What Makes Anesthesia Riskier?
For some people, the idea of surgery is less daunting than the notion of being anesthetized. But the truth is, anesthesia is safer now than it’s ever been.
The vast majority of people react very well to anesthesia. And for many procedures – plastic surgery included – you wouldn’t want to be without it.
That said, there is always going to be some level of risk. And what makes anesthesia riskier comes down to the patient’s age, current medical conditions, lifestyle, and the type of surgery and kind of anesthesia used.
What Are the General Risks?
If you’ve ever had a cavity drilled at the dentist, then you’ve had anesthesia. Of course, unless you requested otherwise, the doctor used a local anesthetic that only numbed a small area of the body. As such, it is the safest anesthetic and plastic surgeons will always opt for it if they can. Side effects are rare and extremely mild.
Regional anesthesia is a little riskier than local in that it numbs a larger area of the body. Side effects are a little more common than they are with a local anesthesia, but they mostly consist of a temporary headache.
General anesthesia is the sort that most patients fear because it renders you unconscious. Even so, it’s very safe. The possible side effects – such as chills, confusion, nausea, or a sore throat (mostly from the breathing tube) are more widespread. But they are also temporary.
What Makes Anesthesia Riskier For Some People?
Although anesthesia is generally safe and technology around it has come a long way, some patients are looking at a higher risk if they have any of the following conditions:
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Kidney problems
- Lung conditions
- Seizures or other neurological disorders
- Sleep apnea
- Allergies to or history of adverse reactions to anesthesia
In addition, if you regularly smoke and/or drink two or more alcoholic beverages per day, your risk also increases. If any of these apply to you, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have surgery though.
Find Peace of Mind By Talking to Your Anesthesiologist
You’re allowed to talk with the anesthesiologist who’s scheduled for your surgery. In fact, he or she will need to conduct a health assessment to learn all about your health history, medications you take, reactions to previous anesthesia, and lifestyle choices. This is to ensure you’ll get the safest and most optimal pain management and critical care.
The anesthesiologist may strongly advise you quit smoking, cut back (or eliminate) drinking, or lose weight (if the surgery isn’t urgent) before your procedure to lessen your risk. He/she can also inform you of what medications could exacerbate the anesthesia and advise other medications that will be safe.
Then he or she will create a plan around your specific condition and monitor you closely during the procedure. You can go into the surgery knowing that you won’t be ignored for even a second.
Don’t Let Fear of Anesthesia Keep You From Plastic Surgery!
Now that you know the nitty gritty on what makes anesthesia riskier and how truly safe it is, you can feel confident in opting for that plastic surgery procedure you’ve always wanted.
So don’t hesitate any longer.
Contact us today to set up your free consultation. And get ready for a more confident and self-assured YOU this summer!
Is It Time to Replace Your Breast Implants?
If you had breast augmentation in the past ten years, you may be wondering if it’s time to replace your breast implants.
The truth is, the vast majority of breast implants will never need replacing because of medical reasons. Especially after a decade. Today’s advanced techniques and improved manufacturing practices have allowed for this.
Even so, you may have other reasons for not wanting your breast implants any longer.
How Long Breast Implants Last
Breast implants come with no guarantees. But what in life does, really? Most of the current available implants are very safe and last a bare minimum of ten years – as long as there are no complications.
Of course, how much longer your implant will last after that initial ten years is based on a number of factors. These include your health, the size and shape of your chosen implant, and your surgeon’s expertise.
One of the biggest determining factors, though, is the type of implant you chose.
Silicone
Of the two different types, silicone implants are the more resilient. They have only a .5% rupture rate per year so it’s not unusual for these to last for decades. In some cases, they may even last for a woman’s lifetime.
One of the major drawbacks of silicone, however, is that it’s more difficult to detect ruptures or other damage if they do occur. So while the implants can last a long time, patients need to stay up-to-date on checkups and stay in touch with their board-certified plastic surgeon.
Saline
By contrast, saline implants have a 1% rupture rate per year. Still quite minimal, but they are also more prone to shifting and rippling than silicone implants are. So while it’s possible for them to last for decades, it’s likely they will need some sort of maintenance every ten to fifteen years.
The benefit of a saline implant rupturing is that the body can absorb saline so the rupture is less serious.
So Is It Ever Really Time to Replace Your Breast Implants?
Outside of car accidents, trauma, or needle biopsies, it’s rare for a rupture to occur many years out from the initial surgery. So you likely won’t feel a medical need for replacing them. That said, there are still other reasons you may choose replacement surgery.
Perhaps you’re feeling like the size of the implant you chose is no longer a good fit. You may want to go bigger or smaller.
It’s also possible that as you’ve aged, your skin has become looser, your hormones have changed, and your body weight fluctuated. This can result in your breasts changing as well and the implants may no longer look natural.
Finally, tissue stretching and good ole’ gravity can cause breasts and implants to malposition in a variety of ways. They may be shifting sideways, bottoming out, or moving closer together.
All of these may warrant breast implant replacement surgery.
What Happens During Breast Implant Replacement Surgery?
Unless a longstanding rupture is involved, the replacement surgery is relatively simple and straightforward. And the recovery time will be minimal; usually only a couple of days.
A rupture that’s gone undetected, however, can result in capsular contracture.
Part of the healing process for the body is to form a capsule of fibrous scar tissue around any implanted device. The capsule not only creates a protective barrier, but it also assists in keeping the implant in place so as to avoid slippage.
But when the body goes into overdrive to protect itself from the “foreign” body – in this case, the ruptured implant – the scar tissue tightens around the implant and then constricts it. This is known as capsular contracture.
To treat the capsular contracture, the surgeon would need to perform a capsulectomy. And if there’s already too much inflammation to replace the implant, you may have to wait up to six months before you can get a new one. Recovery will also take longer.
The Choice Is Yours!
If you’ve had implants for more than a few years without complications, the chances are minuscule that you’ll need to replace them for medical reasons.
By the same token, if your current implants are no longer serving you or even making you feel self-conscious, then THAT’S the time to replace breast implants.
Contact us today to talk to our board-certified plastic surgeons. We’ll help you We can answer any questions, address concerns, and put an action plan into place for you.
What Are the Weirdest Cosmetic Surgery Procedures?
If you know anything about cosmetic surgery, you’re probably familiar with the more common procedures such as breast augmentation, tummy tuck, facelift, and liposuction.
All of these surgeries help patients feel better about their appearance and more confident in their bodies. In turn, they experience improved mental health.
That said, you may not have heard of some of the weirdest cosmetic surgery procedures that are much more on the fringe of what’s considered normal or even healthy.
The Weirdest Cosmetic Surgery Procedures
Most (if not all) of the lesser-known plastic surgery procedures below aren’t on the menu at reputable medical centers. Not just because they are more than highly elective. Many of them are downright… strange.
And some are even considered unethical by many standards. We’ll explore six procedures that potentially fall under that umbrella and what they promise.
- Go From An Outie to An Innie
Each of us has a belly button. In same cases, there is protruding skin that makes one an outie. While there is nothing unhealthy about this, fashion represents men and women with innies. As such, there are patients who are willing to undergo an umbilicoplasty and the subsequent healing time in order to remove that skin.
- Change Your Fate
Have you ever had your palm read and weren’t happy with the results? For folks who believe that the lines of the palm have some bearing on how much fortune, fame, success, or happiness they will experience in life, there is now palm line surgery.
Using an electric scalpel, the surgeon creates artificial palm lines that would make a palm reader gush and wax poetic about one’s future. Even if it’s completely fabricated.
- Cushion Those High Heels
Anyone who spends time in high heels (and it’s not just women anymore) knows they do a wicked job on the feet and body. So rather than swap out those heels for more sensible shoes, fashion slaves can now opt for dermal filler injected into the balls of their feet to provide cushioning.
- Get Your Own Indentations
For patients who’ve always envied those with dimples and felt their lives were somehow emptier because they didn’t have them, there are some surgeons who will perform a dimpleplasty. This procedure involves making a small incision on the inside of the mouth and placing a suture between the skin and muscle of the cheek.
- Want to Look Like An Elf? Or a Snake?
For folks who are really serious about cosplay, they may be able to find a plastic surgeon who will perform procedures like ear cropping or tongue bifurcation. The first works by removing tissue from the top of the ear to give one the appearance of an elf. The second involves splitting the tongue down the middle so it looks like a snake’s.
It should be noted that tongue-splitting is particularly risky.
- Get Rid of Your “Tell”
While Botox is a fairly common procedure, there’s a new subcategory known as Pokertox. This is when gamblers use a combo of Botox and facial filler injections to alter their facial appearance. It gives them the ultimate poker face and eliminates those telling expressions of what they’re holding in their hand.
It’s Time to Feel Good About Yourself
Unlike more traditional surgeries that can help boost your emotional wellness, many of the weirdest cosmetic surgery procedures above are more superfluous in nature.
If you’re interested instead in a well-established procedure with board certified surgeons, contact us today for a free consultation. You’ll be amazed at the boost in confidence and self-esteem you experience.
How Long Does Breast Reduction Surgery Recovery Take?
If you’re considering a breast reduction to remove extra fat, tissue, and skin from your breast, you may wonder about breast reduction surgery recovery time.
Also known as mammoplasty, breast reduction surgery will not only decrease the size of your breasts, but it will lift and contour them too.
Breast reduction surgery can be performed on just one breast or on both at the same time if you don’t wish to have mismatched breasts for any amount of time.
How Does Breast Reduction Surgery Recovery Play Out?
Recovery from surgery always has two phases – short-term and long-term. Breast reduction surgery is no different.
The first phase of recovery (short-term) typically lasts about two weeks and is when the most restrictions are in place. The second phase (long-term) typically lasts two to three months following that.
We’ll break down the two phases:
First Week
After your surgery, you will be introduced to a compression bra which you’ll need to wear through the first phase and into the second phase of recovery.
You’ll wear this bra 24/7 except for when you shower. This will ensure you get the desired outcome from the surgery. During this first week, you’ll want to focus on resting and ensuring you eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water to facilitate healing.
Some light movement (like walking around the house) will be encouraged, but you’ll need to avoid strenuous activity and continue to take any prescribed medications.
Second Week
It’s during the second week when you might start to notice the incisions feeling a little tight and itchy as they continue to heal under your compression bra. You can remedy this with Vaseline or other gentle moisturizer. Benedryl can help with the itching.
Your board-certified plastic surgeon may clear you for returning to work at this point, but you’ll still need to avoid strenuous activity and stick with your healthy and hydrating diet.
Three Weeks to Two Months Out
For most, three weeks marks the point when you’ll really start to notice and feel the results of your surgery. You’ll be able to engage in more strenuous activities and return to most of your regular routines. Even so, you’ll need to keep that compression bra on for at least another one to three weeks.
By the end of the second month, the compression bra can be swapped out for your new smaller bra – provided your breasts are not swollen.
Three to Four Months After
Finally, three to four months out from the surgery, your breasts should be fully healed and settled into their new shape. At this point, you can safely start shopping for those smaller tops you’ve always longed to wear!
How Could Breast Reduction Surgery Change Your Life?
Having large, heavy, or pendulous breasts can make it hard to find clothes that fit well. What’s worse, they may be causing you neck and back pain.
Fortunately, smaller and more shapely breasts are just a surgery away. And the good news is, breast reduction surgery recovery isn’t terribly grueling. As we said, you could be back to work after one week, and doing light cardio after just two weeks!
So if you’re ready to remove that extra weight that’s causing you pain and strife, contact us today! And get ready to spice up your wardrobe!
Is Combining Plastic Surgery Procedures Safe?
Does the idea of combining plastic surgery procedures sound appealing to you? Well, you’re not alone.
One of the great things about plastic surgery is that combining procedures is not unusual. And if a patient has no contraindications and is healthy enough to remain under prolonged anesthesia, it’s quite safe.
This isn’t to say, however, that just any combination of procedures should be performed. And you want to ensure that you have a highly-skilled surgeon with experience in multiple surgeries.
Popular Plastic Surgery Combos
If you’re thinking you’d like to get a couple (or even three) areas taken care of at once, your plastic surgeon will offer recommendations and counsel you on the best next steps.
There are numerous pairings that can be performed. We’ll take a look at a few of the more popular ones.
- Mommy Makeover
The Mommy Makeover is the quintessential example of a combination of procedures. And it’s also one of the most popular choices among patients.
Pregnancy takes a toll on a woman’s body. Multiple pregnancies even more so. That’s why plastic surgeons developed this smorgasbord of procedures. There are several components and the combination depends on the patient’s unique goals.
For example, most women want to rid themselves of the abdominal flab that comes post pregnancy. In this case, they would choose a tummy tuck. Add to that, women who have lost breast volume may also opt for an augmentation and/or breast lift. In some cases, there may even be requests for vaginal rejuvenation.
Whatever the combination, women come out feeling more confident and better about their post-pregnancy bodies.
- Facelift with Blepharoplasty or Fat Transfer
The facelift procedure is also very popular. In the simplest terms, it’s a surgical reconstruction of the face to render a younger appearance. In cases where excess skin has developed around the eyelids, the facelift may be combined with a blepharoplasty, or eyelid lift. In this procedure, excess skin, fat, and muscles are removed to rejuvenate the appearance of the eyes.
In cases where a patient wants more volume in his or her face, there may also be a fat transfer surgery performed during the facelift procedure. This means that fat is harvested from areas of the body where there is excess fat and it is moved to the face.
(As an aside, fat transfer may also be performed during breast and butt lift procedures.)
- Tummy Tuck with Liposuction or Breast Enlargement
The tummy tuck is a popular procedure that’s often paired with other procedures. When patients are struggling with diet- and exercise-resistant fat, surgeons may recommend both a tummy tuck and liposuction. The tummy tuck creates a smooth contour while the liposuction vacuums out extra fat cells that could potentially become problematic.
Meanwhile, for patients who desire both a flatter belly and more voluminous breasts, a tummy tuck can be combined with breast enlargement. It’s the perfect combination.
Are There Particular Benefits to Combining Plastic Surgery Procedures?
If you stop to think about it, there are many logistics involved in a surgery. These include surgeon and anesthesiologist fees, operating room costs, and other expenses. Combining procedures saves you money.
Plus, going under anesthesia once is always preferred to multiple times as it reduces the risk of anesthesia-related complications. And your recovery period will be markedly shorter too because you’ll be healing from multiple procedures at once. So that means less down time.
Finally, there’s a lot to be said for achieving multiple goals at once. When you come out of the operating room having had multiple procedures, you’re going to notice much more dramatic (and ultimately satisfying) results. And it’s impossible to put a price on that.
Curious About Multiple Procedures?
Combining plastic surgery procedures is safe and highly effective when performed by a skilled and board-certified surgeon.
So if you have a certain combination in mind, contact us today to find out if it’s going to make sense for you.
Even though all procedures can’t be paired with others, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out yours can!
What Are The Most Popular Places For Fat Transfer?
If you consider ‘fat’ the worst of the F words, you may want to reconsider. More and more plastic surgery patients are discovering the wonders of fat transfer.
With fat transfer, also known as fat grafting, liposuction is performed on a body part where there may be excess fat. Viable cells from that fat are then harvested and reinjected into various parts of the body where the patient is seeking more volume.
As surgeons continue to advance this procedure, the number of popular places for fat transfer on the body are increasing.
Popular Places For Fat Transfer
It seems a growing number of patients are embracing this new age of reusing and recycling. So it makes sense they’d see the logic in recycling their own tissues to reshape their bodies.
So where on the body are these procedures most common?
- Face
There’s no denying that fillers can do a fantastic job in smoothing out lines and rejuvenating the skin on the fat and there’s admittedly no surgery involved.
The main issue though is that fillers generally only last six to twelve months before they have to be restored. Fat transfer, however, allows patients to enhance the jawline and cheekbone while delivering results that can last several years.
- Hands
Who in the world would want to plump up their hands, you might wonder.
Then again, if you’ve ever glanced at your hands and wondered when they started looking like those of your parents (or grandparents!), then fat transfer to the hands isn’t such a mystery.
Just like every other part of the body, the hands lose volume over the years as the skin becomes thinner and wrinkled. Fat transfer brings back some of that volume to provide a plumper contour. Furthermore, it can decrease the appearance of protruding veins and improve veiny skin.
- Breasts
For patients who are not entirely comfortable with placing a foreign body (implant) into their chests, fat transfer to the breast could be an attractive option. Plus, they may have the added benefit of losing fat in an area where they don’t want it.
Fat transfer isn’t going to work for all breast augmentation though. It only works in specific cases. And even at that, it’s generally not going to increase breast size by much with just one injection. Repeated injections are required.
Where fat transfer to the breasts has the most successful applications is in patients who have smaller breasts, but who have lost cleavage definition due to decreasing volume at the top of the breast. They simply want a boost.
- Buttocks
Many of us struggle with the appearance of our butts. You may feel that yours is too big, too small, too misshapen, too flat, you name it. Most patients are seeking rounder, chiseled, and more defined glutes. Given this general dissatisfaction, the buttocks is probably the most popular place for a fat transfer.
Interestingly, it’s also one of the most complicated areas. It may seem like there are just two domes of fatty tissue back there, but the buttocks are loaded with blood vessels. So it’s crucial that patients enlist only plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery with fat transfer experience.
- Arms and Abs
Fat transfer to the arms and abs is increasingly requested by men. They’re seeking to bulk and shape these areas to get a more muscular appearance.
In the case of the abs, this is known as abdominal etching. Fat is liposuctioned from the abdomen so as to highlight and define those “six-pack” muscle. It’s then reinjected to further accentuate those lines and plump the edges.
The results of ab etching often don’t last very long though. As such, many plastic surgeons don’t currently perform this procedure.
Want to Find out More About Fat Transfer?
If any of the above places for fat transfer are problem areas for you, contact us today.
During your free consultation, we’ll explore whether a fat transfer could be the perfect solution for you.
Is It Possible to Avoid Capsular Contracture?
You may not think about it this way, but the body is an amazingly efficient machine. Every system works together to keep it running optimally.
So when a foreign body (such as a breast implant) is introduced into the “machine,” the body’s systems jump into action to create a capsule of scar tissue around it to keep the body protected. Unfortunately, that capsule can tighten over time and create a painful condition known as capsular contracture.
If you’re prepping for breast implant surgery, you may be wondering if there are ways to avoid capsular contracture.
Work ONLY With a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
There are preoperative requirements such as avoiding drugs, foods, and supplements that thin the blood for two weeks before the surgery.
But the foundation of avoiding capsular contracture starts with all of the details that go into how the procedure is performed. So it’s important you insist on a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in breast implantation.
First, a qualified surgeon may choose to place the implant under the chest muscle (a procedure known as sub muscular implant placement) if that’s an option. He or she will also be cautious to minimally handle the implant before implementation to reduce risk of bacterial contamination.
Additionally, an experienced surgeon will guide you to the proper size of implant that will suit you best. For example, if you have naturally smaller breasts and are looking to increase the size, your doctor will need to determine the size that your breast tissue can adequately cover. In other words, too large an implant can lead to capsular contracture.
Finally, the type of implant is also an important consideration. Textured surface gel implants appear to reduce the risk of capsular contracture. As opposed to smooth implants, the body has a harder time forming thick scar tissue around it. Even so, textured implants aren’t ideal for everyone.
How Can YOU Prevent Capsular Contracture?
One of the very best things you can do to prevent capsular contracture after surgery is to perform a daily breast massage. Your board-certified plastic surgeon will likely recommend this and can verbally explain how to massage the region safely and/or provide instructional materials.
It’s important to understand that massage can help prevent the capsule from tightening, but there’s no guarantee that it will stop the process.
There are further actions you can take (or not take, as the case may be):
- Avoid Heavy Lifting or Repetitive Arm Motion
It takes around six weeks for the body to form the capsule after breast implant surgery. So it’s crucial during that time that the tissues of the pectoralis muscle are protected from repetitive or intense motion. That means you’re off the hook for any heavy lifting (over 20 pounds) or activities such as vacuuming or raking.
- Steer Clear of High Impact Activities
You may be happy to get out of housework or yard work for six weeks. But if you’re a fitness enthusiast, you may not feel so excited. Especially if you love playing tennis or golf, running, or doing any other exercise that requires jumping or swinging of the arms. You’ll need to find something lower key during that time.
- Request An Antibiotic Prophylaxis During Dental Visits
This may sound odd, but when you get your teeth cleaned, the scraping can potentially force bacteria into the tiny blood vessels of the gums and then into the blood stream. Presence of bacteria in the blood stream can cause the body to go into defense mode similar to that from after your surgery and lead to capsular contracture. So let your dentist know that you’ve had implant surgery.
Ultimately, if you can work it out as such, it’s much better to schedule all of your dental work (including cavities, root canals, implants, etc.) prior to augmentation surgery.
Set Up Your Free Consultation
Are you considering breast implant surgery? Contact us today to set up a free consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons.
Entrusting your breast implant surgery to a highly skilled plastic surgeon is your first best move to avoid capsular contracture and get the results you desire.
Can You Remove Cellulite With Liposuction?
Can You Remove Cellulite With Liposuction?
Did you know that cellulite affects between 80% and 90% of adult women? And it’s often not the result of overeating or a lack of exercise.
Frequently referred to as ‘orange peel skin’ or ‘cottage cheese,’ cellulite does not discriminate. It can affect folks of all shapes and sizes.
While it may seem like you could just go on a diet, exercise vigorously and/or remove cellulite with liposuction, it’s not that simple. That’s because cellulite isn’t your regular garden variety fat.
What Is Cellulite?
While you’re likely to find cellulite on those who are already carrying excess fat, it shows up on people who are slim and fit as well. It’s more common after the age of 25, but can also affect teenagers.
Of course, eating a healthy diet and exercising are essential for feeling good and keeping the body in optimal condition. They do nothing to eliminate cellulite though. That’s because cellulite is essentially a form of fat that’s trapped in the sub dermal layer of the skin. One of the key ways it differs from regular fat is that the body is unable to process it as fuel.
Cellulite is the result of an interaction between the connective tissue in the layer below the surface of the skin, and the layer of fat beneath that. Strangely enough, women’s fat cells and connective tissues are arranged vertically so that when the fat cells protrude into the skin layer, it presents as cellulite. Men’s tissue has more of a criss-cross structure which seems to explain their lower risk of developing cellulite.
What Causes It?
There’s no one specific reason people, and especially women, develop cellulite. Some of it is just the genetic cards we’re all dealt. How fat is distributed beneath the skin, circulation, ethnicity, and rate of metabolism are all genetic factors.
Hormone are also likely players. Estrogen, insulin, noradrenaline, thyroid hormones, and prolactin are crucial in the production of cellulite.
Then, of course, there is aging and menopause. With less estrogen in the body, fat cells enlarge and blood flow to the connective tissues decreases. This less effective circulation results in lower collagen production. All of these factors join together to weaken the connective tissues, decrease elasticity in the skin, and increase the chance of cellulite developing.
Is It Possible to Remove Cellulite With Liposuction?
Not really.
Liposuction is great for getting rid of excess fat. During the procedure, fat cells are removed from the body to create a sleeker contour. The remaining cells, however, can push against the skin and threaten the structural integrity. Liposuction also doesn’t address the issue of those vertical connective tissues.
Many doctors and dermatologists may try topical treatments first to reduce the visibility of cellulite. Creams can tighten the skin to make it firmer and smoother, while adding moisture to reduce the appearance of cellulite. The effects typically don’t last long and the creams must be applied every day.
What is most effective is treatments that deliver laser energy beneath the surface of the skin. This thickens and strengthens the lower layers of skin to increase elasticity. Meanwhile, the thermal energy that’s developed releases the vertical bands so they don’t pull or pucker against the fat cells beneath.
The result?
Skin that lies smoother and flatter to eliminate dimpling. Voilà!
Are You At Battle With Cellulite?
Even if you can’t remove cellulite with liposuction, you CAN win the war against it with laser therapies.
Let’s get started.
Contact us today for your free consultation. And regain some of that smoother skin of your youth – just in time for summer.
Are You a Poor Candidate for Liposuction?
If you have diet- and exercise-resistant fat that just won’t go away, you may be considering liposuction. And why not? It’s a great solution.
Then again, it’s not ideal for everyone. (But what is?) There are a handful of reasons that a board-certified plastic surgeon might recommend avoiding this procedure.
If you’re now wondering whether YOU’RE a poor candidate for liposuction, we’ll look at four distinct reasons you may be steered in a different direction.
What Makes a Poor Candidate for Liposuction?
For a great many patients, liposuction is a godsend. And you may well be one of those people for whom this procedure would be seriously beneficial.
But you can expect any plastic surgeon worth his or her salt to address certain issues to first ensure that it’s a good option for you. If you have any of the following, liposuction may not be advised for you:
- Poor Skin Elasticity/History of Scarring
Let’s face it. The younger you are, the more elastic your skin is. Generally speaking. Since liposuction involves removing fat, the skin that was over that fat needs to spring back to deliver the contoured look. Otherwise, you’ll be left with loose skin that will make the area look deflated.
In addition, if you tend to develop raised scars (known as keloid scars) easily after an injury, you may be advised against liposuction. Especially if the incision site is in an obvious place. Patients who struggle with keloid scars are often genetically predisposed to them.
- Excess Fat
It might seem counterintuitive that you wouldn’t be able to get liposuction if you have a lot of excess fat. The reality is, there is such an increased risk of complications from high volume liposuctions, they’re not allowed in many states. This is based on studies of post-operative liposuction patients.
In fact, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommends the removal of no more than five liters of fat and fluid in a procedure. Thus, your plastic surgeon may ask you to get closer to your target weight before having liposuction.
- BMI That’s Too High or Low
There’s so much that your body mass index (BMI) doesn’t accurately tell a plastic surgeon. This is mostly because it doesn’t differentiate between muscle mass and body fat. Even so, it still does play a baseline diagnostic role in the surgeon’s decision to perform liposuction.
Similar to patients with excess fat, those with a high BMI are also likely to experience more complications. Because of this, the vast majority of surgeons won’t operate on patients with a BMI higher than 35, with some capping off at 30.
It’s not just those with a high BMI who are poor candidates for liposuction though. If you have an unusually low BMI, you may also be strongly discouraged from the procedure. This is because liposuction areas should have a pinch thickness of at least two centimeters to lessen the risk of leaving indentations or other regularities on the skin.
- Certain Underlying Conditions
If you’re considering liposuction but you have a medical condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, etc., you may not qualify for the procedure. Many medical conditions (and the medications that go along with them) can compromise healing from surgery. The surgeon will require medical clearance from your other doctors in these cases.
In addition, although it’s not a medical condition, you’ll need to disclose whether you’re a smoker or you use tobacco or other nicotine products. This is REALLY important because if you do, you’ll have a greater risk of delayed healing, scarring, necrosis, and infection. Therefore, you’ll need to quit tobacco/nicotine use at least one month before your procedure.
There Are Always Options
If you’re a poor candidate for liposuction right now, don’t despair. In some cases, you may be a good candidate in the future.
Even if you’re not though, there are a myriad of different plastic surgery avenues you and your surgeon can explore.
So contact us today to set up your free consultation. And take heart in knowing you’ll be under the absolute best care available.
Are There Different Kinds of Anesthesia Used in Plastic Surgery?
When you’re considering a plastic surgery procedure, it’s helpful to know what sort of anesthesia the doctor will administer so you can plan accordingly.
Then again, maybe you aren’t even aware that there are different kinds of anesthesia. Don’t worry! That’s not all that unusual.
So just in case you’re in the unknowing camp, we’ll educate you here.
Different Kinds of Anesthesia Used in Plastic Surgery
The type of anesthesia used for your procedure will depend on a number of factors. One is the length of the surgery. Another is the complexity of it. Your overall health is also a deciding factor.
In general, the plastic surgeon will make this decision. However, you may be asked for your input on preferences as well. Whatever the case, here’s a rundown of what you can possibly expect.
- General
General anesthesia is only used for major surgeries like breast augmentation or a tummy tuck where you would need to be completely unconscious and unable to experience pain. With general anesthesia, your brain doesn’t respond to pain signals or to reflexes so that you stay still during the surgery. General anesthesia has the greatest degree of risk – though it’s still minimal.
Within the category of general anesthesia there are two subcategories: intravenous and inhalation anesthetics.
Intravenous
Intravenous general anesthesia involves injection directly into your blood stream to depress the central nervous system. Your vital signs, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation are monitored very carefully throughout the procedure. Your level of consciousness is also watched to ensure you don’t begin to awaken during the procedure.
Inhalation
With inhalation general anesthesia, the anesthetizing compounds are carried to the blood and tissues through the lungs rather than via an injection. It should be noted that inhalation anesthetics are typically not used alone but rather in tandem with intravenous anesthetics – the combination of which is referred to as balanced anesthesia.
- Twilight
Twilight anesthesia comes with even fewer risks than general anesthesia. Also known as intravenous or conscious sedation, this form of moderate anesthesia is coupled with sedation to keep you calm and without pain during surgery.
But it also enables you to be slightly responsive during surgery so if the surgeon has questions, you’re able to answer them. And you won’t recall the procedure when it’s completed.
- Regional
Regional anesthesia is administered with an injection around a major nerve near the surgical site. It doesn’t cause any loss of consciousness, but it does block pain throughout the surgery and often during the initial part of recovery. Regional anesthesia is most often used for procedures on very sensitive parts of the body such as the hands.
- Local
Finally, if you’re having a minor procedure that doesn’t require extensive incisions, a local anesthetic is usually the first choice. Local anesthesia differs from regional in that it’s a much less complex injection that merely numbs the area with an agent such as lidocaine. In some cases, your board-certified surgeon may also recommend an oral sedative to keep you calm and relaxed during the procedure.
Are You Ready for Your Procedure?
Now that you’re aware of the different kinds of anesthesia used in plastic surgery, you have a better idea of what to expect.
So take the next step and contact us today to set up your free consultation.
Our board-certified surgeons will answer your questions, address any concerns, and make sure you’re fully informed so you can go into your procedure with complete peace of mind.
