I am a forty-five year old female who has just reached the highest confidence level of my whole life thanks totally to Dr. Ditesheim and his staff.
Ever since my early twenties I began to notice my breasts becoming much bigger than I ever anticipated. Of course I thought I was still growing into “womanhood”, but as I reached my thirties it became clear that this was not the case. On the mental level I became depressed, embarrassed, and ashamed of my breasts and of myself. On the physical level I could not sleep well, had constant back pain, and felt like dying the week before that time of the month with my breasts discomfort. I of course wore the big shirts hoping to hide my breasts, wore bras that made my breasts appear smaller (not even Houdini could do that), and hold items like books, and papers in front of my breasts. When I stood beside someone who was sitting down, my breasts would be in-line with their eyes, or give them shade if I were standing behind them. Not joking, this is what I felt like my breasts were doing.
Relationships were very hard to have. I began to think that every guy only wanted to be with me because of the size of my breasts. This of course led to break-ups and loneliness.
Working in television, my station airs “Maury” and one day he had big breasted women on the show. Well, the guys around me were looking, and making comments about the show and their likes and dislikes of the size of the women. As I listened to them and watched the ladies on the show, I felt even more ashamed because with those ladies on “Maury” their breasts were at least perky and not going down to their stomach as mine were.
I began to discuss breast reduction with a close friend and co-worker, and she told me of her experience with breast enlargement. This of course was information that didn’t pertain to me somewhat, because I wanted to get rid of what I had and here she gained it. She told me of the pain, discomfort, and the long healing process she went through. She also informed me of a friend who also had a reduction procedure that didn’t go well at all. This friend (to this day) has a very long scar from her breasts to almost mid back. Due to this scar, her boyfriend at the time left her because he said she looked like Frankenstein. After hearing of their experiences, different procedure or not, I decided to have it because it was bad enough I didn’t have a boyfriend due to the size of my breasts, even worse to get one and he leave because of my breasts.
Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer and at forty-four decided to do some internet research on breast reduction. I looked at both the private sector and the partnership sector. I found so many sites without any of the information I needed. No before or after pictures, nothing in detail about the doctor’s credentials, hardly any information about the procedure a particular doctor may use, and what some did say almost scared me off again. Seeing the words “You may experience complications or death”, just didn’t have me jumping at the chance. I did find two that read pretty well. I called to set up a consultation and all I received from the medical assistant/receptionist was “we’ll send you some information in the mail. Goodbye.” This was very cold and definitely non-caring. It became apparent that these doctors did not like that I couldn’t go through my work insurance and would have to finance the procedure. Those never returned my calls.
I was about to give up, again, until I came to Dr. Ditesheim’s website. It was like God opened up the gates of happiness. All the information I wanted, needed, and reassurance was all right there. It was just a matter of calling and setting up a consultation. It was at that moment after I spoke with Jan that I began to feel excited about changing my life, not just my body.
Once I met with Dr. Ditesheim and Debra, we began talking about what I read on his website. They both answered my questions and then some. They totally made me feel comfortable and at ease at going through with the procedure. I left their office feeling this was going to be the first day of my “real” life.
The pre-op and after information that Dr. Ditesheim and Debra told me to expect was straight on. I never really experienced any pain, just a little discomfort for a very short while. I was only out of work for two weeks and the change was very noticeable.
No one will ever know how truly happy I am both mentally and physically for the first time in my life. I can sleep comfortably, I don’t hide behind items, and guys are not looking at my breasts but my face.
I am so elated with the work that Dr. Ditesheim has done. I love the way he and his staff treat me like a person and not just a patient. It’s like I am going to a home and not a doctor’s office. Again, I love the way my breasts look, and feel. I love having confidence in my life for the first time. Not to mention I can finally buy a pretty bra that fits instead of an “old lady” bra that doesn’t fit well.
I honestly believe that God picks who he believes should be and would be a great cosmetic surgeon, and Dr. Ditesheim was definitely at the top of his list.
Want to know what liposuction is really like? Recent patient Maria B. shares her experience:
WHY? “I have been carrying around extra weight for quite some time. I’m short, and I was starting to look “boxy.”
WHERE? “I had liposuction in several areas: under breasts to pubic bone, from bra line to lower back, across my butt and outer thighs and on the back of my upper arms.”
RECOVERY? “My procedure was done on Friday and I went back to work on Monday. Because I had so much done, I could have rested two more days. But, on the 10th day after surgery, I felt great!
HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW? “Dr. Ditesheim always talks about empowerment… wow, is he right! I feel so much better about myself! I’m no longer wearing my shirts outside of my pants and I carry myself differently; much more confidently!”
WILL YOU STAY FIT? “I know this isn’t the answer to staying in shape. but it gave me the jump start that I needed to take better care of myself.”
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHERS? “If something about your body is bothering you, fix it! We go to the hair salon, we get manicures, we wax our legs… if we can do something to feel better about ourselves, we should DO IT!”
CONSIDERING LIPOSUCTION? Dr. Ditesheim specializes in breast and body contouring and can help you to define your goals for liposuction. Although the most common areas for liposuction are hips, thighs and tummy, several other areas of the body can benefit from the procedure as well. Dr. Ditesheim can perform liposuction on ankles, knees, arms, under the chin and several other areas that one might not readily consider.
In April, the Charlotte Observer ran a story about breast cancer survivor Pam Phillips and her mission to send a girl from Garinger High School to the prom. Pam wanted to show her appreciation for the kindnesses shown to her during her journey through breast cancer and survivorship.
Pam is a patient of ours, and has also become our friend. There is so much more to Pam’s personal story of empowerment and she has allowed us to share it with you.
The tangible facts are these: Pam was 40 with two growing children when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has had seven surgeries in the past four years. She is a survivor.
Like most breast cancer survivors, Pam was faces with many choices about breast reconstruction. “The choices available on that road were both confusing and frustrating. I was entering a world of unknowns,” she says.
After two lengthy consultations, Dr. Ditesheim and Pam agreed upon a plan for her breast reconstruction. “My entire family became Dr. Ditesheim’s patient. He talked with all of us and included everyone in the process.” Pam’s reconstruction schedule included several surgeries, and she still has one more procedure to finish. But, the dramatic change has already been realized: “I feel like I never had cancer,” says Pam.
It is the intangible feeling of hope, encouragement and empowerment that began when Pam joined Team Ditesheim for the Koman Race for the Cure last year that led her to want to give back to the world. “For me, the walk was an end and a beginning at the same time. It was an end to the cancer diagnoses that brought fear and despair and a beginning that gives hope and encouragement to the rest of my life,” Pam says.
With the help of several Charlotteans that were moved by the story about Pam in the Observer, she was able to send not one, but three girls from Garinger High to the prom of their dreams on April 23.
Pam says, “My experience with Dr. Ditesheim made me whole and complete; mind, body and spirit. I wanted to share that feeling with others and hope to continue to do it even more!”
“When I decided that I needed cosmetic surgery I thought my only option was a facelift but there are several reasons why that would not work for me. I have a very busy schedule and a hectic lifestyle with teenagers at home, a husband that travels and a demanding job. I knew that I could not take off a month to six weeks for the recovery time it would take to heal properly, and the cost was more than I could fit into my budget. Furthermore, I didn’t need a full face lift.
Then last year I saw a commercial about a procedure called Quick Lift* and started looking into the possibility of doing that. It sounded perfect for me since it required little recovery time and would allow me to continue with my life…and it fit my budget. So I went for a couple of consultations and was told that I was a good candidate for this procedure so I thought I had found my answer. Then, after hearing his commercial on the radio I scheduled a consultation with Dr. Ditesheim and everything changed for me.
When I first walked into the office Jan gave me a warm reception welcoming me by name instead of asking for my name. I didn’t have to wait 30 minutes, or more, for my appointment but was received right away (they expected me!). When Lainie took me to the room where I would meet with the Doctor she chatted briefly with me to put me at ease and make sure I was comfortable, she even brought me a bottle of water. Then Debra came in smiling, bright and cheerful; she made me feel like we were long time friends getting reacquainted. I felt an instant connection with her while she asked me questions about what I wanted to do as she gathered some basic information and assured me of her great confidence in Dr. Ditesheim. Wow, I was amazed and I had not even seen the Doctor!
Then Dr. Ditesheim came in and sat in the chair beside me, turned toward me and had a conversation with me. We discussed why I was there, my lifestyle, hobbies, habits, family, work situation and activity level. It was obvious that he wanted to know enough to understand me and help me make the best decision. He was familiar with the Quick Lift procedure but as we continued talking he told me that I did have another option. As he explained about his lower face lift I felt like “this is it! He knows exactly what I’m looking for”. He told that the lower face lift would give me better results and last longer as well. He allowed me to ask questions as we talked and was never rushed or distracted. Best of all he told me that this better procedure was within my budget and he understood clearly about my recovery limitations. I have never been happier that I heard a commercial on the radio.
We scheduled the surgery for a Friday morning and when I arrived at the hospital they too were professional, pleasant and efficient. My husband was allowed to stay with me until I went to the operating room and Dr. Ditesheim came to visit before the surgery, met my husband and asked if we had any questions. After that I don’t remember much about that day.
The evening of my surgery I do remember getting a call from Debra checking on me to see how I was doing and to make sure everything was going as it should. By Monday when I went back for my follow-up visit I was already up and around, just moving a little slower. I did skip church that Sunday but was back at work on Monday and by day six I was pretty much back to full speed. My healing went well, the scars are almost invisible and I look like a younger, more rested version of my adult self. I no longer have the parentheses around my mouth and I don’t have the turkey skin from my chin to neck.
Dr. Ditesheim went beyond my expectations and when all was said and done he had done everything, and more, that he had promised. The results were so close to his predicted outcome it’s uncanny. I’m amazed at how different I feel in public now, especially when attending formal and business events. I feel attractive and confident for the first time in years.
Last week I went for my six month follow up and everyone seems more like family now. I was a little disappointed that it won’t be necessary to go back. However; if I want or need any other cosmetic procedures I will only go to Dr. Ditesheim.
I recommend Dr. Ditesheim to anyone young, old or anywhere in between. The respect and care received from everyone in his office is unsurpassed and the predictability of the outcome is more important than I realized. If I had not chosen Dr. Ditesheim I shutter to think what may have happened, because I have heard stories since my surgery about others who went the route I started to go and their results many times have been less than they had hoped for and some have even resulted in negative results that required additional surgery to correct. That could easily have been my story. Instead I have even better, longer lasting results than I dreamed of and some new friends. God does work in mysterious ways and I thank Him for leading me to Dr. Ditesheim.”
*The “Quicklift” is a procedure that is advertised by an opthalmologist in Charlotte. The advertisement suggests that the procedure can be performed under local anesthesia, not in an operating room, takes little time to perform, has minimal scars and promises a quick recovery. In contrast, this patient elected to have a “short-scar facelift” procedure. The surgery was performed by a board certified plastic surgeon, in an operating room under the care of an anesthesiologist (MD). The procedure lasted just over two hours, the patient returned home and returned to work within the week as promised. The scars were limited to the crease in front of the ear and around the earlobe. There were no scars above the sideburn or behind the ear.
Before and 6 month after short-scar facelift with minimal scar technique: The “sagginess of the cheek skin” is gone, the jawline is defined and the neck has a more youthful shape. The scar is limited to around the front of the ear and blends easily with the skin. The lower eyelid hollow has been “softened” with filler to smooth the transition from the lower eyelid to the cheek.
My name is Caroline, I’m 37 years old, I have two children. My oldest is 13 my youngest is 5. I live here in Charlotte. I decided to have breast augmentation surgery because after my first child was born I had pretty much lost all the mass in my breast, all the tissue was gone. I went from having breasts to having utters almost overnight.
And working out as much as I do and being as concerned as I am about my physical appearance, you know there was just nothing I could do to make my boobs any better, so breast augmentation was pretty much the only alternative if I wanted to fix them, and that was the route that I was gonna have to go.
I chose Dr. Ditesheim after sitting and having consultations with four other doctors here in Charlotte, four prominent doctors. When I met Dr. Ditesheim I immediately felt a connection to him. I immediately felt comfortable. He seemed more like an artist than a surgeon. He had so much input, so much advice to give me. It wasn’t like walking into a doctor’s office and him saying or her saying, okay you want a C or a B? He had some real input. And there were many options as far as what procedure he was gonna use exactly, from the implants to the incisions to the kind of medication. There were several options, it wasn’t just one route, he offers a lot. And he’s just he’s very comfortable, and he’s just a very comfortable man to be around. And that’s important when you’re thinking about having something like breast augmentation, you need to feel that comfort level and that confidence that the doctor’s gonna do what you want.
I opted to take pain medication, so I did alright. Now I will go ahead and tell you that I had the surgery on a Thursday morning and I was back at work Tuesday morning. So the recovery itself is just days, and I think that the procedure I had is a little more complicated than some of the other, you know a simpler procedure, because not only did I have the breast augmentation, I also had a breast lift. So that’s two surgeries in one, and the incision, there’s more of an incision and so forth. So I mean that being as complicated as it was, I mean I was back at work in four days.
I feel great. As a matter of fact I am happier than I thought I would be. My husband is ecstatic. My five year old’s noticed and of course because my husband’s so excited about it my son gets excited about it too. My daughter, I have a 13 year-old daughter who just couldn’t be more pleased. She’s always making comments about my overall figure. I don’t have a little boy body anymore, I actually look like I’m a woman.
As far as the recovery is concerned you know I know that Deborah calls, she’ll call you every day for a week. Dr. Ditesheim calls you for the first couple days as well. So they really do a lot to touch base with you for the week after your surgery to make sure everything’s going okay.
I know my husband loves the fact that I’m secure, I’m more confident. And this is just a funny story, you know walking around the house naked is not something that I’m accustomed to doing, but he came home, this was probably a couple months after the surgery, and I was walking about the bedroom with no shirt on. And to him, he loved that. He said he’d never seen me walk around like that before, and it was neat to see me have the confidence to do something like that, whereas before you know I never would have. And that wasn’t ever even a conscious thought that I wouldn’t have even realized it had he not pointed it out. So yeah I’m definitely happier about my surgery than I ever imagined that I’d be.
His new facility here in Blakeney is incredible. It’s a beautiful area, it’s a beautiful office, it’s very comfortable, and it doesn’t feel sterile. And I talked to, one doctor in particular, you know you go in and you feel like you’re at a hospital, and it’s a very sterile, cold environment, whereas it’s very warm and inviting here.
My expectations were you know just to have my boobs where they’re supposed to be. But they were far exceeded. One thing that didn’t really come into play until after the fact were the way all clothes fit me. I mean there were so many ways that I just couldn’t wear before because I just didn’t have the chest to make it look nice. Now I do, so my wardrobe has expanded. Because I can wear anything and look good in it now.
My name is Shirley, I’m forty…yeah I’m forty eight this year, kind of flew by. I have two children, I’m married, my children are grown. I was diagnosed in August of ’05 with breast cancer. They diagnosed it as DCIS and did a biopsy which led to a lumpectomy which led to a mastectomy and which brought me here to Dr. Ditesheim for reconstruction. And with the procedure I had chose with Dr. Ditesheim, it was very advantageous to do it in a one step procedure, that way one anesthesia eliminated that extra step.
Everything about Dr. Ditesheim and working with him has always exceeded my expectations. He’s always been very thorough, very conscientious of his decision making. You can always tell he thinks through every process before he gets involved into it. Always looks at my best interest. Even when it came time to do the latissimus flap, one of the staff members here in his office had said, “You know a lot of women are very concerned about different side effects and everything, of losing strength in that.” And those questions never occurred to me because I knew Dr. Ditesheim would never do anything that debilitating to me, to recommend a procedure that would debilitate my life, that I’m so active and I just need to keep going and I basically don’t have time for any of this so let’s just do it and get going. So I knew that that wasn’t going to be an issue.
Jan, Jan’s the best. She coordinates the surgery schedules, always accommodating my schedule, what works for me, along with what can be worked into Dr. Ditesheim’s schedule. She has taken care of all the insurance situations. Basically I’ve had no issues with my insurance company. I had found out through this procedure that Dr. Ditesheim is only one in a handful of plastic surgeons who are willing to do reconstruction after breast cancer because of the insurance issues. And the fact that he has done that and he is so knowledgeable and so compassionate and so understanding and so willing to take anything that it takes to make sure that the results are what I want as well as what he would want is amazing.
When I first started my whole experience here at Dr. Ditesheim’s office Deborah was not a member of the staff, she came on board in the past year. And what an awesome addition to the staff. She just fits in well and she’s very friendly and very understanding and you know came up to speed very quickly and was just a wonderful, gave of herself and gave of her information and helped me, you know any questions at all she had the information for me or got me what I needed to know.
I’m feeling absolutely great. You know we finally finished off this last surgery and I’m to a point where it’s like, yes it’s done. That was the last step to take to put cancer behind me. And it’s just been a really good experience.
I’m Roberta, I’m 46, I have two girls. I met with Dr. Ditesheim for a consultation for my eyes and Dr. Ditesheim spent a lot of time with me and he was very patient. He answered all my questions, I didn’t feel rushed when I met with him, I felt he would answer any little question or concern I had and made me feel very comfortable. I’m comfortable with Dr. Ditesheim’s staff. He has a great nurse and office staff and they’ve all been helpful and his office manager has always been helpful and called me, called me post op, and checked in. And I feel like his office staff has been very attentive to all my needs.
Dr. Ditesheim and his staff far exceeded my expectations, especially pre op when I was nervous, and they really helped answer all my questions and made the experience much better than I thought it was going to be. And actually on the day of surgery I felt very confident and I wasn’t nervous that day at all. I had puffiness under my eyes, which was fat, and Dr. Ditesheim did a fat transposition and moved the fat from under my eyes to where the hollows of my eyes were. My eyes were a very complicated case because the way my eyes are positioned on my face is unusual.
My husband was all for it and he knew my eyes bothered me, and he was very comfortable with having me have surgery especially with Dr. Ditesheim, so he was very supportive and my friends were supportive. And they had mentioned to me they thought I needed to have the surgery. And since the surgery people have commented that I look more awake, and people I haven’t told have said to me, “You look different,” and “Did you get your hair cut?” something like that. And everyone thinks I look much better.
My name is Kim, I’m approaching 40 years old, and I have three children – 6, 9, and 13. I’ve been married for 13 years. I had a mommy makeover in terms of I had the breast lift and reduction from the effects of nursing three children and I was ready to do that for myself now that my children are growing older.
Having plastic surgery was something that I’ve wanted to do for quite some time since I had had my children. There were major changes from having three babies and I had been thinking about it for a really long time before I made that decision.
My research started at the OB’s office. I mentioned to him that I had some dissatisfaction with my body and he recommended Dr. Ditesheim. Then I decided to do a little asking around and found a friend who knew somebody who’d had the same surgery, and when I contacted her she had used Dr. Ditesheim and was thrilled with her results, so that was enough for me to have had the recommendation from my OB whose opinion I valued and trusted, and then have a friend of a friend to back that up.
When I came into the office the first time everybody was really friendly and welcoming. I felt very comfortable. Everybody answered all my questions and was always saying I could contact them at any time if I had any questions so I felt very comfortable when I came into the office the first time.
When I came in to see Dr. Ditesheim he made me feel that the procedure that I wanted was something that was doable, that would have a great result. I felt very comfortable with his qualifications. Having the breast reduction and lift surgery there’s several different techniques for doing that surgery and Dr. Ditesheim does the vertical scar technique which leaves a lot less scarring and that was definitely appealing to me as a patient.
I opted to have the surgery here after speaking with Jan and Deborah, they highly recommended doing that as opposed to the hospital. It seemed much more specialized and individually suited to me, much more personal. And so I opted to have it here at the office. From the standpoint of the anesthesia and the anesthesiologist taking into my personal considerations a tolerance for medications, how much I weighed, my metabolism, those kind of things, I felt like it would be a much more personal experience and safer from that standpoint as opposed to being at a hospital where it was more of a general one size fits all.
When I got home I had very few complications or difficulties. I felt really good. That was better than I anticipated. Deborah checked up on me and I always felt like she was there if I needed her for anything. Each step of the way I felt that the staff and Dr. Ditesheim helped me to feel a lot more prepared. They answered all my questions, they were able to take away a lot of my nerves. Having surgery and going under anesthesia is a very nerve wracking process, and yet each time I came in all my questions were answered and I was able to go into surgery feeling very comfortable and very confident in what was going to happen and what my role was and what was gonna take place each step of the way.
One of the great things about Dr. Ditesheim was that he took my concerns into consideration, he took my husband’s concerns into consideration, and then he brought his expertise to the table and said, this is what I think would be the best result. And in the end he was able to bring it all around so that everybody was very happy with the result.
The surgery has made me feel younger, like I’ve really done something special for myself to kind of put my body back the way I wanted it to look after having kids and I feel like I’m a young and vibrant mother and I wanted my body to look the same way as I was feeling. My husband is absolutely thrilled with the results, he’s probably if possible happier than I am. He thinks everything looks great, he was really happy with everything, he felt so comfortable with Dr. Ditesheim and his credentials and he always felt I was in really good hands.
My name is Janice, I teach World History at Independence High School. I’m married, I have one daughter who is 26. I lead a pretty active life.
I did not like what I saw when I looked in the mirror. It was about what I wanted to look like, not what anybody else wanted to look like. It was never about weight, it was just about fat in the front of my body that I couldn’t get rid of.
I trusted him immediately. He seemed to care about me immediately. He was interested in me. I called if I had any problem and they would always answer any questions. They would take the time, they didn’t just hang up on me. Well I’ll have somebody call you back later. No it wasn’t that, it was always, well what’s the problem, maybe I can help you, if you really feel uncomfortable please come in and we’ll look at it and make sure everything’s okay.
Oh everybody thinks it looks wonderful. It gives me more confidence and especially with my clothing I don’t have to worry about things being too tight around here. It’s the same clothes but they just fit better and they look better.
My name is Dana, I’m 42 years old. I have three children, my youngest just turned 8, and I’ve been thinking about the mommy makeover has been talking about. And after three babies I decided that I wanted to have a tummy tuck and some liposuction. In my mind a mommy makeover is mainly for me, it was flattening the tummy that had been stretched out after 3 babies, and I exercise, I use a personal trainer, almost five days a week on average.
When I came for a consultation with Dr. Ditesheim I had a lot of questions about what exactly was the difference between a tummy tuck or just liposuction of the tummy. I had loose skin, I had some parts that bothered me, and I wanted to know just how little or how much I needed to do to accomplish what I thought would make me feel good again about my body. And Dr. Ditesheim and his staff really helped me answer those questions so that I felt good about my decisions and I felt that I had time to investigate and answer those questions, or get my questions answered. Dr. Ditesheim was very honest, told me just how he could help me and what I would need to have done. He felt that liposuction would be a good solution for my tummy but to get the best result I needed to have a tummy tuck which was a bigger investment of time and financially but it definitely got me the result that I wanted and I feel really good about myself. Dr. Ditesheim helped me decide what combination areas would get the result that I wanted and get rid of what bothered me.
I was very concerned about recovery. Having a busy lifestyle and having children, having three children to drive and want to be available for, I was concerned about recovery and I was told exactly how much time it would take. Everybody’s a little bit different, but what to allow myself and what kind of help I would need for my recovery. And probably my biggest fear was just the recovery, not results, not Dr. Ditesheim’s expertise. I felt really comfortable with Dr. Ditesheim. it was the recovery and that was far better than I ever anticipated. And I felt really really good very quickly after surgery.
What was so great about having surgery in Dr. Ditesheim’s office was that he had an incredible staff, from the anesthesiologist to the OR nurse, the recovery nurse, everybody I met. Before my surgery I was completely awake and I felt very comfortable and safe. His surgical center was beautiful and there was a lot of care in making me feel comfortable. I never felt scared if you will, before surgery I felt very good about the direction I was headed. And then I went to sleep and I woke up and I felt great, little tired but I felt good, I didn’t have any pain, little discomfort. I had very good care during my recovery. I was in Dr. Ditesheim’s office, surgical area for recovery for a few hours, and I went home, and it was a really really positive experience.
I actually feel probably better about my body than I did maybe even before I had children. There were things about my body that bothered me when I was younger before I had children and I didn’t think about having plastic surgery then. I have always exercised so this was a great solution for me. I feel really good, I feel like I look good. Having plastic surgery for me has given me more self confidence, and I just feel really good.
