Why You Need to Lose Weight Before Your Mommy Makeover Surgery

Plastic surgeons coined the term “mommy makeover” to describe any cosmetic surgery that aims to reverse the effects of pregnancy such as hanging skin and/or fats around the abdomen, flaccid breasts, and pockets of fats that do not respond to diet and regular exercise.

The aesthetic problems stated above are primarily caused by weight gain and changes in the breast size and shape associated with pregnancy.  While these “issues” can be addressed by plastic surgery, always remember that it is not a “quick fix.”

To enjoy a long-lasting result after a mommy makeover, you should be in normal and stable weight.  And if you are seeking breast enhancement (either you want to increase your bust size or lift your sagging breasts), make sure that all signs of lactation have resolved and your baby is done weaning.

A normal weight is particularly important when you are planning to have abdominoplasty or tummytuck, a procedure that removes the hanging, loose skin and fat bulges if there were any.

While the procedure can permanently remove the excess tissue and fats, you have to realize that your problem will reappear if you gain and then lose a significant amount of weight. 

Minor tweaks are fairly common after a body contouring surgery, although requesting for tummy tuck again and again is a clear sign that what you need is a complete change in your lifestyle rather than another cosmetic procedure.  And besides, repeating means additional scar and probably more risks.

Liposuction, a cosmetic surgery that removes the unwanted fats, also requires you to be in normal, stable weight.  Take note that it only eliminates the fatty tissues close to the skin and not the deeper visceral fats which are responsible for weight-related health problems.

The good thing about the visceral fats is that they respond well to diet and exercise, by contrast, the fats underneath the skin sometimes do not react to natural weight loss.  For this reason, liposuction is helpful for healthy people who want to improve their figure.

A stable weight is also important if you want to undergo breast lift, a problem associated with natural aging, previous pregnancies, and weight fluctuations.  Because it is possible to avoid these factors (except the aging, of course), why not make a commitment so you can enjoy a long-lasting result.

But if you were considering having babies in the future, most plastic surgeons would advise postponing breast lift because repeating the procedure means additional scar. 

Definition of Beauty and How It Affects Plastic Surgery Trends

With the growing acceptance of plastic surgery in the US, it not surprising that about 13.8 million procedures (both invasive and non-invasive) were performed in 2011 alone.  Meanwhile, this trend is expected to continue in the coming years as researchers and plastic surgeons are introducing safer and more effective techniques.

The quintessential aim of plastic surgery is beauty, or at least some aesthetic improvements (but not perfection).  However, “beauty” is probably the most contested word since many believe that it is in the “eye of the beholder.”

But still, experts and plastic surgeons believe that there is such a thing as “universal beauty.”  This is proven by some studies in which respondents were asked to rate the physical appearance of women from a different ethnicity and the result showed that those rated high in “attractiveness” were also considered beautiful by the people from the same ethnic group.

Meanwhile, the list below shows the 2011 most commonly performed cosmetic surgeries (from data released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons) and the probable reasons behind their popularity.

1.     Breast augmentation

About 307,000 breast augmentations were performed last year, making it the most popular cosmetic plastic surgery.  This has been the trend over the past couple of years not just in the US but also in many countries.

The breasts have always been associated with not just sexual attractiveness but also fertility.  However, breast augmentation is not always performed to increase the bust size; for some patients the procedure is also used to create fullness in the upper poles, resulting to a more youthful appearance.

Recently, plastic surgeons have noticed that a growing number of patients are choosing smaller breast implants just to achieve fullness and more prominent cleavage. 

2    Rhinoplasty or nose reshaping

 More than 244,000 patients had rhinoplasty last year, making it the second most popular cosmetic surgery.

A good result should complement the face of a person; for this reason, plastic surgeons have developed ethnic rhinoplasty to preserve and even glorify the “quintessential” features of a patient. 

Examples of ethnic rhinoplasty techniques include allowing a slight nostril flare when dealing with African nose; and recognizing that the Asian nose does not tolerate too much projection in the nasal bridge and tip.

According to a recent study, rhinoplasty can result to a younger appearance aside from a more balanced “facial feature,” which has always been known as the universal definition of beauty.

In a separate study, researchers have concluded that balanced facial features usually connote good genes and excellent health—two things which are important in reproduction.

3     Liposuction

About 205,000 liposuction procedures were performed last year.  This surgery involves removing the “unwanted” fats to achieve a better figure.

For women, a flatter stomach and wider hips connotes fertility and sexual attractiveness.  With this fact, liposuction often involves removing the excess fats in the abdomen, flanks, and back to achieve the much-coveted hourglass figure.

The abdomen is also a common target in male liposuction, although some patients seek the procedure to achieve a “six-pack.”  With a technique called abdominal etching, plastic surgeons strategically remove some of the unwanted fats to create grooves, thereby resulting to a muscular appearance. 

4  Eyelid surgery

About 196,000 eyelid surgeries were performed last year.  Many experts believe that the growing popularity of the procedure is attributed to the aging baby boomers and growing acceptance of plastic surgery.

The eye is usually the first area to manifest the signs of aging.  Fortunately, the problem (sagging skin and fat bulges around the eyes) can be addressed by eyelid surgery, which can result to rejuvenated and youthful eyes.  

5  Facelift surgery

Approximately 119,000 facelifts were performed last year, making it to list of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgeries in 2011.  Meanwhile, its popularity is expected to continue in the coming years due to a new employment trend in which more workers postpone their retirement.

Nowadays, older workers are facing tougher competition with younger employees, and for this reason many are seeking facelift surgery so they can appear youthful and reliable to their officemates.

Basketball Star Charlie Bell Accuses Ex-Wife of Spending $110,000 on Plastic Surgery

In the world of celebrities, amicable divorce is a rare event since two individuals have to fight head on to get the most money they can.  Basketball star Charlie Bell and Kenya know this too well.

Just recently, Charlie said his estranged ex-wife spent around $110,000 on plastic surgery aside from other “unnecessary things” such as $82,000 on a Corvette, $9,000 on luggage and shoes, and $12,000 on a motorcycle.  These allegations were not just to malign Kenya but also to defend himself from the same accusations of being “excessive.”

On the other hand, Kenya, who starred in reality TV show Basketball Wives, has filed complaints against the basketball star for living a too lavish life and splurging on shopping while she claimed to be struggling financially to support their children.

As of this writing, the judge has not yet ruled on Kenya’s request that Charlie must provide financial support for her and their children.

In March, Charlie filed for divorce in Michigan court based on allegations of domestic violence and assault with dangerous weapon after his ex-wife stabbed him in front of their children last year, according to his claims.

Meanwhile, Kenya denies spending more than $100,000 on plastic surgery and tweeted saying, “If I spend $110,000 on plastic surgery I’d look like Joan Rivers! lmbo!”

Details on Asian Rhinoplasty

A successful rhinoplasty or nose job is determined by a result that looks harmonious with the overall face.  And for ethnic patients, this means their nose should complement their unique racial traits.

With more understanding and respect with racial traits, plastic surgeons have started using ethnic rhinoplasty when treating the Asian nose.  With this technique, the result will be compatible and harmonious with the Asian face.

Unlike in Caucasian nose surgery in which the usual aim is to make it smaller, Asian rhinoplasty often involves making it larger or at least “more defined.”

Most Asians asking for rhinoplasty want to achieve a more defined nasal bridge as they typically lack this feature.  To correct this aesthetic problem, doctors will likely use synthetic implants such as the silicone plastic which can provide great results as long as the patients have a thick skin that prevents implant visibility.

Aside from silicone plastic, surgeons may also use Gore-Tex which was first used for Caucasian patients.  But because of its lower risk of rejection and ability to provide a very natural result, manufacturers have decided to make a thicker version of this implant to accommodate the Asian nose.

However, some doctors advocate using a patient’s own tissue to build a nose bridge.  But unlike Caucasians, most Asians lack enough amount of septal tissue (the one that separates the left and right nostrils), making this technique impossible.  Fortunately, the ear can serve as a donor site.

Grafting tissue behind the ear does not result to visible scar and does not affect the hearing of patients.

Other potential donor sites include the hips, ribs, and skull.  However, many patients are not willing to undergo another surgery just to graft tissue from their body that is why most prefer synthetic nasal implants like the silicone plastic and Gore-Tex.

Compared to other ethnic groups, Asians have a nose that tolerates slightly less projection and definition, although a small alteration is often enough to create a dramatic improvement.

When treating the tip of the Asian nose, most doctors prefer using a patient’s own tissue because introducing synthetic implants in this area can result to implant rejection, visibility, protrusion, and other related complications.  However, this is not the case when treating the nasal bridge because it has enough coverage (because of the thicker skin).

To avoid destroying the ethnic features, plastic surgeons rarely narrow the nostrils.  This is because increasing the projection of the nose is often enough to create a narrowing effect.

NY Mets’ Jon Niese Undergoes Nose Job

New York Mets Jon Niese has recently admitted to having rhinoplasty or in layman’s term nose job last October.  However, his decision to go under the knife came from the idea of Carlos Beltran who joked around that he needed to fix his flat-shaped nose.

Beltran even went further by offering Niese to pay the cost of plastic surgery.

While there is little aesthetic improvement, Niese was still happy because his breathing has significantly improved—something which is very important to professional athletes like him.

In an interview with ESPN, Niese said the rhinoplasty “surgery had made cardiovascular exercise far smoother” as it allows him to breathe easier.  With this improvement, perhaps he should thanked Beltran for the unsolicited advice, which was more like a tease.

What is more surprising is that Niese did not know the extent of his breathing difficulty.  At first he thought that the only issue was the crooked appearance but when his doctor showed the CAT-scan, he learned that the problem was more serious than what he had previously thought.

The baseball player’s surgeon told him that his nose was “like a door with its hinges ripped off and smashed sideways into the wall.”  That was the exact description he got from his doctor.

But because Niese grew up with breathing problems—and had not experienced having normal breathing—he did not know the difference and has no idea of the condition’s effect on his workouts and trainings.

And now that his problem has already been addressed, he is aiming to improve his career record.

Study Shows Plastic Surgery Can Really Result to Younger Appearance

Plastic surgery can make individuals look younger—and that is a fact.  While cosmetic surgeons have the tendency to use the term “more youthful,” a recent study published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery has suggested that on average, patients had a 7.2-year reduction in perceived age.

While most previous studies depend on the patient-reported satisfaction in assessing the success of cosmetic plastic surgery, the researchers from the University of Toronto and the NorthShore University Healthy System focused on the opinion of third party individuals.

The study involved 60 patients—54 women and six men aged between 45 and 72—who had received facial rejuvenation procedures in the form of facelift, necklift, forehead lift, and eyelid lift.

The before-and-after pictures of patients were then evaluated by 40 medical students who were divided into four groups.  Then they were asked to view the same set of randomized photos and provide estimated ages for each patient.

On average, the med students estimated that the plastic surgery patients were 8.9 years younger than their chronological age following the procedure.  In general, those who had more procedures achieved the most reduction in perceived age.

For instance, patients who had forehead lift, eyelid lift, and facelift all at the same time reduced their perceived age by 8.4 on average. 

For patients who had facelift only, the perceived age reduction was 5.7 years; and for individuals who had facelift and eyelid lift at the same time, it fell by 7.5 years.  

In a statement, the researchers said the “results show a modest to significant reduction in perceived age after aesthetic facia lsurgery.”

With the findings, Dr. Tarick Smaili, who was not involved in the study, said he was not surprised.

“Some studies have already proven that aesthetic facial surgery really do wonders, although the focus was more on the patient satisfaction.  But still, I commend the researchers from using an objective way to measure the surgical success and that is by assigning third party individuals to assess the result rather than by asking the patients themselves,” Smaili said.

Aside from facelift and other traditional forms of facial rejuvenation surgeries, rhinoplasty or more commonly referred to as nose job has also been found to make the patients look younger.

In a separate study, patients who had rhinoplasty on average looked 1.5 years younger than their perceived age after the procedure. 

Meanwhile, the age of the patients at the time of surgery had a very small effect on the age reduction.

FDA Approves New Cellulite Treatment

Just recently, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Cynosure’s Cellulaze which is a technology that uses a laser device to reduce cellulites which commonly occur in the thighs, buttocks, and abdomen.

This new technology minimizes the appearance of cellulites by repairing the connective tissue and improving the skin.  In addition, it can target the lumpy fat pockets which are the main cause of the “orange peel” appearance.

To further diminish the appearance of cellulites, Cellulaze has also been designed to encourage the body to produce collagen, which is the protein responsible for making the skin look young and glowing.  Another advantage is that one treatment is enough to achieve the desired result, which is not the case with other anti-cellulite treatments.

Cellulaze is a relatively safe procedure; in fact, only local anesthesia is required to perform the treatment.

Once the anesthesia takes effect, plastic surgeons will make a few tiny incisions (about the size of a pen’s tip) where the Cellulaze laser fiber is inserted.  The device will then release heat energy that levels out the lumpy fat pockets and removes the “dimples” by releasing the fibrous bands that are pulling down the skin. After this, the liquefied fat is gently pressed out.

Meanwhile, the entire procedure usually takes an hour or so.

The Cellulaze treatment somewhat resembles liposuction because of the use of tiny incisions.  And just like in lipo, patients are required to wear compression garments for several days to support the new contour.

In most cases, patients can resume their normal activities a day or two after the Cellulaze treatment, although they have to avoid strenuous activities within one to two weeks.

The good thing about this new anti-cellulite treatment is that the appearance of the skin will continue to improve for the next three to twelve months.

Quicklift Facelift Information

A variety of facelift techniques has been developed because each patient experiences different levels of aging.  But in general, younger individuals have less sagging than older ones so they will likely need a less invasive form of surgery.

Quicklift is one of the examples of minimally invasive facelift.  This is used to target the sagging in the mid facial region and upper neck, which are the first areas to manifest the signs of aging.

The facelift technique is an improved version of S-lift in which the plastic surgeons create an S-shaped incision beginning along the sideburn down to the earlobe and then up to the hairline toward the nape.  With the positioning of the surgical cut, the result is often an inconspicuous scar.

The procedure, which often takes one or two hours to perform, involves lifting and tightening the connective tissue and facial muscle using a double purse-string suturing technique which can correct the jowling and sagging in the upper neck.  Any redundant skin is then removed before the incisions are closed with sutures.

For some patients, Quicklift is performed in conjunction with other facial rejuvenation procedures such as neck and jowl liposuction (if there is an excess fat), laser skin resurfacing, chemical peel, and microdermabrasion.

With the use of a relatively short incision, most patients can return to work three to four days following their facelift surgery. For this reason, this technique is dubbed as the “weekend facelift.”

But as with any facelift technique, Quicklift still involves some temporary bruising, swelling, and discomfort.  Over-the-counter pain medications such as Tylenol are often enough to alleviate such symptoms.

To minimize swelling, plastic surgeons encourage their patients to sleep with their head elevated at least for a week and to gently apply cold compress within the first 48 hours of their recovery.  In addition, they are also advised to avoid strenuous activities and heavy lifting for several weeks to enjoy quick recovery.

While the result of Quicklift varies with each patient, the facelift technique can erase five, ten, or even 15 years from one’s appearance.  This is possible because doctors go deeper into the connective tissue layer below the skin (or the superficial musculoaponeurotic), which is not the case with some mini-facelifts in which only the skin is tightened.

However, patients should keep in mind that any facelift technique does not stop the natural aging process.  Another consideration to make is that the result (and how long it will last) is affected by bone structure, lifestyle, sun exposure, and heredity.

Plastic Surgery Procedures Rise in 2011

For the second straight year, the number of plastic surgery patients increased in 2011, according to data released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 

A total of 13.8 million plastic surgeries were performed in 2011, an increase of 5 percent from the previous year.  Meanwhile, ASPS has attributed the growing demand for such procedures to the strong consumer confidence.

Breast augmentation still remained the most popular cosmetic plastic surgery, with 307,000 procedures conducted in 2011 or jumping by 4 percent from the previous year.  However, facelift surgery made it to the top five for the first time since 2004 due to the aging baby boomers.

Over the past couple of years, facelift has been one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery, a trend which is attributed to the fact that more workers are postponing their retirements in addition to the growing number of seniors.

The second most popular procedure was rhinoplasty or more commonly referred to as “nose job,” followed by liposuction, eyelid lift, and facelift.

While the surgical cosmetic procedures have increased by 2 percent from the previous year, the growth of the market has been primarily driven by minimally invasive procedures which increased by 6 percent to about 12.2 million procedures.

Examples of minimally invasive procedures include dermalfillers, Botox injection, laser skin resurfacing, laser hair removal, chemicalpeels, and microdermabrasion.

Botox has remained the most commonly performed minimally invasive procedure, with about 5.7 million procedures last year, increasing by 5 percent from 2010.  This treatment uses a small dose of toxin that paralyzes the facial muscles to prevent them from moving too much, thereby minimizing the appearance of wrinkles.

Dermal filler like (brands) Restylane, Juvederm, Radiesse, and even natural fats grafted from the patient’s own body has also been one of the most commonly used minimally invasive facial rejuvenation treatments.  These are used to correct the gaunt appearance and “fill in” the creases caused by the loss of facial volume.

Meanwhile, the number of reconstructive plastic surgery has also increased 5 percent in 2011.  This is often covered by health insurance because unlike the cosmetic procedure, this is performed to improve body functions and correct severe abnormalities and defects.

The top five reconstructive plastic surgeries in 2011 were tumor removal, laceration repair, maxillofacial surgery, scar revision, and hand surgery.

While breast reconstruction was not included in the top five reconstructive surgeries, it continues to rise, with more than 96,000 procedures performed in 2011 or jumping by 3 percent from the previous year.