Cosmetic Surgery Procedures for a Summer Body
Let’s face it – your New Year resolutions didn’t exactly pan out the way you expected they would. It’s been hard to find time to go to the gym on a consistent basis, and you often find yourself staring in the mirror criticizing your own body. It’s time to make a change. Let’s get your summer body back. You have a number of options at your disposal, including abdominoplasty (more commonly referred to as a “tummy tuck”), liposuction, and breast augmentation. Men and women alike can benefit from some of these procedures and take a major leap forward towards the body you want.
The Tummy Tuck
Abdominoplasty, or the tummy tuck procedure, focuses on and enhances your midsection by removing fat and tightening the abdominal muscles. Whether men want to tone up to shed those last few pounds or women want to give their tummy a post-pregnancy boost, abdominoplasty is a viable option for anyone who has excess fat and/or skin around the stomach that have not been able to improve this with diet or exercise. It’s important to understand that a tummy tuck should not be an alternative to weight loss and should not be used as a means to lose a significant amount of weight.
The recovery time for a tummy tuck varies from person to person. Pain and swelling will be common in the week after the surgery, as well as symptoms such as fatigue, bruising, and a numbed sensation. Soreness may be present for several weeks or months following the procedure. Rare, but possible, side effects include blood clots, internal bleeding, and infection; these should be discussed with your surgeon prior to the procedure in order to fully understand your risks. A tummy tuck procedure will leave scarring, and while there are scar creams available for purchase that can reduce the appearance of scarring, this may never fully disappear.
Liposuction
If you’re focused on removing stubborn fat from areas such as the arms, thighs, and waist, liposuction may be a viable alternative for you. Liposuction is typically performed in a hospital setting with the patient under general anesthesia or local anesthesia, and you may be required to stay overnight after the procedure is completed. Depending on how much fat and liquid is removed from your body, you may need medical supervision the day of and following the procedure while intravenous fluid is administered.
You may experience leakage or drainage from the areas where the fat was removed, and your doctor may insert a drainage tube. Be sure to understand the amount of time you’ll need to recover at home after the procedure is complete. You may also be directed to wear compression garments for several weeks after liposuction. It is typical to experience pain and swelling for the days and weeks following the procedure.
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is desired by many women for a multitude of reasons. Whether they want to enhance the breast volume they lost during pregnancy, get a breast lift to reduce the sagging that comes with age (and gravity), or to enhance the size of their breasts. Whatever the reason may be, breast augmentation surgery often results in increased self-esteem and confidence. If you’ve been meaning to treat yourself to a post-pregnancy lift, or if you just want to fill out your bikini a bit more, breast augmentation is a viable option for many women. Recovery times are dependent upon procedure type, though women can expect to experience pain, soreness, temporarily reduced sensation, and swelling for the weeks and months following such a procedure.
The Mommy Makeover
The “mommy makeover” is a common procedure popular among new mothers. Many women experience significant changes in their bodies after they give birth, including decreased volume and sagging in their breasts, stretched skin and stubborn fat around their abdomen, and even decreased facial plumpness. The mommy makeover is actually most typically a combination of the three aforementioned procedures – breast augmentation or lift, tummy tuck, and liposuction. To varying degrees, many women benefit from a combination of these surgeries to restore their bodies to their pre-birth state.
A breast augmentation, enhancement, or lift significantly improves the appearance of sagging and deflated breasts that may result from months of breastfeeding. The sometimes drastic weight gain that accompanies many pregnancies may wreak havoc on a woman’s breasts. It leaves the skin that was once stretched out to a much larger cup size looking deflated and sagging when breasts return to their usual size with the weight loss that accompanies birthing.
It is common for women to struggle with losing the weight they put on during pregnancy once they give birth. Being a new mother is a very stressful and exciting time, and getting proper diet and exercise is no longer a priority when you’re nourishing a beautiful new life. For that reason, many new mothers retain the weight they put on during pregnancy and struggle to ever lose it. Liposuction may be the answer for these women – it is a common way to remove stubborn fat from the abdomen, thighs, and even arms. Additionally, tummy tucks help to correct minor amounts of fat and skin stretching that may result in the lower abdomen after the birthing process. It is typical for women to undergo all three procedures within a short amount of time, in order to emerge with their new, “pre-baby” bodies again just in time for summer festivities.
Summer is a time to enjoy the great outdoors with friends and family. Wouldn’t you rather spend that time frolicking in the sun and enjoying a great barbecue with your loved ones, instead of self-consciously sitting by the pool wrapped in a towel to avoid showing off your body? It’s time for you to feel confident about yourself again – whatever that means to you. All women (and men) deserve to feel great about themselves and the way they look. If you decide that plastic surgery is right for you, speak with a surgeon that you can trust with your goals and your concerns. Be sure to understand the risks and complications associated with any medical procedure, and understand the recovery time and necessary post-operative treatment.
More procedures to consider:
Buttock Augmentation
Buttock Lift
Breast Lift
Body Lift
Dr. Amjadi MD, DDS, FACS
Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons
915 Gessner Rd #870
Houston, TX 77024
713-465-6198