Three Procedures to Get You Swimsuit-Ready

Summer is a favorite season for many people, and for good reason—it often comes with long-anticipated vacations to the beach, or other ways to enjoy the great outdoors. But a common and unwelcomed side effect of beach vacations is self-consciousness, as swimsuits have a tendency to expose the physique flaws that make us feel less than confident. Understandably, many of my patients ask how plastic surgery can help them to enjoy their relaxing summers rather than spend them feeling insecure. Every patient has their own “problem areas,” so below are three popular procedures that can actually leave you excited to put on a swimsuit.

Breast Lift
While the natural aging process causes most women to experience some degree of breast sagging, factors like genetic predisposition, weight fluctuations, and pregnancy cause some women to experience more sagging than their peers. And because swimsuits don’t exactly provide ample support, trips to the beach can be a stressful affair. That’s where a breast lift comes in. Using an incision around the areola and down the bottom of the breast, I am able to remove excess skin and fat and re-shape the remaining tissue to have a more elevated, youthful position. With a somewhat brief recovery period (most daily activities can typically be resumed a week after the procedure) and scarring that is hidden by even low-cut swimwear, the breast lift procedure can be an effective option for patients who want a younger bust, and in some cases it can be combined with a breast augmentation or a breast reduction for patients who also want a change in size.

Tummy Tuck
The midsection is one of the most common sources of insecurity for patients, and although our standards of beauty for both men and women call for a flat, athletic stomach, these results aren’t always achievable with diet and exercise alone. A tummy tuck (or abdominoplasty) can be tailored to fit each patient’s needs, but involves a combination of removing excess skin and tightening the skin that remains, removing stubborn fat, and tightening the abdominal muscles. Besides my signature Band Aid Tummy Tuck (a minimally-invasive version of the procedure, performed in-office with gentle numbing), the procedure can range from addressing solely the abdominal area to affecting most of the lower body with a circumferential abdominoplasty. For most patients, though, the incision and scarring can be easily concealed by most bathing suits.

Liposuction
Liposuction is an incredibly versatile procedure; it can be used to remove stubborn fat from nearly any area of the body, and can be minimally-invasive like my Band Aid Liposuction or more comprehensive. Many patients turn to liposuction to slim down an area that is notoriously difficult to naturally improve: the thighs. Even the upper thighs, often known as “saddlebags,” which are a source of discontent for many patients but are often unconcealable in a swimsuit, can be improved through liposuction. Using a narrow tube and small incisions for minimal scarring, I am able to break down and remove unwanted fat cells to create more precise and desirable contours.

 

Throughout my years as a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I have seen so many patients’ lives changed for the better. For some patients, feeling unhappy with how they look is a nagging presence that adds stress to any situation, especially events like beach vacations that are meant to be relaxing. I believe that every patient deserves to be their most confident and beautiful self, whatever shape that may take, and I’m honored to help my patients achieve this goal. For more information about procedures that can give you back your confidence, explore my website, schedule a consultation with me, or check out the John L. LeRoy, MD page on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.