"Carolyn" had planned her wedding for a year; she developed a devastating cancer that put a hole in the side of her nose; her hopes were pinned on the skills of renowned plastic surgeon and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Azizzadeh LOS ANGELES, May 28
LOS ANGELES, May 28 /PRNewswire/ -- For Carolyn, 30, life was going along
exactly as she had dreamed -- an exciting job in entertainment, lots of social
activities and falling in love and planning a wedding. Like all brides-to-be
Carolyn wanted to be picture-perfect for her wedding day. So when she first
noticed the small bump on her nose, she assumed it was a minor acne flair up.
That small pimple, however, turned out to be a potentially deadly skin cancer
that would require significant surgery that could permanently scar her face.
"Skin cancer incidence is rising faster than any other type of cancer,"
said Dr. Babak Azizzadeh, one of the world's most respected facial plastic and
reconstructive surgeons who specializes in patients with skin cancers. "While
they can occur anywhere, nearly 80 percent appear on the face, head, or neck,
where they can be disfiguring as well as dangerous."
Treating skin cancers can be life-saving, but may leave a patient with
less than pleasing cosmetic or functional results. Depending on the location
and severity of the cancer, the consequences range from a small, unsightly
scar to permanent changes in facial features. In these cases, a skilled
plastic surgeon becomes an important part of the medical team, not only for
the patient's physical health, but for their emotional and mental well-being
as well.
In Carolyn's case, the skin cancer was successfully removed, but the
damage to her nose was dramatic both cosmetically and functionally. In
consulting with Dr. Azizzadeh, Carolyn opted for reconstructive surgery to
repair damaged tissue, rebuild her nose and restore her appearance. She
required a three-stage procedure where tissue was transferred from her
forehead to reconstruct the large area of the nose that was involved.
Cartilage was also used to build the infrastructure of the nose.
"It was an incredible transformation that gave me the courage to pick up
my life as if nothing had ever happened," said Carolyn. "Dr. Azizzadeh's
reconstructive surgery completely removed the most obvious reminder of my
cancer and allowed me to move forward without literally facing the fear of
cancer every day."
Reconstructive surgery differs from cosmetic surgery as it is performed on
abnormal structures of the body, caused by any number of factors including
birth defects, trauma or injury, tumors, or disease. This highly specialized
surgery improves functions and restores an individual's appearance to
approximate the "normal" look. It is estimated that more than one million
reconstructive procedures are performed by plastic surgeons in the United
States annually.
"On an average day in the U.S., more than one million people tan in
tanning salons and thousands spend hours in the sun without any skin
protection," said Dr. Azizzadeh. "Working with patients like Carolyn is
bittersweet: I'm overjoyed to be able to make such a positive impact on her
recovery and future, yet dismayed by the widespread disregard Americans seem
to have when it comes to skin cancer."
Despite warnings, skin cancer rates continue to rise in the United States,
with a significant increase among teens. The Skin Cancer Foundation reports
that nearly 30 million people tan indoors in the U.S. annually, of which 2.3
million are teens despite facts that show use of tanning beds increase the
risk for skin cancer by up to 2.5% and that using tanning beds before age 35
increases the risk of melanoma by 75%. In addition, more than 90% of all skin
cancers are caused by sun exposure, yet fewer than 33% of adults, adolescents,
and children routinely use sun protection. One blistering sunburn in
childhood more than doubles a person's chances of developing Melanoma later in
life.
Skin Cancer:
-- One million Americans are diagnosed with Melanoma each year. The rate
has increased by 4% annually since l973.
-- Eighty percent of a person's lifetime sun exposure is acquired before
age 18.
-- Nearly 9,800 people in the United States die of skin cancer each year,
7,400 of those from Melanoma.
-- Melanoma is responsible for three-fourths of annual U.S. skin cancer
deaths.
Dr. Babak Azizzadeh, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Babak Azizzadeh is a Harvard-trained Facial Plastic Surgeon who
specializes exclusively in the cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the
face, eyes and nose. He is the Director of The Center for Facial and Nasal
Plastic Surgery and board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic &
Reconstructive Surgery as well as the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head &
Neck Surgery. His expertise in cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery
has made him one of the most sought-after surgeons in the country. He has
been featured in The Oprah Winfrey Show, The New York Times, Discovery Health,
and numerous other media for his expertise in facial plastic surgery. For
more information, visit (http://www.facialplastics.info/azizzadeh.html)
Photos available.
Press Contact:
Christine King, TMG International
310.887.7077
ck@tmginternational.com
This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information,
visit http://www.ereleases.com.
SOURCE Dr. Babak Azizzadeh, M.D., F.A.C.S.
