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3 Tummy Tuck Myths Debunked
Even with the popularity of tummy tucks, there are still a lot of misconceptions preventing some people from pursuing the procedure. We are debunking the top three tummy tuck myths and exposing the real truth.
« Previous Page — Next Page »The Mommy Makeover: Session I
A Makeover Made for Mothers
“I just want to look like myself again.” This is one of the most common things being said by mothers once they are done having children. The body that existed before the baby can often seem like nothing more than a distant memory after pregnancy and nursing. However, many mothers have been finding out about the mommy makeover and are calling it one of the best decisions of their lives.
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WHY COMBINING COSMETIC SURGERIES MAY BE THE BEST ANSWER
A new study published by the American Society of Plastic Surgery’s official medical journal provides data showing the benefits experienced by patients when combining liposuction and a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).
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Female Celebrities Fueling Current Arm Lift Trend
First Lady Michelle Obama has inspired more women to improve their arms than anyone else, according to a recent poll.
This poll, which was conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, was recently discussed in a Los Angeles Times article. The much-talked about arm lift trend, which has caused arm lifts to increase by 4000% in the past decade, has led many to look for possible causes of this trend. The ASPS report states that one cause may be that women “are paying closer attention to the arms of female celebrities.”
Jennifer Aniston, Kelly Ripa, Demi Moore Are Also Arm Inspiration
While Michelle Obama may have been deeply inspirational to the women of the past few years, the other celebrities listed in the poll likely had a greater impact in the first half of the decade, before the 2008 election. These women include Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore and Kelly Ripa.
Many women are not able to achieve the arms they want through exercise and diet alone. According to Dr. David Reath, who serves as the chair of the ASPS Public Education Committee, “We are genetically programmed to have different accumulations of fat in different areas, and for some women the arms can be a problem area.”
These fat areas may often be treated through highly targeted and minimally invasive liposuction procedures. However, when the skin lacks its former elasticity, or there is too much arm tissue present, the excess skin must be surgically removed through a process known as an arm lift, or brachioplasty.
In an arm lift, an incision is made between the elbow and the armpit, with the length varying based on the amount of skin being removed. Excess skin and tissue are removed, giving the upper arm a sleeker, more toned appearance, and allowing it to more fully reflect other exercise and muscle-building activity. Other common procedures which target these types of deposits include thigh lifts, tummy tucks and buttocks lifts.
Photo by dbking on Flickr.
« Previous Page — Next Page »Arm Lift Procedure Up 4,000% Since 2000
More men and women have been choosing to have arm lift surgery, with a dramatic increase in this procedure as a part of body contouring after weight loss.
According to a recent report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, procedures to tighten and tone the upper arm have risen by 4,378% since 2000. This represents a dramatic increase, with only 300 men and women having the procedure in 200, and more than 15,000 last year.
Arm Lift Common After Significant Weight Loss
For those patients who have been working hard to lose weight, excess skin and fat deposits in the arm may serve as a constant reminder of what they have been working so hard to change. For many men and women, their body accumulates extra tissue in the upper arm, giving them the appearance of flabby arms, even when the rest of their body is slimming down.
This was the experience of Natalie Robinson, who was interviewed in the video report. After 36 months of weight loss training, she had lost more than 170 pounds, but still felt that her arms did not represent the major changes she was experiencing elsewhere. For that reason, she decided to have a surgical arm lift, along with thousands of other American men and women and many more internationally.
For those who have lost significant amounts of weight, the arm lift is just one of many procedures that may help to provide a more natural contour to the body as it responds to the weight loss. Other procedures that are popular for this purpose include the tummy tuck, thigh lift and buttock lift. Each body will respond to weight loss in its own way, so those wanting to improve their overall appearance after weight loss should schedule a personal consultation to determine what body contouring procedure is best for their body.
« Previous Page — Next Page »Increased Pressure for Women to Look Younger, Survey Shows
A new survey from Allure magazine shows big differences between the genders when it comes to aging. Those surveyed stated that women are more greatly pressured by aging, and men are believed to age more gracefully.
According to the study, which was discussed recently in the New York Daily News, 90% of US men and women feel that women are under a greater pressure to appear young. The survey also showed that women cross the “old” threshold about five years sooner than men, who get away with looking “distinguished” rather than elderly. Men were even found to peak in physical attractiveness at an older age than women, around 34 for men in comparison to 30 for women.
Many of Those Polled Would Consider Cosmetic Surgery
In the words of Kristin Perrotta, executive editor of Allure, “People overwhelmingly said they were concerned about the effects of aging. They were concerned about how it would affect their attractiveness to the opposite sex and particularly with women, how aging would affect their career.” In fact, nearly twice as many women in their fifties reported that they felt they had to look young in order to succeed at their career.
While only 5% of the 2,000 people who participated in the survey had previously undergone cosmetic procedures, 42% of women and 18% of men reported that they would think about it as a future option.
The most common anti-aging procedures are non-surgical injections, like Botox or dermal fillers. Surgical procedures, such as brow lifts, face lifts, and breast lifts are particularly impactful for giving an impression of youthfulness. And this is an important factor, since according to Perrotta, “this survey definitely shows that aging, when we are talking about appearance, is a real emotional touch point for both men and women, no matter whether they are 20, 40, 60.”
Photo by UggBoy/UggGirl on Flickr.
« Previous Page — Next Page »Thigh Gap Online Trend Boosts Liposuction and Thigh Lifts
An online leg appearance craze may be leading to more cosmetic procedures, according to the Daily Mail. The new trend involves the pursuit of a defined space between the upper legs, known as a “thigh gap.”
Although women throughout history have always pursued the perfect legs, the level of devotion which this trend has gathered is drawing media attention. In addition to widespread online content focused on this goal, including Facebook groups and countless websites, the trend is contributing to the rise in specific leg contouring procedures. According to the article, these groups have more than 700,000 followers, and some surgeons are reporting dramatic increases in the number of leg procedures performed.
Treatments to Help Shape the Inner Thigh
The two most commonly performed procedures for the legs are the thigh lift and liposuction, both of which are procedures that can have a dramatic effect with a relatively short recovery period. Each procedure varies based on the extent of the treatment goals, which are unique to each patient.
Liposuction comes in a variety of forms, and is generally used for more minimal treatments where the skin still retains a healthy amount of elasticity. It may be specifically targeted to address certain trouble areas of the legs where the fat deposits persist despite focused exercise.
Thigh lifts represent a more significant treatment, in which excess skin is surgically removed along with the excess fat. Often, liposuction will be used to enhance the overall appearance of the final result. A thigh lift is typically done in cases where greater amounts of fat must be removed, and the skin has lost its elasticity, meaning that if only liposuction were to be performed, excess skin would be left behind. Other procedures that may be performed in this area at the same time include buttock lifts and tummy tucks.
Photo by Lorena Cupcake on Flickr.
« Previous Page — Next Page »Treating the Effects of Weight Loss with a Breast Lift
For some women who successfully achieve their weight loss goals, one unexpected problem may be changes in breast volume and shape. A breast lift is an effective way to address these changes.
In contrast with breast augmentation, a breast lift, or mastopexy, does not add volume to the breasts or use implants. Rather, the natural tissue of the breast is rearranged and secured in a higher position, and excess skin is removed as needed. In many cases, the nipple may be raised to give a more symmetric appearance. The breast lift is very similar to the breast reduction in procedure, but generally no major tissue removal or size reduction is performed with a breast lift.
Weight Loss May Greatly Affect the Body Contours
Significant changes in body weight are rarely distributed evenly across the body. Inevitably, tissue volume seems to be lost from areas where it would be desirable, and remain in areas where it would not, such as the abdomen, arms and thighs. Breast and buttock lifts or augmentations are often used to treat these developments.
Another result that many women experience following a change in weight is asymmetric breast volume or appearance. One breast may be different in size, position or overall shape than the other, all situations that may be treated through a breast lift procedure.
With any breast lift procedure, the goal is not to recreate exactly the previous appearance of the breasts, but rather to create a proportional and balanced overall effect. This involves proper positioning of the breast tissue, nipple line and symmetry. The final results are breasts that more naturally reflect the overall shape and appearance of your body, giving an impression of overall health and fitness to your chest that better reflects your weight loss.
Photo by Oceanview Med Spa on Flickr.
« Previous Page — Next Page »Tummy Tucks May Cause Long-Term Weight Loss
Those who undergo a tummy tuck procedure may experience long-term weight loss in addition to the cosmetic benefits, according to a newly released study. Researchers are still trying to determine the connection between weight loss and abdominoplasty, but this study strengthens the connection.
This recent study, published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, followed 20 women who had tummy tucks, tracking both short and longer term effects and weight loss. Typically performed solely for the cosmetic benefits, this preliminary research may give people another valuable reason to choose an abdominoplasty procedure.
Women Lose Weight Following Tummy Tuck Procedures
In addition to the small amount of weight loss that occurs immediately as a result of tissue removal, many of the women in the study were found to have increased weight loss over the year following the procedure. The cause of this longer-term weight loss in unclear, but the researchers believe it may have to do with “neuroendocrine mechanisms” that decrease hunger as a result of the removed fat tissue.
On average, the women in the study had about five pounds of excess fat removed during the procedure itself. The removal of this tissue causes a change in the type of signals sent to the brain regarding hunger, a change that is similar to that which occurs following bariatric surgeries such as gastric bypass.
In the words of the study authors, “We hypothesize that the increased satiety seen in our patients is related to changes in the neuroendocrine system.” If this association with tummy tuck fat removal and long term weight loss is proven, it is possible that a similar effect may be achievable with other body contouring procedures in which fat tissue is removed, such as liposuction, arm lifts, thigh lifts and breast lifts.
Photo by A m o r e C a t a r i n a on Flickr.
« Previous Page — Next Page »More Patients Choosing Body Sculpting Procedures
More and more patients are now choosing body sculpting surgeries, thanks to a rise in extreme weight loss in America. Rapidly rising obesity levels means that there are more patients then ever who can benefit from these weight loss methods.
Following a weight loss of 50-100 pounds or more, which is a typical result of successful bariatric surgery, many patient’s bodies may not be able to quickly bounce back to their previous appearance. For these patients, plastic surgery procedures such as liposuction, tummy tucks and arm lifts may be an excellent solution.
Body Sculpting on the Rise for Weight-Loss Patients
According to Dr. Charlotte Rhee, “For obese individuals, dropping a significant amount of weight can have a profoundly beneficial impact on their overall health. Many are left discouraged, however, with the toll it can take on their body – the most common of which is loose, hanging skin.”
With minor weight loss, the body can often handle the change, gradually adjusting the amount of skin and tissue in the areas of weight loss until they are firm and balanced once more. Yet for patients who have had a more dramatic change, the body’s natural mechanisms of repair could take many years to take effect, and some cases may be beyond what the body is capable of repairing.
For these patients, body contouring represents an excellent option, as they may be able to achieve a final look that more attractively reflects all the hard work they have put into their weight loss. Plastic surgery can specifically target their trouble areas and create a look that is balanced overall.
“Body contouring combines several procedures based on a patient’s medical needs and cosmetic goals,” says Dr. Rhee. “Often, it will include some combination of tummy tuck surgery, arm lift surgery and/or a body lift procedure. The goal is to resculpt the body, achieving a more proportionate figure.”
Photo by mikebaird on Flickr.
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