Before considering facial liposuction, or any kind of plastic surgery for that matter, make sure you thoroughly research and find a board-certified plastic surgeon that you are comfortable with. Ask for references and to be shown before and after photos of patients they have performed the surgery you are interested in having on. Your face is the first thing people see and you really do not want any mistakes to be made. Choose your doctor wisely.

For most of us, as we age we put on weight. Some would say it is inevitable. Whether your weight gain is due to overeating, a slower metabolism, menopause, or what have you, it doesn’t matter, fat is fat. You know you should eat healthier and get some exercise but truthfully, in the real world, it is very difficult to stick to a routine because life always gets in the way.

So who do you turn to? How do you get the look you want without killing yourself in a gym? Why not consider the option of facial liposuction?

The use of lasers has become the procedure of choice for many due to the fact that it is much less invasive and there is a shorter recovery time associated with it. Find a surgeon skilled in the use of lasers to fix those saggy jowls, double chins and fat rolls on your neck.

Called SmartLipo, laser-assisted liposuction is a great way to refine the look of your face. No big incisions and no stitches to close them mean way less scarring, bruising, swelling and pain. The laser gets passed over the loose skin, shrinks the fat cells and tightens the targeted areas.

Traditional liposuction for those saggy jowls or double chins is performed by making a tiny incision either under the chin or inside the mouth and then removing the excess fat by inserting a tube, called a cannula, into the incision and suctioning out the fat. The excess skin is then stretched tight, trimmed, and the incision stitched closed.

If liposuction is performed on the face, you may choose to combine it with some neck work, too. Called cervicoplasty, this part of the surgery will take care of that double chin you have.

When the surgery is complete your head will be wrapped in a compression dressing that will need to be worn throughout the recovery process to help keep the healing tissue supported. Your doctor will tell you that you may return to work in about a week but expect a full six weeks to fully recover. Avoid looking at yourself in mirrors during this time. Wait until you are completely healed, no sense in scaring yourself half to death.

Plastic surgery is not for everyone but if you have done all you can by way of diet and exercise and still have areas that need work, like your face, by all means, talk to a board-certified plastic surgeon about facial liposuction. It may just be the self-confidence booster you need.

Tags: board-certified plastic surgeon, Cannula, Double Chins, Excess Skin, Facial Liposuction, Fat Cells, Incision, Incisions, Jowls, Laser, Laser Assisted Liposuction, Lasers, Liposuction, Loose Skin, Menopause, Plastic Surgeon, Plastic Surgery, Recovery Time, Stitches, Suctioning, surgeon, surgery, Tiny Incision, Traditional Liposuction, Weight Gain —

A friend of ours wants to have an abdominoplasty procedure done. When she first told us about this, all we could do was look at each other. Afterwards, when we were by ourselves and were able to discuss it more, I made the comment that I thought she was nuts to want to have anything done.

Why? Because she weighs about 100 lbs soaking wet and works out like a fiend every single day. How could she possibly need to have a tummy tuck? Well, I was wrong to jump to any conclusion like that. She explained at a later date that even though she works out like a fiend, she is still getting older and the skin around her middle is starting to get saggy. It is because she works out so diligently that she wants to continue to look her best.

Can’t blame a woman for that now can you?

The procedure she will have is called a mini-tuck where an incision is made, minimal liposuction performed if any is needed, and the skin tightened, then stitched closed. The belly button does not require relocation with a mini-tuck. A drain tube is inserted into the incision to drain excess fluid. The lower abdomen is then wrapped with a compression dressing. Pain control using a prescribed narcotic or, if the pain is minimal, then over the counter pain relievers may be used. Recovery time is 2-3 weeks with a mini-tuck.

So, I learned my lesson. I learned that even someone who is in great shape and has incredible muscle tone can still be in need of firmer skin in certain areas of her body.

I have another friend who had an abdominoplasty procedure after having two pregnancies which resulted in two very big babies, 10 lbs and 11 lbs, respectively. She lost all the baby weight but since both the babies had to be taken Cesarean and were so big to begin with she ended up with a lot of excess skin in that area and she was told the muscles of her abdomen would never recover.

Obviously, the procedure she had done was a full tummy tuck which involved “baseball stitching” the damaged muscles, removing any fat remaining with liposuction, stretching the skin taut, trimming off the excess, relocating the belly button and closing the incision. Drain tubes were inserted to help keep fluid from accumulating and aid recovery. The area is then wrapped tightly with a compression dressing to help support the muscles. A narcotic analgesic will be prescribed to control the pain and discomfort associated with the procedure. Recovery time is approximately six weeks with a full tummy tuck.

So, if you are looking for a toned, flat belly, check out board-certified plastic surgeons in your area and call for a consult. Ask what your options are and if they think you are a good candidate for surgery. You may find that you are making one of the smartest decisions you have ever made in your life. Just think, no more battle of the bulge!

Although not recommended as a substitute for a weight loss or diet regimen, an abdominoplasty procedure can help correct the problem areas left behind when all is said and done.

Tags: Abdominoplasty, Baby Weight, Baseball Stitching, Belly Button, candidate for surgery, Damag, Drain Tube, Excess Fluid, Excess Skin, Fiend, Firmer Skin, Great Shape, Healthy Diet, Incision, Incredible Muscle, Liposuction, Losing Weight, Lower Abdomen, Muscle Tone, Pain Relievers, Pregnancies, Recovery Time, Single Day, surgery, Tummy Tuck —

With ever increasing numbers of obese or morbidly obese people in the world today, it’s somewhat comforting to know that there are solutions that can speed up the process of weight loss. While diet and exercise are efficient methods of improving your health, for many people who are suffering from the serious medical complications of being overweight, it simply takes too long, they need help and they need it fast. Gastric bypass surgery can be the answer for many people. If you are considering this type of surgery, you’ll likely want to know more about it, such as learning more about gastric bypass recovery.

The actual time you spend in the hospital after the surgery can vary greatly from one person to the next and what type of procedure you had performed. For example, for someone who has the minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure the average post op hospital stay will be between 3 – 5 days assuming you don’t have any complications.

If, on the other hand, you have the somewhat more involved open gastric bypass procedure you will have a larger incision and will require a slightly longer hospital stay, generally between 5 – 7 days, again, assuming you have no complications. Your surgeon will be able to provide you with more specifics based on your situation and your overall health and the exact type of procedure you are having.

As to recovery after the surgery, there will also be a fairly involved process which will include significant lifestyle changes, in particular the types and amounts of food that you eat. It’s important to understand that this procedure will make your stomach about the size of a walnut, and that will greatly reduce the amount of food and drink you will be able to consume at one time. That change will be permanent so the days of having a huge feast are over, or at least you’ll have to spread the meal out over several hours.

Most people will continue to lose weight up to 2 years after the procedure, and weight loss of up to 80% of your excess body weight is not uncommon. It’s not likely that you’ll lose 100% of your excess weight but losing the majority of it is still a great start for most people.

Losing weight at such a rapid pace can have virtually immediate impact on other obesity related issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Another benefit, after your recovery period, should be an overall lessening of many aches and pains and increased mobility. Just being able to move around more comfortably can have a dramatic effect on your health as well as your overall disposition.

For many people, gastric surgery really is a matter of life and death. While it is possible to lose weight the ‘old fashioned’ way, for people with serious and potentially life threatening health issues time is of the essence and this surgery can help them lose weight much faster than they would normally be able to do. Just make sure that when you’re considering surgery, you pay close attention to the gastric bypass recovery time and carefully follow all of your doctors advice.

Tags: aches, Actual Time, Being Overweight, Bod, Bypass Surgery, diabetes;, Diet, Exact Type, Exercise, Feast, Food And Drink, food;, Gastric Bypass, Gastric Bypass Surgery, high blood pressure;, High Cholesterol, Improving Your Health, Incision, Invasive Laparoscopic Procedure, laparoscopic procedure, Lifestyle Changes, Medical Complications, Morbidly Obese People, obesity;, pains, Specifics, Stomach, surgeon, surgery, Weight Loss, World Today —

Sometimes when we look at ourselves in the mirror, we don’t like what we see. Our modern lifestyle does not exactly engender healthy living for normal people. The convenience of fast food combined with a sedentary lifestyle is not exactly conducive to a healthy life. Obesity is quickly becoming an epidemic in in terms of how it has spread. A lot of people are trying to be more fit, of course, with diet and exercise. However, sometimes, that’s not enough. This is where a gastric bypass comes in.

Having weight-loss surgery is quickly becoming an increasing trend among people who find that they just can’t seem to lose weight. This might have come about because of a combination of lifestyle choices, genetic predispositions and physical problems, but the results are still the same: stubborn flab that doesn’t seem to go away or even in some cases, incredibly overweight individuals. For people like these, a gastric bypasss is often their only hope.

What exactly is a gastric bypass? This is a simple process in which stomach capacity is lessened and a large part of the intestinal tract is skipped in the digestive process. It may sound complicated but it is actually the simplest weight-loss surgery that is possible. There are actually several variations of gastric bypasses but the most common type is the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. In this type of gastric bypass, a pouch is create at the top of the stomach using surgical staples sometimes this pouch is as small as a walnut. Then the stomach pouch is connected to the middle part of the small intestine, the jejunum.

All of this can be done by either an open procedure, where in the whole abdomen is sliced open, or by making a small incision in the side of the abdomen and using small tools and a camera to do the procedure, a process that is sometimes called the laparoscopic approach. An open procedure can be actually very dangerous and is also subject to longer recovery times; this is why the laparoscopic approach is often advised.

Of course, this is all a major surgical procedure and you can’t just have your digestive tract messed with. You can only be qualified for this procedure if you have been obese for five years, in which you have tried everything to lose weight, are not alcoholic, and not suffering from any psychiatric disorder. An age limit is also set for procedure only individuals from 18 to 65 may have a gastric bypass.

It may all seem like a done deal: just hop onto the operating table and you’ll be well on your way to svelteness. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. A gastric bypass is a four hour operation followed by a five day recovery period, in which the patient is observed. Liquids will be the only source of nourishment for him during the observation period. Afterwards, there will be a twelve week regimented diet that will take him from liquids to solids so that the patient’s new stomach may handle it. There will also be side-effects: a smaller stomach means less food which means less energy overall you’ll be lethargic until your body learns to cope. Also, you may experience pain and vomiting after eating too much or too fast.

A gastric bypass looks like a great shortcut to slimness but it’s a lot more difficult than it may seem.

Tags: Abdomen, Bypasses, Digestive Process, Epidemic, Fast Food, Flab, food;, Gastric Bypass, Genetic Predispositions, Incision, Intestinal Tract, Jejunum, Laparoscopic Approach, less energy, less food, Lifestyle Choices, obesity;, Overweight Individuals, pain;, Part Of The Small Intestine, Psychiatric Disorder, Roux En Y Gastric Bypass, Sedentary Lifestyle, Small Tools, Staples, Stomach Pouch, vomiting, Weight Loss Surgery —