• Smart Lipo   
is the newest technology in Liposuction. This laser-assisted fat reduction technique causes fat cells to rupture and drain away as liquid as the surrounding tissue coagulates and tightens. A one millimeter cannula is inserted through the skin into the chosen localized fat deposit under local anesthesia. This one millimeter Smart Lipo cannula delivers the laser energy. Power assisted or traditional liposuction is then used to remove the liquid and to de-bulk deeper fat deposits.

This fat sculpting technique is ideal for those areas that do not respond to diet and exercise: neck, jaw line, arms, breasts, “bra fat”, abdomen, “love handles”, “saddle bags”, inner and outer thighs and knees.

Recuperation is generally faster with Smart Lipo (performed under local anesthesia) when compared to liposuction performed under general anesthesia. With Smart Lipo there is less soreness, bruising and swelling in the areas suctioned and no “hang over” as there might be after general anesthesia.

Most individuals treated with Smart Lipo are able to return to sedentary work and walking exercise in several days and to more vigorous exercise in several weeks.

Early improvement is apparent within a week, with continuing improvement over 3-6 months. For smaller deposits one treatment is sufficient, but with larger volume sites, additional treatments can be performed if an individual wishes a more comprehensive result.
_____________________________________________________________________________

• Breast Augmentation   
 with implants is a possible solution for restoring volume and shape to breasts that have deflated post childbirth or following weight loss. It also can give fullness to a figure that has always had less breast volume.

Today’s breast implants consist of silicone shells that are filled with either saline or with silicone gel. The type of breast implant and the method of placement are choices that can only be made after consultation with a breast surgeon.

Some patients achieve their breast goals with implant volume enhancement alone while some patients are better candidates for a combination of augmentation and lift.

Recuperation following breast augmentation with implants is more tedious for women who choose much larger volume implants and for women who have a more sedentary life style.

Though there is discomfort and fatigue following breast augmentation with implants, most women may return to sedentary work activity and walking within 3-5 days and to more vigorous exercise in 3 weeks. The “full recuperation” requires 3 months before the implants have settled and the woman’s full stamina has returned.

Volume enhancement with fat rather than with an implant may be a choice for a woman who has had breast cancer, but not for a woman with no breast cancer history. Micro-calcifications may develop in fat deposits added to breasts. Micro-calcifications must be evaluated for cancerous change in a woman without a breast cancer history. There is always concern that the area of microcalcification biopsied may be benign while an unbiopsied adjacent area may harbor cancerous change that goes undiagnosed and spreads.
_____________________________________________________________________________

• Tummy Tuck   
 can restore tone and shape to an abdomen that has had pregnancy or weight gain and loss when there is excess skin and soft tissue as well as loss of muscle tone. Liposuction is often helpful in de-bulking the soft tissue deposits of the abdomen and “love handle” and “bra fat” areas to enhance the shape achieved with Tummy Tuck.

Most patients stay in the hospital for 1 or 2 nights following Tummy Tuck.

Pain pumps that deliver local anesthetic over the “corset stitch” or muscle tightening stitch performed during the
Tummy Tuck reduce the discomfort significantly during Tummy Tuck recuperation.

It takes 2 weeks for the most difficult interval of healing to be complete.
The drains that evacuate fluid from the healing sites are usually out by 2 weeks post-op and the fatigue is less.

Walking exercise may be started 5 days after Tummy Tuck.
After 3 weeks of healing it is appropriate to begin crunches and more vigorous exercise.

Compression garments are generally helpful for the first 3-6 weeks after Tummy Tuck.

“Full recuperation” is 3 months following Tummy Tuck when healing is uncomplicated with infection
or delayed healing.
_____________________________________________________________________________

• Breast Reduction  
is a procedure that gives immense relief to women with macromastia (overly large breasts) that cause shoulder, back, and neck pain.

Breast reduction is normally a lengthy operation under general anesthesia with a one night hospital stay.

Light exercise is permitted within several days and vigorous exercise in 4 to 6 weeks.
_____________________________________________________________________________
• Lifts   
 Endoscopic Forehead Lift is a procedure that lifts drooping eyebrows and sagging upper eyelid skin. It also smoothes the forehead wrinkles and relieves the worried and fatigued look of the mid and upper face.

Excision of excess skin of the eyelids may also be performed to more fully rejuvenate the appearance of some patients.

Endoscopic Forehead Lift is usually performed under general anesthesia. This procedure is an outpatient operation unless it is combined with a facelift, making an overnight stay appropriate.

Quiet activity and head elevation for the first 3-5 days enhances recovery.
Walking exercise is permitted early but vigorous exercise is delayed for 3-4 weeks.

Eyelid Lift is an operation that removes or repositions fat and removes excess skin from the upper and/ or lower eyelids.

Eyelid Lift is an outpatient procedure performed under local or general anesthesia. It is often combined with other facial rejuvenation procedures such as endoscopic forehead or with facelift. If it is combined with facelift, an overnight stay is commonly recommended.

As with other facial rejuvenation procedures, quiet activity and head elevation for 3-5 days is important.
If only eyelid lift is performed, the recuperation is much faster. Vigorous exercise is still delayed for 3 weeks.

Face lift is a procedure that can be performed only through the cheeks in a young face or through the face and neck and temple regions in a more mature face.

A Face Lift can be an outpatient procedure or require an overnight stay if it is performed with other procedures or if a more complete version is performed.

Most patients can return to work in 2 weeks. Though your fellow workers are generally comfortable with your appearance at this time, you may find that you still feel very tired and have not yet adapted to your “new look” so that the work return is awkward for you emotionally.

Vigorous exercise is appropriate at 4-6 weeks and full stamina recuperation takes 3 months.

Neck Lift is most commonly performed with face lift because the face skin bunches up on the cheeks in front of the ears when there is enough neck skin lifted and removed. Occasional patients do benefit from neck lift alone.

A neck lift is most commonly performed under general anesthesia though some neck lifts are performed under local anesthesia. When this procedure is performed in conjunction with other procedures an overnight stay may be warranted.
_____________________________________________________________________________

• Wrinkle Reduction   
 Botox treatments are performed to decrease the angry, worried or tired appearance of your face by relaxing the muscles between your brows and by smoothing your forehead and eyelid expression lines.

Botox is FDA approved for cosmetic use. Botox chemical injections temporarily prevent the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles.

Botox is used in an office setting. It takes 3-7 days for the full effect of this drug to be apparent. Initial injections have a 3 month effect. As the expression muscles are used less and less, it takes lesser amounts of Botox and less frequent use of Botox to maintain the relaxed facial appearance.

Juvederm, Perlane and Radiesse are fillers that are injected into or under the face skin in areas where shallow scars, wrinkles, or an aged appearance is apparent. These agents help restore the appearance of more skin tone and youthful contours.
When weight loss or aging have resulted in more loss of tone and relaxation of facial skin, it may be important to tighten deeper face tissue with light treatments or with surgery that will also remove excess face and neck skin.

Fillers are key in slowing the aging process as well as in applying a finishing touch when surgical rejuvenation is performed.

Fat is another filler for use in facial rejuvenation that is more commonly used in the operating room as an adjunct to surgery though it is also performed in an office setting when appropriate. Fat requires a body site for fat harvest to provide the fat “filler” for face rejuvenation.
_____________________________________________________________________________

• Advanced Fluorescent   Technology  
AFT   

 is “light” therapy for skin that is used to reduce pigment and prominent vessels as well as to tighten skin and to reduce face and body hair.

AFT is the newer generation of the IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) of skin rejuvenation. Though there are multiple choices for light treatments including laser light treatments, most plastic surgeons agree that it is difficult to beat the overall outcome of this treatment with any of the newer laser modalities.

This is an in office treatment that has benefit with each treatment. It ordinarily takes 4-6 sessions to achieve treatment goals.
_____________________________________________________________________________

• Enhanced   
Microdermabrasion   
is “layering treatment” utilizing a skin peel solution (mild acid)to exfoliate the skin before and/or after “sandblasting” the skin with the micro-crystals of the Microdermabrasion machine.

The peel enhances the Microdermabrasion treatment. This combined power cleanses the skin surface encouraging elastin and collagen to form so that fine lines are diminished and your skin is revitalized.

A series of “Enhanced Microdermabrasion” treatments is definitely a boost to brighten your skin when you need a seasonal change or added skin clarity for a special event.
_____________________________________________________________________________

• Mineral Make-up  
 is the “new age” makeup. These products decrease skin inflammation and have sunscreen characteristics. They have a more natural feel and appearance that is great for everyday as well as for use when “camouflage” is warranted.

Jane Iredale and Lycogel mineral makeup lines have more sunscreen help than most of the other lines of mineral makeup. Additionally these “reflective” mineral makeup enhance one’s individual coloring as they also play off of the color of your outfit - truly the “Frosting on the Cake” as they conceal/camouflage the healing phase of facial filler, light treatment or surgical care. They also show case your final rejuvenated face and neck, giving you a more vibrant and youthful appearance.