Abdominoplasty
Living with excess abdominal skin can certainly have an impact. If you are uncomfortable with loose skin in your stomach area, you may want to consider an abdominoplasty to remedy this area once and for all.
What is an Abdominoplasty?
The common name for an abdominoplasty is a “tummy tuck.” Abdominoplasty is a major surgery used to remove extra skin and fat from the abdominal area or belly. A tummy tuck also tightens the muscles in the abdomen to give people who have the surgery a flat and more desirable midsection.
Benefits of an Abdominoplasty
Overall, abdominoplasty makes the abdomen look smoother and more toned. After the abdomen heals after surgery, it will appear flatter and firmer than before. Some people may feel more confident in their body shape after surgery. Sometimes, people may feel more comfortable wearing different clothing styles than before the abdominoplasty.
Who is a Candidate for an Abdominoplasty?
Though commonly thought of as a surgery women have after their abdominal skin is stretched from having children, men also have this surgery. In addition to being used for women who have stretched skin from carrying babies, this surgery can be performed on people who have had large weight losses and now have excess skin in the abdominal region. The best candidates are generally healthy people who are now at a stable weight, don’t expect large future changes in their weight, don’t smoke, and do not like the way their abdomen area looks.
Types of Abdominoplasties
Mini Abdominoplasty: The surgeon uses smaller incisions, or cuts, in the skin. This is a shorter surgery and is usually used for people with less excess belly skin to remove.
Full Abdominoplasty: This is the most extensive tummy tuck option and is used for cases that need the most improvements. Cuts are made at the bikini line area and around the belly button. Stomach muscles may be sewn together, fat may be removed with liposuction, and excess skin will be removed.
Extended Abdominoplasty: The extended tummy tuck is similar to the full tummy tuck but includes the removal of fat on the sides of the belly and lower back. Sometimes the surgery also includes fat on the upper thighs.
Endoscopic Abdominoplasty: The endoscopic tummy tuck uses smaller incisions than other types of abdominoplasty. Surgeons use an endoscope, or a medical device with a light, to better view their operating areas. Since visibility is better, smaller cuts in the skin are needed. This should result in less scarring and less recovery time.
Risks of an Abdominoplasty
Since an abdominoplasty is major surgery, a person should carefully consider risks before the procedure. Risks include:
- Pain and bruising – Doctors prescribe pain medicine to control pain, but pain and bruising are normal side effects.
- Numbness – After surgery, people sometimes have less sensation and feeling in the tucked and tightened areas than before. This may improve with time.
- Serious complications are possible, like infection, poor healing where the cuts were made, bleeding even after the incisions are stitched together, or blood clots.
Talk with a board-certified plastic surgeon to learn more about abdominoplasty and if this is the right procedure for you.
Brachioplasty
If you struggle with feeling self-conscious about baggy upper arms, there is a solution. Saggy upper arms result from excess skin, fat, or weak muscles that cause the skin to sag and appear baggy. If this sounds like symptoms you face, then Brachioplasty might be an option to consider.
What is a Brachioplasty?
Brachioplasty is a plastic surgery procedure where excess bagginess in your upper arm is repaired. This procedure is also known as an arm lift and is necessary for several reasons. Brachioplasty involves repairing the skin and removing saggy or baggy areas on the bottom of your arm where the tricep muscle is located between the armpit and your elbow.
What causes excess arm bagginess?
The goal of Brachioplasty is to make your upper arm look smooth, fit, and toned. Many people could benefit from this procedure, and the cause of your baggy skin could stem from a wide variety of reasons.
Weight loss
When you gain a significant amount of weight, your arms get bigger, and the skin expands to keep from tearing. If you lose weight, your skin isn't always able to decrease with the arm and could result in excess bagginess in certain areas, including the upper arm.
Aging
Sagging skin is a natural side effect of aging because your muscles weaken, and fat accumulates faster than in younger individuals.
Do I need Brachioplasty?
In addition to causing self-esteem issues, excess arm skin can also cause a few physical problems. The extra skin beneath your arms can cause discomfort, rashes or inflammation, skin infections, and hygiene issues if dirt or debris gets trapped in the folds of your skin. If these are issues in your daily life, Brachioplasty may be a consideration for you.
Risks of Brachioplasty
Like any surgical procedure, there are potential risks to consider when getting a Brachioplasty. However, the risks are uncommon, and your plastic surgeon can inform you about your specific risks based on your overall health and lifestyle. Some possible risks may include:
- Scarring at the surgical site where incisions are made
- Your arms might appear uneven unless a skilled surgeon performs the operation
- You may lose some feeling in the area of your arm that the surgeon operated upon
- All surgical procedures have a minor risk of infection if the incision site isn't cared for
What to expect during Brachioplasty
Your surgeon will go over the details of your procedure with you before surgery because every operation is different. Typically, however, here's what Brachioplasty looks like.
- You'll schedule your operation, and your plastic surgeon team will go over your medical history and make sure you're a good candidate for the surgery.
- The surgeon will make an incision on the underside of your arms where the skin is sagging.
- The surgeon will manually tighten the tissue in the arm with stitches to keep them from causing further sagging.
- Excess skin and fat are removed on the inside and outside of the arm.
- Skin gets draped over the contours of your arm to make them appear symmetrical and to reduce scarring.
- The surgeon will use stitches or tape to seal the incision points.
Brachioplasty is an extremely successful and low-risk procedure that can repair your underarm sagging. It's important to adhere to the direction of your surgeon for proper recovery and aftercare to promote better healing.
Mommy Makeover
Pregnancy can leave lasting physical effects on your body, which you may struggle to understand and accept after childbirth.
The presence of excess skin on your abdomen and weakened muscles, coupled with the shrinking and sagging of breasts, can lead some people to look for an option to get back to their pre-baby body—a mommy makeover can help.
Here's all you need to know about mommy makeover surgeries and whether one is right for you.
What is Mommy Makeover Surgery?
A mommy makeover surgery is a combination of different cosmetic surgeries that help identify and treat multiple problem areas after pregnancy and childbirth.
While a standard mommy makeover has only included a tummy tuck and breast augmentation, other cosmetic procedures that target other areas changed by childbirth can be included as well.
This can include any one or several of the following procedures depending on your aesthetic goals:
- Liposuction
- Labiaplasty
- Tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty
- Breast Augmentation
- Breast Lift
- Buttock Augmentation
What are the Benefits of Mommy Makeover Surgery?
For postpartum people looking for a way to get back to feeling like themselves again, the Mommy Makeover is a popular plastic surgery option. The most common areas of the body addressed during a Mommy Makeover include the face, breasts, and lower abdomen, with the goal being to restore these areas to their natural appearance before childbirth.
Most Mommy Makeover procedures involve minimally invasive techniques like liposuction, Botox injections, or cryolipolysis, a popular fat-freezing procedure also known as CoolSculpting.
Is a Mommy Makeover Surgery Right for You?
Under certain circumstances, a Mommy Makeover may be an option for women who are suffering from body image issues after childbirth. Although the body continues to change for many months up to one year postpartum, women who have tried other methods with little to no success may turn to cosmetic surgery as a reasonable solution.
However, all surgical procedures involve a certain amount of risk, and you should have a discussion with your board-certified plastic surgeons regarding your:
- Surgical goals
- Overall health, including mental health and any current illness
- Outcomes of surgery and potential risks or complications
What to Expect During a Mommy Makeover Surgery Procedure
Depending on the area of concern, options for Mommy Makeover surgery range from minimally invasive liposuction procedures to surgical procedures in more extreme cases.
- Non-surgical Mommy Makeover Procedures As advancements in cosmetic surgery continue to progress, more people are choosing non-surgical techniques as risks associated with the procedures as well as recovery time are much lower. Non-surgical options for Mommy Makeover procedures include:
- CoolSculpting
- Skin resurfacing treatments
- Botox
- Other fillers
- Surgical Mommy Makeover Procedures The most common surgical procedures included in a Mommy Makeover typically include:
- Breast augmentation
- Tummy tuck
- Breast lift
- Vaginal Rejuvenation
Depending on the type of surgery performed, recovery from specific procedures can take anywhere from 1-2 weeks up to 8 weeks. Many surgical cases will require the use of drains placed underneath the skin that allow excess inflammatory fluids to be expelled and decrease the risk of infection.
Mommy Makeover Surgery is Safe When Performed by a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Most Mommy Makeovers occur once you've fully recovered from childbirth. Depending on the type of procedure, if you're breastfeeding, you may not be a suitable candidate as injectable medications may transfer to children via breast milk.
Additionally, people undergoing breast enhancement procedures should ensure they allow enough time after breastfeeding for the breasts to return to their average stable size. Surgical breast procedures may result in being unable to breastfeed postoperatively during the healing process.
For those undergoing more invasive procedures like a tummy tuck or breast lift, it is advised to delay the procedure until they are finished having children. Mommy Makeover surgery may not be the right option for all patients, but for those whose bodies take a toll after childbirth, certain procedures can help restore a sense of confidence.
Patients considering this procedure should ensure they have a thorough conversation with a medical professional before undergoing surgery.
Thigh Lift
Meant to enhance your body and self-esteem, cosmetic surgery can be carried out on almost any part of the body, neck, and face, including your thighs. Thigh lift surgery focuses on sculpting your upper and inner thighs for a more toned and lifted look.
What is a Thigh Lift?
Thigh lift surgery is a cosmetic procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the inner and upper thighs. The resulting outcome is a toned thigh and an overall improvement in your body's appearance.
While a thigh lift can focus on the outer thighs as well, it's more common for surgery to be performed on the inner thighs to address the stubborn excess fat that tends to accumulate there. Thigh lifts can also address excess skin that tends to occur as a result of weight loss or aging.
How does a Thigh Lift Work?
During the thigh lift procedure, an incision is made either near the groin area or down the leg. Excess skin and fat are removed, and it's not uncommon for the surgeon to perform liposuction in the area as well during the procedure.
Thigh lift surgery is performed under general anesthesia, with surgery taking up to four hours. Depending on the amount of fat and skin to be removed, you may have a thigh lift on an outpatient basis and not require a hospital stay post-surgery.
Is a Thigh Lift Right For You?
Aging and weight loss can affect your thigh area, leaving loose skin that cannot be affected by working out. A thigh lift can help correct that, resulting in the smoothening of your thigh and a toned and lifted appearance.
A board-certified plastic surgeon can help determine whether a thigh lift is right for you. During your appointment, your doctor will conduct a comprehensive health evaluation to assess your current health status, as well as your desired cosmetic outcomes.
Thigh lift surgery requires a certain amount of downtime—most patients can get back to a simple routine approximately three weeks after surgery, while it may take up to six weeks to get back to your regular activity levels. Swelling, bruising, and numbness of the area are all common after surgery and may last for up to several months, depending on your body.