“Long Time No See, My Favorite M.D.”

Sometimes someone makes a welcome return to the practice after an extended period of absence. It is typically one of my many wonderful patients who checks in for any number of reasons. Sometimes the visit is to introduce a new family member, or a friend, or often just to say hello. Like a friendly blast from the past, such a patient came in the other day and said, “long time no see, my favorite M.D.”

One of the joys of practicing plastic surgery close to 30 years in Irvine, California is that there is rarely a week that goes by without a visit from a dear patient from the past.

Last week one of my favorite patients returned to the office after almost 20 years just to say hello and introduce me to one of her friends who was interested in breast augmentation.

We went back through my old patient photo album and found her before and after photos from before and shortly after surgery from 1996. This was well before the time of digital photos or iPads.

She had Mentor Smooth high-profile saline implants minimally filled to 300’s. The implants were placed through incisions on the lower border of the areolas, and partially behind the pectoralis muscle.

The patient, is now in her early 40’s. She has 8-year-old son, who she was able to successfully breast feed. She wanted me to know that her surgery was life changing and she never had any issues or problems with her implants.

Whereas my breast augmentation practice mostly consists of patients with smooth round silicone gel patients, I am constantly reminded that so many patients who had saline implants have had excellent results lasting many years.

This will be the first post of many filed under a new section of the blog called “Long Time No See, My Favorite M.D.,” where we share stories of happy patients who return to the practice to update us on their status.

… more to follow.

Donald Altman, M.D.


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