Dr. Bryan Correa | The Woodlands Plastic Surgery

Photos by
Karina Eremina of Joy
of the Moment Photography

Consider
this: The field is changing fast. According to Dr. Bryan
Correa, a plastic surgeon transforming patients from his office in The
Woodlands, new tools and techniques mean safer, better-looking results than
ever before.

Take breast
augmentations – part of the popular mommy makeover surgery. Liquid silicone
implants were once the norm, but unnoticed ruptures were problematic. Today,
the use of “gummy bear” implants has made implants safer than ever. Known to
hold their shape even when cut, these new gel-type implants are extremely
safe.

Far from the
only procedure to evolve, Brazilian Butt Lift surgery has also changed
rapidly in recent years, underscoring the importance of excellent surgeons of
high integrity, invested in up-to-date and safe practices. Dr. Correa
attended Baylor College of Medicine, one of the most prestigious and
sought-after plastic surgery programs in the country. He is also board
certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a credential he
emphasizes as critical to seek in your search for your own surgeon.

A
nonsurgical revolution in the application of anti-aging and skin-tightening
creams for the body has also arrived. Certain topical preparations have
become immensely effective in tightening skin and addressing aging.
Contouring technology and treatments like radio frequency, ultrasound,
microneedling, and other skincare techniques can help slow the aging process
on other parts of the body, not just the face, to make you look your best.

Looking
Good

“With
strategic use of surgical and nonsurgical techniques we can maximize each
operation so the patient’s top priorities get the best result,” said Dr.
Correa. Instead of expecting patients to know which surgeries they need, he
listens deeply during the consultation to understand the desired look. Once
the picture emerges, Dr. Correa explains the best way to get from where the
patient is to where they want to go. Sometimes, patients learn that they
don’t need surgery they thought they did, or that another would work
better.

The doctor
provides a detailed roadmap, or plan for which surgeries should be performed
and what to expect from each, by the end of every consultation, suggesting
surgeries which may work best when combined for gorgeous results. A breast
augmentation patient worried about their midsection might add liposuction
during the same surgery, for example, without added recovery time.

“Certain
operations are synergistic and the whole is greater than the sum of the
parts. If you do both it makes everything look better. The body frames the
breasts, and the breasts reveal the abdomen so when you do them together it
makes them look best,” said the doctor.

A married
family man who spends his free time shuttling his two small children to
baseball, soccer, and gymnastics, Dr. Correa also finds time to practice
classical piano and sculpture. That last personal hobby may be directly
related to his success as a surgeon, since every procedure is not just
precise science, but art that lasts a lifetime.

Top Four
Plastic Surgery Myths, According to Dr. Correa

Can you
breastfeed if you’ve had implants?

Yes!
Implants are placed behind the breast, away from where milk is produced.

Could my
body “reject” implants?

No. What
some call “rejecting” an implant are really two different things. One is an
infection, and the other is a wound-healing problem which creates scar
tissue.

When the
body heals around an implant, it’s like healing around surgical incision. If
it heals poorly – which we call capsular contracture – it can be treated,
revised, or otherwise addressed, just like any other bad scar in your skin.

We know that
the best way to encourage good healing is to use meticulous sterile
technique, and also that certain techniques are safer than others – such as
using an incision underneath the breast, and placing the implant beneath the
muscle. We also know the surgical solution to infection: remove the implant
and wait for any infection to clear before the implant is placed again. With
scar tissue its similar: remove the scar tissue and exchange the implant.

Should
implants be replaced every 10 years?

That advice
is based on old liquid silicone implants. The new gummy bear implants are a
gel instead of a liquid. You can leave them alone forever if they’re not
causing a problem. If you have questions or concerns over your implants, a
screening MRI can prove the implant is ok or not, helping you avoid
unnecessary surgery, but implants today are safer than they’ve ever been. The
rates and consequences of rupture are lower now than ever before.

After
liposuction, does fat come back somewhere else?

No. Even
though you can still gain and lose weight all over, if you gain weight again,
your body gains it back in the exact same way as it did before. After
liposuction, you are starting from a different shape and weight, so the
change can look differently, but fat does not preferentially go somewhere
else on your body. The best approach is to work to maintain a stable weight
after liposuction.

Dr. Correa’s
Five Steps to Choosing a Great Plastic Surgeon

Listen for
glowing word-of-mouth referrals from someone you know who had the operation
you want and had a good result.
Visit the
surgeon’s before-and-after gallery for the operation you have in mind. You
should love what you see.
Read the
surgeon’s reviews. Do people have great things to say?
Check
their certification. “They must be board certified by the American Board of
Plastic Surgery,” said Dr. Correa
Have a
consultation. Expect an in-person exam, a surgical plan of action, and an
accurate price quote before you leave. Pay attention to how you feel about
the experience and the surgeon.