Leif Nordberg, M.D., always knew he wanted to be a surgeon. During his medical education, he felt drawn toward plastic surgery when he witnessed the breast reconstruction of a patient who had survived breast cancer.
“Seeing the artistry of it, I just knew that was what I wanted to do,” he said. “It was a really unique way to help someone through some very difficult circumstances.”
Now certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Nordberg mostly performs those reconstructions at Cape Fear Valley Plastic Surgery. And it’s as rewarding as he thought it would be.
But his expertise doesn’t end there. When he’s not rebuilding what cancer took away, he’s helping erase the effects of time itself. He offers dozens of surgical procedures to help lift a sagging face, tighten a jiggly midsection, even remove excess skin after weight loss.
Frequently, patients have multiple services done at the same time. One popular combination is known as the “mommy makeover,” a combination of two or more procedures performed in one day to combat the lingering effects of pregnancy and motherhood.
“Having these things done in one visit makes it easier for the patient,” he said. “It’s one anesthetic, one recovery period. People have limited time off to recover and they want to make the most of it.”
Eva Pi of Fayetteville is one of Dr. Nordberg’s more recent mommy makeovers. At 40, she was unhappy with the body motherhood had given her. Dr. Nordberg performed a tummy tuck, lifted her breasts, and finished with some liposuction.
A few months after surgery, she’s thrilled with the results.
“I love it,” she said. “I can wear a bra without shoulder pain. I look good in a
bathing suit. I wish I had done it earlier.”
Dr. Nordberg said the key to a happy result is knowing exactly what you’re
getting into.
“Education is an important component of this,” he said. “We go over a lot of information before the day of surgery.”
It starts with an initial visit to evaluate patients’ overall health and ensure that surgery is a good option for them. Dr. Nordberg talks about their goals, using diagrams and photos to help visualize the outcome. Once a surgery date is set, the patient returns for a pre-op
visit to receive instructions for preparation and recovery.
“For follow-up, I like to see the patient for a year or more,” said Dr. Nordberg. “Scars take a year or more to mature, so it’s important to keep an eye on those.”
Extended follow-ups are why Dr. Nordberg said it’s important to stay as local as possible for cosmetic surgery. Not only is post-op travel costly and uncomfortable, it also means there is very little subsequent contact between surgeon and patient. Dr. Nordberg prefers to form partnerships with his patients and see them through their entire
journey, from beginning to end.