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Beating Breast Cancer And the Use of Fat Transfer to Reconstruct Her Breast Naturally
A local woman openly takes us through her very personal story of finding and beating breast cancer.
http://www.fox2detroit.com/healthworks-sponsored-by-henry-ford-health-system/30746603-story
“I was lying in bed reading and, for whatever reason, I felt a twinge and reached over and did a squeeze and felt a really big lump. So, that was three weeks from doing a self-exam and feeling nothing to feeling a really large lump,” she remembers.
That lump would change everything.
Susan was quickly diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.
“Horrified. I was terrified. It’s a very frightening diagnosis,” she says. Her first instinct is to get rid of the cancer with chemo and then with a double mastectomy.
“Whatever I could do to live was the only thing that was important to me,” she says. But at the same time Susan methodically considered her treatment options.
“Then you start thinking, ‘Well, why shouldn’t I look as good as I can?'” she says. That’s how she ended up at St. John Hospital with plastic surgeon Dr. Melek Kayser. Susan decided on a lesser known option called fat grafting, or moving the fat from one part of her body to another.
“We create the entire breast mound from a patient’s body fat,” Dr. Kayser explains.
First there’s liposuction, then that fat is processed and injected.
“I was lying in bed reading and, for whatever reason, I felt a twinge and reached over and did a squeeze and felt a really big lump. So, that was three weeks from doing a self-exam and feeling nothing to feeling a really large lump,” she remembers.
That lump would change everything.
Susan was quickly diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.
“Horrified. I was terrified. It’s a very frightening diagnosis,” she says. Her first instinct is to get rid of the cancer with chemo and then with a double mastectomy.
“Whatever I could do to live was the only thing that was important to me,” she says. But at the same time Susan methodically considered her treatment options.
“Then you start thinking, ‘Well, why shouldn’t I look as good as I can?'” she says. That’s how she ended up at St. John Hospital with plastic surgeon Dr. Melek Kayser. Susan decided on a lesser known option called fat grafting, or moving the fat from one part of her body to another.
“We create the entire breast mound from a patient’s body fat,” Dr. Kayser explains.
First there’s liposuction, then that fat is processed and injected.
Plastic surgeon expands office, offerings
By Molly Tippen, The Macomb Daily
Posted: 12/18/13, 1:51 PM EST |
It’ a business one would not necessarily think of as expanding during tough economic times, but for plastic surgeon Dr. Melek Kayser, being in the business of beauty – and medicine – has a harbinger of sustained growth.
The plastic surgeon, who recently opened his new Image by Design office at 29167 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, is enjoying a space that is three times the size of his prior office, which allows him to perform more services on-site.
“I had a small office, which was about 1,200 square feet,” said Kayser. “This location was a great find because it was near St. John surgery Center. We just grew out of our old property. This facility was a dermatology practice, so it was perfect for us.”
Kayser, a plastic surgeon for 17 years who is also the chief of plastic surgery at St. John Macomb Hospital Center, has worked hard to make sure patients feel comfortable with a process that is both a major decision and a serious medical procedure.
“Moving gave us a chance to elevate our environment,” he said. “Our old space was somewhat cramped, but it was still very comfortable. With this space, we wanted people to know that they’re going to a doctor, but we wanted it to be safe and secure environment that was about excellence. And, of course, we wanted it to be beautiful without being pretentious.”
The quest for beauty
Plastic surgery is a constantly-evolving medical specialty that introduces more invasive and non-invasive procedures into the marketplace on a continual basis. This is in large part because of a desire to minimize the effects of aging – something that has been important for many people for a very long time, Kayser said.
“There have been a few years of suppression more recently, but when you look at the history of plastic surgery in the United States, people made looking good a priority,” he said. “This was even true during World War II.”
Today, people that want to slow the hands of time have more options than ever before. There are minimally-invasive injectables that can reduce the appearance of fine lines on the face, laser-resurfacing that can bring a patient a refreshed, more youthful look without undergoing surgery. Yet, more invasive surgical options, such as facelifts, breast implants, and tummy tucks, remain popular with patients.
One new approach to the most popular plastic surgery procedure – breast implants – involves a fat-grafting approach. By taking fat from other areas of the body – which is something that women almost always want to get rid of – and grafting the fat through mini-incisions in the breasts, surgeons are able to augment the breast without the use of an implant. The result is a natural-looking, virtually scarless, and permanent, said Kayser.
“If a woman has breast implants, she can plan on having them replaced at some point,” he said. “With this procedure, the fat will always be there.”
The new breast enhancement procedure is intended to be an option, and will not likely replace breast implants, said Kayser.
“I don’t believe that fat grafting will replace an implant because different groups of women have different needs, and different expectations,” he said. “But this procedure is an ideal solution for women who want breast enhancement without an implant.”
Choosing the right physician
At Kayser’s new office, less invasive procedures such as injectables can be performed in-house, but more complex procedures will be performed at a surgical center or hospital.
No matter what kind of surgery a person chooses to undergo, it’s imperative he or she choose an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon.
Kayser has achieved the highest level of certification in the plastic surgery industry; he is a board-certified member of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He earned his medical degree from the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School, and received resident training in plastic surgery at Wayne State University, Detroit Medical Center.
Dr. Kevin Chung, the president of the American Board of Plastic Surgeons Foundation, said choosing an experienced board-certified surgeon is one way a patient can ensure a positive outcome after surgery.
“What is important is that patients choose a surgeon that is caring, and has excellent judgment based on training a commitment to the patient’s welfare,” he said. “If a surgeon has achieved our certification, it’s in recognition of the rigorous training and difficult examination process that a physician has undergone.”
Kayser is looking forward to providing services – in the hospital and at his new office – to residents of Macomb County and beyond.
“It feels good to make people feel better about themselves,” he said.
Dr Kayser Discussing Multiple Topics in Plastic Surgery Featured on 8th West in Grand Rapids Michigan
Using Fat To Transform
eightWest: Reveal A New You
eightWest: Body Contouring
eightWest: Breast Augmentation Surgery
eightWest: Corrective Surgery
