Every once in awhile someone (usually famous) is admired in the media for a certain ideal body part. Remember the J-Lo booty? Or more currently Kim Kardashian’s rounded rump? The focus is shifting now to the upper arms. Hello Jennifer Aniston. Wave to me Michelle Obama! Toned and tightened upper arms are the new “must have” body part.

Just in time for Mother’s Day on May 12, a sampling of the post-baby bodies restored to a pre-baby, or should we say Oh Baby state with the assistance of Dr. Gilbert Lee at Changes Plastic Surgery. 

Most Moms say that motherhood is their most rewarding accomplishment and their lives have changed for the better because of it.  Snips and snails and puppy dog tails and sugar and spice and everything nice.  That’s what motherhood is made of.

But not everything is nice when it comes to the physical changes that pregnancy leaves behind. 

Loss of breast fullness

Drooping breasts

Rounding of the abdomen with loss of muscle strength

Abdominal hernias

Hanging abdominal skin

Stretch marks

Thickened waistline

Loss of vaginal tone

Even if you have no time for the gym and no time to eat because of little Junior, don’t feel bad.  The conditions above cannot be improved  by diet or exercise.  You need a little surgical intervention.

A Mommy Makeover is often used to describe a combination of procedures designed to return Mom to body-before-baby.   The most common procedures are breast augmentation with or without a lift (mastopexy) and a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).  Enlarged nipples and areola can also be surgically reduced during breast procedures.

During pregnancy, the muscles of the stomach can separate with resulting roundness or “pooch”.   Many moms endure hundreds of crunches in an attempt to flatten the stomach, only to find out from Dr. Lee that the muscles must be sewn back together for correction of the separated abdominal muscles (diastasis).

Liposuction can assist in removing stubborn fat from a thickened waistline and improve the appearance of the flank area (muffin top).  Many women opt to have liposuction performed on the inner and outer thighs as well.

Stretch marks are tough to improve, although some stretch marks can be removed as a result of excess skin excised in the tummy tuck process.  Fractional laser treatments like Fraxel Re:Store can also minimize the appearance of stretch marks but will not get rid of them completely.|

Perhaps the most personally distressing issue post pregnancy is the loss of vaginal tone.  Loosening of the vaginal canal is caused by the stretching of the muscles and lining of the vagina and loosening of the muscles of the pelvis.  These structures are most affected during the actual birth process, and never fully recover to their native state.

Swelling and stretching of the labia during childbirth can result in excess and hanging skin of the labia.  Visually and physically, this can be disconcerting and does not have to be a permanent post baby change.  Dr. Lee performs vaginoplasty and labiaplasty with great skill, discretion and compassion. 

Mommy Makeovers are best performed when baby making is over.  Many of the procedures can be done at the same time depending on the number of procedures and time needed in the operating room to perform them.  Often Mom still has little ones at home, so an overnight hospital stay is recommended and care taken in the days after surgery when lifting the little ones.

The Mommy Makeover is highly rewarding for both the improvement in physical appearance and mental improvement in self-esteem.
Baby, you had the baby, now baby yourself with a well-earned Mommy Makeover.  Call Changes Plastic Surgery for your consultation at 858-720-1440 or fill out the convenient contact form on this page.

Even individuals of otherwise normal body weight and proportion can develop an abdomen that protrudes or is loose and sagging. Pregnancy is a frequent culprit, but normal aging or large fluctuations in weight can be to blame as well. You can wrap it, crunch it, starve it, you can even Spanx it, but what really works?

Ah, here’s a solution. Liposuction must be the answer, right? Wrong. Liposuction will decrease the amount of jiggly fat, but if too much fat is removed you may be left with another problem – saggy, redundant skin.

The abdominal muscles are sewn back together. A second incision around the navel may be necessary to remove excess skin in the upper abdomen. (Some patients opt for a Reverse Abdominoplasty. Read our blog, Skinny Girls Get Tummy Tucks Too, http://bit.ly/NajoEA).

For the first few weeks after your tummy tuck, swelling and internal healing will make it difficult for you to stand upright.  Not to worry, you’ll be standing tall and confident with your new profile in about 2 weeks. As for those crunches we talked about earlier, you might want to keep those up to maintain your new contours. Just wait for your surgeon’s okay before resuming.

Dr. Gilbert Lee at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa in San Diego, Ca. performs abdominoplasty and liposuction, but he won’t do your crunches for you. Call for a consult at 858-720-1440 or visit us at www.changesplasticsurgery.com.

  ]]> http://www.changesplasticsurgery.com/blog/2013/3-ways-to-trim-the-tummy.html/feed 1 http://www.changesplasticsurgery.com/blog/2013/five-basic-facts-about-fat-transfer-6.html http://www.changesplasticsurgery.com/blog/2013/five-basic-facts-about-fat-transfer-6.html#comments Mon, 01 Apr 2013 23:12:23 +0000 jillptcoordinator http://www.changesplasticsurgery.com/blog/?p=1656 Gilbert Lee, MD at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa is one of only a few San Diego physicians skilled at the technique of fat grafting.   Fat grafting is the process of removing fat from one area of the body and re-injecting it into another part of the body to provide fullness or correction. Fat grafting is used to restore volume to

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Gilbert Lee, MD at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa is one of only a few San Diego physicians skilled at the technique of fat grafting.   Fat grafting is the process of removing fat from one area of the body and re-injecting it into another part of the body to provide fullness or correction. Fat grafting is used to restore volume to hollowed facial features such as the tear troughs and undereye bags, grafted into breasts for augmentation, to the buttocks for a fuller, perkier rump and even placed in the hands to improve bony hands and visible veins.

Here is what you need to know before you undergo fat grafting.

1)      Fat provides the longest lasting restoration of volume. Fat far surpasses dermal fillers in longevity.

2)      Because the injected fat is your own, your body assimilates it without any allergic or adverse reaction.

3)      The injected fat does not all “take” and some is reabsorbed by the body. For this reason, Dr. Lee will over-fill the area knowing there will be approximately a 50% loss. A second treatment may be needed in order to achieve the desired amount of augmentation from fat grafting.

4)      Large areas of grafting involve numerous injections. You may stay swollen for months. A generous amount of down-time is needed for most fat grafting procedures, especially fat grafting to the face.

5)      Not every plastic or cosmetic surgeon is skilled at fat grafting. Dr. Lee has performed dozens of fat grafting procedures and uses the micro-droplet technique. He describes this technique as being similar to adding corn kernels back to the cob. Fat is injected drop by drop slowly and meticulously until the desired amount of fill is achieved. 

 

Visit our gallery of before and afters at www.changesplasticsurgery.com for more fat grafting images. Call us at 858-720-1440 to book a fat grafting consultation.

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There is a lot of confusion in regard to “plastic surgeons” versus “cosmetic surgeons.” Are they different? The answer is absolutely YES. While the difference appears to be in nomenclature or terminology, the actual difference lies in the training, qualifications, and capabilities of the surgeons.

Describing the relationship between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery is an important first step. Plastic surgery is any surgery to alter appearance, both for reconstructive and cosmetic purposes. Cosmetic surgery is a subset of plastic surgery when alterations are performed for cosmetic purposes.  That being said, all plastic surgeons are cosmetic surgeons. However the reverse is not true.

The training and certification of a plastic surgeon are very stringent. A board certified plastic surgeon is a surgeon who has completed 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, 3 to 5 years of general surgery internship and residency, and 2 to 3 years plastic surgery fellowship. The plastic surgeon must then pass tests set by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a recognized specialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties. This means that any board certified plastic surgeon is qualified to perform cosmetic and reconstructive surgery to any part of the body.

In contrast to the strict requirements and rigorous training for a plastic surgeon, any physician performing cosmetic surgery may proclaim themselves a “cosmetic surgeon.” There is no officially recognized certification in cosmetic surgery nor is there a residency or fellowship specifically for cosmetic surgery. Most of the time, cosmetic surgeons are trained in general surgery, otolaryngology (head and neck surgery), obstetrics/gynecology, family medicine, emergency medicine or dermatology. To confuse matters, cosmetic surgeons may be “certified” as a “cosmetic surgeon” by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. However, this organization is not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Board of Plastic Surgery, or any other official medical organization.

It is very important to carefully consider the decision of which surgeon to use before ever undergoing a surgical procedure, injectable or laser procedure. You should review the certifications, training, past results, reputation and bedside manner of your doctor to make sure that the fit is right for you.  Because the results of your procedure may be permanent, make sure you have the best qualified professional performing your surgery.

Dr. Gilbert Lee is triple board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. If you are considering surgery and would like to consult with Dr. Lee, please call 858-720-1440.

There’s no secrecy surrounding breast augmentation anymore.  Most women these days feel comfortable enough to openly express a desire for bigger breasts and a larger cup size, and their men usually nod in agreement.  So why in the world would someone want a breast reduction?  Doesn’t that go against the trend for augmentation? Believe it or not, some women and men alike may really believe less is best when it comes to breast size.

Also known as reduction mammaplasty, breast reduction surgery is sought by women when the size of their breasts is out of line with their body proportion or when there is discomfort associated with the weight of the breasts (macromastia).  Women with larger breasts (usually with an excess of 500 gm/1 lb per breast) complain of neck and back pain and deep bra strap indentations along the shoulders.   The excess breast weight accelerates sagging, making yeast rashes under the breasts a common occurrence.

Techniques for breast reduction vary, but according to Gilbert Lee, MD at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa, the most common procedure for mammaplasty in women  involves an anchor-shaped incision that circles the areola, extends downward, and follows the natural curve of the crease beneath the breast.  The second most common technique called a "vertical reduction" utilizes a scar around the areola which extends vertically down to the bottom of the breast.  Dr. Lee removes excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin, and moves the nipple and areola into their new position.  “Breast reduction patients are among the most satisfied patients,” states Dr. Lee.  And indeed statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS) confirm breast reduction patient satisfaction to be among the highest in the field.

Other than offering their personal preferences for female breast size, why are men included in this discussion on breast reduction?  Because men can experience excess breast tissue as well.  A condition called gynecomastia,(Greek origin meaning “woman’s breast”) is seen when there is enlargement of benign male breast tissue.  According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASPS), male breast reduction surgery is the fourth most popular cosmetic procedure for men.  Whether affecting only one breast or both, gynecomastia can be a source of self-consciousness and even embarrassment.

Dr. Lee sees a number of male patients yearly for correction of gynecomastia.  He uses Ultrasound Assisted Lipectomy (UAL) to remove the excess fat and/or glandular tissue from the male breasts.  The procedures are performed through tiny puncture sites rather than incisions. In extreme cases, skin and breast tissue are surgically excised.  The effect is a flatter, firmer and more contoured chest.

Whether male or female, if you have bigger breasts than you need- your proverbial cup runneth over- investigate the benefit of breast reduction surgery.  For women and men alike who have undergone breast reduction procedures, the results are more than just a decrease in breast size- patients report an increase in self-esteem and a better body image overall.  We’ll raise a cup to that!

Call for a Breast Reduction Consultation at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa at 858-720-1440.

When we think of American beauty icons an array of faces come to mind. Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston, even Reese Witherspoon can be included for her wholesome and feminine beauty.   Our culture views these women as attractive- notable for their facial beauty.  But in the Asian culture, these women exemplify a facial trait that is seen as undesirable – the square jaw.

Increasingly, Asian women are seeking cosmetic correction of a heavy or squared jaw line.  The Asian ideal face shape is closer to a heart than a box.  A slimmer jaw line and smaller chin is seen as more feminine, whereas a strong, square jaw masculinizes the face.  In some eastern cultures, the square jaw is even seen as a sign of promiscuity.

Dr. Gilbert Lee at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa has seen a rise in Asian patients seeking a way to reduce the width of their jaws. "There is a rising trend of Asian women seeking to soften their jaw line with Botox or Dysport." Dr. Lee, who has perfected the Asian Double Fold eyelid surgery, is now seeing more and more Asian clientele for non-surgical jaw reduction.

The masseter muscle is a large bulky muscle at the angle of your jaw.  The masseter muscle is used in chewing and you can feel this muscle by clinching your jaw and feeling along the jaw line. To lessen the heaviness of the masseter muscle, Dr. Lee uses Dysport®, a neurotoxin muscle relaxant similar to Botox®, to restrict the movement, soften the bulk of the masseter and lessen its prominence.

The effect of Dysport® lasts approximately 3 to 4 months and repeat treatments are needed to keep the masseter muscles from activating, strengthening and adding bulky mass.   The Changes Plastic Surgery patient above has had a Dysport® treatment to the jaw by Dr. Lee. In each session, 50 units of Dysport® were used and an obvious reduction in the width of her jaw has been achieved.

Whether of Asian descent or not, if a slender, heart-shaped face is your beauty ideal, Dr. Lee at Changes can help you reach your goal.  Soften the lines of a boxy jaw line with Dysport® treatments  at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa.  Call for a quote at 858-720-1440.

Botox is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc. Dysport is a registered trademark of Medicis Aesthetics, Inc.