BODY PROCEDURES

LIPOSUCTION

Liposuction helps sculpt the body by removing unwanted fat from specific areas of the body including neck, upper arms, abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs and knees. However, liposuction is not a substitute for diet and exercise — it is intended to remove stubborn areas of fat that do not respond to traditional weight loss methods. Currently, liposuction is the most requested surgical procedure in the United States, and there are many new techniques for doing the operations. One is the tumescent liposuction technique, a procedure in which a dilute concentration of anesthetic is administered directly into the fatty area, making it firm and more easily removable. Depending on your body type and desired results, we may recommend power assisted liposuction, or the new LipoSelection technique by Vaser, which uses ultrasound to selectively remove fat and also tighten the surface skin.

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TUMMY TUCK

There are many different tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, procedures available today. This surgery removes excess skin and tissue from the abdomen area, and tightens the muscles underneath. While a healthy lifestyle is always important, this procedure creates a smoother, firmer abdomen in a way that often can not be achieved by diet and exercise alone. A mini-tummy tuck may be appropriate for someone who only has a moderate amount of excess skin of on their lower abdomen, whereas a tummy tuck and full waist lift may be the better option for someone with more fullness around their waist.

Most patients begin driving within one week after surgery, and return to work in ten to fourteen days. Since internal muscle tightening is often performed as part of the surgery, patients have to be careful about strenuous activities or exercise for the first four to six weeks after their operation. The dramatic improvement in the appearance of the abdomen is apparent the very next day after surgery, and continues to improve for the next few months as the swelling diminishes.

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WAIST AND LOWER BODY LIFT

It is common after having gastric bypass surgery for patients to lose massive amounts of weight — usually 100 or more pounds — and leave sagging, hanging skin on the arms, legs and stomach. The extra pounds stretched out the skin so much that all elasticity was lost. When the patient’s weight has stabilized, many want the excess skin surgically removed because it causes more health and hygiene problems, makes getting into clothes difficult and impedes workout regimes.

Surgery to remove the skin is extensive and often done in stages. The surgery often includes liposuction to achieve optimum results. The scar line around the waist can typically be hidden in the bikini line. Since a body lift is a more extensive surgery, we usually recommend that our patients stay in an aftercare facility, so that they can have a private nurse taking care of them for the first night or two after surgery.

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