Entries by piercemd

What is an “en bloc” implant removal and do I need this procedure if I have my implants removed or replaced?

Many of our patients are asking us about removing their implants and an “en bloc” capsulectomy. This has become a popular term on social media and is often incorrectly interpreted. An en bloc resection is not always indicated and can cause additional complications not associated with implant removal. “En bloc” is a surgical term that […]

Allergan Implant Recall

Allergan recently announced the recall of all of their Biocell textured breast implants. What does that mean if you have breast implants? It is important to be educated on why these implants are being recalled. A rare form of lymphoma called BIA-ALCL (breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma) is a rare lymphoma. It is […]

My Implants Are Out-Now What?

Many of our patients ask about removing their breast implants but it is very important to have a discussion about what we will do after your implants are removed. Let’s go thru some of the options. 1. Do nothing. This is the simplest option. Some patients are perfectly happy with this option. You will be […]

Will Insurance Pay to Have My Breast Implants Removed?

We see many patients in the office who are interested in having their beast implants removed or replaced, especially with the recent media attention on breast implants. They often have been told by their primary care doctors, other plastic surgeons, breast surgeons or their insurance carrier that insurance will pay for all or a portion […]

Do I Need to Remove My Textured Breast Implants?

There has been a lot of recent media coverage about breast implants and BIA-ALCL (breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma). Many of our patients have come in or called asking about their implants and risk of BIA-ALCL. They ask if their implants need to be removed. The short answer is “probably not”. BIA-ALCL is a […]

Be Aware Part 3

Be Aware Part 3 Now that we know what it takes to become Board Certified in Plastic Surgery, how do you know if your surgeon is indeed Board Certified in Plastic Surgery? There are a number of ways to check. *You can ask. Make sure you ask “are you Board Certified by the American Board […]

Be Aware Part 2

Be Aware Part 2 In this post, I would like to clarify the issue of Board Certification in Plastic Surgery. Many doctors are “Board Certified”. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they are Board Certified in Plastic Surgery or anything resembling Plastic Surgery. Board Certification is usually associated with a specific area of medicine. For example, […]

Be Aware! Part 1

I received an advertisement in the mail today for a “Plastic Surgeon”. It was in one of those mailers with multiple cards for various services. I won’t mention the doctor but he seemed to have a lot of letters after his name (must be well trained). They were from organizations like the American Academy of […]