The most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in the U.S., liposuction sculpts the body by removing undesirable fat that has not responded to diet and exercise from areas such as the abdomen, waist, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, chin, cheeks, neck and upper arms. Local anesthesia or general anesthesia may be used, and the procedure can last anywhere from one to five hours depending on the amount of fat being removed.
There are several different methods surgeons use when performing liposuction, including laser liposuction (Slim Lipo) and suction-assisted lipectomy (SAL). Slim Lipo is a minimally invasive procedure performed in our Toronto office that liquefies fat before gently removing it from the body with a thin tube called a cannula. The laser energy used in this procedure also tightens the skin for a slimmer, smoother body contour. Patients can return to work and other regular activities after a day or two.
Abdominoplasty helps to flatten and shape the abdomen and waist by removing excess fat and skin and tightening muscles. The best candidates have pockets of fat or loose skin that haven't responded well to diet and exercise. The procedure can also be useful for women with stretched skin and muscles from pregnancy.
The procedure takes approximately two to three hours and is typically performed under general anesthesia. Recovery time ranges from two weeks to a few months. With a balanced diet and regular exercise, results are long-lasting.
Also called belt lipectomy, torsoplasty and panniculectomy, the circumferential body lift is performed to remove excess skin from the torso and upper legs.
Candidates for body lifts typically suffer from loose (inelastic) skin on many or most areas of the body as a result of age, childbearing or significant weight loss due to diet, exercise or bariatric surgery. Because of this, the procedure is often combined with others such as breast lifts, arm lifts and liposuction to retain a proper body proportion. Body lifts tighten and tone the abdomen, back, buttocks, hips and thighs.
During the procedure, skin is lifted from underlying tissue, muscles are tightened and stitched and fat is removed where necessary, and the skin is sutured closed. The navel is often removed and replaced in its new position. Surgical tubes may be needed for a few days to drain any fluid, and patients may need to wear compression garments for a few weeks to faciliate faster healing.
After surgery, patients are encouraged to walk as soon as they are able, although strenuous activities must be limited for about a month. Results are visible immediately.
After substantial weight loss, weight gain or simply from the effects of aging, skin on the upper arms can become inelastic, loose and flabby. Arm lifts, also known as brachioplasty, remove that excess skin and fat. Patients who have significant amounts of fat may want to consider combining the procedure with liposuction.
A thigh lift is performed to remove excess skin and fat from the upper legs. Candidates typically suffer from loose, inelastic skin after extreme weight loss due to diet, exercise or bariatric surgery. Because of this, the procedure is often combined with others such as breast lifts, facelifts and arm lifts to retain an attractive body proportion.
In a medial thigh lift (inner thigh lift), the surgical incision is made in the inner thigh along the line where the leg meets the groin. In a lateral thigh lift (outer thigh lift), the incision is made from the groin around the back of the body, so that the buttocks are lifted along with the thigh.
As we get older, our buttock may begin to droop and sag like other areas of the body. Fortunately, like these other areas such as the breast and stomach, there are surgical options available for reversing these changes and returning to a tighter and firmer appearance.
A buttock lift can be done by lifting the buttock, sculpting it with liposuction, enlarging it with implants or fat, or any combination of the three. The type of surgery performed will depend on the new look you desire. Buttock surgeries take into consideration the size, shape and skin quality of your buttock, as well as the qualities that you desire after surgery. A lift is most often recommended after a large amount of weight loss, when there may be loose or excess skin. However, buttock lifts are not very common procedures because they leave a scar across the upper buttock.
The actual procedure is performed as an outpatient surgery and usually takes 2-3 hours. Lift surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia. Most patients can return to work after a week to ten days, but full healing will take several months.
Giving birth can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a woman's life. Unfortunately, pregnancy and breast-feeding often result in unwanted changes in a woman's body, such as drooping breasts, enlarged areolas, a straighter waist, pockets of fat in the abdomen, stretch marks, and a sagging tummy that no amount of exercise and dieting seems to fix. The loose muscles and stretched skin improve somewhat over time, but the body never completely returns to the way it was before pregnancy.
It used to be that women were resigned to living with these natural changes in their bodies. Now, however, more and more women are seeking out plastic surgeons to rejuvenate their breasts and tummies to the youthful firmness they enjoyed before having children. These procedures, which often include tummy tucks, breast lifts and liposuction, are collectively called "mommy makeovers" or post-maternity breast and body reshaping.
