| Dr. Alex N. Lechtman is a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Here the doctor has answered some common questions that Bizymoms visitors have about Reconstructive Surgery.
Q. What is the first step in planning my surgery?
A. The first step is to know what you want. Don’t worry so much about what operation you’re looking for. Spend some time thinking about this. Then we can work together to see what operation or operations might work best. Many times there are multiple options depend on your desires and your tolerances.
Q. Do I need a referral from my primary care doctor before being seen?
A. The answer is, it depends. Mostly, it depends on your insurance and what you are looking for. Ask your insurance agent, HR person or others knowledgeable with your insurance.
Q. How soon will I be able to see my final result?
A. Many times the final result may take 6 months to a year. The swelling usually resolves in 2-4 weeks but for things like liposuction and breast augmentations, things continue to improve for 6 months. Some scarring can mature over 12 to 18 months.
Q. Where is the doctor going to take the skin flap for my reconstructive surgery from?
A. Most of the time, I try and take skin from nearby so that the color and texture matches the best. Sometimes, skin from other places needs to be used. That’s where spending the time with your plastic surgeon helps so that you know what the plan is and are comfortable with it.
Q. How can we contact Dr. Lechtman if we have further questions?
A. I can be reached at my office; 559-738-7572. Shelly, my receptionist, can help with appointments as well as a lot of information. We offer free consultations with my patient care coordinator; Sue St. Martin. I can also be reached at my email address: alechtman@vmchealth.com. Many patients take advantage of this as a great way to ask non-urgent questions. Our website is www.vmchealth.com. |
