Category: Plastic Surgery

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Avoid bad scarring after plastic surgery

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Avoid bad scarring after plastic surgery

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Improving your body contour while minimizing the appearance of scars is the goal of all Plastic Surgery. How your scars will turn out is in part related to how your Plastic Surgeon sutures your incisions but more so how you take care of the scars after surgery. 

Scarring after any type of surgery, including Plastic Surgery, is normal and expected. Your body produces collagen at your incision site to close the wound. Usually this goes as expected. However, your body’s natural healing process can sometimes create excess collagen, causing raised or discolored scars.

Scar Treatment

Silicone scar treatment is a plastic surgery hack for improving the appearance of scars. The two forms are sheeting or gel. Silicone sheeting is a special bandage you place over your scar. Silicone gel is a twice-daily application to your scar. The form of silicone treatment that is best for you will be based on the location of your scar, the length of your car, and your lifestyle.

The duration of scar treatment varies based on your scar and how your body responds. Scars continue to mature and change for up to TWO years after the initial incision. Generally, it’s recommended you use it consistently for several months and even up to two years for best results. While this is difficult for most people to do consistently, the reward is a nearly imperceptible scar. Think of using silicone therapy like wearing braces to straighten your teeth – it takes time and patience, but it will make a big difference in the long run.

So, to sum it up, silicone scar treatment is a non-invasive way to improve the appearance of scars by flattening and fading them over time. And the longer you use it, the better the results may be! Colorado Springs Board-Certified Female Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers provides all of her patients with scar treatment starting approximately 3 weeks after surgery. This scar treatment is included as part of your postoperative care.

Schedule your consultation 

To book your personalized Plastic Surgery Consult with Harvard-, Duke-, and Northwestern-educated Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, please call: 719-633-5255.

For more Plastic Surgery knowledge, tips, fun facts, and before-and-after photos, follow Dr. Geers on Instagram.

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Choosing your Breast Implant Size

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Choosing your Breast Implant Size

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

The Rice Test is a Plastic Surgery hack that can help you avoid additional breast surgery due to dissatisfaction with your initial implant size. A desire to change breast implant size is the #1 reason for another operation when it comes to Breast Augmentation.

All right, Goldilocks! There are 3 possibilities when it comes to selecting your breast implant size:

  • Too big
  • Too small
  • Just right

So how do you avoid a size that’s too big or too small for your liking? 

To avoid a breast implant size that is either too big or too small, you need to take your natural dimensions into consideration. The width of your breasts and your starting breast size will determine what additional volume you want and how wide your implant will be for that given volume. You don’t want a rock in a sock. You also don’t want an implant so wide, it gets in the way of your arms. Neither are a good look.

So how does the Rice Test help you avoid the wrong implant size?

The Rice Test is an inexpensive Plastic Surgery hack that works. Buy a cheap 1 lb. box or bag of rice, a pair of pantyhose, and some rubber bands. You’ll also need a bra that is your new goal bra size. Now:

  • Cut the pantyhose just above the ankles to make two pantyhose “baggies.”
  • Add a 1/2 cup of dry rice to the baggie and tie it off with a rubber band leaving a little wiggle room.
  • Mold the rice bag to accommodate your existing breast tissue and place it in the bra.
  • Now put on a tight tank top or t-shirt to check out your new silhouette.
  • Add and subtract rice until you reach your desired size. Make a note of the rice volume.

Remember, the Rice Test is just an approximation, but now you’ll be better able to let your Plastic Surgeon know the size you desire.


Yes, there are 3-D simulators that can virtually “visualize” your new look, but Board-Certified Female Plastic Surgeon Dr. Millicent Geers believes there’s nothing like actually feeling and carrying the weight in your bra. Once you have booked your Implant Breast Augmentation Surgery with Dr. Geers, in order to help you decide on the best implant size for you, you will have the opportunity to try on silicone implant sizers that are specially made to accommodate your existing breast tissue. Fitted t-shirts, tank tops, and bras to wear over the sizers are also provided so that you can adjust your size to your desire and admire your new look!

To book your personalized Colorado Springs Breast Augmentation Consult with Harvard-, Duke-, and Northwestern-educated Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, please call: 719-633-5255.

For more Plastic Surgery knowledge, tips, fun facts, and before-and-after photos, follow Dr. Geers on Instagram.

 

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Plastic Surgery Tip: Waterproof Mattress Protector

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Plastic Surgery Tip: Waterproof Mattress Protector

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

A waterproof mattress protector is a Plastic Surgery hack that can save you a lot of hassle, time, and money! Bloody drainage from your incisions after Plastic Surgery can ruin your furniture, car seats, bedsheets, and mattress. Liposuction is the biggest offender when it comes to post-surgical bloody drainage. This drainage is expected and is normal. You can avoid ruining your upholstery, mattress, and bedsheets from drainage stains with a mattress protector. Simply put the mattress cover over the items you want to protect, just throw it in the wash daily to clean it until you no longer have drainage. 

My favorite waterproof mattress protector is made by Avocado* . Why?

  • 100% Organic cotton and feels so soft against your skin. 
  • Avocado’s Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector is breathable 
  • There’s no annoying crinkling sounds when you move
  • You won’t get overheated
  • Perhaps most importantly —  it works! 

In summary, purchasing a waterproof mattress protector should be part of your Plastic Surgery preparation. Carry on smartly.

Schedule your consultation

To book your personalized Colorado Springs Breast Augmentation Consult with Harvard-, Duke-, and Northwestern-educated Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, please call: 719-633-5255. For more Plastic Surgery knowledge, tips, fun facts, and before-and-after photos, follow Dr. Geers on Instagram.

*Dr. Geers has no affiliation and make no money from Avocado. They simply make an outstanding product I can stand by.

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How you can avoid ruining your plastic surgery results.

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

How you can avoid ruining your plastic surgery results.

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Excessive swelling after plastic surgery can ruin your plastic surgery results

If your skin stays stretched out from too much swelling, even if your Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon performed the best surgery in the world, your result will not be as good. Specifically, your result won’t be as tight or taut, as it could have been. So, how can you avoid excessive postoperative swelling (also known as postoperative edema)?

How you can reduce swelling

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) or Lymphatic Massage after plastic surgery is a plastic surgery hack that reduces swelling. How, you may ask. 

Let’s use a sponge as an example. After your surgery, fluid collects in the cells of your treatment area. Think of a sponge soaking up water. With compressive kneading movements, manual lymphatic drainage pushes this fluid out of the sponge (your treatment area cells), into the sink, down the drain, and into the pipes (your lymphatic vessels). These pipes then drain into other pipes (your bloodstream) that eventually empty into a reservoir (your kidneys) and you eventually pee this fluid out. 

In addition to reducing post-surgical swelling, Manual Lymphatic Drainage:

  • Alleviates discomfort and soreness
  • Reduces bruising and discoloration
  • Enhances immune function
  • Speeds up the healing process

Lymphatic massage after Plastic Surgery is especially useful after Liposuction, Tummy Tuck, Arm Lift, and Thigh Lift procedures.

Booking your Manual Lymphatic Drainage sessions should be part of your plastic surgery preparation. We have recommendations for excellent Manual Lymphatic Drainage Specialists in the Colorado Springs area.

To book your personalized Plastic Surgery Consult with Harvard-, Duke-, and Northwestern-educated Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, please call: 719-633-5255.

For more Plastic Surgery knowledge, tips, fun facts, and before-and-after photos, follow Dr. Geers on Instagram.

 

 

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Plastic Surgery: You get what you pay for.

Liposuction-Plastic Surgery Flying Horse Medical Center

Plastic Surgery: You get what you pay for.

Liposuction-Plastic Surgery Flying Horse Medical Center

At factory-like, revolving door, turnstile-type Plastic Surgery offices where you are treated as a number and not a person, often Non-Physician “Surgeon Substitutes” perform part of your surgery to help maximize profits. In these scenarios, the Plastic Surgeon performs some aspects of your procedure and then moves on to the next surgical patient before your procedure is completed. A Non-Physician “Surgeon Substitute” is then left to finish up your case. Using this tactic, the Plastic Surgeon can stuff in more surgeries during the day, sacrificing quality for quantity.

What could possibly go wrong?

Maiming, botching, and death. These factory-like, revolving door, turnstile-type plastic surgery offices can offer you bargain-basement pricing because, just like with diamonds, designer clothing, and designer purses, counterfeits (unqualified Surgeon Substitutes) are cheaper than the real deal.

This lackadaisical approach to patient care and patient safety often starts at the consultation, where the Plastic Surgeon is substituted with a non-medical employee who evaluates your body, makes a diagnosis, and then creates the surgical plan. Sometimes you won’t even meet the Surgeon or know which Surgeon will be performing your surgery until the day of your surgery. How does this make sense?

If you want to save money, do so when deciding between household cleaning items or workout attire, but not when it comes to your one and only body. Skill, experience, and a track record of satisfied patients are more important than a low price. Before you consent to surgery, ask your Surgeon if s/he will have any assistants, and if so, what exactly are their qualifications and which portion of your procedure are they performing. You only get one body. Protect it.

Remember, ain’t nothing like the real thing.

Carry on smartly.

To book your personalized Plastic Surgery Consult with Harvard-, Duke-, and Northwestern-educated Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, please call: 719-633-5255

For more Plastic Surgery knowledge, tips, fun facts, and before-and-after photos, follow Dr. Geers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautydoctor365

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Plastic Surgeon Imitators to Avoid

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Plastic Surgeon Imitators to Avoid

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

In a prior blog, Dr. Geers promised to provide you with a list of Plastic Surgeon Imitators/Knockoffs/Wannabes whom you should avoid when it comes to protecting yourself or anyone you love and cherish. There are a multitude of Non-Plastic Surgeons with no qualms about using you as a surgical guinea pig. They take weekend courses taught by other Non-Plastic Surgeons and some, as seen on at least one website have, “educated” themselves about Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. Refer to this blog at any time if you have any questions about who exactly should NOT be performing your Tummy Tuck, Breast Augmentation with Implants, Natural Breast Augmentation/Breast Augmentation with Fat, Liposuction, Breast Reduction, or any other Plastic Surgery that can have serious complications. 

Please note that Plastic Surgeon Imposters may be “Board Certified,” but that certification is not in the specialty of PLASTIC SURGERY! 

Imitators to Avoid

The following Physicians and non-physicians do NOT have the formal training to be performing Plastic Surgery on your body (or the body of anyone you cherish). Sadly, this list is not exhaustive. 

  1. Obstetricians
  2. Gynecologists
  3. Family Medicine Physicians
  4. Internal Medicine Physicians 
  5. Emergency Room Physicians
  6. Dentists
  7. General Surgeons
  8. Urologists
  9. Pathologists
  10. Radiologists
  11. Nurses 
  12. Nurse Practitioners
  13. Physician Assistants
  14. Medical Assistants
  15. Office Managers
  16. Anyone who may play a doctor on television*
  17. Anyone who is NOT a surgeon and who is also not BOARD ELIGIBLE or BOARD CERTIFIED in PLASTIC SURGERY 

Disclaimer: While to Dr. Geers’ knowledge, no one who has acted as a doctor on television has posed as a Plastic Surgeon, they were included in the list because the thought of having one of them perform your Plastic Surgery procedure is as ridiculous as having any of the other medical personnel who are not Plastic Surgeons perform your surgery. 

Carry on smartly.

To book your personalized Plastic Surgery Consult with Harvard-, Duke-, and Northwestern-educated Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, please call: 719-633-5255

For more Plastic Surgery knowledge, tips, fun facts, and before-and-after photos, follow Dr. Geers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautydoctor365

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Beware of Plastic Surgery Imitators

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Beware of Plastic Surgery Imitators

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

A weekend course in Liposuction, Breast Augmentation with Implants, Natural Breast Augmentation, or [insert any other Plastic Surgery procedure] is not the equivalent of formal Plastic Surgery training.

Formal Plastic Surgery training occurs over a 5-9 year time period. This training is IN ADDITION TO four years of college and four years of medical school. That’s 13-17 years total!

Colorado Springs and Monument, Colorado Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Odunze Geers, earned her undergraduate degree with Honors from Harvard University and then earned her Doctorate in Medicine from Duke University. Directly after graduation from Duke Medical School, Dr. Geers was accepted into a highly-competitive 7-year Plastic Surgery Residency at Northwestern University. After successfully completing her Plastic Surgery Residency, Dr. Geers completed a 1-year fellowship focused on Cosmetic Plastic Surgery to hone the skills she’d learned in Residency. That’s 16 total years of education!

“Imitation Plastic Surgeons”

It is a ludicrous concept that a Non-Plastic Surgeon would think that by taking a 48-72 hour course in Liposuction, Breast Augmentation, etc., s/he has earned the credentials and right to operate on your body. Believe it or not, these people do exist.

There are a myriad of “Plastic Surgeon” Imitators/Knockoffs/Wannabes who want to perform surgery on your body after dabbling in a weekend course taught by other “Plastic Surgeon” Imitators/ Knockoffs/Wannabes. Aside from not knowing how to properly perform the procedures taught to them in a 48-72 hour course, more troubling is that these “Shortcut Surgeons” don’t know what they don’t know. And that should absolutely terrify you. False confidence when it comes to surgery can be fatal.

Before becoming a Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Geers had already performed thousands of cases as a Plastic Surgery Resident. The type of surgical experience Dr. Geers acquired cannot be gleaned in a 48-72 hour weekend course.

So what exactly is NOT taught in a weekend course?

1. How to observe nuances in anatomy from one person to another and to adjust the surgical plan accordingly. For example, not recognizing that a patient has prominent ribs and then proceeding with Liposuction without making the proper adjustments. This lack of knowledge and experience could lead to puncturing the intestines, stomach, or lungs with the liposuction cannula. This could be fatal or at best, require a long stay (weeks to months) in an ICU.

2. How to detect complications early before they become major issues.


3. How to know when NOT to perform surgery. For example, that abdominal bulge for which you are seeking contour improvement may actually be a hernia, not extra fat. Liposuction in this scenario would potentially be fatal or at best, require a long stay (weeks to months) in an ICU.

In short, don’t trust your one and only body to a Shortcut Surgeon who thinks it’s appropriate to use your body as a surgical guinea pig. Who exactly are these Plastic Surgeon Imitators? Look for a list of these Non-Plastic Surgeons to avoid in an upcoming blog post.

Carry on smartly.

To book your personalized Plastic Surgery Consult with Harvard, Duke, and Northwestern-educated Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, please call: 719-633-5255

For more Plastic Surgery knowledge, tips, fun facts, and before-and-after photos, follow Dr. Geers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautydoctor365

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Saddlebag Liposuction

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Saddlebag Liposuction

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

“Saddlebags” are an accumulation of fat on the outer thighs, giving them a bulging and sometimes even sagging appearance. This excess accumulation of fat is referred to as saddlebags due to their resemblance to the bags that hang off the sides of a horse saddle.

Saddlebags can be difficult to target with exercise alone, as spot reduction is not possible. Even with a combination of exercise, strength training, and improved nutrition to help reduce overall body fat, these little (or big) stinkers sometimes hold on for dear life.

VASER Liposuction is an effective method to not only reduce excess outer thigh fat, but to also tighten loose outer thigh skin. However, Saddlebag Liposuction must be done meticulously and strategically. Too much liposuction in this area can cause an indentation of the outer thigh that looks like a shark bite. Not a good look! Saddlebag Liposuction can be performed with either general anesthesia or local anesthesia (Awake Liposuction). Dr. Millicent Geers has extensive experience performing Outer Thigh Liposuction with either type of anesthesia. Dr. Geers’ preference, however, is to perform Outer Thigh Liposuction with local anesthesia. Why? 

As a female board certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Geers knows firsthand that a woman’s thighs look different lying down versus standing up. Certain positioning either accentuates or diminishes the appearance of fat. With Awake Liposuction, you are able to stand up, if and when needed, during your procedure so that the areas of your thighs which need attention can be precisely sculpted to optimize your final result. With general anesthesia, there is never an opportunity to assess your thighs as they would appear when you’re standing, thus in inexperienced hands, there is a higher risk of over-suctioning and creating awful indentations! Fortunately, Dr. Geers has extensive experience contouring thighs with either type of anesthesia.

– Dr. Millicent Geers

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Legging Legs

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Legging Legs

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Well, here we go again. What is old, is new. Yesterday’s “thigh gap,” is today’s “legging legs.” Legging Legs is a term used to describe the apparent “perfect” shaped legs for wearing leggings. This “perfect” shape entails two criteria: 

  1. Toned legs
  2. A “thigh gap” 

A thigh gap refers to a space or gap between the inner thighs when a person stands with his or her feet together. It has become a beauty trend and a sign of attractiveness in recent years among some women. Some women strive to achieve a thigh gap through dieting, exercise, or plastic surgery. It is important to note that the primary determining factor for a thigh gap is the natural width of your hips and how your femurs (thigh bones) insert into your hips (see illustration). Neither exercise nor Liposuction  will give you a thigh gap if you don’t have a wide angle (illustrated by wider green lines). This is the reason you can see two people of the same height and weight, but one person has thighs that touch, and the other person has a significant space between the thighs. Thigh liposuction performed on these two people will render very different results. 

Therefore, if you’re considering Liposuction of your thighs to achieve “legging legs,” your goal should be to seek an enhanced version of your physique and not to emulate another person’s physique. 

With decades of experience and accolades, Monument and Colorado Springs Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, is a female board-certified Plastic Surgeon, Harvard Cum Laude graduate, and Duke Medical School graduate. Dr. Geers’ specialized Plastic Surgery residency training at Northwestern University, additional specialized Aesthetic Surgery training in the Beverly Hills and Hollywood areas, and multiple publications make her a respected and globally-recognized authority in Liposuction and Body Contouring. She has performed thousands of liposuction procedures with exceptional results.

– Dr. Millicent Geers

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry
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10 Reasons to Remove Your Breast Implants

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

10 Reasons to Remove Your Breast Implants

Flying Horse Medical Center | Colorado Springs & Monument | Concierge Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetics, Psychiatry

Dr. Millicent Geers

Breast implant removal, also known as breast implant explantation, is becoming more and more common. The reasons for breast implant removal vary.

Below are the top 10 reasons why women are having their breast implants removed.

Weight gain

With weight gain, implants that were once the “perfect” size may now be disproportionate, cumbersome, and not aesthetically pleasing to you due to added weight in the breast area. Removal of your breast implants may take you to a look that is more comfortable to carry and more aesthetically-pleasing to you.

Too big

I have had many women come to me stating that from the get-go, their implants were too big, despite having discussed with their prior Plastic Surgeon that they didn’t want big implants. The most common reason for this is that their prior Plastic Surgeon believed the patient was going to have “I-went-too-small-regret.” In this case, implant explantation can help you take back control over your body.

Implant rupture

If your implants are ruptured, your breasts may become asymmetric in appearance. Removal of the implants can restore symmetry.

Capsular contracture

Capsular contracture can cause breast asymmetry. Capsular contracture squeezes the implant, making it look high and tight on your chest when compared to your other side. Removal of the implants, with or without capsulectomy (capsule removal) can restore symmetry.

Pain or discomfort

Neck, back, shoulder, or breast pain may be caused by implants. Removal of the implants may possibly alleviate this pain if this pain is not due to other reasons.

Animation deformation

If your implants were placed under the muscle, which is where they are placed the majority of the time with implant breast augmentation, you will notice movement of your implants whenever you engage your pectoralis muscles. This movement is bothersome for some women. Moving your implants to a pocket over your muscle or just removing them all together alleviates animation deformity.,

Breast Implant Illness Concerns

No current symptoms, but you are concerned about the possibility of Breast Implant Illness (BII), also known as Autoimmune Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA): BIA or ASIA is an autoimmune syndrome caused by an “adjuvant.”  This adjuvant can be a flu, a vaccine, or in the case of plastic surgery, a breast implant. The thought is that an event occurs which hypersensitizes your body, so it overreacts, causing the autoimmune issues. Manifestations may be fatigue, joint pain, muscle aches, and brain fog/cognitive impairment.

Already have symptoms such as brain fog, joint pain, fatigue and your doctor has ruled out Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, or other autoimmune diseases, removal of your breast implants may decrease or alleviate your symptoms. It is important to note that removal of your breast implants does not guarantee improvement of symptoms.

You no longer like the idea of having a foreign body in your body

Sometimes women simply decide that they no longer want a foreign body in their body. Explant surgery achieves this goal.

You no longer have a desire for breast implants

Some women are just over having implants. They want to return to a non-implanted state for no reason other than they just want to – and this is reason enough.

If you are considering implant removal, for whatever reason, Dr. Millicent Geers performs this procedure on a regular basis with beautiful results. Dr. Geers will tailor the surgical plan according to your needs – sometimes implant removal alone is enough. However, for some patients, explant surgery may need to be combined with a breast lift (mastopexy) and/or fat transfer (natural breast augmentation) to achieve a result that will meet the patient’s aesthetic goals. Call 719-633-5255 for your personalized consult with Dr. Geers.