To me, plastic surgery is such a diverse field. I am able to work with men and women of all ages and walks of life and each person has their unique desires and motivations for enhancing their lives physically and mentally. When it comes to body contouring, as an Atlanta cosmetic surgeon I have worked with patients ranging from a mother who is hanging up her pregnancy hat and ready to get her pre-baby body back to men who have lost significant weight and want to add the finishing touches of eliminating excess skin. From tummy tucks to liposuction, there are many cosmetic plastic surgery procedures within the body contouring umbrella and I wanted to share two of the most popular procedures that accentuate the body from the belly button, down:
Tummy Tuck – considerably the most popular of the body contouring procedures, tummy tucks (also known as abdominoplasty) are designed to create a smoother midsection. I still utilize the traditional method of removing excess skin and fat and retightening the abdominal muscle that may have become weakened due to pregnancy. My preferred method is a “no-drain” abdominoplasty which eliminates the extra space within the abdomen that collects fluid (and subsequently requires a drain to help clear out the fluid during recovery) by suturing the remaining skin and fat together down towards the muscle. What this does is it not only allows my tummy tuck patients to have better control of their abdominal movements (because you’re not delaying the natural healing of the fat to the muscle when you twist or contort the body) but also makes recovery much less complex or difficult.
In addition to the no-drain abdominoplasty, I utilize a special Scarpa fascia waist contouring technique that I developed over the past several years to produce a flat, smooth contour for a patient’s midsection. This is significant because previously these results were only possible with liposuction alone; now, I am able to improve the contours and shape of the abdomen with the Scarpa fascia technique so the stomach and waistline is shapelier than traditional tummy tuck results can produce.
Buttock Augmentation – Buttock augmentation has seen a surge of popularity in recent years and I would argue that we can thank popular culture for this increasing trend. Also known as Brazilian butt lift, this procedure is commonly performed through a fat transfer process for patients who wish to enhance the shape of their derrières. The fat transfer process uses injections consisting of the patient’s own fat from other areas obtained through liposuction around the buttocks, thighs, hips or abdomen. Once I have taken an ample amount of donated fat, it is then purified and re-injected into the predetermined areas of the buttocks. A benefit of fat transfer is that by using a patient’s own fat, it allows me to sculpt the injected fat into a more naturally-prominent buttock, plus, the fat transfer technique for Brazilian butt lift also significantly decreases the risk of complications associated with the introduction of a foreign object into the body, like butt implants.
To learn more about body contouring procedures I perform including thigh lift and arm lifts, or any of the additional plastic surgery procedures available, contact Southern Plastic Surgery, P.C today to schedule your complimentary consultation. Be sure to connect with me, Dr. David Whiteman, on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery trends, news and information.