Toronto Plastic Surgeon on Benefits of Fat Transfer Procedures
TORONTO — Dr. Lawrence Tong, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Toronto, says new innovations in surgical techniques have dramatically improved the number of options available to patients for improving their appearance as well as their self-esteem. According to Dr. Tong, one of the most influential advancements in plastic surgery over the past few years has been the use of fat transfer to achieve safe, natural results during procedures like facial rejuvenation, buttock augmentation, and breast augmentation. “Fat transfer is basically removing fat from one area of the body and placing it in another to improve the volume of the recipient area,” says Dr. Tong. “The most noticeable benefits of fat transfer procedures are that the results last longer than treatments such as dermal fillers. It has the ability to create a more natural-looking outcome, especially in cases where a significant amount of volume is needed.” Dr. Tong says he typically takes fat from places where patients have an excess amount, for example the flank, outer thigh, or abdomen, and carefully injects it into areas that have lost fullness or shape. While fat transfer can be used for procedures such as buttock enhancement or breast augmentation, he says a majority of his Toronto plastic surgery patients request the technique to enhance the appearance of their faces. Particularly with facial procedures, Dr. Tong says fat transfer has become a popular method because […]
Breaking Down the Facelift with Toronto Plastic Surgeon Dr. Lawrence Tong
TORONTO, ON, CA — According to the most recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), facelifts are the fifth most popular cosmetic surgical procedure, with almost 120,000 performed in 2011. Having increased in demand by over five percent, Dr. Lawrence Tong and his Toronto plastic surgery practice say the rising demand for facial rejuvenation and facial lifting treatments has necessitated improved patient education as well as an increase in awareness about the complexities of the procedure. As a board-certified plastic surgeon in Toronto, Dr. Tong focuses on a wide variety of treatments ranging from nonsurgical injections such as BOTOX® Cosmetic to breast augmentation and the mommy makeovers. He says patient education is an essential part of the plastic surgery process, and one he promotes no matter what procedure patients are interested in. For facelifts in particular, Dr. Tong says patients should be aware of how the procedure is performed and how plastic surgeons strive to create the most natural, youthful outcome possible before they choose to undergo any treatment. “The most common concern amongst my facelift patients is the desire to look younger but with a natural appearance,” says Dr. Tong. “When I perform a facelift procedure, there are two tissue layers that are lifted and tightened: the inner ‘muscle’ layer and the skin. Most of the lift effect is attained by lifting the inner layer, and […]
Toronto Plastic Surgeon On the Importance of Exercise and Nutrition After Surgery
Toronto, Ontario – The Yorkville Institute of Plastic Surgery, a center for plastic surgery in Toronto, offers a variety of cosmetic surgery and med spa procedures, from skin resurfacing to breast augmentation to liposuction. After any plastic surgery procedure, Dr. Lawrence Tong says patients need to take care of their investment. He stresses the importance of exercise and healthy nutrition in order to maintain the results achieved from surgery, adding that without an effort to have some type of a diet and exercise regimen, individuals can jeopardize their aesthetic results. Dr. Lawrence Tong, a board-certified Toronto plastic surgeon, says although plastic surgery can make patients look thinner or more proportionate, cosmetic surgery does not prevent or cure disease (such as diabetes or high blood pressure). Plastic surgery, therefore, represents just one facet of looking good and feeling healthy. According to Dr. Tong, allowing the body to heal after surgery is just as important as exercising afterward. If an individual begins to exercise too early, they risk adversely affecting the healing process. Additionally, exercising too early can be uncomfortable and can lead to swelling, thus prolonging the recovery time. Premature exercise after surgery also places stress on both the healing incisions and muscles, which can negatively affect the end result. The timing to start exercising varies according to the procedure. Dr. Tong says once a patient has sufficiently recovered from surgery […]
Toronto Plastic Surgeon on Latest Breast Augmentation -Trends
Toronto, ON — According to the latest statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), breast augmentation is the second most common form of surgical cosmetic enhancement, with more than 316,000 procedures performed in 2011. Liposuction was the most common procedure in 2011 with 325,332 procedures performed; however, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Lawrence Tong says breast augmentation is still the most popular surgical procedure at his practice. According to the ASAPS numbers, of the 316,848 breast augmentation procedures performed, 31% of these procedures used saline implants, while 69% used silicone implants. At his Toronto plastic surgery practice, Dr. Tong says an even greater percentage of patients choose silicone implants: “In Canada, silicone implants have been available for many years longer than in the United States, following the moratorium. I believe this time difference has led to significantly higher utilization of silicone vs. saline implants. In my practice, silicone implants make up more than 95% of the breast implants I use.” Regardless of whether his patients choose silicone or saline implants, the Toronto plastic surgeon says he urges anyone considering a breast enhancement procedure to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon. He says the process of undergoing multi-year specialty training and passing rigorous examinations in order to become board-certified is unparalleled, and provides surgeons with the tools and techniques to ensure each patient receives the safest care and most […]
Dr. Tong featured in May/June 2012 issue of Elevate Magazine
One of Dr. Tong’s areas of expertise is surgical facial rejuvenation. This includes facelift, neck lift, blepharoplasty, browlift, and ancillary procedures such as fat grafting, dermabrasion, and chin and neck liposuction. Dr. Tong is quoted in this month’s issue of Elevate magazine discussing the different types of Toronto facelift and neck lifting procedures that are available.
Toronto Plastic Surgeon Discusses Latest Trends in Asian Plastic Surgery
Toronto, Ontario, Canada — According to the most recent statistics from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), Asia currently boasts the highest number of cosmetic procedures performed with over 5.8 million total enhancements in 2010, almost 32% of all aesthetic procedures performed across the globe. With North America in second at just over 4.5 million procedures, Dr. Lawrence Tong, a plastic surgeon in Toronto, says he has observed a similar demand for cosmetic procedures at his practice, noting that an estimated one-quarter to one-third of his patients are of Asian descent. In some Asian countries such as Korea and Japan, Dr. Tong says plastic surgery has been very popular for some time; however, he says Chinese patients are a newer trend. While Japan jumped up two spots since 2009 to the fourth most plastic surgery procedures performed per country, China sits just ahead with over 1.2 million cosmetic enhancements. Dr. Tong attributes much of the rising demand for Asian plastic surgery amongst the Chinese to cultural shifts, and China’s rising affluent consumer class. He says there is a greater emphasis on beauty in modern Chinese culture, and many Chinese are looking to enhance their appearance through following Western aesthetic trends. Ironically, the desire to pursue Western aesthetic trends has led to China’s cosmetic surgery industry to become a ‘Wild West’ of sorts. There is virtually no regulation of […]
Toronto Plastic Surgeon Discusses Positive Experience with Innovative Gummy Bear Breast Implants
Development of advanced breast implant offerings over the past few years such as the cohesive silicone gel (‘gummy bear’) implant has led some plastic surgeons to see a surge in popularity of these implants for breast augmentation. Having offered the ‘gummy bear’ breast implants at his Toronto plastic surgery practice, Dr. Lawrence Tong says he is extremely satisfied with the results achieved, and plans to continue offering them as an important option for elective breast enhancement surgery. Cohesive silicone breast implants (also nicknamed ‘gummy bear implants’) are the latest generation of breast implants. Although these implants have been available in Canada for a number of years, Dr. Lawrence Tong, a plastic surgeon in Toronto, says the vast majority of them are used for breast reconstruction following mastectomy. The implants have some notable aesthetic and safety advantages when compared to traditional silicone implants. Despite this, the popularity of gummy bear implants still lags behind traditional silicone implants for cosmetic breast augmentation. Following his experience with using cohesive silicone implants for breast augmentation in Toronto, Dr. Tong believes they offer significant benefits for many patients, and has seen the implants become an increasingly popular option at his practice. Cohesive silicone implants originated from the desire by implant companies to create a silicone implant that could maintain a natural teardrop shape. To accomplish this, the silicone composition was chemically altered, making it firmer […]
Dr. Lawrence Tong treats PIP Breast Implant patients in Toronto, Canada
Recently, I have started to see patients at my Toronto plastic surgery practice, to have their PIP breast implants removed. All of these women had their breast augmentation surgery performed abroad. The PIP implants were never approved for use in North America, so patients who had breast augmentation performed in Canada should not be alarmed. Background Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP) breast implants have been a subject of major concern for women around the world over the last few months. The French company is accused of manufacturing breast implants with industrial grade silicone gel, instead of a much higher quality medical grade silicone. There is concern that these implants have a higher rupture rate, and that the silicone inside these implants may release toxic substances if a rupture were to occur. On December 23, 2011, the French government recommended that the estimated 30,000 women in France with PIP implants seek surgical removal. On January 6, 2012, the British government has also stated that it would pay for women who require the implants removed (if deemed medically necessary), for the estimated 30,000-40,000 women in Britain who have PIP implants. Surgical Options for PIP Breast Implant Removal The goal in removing these implants is to do so en bloc. This means that the breast implant and surrounding scar tissue (the capsule) is removed as one single unit. The implants are not traumatized in […]
Dr. Tong quoted in the press about non-Plastic Surgeons performing cosmetic surgery
A family physician who was performing liposuction and other cosmetic surgery procedures was recently punished by the CPSO, after being found guilty of incompetence and failing to uphold the medical standard of practise in relation to her care of multiple cosmetic surgery patients. One of her patients died from her incompetence after a liposuction procedure. One of her patients died from her incompetence after a liposuction procedure. Read the full story. Her punishment was medical license suspension for two years, but she will be able to assist in surgery after the two years have elapsed. Dr. Tong feels that the punishment was too light, and that she should not have the ability to practise medicine again. Only fully trained surgeons should be performing surgery. Additionally, Dr. Tong strongly believes that only plastic surgeons, who are trained in the full spectrum of cosmetic surgery of the face, breast, and body, should be performing the full breadth of cosmetic surgery procedures. Make sure your doctor is actually a plastic surgeon.
Dr. Tong featured on CityTV news discussing Plastic Surgery and the Holidays
The December Holidays are a busy time for Dr. Tong. He was featured in a recent CityTV news segment discussing how his practice sees an explosion of activity around Christmas and New Years. Note: video may be preceded by third party advertisement Apple users Click here to see the video! (Opens in a new tab)