Procedures to Undergo After Considerable Weight Loss

More and more people are becoming conscious of their weight. After all, numerous medical studies have identified obesity as a risk factor for dangerous diseases such as diabetes and myocardial infarction.

A Cosmetic Surgery Package for Post-Pregnant Moms

Post-pregnancy bodies tend to leave something to be desired. The expansion of the uterus during delivery can stay as is for years, giving women an expanded waistline. In addition, mothers with breast implants may see sagging breasts during pregnancy as a result of hormonal changes to ready the breast for breastfeeding.

The Purpose of Abdominoplasty and its Patients

Abdominoplasty, commonly known as tummy tuck, is a cosmetic procedure done to remove excess fat and skin on one's stomach. It is usually compared to liposuction, as the end result of the surgery is a more refined body mass and a much thinner figure. The difference between the two operations is that abdominoplasty is much more focused on reshaping a person's tummy through surgery while liposuction removes excess fat in multiple parts of a person's body.

Restore a Youthful Look through Face and Neck Lift

While the world waited with bated breath for the reveal of the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, one of the original supermodels who graced the cover years ago managed to grab headlines and blew everyone away. Christie Brinkley, probably best known to music lovers as Billy Joel's ex-wife, showed that she can still compete with young ones when she appeared on the cover of People magazine.

The Basics of Tummy Tuck Surgery

If you just can’t seem to remove excess skin around your abdomen despite following a strict daily exercise regimen, you might want to consider undergoing a tummy tuck. Also known as an abdominoplasty, tummy tuck surgery removes excess skin and tightens the muscles around the abdominal area.

This type of surgery is a great solution for people who have recently lost a large amount of weight. As the body stores fat, the skin is stretched to accommodate the increase in fat deposits. However, the skin may stay in its stretched form even if fat has been reduced. That said, tummy tucks are also a great option for women looking to shed off excess skin gained from previous pregnancies.

Tummy tuck surgery is available for both men and women in good physical health. Those interested in undergoing the procedure should speak with an experienced plastic surgeon. The procedure is not advised for people whose sole purpose for undergoing a tummy tuck is to lose weight. At the same time, women who plan to get pregnant again later on in life should also avoid the procedure.

The recovery period after a tummy tuck usually ranges between 2 to 6 weeks. During this period, follow the instructions your doctor will give you to help your body recover quickly.

Can Tummy Tucks Do More Than Make You Look Good?

Vanity can sometimes influence you to make big decisions about your body. One is to undergo abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck, after a major weight loss episode or pregnancy. Without knowing much about this procedure, you may think that it's all about keeping your torso attractive since it involves the removal of fat and excess skin from the abdomen area.

While this is true, a tummy tuck also has health benefits you may not be aware of and weight maintenance is one of them. A study concludes that patients who have gone through the procedure tend to keep their weight off right after the surgery. This allows them to shed off more pounds and reach their weight goals. It is also believed that the removal of abdominal fat cells reduces the level of hormones responsible for appetite. This is proven by the fact that most patients who’ve undergone the procedure tend to feel less hungry and feel full right after a meal.

Moreover, abdominoplasty when combined with other surgical procedures like hysterectomies and kidney transplant is a good strategy when done safely. Removing abdomen fat and extra skin lessens the risk of infection and improves the healing process after a surgery.

Why You Might Need After-Weight Loss Surgery

Following major weight loss, whether it’s acquired through natural (exercise) or surgical (bariatric surgery) procedures, men and women alike may experience sagging skin. It is, after all, an elastic organ which tends to lose its elastic components after weight loss. This is also why the skin does not automatically shrink back even though fat has already been removed from the body.

As a result, most people who lost weight rapidly may develop excessive facial and neck skin, saggy upper arms, flattened breasts with nipples pointed downward, flabby abdomen that may extend around the side and into the lower back, as well as hanging buttocks, groin, hips, and thighs. For some people, skin excess can be a serious problem that can significantly affect self-esteem. As if the weight loss struggle itself is not enough, skin sagging is yet another battle.

One way to achieve the body shape that you want is after-weight loss surgery or post-bariatric surgery. This procedure offered in many plastic surgery clinics aims to tighten loose skin and underlying muscles, and remove excess fat. The outcome is a toned body with smoother contours.

Before undergoing after-weight loss surgery, patients, however, must make sure that their weight loss has stabilized. A stabilized weight is essential, because skin sagging may redevelop if the patient continues to lose weight. Other candidates for this procedure include healthy individuals without medical condition, non-smokers, and most especially, individuals with realistic goals and who are committed to leading a healthy lifestyle after the surgery.

What to Know Before Choosing a Plastic Surgeon

Undergoing cosmetic or plastic surgery is a serious matter as there are health risks involved. If you consider going under the knife, do not forget the importance of choosing the right doctor. Here are a few guidelines to follow when searching for your potential plastic surgeon:

• Make sure the surgeon is board-certified. Not all claiming to be plastic surgeons are actually qualified and trained in the practice. As you are the patient, you should have a lot of impetus for you check on the qualifications of your would-be surgeon. It should also be a good idea to see if the doctor has had any legal issues in the past regarding his professional practice.
• Ask if the doctor has hospital privileges. Plastic surgery can only be performed in accredited hospitals and office-based facilities. If your surgery will be performed outside of the hospital, make sure that your doctor has privileges to do the same procedure in an accredited hospital.
• Prepare for cost. Plastic surgery is not usually covered by insurance, so chances are you’ll be paying for the entire amount of the procedure. Fees vary depending on the technique, length, and complexity of the operation. Keep in mind also that you will be needing post-op medications.
• Ask questions. Plastic surgery is a major operation and that’s why you have to be fully aware of every detail there is to know about it. Don't be afraid to ask questions. That's what initial consultations are for, anyway.

Tummy Tuck 101: The Risks and Complications

Knowing about the ins and outs of a tummy tuck before you finally decide to go through such major surgery is extremely crucial. This type of surgery can be very beneficial, but it also come with risks and complications. So the more that you understand the potential complications associated with a tummy tuck surgery, the easier it gets to analyze whether the benefits are worth taking a risk for.

The most common risks are:

• Bleeding, Fluid collections
• Slow wound healing, numbness
• Sitting stitches, asymmetry
• Skin discoloration, fat/skin necrosis

The major complications, which could be fatal yet rare, are infection, pneumonia, loss of the umbilicus, DVT or blood clots in the legs, Pulmonary Emboli or blood clot in the lungs, and death.

Basically, the qualifications of the patient and how well the procedures are executed determine the success of the operation. The likelihood of risks to transpire is generally minimal, even rare, in a healthy and absolutely qualified patient. Thus, learning about the factors – such as smoking – that contribute to the manifestation of risks and their possible remedies are imperative.

The best thing that you can do to avoid or reduce any of the risks linked to tummy tucks is to find a truly proficient cosmetic surgeon. Ideally, your surgeon should be able to properly inform you about the necessary preparations, step by step procedure, means to a faster recovery, overall cost, and whether you are qualified enough to undergo the surgery based on your personal circumstances.

What to Do Before Undergoing Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgeries come with numerous benefits. However, as it remains to be technically a medical procedure, it is imperative that you trust only a professional who is duly certified and qualified for the job.

Proceed with caution, particularly when you want to undergo cosmetic surgery in Mexico. While the industry is booming in Mexico, which is good, the downside is that this sudden popularity attracts even those “practitioners” who are unqualified in performing various procedures. So for a safer and more rewarding experience, see to it that you follow these simple tips below:

Objectives – Define your goals, motivations and expectations. The success of the operation is less likely to help you deal with your social and personal issues if you’re still struggling with your negative outlook in life.

Complement – You should know by now that outer beauty is not all there is to it. Never make the decision to change your appearance through surgeries on a whim, regardless of whether you can afford or not, if only to cure your insecurities. Remember, it's much better if you look good outside, and at the same time, feel good inside.

Research – It's important to find out how credible the cosmetic surgery clinic is. Look for accreditation and other proof of their expertise, experience and quality of service. Go for a surgery center that is accommodating and systematic enough to help you go through the process with all the information and assurance that you need.

The Right Procedure for the Right Gender

Some plastic surgery procedures exist for both men and women, albeit the objectives for some procedures differ based on the patient's gender. Take facial rejuvenation, for instance; both men and women can benefit from having a face (pardon the hyperbole) that could launch a thousand ships and fire arrows at a thousand hearts. Liposuction is also a procedure for both sexes—removing excess fat from the least appropriate places. Hence, it's inaccurate to say that plastic surgery is mostly for women.

Breast augmentation works differently for men and women. In this procedure, the objective for women is to achieve a plumper and fuller breast. For men, however, the objective is to give the breast (commonly called pecs) a more appropriate size. Having the so-called “man breast” is actually a condition called gynecomastia, wherein the area has more fat than necessary. A simple combination of liposuction and surgery usually takes care of these man breasts.

Of course, other plastic surgery procedures are more common for either gender. Hair transplant procedures are more common in men because they're more prone to baldness than women. On the other hand, vaginal rejuvenation is exclusive to women since men do not possess this reproductive body part. Still, you can consult a licensed and experienced plastic surgeon about the procedures you're interested in.