What Should You Know Before Having Liposuction?
Even if we’re in good shape, almost everyone has at least one problem area they wish they could address. It’s difficult to achieve the ideal body shape if genetics or hormonal factors make you have the tendency to store more fat on specific areas. Liposuction is what our Vancouver area-based office of Dr. Owen Reid usually recommends for patients who are slim but just want to reduce some excess fat from isolated areas for a more balanced body shape. The great thing about liposuction is that it directly suctions away fat cells from specific areas and once the fat is gone, it can’t return. Even if you were to gain weight in the future, the areas that were treated with liposuction will be proportionally smaller compared to the ones that weren’t treated. Liposuction is a more simple, straightforward option compared to many other forms of plastic surgery, however that doesn’t mean you should take the decision to have this surgery lightly. If you’re planning on undergoing liposuction, here are some things you should be aware of.
- Liposuction Won’t Address Loose or Excess Skin
Sometimes the problem areas on your body that you’re self-conscious about are caused by a combination of loose, sagging skin and excess fat. Although liposuction suctions the unwanted fat, it won’t do anything to correct the loose skin. In fact, if you have lots of excess, sagging skin, liposuction can sometimes make it look worse. It’s better consider other procedures such as a tummy tuck if you have sagging skin. The best candidates are those who have maintained some skin elasticity and don’t have much cellulite.
- It's Not a Weight Loss Surgery
It’s a common myth that liposuction makes you lose weight. The truth is that liposuction is only intended for patients who are at or close to their goal body weight. It’s intended for those who just have one or a few small problem areas, not as a treatment for overweight or obesity. Chances are, you’ll only lose between two to five pounds at most. However, you’ll lose inches and fit better in clothing.
For more details about liposuction, contact the Vancouver area office of Dr. Owen Reid. Call us at 604-343-9309 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation if you would like to discuss plastic surgery and start planning your procedure.
What Are the Top Benefits of a Breast Lift?
Your breasts go through significant changes because of hormones, weight fluctuations, and aging during your lifetime. Sagging of the breasts, also known by the medical term breast ptosis, is a completely natural cosmetic change that many women experience but some people might not want this and seek out ways to correct it. Although strengthening the chest muscles can provide a minor natural lift to the breasts, we can’t significantly improve the shape of the breasts through exercises because they are made up of fat and ligaments but lack muscle tissue. Aging is one of the primary causes of breast sagging because as we age, the ligaments that provide support to the breasts lose elasticity while the gravitational pull also affects their shape. Exposure to UV rays can also damage the skin and cause it to lose elasticity. Major fluctuations of the weight cause unnecessary stretching of the breasts. Additionally, the chemicals in cigarette smoke are harmful to skin fibers and cause them to break down. The size changes to the breasts that occur during pregnancy can also cause stretching. A breast lift from our Vancouver area practice is an effective way to restore more shapely, youthful-looking breasts. Here are some of the main benefits of this procedure:
- Restoring the breasts to a more youthful, uplifted position and contour while maintaining the current breast size
- Restoring shape and volume to breasts that have become deflated
- Repositioning the areolas to enhance the new appearance of the breasts
- Relief from irritation beneath the breasts caused by excess, stretched skin
- Clothes fit better and you will feel more comfortable wearing form-fitting clothes
- Less pain in the back, shoulders, and neck from incorrect posture
In addition to breast lift surgery, there are other techniques you can use to prevent sagging and improve breast firmness. Maintaining a consistent, healthy weight, wearing a well-fitting, comfortable bra especially during workouts, quitting smoking, and working out your pectoral muscles are some of the ways you can prevent sagging.
For more advice about what’s involved in a breast lift, contact the Vancouver area office of Dr. Owen Reid. Call us at 604-343-9309 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation if you would like to discuss breast surgery.
Can Breast Implants Look Natural?
It’s normal to be concerned about what the results will be like when you’re contemplating breast augmentation. Some patients worry that their breasts will be too large while others worry that they may not be big enough. Another concern some patients have is that their implants will look too artificial. While in the early 2000s, having very large and obvious implants that could be noticed from across a room was a trend, these days patients are preferring more subtle, balanced results from breast implants that mimic natural breasts as closely as possible. Most of our patients prefer a naturally curvy appearance from breast augmentation at our Vancouver area practice. They consider the best breast implants to be the ones who look real. There are ways to ensure that the outcome from this procedure looks as real as possible.
- Get Them Placed Under the Muscle
Breast implants can be placed either over or under the pectoral muscle. When implants are placed under the muscle, it makes the curve of the breasts at the top appear more gradual and natural. This under the muscle placement also helps to conceal the edges of the implant. It’s common for the under the muscle placement to be used when the patient has a thin body with not much natural breast tissue.
- Fat Transfer
Fat grafting is another technique used to get more natural results. It can be combined with implants to allow the breasts to settle more naturally and to address any imperfections from breast implants. The patient’s own body fat is used, so the results look and feel completely natural.
- Choose the Right Implant Size
Getting the size right for implants is important if you want yours to look as real and balanced as possible. The size of the breast implants is measured not in terms of cup sizes but in “CCs,” and this size will help to determine whether they fit in proportion to the rest of your body. If your implants are too wide or too full, they may project too much or spill out into surrounding areas, which can lead to an unnatural look.
To discover more about the benefits of breast augmentation, contact the Vancouver area office of Dr. Owen Reid. Call us at 604-343-9309 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation if you’re interested in learning about cosmetic surgery to enhance the appearance of the breasts.
Will The Results from Liposuction Be Permanent?
Liposuction is a treatment that can reduce stubborn areas of fat that don't respond to exercise and diet such as the stomach, thighs, upper arms, and below the chin to sculpt a more proportional body shape. Although it is not a weight loss procedure, it can take inches off from certain areas for a more balanced body shape and help clothes fit better to make you feel more confident. One of the most frequently asked questions about this form of cosmetic surgery is, "Can the fat return after liposuction?". Our Vancouver area office often sees patients who are concerned about the longevity of the procedure.
The truth is that while the results of liposuction are indeed permanent, it's still possible to gain weight in the future if you have unhealthy habits and remaining fat cells on the body become enlarged as they store excess calories. During liposuction, some of the fat cells are literally suctioned out and surgically removed from certain isolated areas. The fat cells that are removed can't grow back.
However, if the patient allows fat to return, they can indeed gain weight after having this procedure in other areas. If they gain a significant amount of weight, their results from liposuction will look much less impressive. The overall enhanced silhouette that they attained through liposuction will still be visible regardless of how much weight they gain in most cases as less fat will be gained in the treated areas compared to the untreated ones, so the patient will still have a more proportional, balanced body shape than they would if they didn't get liposuction in the first place.
Liposuction does remove fat cells but the remaining fat cells on the treatment area will still be able to store fat and grow in size. Commitment to taking good care of yourself and making healthy choices can help you maintain the slimmer appearance. You should maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and drink plenty of water to preserve the outcome from liposuction.
For more details about liposuction, contact our Vancouver area office of Dr. Owen Reid so that we can explain more about what this treatment involves. Call us today at 604-343-9309 or submit a contact form to request a consultation and learn more about cosmetic procedures.
Can A Breast Reduction Provide Relief for Back Pain?
If your poor posture and back pain are caused by large breasts, a breast reduction from our Vancouver area practice is a safe and effective method to get relief for the discomfort. In fact, many believe that a breast reduction is the only permanent way of relieving certain types of back pain. Many patients combine a breast lift, which involves elevating the breasts to a higher position on the chest to make them perkier, with a breast reduction, to maximize results.
Although upper back pain can also be a result of other factors such as heavy exercise, bad posture, or injuries, large breasts are one of the most frequent causes of pain in the back, shoulders, and neck. This discomfort occurs due to changes in the center of gravity and an abnormal body alignment when large breasts pull the upper body forward, leading to constant tension in the muscles of the upper back and a strain on the ligaments. The excess weight of the breasts is the main cause of the problem, as there may not be enough support from the surrounding muscles, the rib cage, and the rest of the body.
For example, D-Cup breasts would be between sixteen to twenty-four extra pounds that are being carried on the chest. Additionally, large breasts can make it challenging to maintain good posture because it isn’t easy to hold them up, making you more likely to hunch over. Many women may also be self-conscious about large breasts and slouch forward, making the pain worse. This long-term, chronic pain may not only make daily tasks difficult but also have a negative impact on quality of life.
Breast reduction has one of the highest satisfaction rates out of all plastic surgery procedures for good reason. In breast reduction surgery, excess fat, tissue, and skin are removed to make the breasts smaller, then they are reshaped to be more proportional with the patient’s weight and frame. Research has shown that the reduction in back pain is linked to lifting the breasts in addition to removing the extra weight.
For more details about the benefits of a breast reduction, contact our Vancouver area office of Dr. Owen Reid. Call us at 604-343-9309 or submit a contact form to request a consultation to discuss breast reduction surgery and determine what’s the most appropriate surgical option for you.
How Should I Dress After a Breast Reduction?
Large breasts can often cause uncomfortable symptoms as a result of the excess weight on the chest, such as pain in the back and shoulders, shortness of breath, headaches, numbness in the arms, and pressure on the shoulders from bra straps. Losing weight, physical therapy, and pain medications usually won’t provide much relief. The only method that works is breast reduction surgery. One thing that many patients are curious about after a breast reduction from our Vancouver area practice is when they’ll be able to wear normal clothes again. You’ll be excited to see the life-changing results from the procedure and it’s not the most challenging recovery process, but you should know that it can take up to two weeks before you feel like yourself again and are able to resume all normal activities.
In addition to the other steps to prepare for breast reduction, a post-operative bra is critical so this is something you will want to discuss with us beforehand. You’ll want to have a post-surgery bra that’s tailored specifically for breast reduction surgery. This bra should be convenient, comfortable, minimize movement, and provide support for sutures or drains. If you’re choosing your own, pick one that’s wire-free, has pockets, is made from soft fabric, is adjustable, and has longer lines.
In most cases, patients will be instructed to wear a surgical bra for twenty-four hours a day. We recommend that you wear it for six weeks after your surgery. During your follow-up visit, you will find out whether you can switch to wearing another type of support garment or sports bra and when it will be acceptable to wear a normal bra again. The post-surgical bra helps to reduce some of the pressure on the incisions. You should avoid wearing underwire bras and choose soft, supportive bras for at least three months after the procedure, or until the swelling goes down and your incisions have healed. While you’re recovering, you can go ahead and shop for new bras that will fit your new breast size and shape.
For more advice about breast reduction, contact our Vancouver area office of Dr. Owen Reid so that you can talk to our team about this form of cosmetic surgery. Call us today at 604-343-9309 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation and find out whether you’re a good candidate for breast surgery.
Why is Getting Sculpted Six-Pack Abs So Difficult?
Ripped, washboard abs are considered by many people to be the holy grail of fitness and health. What we think of as a “six-pack” is technically one long, flat muscle called the rectus abdominis that’s divided into segments of connective tissue. Unfortunately, there’s no “easy way out” or magic pill when it comes to achieving that super sculpted look. What you’re probably wondering is, are there any ways to actually get those enviable chiselled abs and will a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) be helpful? Our Vancouver area team has some tips to help you get the look you want, if this is your aesthetic goal.
There are several reasons why it’s so challenging. For one thing, most people have a layer of fat covering the belly area, whether directly below the skin in the form of soft, subcutaneous fat or harder visceral fat close to the organs that obscures these muscles. Even if your muscle is defined, this layer of fat will prevent you from being able to see the work you’ve put in. For women, visible abs might be even more difficult to obtain because they have a higher body fat percentage, lower levels of testosterone and less muscle mass. Some people also naturally have thicker skin and tissue surrounding the core muscles due to genetics, making it even more challenging for them.
Even though exercises like sit-ups and crunches strengthen your core muscles, you need to maintain a healthy diet if you want to get flat, sculpted abs. Reduce your intake of sugary or processed foods while increasing your intake of lean protein and vegetables – and of course, you also need plenty of water.
If you’ve done all you’ve can on your own and are committed to a healthy lifestyle, tummy tuck and liposuction surgery may be beneficial. Neither surgery will give you sculpted abs, but a tummy tuck will strengthen weakened core muscles and remove excess skin from the abdomen while liposuction removes excess fat, to give your belly a flatter appearance. This lays the groundwork for a six-pack.
If you have more questions about what to expect from abdominoplasty surgery, our Vancouver area office of Dr. Owen Reid can guide you through each stage of this procedure. Call 604-343-9309 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation and find out whether you would be a candidate for this procedure.
How Does Liposuction Differ from Weight Loss?
Liposuction is a technique used to enhance a patient’s appearance by breaking up and removing fat from below the skin on certain areas of the body such as the abdomen, thighs, neck, chin, and backs of the upper arms. Although liposuction can be highly effective when it comes to removing unwanted fat, one of the biggest misconceptions that patients who seek out body contouring surgery in the Vancouver area often have is that liposuction is a “weight loss” procedure or that it’s an easy way out or “instant gratification” treatment when it comes to losing weight. The truth is that while the surgery is highly effective, it wouldn’t be possible to obtain the same results from liposuction that could be achieved through traditional methods of weight loss like diet and exercise. Liposuction differs from weight loss in several major ways.
The safest and most effective way of losing a substantial amount of weight for patients who are overweight is through a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a balanced, controlled diet and consistent exercise, along with bariatric surgery in certain cases, would be the best option. Liposuction isn’t a substitute for weight loss. This body contouring surgery improves proportions of the body by removing some subcutaneous fat (soft, pinchable fat that’s found directly below the skin). Patients typically only lose between two to five pounds in total through this surgery.
The ideal patient for liposuction would be someone who’s in good health, within thirty percent of their healthy weight range and has a few excess deposits of resistant fat on certain areas that they want to slim down. The goal of the procedure is to re-shape their body to create an attractive appearance rather than to reduce pounds. Although patients may initially lose some weight and inches through this body contouring procedure, it isn’t a permanent weight loss solution or a treatment for obesity. Seeing the results from liposuction will often motivate many patients to want to continue a healthy exercise and diet routine to maintain their new body shape.
Curious about how body contouring surgery works? The Vancouver area office of Dr. Owen Reid can answer any questions you might have about this form of cosmetic surgery. Call us directly at 604-343-9309 or submit a contact form to request a consultation if you’re interested in exploring options.