Pop Star Lyrics and Plastic Surgery
3-D Morphing for Breast Augmentation in Santa Barbara
I just got the latest software update installed for my AxisThree breast augmentation simulation system (www.myportrait3d.com) which I have had about a year now and used on over 100 patients. If you've never heard of this before, it is a 3-D camera system that takes your photo and allows me to morph your photos with different implant sizes. The latest software update actually has a database of all the implants from Mentor and Allergan, so I can choose the implant and the system knows its dimensions and applies them to the image. The images can then be moved in three axes, compared to the "pre-op" image, and adjusted as necessary. The patient and I can then change the implant size or type in the system to see a simulation of the desired result. This is a great help to my patients, who have a much better idea of what to expect regarding size and appearance after surgery. Although there is no exact way to predict which implant will give a certain size after surgery, this comes close. I still take measurements at the time of the consultation, and many patients still like to try on implants in a bra, but these methods are somewhat imprecise.
Douglas J. Mackenzie, M.D., F.A.C.S.