Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery FAQs/ Commonly Asked Questions

It's been a little over 6 months since my last op and I still get lots of questions about plastic/ cosmetic surgery in general, as well as about my experience in this department. I've also had requests to come up with a longer list of FAQs or commonly asked questions about plastic/ cosmetic procedures in general. So here's one, hopefully enough to answer all your questions.

Is Plastic Surgery Safe?
All surgeries/procedures carry some sort of uncertainties and/or risks. However, plastic surgery procedures are normally safe when they're performed by a qualified, experienced board-certified physician. Find out what the risks are, how often they occur and how they will be handled if they do occur. If the doctor does not openly discuss the risks or admit that there are always risks, seek another opinion - just to be safe. Not everyone is a good candidate for every procedure, and the only way to find out what is right for you is to discuss your options with your plastic surgeon. Being transparent by disclosing all medical histories and/or past surgeries to the surgeon is very important, so that a true assessment of any surgical risks as well as expectations can be made. 

Am I a Suitable Candidate For Plastic Surgery?
If you are considering plastic surgery, you must be honest with yourself. Exactly why do you want surgery? What you would like to achieve? And, what do you expect plastic surgery to do for you? You need to really discuss with your doctor to find out if your goals are realistic. I've heard that some patients get disappointed just because the results of the surgery turned out different from what they had in mind. Sometimes taking a picture to the surgeon just gives him/her the idea of what you want, but he/she may/may not be able to give you 100% to what you have in mind. Managing your expectations is very important!!
Plastic surgery can create both physical changes and also changes within (i.e. self-esteem). If you are seeking surgery with the hope of influencing a change in someone other than yourself, you might end up disappointed. It is possible that friends and loved ones will respond positively to your change in appearance and self-confidence, also possible that the same group of people respond to the new you in a negative way - however understand and accept that plastic surgery will not cause dramatic changes in people other than you.
How Can I Determine If A Plastic Surgeon Is Right For Me?
A visit to the surgeon's clinic for consultation gives you an opportunity to meet the surgeon in person, where you'd be able to gauge their personality and behavior. It is also important to evaluate their credentials and experience, which could be done during the visit. Before and after pictures of their patients are also another way that allows you to assess the skills and quality of their work. Sometimes, referrals or word-of-mouth reviews are a good way to bring up the surgeon's rep. But be mindful that reviews, especially sponsored ones, may or may not be true to the patient's experience.
Is Plastic Surgery Painful?
To me its not. The procedures are normally done under anaesthetic, depending on the type of surgery it may be local or general anaesthesia so you don't feel anything. However there may be slight discomforts during recovery.

On the other hand for aesthetic procedures like botox or fillers, anaesthetic cream is applied to minimize the sensation but sometimes may not be 100% painless (well also different for everyone since different people have different tolerance level for pain).

How Long Does It Take To Get Over Plastic Surgery?
There is a difference between being back on your feet and complete recovery.
  • Quoted from Dailymail UK, 'With make-up, you'll be presentable two weeks after a facial surgery, but full recovery can take six months'.
  • 'Most of the swelling with breast reduction disappears within two weeks, but it'll be up to nine months before you're back to normal.'
  • After liposuction, you have to spend three weeks wearing very tight bandages over the areas treated. This can be hot, uncomfortable and embarrassing - it may even affect everyday activities (such as going to the loo).


Can you become addicted to plastic surgery?
Yes, totally possible. I can relate to it - once you start enhancing your features, you would want to "perfect" your look. Some days I look into the mirror and find little flaws which I want to fix just b'cuz it just seemed too easy to "fix" the flaws. Then again I would need to remind myself of my goal, which was to enhance the features I was not happy about, be happy for already becoming prettier than before, and (ironically) to remain as natural-looking as I can. 

On the other hand I feel for some patients who "tries" out plastic surgery to change one area at a time, end up getting more surgeries done - this (IMO) is b'cuz when you enhance one feature on your face, this one feature becomes very defined and does not match well with the other "flatter" features. This especially is true for Asians since we have less defined features altogether. That is how actually some people get more and more procedures done just to get the entire look right - if that makes sense.

What Factors Impact The Success Of Plastic Surgery?
patient's age, general health, genetic background, skin type, and the nature of his/her procedure can affect any final result. Patients who smoke may also affect his/her recovery which in turn affects the final result. Lifestyle and habits of patients can also affect the success of the surgery result. Though there is no way to exactly predict a surgical outcome, the surgeon will examine patient before surgery begins and can project an estimate of the surgical result.
What Is The Recovery Process Like?
Threshold for pain is different for everyone, and each patient tolerates pain after surgery in different ways. Your surgeon will prescribe appropriate pain medications to help relief discomfort post-op. Depending on the procedures done, there would be different ways to care for the surgery site of each types of surgery done.
How Soon Can I Return To Work?
Duration for downtime is not the same for different procedures and different people. Typically for simple surgeries like rhinoplasty & blepharoplasty, a few days to a week for patients to return to their normal activities is common. Patients often return to work 1 week post-op because stitches would be removed after a week or so.

How Soon Can I Start My Workout?
Light exercises like walking should be fine after you are able to return to you normal activities. For other activities that involve jumping movements like jogging, or workouts that involve applying pressure like weight lifting or even swimming (b'cuz of the wet workout environment) should be waited out for at least 1-2 months post-op. Best is if you could wait out a little longer just to be safe, you wouldn't want to mess up your costly procedures right away yea?

Is There Any Way To Minimize Swelling/Bruising?
Yes. Depending on the procedure, it might make sense to sleep in a reclining (slightly elevated) position for a week after surgery to minimize the collection of fluids in the face and eyelids - though for me I did not change my sleeping position bcuz I was not afraid of looking puffy, lol. The nurses or surgeon will give specific instructions about making and administering your cold and warm compresses. Do follow those instructions (best as you can) as it will not only reduce bruising and swelling, but they will also maximize and promote healing.

Will My Diet/Lifestyle Affect My Healing?
I would say yes. As usual after a surgery, there will be a diet to follow thru - i.e. no seafood, spicy food, chicken, eggs, and heaty food like nuts. Alcohol and smoking should also be refrained during this period. Eating the right foods after surgery can help decrease risk of infection and promote faster healing. Avoiding dusty places is also best for proper recovery.


To aid in the healing process, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fish. Follow these steps to a healthy diet: 

  • Eat foods with healthy fats and eliminate unhealthy fat intake
    Healthy: Omega-3 fats such as extra-virgin olive oil, fatty fish (salmon/sardine), fish oil, nuts (walnut/almond), seeds (chia), avocado, cheese, and coconut oil - healthy fat improves immune response and aid the body's absorption of vitamins.
    Unhealthy: Deep-fried foods and foods with saturated fats like butter, cream, lard, etc.
  • Eat whole foods and limit intake of processed & refined foods
    Healthy: whole grains (carbs are important to keep fatigue at bay!), beans, fruits, veggies (generally foods that are unprocessed).
    Unhealthy: titbits, canned food, processed meats (sausage, bacon), soft drinks, etc.
  • Eat lots of fruits (especially those high in anti-oxidants) & vegetables (esp. dark leafy green ones and orange ones)
    Healthy: blueberries, strawberries, cherries, pineapple, apples, citrus fruits, beetroot, carrot, sweet potato, broccoli, spinach, capsicum (any colour).
  • Eat lean protein, or protein-sourced foods, and reduce intake of red meats and full fat dairy products
    Healthy: tofu, beans/legumes, fish, I suppose chicken is safe in westernised culture but not for our local culture. So it will be up to you to decide whether you prefer to include chicken as part of your recovery diet.
  • Reduce intake of salt/salty foods - sodium/salt is know to cause water retention
    Healthy: try anti-inflammatory herbs/spices in cooking like garlic, onions, ginger, etc.
  • Avoid alcohol - alcohol increases swelling, boosts bleeding, may make your medications dangerous, dries out your skin.
  • Avoid smoking - smoking increases risks of developing blood clots, infection, and also hinders proper healing.


Will Others Be Able To Tell I Had Plastic Surgery?
Yes or no, this depends on the type of procedure taken. Well if you undergo a surgery for an obvious change, e.g. increase your breast size from A to D, then obviously people around you would be able to tell for sure. But in most regular cases if the changes to your face/body are not greatly exaggerated, people knowing you probably will not know if you had anything done. They will just notice that you look 'different', but can't pinpoint what it is. With that saying, the effects of plastic surgery is the most obvious during the recovery period as that area may be swollen, red, and uncomfortable. So its up to you if you need to "hide" during this period or be open about it.

Should I Have My Surgeries Separately Or Combined?
Both has its own advantages and disadvantages. To have your surgeries combined means to save on money (for travelling & accommodation), time and recovery downtime. Most surgeons offer some discounts for patients who go for multiple procedures at once. Some times also when combining multiple surgeries, you could possibly have a better outcome for your "make over". This also depends on your overall health, ability to recover, your surgeon will advise you whether to go for combined or separate surgeries in a staged manner. 

Hope I've answered most questions you had in mind. The answers given were mainly based on my personal experience on this topic I've collected the last few years; from the web or from my surgeons. Feel free to leave comments in the comment box below should you have more to ask pertaining this topic. 

P.s. if you'd like to know more about FAQs pertaining to my previous eyelid & nose surgeries, please refer to my previous blog post here.

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Thank you for reading my blog. Cheers and stay tuned for more posts. ; )


6 Months Post Op


5 Months Post Op

Sources from the web:

  1. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-87569/The-20-cosmetic-surgery-questions.html#ixzz499iOTRje
  2. http://www.westlakedermatology.com/blog/the-effects-of-smoking-and-plastic-surgery/
  3. https://www.realself.com/blog/reasons-alcohol-plastic-surgery-don-t-mix#.V0JyAOd95FQ
  4. http://www.northcentralsurgical.com/best-foods-to-eat-after-surgery/
  5. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-tornambe-md/weight-loss_b_3146106.html
  6. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-87569/The-20-cosmetic-surgery-questions.html#ixzz499ia7A8Y

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Fitness with Vannytelly - No Crunch/ Crunchless Ab Workouts


Hello..!! This is my first blog post on exercise & fitness-related topic - excited! If you know me personally, you'd know Im an exercise/gym junkie and super into fitness & nutrition. Though I've been at it for years now, I've never really written anything about it. Mostly just sharing with my friends thru word-of-mouth. Just quickly sharing how you can get some ab workout without doing any crunches - if that's something some of you may really dislike doing. I myself really disliked doing crunches in the beginning since my muscles were not that strong, I always had neck aches after that. Maybe for a start or even on days you don't feel like doing any crunches, just squeezing in some of these crunchless ab workouts will be just as good.




Bridge

Beginner Movement

  1. Lay flat on your back, with wrists in line with your shoulders and heels – feet slightly apart, flat on the floor.
  2. Lift hips up towards ceiling to create a bridge. Make sure your core and thighs create a straight line for proper form.
  3. Release your hips and lower your pelvis down till just two inches from the floor. That's 1 rep.
  4. Repeat 10-15 reps for a set.


This exercise is great to help work our glutes and hamstrings WHILE working the rest of our core. 
Advanced Movement
  1. Repeat movement 1 and 2.
  2. Pause at movement 2 then lift right leg straight up in the air.
  3. Release hips and lower your pelvis down to lightly tap the floor. That's 1 rep.
  4. Repeat 10-15 reps for a set.
  5. Then change legs to complete another set.



Forearm Plank

Beginner Movement

  1. Start in a facedown position with legs straight out and place forearms on the ground with elbows aligned below the shoulders, and arms parallel to the body shoulder-width apart.
  2. Exhale as you lift body up into a straight line from head to heels; contract abs.
  3. Engage core and hold for 30 seconds. That's 1 rep.
For beginners, hold this position for 30 seconds and work your time up as your core gets stronger.


Advanced Movement
  1. Repeat movement 1.
  2. As you exhale and lift your body up, lift your right leg up and hold for 30 seconds. That's 1 rep.



Side Plank

Beginner Movement











The Side Plank uses a similar concept to a Forearm Plank but is a more advanced movement.
  1. Start by lying on one side of your body stacking your elbow under your shoulder and keeping your forearm on mat perpendicular to your body. 
  2. Stack one feet above the other feet which is one the floor and stay in one long line as you raise your hips so that the body forms a straight line from ankles to shoulders.
  3. Engage core and hold for 30 seconds. That's 1 rep.
Only your forearm and your feet should be supporting your weight all through this exercise. If this movement is too difficult, you may try to do this exercise with your knees bent, i.e. using your forearm and knees as the support for your weight - but remember to keep body in a straight line from knees to shoulders.




Advanced Movement #1
  1. Repeat movement 1 and 2.
  2. Bring your upper knee toward your chest, and hold for two seconds before returning to starting position. This completes one rep.
  3. Repeat 10-15 reps for a set.
  4. Then change legs to complete another set.


Advanced Movement #2
  1. Repeat movement 1 and 2.
  2. This time lift your upper leg straight up to a 45 degree angle.
  3. Slowly bring the same leg down back and lightly tap the other leg to complete 1 rep.
  4. Repeat 10-15 reps for a set.
  5. Then change legs to complete another set.
Try to complete 3-4 sets for each exercise. If you are unable to do this many reps/ sets at one go, slowly work your way up. Remember to use proper form for all exercises, do proper warm-up before and cool-down after every workout; otherwise you may risk injuring yourself. A little effort a day makes a great difference in the long run; sometimes it just takes a couple more days to get stronger - consistency is the key! 

Side track a little... I recently found this workout apparel store on Qoo10 who sells really affordable & chic exercise gears - much cheaper than the usual branded ones; priced below $40 for bottoms and $30 for tops & sports bras. Quality is pretty good too - I can vouch for this since I own a few sets of workout apparel from SweetAngelShop. My workout gear in this blog post (except shoes) is also from them; how do you like it?

You can check SweetAngelShop's e-shop on Qoo10 via this link:
http://www.qoo10.sg/shop/SweetangelShop  
You're welcome ; )


Feel free to leave comments in the comments box below if you have any questions regarding this topic and I'll try my best to answer if its not already stated in my blog above. Thanks for reading! : D

P.S. If you'd like to see my future posts, follow me on FB & IG.. 
FB: www.facebook.com/vannytelly
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Cheers and stay tuned for more. 
; )

Monday, May 09, 2016

SG50 Jubilee Baby Bash SuperMom_8 May 2016_Post Event Review

So yesterday I was at Marina Square for the SG50 Jubilee Baby Bash organized by SuperMom. Was there to be the blogger judge for one of the contests; Daddy-Baby look alike contest, as well as participate in an event to attempt setting Singapore’s Book of Records for the largest number of babies feeding together to raise awareness for baby weaning. I had fun judging the contest as most Daddies were really spontaneous and seemed like they were having a great time, though most of the time the babies looked innocently unknowing of the entire situation - hahaha... cute luh. It was a great experience to be part of the baby weaning event, seeing so many Mummies & Daddies feeding their babies altogether at once. I rarely get the chance to be around other parents & babies as most of the time I would be busy with my full-time work and also committing to my Mummy-duties at home, so it was really nice to see other parents and how they interact with their babies as well as a chance for my girl to interact with other babies.

So I met up with Calista (writer of MLBB) who was also there to be a blogger judge for the event. Had to take a BloggerMamas-with-Babies photo for the day. Took so many shots but this was the only one which looks the most coordinated - somehow Baby F. & Baby M. just keeps getting distracted. Kudos to Calista who turned up even being unwell, you really work hard babe! Please get well soon!

I did not have the chance to participate in any of the contests or activities so I am not able to comment on them. I have some Mummy friends and a few of them were complaining about the event, there were also some who mentioned they had a good experience attending the event, whom also bagged some nice prizes home - a mixture of good & bad feedbacks about the event yesterday.

I personally felt that the contests and activities planned were great, especially the baby-weaning segment. Im saying this 'cuz I as a Mom, would have loved to sign my baby up for most of the contests held. But the really big downside was the venue; it was definitely a wrong choice as space was not sufficient for the many people who turned up for the event. To me the worse thing about the event was that because space was limited, strollers were not allowed - that one I could not accept. Coming from the attendee's point of view, if my baby needed to nap in the stroller and since strollers were not allowed, should I be not allowed to attend the event as well yet I paid for it? Or just leave my baby sleeping outside of the event? Hmm.... And also since the event was held at the atrium of Marina Square, it got really warm at certain points of the day since the sun was shining directly into the atrium.

Nevertheless, I still enjoyed myself yesterday. Just hope that the next baby-bash event would be as eventful and also held at a place with bigger space for the many Mummies, Daddies, and babies to roam around - im sure everyone would be happy this way.

And to end the post, photo time! Love this family-wefie we took at the start of the day, with our Mother-Daughter matchy-matching outfit - cute!
I had a great 1st Mother's Day and hope all of you did too. Wishing all great Mamas a Happy (belated) Mother's Day - all of you are awesome & super-Mamas, remember that! ; )

So that's all for today~
Feel free to leave comments in the comments box below if you have any questions regarding this topic and I'll try my best to answer if its not already stated in my blog above. Thanks for reading! : D

P.S. If you'd like to see my future posts, follow me on FB & IG.. 
FB: www.facebook.com/vannytelly
IG: www.instagram.com/vannytelly
Cheers and stay tuned for more. 
; )

Friday, May 06, 2016

SG50 Jubilee Baby Bash SuperMom_8 May 2016_Pre-Event Shout-out!






Calling ALL SG50 Mummies and Daddies! On the coming Sunday, 8 May 2016, SuperMom will be throwing the largest ever play-date for SG50 Jubilee Babies and their parents! The day will be lined up with FUN-FILLED programs like contests and activities for the whole family to take part in! Some contest include the baby crawling contest, or Baby-Daddy lookalike contest (please register online for the contests! More details on SuperMom's website). 
There will also be an attempt to set Singapore’s Book of Records for the largest number of babies feeding together to raise awareness for baby weaning. Hosted by Philips Avent and organised by SuperMom, the event also will be graced by Mrs Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Each ticket also entitles you to an amazing goodie bag worth $150 and a chance to participate in surprise giveaways! Hurry and get your tickets today! And see you all at Singapore’s Largest SG50 Play Date which will be held on 8 May 2016 (Sunday) at Marina Square Atrium from 11am to 9pm. 
Here's a preview of how the day will be lined up:

 

A Quick Introduction Of The Few Main Sponsors
AVENT
With over 30 years, Philips Avent has worked closely with scientists, healthcare professionals and mothers to understand babies and support parents in providing the best possible start to their baby’s life through our range of smart innovations - they are a renown brand in the baby market.

PAMPERS®
For more than 50 years, parents have trusted Pampers to care for their babies. Pampers is a part of The Procter & Gamble Company and is the #1-selling diaper worldwide. Visit www.pampers.com to learn more about Pampers products and find ideas and information to help your baby get the most out of love, sleep and play.

THOMSON MEDICAL PTE LTD
Thomson Medical is one of Singapore’s leading providers of healthcare services for women and children. It owns and operates Thomson Medical Centre, a fully integrated hospital that provides a comprehensive range of facilities and services with a focus on obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) and paediatric services - also personally my hospital choice for my first child born last year.

And Not To Mention The Event Organizer

SUPERMOM
SuperMom is the largest parenting movement in Singapore for expectant parents and mothers with newborns and children up to 2 years old. SuperMom also organises events with informative talks and seminar, fun contests for the family, and great deals for Mom & Baby items. This parent-led movement is also endorsed by various government ministries such as Ministry of Social & Family Development, Families for life, People's Association, Health Promotion Board, NTUC U Family and Hey Baby as well as hospital partners such as National University Hospital, Thomson Medical Center and Mount Alvernia.

Before becoming a Mom, I've never knew about SuperMom and the other baby event organizers. After 8 months into parenthood, I can say SuperMom is probably the largest event organizer of parent-baby events - also the most fun one. Come join to see for yourself!


Visit SuperMom’s website and Facebook for more information: www.supermom.com.sg and www.facebook.com/weloveSuperMom