Pat is a married, 50 year-old mom of two teenagers who works from home. Over the past few years Pat has required skin cancer treatment several times. Because of her history, Pat sees a dermatologist every 3-6 months for a full body check. Pat came to the Parker Center at the recommendation of her dermatologist.
In the past Dr. Parker has treated Pat for a melanoma on her chest and a basal cell on the side of her nose with great results. Last spring, Pat had a cancerous spot on her collarbone removed by a specialized procedure known as Mohs surgery. She consulted with Dr. Parker about handling the reconstructive aspect of the surgery because it was in an obvious place on her body.
“I left the Mohs surgery expecting to have an area cut out about the size of quarter, and when I got in my car and lifted the bandage, it was about the size of a credit card! I was aghast and really would’ve freaked out if I hadn’t already scheduled my reconstructive surgery with Dr. Parker,” explained Pat.
Pat had originally found Dr. Parker about four years ago through her dermatologist who recommended him as someone who could remove her skin cancer and minimize the appearance of any scar. Since Pat has had several occurrences of skin cancer, Pat has come to trust Dr. Parker implicitly.
In addition to her reconstructive surgery, Pat had always wanted a tummy tuck. She is a member of a weight loss group and exercises regularly but could never loss the belly fat. Two cesareans and then middle age had only made the problem worse.
“I always had belly fat even when I was a kid and thin, it’s just where I hold it. There weren’t enough crunches in the world to get rid of it. I had rock hard abs under a layer of fat. I knew I was going to have to lay low for a few weeks after my Mohs reconstruction surgery so I thought why not have it done at the same time,” Pat stated.
Having both procedures done at the same time was a smart move that saved Pat time (one surgical date), money (only have to pay for surgical suite and anesthesia once) and recuperation time (with two kids still at home, mom’s time is always pressed).
To Dr. Parker, dealing with both reconstructive and cosmetic issues is really very similar. Patients with reconstructive issues are often fearful of the scarring that will result. Cosmetic surgeons are highly trained to minimize the appearance of all incisions, resulting in far less scarring for the patient.
“I’ve always been very happy with Dr. Parker and the staff at the Parker Center. Everyone there is always happy to see you, and you just get the feeling that they’re there to make sure that you’re happy with your results. I trust Dr. Parker completely and I know that he will always make my incision areas look as good as it can possibly look,” said Pat.
Because Pat had such a large area of skin removed from the collarbone area of her chest she was concerned about how it would look. Dr. Parker managed to leave Pat with a tiny hairline scar that runs along her collarbone and is barely visible. Pat hides the scar almost completely with a necklace or chain and is thrilled with the result.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in Dr.’s offices in the past few years and I can tell you the Parker Center is a refreshing change from that. It may seem like a little thing but those paper gowns can be demeaning. At the Parker Center, the gowns are cotton, thick cotton and it’s so nice. You really feel like you’re being treated as a human being, not just another case,” Pat said.
The day after her surgery, Pat was glad she had decided to have the tummy tuck as well. Recovery for Pat was not difficult and she describes it as uncomfortable and sore for a few days but not really painful. Pat followed Dr. Parker’s instructions carefully and made sure that she got up and moved around every day. After about two weeks, Pat started to feel like her old self again.
“I used to spend a lot of time trying to pick out clothes that would hide my belly. That’s not a problem anymore. I’m wearing size 4 or 6 slacks, and I love how I look. I can see the tops of my feet, not just my toes. It’s a wonderful feeling. I feel like now l look how I’m supposed to look,” said Pat.
Dr. Parker is board certified in plastic surgery and has over twenty years of plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery experience. The techniques he uses to repair post Mohs surgical defects are an outgrowth of the techniques he uses to minimize scarring with his cosmetic surgery patients. Therefore, both cosmetic and post Mohs reconstructive patients like Pat benefit from this expertise.
If you are interested in learning more about reconstructive surgery and/ or cosmetic surgery, contact the Parker Center for Plastic Surgery at 201-967-1212. To learn more about these procedures and see real patient testimonials please visit our website at www.parkercenter.net
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