Tummy Tuck
Tummy tuck surgery, also known as abdominoplasty, removes excess fat and skin and, in most cases, restores weakened or separated muscles creating an abdominal profile that is smoother and firmer.
A flat and well-toned abdomen is something many of us strive for through exercise and weight control. Sometimes these methods cannot achieve our goals.
Even individuals of otherwise normal body weight and proportion can develop an abdomen that protrudes or is loose and sagging. The most common causes of this include:
- Aging
- Heredity
- Pregnancy
- Prior surgery
- Significant fluctuations in weight
What tummy tuck surgery can’t do
A tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss or an appropriate exercise program.
Although the results of a tummy tuck are technically permanent, the positive outcome can be greatly diminished by significant fluctuations in your weight. For this reason, individuals who are planning substantial weight loss or women who may be considering future pregnancies would be advised to postpone a tummy tuck.
A tummy tuck cannot correct stretch marks, although these may be removed or somewhat improved if they are located on the areas of excess skin that will be excised.
Liposuction
Liposuction, sometimes referred to as “lipo” by patients, slims and reshapes specific areas of the body by removing excess fat deposits and improving your body contours and proportion.
Liposuction can be performed alone or along with other plastic surgery procedures, such as a facelift, breast reduction or a tummy tuck.
What liposuction can’t do
Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity or a substitute for proper diet and exercise.
It is also not an effective treatment for cellulite—the dimpled skin that typically appears on the thighs, hips and buttocks—or loose saggy skin.
Arm Lift
An arm lift, or brachioplasty, is a surgical procedure that:
- Reduces excess sagging skin that droops downward
- Tightens and smoothes the underlying supportive tissue that defines the shape of the upper arm
- Reduces localized pockets of fat in the upper arm region
Fluctuations in weight, growing older and heredity can cause your upper arms to have a drooping, sagging appearance. This is a condition that cannot be corrected through exercise.
Arm lift surgery may be right for you if the underside of your upper arms are sagging or appear loose and full due to excess skin and fat.
Thigh Lift
Thigh lift surgery reshapes the thighs by reducing excess skin and fat, resulting in smoother skin and better-proportioned contours of the thighs and lower body.
What thigh lift surgery can’t do
Thigh lifts are not intended strictly for the removal of excess fat. Liposuction alone can remove excess fat deposits where skin has good elasticity and is able to naturally conform to new body contours.
In cases where skin elasticity is poor, a thigh lift along with liposuction may be recommended.
Tune up
The goal of a mommy makeover is to restore the shape and appearance of a woman’s body after childbearing. Many women notice changes in their bodies post-pregnancy. There are many areas of the body that can be addressed, most commonly the breasts, abdomen, waist, genitalia and buttocks.
Possible procedures in a mommy makeover
- Breast augmentation
- Breast lift
- Labiaplasty
- Liposuction
- Tummy tuck
Body Contouring
Dramatic weight loss has many benefits. But after any substantial amount of weight loss due to weight loss surgery and/or lifestyle changes, the skin and tissues often lack the elasticity to conform to the reduced body size.
Surgical body contouring following major weight loss removes excess sagging skin and fat while improving the shape of the underlying support tissue. The result is a better-proportioned appearance with smoother contours.
Body contouring procedures may include
- Arm lift: correct sagging of the upper arms
- Breast lift: correct sagging, flattened breasts
- Facelift: correct sagging of the mid-face, jowls and neck
- Lower body lifts: correct sagging of the abdomen, buttocks, inner and outer thighs
- Medial thigh lift: correct sagging of the inner thigh
- Tummy tuck: correct apron of excess skin hanging over the abdomen
