Body
Abdominoplasty
Arm Liposuction
Arm liposuction is a less invasive alternative to an arm lift (brachioplasty); it is performed to remove the loose, hanging skin that often develops on the underside of the upper arm as a result of aging, weight loss or weight gain. Arm liposuction slims the contour of the arm, and is ideal for patients with stubborn areas of localized fat that do not respond to diet and exercise, and who are no more than 10 to 15 pounds overweight. There are four basic types of liposuction: traditional, tumescent, ultrasound-assisted, and laser-assisted.
Back Lift
While losing weight is a positive event and dramatic weight loss results in numerous benefits to a person’s health, after weight reduction surgery, or any substantial amount of weight loss, many parts of the body may have unsightly sagging skin. After extensive weight loss, the skin and tissues of the back often lack the elasticity to conform to the reduced body size, and therefore the skin may sag or appear as “rolls”. A surgical procedure known as a back lift, or upper body lift, can address the issue of excess skin and fat on the back. A back lift is a surgical procedure that focuses on recontouring and tightening up the back by removing excess skin and fat.
Brachioplasty
Brachioplasty (arm lift) is a surgical procedure performed to remove the loose, hanging skin that often develops on the underside of the upper arm as a result of aging, weight loss or weight gain. Brachioplasty is ideal for patients who have an excessive amount of hanging skin and/or fat that does not respond to diet and exercise; maintain a stable weight; do not smoke; and have realistic expectations for surgery. Patients must also be healthy overall, with no major medical conditions that can be affected by surgery.
Buttock & Outer-Thigh Lifts
Aging or significant weight loss often causes buttocks and thighs to sag, even on someone who maintains a healthy weight and exercises regularly. Buttock and outer-thigh lifts are surgical options for tightening, firming and contouring the buttocks and the outer portion of the thighs. Although a buttock lift and outer-thigh lift can be performed separately, they are often performed together because the buttocks and outer thighs typically have the same issues. Ideal candidates, aside from having excess skin and tissue in their buttocks and outer thighs, are in good general health, do not smoke, and have realistic expectations about the procedures’ outcomes. Not considered weight-loss solutions, these lifts are performed only on those who are not significantly overweight.
Buttock Augmentation
Buttock augmentation (a type of gluteoplasty) is performed to enlarge, and possibly reshape, buttocks that have not responded to diet or exercise. Candidates for buttock augmentation are unhappy with the lack of fullness, roundness and projection of their buttocks, and/or with having asymmetrical buttocks; they should also have realistic expectations about the results that surgery can provide. Significantly more women than men seek to have their buttocks augmented, but in recent years, the number of men has increased.
Fat Injection to the Buttocks & Breasts
‘Fat injection’, also known as ‘fat transfer’ or ‘fat grafting’, is a permanent filler procedure in which fat is obtained from one area of the patient’s body (typically an area with excess fat, such as the thigh) using liposuction and injected into another area of the body in need of rejuvenation.
Labiaplasty
Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure that is performed on the labia major (the outer lips of the vagina) and/or the labia minor (the inner lips of the vagina). It is used to reduce the size of labia that are too large, and to reshape labia that are uneven, improving their appearance and reducing associated discomfort. A relatively minor surgical procedure, it is performed for cosmetic, hygienic, pain-relief and/or functional reasons. Labiaplasty can be performed alone or in conjunction with procedures such as vaginoplasty and liposuction. Labiaplasty specialists are often plastic surgeons, obstetricians/gynecologists, or urologists.
Liposuction
Liposuction is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that uses a thin, hollow tube called a cannula to remove localized areas of body fat. The cannula is inserted through extremely small incisions, and then moved back and forth to loosen excess fat, which is suctioned out using a vacuum or a cannula-attached syringe. Treated areas look slimmer and more contoured, and in better overall proportion to the rest of the body. However, liposuction is not a method for losing weight, and is not effective in eliminating cellulite, or tightening loose and sagging skin.
Panniculectomy
A panniculectomy is performed to remove a panniculus, which is an “apron” of excess skin and fat hanging from the lower abdomen. Panniculectomy is different from abdominoplasty, which, in addition to removing excess skin and fat, tightens the abdominal muscles. Abdominoplasty is considered a cosmetic procedure; panniculectomy is not, because a panniculus can cause medical problems and interfere with everyday activities. Candidates for panniculectomy have typically lost a large amount of weight through gastric- or intestinal-bypass surgery, or changes in nutrition and fitness habits; or are normal-weight women who have excess skin post-pregnancy. A panniculus is graded on a scale from one to five. A grade one panniculus extends to the pubic hair but does not cover the genitals; a grade five extends to the knees or lower.
Reticular Veins
Reticular veins are damaged veins that are larger than spider veins but smaller than varicose veins. While they may appear blue or greenish and somewhat enlarged beneath the surface of the skin, they are not ropy and bulging like varicose veins. Reticular veins can appear occasionally on the face, but are most frequently found on the outer thighs or on the backs of the thighs and knees. Usually only of cosmetic concern, reticular veins may also cause patients to experience tenderness, pain, burning or itching in the affected area.
Spider Veins
Spider veins (telangiectasias) are small, thin blood vessels visible beneath the skin. They usually develop on the face or legs, and may look like a series of thin tree branches or strands of a spider web. Although most spider veins are only a cosmetic issue, for some people they can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as aching, burning, swelling and leg-cramping.
Thighplasty
Thighplasty (thigh lift) is performed to tighten the skin of the thighs, with the goal being to produce slim, contoured thighs that look proportionate to the rest of the body. Thighplasty may be performed alone, or in combination with other cosmetic procedures, such as liposuction, that slim the lower body. Candidates for thighplasty are in good general health, but have excess skin and/or tissue on their thighs as a result of aging, pregnancy or significant weight loss. Thighplasty is not considered a procedure for losing weight; it is performed only on those who are close to their ideal weight but unhappy with the appearance of their thighs.
Vaginal Tightening and Rejuvenation
When a woman gives birth, the vagina and surrounding tissues stretch to allow the baby to pass through. After birth, the vagina gradually contracts to a normal diameter once more, but it does not reach its previous tightness, tone or elasticity.
