Obesity and Tummy Tuck Surgery

tummy tuck New York Could you be a candidate for tummy tuck surgery if you’re obese? Maybe.

A Comparison Study

One recent bit of research shows that being obese is not necessarily a contraindicator for surgery. In other words, if you’re not at your ideal weight and a flabby, saggy belly is holding you back, you may be able to have abdominoplasty safely.

This conclusion, published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), was reached via a study by a colleague in New York. Tummy tuck surgery, he found, causes no more complications in obese patients than it does in people of normal weight.

This plastic surgeon studied the results of 82 patients he had operated on over a seven-year period. 21 were classified as obese while the rest were non-obese. All underwent surgery at his practice with the same technique. Though the obese patients experienced a slightly higher rate of post-operative seromas requiring drainage, the difference wasn’t seen as statistically significant.

One aspect of abdominoplasty this doctor emphasized is that the procedure carries a relatively high rate of complications, no matter who the patient is. This is borne out in our experience in New York: tummy tuck patients do tend to have more post-op issues that need watching due to the extensive nature of the procedure. (But we are very careful and our complication rate is low.)

A Slightly Different Take

Another researcher, also a member of the ASPS, and his colleagues studied a cohort of 42 obese tummy tuck patients. This time the goal was not to compare two groups of different weights, instead the doctors wanted to determine the rate of complications for obese patients and explore their satisfaction with the results.

Most of the 42 patients studied underwent abdominoplasty—surgery that tightens up weakened belly muscles in addition to eliminating fat pockets and excess skin. A few had a procedure called a panniculectomy, a procedure that removes a hanging flap of skin and fat from the abdomen without muscle repair.

It may seem surprising to learn that almost half the 42 patients experienced a complication, but most of these were resolved in an office visit. A few had an issue, such as excess fluid or poor wound healing, that required additional minor surgery. The key here is that these complications were all quite treatable.

What’s more, even with the high rate of complications, the doctors found that patients were satisfied with their results. 94% reported being happy with their surgical outcome and a whopping 97% said they would choose to have the procedure again.

The View from New York

Tummy tuck surgery is simply more invasive than most cosmetic procedures. Plastic surgeons manipulate muscle, fat and skin at the same time, and liposuction is commonly involved. Typically there’s more discomfort after surgery than with other procedures and the healing process takes a bit longer.

But the satisfaction rate of patients who elect abdominoplasty is high. The “worth it” rating on RealSelf is usually right around 95%–and that’s based on more than 27,000 experiences. Most patients who write abdominoplasty reviews on the site are moms whose pregnancies took a toll on their bellies or weight loss patients.

And that’s an important factor in our view. Sometimes we work with patients who are pursuing good health, including losing weight, but their saggy belly prevents them from being active and exercising the way they want to. Some may have lost weight but still have excess skin and fat that contribute to pushing their BMI into the “obese” range.

Both research teams remarked that plastic surgeons prefer to operate on people at or near their ideal body weight for a variety of reasons—not just risks of complications. (And certainly any board certified plastic surgeon would not agree to operate on someone as a weight loss strategy.) But with complications generally quite minor and satisfaction so high, we agree that it doesn’t make sense to exclude obese women and men in a blanket manner.

In our practice in New York, tummy tuck patients are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and many factors are taken into account. When you choose to consult us, your health will be our top priority. If abdominoplasty can safely improve your quality of life, that’s when you’ll get the thumbs up. Call us to make an appointment: 212-570-6080.

Photo by Laura Tancredi from Pexels

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time…

New York breast surgery If you search online for things that seem like a good idea but really aren’t, you’ll find people talking about dating a co-worker or ordering a second pitcher of margaritas on a Sunday evening. Our favorite true-life story comes from a friend whose son decided it would be fun to roll bowling balls down a steep hill toward a neighbor’s house.

When we’re talking with a patient about breast surgery in New York—breast reduction, breast lift or even breast augmentation procedures—we understand when they’re interested in learning about so-called “doughnut” incisions around the areolas. We talked with a female to male (FTM) transgender patient about the option just this morning—hiding scars in the border between breast skin and the areolas seemed like a good idea to him. It wasn’t.

Doughnut, or peri-areolar, incisions (with areolar skin removal) do work well in limited cases. There are two factors that must be in place: a strategy for protecting the nutrient supply to the nipple to prevent necrosis, and working with smaller sized breasts whose volume won’t cause the scar to spread as it heals. The fact, is, however, patients who are good candidates are limited in number.

Better Approaches for New York Breast Surgery

In cosmetic surgery, peri-areolar incisions are sometimes used in a procedure called a “doughnut mastopexy” (mastopexy meaning breast lift). When breasts sag with time, areolas often spread and patients want them reduced in size. The thinking is to cut a ring of skin from the areola and tighten up the breast by suturing breast skin to the smaller areola.

Unfortunately, unless the breasts are quite small, they put too much strain on the incisions. Patients tend to end up with wide scars and puckering, and it’s not unusual for the areolas to stretch out again. Some cosmetic surgeons still offer the doughnut mastopexy option—we almost never do.

Our New York FTM breast surgery patient was not a good candidate for doughnut incisions because he wanted all tissue removed from his droopy breasts—in effect, a double mastectomy. In cases like this one where there’ll be leftover skin, the best approach is usually larger incisions that allow us to effectively address gland and fat tissue and remove skin. Then, the nipple needs to be moved carefully higher on the breast in a normal position. More scarring, yes, but the scars do fade in time. And the result is more predictable and natural.

This multi-incision/nipple graft technique is useful for other patients looking for surgery for large droopy breasts. We have used it with great success for guys with good sized man boobs, women with very large and/or very saggy breasts and female and male weight loss patients.

For many women seeking breast reduction and breast lift surgery in New York with us, we can use an incision partway around the areola and down toward the breast fold, the so-called “lollipop” incision, or down to the breast fold and underneath in an “inverted T” or “anchor” incision. This is a good compromise approach, preserving nipple integrity while allowing us to remove excess breast tissue and skin as needed, lifting the breast through incisions mostly hidden underneath.

A quick word about men with gynecomastia and wide areolas. We most often recommend removing excess tissue and allowing the areolas to shrink on their own. Many patients are surprised at how, when gland and fat are removed and the breasts become more normal in size, areolas follow suit.

Some Doughnuts are OK

We don’t mean to suggest that all areolar incisions are bad. Indeed, we use them at least weekly for guys with man boobs—usually at the base of the areola to pop out gland tissue. And we use them for women seeking breast augmentation in New York, when they choose modest sized implants placed over the muscle. Advantages do indeed include scars that are almost invisible, but note that we are not removing a circular ring of tissue around the areola in these operations.

There is one time when excising a doughnut of skin can be a good way to go. We do this on occasion for patients with tuberous breasts. It’s technically challenging, and a topic for next time!

Don’t worry if you’re confused about the right breast surgery. Contact us in New York and we will be happy to arrange a personal consultation. Together we can work out the best strategy for getting the results you’re looking for.

Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels

Can I Have Liposuction If…

liposuction New York “Contraindications,” they’re called in the medical world: reasons a person might not be a candidate for a particular procedure. Since one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries in New York is liposuction, we field “can I have liposuction if” questions often. Here are some of the leading concerns prospective patients have.

My BMI is High

By now, we find most people interested in liposuction in New York understand that it’s not a weight loss tool. You can probably choose to move forward if you are somewhat overweight—meaning a BMI, or Body Mass Index, under about 30—notes an article in Very Well Health. We generally agree with the rest of the piece too: people with a BMI over 30 should understand that there’s a limit to how much fat can be removed safely. Hence, it’s much better for a person to be relatively close to their normal weight and to accept that liposuction is for light contouring. For a person with a high BMI, the only appropriate target may be a small area like under the chin.

I Have Another Condition

For people with diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure or another chronic disease, one priority in life is to manage the condition on a daily basis. Assuming this is the case for you, it’s likely that cosmetic surgery will be possible. With medication or other management methods keeping key measurements normal, your risk is probably no higher than any other patient’s. We’ll explore the topic with you and coordinate with your regular doctor.

I Have Lost Weight

Congratulations on improving your health! Like the majority of people who have dropped several or more pounds, you’ve found that traces of your overweight body remain. This is why formerly obese people so often seek cosmetic surgery near the end of their weight loss journey. We perform liposuction in New York for many weight loss patients and it’s normally quite safe when their BMI is at a reasonable point.

Of course, there’s often the matter of loose skin as well as leftover pockets of fat. That’s why we’ll evaluate your whole body when you come in for a consultation. We’ll discuss your goals and give you some options to consider.

General Anesthesia and I Don’t Get Along

If you don’t tolerate general anesthesia very well, and you have read that local anesthesia is not usually a good choice for liposuction patients (we agree), you might think you’re out of luck. Not so! We use IV sedation for nearly all our New York cosmetic surgery patients. When you work with us, you will be lightly but completely asleep during your procedure and you’ll feel nothing and remember nothing afterword. You’ll wake up quickly when we’re finished and you’ll suffer none of the ill effects of general anesthesia.

We can do this because our M.D. anesthesiologist, Dr. David Calvello, is highly skilled and has been by our side for more than 25 years. Read about him here.

I Take an Immunosuppressant

You are right to wonder about taking an immunosuppressant when you’re having cosmetic surgery—your risk of infection would be higher than that of an average patient. This doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t have liposuction, however. We have operated successfully on patients with autoimmune conditions and on people who have had organ transplants. We are hyper vigilant when it comes to preventing infections.

We would talk this over with you in consultation and discuss how to be extra cautious during the recovery process. We would also want to coordinate with your primary care physician to be sure you get the green light for surgery and find out if you might be able to suspend your medication for a short time.

I’ve Had Hernia Repair

Most of the time, patients who have had hernia repair can have liposuction with no issues. Our consultations include a careful examination during which we can inspect the site of your previous operation. Of course, it partly depends on how close to the repair we would need to position the cannula to get the result you’re looking for. We may want to coordinate with your surgeon or get an x-ray if there’s any doubt, but generally previous hernia surgery is no problem.

Get the Picture?

By now you’ve probably spotted our theme: your doctors can help you determine whether cosmetic surgery is a good idea for you. Seeking input and scheduling consultations is the way to go. We would be glad to hear from you at our practice in New York—liposuction is one of our specialties and has been for 30+ years. If you contact us online and tell us your situation, we can begin a conversation.

Breast Reduction: Give Yourself Permission

New York breast reduction Just like many of the men we work with who are thinking about man boob surgery, many women we talk to who consider breast reduction in New York have never really pictured themselves as the cosmetic surgery “type.” Having performed plastic surgery in Manhattan for people of all kinds for 30 years, we don’t really feel there’s a cosmetic surgery “type.” But if you generally believe people should be acceptable just as they are, we get it. Many of our patients feel that way too, yet they know their lives would be enhanced with that bump removed from their nose or their saggy, post-pregnancy belly tightened back up.

If you’re the “type” who sees women with augmented rear ends and unnaturally oversized breasts and think, “why in the world,” well, we understand that too and we generally agree. It’s just that we believe every man and woman deserves to live life unsaddled by a physical issue, if it can be corrected safely.

Here are the benefits available to you through breast reduction:

Simple Physical Health

If you choose to have breast reduction in New York with us, we will literally lift a weight off your shoulders. You will feel lighter and your posture may straighten. Neck and backaches should dissipate, as will the grooves on your shoulders worn by your bra straps. If your large breasts caused skin irritation underneath, you should be able to get that under control.

In fact, if you’ve had a few physical issues and have sought medical help, you may be able to convince your insurance company to cover the cost of surgery. It’s not always easy, but does work for some. We can’t do it for you, but we can advise.

Potential Fitness Benefits

Many women and men who undergo breast reduction surgery pursue a new fitness regimen after healing. Whether they weren’t able to do so before due to physical discomfort or embarrassment or both, it’s not unusual for our patients to join a gym or find other ways to step up their efforts toward better health. Many are inspired to lose weight too.

Psychological Well Being

Our New York breast reduction patients, male and female, express relief and even joy to us when they come in for post-op follow up appointments. It’s safe to say that the psychological gains they realize after surgery are at least as significant as the physical benefits.

Just imagine what it would be like to catch a glimpse of your profile in a mirror when you no longer look top heavy and slumped over. Can you see yourself shopping for form fitting tops and sleek fitness gear? It’s no wonder breast reduction surgery is rated 97% “worth it” by women on RealSelf, who routinely comment “best decision I ever made.”

A recent study in Australia confirmed benefits beyond the physical for breast reduction patients. Researchers studied post-op patients who graded themselves on four key aspects of life before and after surgery: physical well-being, satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial health and sexual well-being. The team found that the subjects scored lower than average women on the four measures before surgery, and improved in each category afterward. Not only that, the study group scored higher than average in quality of life after surgery.

A Few Final Thoughts

It’s certainly not our habit to push people to have cosmetic surgery. With three decades of successful plastic surgery in Manhattan under our belt, we’re not frantically trying to drum up business. We are in practice to help people achieve more satisfaction in life, and breast reduction surgery has the power to do just that. That’s the reason women who choose breast reduction in New York with us, as well as guys who undergo man boob surgery, are some of our favorite patients. It’s a privilege to truly change their lives.

Breast reduction might be a more straightforward, no nonsense procedure than you imagine it to be. Read this summary, then send us an email to start a dialogue. We’d like to hear your story, answer some questions, then invite you in for a consultation. The ultimate decision is yours to make.

Confused About Tummy Tucks?

tummy tuck New York If you’re confused about what kind of tummy tuck you may need, we’re not surprised. There are various techniques plastic surgeons use to tighten up the abdomen. Some are named using medical terminology; some have names dreamed up to aid in marketing the procedure. How’s an average person supposed to know what to choose?

As a matter of fact, you’re not supposed to know which approach would work best for you. We’re always delighted when patients interested in a tummy tuck in New York come see us and ask for our input. But just to give you an idea of some of the differences, here’s an overview of the most common abdominal cosmetic surgeries.

Full Tummy Tuck

The classic abdominoplasty, or full tummy tuck, is a powerful procedure. It removes extra skin and banishes stubborn fat pockets, plus it allows the plastic surgeon to repair belly muscles that have stretched or even torn. That’s why the operation earns such high “worth it” ratings on RealSelf—it can be transformational.

In our practice in New York, tummy tuck patients are often women who have undergone multiple pregnancies and people who have lost significant amounts of weight. In these cases, the body has stretched to accommodate the changes and is unable to bounce back on its own. Read more about the procedure here.

Mini Tummy Tuck

Whereas a full abdominoplasty usually requires a hip-to-hip incision to allow access to areas both above and below the navel, the incision for a mini tummy tuck is smaller and lower on the belly. It also involves a little less downtime and lower cost than the full procedure.

Our New York mini tummy tuck candidates typically have a “pooch” localized below the belly button. Even through the smaller incisions, we can tighten abdominal muscles and even remove stretch marks.

Body Lift

Also called an extended abdominoplasty or a circumferential abdominoplasty, a body lift reaches entirely around the abdomen. Not only can we repair, remove and re-sculpt drooping tissues, through the larger incision we can actually lift the entire lower body.

This particular procedure is often appropriate for someone who has gained and lost a substantial amount of weight. Though it requires an investment in downtime after surgery, the benefits of a body lift can extend down to hips, thighs and even the pubic area as well.

Fleur de Lys Abdominoplasty

Yet another form of tummy tuck is known as a fleur de lys abdominoplasty. If you imagine the shape of a fleur de lys you’ll know why: the procedure reaches to the upper abdomen as well as across the lower belly. Two incisions are made, one vertical and one horizontal.

This option is best suited to someone who has lost enough weight to need skin removal on the upper torso as well as muscle repair and skin excision lower on the abdomen. It’s more extensive than a traditional tummy tuck but less invasive than a full body lift.

Panniculectomy

For a very select group of patients, a panniculectomy may be the right call. This procedure removes a redundant flap of skin that extends from the abdomen down toward the thighs. In Latin the flap is called a “pannus” – that’s how the procedure got its name.

People who have lost weight but still have good abdominal muscle tone may be candidates for a panniculectomy. Though the operation can remove quite a bit of skin, it poses an easier recovery since the muscles are not impacted.

Oh the Variables!

In addition to the main approaches to tuning up the torso, there are other variables as well. One is what happens with the navel. Some of our patients need their navel repositioned, some do not. Some need our fine touch to reshape the navel to be more youthful in appearance.

We strategically employ liposuction in almost every torso surgery—but where and how much depends on each individual.

Perhaps by now you’re getting the idea: tummy tucks need to be fine-tuned to meet the unique needs of every woman or man. That’s just what we offer our New York tummy abdominoplasty patients, a strategy designed just for them. Like Ahuva, one of our patients a few years ago, you can name your procedure after yourself! Read about Ahuva’s Tummy Tuck here.

We look forward to working with you. Give us a call at 212-570-6080 today.

5 Tips for Your Liposuction Recovery Diet

liposuction New York For patients in New York, liposuction recovery questions are top of mind. They already know that the procedure is safe, and they look forward to benefiting from the impact of the cannula on stubborn fat pockets. What they most want to know about is how their recovery will go.

If you’re considering liposuction in New York with us, we probably don’t have to tell you that the more territory we target, the more time you may have to take off work and rest. The post-op period will be shorter for limited areas like saddlebags only, and longer if we perform liposuction on hips, thighs and belly.

There are variables that are specific to you as a patient as well. Good health, good habits, an optimistic attitude and a decent tolerance for discomfort go a long way in helping with recovery. No matter what the situation, though, you can make a difference in downtime with the right diet.

Surprised? It’s true! Read these tips and find out what to eat after liposuction.

1) Increase protein intake. In case you don’t remember the nutrition units of your grade school science classes we’ll remind you: protein feeds the growth of muscle and other body tissues. It also assists in wound healing. A good post-op diet should include plenty of protein.

2) Drink plenty of liquid. Water is best, but you can substitute herbal tea and other light drinks some of the time. Smoothies and soups can add liquid to your diet as well. Staying fully hydrated helps minimize the risk of blood clots and infection. It also helps replace fluid that may be lost due to wound drainage.

3) Choose foods high in fiber. Especially if you decide to take pain medication for a few days after liposuction, constipation could be a challenge. We recommend eating whole grains—meaning while grain bread instead of white bread, for instance, and oatmeal instead of processed cereals. Fruit and vegetables are great sources of fiber too, plus they provide the vitamins and minerals so essential to the body after trauma.

4) Reduce salt in your diet. You probably already know that salt contributes to water retention, and since battling swelling is a main goal after liposuction, you’ll want to minimize your salt intake. That means skipping foods like pizza, of course, and you can try lemon juice on cooked vegetables instead of salt.

5) Consume dairy products in moderation. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products provide much needed calcium and protein, but the fat in some dairy choices can contribute to constipation (like cheese and ice cream). Try getting “healthy fats” through sources like olive oil and avocados, and when you do eat dairy products select low fat versions. Now would be a good time to try a low-fat probiotic yogurt to promote smooth digestion.

We encourage our New York liposuction patients to consider not just what they eat after surgery, but how they eat as well. Remember that your body has just suffered a bit of a shock, and be extra kind to it. Try eating smaller amounts of food more often rather than large meals. You can also go for a brief, gentle walk after you eat, then rest for a while. These kinds of measures can help your body get the most out of what you put in it.

You may have heard this before but it bears repeating: it’s a good practice to purchase most of your food from the outer rim of the grocery store and minimize what you buy from the inside aisles. Think about it—the outer ring of the market is where the produce, meat and dairy products are found, whereas the middle of the store is where the shelves of chips, cookies and sugary cereals are located. This is good advice for every trip to the grocery store, and especially important after surgery.

Contact us if you’d like to talk about liposuction in New York. As liposuction pioneers, we have more experience to offer you than just about any other practice around, and thousands of happy patients we can tell you about. We’d like you to be one of them!

What You Don’t Know About Liposuction

New York liposuction Current trends in athletic wear have boosted the popularity of liposuction, the New York Post said earlier this month. Last year, Newsweek reported that looking better in selfies was the motivation behind rising numbers of liposuction, breast augmentation and facial plastic surgery procedures. And, of course, the desire to look like a favored celebrity is probably a factor for some people as well.

Whatever the driving forces of the day maybe, liposuction continues to be almost universally in demand. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the procedure ranked second among women (after breast augmentation) and first among men in popularity in 2018.

The ASAPS also says that 92% of board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States perform liposuction, and there are numerous gynecologists, primary care doctors and other non-plastic surgeons who offer the procedure as well. With all that in mind, it’s understandable that some people think they don’t need to worry too much about where they have the procedure done—a clinic, a medical spa, a regular doctor’s office or a surgical center—and who exactly wields the cannula.

If you’re among them, we’re here to change your mind. Actually, your choice of practice is ultra-important. Here’s some information that may help you understand why.

Strategy for New York Liposuction Patients

We see dozens of patients each year for liposuction revision in New York, both men and women who have “hills and valleys” created by a less experienced doctor. Here’s our approach to avoiding this kind of result.

First, wherever possible we “stay deep” – that is, we suction away fat from deeper layers of tissue, not right under the skin. An even layer of unoperated fat just beneath the skin gives a smooth appearance after healing.

Sometimes it does make sense to work on all layers of fat, including the one just beneath the skin’s surface. This can be the right strategy with male patients who are looking to reveal their abdominal musculature, or “six-pack.” In these cases, we suction away fat from the deeper layers as usual and use much thinner cannulas just under the skin. At the end of the procedure, we look for any residual lumps of fat using a special instrument called a basket cannula with no suction applied. We break up the clumps into very small bits of fat that then redistribute themselves evenly under the skin. It’s a kind of “auto fat graft.”

With our gynecomastia patients in New York, liposuction needs to be carefully approached as well. We often will leave a thin pinch of fat on the chest after surgery to help provide the “sculpted, chiseled” appearance most guys are hoping for. We may use the basket cannula if we feel the result may not be smooth enough, but as a team specializing in gynecomastia surgery for many years, we know what to look for and we usually achieve the right result with no added techniques.

Another thing to keep in mind about liposuction surgeons—it’s important to choose one who also knows when to stop. A good example of a potential problem area is in the back of the thigh, especially for women. There’s sometimes a crescent-shaped fat deposit (referred to by some as “the banana”) just under the butt. While some of this fat may be safely removed, if a doctor removes too much, the buttocks will sag.

One last aspect of liposuction you may not know: your cosmetic surgeon needs to be experienced at treating both men and women. The approach is usually a little different, and not just in the areas of the body that need treatment. Male fat tissue tends to be denser than women have, and the provider you choose should have extensive experience with both.

Our Liposuction History

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to work alongside one of the liposuction pioneers three decades ago, and we have been perfecting our techniques and tools ever since. We’re happy to welcome patients seeking revision liposuction in New York—but we hope you won’t be one of them! Contact us to find out about working with our team, or at least ensure that you choose a highly experienced board-certified plastic surgeon for your procedure. Getting it right the first time should be your goal.

Cosmetic Surgery for Older Patients

cosmetic surgery New York If your golden years are suddenly peeking over the horizon, you may be thinking about things that haven’t been much on your mind before—the health of your retirement account, whether you should downsize your living situation and cosmetic surgery.

Yes, New York residents who haven’t seen themselves as candidates for cosmetic surgery sometimes start to wonder about it as they approach their 50’s and 60’s. But where to start? Which procedures hold the most promise for older patients? Which might be the best investments?

If this line of thought feels familiar to you, perhaps we can assist. Here’s some information on cosmetic surgery for middle-aged people with a little help from statistics kept by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

The Most Popular Cosmetic Surgery for Older Patients

We find that even our New York cosmetic surgery patients who don’t know much about the choices can guess which procedures middle-aged people flock to. For instance, nearly 90% of facelift surgery is performed on patients who are 51 and older. There’s a similar number for neck lifts—nearly 87% are done on those over the age of 50. No surprise there.

Eyelid surgery is another option for those who are starting to look their age: nearly three-quarters of the eyelid lifts done in the U.S. are done for those in their 50’s and above. In the hands of a skilled, experienced plastic surgeon, this is an option that can offer tremendous rejuvenation “bang for the buck.” So can brow lift surgery—where older patients make up 67% of the total.

Some New Choices

There are a few newer procedures that our New York cosmetic surgery patients find appealing. One is fat transfer to the face, which can plump up areas that tend to grow sunken and look hollow with age. The cheeks and tear troughs are leading targets. The ASAPS reports that nearly 70% of these less-invasive procedures are performed on people 51 and older.

Another group of middle-aged patients who seek our help is looking for breast implant removal. Some need to swap their implants for newer models, but many find they just don’t want to have implants any longer. Some note that society has gravitated toward a more natural look and large breasts don’t always look great on older women, especially when the skin has started to stretch.

A Few Surprises

Contained in the ASAPS statistics are a few surprises. We bet you couldn’t guess that older folks often choose liposuction, for instance. Men and women of middle age don’t dominate the percentages for this option, as it’s perennially number one or two in popularity for nearly all ages, ethnicities and genders. Just about 28% of those choosing liposuction have passed their 50th birthday, but the numbers themselves are a bit surprising. More than 85,000 liposuction patients in the U.S. in 2017 were 51 and older.

You might expect that upper arm lifts are most popular with older people. Though the numbers are small—just around 10,000 patients per year—more than half these surgeries are requested by people 51 and older. We were pleased and a little surprised that many other procedures that lift areas of the body (often following weight loss) are popular with older patients too. About 30% of both upper and lower body lifts are performed on people past their 50th birthday, and 38% of thigh lifts are done for this group of patients as well. This may mean that despite what the reality TV shows might suggest, older people are committing to weight loss as well as the younger set.

Next Steps

If you’re beginning to educate yourself about cosmetic surgery for older patients, here are a few other recommendations. Check out the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and make sure you understand the importance of certification by this organization. Then, visit the websites of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. These two groups, who only accept ABPS-certified doctors, offer a great deal of information on procedures you might find intriguing.

If you’re ready to talk about cosmetic surgery in New York, we would be happy to meet you! We’ve been helping residents of the Big Apple and those who travel to work with us for many years. It would be our pleasure to educate you and assist you in deciding on the right path. Call us at 212-570-6080.

Liposuction: The New York Cosmetic Surgery Star

New York liposuction If we had to name the number one most important cosmetic surgery procedure for our patients in New York, liposuction would probably be our choice. Why? For one thing, we helped pioneer the technology in this country and have been performing liposuction longer than many other surgeons have been in practice. We have confidence in our skills with the cannula, and we enjoy using it!

But there’s another reason liposuction is a star with us. Not only do we perform it as a standalone operation for people with stubborn fat deposits, it also acts as a supporting technology in several other cosmetic surgeries.

Liposuction as a One-and-Done

Lots of patients we work with in New York choose liposuction to refine areas that diet and exercise can’t touch. Most people know that the way fat is distributed throughout the body is largely controlled by genetics. That’s why, no matter how often men and women hit the gym and how careful they may be with their diet, some are frustrated by stray rolls and bulges that will only disappear through liposuction. In fact, the more toned and fit a patient is, the more those pockets of fat may stand out.

We work with dozens and dozens of liposuction patients annually. Men often come to us looking for help to banish love handles and tummy pooches. (We call this procedure a torsoplasty—read more about it here.) Women may choose liposuction for saddlebags and other areas around the lower body. No matter what a patient’s unique shape may be, we map out a liposuction strategy to achieve the desired slimmer lines without going too far.

Liposuction Supports Other Procedures

Liposuction is a critical component of many other cosmetic surgeries. For the guys we work with, man boob surgery comes to mind. We often combine light liposuction with gentle gland excision in our male breast reduction surgeries. Even when no excess fat exists, we use the cannula with the suction turned off to loosen and re-drape skin. It’s also not unusual to suction away small fat deposits near the armpits when we perform gynecomastia surgery.

For women, a leading body sculpting procedure that needs liposuction support is abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck surgery. Though we perform the operation for men too, it’s very common for women to elect a tummy tuck that combines skin removal, muscle tightening and liposuction after pregnancy stretches tissues and generates extra fat. We use liposuction in mommy makeover (combination) surgery as well.

Many other procedures we perform for patients in New York include liposuction. It’s an integral part of thigh lifts and arm lifts, for instance. And though people don’t always realize it until we work with them in consultation, we may use a small, delicate cannula for the finishing touches on a facelift and very often for a neck lift.

Uses for liposuction have grown in recent times as societal attitudes toward aesthetics and health have changed. A good example is increasing requests for “bra roll” treatment–an area that is nearly impossible to impact with exercise and diet. Another example is post-weight loss cosmetic surgery. Liposuction is nearly always needed to remove fat deposits that linger as a man or woman nears their ideal weight.

Revision Liposuction

It’s worth making a couple of additional notes. One is that with liposuction being so popular and so useful, it’s tempting to think that just about every cosmetic surgeon is competent with the cannula. Numerous patients who come to us for do-overs are testament to the fact that it isn’t so. Any doctor can remove fat, but it takes experience to sculpt smooth, natural looking contours without leaving hills and valleys behind. Though it’s a tricky procedure due to scar tissue and other factors, we perform liposuction revision in New York often for patients whose cosmetic surgeon left them disappointed.

Liposuction Alternatives

Finally, we’d like to share why we don’t offer one or more of the “liposuction alternatives” on the market today. Some can achieve a measure of fat reduction for patients, but our feeling is there are just too many cases in which the results are uneven or insufficient or both. Given that these treatments aren’t inexpensive and generally can’t be counted on like tried-and-true liposuction, we steer clear. We recently wrote a blog post detailing our views on one of these options—find it here.

If you’ve read this far you may have the feeling that we love liposuction! It’s true, we know how powerful the technology is for our practice and we employ it quite often. If you’d like us to share how liposuction might be beneficial for you, give us a call at 212-570-6080.

Yikes! Summer is Almost Here!

cosmetic surgery new york You’ve been thinking about having cosmetic surgery so you can enjoy warm weather to the fullest, and now summer is almost here. Is there still time for that fine-tuning you had in mind?

For most body sculpting procedures, the answer is yes! The majority of our New York cosmetic surgery patients elect body contouring that requires a relatively short recovery period.

Here are some choices that will have you bathing suit ready in no time.

Breast Augmentation

Whether you’re thinking about breast augmentation to rejuvenate your shape after pregnancy or weight loss or to simply give Mother Nature a boost, you’ll be happy to learn that the procedure involves moderate pain at most and just one or two weeks of recovery time. You may need more cover than a string bikini at first, as swelling takes time to completely resolve, but you may be surprised how soon you feel ready for tank tops.

Many of our patients have the option of enlarging their breasts via fat transfer instead of using breast implants. This procedure requires an even shorter recovery period, though the final results are slightly less predictable. (Some patients opt for two sessions of injections.)

Breast Reduction for Women and Men

For women, breast reduction can require a few more days of rest because tissue is actually removed and swelling and bruising may take a little more time to dissipate. In fact, we caution our patients about doing too much too soon and increasing the risk of extra swelling. Nevertheless, if you’ve suffered from oversized breasts for years, the joys of a slimmer silhouette and unburdened back and shoulders will be yours in a week or two, and you’ll be wearing more form-fitting tops in about that same amount of time.

For men, recovery time depends on how much gland and fat are removed and whether excess skin needs to be addressed as well. Most guys can return to light activities within about a week. Be advised that you’ll need to wear a compression garment for a few weeks, but you’ll be looking great in a t-shirt very soon. It will take several weeks for most swelling to subside, so going bare chested will have to wait a while longer. For more details, check out our website devoted to male breast reduction here.

Liposuction

If you’re interested in liposuction, you probably feel very eager to show off your new contours! You can do just that within a week or two, provided you wear your compression garment for about a month. It will help your skin tighten up and will reduce swelling. So, light activity and clothes that cover will be the order of the day for a few weeks, then you’ll be able to break out more revealing outfits. You should be pleased with your new shape very soon even though final results will take a few months.

Your New York Cosmetic Surgery Consultation

The best way to understand what you can expect in terms of results AND recovery is to come in to our Park Avenue offices for a consultation. Our staff is ready to educate you about all aspects of the procedure you have in mind, and get you on our surgery schedule as soon as we can.
Send us an email and tell us your goals. We look forward to working with you!

New York Plastic Surgeon

Dr. Elliot W. Jacobs