Total Body Surgical Blog

Let's take a break from liposuction this week, we'll wear that out some more later!!

Dr Miller and I just did an interview with the Joplin television station and the topic was addressing extra fat and skin in the upper arms with arm reduction.  I will put a link on the website after it runs if you want to have a look.

First of all...What the heck is an arm reduction?  Also known as a brachioplasty, it is the removal of skin or fat from the upper arm.  

As you can see from the picture, the upper arm has very loose skin with a little excess fatty tissue.  Compared to the lower arm, it looks "odd" and makes some people very self conscious.   Also, when trying to buy clothes, people will avoid sleeveless attire and buying sleeved clothes is hard due to the large diameter of the upper arm.

The image above shows where we usually make the incision.  I normally will liposuction the upper arm to get the maximum reduction, then remove the excess skin.

This photo shows a good before and after.  The results are pretty striking.  The down side in Cosmetic surgery, and the trade off, is always the scar, but these tend to lighten up with time and for most, it is worth it.  Some make the incision along the lower part of the upper arm but I personally think the least visible area is as shown.

Who wants an arm reduction??  There is no single answer to that question.  I guess the easiest person to pin point is the one who has had massive weight loss after dieting or weight loss surgery.  In some, the skin tightens to a satisfactory level so it does not hang, however, in others, they lose the weight, the skin sags and becomes a problem.  In summer fashions with short or no sleeves, the excessive skin can make someone very self conscious.  Some people just gain weight in there arms.  This, of course, is related to your genetic layout.  For some, liposuction will do.  Which procedure is best for you?  That depends on the amount of skin and its quality.  Skin that has stretch marks, is already thin but still hangs, or where there is just too much, will probably benefit from reduction as liposuction can only cause a small amount of skin contraction no matter what technique is used.

The procedure can be done in the office for smaller arms or in the hospital for larger ones.  It usually takes us about 2 hours to complete and is done as an out patient.  Personally, I use drains only in the larger arms and all others I don't.  We like for you to be very careful and baby the incisions for about 6 weeks so the scar that does form is minimal.  Due to the high motion of the area, we will tend to revise these scars more often than most in the office to make them look nicer.  The first time they are closed, there is tension on the wound and this tension, combined with motion can make the scars wider than we like.  When revising, we are only working with the scar.  There is much less tension after revision and they will heal better in most cases.  Many times, we only need to revise a portion of the scar which also makes it easier.

Why the rise in people wanting a reduction?  I don't know the exact reason but I think awareness is one thing.  Many did not know there was a solution to the problem but now do. The other reason is the rise in obesity and weight loss surgery.  With massive weight loss surgery and the desire to "get the old body back" an arm reduction is the only solution for some people.  

Come see us at Total Body Surgical where we are experts at all types of post weight loss surgery....we also do the weight loss surgery, so we have the experience. 

Call 918-786-7780 today or 1-866-weight0 for a consultation at no cost to you.  With you, we will decide which procedure is best.  

Don't forget our laser liposuction deal...$999 per area....can't beat that....call today!!

Now is the time!!!  Time for what you ask??  Time to get a jump on summer!

There is a lot that can be done to get ready for a new look this summer.  Probably the biggest thing (no pun intended) is a breast augmentation.  Many women think about doing this when summer is already here.  Then, it is too late in many cases to enjoy them.  It does take a few weeks to recover and regain normal activity.  So in reality, now is the time.  Do it in the winter, recover in the winter, and unveil in the spring and summer.  Spending time at the pool or lake in your new suit with new assets will be great fun for you after an augmentation. 

Whether you want saline implants or silicone gel implants, we, at Total Body Surgical can take care of your needs.  We are here to please.  I will personally listen to your desires, we will discuss the pros and cons of different implants, placement options, and especially sizes.  Most women are worried that I will choose the size and you will be stuck with it.  At our facility I will give you a range of sizes based on your measurements and we will try them on in your clothes and YOU decide so you can get the look you want.  Our special pricing for this summer is $3899.00 for saline implants and $5099.00 for silicone implants.  This includes all fees with the exception of medications that you will get from the pharmacy.  It includes the pre op and all post op care. 

The other big thing we have discussed recently that can make a huge difference is liposuction.  Many women have small areas (hips, thighs, saddle bags) that are unsightly.  These areas are difficult to get rid of even is you are in great shape and exercise regularly.  This is when liposuction shines!  For small areas we can do them in the office with or without sedation and it is very affordable.  Recovery time for a single small area is very short (a weekend or so) and when using the laser the skin contracts well over the next few weeks and looks great.

Our pricing for liposuction is fantastic and we have bookings available now.  As summer approaches, spring break, etc. get closer, the operating times get tight. 

Come now and get these special prices and book your time before it is gone!!

Don't forget our amazing hair removal offer as well!  Just $50. per treatment (an average of $300 per area).

Let's talk about liposuction ....again.  If you didn't see this spot on the 40/29 Fayetteville, Arkansas news, have a look!

http://www.4029tv.com/news/30406524/detail.html

Remember "smart lipo"??  Well, it is still around but there have been improvements.  Smart lipo is when a laser is used to destroy fat cells in problem areas.  It has been touted as being less traumatic and with faster recovery times.  It became available in 2007 and was all the rage for awhile.  I was in my cosmetic training at the time and we were the first ones in Oklahoma to have a machine and we taught courses on how to use it for Cynosure, the manufacturer.  The idea was that the laser energy destroyed the fat cell and the remains were resorbed by the body.  The skin would contract and you would have a new contour.  What we found (and what many studies have shown) is the results were not as good as traditional liposuction because the volume of fat destroyed and removed was not adequate.  What has been shown is that the heat generated by the laser does cause the skin to contract better than with traditional methods.  The take home message is this...liposuction is best for removal of fat and contouring the body.....the laser energy works to heat the skin and cause it to contract to its new position.

So what is "lunch time" lipo??  It is combining liposuction, laser liposuction, and tumescent anesthesia to treat small problem areas without sedation or other anesthesia.  The key word is SMALL.  We all know, through intuition, that a procedure that involves treating a large area or multiple areas cannot be done without some recovery time AND for larger areas we sedate you for comfort and to make it a good experience.

At Total Body Surgical our Laser liposuction is done a little differently.  I use the CoolTouch laser that has a slightly different wavelength, the major difference is the cannula we use.  With traditional liposuction the fat is removed with a hollow cannula.  If the Smart Lipo is used, the laser cannula is then used to heat up the skin causing contracture of the skin.  With our machine the cannula is combined.  This allows me to liposuction and laser simultaneously, saving time with better results.

Come see us for a complimentary consultation and I will cover options with you.  What is a "small area" that would qualify for the lunch time procedure??  It would be a single area such as the neck, saddle bags, inner thighs, lower abdomen, hips.  You would arrive at the office and we would mark the problem area in question.  We would numb the area with tumescent solution and make a small incision in the skin.  The cannula is inserted and the laser turned on.  The fat is removed and the skin heated simultaneously.  You may drain from the areas for about 12 hours and we would want you to wear a "spanks" garment for 3-4 weeks.  You may have some bruising and some minor discomfort for a few days.  Please see my portfolio page to see some pictures of my patients before and after photos.  See our lipo specials too...we have great deals for the spring. 

Last week I began the discussion on surgical options for obesity.  This week, the topic will remain the same but more In depth.

First, however, I would like to tell you about the AACS approved conference I just attended in California.  The conference was held in the Sacramento area and covered Liposuction, Tummy Tucks,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Butt implants and Augmentation with fat.  I gave lectures on difficult tummy tucks and combining tummy tuck with other surgery.  I also gave a lecture on how to avoid blood clots that can sometimes occur around the time of surgery and lastly I lectured on advanced liposuction techniques.  The course was a roaring success and afterward we all spent the day in Napa Valley trying out some California wines.   The course was attended by physicians from as far away as Viet Nam….pretty cool.  I always learn good stuff at courses too, even if there in a teaching mode and this time was no different.  I learned some new and cool ways to shape butts and make them larger with both fat and implants or both.  I have had a fair amount of experience with these techniques but I learned some new tricks.  Now is the time to hit me up if you need a rear end overhaul!!

Now, back to obesity surgery. 

If you look at statistics for all types of obesity procedures, you will find some interesting facts.  Most of these studies look at the percentage of excess body weight (EBW) lost over a set period of time.  The way EBW is measured is by subtracting maximum weight from Ideal body weight.  This gives us a number that can be measured and compared.  If you compare bypass, sleeve, and lap band procedures, in the short term time frame, the bypass and sleeve appear to work better than the band.  However, even though most people would like to lose their weight quickly, they also know that this may not be the best for them.  The lap band is slower and requires adjustment, not because it loses volume, but because the anatomy changes as we lose weight and the band loosens.  With the bypasses, no adjustments are necessary.  The interesting thing is that the studies looking at EBW at the five year and older mark are nearly the same!  There is only a 2% difference between the lap band and the more invasive procedures when losing weight.  In other words, if you are overweight by 100 pounds and we look at your progress at 5 years, if you have had a bypass you will have lost 58 lbs on average or about 58%.  If you have had a Lap Band, you would have lost on average 56 lbs, you would have just lost it a little slower.  Pretty interesting!!  Many people have knocked the band in the past for not being as successful.  After looking at these numbers, the only difference is 2% at five years, AND your anatomy has not been permanently changed, AND it can be removed if you want it gone, AND your problems with vitamin deficiency, muscle and other protein wasting will not be as severe.  What I am not saying is the lap band is for everyone as clearly it is not.  At Total Body Surgical Cosmetic Surgery, I like use fairly clear parameters for those I think it is best for.  I think it works better when the person has a BMI between 30 and 50, has few or no comorbid conditions.  Larger patients are generally sicker from their weight and need to lose it faster.  With the lap band, you will need supervision, you will need weigh in’s and volume added to the band to help you lose the weight.  You will change your personal dynamic with food. Below is a youtube showing how the procedure is done.

http://youtu.be/KPuThbFMxGg

More next week....

Remember the breast special, the laser hair removal, and vein specials we currently have going!!

http://www.totalbodysurgical.net/breast-aumentationact-now/Default.aspx?utm_campaign=Grand-on-GRAND&utm_source

-LOVE YOUR LEGS......AGAIN!!!!

-Laser HAIR Reduction....buy one area and get one F