For the September blog, I chose to talk about my surgery experience in place of a product recommendation.

I wanted to share a personally life-changing and positive experience I had with Dr. Robinson – my Rhinoplasty and Submental Liposuction surgery that took place in October 2006.

Growing up, I was always self-conscious of my profile due to a protruding “hump” on the bridge of my nose. Being from a small farm town in Idaho, plastic surgeons are few and far between knowing how much my nose bothered me, my parents found only one doctor that was willing to drive the distance to perform the surgery.

I had my first rhinoplasty shortly after my high school graduation in 1997. Due to his lack of surgical experience, I suffered years of recurrent bone infections and scar tissue damage that led to further distress with my nose.

Shortly after I started work at Oswego Spa & Laser, I had mentioned to Dr. Robinson that at some point I needed his expertise on what could be done with my nose. Within a few minutes, we were in his office, digitally drawing out what my profile would look like, which included a more defined jaw line.

My surgery with Dr. Robinson was a completely different experience than my first surgery as a teenager. It was positive! He was reassuring and caring about the fears I had from my previous experience.

My concerns about my profile have completely vanished and I feel confident in the way I look. I feel honored to work with Dr. Robinson and know from personal experience how much his talent changed my life for the better.

We are proud to help sponsor the Maryhill Winery Summer Concert Series in beautiful Goldendale Washington. Renaissance Homes and KINK Radio, additional sponsors, provide a fabulous VIP section with Maryhill Winery featured wines and light horderves.

Saturday July 30th , Styx and Yes kicked off the first concert, to a sold out enthusiastic crowd. A clear beautiful night with an amazing view of the Columbia River set the stage for a night of great classic rock.

The Gypsy Kings played to another sold out crowd on Saturday August 6th. This Grammy award winning group brought people to their “dancing” feet!

Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs will grace the Maryhill stage on Saturday September 17th and Crowded House will complete the series when they play on Saturday September 24th.

Dr. Lee Robinson and Dr. Michael Workman would like to extend a special discount to all concert goers considering a cosmetic procedure by December 31st, 2011. For details contact Dr. Workman at (877) 972-1021 and Dr. Robinson at (503) 635-8930

We encourage those who are contemplating multiple facial cosmetic procedures to consider the following benefits of combination surgery over singular surgeries.

There are three distinct advantages of combining surgeries over individual procedures. Listed below are the three advantages, but aside from the obvious benefits, we like our patients to think about our planet and about “being green”. One surgery vs multiple equal less surgical supplies needed, less gas consumed and less electricity.

Anesthesia

Undergoing anesthesia one time vs several is a major benefit of combining facial cosmetic surgeries. Twilight anesthesia administered by Dr. Robinson is a less invasive anesthesia compared to general anesthesia, but your body still needs to recover from being in a medicated state. To learn more about our anesthesia methods, please refer to our anesthesia section of our website.

Recovery

When a patient undergoes multiple individual surgeries within a relatively brief period of time, discomfort and recovery can be prolonged unnecessarily. One recovery period provides less discomfort time, bruising & swelling and overall “wear ‘n tear” on the body. Recovery time from a neck lift, face lift and blepharoplasty done as one surgery can take ten days to 3 weeks, while a patient who has the same procedures individually over a longer period of time may need a total of 30 to 40 days for recovery!

Needless to say, the benefits from combination surgeries far out-weigh their individual counterparts. Post operative appointments are another aspect to consider, not only for the time needed away from home or the job for each post op appointment, but also for the pre-arranged transportation needed the day of surgery.

Cost

Combining surgeries is the most cost-effective. Dr. Robinson offers a break in his physician’s fee when combining procedures. One surgery also means one payment for the operating room and anesthesia, one set of medications and less days off from work.

If you would like to know more about the concept of combination surgery or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Robinson regarding your candidacy for combining surgery, please call 503-635-8930 or email us today!

Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery, eyelid lift, or eyelid tuck) is a cosmetic surgical procedure that Dr. Robinson performs to correct sagging eyelids and under eye bags. As we age, we begin to see drooping or sagging in the eye area due to skin laxity and excess fat collected in the lower lid. In extreme cases the upper lid seems to disappear underneath the extra fatty area below the brow bone.

A blepharoplasty can rejuvenate your tired looking eyes and bring back the young awake look lost to age. Dr. Robinson is an experienced facial cosmetic surgeon who has performed hundreds of blepharoplasties and other facial surgeries since opening his practice in 1989.

Blepharoplasty is NOT for Wrinkles

A Blepharoplasty cannot correct wrinkles around the eyes, although it may make the area appear smoother. Crows’s feet and other wrinkles in the peri-orbital area can be corrected with Botox or Dysport.

Candidacy For A Blepharoplasty

To determine if you are a candidate for a blepharoplasty you must be in good health and not suffering from any active diseases or pre-existing medical conditions that can adversely affect the outcome of the surgery. If you meet these criteria, the best place to start is a consultation with Dr. Robinson.

To “shine” in the competitive job market many people are turning to blepharoplasty as an affordable way to get the edge needed for interviewing. Turning back the clock will give confidence along with a youthful exuberant look to land that dream job!

Your Blepharoplasty Consultation

Joyce and Monica, Dr. Robinson’s excellent Patient Coordinators are available for questions and scheduling consultations. The 30 to 40 minute consultation runs $125 which is applied to the cost of the procedure at the time of scheduling your surgery. Our goal is to provide you with every aspect of the procedure everything you need to know about pre and post surgery protocol and education materials. Your appointment will include time with Staci our surgical nurse, Dr. Robinson and Joyce, our Patient coordinator.

The Blepharoplasty Procedure

Upper Lid Surgery

Blepharoplasty with Dr. Robinson is done as an outpatient procedure under IV sedation. After sedation has taken affect, the upper lid is marked for skin removal and anesthetized with local anesthetic. Excess skin and fat is removed and the incision is closed with a suture that is removed one week after surgery.

Upper lid surgery can be performed at the same time as lower lid Blepharoplasty.

Lower Lid Surgery

Following the same procedures as an upper lid surgery, incisions are made at the lower lash line to allow for fat removal and skin excision. Lastly a dissolvable suture is used the close the incision.

Recovering From Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty recovery is fairly quick with no need for bandages, tape or dressings. The period of discomfort is minimal and frequent icing is encouraged fir the first two days. Dr. Robinson recommends a bag of frozen peas placed on top of a cool wet washcloth or gauze. Bruising and swelling will occur within the first three days. In most cases, bruising will last up to two weeks, however with some individuals, residual bruising may continue up to three weeks after the procedure. Incisions may ooze slightly for the first few hours after the Blepharoplasty. An infrequent drop of blood from the incision area is common.

As the incision area swells, it may appear as if the incision is pulling apart. This small separation of skin is not unusual, please, do not be alarmed. Your eyes may feel tight and burn slightly, additionally, some blurring of vision and or dryness is not uncommon in the days following surgery.

If you are experiencing frequent dry eyes, apply artificial tears or eye drops during the day and a lubricating ointment at night for two or three weeks. After the sutures are removed one week after surgery patients may wear eye make-up and resume moderate physical activity.

Dr. Robinson recently appeared on the Daria, Mitch, & Ted Show show. During the program Dr. Robinson removed three skin tags from Mitch’s skin with an easy procedure that was painless and complete within two minutes:

More videos of Dr. Robinson on the Daria, Mitch, & Ted show can be found on drleerobinson.com and drleerobinson.net

Now offering complementary surgical consultations if booked on 5/4, 5/5, and 5/6!

Intrinsic Facial Aging (aging caused by inherited genes)
Intrinsic aging, also known as the natural aging process, is a continuous process that normally begins in our mid-20s. Within the skin, collagen production slows, and elastin, the substance that enables skin to snap back has a bit less spring. New skin cell generation starts to decrease and dead skin cells do not shed as quickly. While these changes usually begin in our 20s, the signs of intrinsic aging are typically not visible for decades. The signs of intrinsic facial aging are:
Wrinkles, thin and transparent skin, hollowed cheeks and eye sockets due to the loss of underlying fat, sagging skin due to bone loss, large pores and itchy dry skin.

Extrinsic Facial Aging (aging caused by environmental factors)
Extrinsic aging is also known as environmental aging. Sun exposure causes most premature aging of the face.  Smoking, sleeping positions, repetitive facial expressions and gravity are additional signs of extrinsic aging.  Signs of extrinsic facial aging are:
Increased roughness, sun damage that causes free radicals to destroy collagen and elastin, sun spots, also known as liver spots or hyper pigmentation, and excessive wrinkling around lips and eyes (“crow’s feet”) due to sun and smoking.

The Sun: Without protection from the sun’s rays, just a few minutes of exposure each day over the years can cause noticeable changes to the skin. Freckles, age spots, spider veins on the face, rough and leathery skin, fine wrinkles that disappear when stretched, loose skin, hyperpigmentation and skin cancer can all be traced to sun exposure. Scientific studies have shown that repeated ultraviolet (UV) exposure breaks down collagen and impairs the synthesis of new collagen. Deep wrinkles, age spots and leathery skin indicate premature facial aging caused by years of unprotected exposure to the sun.

Photo  Aging: Prolonged exposure to the sun over a person’s lifetime is what causes photo aging. While it may seem that the signs of photo aging appear overnight, they actually lie invisible beneath the surface of the skin for years. UV photography enables us to see the damage accumulating beneath the surface of the skin years before the signs of photo aging appear.

Gravity: Gravity constantly pulls on our faces. Changes related to gravity become more pronounced as we age. In our 50s, when the skin’s elasticity declines dramatically, the effects of gravity become evident. Gravity causes the tip of the nose to droop, the ears to elongate, the eyelids to fall, jowls to form, and the upper lip to disappear while the lower lip becomes more pronounced.

Sleeping Positions: Resting your face on your pillow in the same way every night also leads to wrinkles. Called sleep lines, these wrinkles eventually become etched on the surface of your. Women, who tend to sleep on their sides, are most likely to see these lines appear on their chin and cheeks. Men tend to notice these lines on the forehead since they usually sleep with the face pressed face down on the pillow.

Smoking: Cigarette smoking causes biochemical changes in our bodies that accelerate aging. Smoking over the years can cause a yellowish hue to your completion.

Are you wondering if laser spa procedures can help you with different skin problems? If you are, then there are some different things that you need to do in order to determine if there are any procedures that can help you. This valuable information will help in making that determination.

1. Research – You need to get online and research the different procedures that are common and what types of problems this treatment helps with. Find websites for spas that are located near you to find out what procedures they offer.

This will help you determine not only if your problem can be taken care of, but it will also allow you to research different spas while you are at it. In other words, if you live in Lake Oswego, Oregon, only research spas in this area or within easy traveling distance or you will be wasting a lot of time.

2. Consultation – Setting up a consultation at a spa of your choice will allow you to ask questions and allow you to get the vital information about the procedures that are available. Plus, during the consultation, a procedure can be determined to best help you with your skin problem.

These are the most important things that you need to do in order to determine if laser spa procedures will help you. By doing these things, you will find it much easier to decide if a procedure is available.

As you get older, no matter where you live, even in beautiful Lake Oswego, Oregon, aging is a fact of life that everyone has to deal with. These days, there are options available to you to help you look younger. The most common way to achieve a younger look is with facial cosmetic surgery.

One of the most important things to remember before deciding to have this surgery is that you must have realistic goals. This type of surgery has come a long ways in the years, but you still can’t expect a miracle to happen. This will only improve the face you were born with, not give you a new one completely.

Now you need to know the two most common procedures for this type of surgery. This will help you determine which one would be the best one for you. Here are the two most common procedures.

One: Facelift – This is a procedure that is surgically done to remove wrinkles on your face. It is also known as Rhytidectomy. When the procedure is done, excess skin will be removed which is then followed by the redraping of skin on your face and neck. This will definitely help you have a more youthful look.

Two: Rhinoplasty – This is also referred to as a nose job. This is the most common type of cosmetic surgery done these days.

You need to take the time to research this more and talk to a doctor to find out your best options available. Time, research and knowledge about this subject are all that is needed to decide if you should have facial cosmetic surgery or not.

find a good plastic surgeon? If you are, then you know how hard it can be to find a good surgeon. There are so many of them available that it can seem like an impossible task to choose one. There are some vital factors to consider before deciding on the surgeon you are going to use.

1. Qualifications – It is vital to be sure the surgeon has official qualifications and that they can legally practice in the state you live in. One that is qualified will be board-certified and will have graduated college with an accredited medical degree. They need to be able to show you their qualifications upon request.

2. Experience – Always be sure to find out how much experience the surgeon has. The best surgeon to choose is the one that has at least a couple of years’ experience. The more years of experience they have the better.

3. Level of comfort – It is always important that you feel comfortable with the surgeon you choose or this can cause you unneeded stress during the procedure.

4. Aesthetics – Many of these procedures will require a certain level of aesthetics. Always make sure the surgeon has experience in this area for your own safety.

5. Time – Does the surgeon have time for you or are they overbooked? You want to be sure you are dealing with someone that is going to have the proper time and attention to give you. Don’t choose a surgeon that doesn’t.

6. Location – Always choose a surgeon that is located near you for easy visits because more than one visit may be required. In other words, if you live in Lake Oswego, Oregon, find a surgeon in that area or within easy traveling distance.

These are the most important factors to consider before choosing a plastic surgeon. Now that you know these factors all that is left to find a good surgeon is to start your search.