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Atlanta body contouring

Mommy Makeover Myths Debunked

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For many mothers, combination body contouring procedures referred to as mommy makeover surgery, are pursued to address the physical effects of pregnancy: tightening lax skin and muscle stretched from a baby’s growth. Additionally, breast surgery such as breast lift or breast augmentation may be performed simultaneously with body contouring to reposition or add volume to breasts changed by breastfeeding.  The important thing to realize about these popular combination procedures is that there is no one-size-fits-all cosmetic solution.  Read on for the truth behind many of the mommy makeover myths.

mommy makeover surgeryMyth:  You have to be a mom to have combination liposuction and breast augmentation surgery.

Fact:  No, the choice to have cosmetic surgery is a personal one that patients from all walks of life make every day.  For many women, the physical changes to skin, muscle and fat on their abdomen and breasts caused by aging is the impetus for wanting cosmetic enhancement commonly associated with mommy makeover surgery.

Myth:  Liposuction is really only for areas that have lots of fat.

Fact:  Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. This body contouring procedure is designed to treat isolated fat deposits on the face and body that are resistant to change from regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle. To make sure that you optimize your satisfaction and also minimize the risk of surgical complications, it’s best to be within a few pounds of your goal weight before pursuing the surgery.  If you’re considering liposuction, make sure to visit our website’s BMI calculator to determine your proximity to a healthy weight.

Myth:  Breast implants will make my chest look younger and perkier.

Fact:  There is a common misconception that making breasts larger with breast implants is always the answer for restoring a more youthful appearance.  The fact is that, with age, the skin becomes more lax and less elastic causing breasts to assume a drooping appearance with weight or volume loss.  While breast augmentation using breast implants will address the need for more breast volume, the position and excess skin of the breasts are most effectively addressed with breast lift surgery.

To learn more about the breast surgery and body reshaping surgical techniques that Dr. LeRoy offers, visit his website.  You can also connect with Dr. LeRoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Google + for the latest plastic surgery news.

Tips for the Best Liposuction Results

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Body contouring with liposuction is continually one of the most popular cosmetic procedures pursued by both male and female patients.  According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery’s 2012 statistics, liposuction was the second most popular cosmetic surgical procedure, only behind breast augmentation.  While it may be a common procedure, with 313,011 cases nationwide in 2012 alone, there are still some important things you should know ahead of time.

Tips for the Best Atlanta Liposuction Results With over 20 years of plastic and cosmetic surgery experience, Dr. John LeRoy reiterates to patients that liposuction is not a weight loss method.  While fat is permanently removed during liposuction, the weight of the amount that can safely be removed is not enough to show a dramatic change on the scale.  Dr. LeRoy also emphasizes the importance of the following to achieve optimal liposuction results:

Lose the weight before surgery:  To achieve the most desired liposuction results, it’s important to be at or near your ideal body weight going into surgery.  As mentioned before, liposuction is designed to contour the treatment areas and not to reduce weight.  Liposuction can be performed on nearly every area of the body including, but not limited to, the arms, love handles, lower abdomen, legs, and under the chin.

Wear the recommended post-surgical dressings:  Because the tumescent liposuction technique utilized by Dr. LeRoy in traditional and Band Aid Liposuction cases requires the injection of tumescent fluid ( a mixture of anesthetic and saline solution) to reduce bleeding and “puff-up” fat cells for easier removal, there is inevitably some swelling.   By wearing the recommended post-surgical compression garments, you’ll limit the amount of additional swelling by the body.

Give yourself time to recover:  Even Band Aid Liposuction, utilizing gentle numbing to eliminate very small areas of isolated fat in-office, requires the movement of a cannula that can result in some post-procedure bruising.  By following your prescribed after-care instructions and limiting strenuous activity following surgery you greatly reduce the risk of post-operative complications like excess swelling and bleeding.   

Maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise routine:   Though fat cells are permanently removed with liposuction, the fat cells surrounding the treatment area(s) still maintain the ability to expand with weight gain.  This is the reason that liposuction should not be considered a weight loss method, nor should patients use the procedure in place of a healthy diet and regular exercise routine.

To determine if you are a candidate for liposuction or a Band Aid Liposuction procedure, schedule a cosmetic consultation with Dr. LeRoy by contacting our office.  You can also stay informed of the latest plastic surgery news by connecting with Dr. LeRoy on Facebook and Twitter.

How do I Get Rid of Loose Skin and Excess Fat Before Swimsuit Season?

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If the thought of a beach vacation makes you want to shriek, not out of excitement but out of fear about having to dawn your swim suit, you’re not alone. In a recent poll on Dr. LeRoy’s Facebook page, 60% of respondents said that if they could change any one thing to prepare for warm weather dressing it would be addressing excess fat. 40% of the respondents polled said they would want to eliminate loose skin.Dr. John LeRoy Tummy Tuck Consultation Atlanta

Dr. LeRoy has several options available for patients seeking body contouring assistance, several of which may be performed in-office with minimal downtime. For those patients with very small, isolated areas of excess fat on the body, Dr. LeRoy offers Band Aid Liposuction. Completed simply with gentle-numbing, this mini lipo procedure is designed to effectively eliminate those trouble spots that just won’t respond to regular exercise and a healthy diet.

For patients with larger areas of excess fat, traditional liposuction may be required. Detailed in our blog on surgical vs. non-surgical body contouring, liposuction only requires tiny incisions into which a thin hollow cannula may be inserted to target the area(s) of concern. Most liposuction patients are able to return to their normal activities within a few days.

To achieve tighter skin on the body, Dr. LeRoy often recommends Band Aid Tummy tuck or traditional abdominoplasty procedures. Depending on the extent of sagging, traditional tummy tuck may be needed to retighten underlying muscles further contributing to the appearance of loose skin. For facial skin rejuvenation results you can see before spring break, Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing can help minimize mild to moderate signs of aging without the downtime of surgery.

For additional information on the body contouring and facial rejuvenation options available to fit your cosmetic needs, contact our office today. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Google+ to have your voice count in our next cosmetic poll!

Revisionary Plastic Surgery: Why Secondary Liposuction is on the Rise

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Discussed at the annual ASAPS conference in Vancouver, Canada, the number of secondary liposuction cases plastic surgeons treat is on the rise.  According to the expert panel that spoke on the subject at the conference, this increase in the number of patients coming to their practice to correct the initial results of a fat reduction treatment can be attributed mainly to the proliferation of non-invasive, thermal powered fat reduction procedures now available to consumers through a variety of providers.

Unlike liposuction (body sculpting) plastic surgery that must be performed by a licensed doctor of medicine (preferably a board certified plastic surgeon), thermal fat reduction treatments like CoolSculpting® or Exilis® can be used by a broader range of medical providers.  As with any cosmetic treatment, board certified plastic and cosmetic surgeon in Atlanta, Dr. John LeRoy, urges his patients to do their homework before any treatment.  Even proven technology can produce sub-par results in the hands of under qualified or inexperienced providers.  Additionally, patients must be appropriate candidates for minimally invasive procedures, or they may not get the results they’re expecting.

Similar to the research required of those patients interested in pursuing breast revision surgery to remedy the effects of breast surgery complications or unsatisfactory breast augmentation results, those unhappy with their original body sculpting results should know what is and isn’t possible with secondary liposuction.  Cosmetic surgery does create scars and can result in complications like excess scar tissue, swelling, and uneven skin if performed improperly or if aftercare instructions are not followed correctly.

There are a variety of surgical fat removal methods available to patients depending on the number and size of areas they wish to treat.  In fact, Dr. LeRoy offers both traditional tumescent liposuction for larger areas of exercise and diet resistant fat as well as Band Aid Liposuction for small, isolated areas of fat.  It’s important, however, for patients to complete a thorough consultation with their prospective plastic surgeon to determine if these methods can properly address their existing cosmetic issues.  It’s also important to remember that fat reduction surgery is not a suitable substitute of a healthy diet and regular exercise.  Though liposuction does permanently remove targeted fat cells, the remaining cells still possess the ability to expand.

To learn more about the body contouring methods Dr. LeRoy offers, or to schedule you liposuction consultation, contact our office.  For information on the newest fat reduction techniques and their abilities, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.