Overview
The Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery offers high quality medical services from a group of pioneering plastic surgeons.
Our primary goal is and will remain the care of the people who entrust themselves to us as well as the research and development of the already established techniques of plastic surgery.
Our department consists of Greek medical scientists with many years of experience in their field, recording hundreds of successful operations.
We apply modern and innovative techniques in plastic and reconstructive surgery, with the best functional and cosmetic results. We operate in exceptional facilities using the most technologically advanced equipment.
Our team of plastic surgeons is trained and continuously trained in every new method and provides specialised services combining long-standing experience in Greece and abroad.
We guarantee high-quality plastic surgery, zero surgical and postoperative complications, avoidance of deformities, minimization of postoperative pain and discomfort and fast return to everyday life.
Our goal is the best medical care offered and the best cosmetic result you have ever imagined. And for that we stand out.
What We Treat
Plastic Surgery consists of two disciplines, Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. Our team of highly trained and experienced plastic and reconstructive surgeons provides solid evaluations, diagnoses, and treatments in all areas of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery focuses on alleviating the impact of time in men and women with surgical and minimally invasive treatment.
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery includes plastic surgery of the face, breast and other body parts. More specifically:
Face
- Face lift
- Temporary lifting
- Endoscopic forehead lift
- Rhinoplasty
- Blepharoplasty
- Otoplasty
- Labiaplasty or lip surgery
Body
- Liposuction
- Liposculpture
- Abdominoplasty
- Buttock – thigh lift
Breast
- Augmentation
- Reduction
- Uplift
- Gynecomastia in men
Obesity
- Reconstruction after bariatric surgery (after heavy weight loss).
- Lifting thighs
- Lipoplasty
Face
Facial lifting involves various techniques that help restore the natural loosening of the skin. Depending on the area we choose to intervene, it is categorized as:
Face lifting
Face lifting is the ideal response for those who want to alleviate the impact of time on their face and neck.
The face lifting technique seeks to reposition the human face tissues in their original position, improving the general loosening of the skin.
All the techniques applied must take into account the individual needs of each person. Therefore modern face lifting is based on respecting the facial characteristics of each person and preserving harmony after the reconstruction.
Application
All applied techniques (s-lift, macs lift, baaps lift and others) aim at the rapid restoration and re-integration of the patients into their working and social environment.
Applied techniques also aim at re-tightening certain facial mimic muscles and then restoring loose tissues to their initial position with minimal inconvenience to the patient.
The surgery is performed with general anesthesia, requires overnight care and post-operative pain is controlled with traditional pain killers.
Blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty seeks to correct the effects of the loosening of the tissues of the eyelids and the wrinkles on the skin, as well as removing excess skin (eye bags) or part of the periocular fat.
Application
The surgery is performed with local anesthesia and lasts one hour when the upper or lower eyelid is to be treated. When it comes to both eyelids, blepharoplasty lasts two hours.
Upper blepharoplasty removes the excess skin and fat. During lower blepharoplasty the extra fat it is not removed, but is usually redistributed to cover the so-called dark circles.
Small incisions are stitched with very thin sutures, which are removed from day 5 to 6 postoperatively.
The recovery period is relatively short, the eyes regain a youthful and relaxed look and the result lasts for a decade on average.
Rhinoplasty
The nose is one of the most prominent and characteristic points of the face. There are noses that can be characterized as large, graceless or crooked, that are in disharmony with the other facial features.
In all these cases, rhinoplasty comes to provide solution that is to improve and change the shape and the form of the nose.
Rhinoplasty, in addition to the treatment of cosmetic or functional nose problems, can also deal with problems with the nasal septum and are directly associated with respiratory dysfunctions of the patient.
Application
The surgery of rhinoplasty is performed with general anesthesia. It takes one to two hours, during which the plastic surgeon corrects the bone anatomical elements that create the problems of nose malformation.
The patient stays in the clinic for at least one night while a nasal splint is placed on the nose. The nasal splint remains for 10-14 days. Post-operative swellings gradually recede, pain is treated with simple painkillers and the desired shape of the nose is gradually restored.
Otoplasty (Ear correction)
Otoplasty is a common plastic surgical procedure in which the treatment of cosmetic and functional problems usually occurring in the shape and form of the ears.
Interventions involve cases where the ears are prominent and their defect is attributed to dysplasia.
Defects occur from childhood, usually attributed to hereditary reasons, and it is good to treat them at younger ages.
The surgery aims at permanently changing the shape, treating the malformation, restoring symmetry so that the ear appears in a normal form.
Application
The interventions are carried out with local anesthesia and do not require a stay in a clinic.
Small incisions are made at the back of the ear to remove or weaken the cartilage that over-grows at the socket.
The results are permanent, very satisfactory with a minimal recurrence rate.
The incisions are not visible due to their location and disappear completely after six to eight months.
Postoperative pain is easily treated with simple pain killers.
In younger patients the procedure is considered necessary for purely psychological reasons, while general anesthesia is proposed in case of non-cooperation of the young person with the doctors.
Body
Liposuction
The most frequent operation of plastic surgery, which removes fatty tissue from specific areas of the body, is liposuction.
The areas where there is a strong concentration of fat for women are: thighs, arms, buttocks, knees, abdomen and face.
For men, the area where there is intense fat concentration is mainly the abdomen.
Liposuction is intended to improve areas by removing excess fat.
Liposuction is not a method that can be used for slimming obese people, but it is recommended for people with lipodystrophy, where excess fat at specific points of the body cannot disappear with diet or exercise.
Application
Liposuction is carried out in areas with excess accumulation of fat, with very small incisions, through which special tools are introduced.
The incisions are made on natural lines of the skin so that they are not easily perceived postoperatively.
The removal of the fat is done in a variety of ways, where the best technique ensures the release of fat and simultaneous liposuction, in a painless and bloodless way.
It is performed with local anesthesia for small areas, whereas when it comes to extended areas, general anesthesia is preferred.
The time spent in the clinic vary be from a few hours to one night.
In the first post-operative month, special elastic clothing or a simple corset is used, while the pain is suffered and treated with simple painkillers.
Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck
Most women, after pregnancy, have a relaxation in the abdomen, and it is necessary to tighten the abdominal wall.
Abdominoplasty is the best solution for people who have loose abdomen and excess skin in the anterior abdominal wall.
When relaxation is located low in the abdomen and in a limited range, mini abdominoplasty, in combination with liposuction, has the best cosmetic effect.
Application
With the technique of abdominoplasty, a part of the skin and fat is removed from the lower abdomen, such as after loosening in pregnancy, but also in people who lost a lot of weight.
For the removal of fat, an incision of 10-12 cm in length, in the area between the pudenda and the navel, is made. The goal is to achieve muscle tightening with suturing and tucking of the right abdominal muscles. The navel is placed in a new position, usually 3 cm below, with by pulling the skin.
Usually surgery is combined with liposuction in the lateral abdominal wall, to achieve a totally satisfactory outcome.
Abdominoplasty is performed with general anesthesia, lasting one to two hours and requires staying in the clinic for at least one to two days.
The post-operative pain is mild and it recedes quickly with classic painkillers.
The footprint of the surgical incision, the main concern of women, narrows and takes the form of a small line after a year.
After surgery, the patient wears an elastic pressure pad (corset) for about 5 weeks.
Enhancement of the abdominal muscles, in addition to the treatment of loosening, strengthens the muscles by limiting discomforts in the waist area that originate from the loose abdomen.
Buttock – thigh lift
The reliance of female femininity on the buttock curves leads many women to enhance their buttocks and thighs through surgical procedures, improving their body analogies.
The thigh lift and the enhancement of the buttocks appear as a cosmetic and functional need after skin loosening in the thighs and buttocks, which is usually due to age or great weight loss.
Application
Enhancement of the buttocks with fat can be done either by collecting fat (liposculpture) from various areas of the body where it is abundant (abdomen, waist, etc), or with inserts.
More often, the fat of the body itself is used. That fat, after being collected, is purified from contaminants of blood, liquids or other tissues, which must be removed. It is then transferred through small incisions to the point of the buttocks that needs to be enhanced.
This technique avoids complications while achieving symmetry and harmony in the buttocks in relation to the rest of the body. It has excellent cosmetic results, as there remains little scarring and at the same time the presence of foreign bodies (silicone) is avoided.
Buttock surgery and thigh lift is performed with general anesthesia, requires overnight treatment, and post-operative pain is controlled with the help of simple painkillers.
The patient wears for two months a special elastic garment and can return to everyday activities after 12 days.
Breast
Breast augmentation
Breast augmentation refers to women who have a small breast and want to enlarge it to that size and shape that will satisfy them physically, aesthetically and psychologically.
In the same category are included, regardless of age, women who have lost the volume of their breast after pregnancy and cessation of breastfeeding, after weight loss, or due to advanced age.
Surgery is forbidden to be performed at younger ages where breast development is not complete.
For breast augmentation it is necessary to place silicone inserts, which must be supplied by recognized and certified companies in order to be absolutely safe.
Applications
To place the silicone inserts, a 4 to 5 cm incision is made under the breast, under the nipple, or more seldom in the armpit.
The silicone inserts are placed either under the mass gland or below the major thoracic muscle.
The ideal insert will be selected after measurement the breast and chest. Then, the plastic surgeon uses an algorithm to reach the right dimensions.
After six months the scars should be difficult to spot.
The surgery is performed with general anesthesia and the patient stays in the clinic for one night. Post-operative pain is treated with common painkillers, while patients are recommended to wear a special sports bra for the first few weeks.
After surgery, the breast maintains its normality in terms of its functionality and nipple irritability.
Breast reduction
Large breast size creates particular aesthetic problems and dysfunctions in the everyday life of women.
Women with large and heavy breast often experience difficulty in dressing and cleaning if they develop fungal infections due to persistent sweating.
They often suffer from severe neck, shoulder, and back pains, and may complain that they also have problems in their erotic life.
Breast reduction in these cases is considered a necessity and is performed through reduction mammoplasty, which is the most common and safe surgical method.
Breast reduction can be done at any age, once breast development has been completed and is immediately combined with uplifting of the breast.
Application
In breast reduction, the excess skin, fat and mass of the gland is removed through small incisions, and drainage is placed on each breast and removed in 1-2 days.
The nipple is placed in a higher position so that the new breast appears elevated and looks younger. When the fat mass of the breast extends to the armpit, extra fat is removed through liposuction.
The scars created may be confined to a circular scar around the nipple, a vertical one from the nipple to the inframammary fold, or finally completed with a horizontal incision along the inframammary fold.
Scars and swelling do not leave immediately. They remain for a period of time without this being related to the techniques applied.
The surgery is done with general anesthesia, the duration of hospitalization lasts one to two days, and after the surgery the patient is administered antibiotic treatment. The stitches are removed in ten days and during the recovery period a special bra is used for one month.
There are various techniques of breast reduction, while the plastic surgeon’s concern is to ensure, by special measurements, the symmetry of the breasts.
The goal of breast reduction is to provide a functional and beautiful cosmetic effect that will last for many years.
The post-operative pain is mild and easily treated with common painkillers.
Typically, women who have undergone breast reduction may return to their activities gradually, 2 to 3 weeks after surgery.
Breast lift
The lifting of the female breast, when it is sagging, is called mastopexia.
The sagging of the breasts usually happens with age, when degeneration of the mass gland progressively unfolds.
It often occurs in young women after pregnancy and breastfeeding and is often accompanied by a decrease in breast volume.
Breast lifting aims to improve the shape, volume and position of the breast.
Along with the breast lift, the nipple is placed in a new position that fits ideally with the new form of the breast.
In several cases, breast lifting is combined with the placement of silicone inserts with the aim of giving the breast back its lost volume, making the breast look richer and generally achieving a better cosmetic result.
Application
The surgery is performed with general anesthesia and the patient needs to stay in the clinic for 24 hours.
After the surgery, it is recommended that the patient wears a special sport bra for six weeks.
The pain is mild and fully treated with common painkillers.
Scars are located around the nipple and often perpendicular to the inframammary fold.
The bigger the loosening and the sagging of the breasts, the larger the scars may be. In any case, however, the scars are healing satisfactorily, becoming discreet and barely noticeable over time.
Obesity Surgery
Obesity surgery is mainly about skin repair after heavy weight loss.
The interventions are designed to correct the loosening of the skin and other problems that arise after weight loss.
Beyond the individual procedures for correcting breast, face or abdominal problems, there are special procedures to correct skin loosening throughout the body.
It is imperative to take a time between weight loss and the operation, in order for the body to recover, the body weight to settle at a stable level and the loose skin to have shrunk naturally as much as possible.
Many of the operations that are performed are similar to those done for cosmetic purposes, while others are purely specialised in solving loosening problems throughout the body.
Application
The classic surgery after weight loss is body lift. Other operations deemed necessary are:
- Liposuction
- Facial lifting
- Reduction – Breast lift
- Thigh – buttock lift
- Abdominoplasty
- Brachioplasty (arm lift)
Reconstructive Plastic Surgery
Reconstructive Plastic Surgery seeks to restore to the human body deformities that result from injuries, burns, oncological incidents, and more.
To deal with the above, classical surgery or microsurgery is followed so that the human body acquires the physiological form it had before an accident or the occurrence of a neoplasm.
Reconstructive Plastic Surgery includes operations, such as:
- Subcutaneous mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction
- Correction of criminal scars,
- Removal of warts and scars,
- Treatment of cancerous skin,
- Treatment of post-traumatic malformations,
- Microsurgery of the upper limb,
- Congenital malformations (cleft lip, cleft palate),
- Restoration of large skin deficits.
Breast reconstruction after mastectomy
The reconstruction of the breast, after partial or total mastectomy, is based on the techniques of plastic reconstructive surgery.
The surgery can be done simultaneously with mastectomy or after some time, with the ultimate goal of creating a new breast that is in symmetry with the healthy breast.
Experts agree that the patient should not experience any loss of her breasts, so the restoration is carried out immediately and constitutes an integral part of an overall treatment.
Application
The methods used for breast reconstruction are distinguished from the simplest to the more complex ones.
One of the simplest and oldest techniques is the placement of silicone inserts beneath the major thoracic muscle.
The method is only recommended for immediate restoration and in cases where radiation is not followed, because there is a risk of burning the skin and revealing the silicone inserts.
The inserts, depending on their size, can create good symmetry with the other breast. However, if healthy breasts show a downward trend, corrective surgery is required to ensure symmetry.
Another safe method for the restoration of the breast is with the use of a tissue expander.
The expander is a silicone “sack” that is placed after the mastectomy under the chest muscle. It is then gradually inflated through a valve, by injecting saline (salt water).
As the expander gradually fills up, it increases its volume, enlarges the overlying skin of the chest creating a new breast.
Disadvantages of that particular method include the repeated visits to the Plastic Surgeon in order to add saline to the expander, or even to a second surgery that might be necessary in order to replace the expander with a permanent silicone insert. However, some expanders remain permanent and no second surgery is needed.
Moles – warts
Moles are created after birth, without excluding their appearance during the gestation period. Their creation is attributed to different reasons, including inherited, hormonal and especially sun exposure.
Throughout their life moles may change shape, size and form and they may degenerate or not. Most are characterized as harmless.
However, under the influence of certain factors they may become dangerous to our health, evolve into malignancies and, if not treated promptly, cause death.
Surgical oncology, in the treatment of skin conditions, is an important part of plastic surgery.
Skin conditions may be benign or malignant.
The benign tumors of the skin include moles (warts), cysts, lipomas, ganglia, papillomas, fibromas, rhinophyma, hemangiomas, hyperhidrosis, purpura, acne, xanthelasma etc.
In malignant tumors, basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and melanoma occur.
Careful and regular skin lesions testing is considered necessary for the safe diagnosis and timely treatment of the patient.
Application
The benign lesions can be removed by various surgical or non-surgical techniques, depending on the nature of the condition and the area where it is located.
Removal techniques are done by laser and cauterization for simple incidents, where skin lesions are permanently disappearing.
In cases of malignant tumors, surgical removal of the lesion is necessary.
The mole is removed along with the surrounding tissue and the extracted material is histopathologically tested.
Scar Correction
Plastic surgery can greatly contribute to the treatment of scars, in a surgical or non-surgical way.
How to deal with them depends on a number of factors, such as whether they are caused by an accident and what kind, how it happened, the extent of the skin damage (burns, surgery, injury) and the healing ability of each body.
Scars improve naturally over time, but they do not completely disappear.
Plastic surgery offers the possibility of effectively dealing with scars or concealing them in the body so they are not so visible.
The use of the laser can help improve the texture and color of the scars, so as to make them less visible.
However, if the scars are too large in size, then the surgical approach is considered necessary.
Application
Removal of the scar and its restoration with local plastic surgery is one of the simplest surgical techniques.
Skin tissue expansion is a relatively new technique for dealing with scars. It is suitable for correcting particularly widespread scars, such as post-burning scars.
Skin implants, flaps and synthetic skin substitutes often provide solutions to the problems of severe scarring.
Most facial scars are restored with local anesthesia. More difficult cases require general anesthesia.
Sex Reassignement Surgery
Reassigning sex aims at changing the external characteristics to from male to female and vice versa without causing deformities and malformations.
Sex change, known as sex reassignement surgery, is a multifaceted and serious process that involves changing the primary and secondary sex characteristics.
As far as secondary changes are concerned, they are carried out in order to allow the patient to eliminate his / her phenotypic peculiarities in order to be able to integrate more easily into society.
The operations performed are designed to transform features that are genetically defined and complementary so that the person concerned feels what he/she wants to be and society sees him / her for what he / she wants to feel.
Application
The following sex reassignment operations are performed:
From man to woman:
- breast reconstruction
- facial feminization
- body feminization
- genital surgery
From woman to man:
- breast removal
- face masculinization
- body masculinization
- genital surgery
