular plane experience this deformity. A partial submuscular placement with the additional use of an ADM reduces the risk of animation deformity. An ADM, or an adjunctive acellular dermal matrix, acts as a support system for the chosen implant. Whether derived from human sources (allografts), animal sources (zenographs), or synthetic materials, ADMs are scaffolding which serve to revascularize and integrate host cells into the newly placed tissue. ADMs can reduce the rate of capsular contracture and improve aesthetic definition, but also carry the risk of infection and seroma. Prepectoral plane placement with the use of an ADM is the only IBR which does not carry the risk of animation deformity. As well, since this type does not require surgeons cut into the pectoralis muscle, this method is less painful overall. However, compared to the other types discussed above, there’s been little research done into its efficacy in terms of aesthetics or harmfulness. Meanwhile, the other 19% of breast reconstructions outside of IBR consist of autologous reconstruction (AR). Autologous reconstructions utilize the patient’s own tissue for the reconstructive implant. Therefore, types of AR are differentiated by the anatomic region where the tissue flap is harvested. The most common source area is the deep inferior epigastric (DIEP), which consists of the skin and fat located along the lower abdomen. 52% of AR use this region. The second most common source area is the latissimus dorsi (LD), which is the broadest muscle along the side of your back. 22% of AR use this region. There are lower rates of usage among the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM), which form the deep abdomen, and other regions. Depending on your comorbidities, past surgeries, and preferences prior to surgery, your doctor may recommend one harvest site over another. Your Truth Federal law dictates any insurance company which covers mastectomy must also cover breast reconstruction surgery, however you’ll still need to look into what exactly your insurance company will cover. Beyond this, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions. How well do you understand the entire breast reconstruction process, from pre-op preparation to recovery from multiple surgeries? Do you feel adequately prepared both mentally and physically to undergo this process? If you’re still currently undergoing treatment for cancer, how will breast reconstruction affect your treatment? There’s a likelihood your breast reconstruction will not result in your breasts appearing as they did pre-mastectomy. In this event, will you be able to manage your resulting emotional response? It's better to ask yourself these questions in advance and be honest about your answers. If you have concerns about breast reconstruction, bring them up with your medical provider. With clarity and time, you may solidify your certainty about whether or not breast reconstruction is right for you. Your Support A support system is crucial following any surgery, for emotional reasons as much as practical reasons. While you will probably need someone’s help during your recovery process, nothing is more helpful than a community in which you can discuss your journey. As we quoted above, more than one-hundred thousand women undergo this process every year. There are Facebook groups and online chat rooms where you can learn more about the process you’re about to undertake and ask women who have already undergone the process for their perspective. The value of community resources cannot be underestimated. The Breast Place is dedicated to provide you with the options and support you need to make the best decision for your breast reconstruction. We offer natural reconstruction (i.e. AR) and impact reconstruction (i.e. IBR) services, as well as nipple-sparing mastectomy, breast lift and breast reduction. Breast reconstruction is about more than just aesthetics. It's about feeling your best in your body and taking the proper steps to do so. For a free consultation, reach out to us today. Thank you for reading and we look forward to hearing from you!
1 Comment
![]() While Breast Cancer Awareness Month is five months away still, we try to educate and spread awareness as much as we can all year round. Today, we are going to be talking about self-breast examinations and everything you need to know about them! Hello warriors, readers, patients, and friends! We are so glad you're joining us today for our first blog of May! It is a new season, a new spring, a new time in Charleston, and all of it comes with a new sense of hope and strength within it. We hope each of you reading this today feels that feeling with us, and we hope you know that no matter where you are in your journey, we are here to help and support you. First and foremost, we are here to help empower our amazing patients and to help them through their diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. This will never be a path you walk alone. We also offer many specialized services right here in our Charleston offices including abnormal breast imaging, family history and genetic testing, oncoplastic surgery, scar revision, body contouring, facial rejuvenation, laser hair removal, lactation, and much more. If you're looking for the premier breast specialists in Charleston, SC, you've found us! While Breast Cancer Awareness Month is still officially five months away, we try to honor it every day by spreading awareness, talking about the realities of breast cancer for women of all ages, and trying to use every opportunity we can to educate everyone we meet. Today, in honor of this idea, we are going to be talking about self-breast exams; what they are, the best way to go about giving yourself the best exam, and some common myths you might not know! For those new to The Breast Place, welcome! We are here to support you and your breasts at every stage of your life. We've mentioned this in past blogs, but self-breast exams can be one of the most successful first steps in preventing cancer and catching it in its early stages. Self-breast exams are important for women throughout their lives but can be extremely beneficial for younger women with very thick breast tissue. Having thick breast tissue can make it almost impossible for a mammogram to work on women younger than 40. In many situations, self-breast exams can be one of the only ways that cancer can be caught in women younger than 40, and can be an amazing lifesaver. At The Breast Place, we perform clinical breast exams, family history risk assessment, breast ultrasounds, biopsies including fine needle aspirations, and needle core biopsies in the office. However, sometimes your overall experience and reason why you find us at The Breast Palace can begin with a self-breast examination. Today, we will be focusing on self-breast exams so you can successfully carry out this life-saving procedure on yourself! What Is A Self Breast Exam? As it is stated in its name, a self-breast exam is an at-home self-inspection of your beasts to see if there are any changes or abnormalities that have appeared within your breasts. The best way to do a fully successful breast exam is to use both your eyes and hands to determine if there are any changes to the overall feel and look of your breasts. If you do see any changes, it is best to speak to your doctor right away. Please note that, according to the Mayo Clinic, that almost all changes found during a self-breast exam for your breasts appear due to benign causes. However, this never means that you should ignore any changes that might appear. It means you still need to share this information with your doctor and have them determine what should happen next. It is still possible that some changes may mean something serious, like breast cancer. Why Should I Give Myself Self Breast Exams? While breast cancer to this day is still considered something that is only found in women who have gone through menopause, we need to break that stigma! Giving yourself self-breast exams and understanding their importance can help with this! A self-exam or even just examining your breasts on your own can be a huge help with discovering cancer early. This can mean that if cancer is caught and treated earlier, it is more likely to be treated successfully! When self-exams are paired with regular physical exams, they can help make a huge impact on your life and safety. Also remember that giving yourself a breast exam costs you nothing but a little time, and that time is well worth spending on yourself! How Do I Give Myself A Self Breast Examination? Now that you know a little bit more about self-breast exams and why they are so important, it's time to understand how best to go about giving yourself a breast exam. This way they can be as efficient, effective, and successful as possible.
What To Expect From A Self Breast Exam While reading about how to give yourself a self-breast exam may teach you how to do it, that doesn't mean you know exactly what to expect or what it might feel like. Here are a few more extra tips and pieces of insight that might make the whole process a little easier and help prepare you a little more.
Myths About Self Breast Exams & More Just like we've debunked many different things on our blogs before, there are myths about self-breast exams and other related topics that need to be debunked too. The list below is full of myths to avoid and not worry about while going through your life and caring for your breasts. However, if you do have any questions or concerns even after reading this list and the whole blog, please do not hesitate to reach out and speak with us!
Warriors, fight your battles and be strong while doing so. You have the tools now to begin the battle and to keep yourself as prepared and ahead of the diagnosis as possible. Your health is in your hands, quite literally. Please take the time to dedicate a self-breast exam to your schedule every month. In the long run, it might be the biggest key in catching the first sign or stages of cancer that could appear in your body! Until next time, stay safe and be well out there. We understand life is challenging. We are here to listen, support, treat, and help make life a little easier. ![]() Our skin is not only our largest organ, it's one of the most important things to care for throughout our entire lives. Sometimes what we can personally for our skin doesn't produce the results we want, nor do we have the power to fix certain things that our bodies do naturally. That's where The Breast Place can come in! With many of our treatments, your skin can look and feel as you desire! One of our most popular treatments is Cutera's Excel V+! Hello readers, friends, warriors, and supporters! We are thrilled that you've found yourself at The Breast Place blog. We hope you're staying healthy and well, and just like everything else, taking it one day at a time! With the ongoing health threat of the pandemic and the winter blues that set in this time of year, it's hard to stay focused, on track, and on schedule. We hope you enjoyed our last blog discussing how you can nurture and care for your self-esteem and self-confidence as an adult and through the difficult challenges life puts us all through! This time of year makes many of our readers blue, which we understand! Keep the advice we discussed in our last blog close to heart for that reason, and to make every day a little easier. One of the through lines of our last blog was that the treatments we offer in our offices help with several things that can affect our self-esteem like signs of aging, loose skin, stretch marks, difficult pockets of fat, wrinkles, scarring, body hair, rosacea, and scars left behind from acne. With our products from Enuron, tru Sculpt iD, Secret RF, body contouring, laser hair removal, and Excel V+, these issues can become issues of the past. Skin rejuvenation on the face is one of our most popular treatments. Secret RF is one of those treatments which we've already talked about in previous blogs. Today, we are going to be talking about Excel V+, our second option for facial rejuvenation! Our skin rejuvenation services can help keep you looking young even after the effects of treatment, raising children, menopause, and getting through life's challenges. Laser resurfacing is used to address pigmentation issues like melasma and sunspots, and micro-needling with radiofrequency is used to help with the promotion of rebuilding your collagen with no downtime. This can be achieved with Secret RF. Laser resurfacing is the newest technology aiding in rejuvenation and antiaging. If you are concerned with fine lines, wrinkles, or redness like rosacea, our Cutera Excel V+ laser treatments are perfect for you! Paired with the best skin products for optimal results, we hope to empower you to look and feel your best at all times and through all stages of your life. According to Cutera, Excel V + delivers the power to safely treat challenging vascular and pigmentary conditions and today's most common skin concerns! What's Excel V+ and What Does It Entail? As we've talked about many times before, and what we understand ourselves, is that over the years our skin naturally takes a beating no matter how much we care for it. Excel V+ by Cutera is an incredibly safe laser technology that is very effective with treating excessive redness, enlarged pores, age spots, fine-line wrinkles, scars, and uneven skin texture. How does it work? Excel V+ delivers wavelengths to targeted areas and these wavelengths are absorbed by the chromophores in our bodies, which are the parts of a molecule responsible for its color (the redness and brown discoloring on our skin). They are also absorbed by melanin, oxyhemoglobin, and water, helping with fine lines and wrinkles. During your treatments, areas on the body can be treated in as small as .5mm and as large as 1mm to ensure precise treatment and to help avoid any tissue damage to the skin that doesn't need treatment. These laser treatments work by stimulating collagen regrowth by heating the upper dermis, which lives way below your skin's surface. Dilated capillaries will receive additional heat to reduce the redness in your skin. Have no fear of this heat, however, because before, during, and after each pulse delivered to the treatment area, Excel V+ will deliver consistent contact cooling. This cooling temperature will be adjusted to your comfort levels. Another great perk? This is another wonderful non-surgical treatment that can be done without the use of topical anesthetic or gel! Higher energy levels will be used for larger spots and short pulses, with the most advanced wavelengths available, 532 nm. After your treatments, the skin might look slightly red and your dark brown spots might look darker. This will only last a few hours or a few days. You can use makeup to cover up any redness through this period. You will begin to see results in one to three weeks. Redness will decrease, your complexion will improve, and dark spots will flake off and fade. It is recommended to avoid sun exposure after treatment. Excel V+ will help bring a youthful glow to your skin, smooth out your uneven skin texture, reduce your pore sizes, and much more. Each treatment will see more and more improved results and will build on previous improvements. What Are the Benefits of Excel V+? With all of our services and non-surgical services, there are so many benefits that come with each of them! First of all, you might be asking yourself if you're a good candidate for this procedure. If you're considering trying this service, here is a little food for thought. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 14 million people are living with rosacea, and 40% of the population suffers from pigment concerns. If you are wanting to help improve your skin, then it is right for you! What are some of the other benefits you will see and experience with Excel V+?
What Are Some Common Misconceptions About Laser Skin Treatments?
Excel V+ and all of our laser skin treatments offer incredible benefits, with little downtime and hardly if not any side effects. Each service is a great option to help you deal with unwanted issues weighing on your conscience and self-confidence! If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below, and always feel free to reach out to us! We look forward to seeing you soon, and we look forward to helping you make the very best out of 2021! ![]() When you visit our website, one of the first things you'll notice is a button that says EMPOWER at the top of your screen. The idea behind the creation of The Breast Place was to help empower women who have been challenged by all aspects of life, to help boost their confidence, and to restore their sense of normalcy. Today, we are going to be talking about the importance and self restorative power of self-confidence as an adult. Watching as your body changes over the years, seeing your body change due to cancer treatments and surgeries, and sitting in front of the mirror after a hard week can be incredibly difficult, make it hard to feel like yourself, and can be a blow to your self-confidence. It's no secret that every media outlet and our smart devices that we are glued to also add a decent amount of weight to our everyday moods, decisions, how we see ourselves, and how we feel about ourselves. As we grow older, it's hard to keep up with being your own hype woman and keeping your self-confidence up. As a woman-run and owned business, we understand that completely. We opened this clinic as a way to empower women who have been challenged with various aspects of life and encourage them to find beauty in all things. We cherish our survivors and want them to feel loved, respected, and beautiful. We hope that by offering services like skin rejuvenation and scar revision that we can boost their confidence and restore their sense of normalcy in life. After challenging life events, we offer total wellness through skin resurfacing with the latest laser technology, dermal injections to subtly address fine lines and wrinkles, body contouring to tackle unwanted areas of fat with non-invasive treatment, and much more. These services include truSculpt iD, secret RF, excel V+, Botox, and products from Environ and Cutera to help with loose skin, stretch marks, and scars caused by acne. We are dedicated to helping you feel your best. Today, we want to talk about celebrating and nurturing your self-confidence! What Is Wellness? Wellness goes beyond waking up without a cold, having bad allergies, or a runny nose. Wellness goes into how your feeling mentally and emotionally, all of which can be helped by caring for yourself and taking advantage of all of our empowering services. According to the Global Institute of Wellness, it is defined as the active pursuit of activities, choices, and a lifestyle that leads to a state of holistic health. It is an active pursuit towards a healthy lifestyle and state of mind. It is also an individual pursuit. While it is important to surround yourself with supportive and loving people, you have to make these choices and accept what you need to achieve wellness on your own. Making that uphill climb will be worth the outcome. Wellness is also not a one-dimensional thing, it is a six-part dimensional way of thinking and living! It includes:
What are some of the ways you can work towards your overall wellness?
How do you nurture self-confidence? Self-confidence is a difficult thing to maintain and have a healthy relationship with as an adult. However, it doesn't have to be something you are constantly fighting against. This is also hard for everyone, not just women. As you go through life, be gentle and kind with those you come in contact with, you don't know what they're going through. To nurture your self-confidence, you will have to put the work in yourself, and please don't rely on others to provide it for you. This is for you by you.
Being kind to yourself in the process of wellness, self-confidence, and empowerment can be the hardest battle. It's easy to make fun of and downplay the importance of each of these elements in your life, but there is nothing like permitting yourself to go after the wellness and self-confidence you deserve. We are here to help you start that journey and inspire you along the way. We believe in each of you and know that you deserve this kindness. If you have any questions about our services, empowerment, self-confidence, survivorship, or anything else, we are here for you! Dear readers, please know we are always here for you with your best interests at heart. Please stay safe, make smart decisions, and be kind to yourself in 2021! ![]() A new year means new goals and resolutions to many of us. Why not try laser hair removal to kick off your 2021? Hello readers, warriors, and friends! Welcome to The Breast Place Blog and welcome to a brand new year! For many, a new year means new resolutions, new goals, and trying new things. Remember, when the clock strikes midnight, and you wake up on January 1st ready to make big changes, all the goals you've made are meant to be accomplished throughout the year. Don't try and do everything at once or by the end of January! If you try to do this, you'll be ready to throw all of your goals and resolutions in the garbage before Valentine's Day! Remember, we are all about healthy, steady, and positive growth. The changes that you make that you want important results from take time, patience, and a willingness to get through the good days and the bad. As we all walk into this new year of 2021 together, let's be kind and resilient, let's take our time, let's work hard, and let's support one another with whatever goals we set for ourselves! While we might not be able to help with all of our goals or resolutions for 2021, we can help you with trying new things. Have you been putting off trying something new for yourself that you've been wanting to try for a while now? We can't tell you how often we hear that in our offices with our services like scar revision, body contouring, facial rejuvenation, and our laser hair removal services. Many of our patients also say that they wish they would have tried these services sooner, and don't know why they waited so long to try them! Have you been thinking about finally trying some of our services this new year? We are ready to get started, consult with you, and answer any questions you might have. To inspire you, we wanted to dedicate this blog to laser hair removal and talk about the truth behind it, the benefits of laser hair removal, and what our services are like at The Breast Place! LASER HAIR REMOVAL AT THE BREAST PLACE! Hair in unwanted places can offset self-confidence and mental well being. Treatments can also sometimes affect where and how hair grows. The Breast Place is now offering laser hair removal in the office with the latest laser technology. Contact us to schedule a cosmetic consultation with our licensed professionals. THE BENEFITS OF LASER HAIR REMOVAL!
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LASER HAIR REMOVAL On top of all of its many benefits, we also wanted to share a few more pieces of information to consider while you prepare for your treatments.
After reading this blog, you should now know all the basics about how to prepare, what to expect, and all the incredible benefits laser hair removal can provide. However, we welcome you to reach out if you have any questions. It is also extremely easy to book an initial consultation with us on our website! We are so excited to share this new year with you and to help you try those new things you've always been wanting to! Dear readers, please know we are always here for you with your best interests at heart. Please stay safe, make smart decisions, and be kind to yourself in 2021! ![]() While the new year approaches, why not take the time to give back to yourself in the healthiest, easiest, and safest ways possible? With truSculpt iD, one of our premier services, we can help you reach your goals today! Hello warriors, friends, readers, and all of our supporters! Welcome back to the blog, one of the very last for 2020. We hope the holiday season has been a good one for you and your loved ones, and that you remain healthy and happy while continuing to make safe decisions. With the coming new year, we wanted to switch gears a little in this blog and chat about one of the many premier services that we proudly offer all of our patients, geared to helping you feel your best with ease, truSculpt iD! We are here today to talk a little bit more about the process and the many benefits it can offer your mind, body, and sense of self! Let's talk a little bit about what truSculpt iD is and what it focuses on. We've talked a little bit about truSculpt in the past, but today we wanted to dive deeper into what it can offer and give you in simple, pain-free, and easy treatments. You work hard to take care of your body, what happens when your body just doesn't want to cooperate even with all the hard work you are giving back to it? Also, we live in a world where we want things to happen fast and we want fast results. Thankfully, truSculpt can help provide us with that. Coolscuplting, its predecessor, does offer its own unique technique of helping with weight loss, but only to a certain extent. What is Coolscupting? It is a type of freezing technology that is non-surgical and reduces pockets of fat in trouble spots in your body. It is only cleared to help 9 spots in the body by the FDA. The body does not like the cold and will eliminate frozen and dead cells from the procedure within one to three months, which according to Coolsculpt will help with a 20-25% reduction of fat in the areas you have chosen to target. They state that it is for individuals that are near their ideal body weight, who want to lose just a little more to finally reach their goals. It is not a weight-loss treatment. The idea that it is not an evasive procedure and it is non-surgical is appealing. However, it is targeted at a certain group of people, leaving out quite a population who might want to be treated. It also is only approved for certain parts of the body, and this is where the benefits of coolsculpting end and the benefits of truSculpt iD begin. After babies or challenges in life, unwanted fat can hang around no matter how hard you work. In as little as 15 minutes per treatment, you can target those unwanted areas on your lunch break with no downtime and resume your daily activities immediately. The muffin top, love handles, lower abdomen, and “bra-fat” can all be treated with noninvasive body contouring done in the office. Everyone wants to lose weight fast and create their ideal body with the least invasive option. truSculpt iD from Cutera is a non-invasive fat removal device for quick fat loss. Shape your body by addressing stubborn fat areas directly. truSculpt iD uses the latest body sculpting technology personalized to fit anyone and unlike other devices on the market, there's almost no limit to the areas that can be treated. Studies on truSculpt iD have proven an average of 24% fat loss in a single treatment per area. Unlike Coolsculpting, truSculpt iD not only kills fat cells with every treatment but its innovative heat-based technology addresses skin laxity and helps to firm up the skin so that as the fat cells die off and the area treated becomes smaller, the skin tightens rather than remaining saggy giving that excess skin appearance. If you are concerned with saggy skin following weight loss, a single treatment could help to not only help you get rid of those last few inches but to tighten that skin as well. If Coolsculpt is not the option for you due to cold intolerance or not wanting to be pinched between the paddles, call to schedule a consultation to learn more about truSculpt iD from Cutera. Now that you know a little bit more about truSculpt and its processes, let's talk a little bit more about its many benefits!
There you have it, readers! The many safe and exciting benefits of truSculpt iD. If you have been considering this treatment and have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out and contact us today. At the very beginning of a new year, why not treat yourself to what could potentially be a one-time gift that continues to keep on giving throughout your life! Look and feel your best with no pain, no downtime, and nothing standing in your way! All of us at The Breast Place wanted to take a moment and thank each of you for your love and support through this year. Thank you for your patience, your understanding, your kindness, and for staying with us through this year. We look forward to continuing to support our warriors, patients, friends, and clients as best we can through the rest of this year, into the next, and beyond. We are here to support you and the community we are so proud to be apart of. We wish you all a very merry holiday a wonderful new year! ![]() The 2020 holidays have been and will continue to be difficult for all of us. Not being able to travel, see our loved ones, or do many of our favorite traditions is going to be strange. While it might be hard, it might be incredibly beneficial for everyone going through and living with a cancer diagnosis. Hello, warriors, friends, and dear readers! We know the holiday season can be incredibly difficult for you and for many reasons. While going through your cancer treatments you begin to ask those dark lurking questions; how will this affect my family? How long do I have left? Am I going to beat this? When the holidays come around, these questions tend to get a little darker; what will the holidays be like after I'm gone? Is this my last Christmas? How many more holidays do I have left? While we will try to do everything we can to help comfort and support you on this difficult journey, we also know that sometimes even the most comforting words and actions can't touch those dark places and dark thoughts. However, that doesn't mean we are going to stop our positivity and hope that we want to share with you anytime soon. This blog is going to be a few different things; something to help cheer you up, give you some hope, provide some insight to your loved ones and our readers, and to give everyone a little perspective. We've now all heard it one too many times, that this year is going to be different from all the rest. Through all the difficulties this year has given us, and the fact that this will be hard to spend the holidays apart, this might be something good for all of our warriors going through their treatments, diagnosis, and those living in their survivorship. The holidays without cancer are already hard difficult; you're constantly running around, shopping, worrying about seeing everyone, making plans, cooking, attending all the holiday events, and trying to make everyone happy. The holidays with cancer are even more difficult. Its all of your normal holiday stress combined with always being tired, feeling sick, having to say no to things and dealing with the guilt that comes with that, being sick, not being able to taste or eat your favorite foods, not being able to participate in your favorite activities, and more. It's a lot, and when your family and friends outside of your close and supportive care group and team don't quite understand this, it makes it even more difficult. We don't need to go into any more detail, because you already understand this. You're living this right now and you've been going through it ever since you were diagnosed. However, this year might be a little different A Holiday To Pause For the past nine months our lives, what's safe, and how we are living has all changed. For our warriors and those in survivorship and remission, you've had to be extra safe, as have your immediate members of your bubble and everyone who lives with you. You are making even fewer trips outside of your house, you could be working from home, seeing a very limited amount of people, you may have been going into doctors appointments and treatments alone, faced canceled and rescheduled doctors appointments, spent a lot of time on Zoom, and more. Now that the holidays are here and the pandemic numbers haven't improved but have instead continued to grow, everyone is starting to see changes. Our favorite Christmas gatherings have been canceled or made virtual, large gatherings are still not recommended, traveling is still not recommended, and it is still recommended that you limit your exposure and stay home as much as possible. While this is devastating for so many, this is something that needs to be observed by our warriors and their families. While choosing to be healthy and staying healthy, you are also protecting others by limiting your exposure. You can take the opportunity of not being able to gather and travel this year to rest and enjoy the holidays how you choose instead of stressing yourself out. You can slow down and create new traditions with your loved ones inside your bubble and create unique ones with all the family you'll be seeing virtually this year. If your treatments are difficult over the holidays and you're sick, feeling ill, or are exhausted you don't have to make up any excuses or feel bad about not being able to attend a holiday function. As difficult as the holidays are, as difficult as this year has been, take this time to rest, recover, fight, heal, and keep yourself safe while the world is on pause. We do urge you to remember this: please understand to be even more conscious for our warriors who don't have the immune system or strength to battle off what we are all trying to fight off and avoid. Remember, they are already fighting a battle. Don't give them another one to fight. Remember, Please To our dear care teams and family members who make up the family bubbles for all of our warriors, we know this time of year is difficult for you as well, and that 2020 has not made that any easier. Please continue to be safe and to practice all of your safety measures because this isn't just for you. You're doing all of this and being safe for them and everyone else you see this holiday season. Even if it is difficult to say no and you choose to celebrate safely this year, that is the best gift you can give to everyone. With that on your mind, we also wanted to share a few more ideas on how to help your loved ones going through this holiday. We also wanted to share some ideas and tips for our warriors to remember, too!
Recap We know this time of year is difficult. We know this blog might come off a little strangely, but we are searching for and highlighting all the silver linings that we can find. We are here for you, fighting for you, and very much in this boat with you this holiday season. If anything, please remember these things when walking away from the blog today:
Through the difficulties of this year, your battle with breast cancer and remission, the holidays, the pandemic, and everything in between, we are here. We are here to help comfort, help with your healing, and help you feel better in as many ways as possible. Keep searing for your silver linings and let's carry them into the new year! ![]() While we offer so many different kinds of services for our warriors and anyone who comes into our offices, skincare and body care is a big part of what's important to us and what we give to our patients every day! Hello to all of our warriors, friends, supporters, and readers! We are so thrilled you're back reading the blog and here to read more about the many different ways The Breast Place can make you feel better, look better, and how you can enjoy a little more out of your everyday life. In our last blog, we debunked some of the top myths about botox, and it got us thinking about all of the products, services, and merchandise we offer here at The Breast Place for all of our patients and patrons. It also got us thinking that we needed to remind all of our readers that everyone is welcome to come visit and work with us. Our offices aren't limited to a certain age group, and we are open to anyone who wants to make their bodies feel and look better. We are here for those incredible warriors who are fighting every day against that tyrant silent killer, breast cancer, and for those who are looking to support their body's natural health to make them feel better with a multitude of skin and body care. So, that inspired us to give a little blog overview on some of our many services and why they are both important and beneficial to those who get them!
2. Body Contouring No matter how hard you work out, no matter how much you diet, and after going through some very big life changes like having a baby, your body will always decide what it wants to do with the fat in your body. Somehow, it always tends to stay in the places we hate the most, and no amount of push-ups, crunches, mountain climbers, or burpees can chase it away. After any life challenge or natural challenge, unwanted fat can hang around no matter how hard you work. In as little as 15 minutes per treatment, you can target those unwanted areas on your lunch break with no downtime and resume your daily activities right away! The muffin top, love handles, lower abdomen, and "bra-fat" can be treated with our non-invasive body contouring done in the office. Outside of these wonderful benefits, what are some other benefits that body contouring can give you?
3.Facial Rejuvination You live your life to the fullest and through each trial and celebration that comes with it. While we all work hard to care for our skin and to let it age how we choose, our bodies and our skin makes those decisions. That's where facial rejuvenation comes into play. To keep you looking young even after the effects of treatment, raising children, menopause, or surviving life’s challenges, we now offer facial rejuvenation services, Botox/Dysport, and dermal fillers! Laser resurfacing is used to address pigmentation issues like melasma and sunspots, micro-needling with radiofrequency is to promote collagen rebuilding and with no downtime. Laser resurfacing is the newest technology aiding in rejuvenation and antiaging. If you are concerned with fine lines, wrinkles or redness like rosacea, our Cutera Excel V+ laser treatments are right for you. Paired with the best skin products for optimal results, we hope to empower you to look and feel your best at all times. Outside of all this incredible information, what are some more positive benefits of facial rejuvenation?
There you have it! An insider's look into just three of our many services and products. Can you believe the number of benefits that come from just these three services? There are so many wonderful reasons why these and all of our services are incredibly beneficial for all of our patrons, warriors, and friends that come to our offices! If you have any questions about these or any of our services, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to speak with you about the many ways we could help improve your life with one or all of our treatments. While this blog was dedicated to skincare and much more, we are still the best breast cancer center in Charleston! Be well out there, we know that you're fighting hard. You are not alone in this, and you never will be! ![]() Botox has developed an interesting reputation and has been connected to a certain age group and demographic over the years. Today, we are going to break these molds by debunking the top 5 myths about botox! Hello warriors and welcome back! We hope that Breast Cancer Awareness Month and all of October was wonderful for you and your family! Remember that it is within your power to make every month and every day Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is up to you to help spread the word, spread awareness, and help fight to find the cure faster than ever before. Stay strong, stay resilient, and keep on fighting! In this first blog of the month, we are going to be stepping into a much different topic than our most recent blogs. While the Breast Place is dedicated to helping women navigate their bodies during their breast cancer treatments and through their survivorship, we offer so much more. Did you know that we also offer a plethora of other services including laser hair removal, facial rejuvenation, body contouring, scar revision, many different kinds of skincare treatments, tru sculpt, and Botox? A lot of people think that many of these services are for certain age groups and not welcomed or accessible to younger audiences. It might surprise you to learn that our youngest patients that we see are in their early 20s and they have had very successful treatments and experiences in our offices. Botox is one of the most popular of these services, and we see a wide range of patients from all age groups for this service. Over time, Botox has attracted a very unique reputation and a lot of people out there believe that only older women use Botox, and it was designed for only them in mind. We are here to tell you just how wrong these connotations are! Due to all of this negativity and the bad reputation that has attached itself to Botox and those who use it, we wanted to debunk some of the top myths out there about Botox! Please note before we begin, that Botox is one of the most common and safest aesthetic treatments out there - and you will be amazed at what all it can do for you. Myth #1 Botox will Freeze My Face and Leave Me Expressionless! Truth: Thanks to pop culture, this idea has been solidified in our minds that if you get Botox you will no longer be able to move your face muscles and your face will be stuck in one expression forever. The only time that your face will even remotely have a slightly frozen reaction is if you get your Botox injections from someone who has poor technique and they don't truly know what they're doing. To help avoid situations like these, please visit us to get the proper treatment or make sure to do in-depth research when choosing where to get your Botox injections. Botox relaxes wrinkle-producing muscles only at the point of injection, and will not affect any other muscles that are involved or help create your facial expressions. After your Botox treatment, you will still have your full range of facial movements and responses all while looking refreshed and rejuvenated. Myth #2: Botox Is Painful Truth: With a trained hand and excellent expertise, the doctors and medical professionals you should be going to you for your injections will make sure that the experience is not painful, does not cause damage, discoloring, or any bruising. Skilled and expert treatment shouldn't be noticeable, meaning the treatments and injections should be done gently and gradually so no one realizes that you're even receiving injections. The needles used for Botox are incredibly thin, and only a small amount of liquid is injected into the skin. If patients feel anything at all, they describe it as a small pinch that only lasts for a few seconds. Myth #3 Botox is Just for Wrinkles Truth: While Botox is most commonly known for the treatment of getting rid of wrinkles and lines today, there are many other aesthetic and medical uses for Botox. As a matter of fact, it was first approved by the FDA and used to help treat a condition called strabismus, which is a flickering and spasming of the eyes. Doctors didn't know that Botox could be used for cosmetic purposes until they treated eye conditions such as this. Today Botox can be used to treat limb spasticity, excessive sweating, over reactive bladders, chronic migraines, cervical dystonia, eyelid muscle spasms, TMJ conditions, back and neck pain, and more. Myth #4 Botox is Dangerous and Toxic Truth: Botox has been used in the aesthetic and medical world for over 20 years. It was officially approved by the FDA in 1989 and is a completely safe treatment. The treatment for it to be used cosmetically came in 2002. The reason why so many think it's toxic is that is connected to the botulinum toxin that is related to the cause of food poisoning. What is injected into your face and body is a purified protein version of this toxin making it extremely nontoxic. To even have some kind of problem or reaction, you would have to have 100 to 300 times the accepted amount of the toxin to cause any problems. Myth #5: Botox is Addictive Truth: There is nothing inside the Botox injection that has an addictive property, and if you choose to stop getting treatments it will not make your wrinkles or lines worse. There is nothing that will physically or chemically make the patient addicted to Botox itself. What people do become dependent on is the results of the injects making them look younger and being so excited and thrilled about the results. The only thing close to addiction is becoming very reliant on the results and the patient's features and has nothing to do with the injection itself. How do you feel about Botox now? For our readers, do you feel a little more comfortable with the idea of Botox? Are you excited to try it out? We couldn't blame you if you were! That's what we are hoping for you to feel! Please remember that Botox is also not just for one type of person, one age group, or just women. Botox has incredible benefits for everyone. If you have any questions or concerns about Botox, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to speak with you about the many ways Botox could improve your life. While this blog was dedicated to skincare and much more, we are still the best breast cancer center in Charleston! Be well out there, we know that you're fighting hard. You are not alone in this, and you never will be! ![]() While Breast Cancer is something that all of our warriors experience and fight for every day, October is an opportunity to spread this awareness on an even high level and open the world's eyes to what this disease really is. Hello, warriors! Welcome back to the blog and welcome back to part two of our blog discussing what breast cancer awareness means to us. While we are rapidly approaching the end of October and the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we hope you know how incredibly proud we are of each of you. We know this year's difficult situation has prevented us from doing what we all normally like to do to spread awareness, raise money, and gather with our fellow fighters, supporters, and warriors. 2020 can't cancel our hope, our fight, our journey, or the color pink. We all continue to stand in solidarity together, continue to fight together, and support one another. We know this year might be weighing heavy on you and your family, but please believe us when we say that we understand and we are with you. Please continue on your journey, continue with your fight, and continue using your story to prepare and educate others. Your fight can be a light in the darkness for others and for the rest of 2020 and beyond. Have you been feeling at a loss this month, that you haven't found your voice in this battle, that you're not giving back enough or doing enough? Don't be discouraged. Your voice and everything you're doing every day speaks volumes. To help give our own bit of help and support for the rest of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and beyond, we wanted to create a blog on how to make everyday Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Your voice, your journey, and how you choose to handle and battle your diagnosis is a testament in itself. Even if you aren't particularly vocal or you don't share your experience in a blog or through social media, that doesn't mean your journey doesn't impact others. When you go in for your treatments, consider the people sitting around you. This could be their very first or very last treatment. A kind smile, sharing your experiences with them, or just being a positive presence within this little snapshot of time can cause a ripple effect to those battling around you. How youR battle progresses also doesn't go unnoticed by your doctor or nurses. They find comfort, inspiration, and drive from how hard you fight and in the relationship you build together. Your journey and battle can bring you closer to your loved ones than ever before and can create a bond that you never expected. How you live in your survivorship and how you share your experiences with a new friend or coworker leaves an impression too. Don't think you have to shout from the rooftops and put yourself in the spotlight if you don't want to. Every step of your journey affects someone. If you want to be public about your experience, that is a welcomed expression too. Writing a blog, documenting your experiences on Facebook or Instagram, being a mentor to someone recently diagnosed, participating in group meetings, and more can also help others and raise awareness. No matter how you chose to share and express your experience, both are just as important and beneficial as the other. There are many steps you and your loved ones can take to promote awareness throughout the entire year, here are some tips and suggestions to make that possible.
We know that your voice is important. Each of your individual stories is worth telling, saving, and sharing. We know that awareness and what we need to cure breast cancer isn't at the level that it deserves and what it should be. Every day we are fighting to make your voices louder, the cure closer, and helping to educate the world about this horrible disease. While so much of the world just sees Breast Cancer Awareness Month as pink ribbons and fundraisers, we see your stories, your pain, your frustrations, and all that you go through every day. Let us stand together to make Breast Cancer Awareness month more than just a month, and finally beat this disease once and for all. |
Archives
February 2023
Categories
All
|