Archive for March, 2011
Thigh Lift Procedure
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
We often call them “problem areas”: Parts of our bodies that exhibit sagging and drooping that are a natural part of aging. The face and tummy are two of them, and the inner thighs are also high on the list. And just like a tummy tuck and facelift can dramatically improve problem areas, so can a thigh lift. Here at The Peer Group in northern New Jersey, our team of plastic surgeons perform many thigh lift procedures, slimming and contouring our patients’ thighs. But we’ve found some confusion about what a thigh lift is, and who thigh lift surgery is right for. So here are the basics:
Thigh lift plastic surgery tightens the skin around the inner thigh. In fact, the procedure is sometimes referred to as an inner thigh lift. Your plastic surgeon sculpts the area to produce slimmer thighs that are proportionate to your buttocks, stomach and legs. If the outer thighs are your problem area, liposuction or a buttock lift usually produce better results than a thigh lift. In fact, a thigh lift is sometimes performed in combination with other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, such as part of a body lift or with a buttock lift. But a thigh lift isn’t a weight loss solution. The procedure is best for people who are already close to their ideal weight, but simply want to get rid of the excess skin and tissue that result from pregnancy, significant weight loss or aging.
Thigh lift cosmetic surgery is performed under general anesthesia, and your plastic surgeon will make the required incisions so that scars are inconspicuous and can even be hidden by a bathing suit. Your recovery time depends on the extent of the surgery, but within six months healing will be complete. If a lot of skin and tissue is removed during the thigh lift, an overnight stay in the hospital may be required. But anti-inflammatory and pain medication will ease discomfort. And also making you feel better – results of this plastic surgery will be visible immediately, and will continue to improve as swelling and other symptoms subside, leaving you with one less problem area!
Getting Eyelid Cosmetic Surgery
Thursday, March 24th, 2011
Eye contact is one of the most important ways we interact with one another. So you have to ask yourself, “What do people see when they look into my eyes?” For many of us exhibiting the natural signs of aging, the answer is eyes that can make us look sleepy, angry, or even unhealthy, all because small pockets of fat have built up under the brow or lower eyelid. Here at The Peer Group, our plastic surgeons have helped many people from throughout northern New Jersey whose drooping eyelids have given them a premature aged appearance through cosmetic eyelid surgery procedures. The fact that this is the second most common aesthetic plastic surgery procedure performed on both women and men indicates the dramatic difference a little plastic surgery on the eyelids can make in the way you look and feel.
Called blepharoplasty, or an eye lift, eyelid surgery removes the pockets of fat and loose skin and muscle from areas around the eyes. But the areas targeted for this procedure depend on your particular needs, and it may be performed on the upper eyelid, the lower eyelid, or both. Here are the basics you should know about each form of this plastic surgery procedure:
Upper eyelid surgery trims excess skin that imparts a tired appearance, and can even affect your vision. With this excess trimmed your plastic surgeon then lifts and tightens the remaining skin to give it a smoother appearance. Scarring is virtually invisible because the incisions are mad in the natural crease of the upper eyelid. Lower eyelid treatment targets bags and fat deposits underneath the eyes. Excess fat, muscle and skin are removed.
Eyelid plastic surgery is often performed in conjunction with another cosmetic surgery such as a brow lift or facelift, to remove crows’ feet and facial sagging. Eyelid surgeries are relatively simple, and can be performed under local anesthesia, and usually takes only one to three hours to complete, depending on extent of the work being performed. We recommend working with a cosmetic plastic surgeon who has significant experience performing eyelid surgeries. Ask to see pictures taken before and after eyelid surgery so you can review the results of their work. That will help ensure when people look into your eyes, they’ll see a youthful, happy gaze.
Tummy Tuck After Pregnancy
Thursday, March 17th, 2011
We diet, we exercise, and still we can’t lose the love handles or a protruding belly we develop as we age. Don’t blame yourself. That flabby midriff is often simply the result of the muscles of the abdominal wall loosening as we get older, or in women, after childbirth. And that’s something diet and exercise can’t do anything about. Fortunately abdominoplasty, commonly called a tummy tuck, can. A tummy tuck operation can dramatically reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen or a flabby midriff. And women who have stretched skin and lax muscles due to pregnancy are excellent candidates.
Here at The Peer Group in northern New Jersey, our plastic surgeons have performed many tummy tucks for patients in Livingston, Short Hills and throughout the region. During the tummy tuck surgery, your plastic surgeon will remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen and tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall. For most patients tummy tuck recovery takes about two weeks, and you’re ready to enjoy and show off your new, slimmer profile.
But as with any cosmetic plastic surgery procedure, it’s important to determine if a tummy tuck is right for you. So here are a few things women should keep in mind when considering post-pregnancy tummy tuck plastic surgery: First of all, the best candidates are in good physical condition, whose midriff pockets of fat or loose skin haven’t responded well to diet and exercise. And while this aesthetic procedure can have dramatic results on women following pregnancy, the results of tummy tuck surgery will diminish if future pregnancies occur. So if you’re planning to have more children, it’s best to wait before having a tummy tuck. Keep in mind a tummy tuck does produce a permanent scar which. Depending on the extent of the tissue and fat removed, tummy tuck scarring can extend from hip to hip.
Of course you should select a qualified plastic surgeon to perform the procedure, and ask to see photos of patients taken before and after tummy tuck surgery, so you have a realistic picture of potential results. For many women looking to regain their pre-pregnancy profiles, tummy tucks give them much more than a slim chance.
Recovery from Liposuction
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
Liposuction – we know it can dramatically slim and contour parts of your body where pockets of fat build up and refuse to leave, from the face and the midriff down to the thighs. But what about the recovery process and recovery time after liposuction? Here at The Peer Group, our plastic surgeons get lots of questions from our clients in northern New Jersey who have heard that recovery from liposuction surgery is unpleasant. So here are the facts: If you work with experienced plastic surgeons, they will employ techniques and procedures that ensure the best outcome and the most comfortable recovery – techniques that may be more effective than highly marketed but largely unstudied procedures such as laser liposuction or ultrasound liposuction. But it’s also important to understand that there are steps you, the patient, can take to help minimize any discomfort and speed recovery.
First, drink plenty of water or an electrolyte drink to assist your recovery from liposuction cosmetic surgery. And avoid drinking alcohol for 48 hours after the procedure. You’ll be given compression garments to wear after the plastic surgery that will speed recovery and prevent excessive drainage from the incision sites. Do not apply either ice packs or a heating pad over areas where liposuction procedures have been performed. Do not apply hydrogen peroxide or plastic band-aids to the site of the incision. And do not soak in a bath, Jacuzzi, swimming pool or ocean for at least seven days after your liposuction surgery. Yes, some pain and discomfort are part of the recovery process, but these can be alleviated with pain medication your plastic surgeon can prescribe. The majority of patients take such medications for a period of three days to two weeks, depending on their own personal comfort levels and the extent of the surgery. If you’ve had liposuction of the chin, for example, your recovery will be faster than if you have tummy tuck liposuction. Most people return to work within one to two weeks of liposuction. Your liposuction surgeon will go over all aspects of the treatment before your surgery. The results of the liposuction will become more apparent in the first few weeks after the surgery, and will continue to become more defined over the next six months. Keep these guidelines in mind, and the path to a slimmer you will be a simple and comfortable one!
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