The McIndoe Surgical Centre has long been known as a centre of excellence for cosmetic surgery, but what about if you want to hear like you did ten years ago?

The answer may be at hand. Matt Cannon is the resident Hearing Aid Audiologist at McIndoe Surgical Centre in East Grinstead. It is his job to give your hearing a makeover.

He said “People often think hearing aids make you look old. However, if you are out with a group of friends and you are asked for your opinion and you stare back blankly because you have not heard, that makes you look much older. Besides, the latest digital hearing technology is near invisible.”

As an Independent Hearing Aid Audiologist, Matt is able to select the most appropriate product for you from any of the hearing aid manufacturers. Once you have been assessed, you can then be fitted with the hearing aid and trial it for six weeks to make sure it is right for you.

For more information or to book a consultation with Matt Cannon, call 01342 315111

With Tattoo Removal in the spotlight at the moment following the break-up of Cheryl & Ashley Cole’s marriage, John Pereira - Consultant Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgeon at McIndoe Surgical Centre, East Grinstead, gives us an insight into what can be achieved and expected when needing a tattoo removed.

I frequently see patients in my outpatient clinic requesting tattoo removal.  The commonest problem is a change of partner requiring removal of a name or birthdate tattoo, but a change in employment or simply a change of fashion can cause people to regret the decision that was made to have a tattoo.

Several options exist when it comes to removing tattoos and all should be discussed with a patient before one method is chosen and treatment commences.  The size of the tattoo, its location, the colour and the cost of treatment all influence a patient’s treatment choice. So what are the options:

1. Do nothing – accept that no removal method is perfect and decide to cover the tattoo with clothing – easy in some areas and tricky in others!
2. Ask your tattoo artist if the offending name can be disguised in another tattoo – this can work very well at times.
3. Cosmetic Camouflage – The Red Cross runs courses to help people learn how to most effectively cover birthmarks and other blemishes like tattoos.
4. LASER treatment – this requires several different wavelength LASERs and often multiple visits to fade or remove the tattoo.  Patients considering this should look carefully into the realistic outcome of treatment – ask to see pictures from the clinic of tattoos of the same colours that they want removed.  Remember a course of treatment is usually required with a charge each time.  Attend only established clinics with multiple wavelength LASERs and experienced operators.
5. Tattoo Erase is a newer modality whereby a natural chemical is tattooed over the original tattoo.  The skin scabs and the scab peels off taking with it the underlying pigment.  This is repeated around every 8 weeks until all the pigment is gone.  The colour of the remaining skin may be altered and there may be some scarring.
6. Surgery – This can be the quickest and cheapest method of removing small tattoos, usually performed as an outpatient local anaesthetic procedure.  Larger tattoos may need a skin graft to cover the area once it has been removed.  Whilst this obviously leaves a significant scar it is a one stop procedure that appeals to many and can be explained away as the result of an accident if anyone asks.

My personal opinion is that no treatment is guaranteed to remove a tattoo without trace.  Patients therefore have to have an idea of what will be left behind after treatment.  Surgery will usually leave a linear scar if the tattoo is small enough to cut out and stitch closed, LASER may lighten some tattoos but still leave them readable – a disappointment if you wanted a name removed!  Tattoo erase usually removes the pigment of a tattoo but often leaves some scar tissue in the shape of the original tattoo.  Take your time to decide which treatment is most acceptable to you and research all costs up front so there are no surprises part way through treatment.

For more information call 0800 917 4922 or visit www.mcindoesurgical.co.uk

With spring finally underway and the long lazy days of summer tantalizingly close we all look forward to packing away our winter coats and soaking up some well deserved sunshine. But this year, please take a few moments to apply the advice given below by Leading Skin Cancer Surgeon Paul Banwell before you step outside.  

Summer isn’t just about shedding the layers of clothes and basking in the longed for heat - it’s also about protection. Everyone should be aware of the simple ways in which to protect themselves and their family from the damage sunrays can cause if we expose ourselves with no protection. Skin cancer is on the increase and is no respecter of age or culture.

Tips from  Paul Banwell:

·   Sun awareness is vital and really does have an effect.

·   Avoid the midday sun (between 11am and 3pm).

·   Apply liberal amounts of sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30+.

·   Wear a hat, loose clothes (tightly woven) and sunglasses.

·   The face and neck are the areas most commonly affected by sun damage, so be sure to apply sunscreen to lips, ears, around eyes, neck and scalp if your hair is thinning.

What should we look out for?

Look out for new or existing moles that are darkly pigmented, change in colour and/or size, have an irregular outline and itch, bleed or crust. If you are unsure or concerned that you may have one or more of these symptoms, visit your GP. He or she will examine your skin and would be able to refer you to a Plastic Surgeon with a specialist interest in skin cancer.

Two of McIndoe Surgical Centre’s surgeons are putting down the scalpel and picking up the mic in order to give interviews to radio stations to help support No Smoking Day on Wednesday 10^th March.

Peter Arnstein will be interviewed on Mercury Radio 97.5-102.7 FM and Marc Pacifico will be interviewed for Meridian Radio 107 FM. If you’re interested in a cosmetic or reconstructive view of the damage smoking can do to your body then please tune in and listen to the helpful advice on Wednesday 10^th March - No Smoking Day.

 Dan Tickle, Chief Executive of the charity No Smoking Day, which organises the annual campaign, said, “Good luck to all the smokers in Sussex who are breaking free on March 10 – remember you’re not alone. Take advantage of the support available; you’ll get friendly and expert advice to help you to stop smoking for good.”

Here are some top tips to help you:

·         Call your local free stop smoking service on [insert local helpline number] and check out what it offers – you are 4 times more likely to stop smoking

·         Get some Nicotine Replacement Therapy such as patches or gum.  It can double your chance of stopping – talk to your GP or pharmacist

·         Write down all the reasons you want to stop and stick it on the fridge to help you stay motivated

·         Talk to your friends, family and workmates – support from them is essential – why not quit together and keep each other motivated?

For further advice on any smoking related issues you feel may be benefitted by surgery please contact our helpline on 0800 917 4922 or email us at info@mcindoesurgical.co.uk

Judi Coe 60, a medical secretary from West Sussex, had facelift and eyelid reduction surgery with Mr Nicholas Parkhouse at the McIndoe Surgical Centre in East Grinstead.

‘Nine years ago my husband of 15 years kissed me goodbye one morning, went to work and never came back. He disappeared, and I was left in shock. I finally tracked him down two years later living in China, but we never spoke again. It’s taken me years, but now I have a good job and a lovely house, and our daughter is happy. It’s time I did something for me. Aisha, my daughter of 24, said ‘Go for it, Mum’. Says Judi.

‘I had fillers 10 years ago, which sufficed then, but he last decade has taken it out of me. The contours of my face have changed dramatically and I have a scraggy neck.

This will be it; I won’t have another facelift. I’ll accept I’m a little old lady eventually. But I’m not ready to vegetate at home just yet.’

Judi decided to go for it and have the procedure done, and after much research into the consultant and hospital, she chose McIndoe Surgical Centre, renowned for its excellence in cosmetic and plastic surgery.

After the operation Judi was in the hospital for three days – I didn’t want to go home! It was like a spa.

Now the scars have healed I think I look at least 10 years younger. My skin feels tighter, yet I haven’t got that windswept look. You’d never know I’d been operated on, as the only scars are in the crease of the ear.

I bumped into a friend who I hadn’t seen for years; the first thing they said was “Wow, what have you been doing? You look terrific!”

It was revealed recently that some 25,000 patients die unnecessarily each year within NHS hospitals, because of clots formed in the deep veins of the legs, breaking off and entering the blood stream of the lungs as pulmonary emboli.

Tom Treasure, chair of the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death, Chair of a NICE Guideline Development Group and, chair  of EACTS Thoracic Committee reporting to the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, strongly suggested that most of these patients could be saved from this fate if all patients entering hospital were appropriately screened according to a set protocol and provided with prophylactic anti clotting treatment as protection.

Here at the McIndoe Surgical Centre we are proud to say such a protocol has been utilised universally for some 10 years during which time no patient within the hospital has suffered from a deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus.

Your safety is and will always be our primary concern.

Pr Genie is delighted to announce that it has been appointed to handle the press and pr for the McIndoe Surgical Centre in East Grinstead. The award winning hospital is home to over 20 plastic surgeons making it one of the largest specialist, private plastic surgery hospital’s in the world and is well known throughout the UK for its work with Extreme Makeover guests. With an astonishing 100% patient satisfaction levels and an unrivalled aftercare system McIndoe offers the smart and safe choice for patients on their cosmetic surgery journey.

For more information about the centre and its services, for case studies or comments from world class surgeons regarding reconstructive or cosmetic surgery please contact Pr Genie using the contact details above.

About the McIndoe Surgical Centre 

The McIndoe Surgical Centre was set up 10 years ago by a group of leading surgeons who set out to establish a centre of excellence in plastic, reconstruction and aesthetic surgery.

Whether patients wanted a cosmetic procedure or reconstructive surgery following breast cancer, an accident or congenital deformity they could be confident of receiving excellent plastic surgery care delivered by surgeons and not a sales team.

In the past ten years the surgeons and support staff have worked hard to achieve and maintain a world class reputation. They continually aim for the highest standards, investing in technology, comfortable surroundings and offer our patients individual care plans to suit their needs.

All surgeons have to be approved by the Hospitals Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) and hold or have held a similar consultant position in the NHS.  All surgeons have a minimum of FRCS qualifications, surgeons performing plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery will have achieved further qualifications, allowing FRCS (Plast) to be written after their name.  Surgeons in this specialty will either be members of British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and/or the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS).

McIndoe Surgical Centre is regulated under the Care Standards Act 2000 and inspected against National Minimum Standards by the National Care Standards Commission. The hospital is registered with the Care Quality Commission.

Dear followers,

Thought I would let you know how I was getting on, as it is a year since I had my gastric band put in at McIndoe Surgical Centre. I have to say that I feel very close to my band and regard it as one of my closest friends. I am at a really great point now as my band helps me feel full and doesn’t let too much food go by. I am also able to control my temptations and eat properly and healthily.

Everybody knows how hard it is when you try to eat as many different important food groups everyday and to get your oils, fresh veg, fruit and grains so your body can run as a well oiled machine as it should.  To achieve this with a restriction on the quantity of the food you can consume in a day is even harder.  I am finding as more time goes by and I begin to settle into life with a band (and this takes a while) I have now found a pattern.

I think my portions are small compared to most peoples, but as I have learnt we just don’t need to eat as much as we think we do. As long as you are eating the correct foods you will not crave for the unnecessary, unhealthy foods. I really enjoy eating fish as it feels lighter inside and seems to give me energy, also fruit is great in the morning and I do try to drink lots of water throughout the day.

The past year has been a fantastic experience for me and I continue on my quest to find the “skinny me” inside. In the past year I have gone down from a Size 24 to a size 16 and am a hundred times more confident and full of energy!

Bye for now

Debbie xxxxxx

The McIndoe Surgical Centre, East Grinstead has been under-going a makeover of the digital kind with the launch of their brand new, interactive website. The site which will go live on 27^th January 2010 contains a range of innovative and helpful new online tools enabling consumers to obtain tailored information, ensuring they make the right decision about their cosmetic and reconstructive surgery needs.

The internet is saturated with cosmetic surgery centres offering unbelievable, ‘too good to be true’ deals on their websites and with botched surgery on the rise, it is essential that consumers have access to reputable and responsible information, so they can make an informed and educated decision about their procedure.

The new website will engage with consumers offering impartial advice and guidance through a variety of useful online tools. With clear tabs for specific cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, consumers are able to access information quickly in the virtual consultation room, with all you need to know in one place.

As part of the new look, the website includes a procedure body map where both men and women can click on an area of the body they would like to improve and find out the procedures available. The new BMI calculator is another helpful function creating a more comprehensive weight loss section to the website.  

Mr Peter Arnstein, plastic surgeon at McIndoe Surgical Centre comments, “Surgery can produce fantastic results, however, it is not a decision to go into lightly. It is imperative that anyone thinking of having surgery needs to thoroughly research where to go, which surgeon to use and what the procedure will involve, rather than be enticed by cheap deals which can often lead to disappointing results. The new website will give people an opportunity to research a procedure in detail and find out more about what is involved, to help them make a more informed decision.” 

We would love to hear you feedback.  Why not complete the contact form on our website.

From gastric bands to body sculpting, the surgical way to get back to a healthy shape

Whether you are looking to dramatically reduce your body weight or tackle stubborn areas of fat that simply won’t shift, surgery may be an option to help you get back in shape for 2010.

BMI over 25?

A gastric band operation to reduce the size of the stomach, can help people with a high BMI lose significant amounts of weight in cases where conventional diets and medication have not worked and the patient’s health is at risk. 

“It is important that people understand that a gastric band is a not a quick fix, and not performed solely for cosmetic reasons.” Commented bariatric surgeon Mr Ali, “However it has a very high success rate which is why it is such a popular choice.  The aim is to get a patient to a healthy BMI of between 18.5 and 25 to reduce their risk of getting, and even cure, obesity related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.”

Got a bit of excess?

Patients who have lost a large amount of weight, typically 40 to 70% of their body weight[1], can often be left with mounds of heavy excess skin hanging on the arms, legs, stomach and chest.

Patients with excess skin can have a full body lift, where skin is surgically tightened around the entire body, slack stomach muscles are re-tightened and arms and legs are ‘contoured’ to remove excess fat and skin.

“Many patients are over-influenced by the way obesity surgery is portrayed on TV as a ‘quick-fix’, without thinking about the after-effects to the body of such a huge amount of weight loss. Post weight loss, patients can be left carrying an average of 10 to 20 pounds of excess skin, so the freedom that patients feel after body lift surgery and excess skin removal can be as great as the original weight loss.” Commented plastic surgeon Mr Peter Arnstein.

Balancing Act?

Areas of stubborn fat, typically around the upper arms, thighs, bottom or stomach can be particularly frustrating as often no amount of dieting or exercise can shift it, leaving you with an uneven body shape. 

Liposuction is a form of surgery designed to create a balanced, proportionate body by permanently removing fat cells from problem areas, resulting in a real improvement in your body shape.

Liposuction is seen by surgeons as the finishing procedure, designed to help sculpt a balanced shapely figure in patients who are of a healthy weight but have a few niggly areas that exercise and diet will not help.

Tummy Troubles?

A tummy tuck can help tackle loose layers of fat and skin around the stomach area after pregnancy or dramatic weight loss to help you regain a flat stomach.  Abdominoplasty aims to sculpt the stomach to the body’s natural contours resulting in a flatter tummy and more youthful form.

Abdominoplasty is a very effective procedure for patients with excess skin and fatty tissue around the stomach area.  A beneficial side effect of this procedure for some patients is the reduction of visible stretch marks and existing scars, as the skin bearing the blemishes is removed during surgery.

Not sure which procedure is right for you?  Or to reserve you space on one of our open evenings -   Weight Loss Surgery, 26 January 2010 -  Cosmetic Surgery, 13^th January or 10^th February, contact our Helpline on 0800 917 4922 or email info@mcindoesurgical.co.uk.