Constricted Breasts

As we all know, breast size and shape vary from woman to woman. Some breasts are larger and some smaller; some breasts are higher on the chest and some are lower. The differences in breast appearance are as numerous as there are women who have them. However, some women who seek consultation with us at The Center for Cosmetic Surgery have what are called constricted or tuberous breasts. These breasts look much different from the "usual" breast to the extent that they are considered an irregularity rather than a type of breast shape. Fortunately, tuberous breasts can be addressed through breast surgery to create a more natural, full breast shape.

What is a constricted or tuberous breast?

In a constricted, or tubular, breast, the breast tissue has been "squeezed" into the very tip. There is usually little or no breast tissue on the chest wall itself, called the upper pole, giving a flat upper-pole appearance with all or most of the breast fullness located in the tip of the breast.

An example of a constricted, or tubular, breast compared with a normal breast:
Normal Breast	Tubular Breast

What causes a tuberous breast?

A woman's breasts develop in response to hormonal signals during puberty. It's fairly common that one breast will not have the identical shape and size as the other breast. Tuberous breasts develop as a result of excess breast skin tightness combined with a high inframammary fold (the crease underneath the breast). This tightness and high fold under the breast results in the breast tissue being forced into a tube-shape, with most of the breast tissue pushed down toward the nipple. This pushing of breast tissue into the tip of the breast gives the tuberous breast its distinct look.

Tuberous breasts can cause considerable embarrassment and body image issues for women who have this problem, beginning in the tender teen years and potentially affecting a woman throughout her lifetime, unless steps are taken to repair them.

Skilled breast surgeons, like Dr. Andrew Wolfe and Dr. Steven Vath, can correct both the herniation and create fullness in the upper portion of the breast.

Correcting the tuberous breast

During the procedure, the surgeon lowers the inframammary fold (the area under the breast where the breast joins the chest wall, ie, the spot where a bra underwire would sit). He will rearrange the glandular tissue to release it from its position in the tip of the breast and likely reduce the size of the areola. Because a tuberous breast is narrower than a normal breast and often smaller than normal, he may use an implant to create a larger and more attractive breast shape. This is repeated on the other breast if it, too, is tuberous. If the other breast is not constricted, the patient may need only one implant to "even out" the appearance of the breasts, creating a more symmetric appearance. Depending on the severity of the restriction, more than one procedure may be needed for a complete repair.

Recovery from a tuberous breast repair

Recovery is similar to that of a breast augmentation procedure. The patient is asked to wear a special supportive bra following the procedure for about a month. Rest and pain medications are helpful. Within about a week, most patients feel well enough to return to work and social activities.

Not all surgeons are skilled in the repair of tuberous breasts. If this is a condition that you have, or you know a friend or family member suffering with tuberous breasts, please schedule a complimentary consultation with us at either our Golden or Cherry Creek office.

Get Ready Now for Next Summer's Bikini Season!

Fall is the perfect time to start Laser Hair Removal treatments. By starting treatments in the fall, you will be able to reap the benefits of your treatments in time for summer, swimsuits and vacations.

How Laser Hair Removal Works:

Laser Hair Removal is an effective way to remove unwanted hair. The laser accomplishes this by applying precisely controlled pulses of energy to heat the hair follicles. The heat destroys the follicle without causing damage to surrounding tissue. At Rejuvenate! our patients choose laser hair removal to treat hair on the legs, back, underarms, bikini line, chest, face, and neck. Almost any area of the body can be treated successfully, especially with the advanced laser technology we use at Rejuvenate!

We recommend 6 to 8 treatments, spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart, with the specific schedule determined by the area that we are treating. After the initial 6-8 treatments, patients should experience a considerable reduction in hair growth. Keep in mind that results will vary from person to person and depend upon hair color, texture, and other factors. After completion of your initial treatments, it is not unusual to require a touch-up once or twice a year to maintain results.

Who is a Good Candidate?

Laser Hair Removal is most effectively delivered to people with light skin and dark, coarse hair. The closer you are to this combination (i.e. the lighter the skin and the more coarse and dark the hair), the quicker and more effective the results will be. Darker skin and hair can be treated but typically require more treatments, as the energy used must be lower to avoid injuring the skin around the follicle. The lasers we use at Rejuvenate! can treat a wide variety of skin types and hair colors.

Preparation

In order to obtain the best results from your Laser Hair Removal treatments, abstain from waxing, plucking and the use of depilatories for a minimum of 3 weeks prior to treatment. It is important to shave the day of the treatment so that all the energy of the laser is delivered directly to the hair follicle and not to the surrounding tissue. A numbing agent can be applied to the area being treated to minimize any discomfort prior to treatment.

A complimentary consultation with one of our skin care professionals is the next step. Together we can make a customized plan of action, achieve your goals, and get you ready in time for summer!

Health and Fitness Tips from Heather at Armbrust Gym

Dear Heather,
My upper arms are a little flabby and have no definition. I need a bit more shape to them. Can you help me?

Getting the arms into shape can be a simple task in only a few minutes a week. I like the technique of alternating exercises for the triceps and biceps. I chose exercises that you can do at home with your own dumbbells and bench or at the gym. In the exercises below, choose a weight that will allow you to keep good form yet still be challenging.

Start with a bicep dumbbell curl.

• Use correct posture and stand with your legs and grip spaced shoulder width apart.
• Keep your abdominal muscles tight, chest up, knees bent and elbows in. Your elbows should remain stable in a fixed position next to your sides.
• Lift the weight directly up while focusing on biceps muscles.
• Stop when the weight is 90° from your shoulder joint and reveres the motion back down.
• With control lower the weight down, stop just before your elbows are straight and reverse the motion back up.

Tricep Kickback

• Place a dumbbell in one hand and put the other hand and 1 knee on a flat bench.
• Point your elbow as high as you can towards the ceiling while leaving the dumbbell hanging by your side.
• Slowly extend your arm back until it is as straight as it will go (Do not change the position of your elbow!)
• Pause for a second, then lower back to starting position.
• Repeat for desired reps and up to 3-4 sets.

IMPORTANT: Your upper arm and elbow should not move around during the set. This is very important! If you can't do a complete set without moving your upper arm/elbow, decrease the weight.

Tricep Bench Dip

• Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or back of a chair. Move your feet as far in front of you as possible.
• Straighten out your arms and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
• Slowly lower your upper body down towards the floor and keep your elbows tucked into your sides. 4. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly press off with your hands and push yourself back up to the starting position with your triceps.

Push yourself to failure on reps and do 3 sets.

Heather Armbrust
IFBB Professional Bodybuilder
CO Owner of Armbrust Pro Gym
www.heatherarmbrust.com
www.armbrustprogym.com

Shine Like a Diamond!

Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat - the 4 C's for finding the perfect diamond. If you want to shine like a diamond apply the same principles to your wardrobe!

Color

Color is powerful! Some colors enhance your best features, like your eyes, and soften flaws like circles under your eyes. If you are wearing the wrong colors you could unintentionally be accentuating an uneven skin tone or making yourself appear tired. With the right colors you can camouflage flaws and brighten your complexion, making you appear younger! First, find out if you have a warm or cool undertone. If you have a warm undertone you'll look better in orange/yellow based colors. If you have a cool undertone, you'll look better in green/blue based colors. Don't know if you are warm or cool? Schedule a Style Assessment ($25 off to readers). Once you know what colors work for you, try to keep those colors close to your face. Either avoid the colors that don't work well for you or wear them in away from the face, such as in a skirt or a handbag.

Cut

How a garment fits you depends largely upon how it is cut. You will find that higher-quality fabrics and designs do cost more, but they will fit better. Nothing beats a custom-made shirt or suit that fits you precisely. However, if you don't have a budget for custom clothing, then it's even more important that you pay attention to cut. Wearing clothing that contours your body closely will be most flattering. Wearing boxy clothing or clothes that are too big or too tight will add unneeded volume to your figure. Use cut to create clean lines and accentuate or camouflage where necessary.

Clarity

Create a wardrobe strategy by having a clear idea of what your style is now and where you would like it to be. Many of us buy the same things out of habit or buy foolishly because of a lack of time or planning. Both your lifestyle and budget change throughout your life, so if you are still shopping in the teen section and you have your own teen, that's a sign you need to re-evaluate your wardrobe strategy! First, figure out what you have. Then clean out the things that you don't wear, that don't fit or are worn. Make a list of items that you are missing or that need replaced. This will give you the direction you need to start rebuilding your wardrobe. If you are overwhelmed at the thought of this, schedule a Wardrobe Edit ($50 off) The results? Your closet will be neat and orderly and you'll have a shopping list in less than 4 hours!

Carat

Measure the value of your wardrobe based on how it affects you emotionally and physically. "Look Successful. Feel Successful. Be Successful." When you have on an outfit that makes you look good, your confidence peaks and you feel empowered! It's not about having the latest styles and trends—I actually tell most of my clients to limit their trendy clothes to only 10% of their wardrobe—it's about feeling put together and viewing yourself positively! Knowing that you deserve to look and feel good is the first step to creating a wardrobe that is rich in carats!

Contact Milena Joy of Milena Distinctive Image Consulting to get a personalized analysis on the best color, cut, clarity and carat for you! www.milenaconsulting.com

Notes From Our October Event!

Over 100 women enjoyed Girls Night Out on October 27th at our Cherry Creek Office, with hairstyle analysis, makeup application, clothing tips, tooth-whitening info and lots more, courtesy of Drs. Vath and Wolfe; Dentist Dr. Charles Barotz; Andrew Armand from Flaunt Salon; Milena Joy, Image Consulting; Tiffany Gossett from Tasks by Tiffany and, of course, the amazing Rejuvenate! staff. Fun, food and lots of laughter proved to be a winning combination!