Archive for October, 2015

Treatment Options for Burn Care

If you are a burn victim, you understand just how emotional everyday can be to wake up to your scars. Not only are they a positive symbol that you made it through the fire alive, but they are also painful reminders of how your life changed almost instantly. If you have severe burn scars and would like to seek medical attention to get rid of them, read on to learn more.

Treatment
Depending on how severe your scars are, the location of your scars, and how many there are will all be determining factors for what type of burn care treatment will be best for you. From skin grafting to tissue expanding, there are several options for both you and your doctor to pick from to help deliver you with the best results possible.

• Skin Grafting
  Skin grafting is the procedure in which skin will be taken from one portion of the body (usually not visible with regular clothing) and then transplanted to another portion of the body. Once the skin has been removed from its initial site, it will then be transplanted to its final resting place by using medial dressing and a few stitches.
• Tissue Expanding
  Tissue expansion is a more unique and complex procedure that allows your body to produce more of your natural skin. During this procedure, an instrument known as a “balloon expander” will be inserted underneath your skin near the location of the burn. Similar to how a woman’s body expands during pregnancy, this balloon will mimic that same process as it is slowly filled with a saline solution over time— causing the skin to expand and grow. Once enough skin has been grown, it will then be used to help repair the burn site.

Although there are other options available to treat burn scars, these are two of the most common types that are used and are fairly popular among patients.

To learn more about how to treat your burn scars or to schedule an appointment with one of our expert physicians, contact our office today!

Posted in Burn Care on October 30th, 2015

Your First Aid for Burns

Whether it is minor or severe, getting burned anywhere in the body can be a panicky moment for us. However, it is most important to keep our mind as clear as water immediately following the incident. After acquiring such trauma, first aid must be applied.

After making sure that the source of burning has already been stopped, keep the damage to its minimum by following these surefire (no pun intended) tips:

For Minor Burns

• Clean the wound gently using lukewarm water.
• Any constricting articles in the affected area, such as rings, bracelets, or any other pieces of jewelry, must be removed as they can cause swelling or inflammation in the skin.
• If you have such at home, topical antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin or Bacitracin can help alleviate the symptoms and prevent the damage from worsening. These medications can be purchased over the counter.
• If you think the burn may be deeper and could be a second to third in degree, seek medical care immediately.

For Major Burns

• Once you have assessed and categorized it as a second or third degree burn, call the proper authorities.
• Wrap the affected area in a clean cloth or sheet. NEVER apply cold water to the burnt area. Doing such could cause an extreme drop of body temperature called hypothermia.

For electrical burns, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Meanwhile, in the case of chemical burns, identifying the damaging chemical is a must. The Poison Control Center can help you throughout the situation. Although some chemical burns can only be treated using home wound remedies, some may cause more serious injuries that promote possible limb-threatening conditions.

Burn Care in New Jersey

Forget about this traumatizing incident and have your burn scars removed. Dr. Weinstein can make this possible with skin grafting and tissue expansion. Call us at 908-879-2222 to book an appointment with Dr. Weinstein today.

Posted in Body Procedures, Burn Care on September 15th, 2014

Easy Ways to Prevent Burns

Fire and heat are always dangerous, but there’s no ignoring the fact that we somehow need them in our homes and in our daily lives. Because of this, it is our responsibility to prevent ourselves and our family from becoming burn victims.

Make your home a safer and burn-free place by applying the following precautionary measures.

The danger comes mostly from the kitchen.

Be mindful when moving around the kitchen; pay attention even to the smallest details. You can turn your cooking pots and pans in so that the handles are not easily knocked off from the stove. If possible, you may cook using the back burners of your stove. Do not allow your children to play around the kitchen while you are cooking and help them develop this habit.

Be cautious when handling hot containers and liquids.

Do not ever pass a hot drink over someone’s head. Also, ensure that hot drinks or food are not placed on the edges of your table or a counter to avoid knocking them off.

Don’t leave the iron unattended.

When you are done with ironing, never leave the hot iron on the ironing board, especially if you have children around the house. Remove the plug and keep it in a safe spot, away from fabrics and your children’s reach. You should also do the same with hair irons.

Keep your household cleaning products in a safe place.

By safe, it means away from your children’s reach. Household cleaning products usually contain chemicals that could be harmful to the body when ingested or when a person is exposed to it. Reading the labels on these products also helps.

Sunscreen works wonders.

When going outdoors, it is advised to apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15. Since they are more sensitive to the heat of the sun, children could use sunscreen with SPF 30 at the least.

Burn Care in New Jersey

If you have already applied these measures yet still have injuries and scarring from burns, it is best to seek burn care right away. Here at Weinstein Plastic Surgery Center, you can take advantage of burn care in New Jersey and avoid the long-lasting effects of these injuries and scars.

Request a consultation with Dr. Weinstein today by calling 908-879-2222 or filling out this online contact form to learn more about burn care and to know your options. We would love to hear from you!

Posted in Body Procedures, Burn Care on May 16th, 2014

Plastic Surgery Options for Maximum Burn Recovery

Burn victims may suffer from loss of sensation, impaired mobility function or a disfigured appearance. For patients wanting to go back to their normal activities and living as much as possible, exploring several plastic surgery options might greatly benefit them.

Dr. Larry Weinstein of the Weinstein Plastic Surgery Center provides excellent New Jersey burn care for maximum recovery amongst victims. If the burned portion of your body is severely wounded, Dr. Weinstein may have to do a débridement – removal of dead skin tissues prior to plastic surgery.

These are the two plastic surgery options commonly sought after by patients from Dr. Weinstein.

Skin Grafting

Skin grafting by Dr. Weinstein involves the removal of skin from one area of the body and the transfer to another portion afterwards. Skin grafting in burn cases often comes in two kinds: split-thickness and full-thickness grafts. The former only involves the outer layer of the skin while the latter involves the entire dermis region.

A skin-cutting instrument called the dermatone is used to harvest skin from the donor site, often in the buttocks and inner thigh regions. Once completely removed, the harvested skin is then attached to the burnt region, held in place by several stitches and a sterile dressing. The donor site is also covered with dressings to avoid infection.

The recovery period for a split thickness graft is relatively fast, approximately 2 to 3 weeks. On the other hand, patients who undergo full thickness grafting may take longer to recover. Apart from being utilized in burn cases, skin grafting is also used in other cosmetic surgeries such as nose and breast reconstruction.

Tissue Expansion

By making use of a “balloon expander”, the damaged skin tissues of burn victims can be reconstructed. For the entire duration of the procedure, this balloon will be gradually filled with salt water (saline solution) until the skin stretches and grows. Once enough skin tissue has been regenerated and grown, Dr. Weinstein may then use the extra tissue to reconstruct the damaged portion.

An average tissue expansion procedure takes around 4 months. One of its advantages is how it can mimic one’s skin color and texture. Scarring is also rare since there is no skin removal involved.

If you’ve suffered from burns, feel fee to contact Dr. Weinstein about your plastic surgery options.

Posted in Burn Care, Plastic Surgery on August 9th, 2013

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