Toledo, OH
419-464-9422Liposculpturing: Beyond Just Suction
Liposculpturing, a technique that we like to think of as advanced liposuction, should not be taken lightly. While the process is not a panacea and will not fix all your woes, when properly performed by the right Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon the results can be life enhancing. Through liposuction your surgeon will use his knowledge of anatomy, art, and science to SCULPT (LIPO-SCULPTURE) all of your aesthetic lines like an artist molds the medium of their choosing. Always wanted a less bulky abdomen? Improved definition of your arms or legs? Enhance your buttock size or definition? Better define the abdominal musculature for which you spend hours in the gym working? Liposculpture may be a good procedure for you to achieve your goals. In general, satisfaction rates are extremely high, higher than non-invasive technology (coolsculpting, etc.) because your surgeon can safely remove the precise amount of excess fat to give each patient a balanced and natural-appearing outcome.
Now that we understand what Liposculpture is, let’s understand what it is NOT. While Dr. Koltz and Dr. Barone are very accomplished surgeons, they are not real magicians. Their high patient satisfaction rates come from helping patients understand realistic goals and outcomes, developing a plan, then delivering on these plans. Liposuction and liposculpture have limitations.
- Liposuction and liposculpture should NOT be thought of as weight loss tools. They are aimed to remove fat from problem areas that are resistant to weight loss. Everyone has these areas. This is a tool we use to augment your improved and healthy lifestyle in order to help deliver you the body you deserve. If you gain weight, get pregnant, or lose a significant amount more weight, your results may also be less than ideal.
- NO skin is removed in these procedures. Therefore, we depend on good skin quality in order to tighten up after removing the fat beneath the skin in order to give you your final result. This is in contrast to body contouring surgery or skin removal surgery which may give you a better contour, but this is in exchange for a larger scar that is concealed to the best of our ability.
- Liposuction is not the best tool to get rid of cellulite when used alone. There are a variety of tools that can help with this, but liposuction alone is not enough.
- Liposculpture does NOT need to be performed in isolation. Very frequently liposculpture is combined with other tools to get your very best result. These other tools may include a skin excision (if patients want to trade skin excision for a scar), Renuvion, Vaser, fat transfer, PRP and stem cell augmentation, as well as a variety of recovery and pain control modalities in order to hasten your recovery and make the whole experience more enjoyable.
- Liposuction does NOT leave significant scars. Each small area where the cannula (about the size of a straw) is introduced beneath the skin leave a scar about ½ inch in size. These sites are strategically chosen to be hidden so you never see them but still allow the surgeon to get to the areas that need to be addressed. These scars are significantly smaller than skin excision procedures.
- Liposuction is NOT necessarily permanent. While it is true, we permanently remove your fat in the areas we address, we do not remove every fat cell. This means that if you gain weight, the ones left behind just get bigger than they would have before when they had more cells to store the same amount of fat.
- Liposuction does NOT remove the “beer belly.” Koltz and Barone can only address the subcutaneous (beneath the skin) fat. Visceral (around your organs) fat makes up the “beer belly” and cannot safely be addressed with liposuction. Only effective weight loss can reduce this abdominal fat.
Finally, there are many new invasive and noninvasive technologies developed every day that you will read about on the internet that promise everything from more attractive feet, to a tighter vagina, to a robust head of hair. Some promises may be realistic, some just snake oil. How can you sort it out? The easiest way is to find a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon that you trust and offers many different technologies.
- If you see someone who is not a surgeon, they will not offer surgery as a good option. “Providers” want to take care of you. If they do not have a technology or a skill set that they can offer you, they usually will not talk to you about it in a positive light. Surgeons can offer any procedure, invasive or noninvasive, so you are starting off in the right spot. A common misconception is that if you see a Plastic Surgeon, you will only be offered surgery. With Dr. Barone and Dr. Koltz, this could not be further from the truth. Their goal is to offer you the least invasive option possible to help you achieve your goal, whether that is surgical or non-surgical.
- If you see someone who is not a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, but is offering an invasive (surgical) procedure, you are choosing to “roll the dice” with your health and safety in order to perhaps save money. It may even be the same cost! Remember doctors can be board certified in non-related medical specialties and still offer the title “Board Certified.” The only board certification that is relevant in cosmetic surgery related to these procedures is “The American Board of Plastic Surgery.” Simply ask, “Are you board certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery?” If the answer is no, move on. It’s that easy. Would you want someone with no surgical (radiologist, family medicine, emergency medicine, OB/GYN) or plastic surgical (general surgery, cosmetic surgery only, ear nose and throat/ENT, etc.) training performing surgery on you? Exceptional results, delivered safely, are all that matter!
Best wishes for a happy and healthy April,
Dr. Koltz and Dr. Barone
The Advanced Mommy Makeover
New Options in Body Contouring
Pregnancy and its after effects can be tough on a woman’s body. From rapid weight gain, then weight loss, following a rapid expansion of the skin, there is a collective fascination with some of the changes that the body goes through before, during, and after pregnancy. Following pregnancy, there are often deposits of excess fat around the abdomen, hips, and trunk. The breasts may have lost volume, dropped, and lost their support. The skin may also have developed new stretch marks, as well as areas of brown patches or hyperpigmentation on the face and other areas.
New technologies, services, and options have created some exciting new possibilities for women after pregnancy. Dr. Frank Barone, board-certified plastic surgeon in Toledo, OH, explains the many new options available in body contouring today.
Abdomen and Trunk
After pregnancy, there are some permanent changes of the body, buttock, and abdomen. These include the muscles of the abdominal wall and the rectus muscle which can become stretched and separated. They will often not return to their preexisting state where they’re connected in the midline, providing support for the abdomen and back. This condition is called diastasis recti.
Another condition caused by pregnancy is long-lasting laxity and loss of support of the skin, accompanied by stretch marks. The tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a procedure that addresses these issues by removing excess skin and fat in the lower abdomen below the belly button. Separated abdominal muscles are then repaired, and the sides of the body are contoured with liposuction.
-Advanced Concepts in Abdominoplasty and Body Contouring
New concepts of abdominoplasty include extending the contouring and shaping all the way around the body or to the sides. This technique can lift a drooping buttocks or correct laxity on the lateral side and hips as well as cellulite. These extended abdominoplasties, or circumferential abdominoplasties, are categorized as “body lifts.” Augmenting or improving the projection of the buttocks with fat buttock augmentation is also a possibility, as well as thigh lifting.
Other new concepts in body contouring surgery include surgery without the need for traditional suction drains based on a new surgical technique called progressive tension sutures and new options in reducing post-operative discomfort. In our practice, these procedures are always done on an outpatient basis and improving patient comfort is a priority. A new medication called Exparel® is injected by the surgeon during the procedure in order to block sensory nerves, and provides a significant reduction in patient discomfort, reducing the need for post-operative narcotics and improving the overall experience.
-Advanced Concepts in Liposuction
Finally, while contouring the body with an abdominoplasty or body lifting, we are also improving overall body shape contour with selective fat reduction by ultrasonic techniques. In our experience, ultrasonic liposuction, or VASER Liposuction, is the most efficient method of reducing excess fatty deposits. VASER ultrasonic energy releases fat cells, which makes removing the excess far more efficient and less traumatic. It also preserves nerves and blood vessels, consequently reducing post-operative swelling and downtime.
VASER ultrasonic liposuction also has the unique advantage of contracting or tightening the skin, which is very important for improving body contour after fat is removed. This has improved our results for patients having mommy makeovers and abdominal contouring. It is also important to understand that abdominal contouring surgery is not a free pass for poor lifestyle choices. It’s vital that patients remember that their overall health has a major effect on the outcome of their surgery. So, healthy lifestyle habits, such as proper nutritional intake and regular exercise, should be emphasized.
-Advanced Non-Surgical Abdominal Contouring Options
Non-surgical options are also present for abdominal contouring, be reducing both excess and firming skin, such as the new Vanquish ME™, Cellutone and Exilis Ultra™ devices, which remove fat cells by an external applicator. The Vanquish applicators do not touch the skin, and can also improve abdominal contour without any downtime. These procedures are done in the office and do not require anesthesia. The new Cellutone™, which uses sound waves to reduce the appearance of cellulite, is used with Vanquish ME™ to improve results in less time.
Read about the scientific study on Vanquish ME™ for nonsurgical fat reduction here.
Improving Breast Shape and Contour after Pregnancy
The combination of age and gravity will cause a woman’s breasts to droop and lose volume, but when you add pregnancy and breastfeeding to this equation, the changes are much more significant. This after-pregnancy breast change goes beyond actual sagging, but can result in changes in the nipples and the areola, as well as loss or deflation of the breast due to the hormonal changes of pregnancy.
-Breast Lift and Augmentation
To restore youthful shape and size a breast lift can be performed, which will elevate the tissue back to its pre-pregnancy position and restore a youthful shape. For some patients, more volume is necessary if there’s been a deflation of the breasts, and a breast implant and or fat grafting can be beneficial. Dr. Barone has extensive clinical research experience with the FDA approved cohesive gel breast implants. Available in round or anatomic shapes, cohesive gel or ‘gummy bear’ implants are composed of a semi solid soft gel and are more long lasting and will have no issue with potential leakage. They also hold their shape very well and are available in a wide variety of dimensions to correct asymmetry or side differences.
-Fat Grafting for Breast Enhancement
For appropriate patients, Dr. Barone may recommend fat grafting enhanced with PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, to restore natural volume to the breasts. The new breast lift or mastopexy involves shorter scars, and the vertical mastopexy is one example of that short scar procedure for breast lifting. Again, pain control with Exparel® allows this to always be an outpatient procedure, and makes the overall experience much more comfortable.
Skin Rejuvenation for the Post-Pregnant Woman
Telltale stretch marks on the stomach, hips, and buttocks after pregnancy can be very frustrating for women. Topical creams have never been proven to be effective, despite some unsubstantiated marketing claims. Dr. Barone and the professional staff at evolv will only recommend or utilize research proven products and services that have been clinically verified as safe and effective.
-Microneedling, Infini
Stretch marks are physical tares in the deep layers of the skin that are commonly seen after pregnancy or excessive weight gain. There are now promising technologies that can improve them. One option is microneedling, which stimulates collagen production while breaking down the scar and fibrous tissues. Microneedling with radiofrequency energy is even more effective, as has been proven by clinical results with the Infini RF by Lutronic.
Infini RF delivers a radio frequency charge to the tips of the insulated needles which results in a more vigorous response in collagen production and skin tightening than microneedling alone. Adding PRP therapy which is a powerful combination of multiple growth factors and regenerative platelets obtained from the patient’s own blood, to microneedling or Infini RF procedure has resulted in significantly more improvement in stretch marks and overall skin quality.
In addition, treatment of the skin with new formulations of retinol, which is a vitamin A derivative, has been shown to increase collagen production, improve circulation to the skin, and can improve stretch mark appearance, as well as skin health. I prefer Retinol and skin care products from ZO Skin Health because of their unique advanced bioengineering and proven efficacy.
If stretch marks are still pink or red, using light therapy, such as broadband light (BBL), is very effective in reducing their appearance. Fractional lasers are also beneficial in these situations, which is another new and exciting technology for skin improvement. The new HALO laser from Sciton Medical is particularly effective in improving stretch marks.
-Pigmentation
Pigmentation can be very challenging in the postpartum female. Brown spots and even deeper pigmentation in the lower levels of the skin, called Melasma, can be particularly frustrating. Melasma is often made worse from heat, so the use of lasers can be risky and must be used cautiously with proper skin preparation. Some chemical peels can be very effective for removing excess pigment in Melasma and hyperpigmentation. We have seen significant improvement with the use of medical skincare products from ZO® Skin Health, which has been the world’s leader in treating excess pigmentation in the skin.
Broadband or pulsed light and the use of Hydroquinone and other lightening agents to reduce pigmentation can be very effective if the skin is prepared properly. Of course, sunscreen and limited sun exposure is critically important in pigmentation and Melasma patients, and using a certified medical grade sunscreen with antioxidants is important.
The Advanced Mommy Makeover Summary
In summary, new technology and services have significantly improved the options as well as the results for women after pregnancy in repairing, restoring, and rejuvenating their bodies. These include non-surgical and surgical services. Shorter recovery times with increased comfort and reducing the length of scars are now a reality contouring the body after pregnancy in the advanced mommy makeover, and the combination of procedures has provided even better results.
Finally, the new science of regenerative medicine using fat grafting, stem cells, and growth factors with PRP harvested from the patient’s own blood and tissues are really going to be the future of body contouring due to the long-lasting effects and rejuvenate capabilities.
To learn more about these services, contact evolv Plastic Surgery & Medical Aesthetics today – (419) 464-9422.
Body Lift After Weight Loss
New Year, New You
A new year has begun, so why not take those final steps in completing your weight loss journey? After losing a significant amount of weight, you can be left with sagging areas of skin in many areas of the body. Dr. Barone at evolv Plastic Surgery & Medical Aesthetics offers body lift surgery to correct sagging skin and tissue laxity to restore a youthful body contour. Read on to learn more about this procedure and how it can benefit you.
What is a Body Lift?
A body lift is a method of surgical contouring and shaping to restore the natural balance of the body that may have been distorted by significant weight loss or aging. Unlike a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty that only address the lower abdomen, the body lift will contour the abdomen as well as the hips, flanks, legs and the buttocks for a more balanced, natural -looking figure. After significant weight loss or with aging, there may be loose, sagging skin around the entire trunk of the body, in the legs, and on thighs that will not often improve with exercise or additional weight loss. This is where a body lift and body contouring surgery can help.
The Body Lift Procedure
Body lifting is customized to each patient in order to obtain the most natural and long lasting result. During the procedure Dr. Barone will resect the excess tissue, release the entire areas involved, and then then re-suspend and support them to enhance contour. At evolv, this surgical procedure is performed only in a fully-accredited outpatient surgery center with a board-certified anesthesiologist under general anesthesia. All procedures are done on an outpatient basis so patients will go home the day of surgery. Often, liposuction with ultrasound or VASER is combined with body lifting to remove and control areas of excessive fat. The muscles of the abdominal wall, which can become separated over time or pregnancy, may also be repaired to improve abdominal contour and help strengthen and support the core and lower back.
Find out if you’re a candidate for non-surgical alternatives to body contouring and skin tightening.
Benefits of a Body Lift
The greatest benefits of a body lift procedure is the true improvement in quality of life for patients. “Basically, the results of comprehensive body lifting are something that cannot be obtained any other way and truly transforms and restores the natural contours of the body’s silhouette which has a significant impact on a patient’s self-esteem and confidence,” explained Dr. Barone. “This also helps them improve their motivation to maintain and continue a healthy lifestyle with exercise, appropriate nutrition and stress control.”
Dr. Barone, a board-certified plastic surgeon and member of the Aesthetic Society has a long experience with comprehensive body lifting and knowledgeable in what preparation involves. Prior to your surgery, a healthy lifestyle should be maintained. Preoperative supplements are also given to improve wound healing and shorten the recovery time. After the body lifting procedure, maintenance with other nonsurgical methods using radio frequency along with the patient’s own exercise and nutrition are also recommended to maintain optimal long-term results.
Body lifting is an exciting area of regenerative medicine and has a significant impact on the quality of life for a patient. If you are interested in learning more about these procedures, contact us today at evolv Plastic Surgery & Medical Aesthetics to schedule a consultation.
Surgical vs Non-Surgical Body Contouring Candidates
Many patients are interested in improving the shape and contour of their body, primarily through fat reduction or reducing excess skin and sagging tissues. This may be around the abdomen, hips, flanks, buttocks and thighs. The upper arms are also of great interest to patients. However, most patients don’t know whether they are a candidate for a non-surgical or surgical body contouring procedure.
In both cases, these procedures should not be a substitute for weight loss. We prefer the patients to lose weight prior to both non-surgical and surgical procedures to improve patient safety and enhance the result of the procedure. Our goal is to stimulate patients to consider healthy lifestyles and have a nutritional plan because of their importance in any treatment or patient care plan.
Surgical Body Contouring Candidates
The typical candidate for surgical body contouring will be someone who needs lifting of lax tissues or a larger amount of fat reduction. It’s extremely important that anybody interested in body contouring see an “experienced” board-certified plastic surgeon for professional qualified advice.
Surgical body contouring may involve the common term of tummy tuck or abdominoplasty. During this procedure, excess fat is removed with liposuction techniques and sometimes the surgeon repairs the lax abdominal wall muscles for a slimmer appearance. At evolv, Dr. Frank Barone prefers ultrasonic liposuction because it is much more efficient, less traumatic and results in tightening of the skin more effectively than other techniques.
Patients Interested in Buttock Augmentation
With the significant increase in popularity, patients are very interested in the surgical procedure of buttock shaping or buttock augmentation. At evolv, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Barone prefers to use the patient’s own fat, removed from an area where it may be excessive such as the abdomen or hips. This fat is then processed and used to augment or add volume to the buttocks. New advancements in technology have allowed the use of the patient’s fat to actually regenerate tissue and restore the lost volume in the buttocks in order to correct sagging tissues and restore youthful contour.
Non-Surgical Body Contouring Candidates
A candidate for non-surgical body contouring would be someone who doesn’t have significant laxity, loose skin or a large amount of fatty excess. We have revolutionary technologies available to us that have dramatically improved results of non-surgical contouring. Our preference is using radio frequency energy, which safely passes through the skin to destroy underlying fat cells. This is achieved in the office without anesthesia, and there is no downtime with the treatment.
Our most popular non-surgical body contouring procedure is called the Vanquish ME, or maximum energy, which allows us to treat the abdomen around the sides of the body simultaneously without any direct contact to the skin. The energy passes through the skin, effectively destroying unwanted fat.
Another technology is called Exilis Ultra, which combines radiofrequency with therapeutic ultrasound to break up fat cells and tighten skin. This can be done virtually anywhere on the body where there’s a minor to moderate amount of skin or tissue laxity and fatty excess.
New technology with Exilis Ultra and Vanquish ME, also includes Cellutone, which is an advanced sound wave pulsed energy that helps the lymphatic system remove the fragmented fat cells and improves circulation and the results with the Vanquish treatment.
As always, the critical factor to these procedures is having a consultation with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon who has been trained to do these procedures. It’s also very important to be sure these procedures, if surgical, are done in an appropriate certified outpatient facility, which has to pass certain criteria to maintain their accreditation.
Be sure to do your research when looking for a physician and surgeon in Toledo, Ohio and that you ask these questions prior to considering any body contouring procedure. The results can be extremely satisfying and life-changing for the best candidates. New technology has allowed appropriately trained physicians to achieve excellent results for patients utilizing non-surgical treatments.
Vanquish ME vs CoolSculpting
With non-surgical body contouring devices in high demand, it’s often confusing and difficult to determine which technology is truly safe and effective. Dr. Barone explains the differences between the two most popular non-surgical body contouring methods, Vanquish ME vs CoolSculpting.
The Basics of CoolSculpting
CoolSculpting is an FDA-cleared technique for reducing excess fat by cooling the tissues, a process called cryolipolysis. During the treatment, the targeted tissue is placed in contact with paddles on the CoolSculpting device and the focal area is cooled for approximately 45-minutes to one hour.
The Basics of Vanquish ME
The Vanquish ME (‘Maximum Energy’) is also an FDA-cleared technique for fat reduction but uses a unique, focused radiofrequency energy. This energy heats targeted tissue causing destruction of excess fat cells while tightening the skin by stimulating and regenerating your body’s natural collagen production.
The Comparison
In contrast to the CoolSculpting device, Vanquish ME does not require any direct contact with the patient’s tissue and can treat a significantly larger area of the abdomen. Since there is no contact and the settings are adjustable, the energy precisely passes through the skin and heats the underlying fat. The technology of Vanquish ME uses radiofrequency energy, the skin will be moderately warm, but the underlying fat is heated anywhere from 20 to 25 degrees higher. Additionally, keeping the skin at a lower temperature while heating the fat at a higher temperature, results in an effective destruction of the excess fat cells. The CoolSculpting device can only treat one focal area at a time, making it a longer process for optimal results in several areas of the body. Vanquish paddles allow the entire trunk of the body to be treated, including the abdomen and hips in a 45-minute session.
Although both devices are proven to reduce fat, Dr. Barone believes that Vanquish ME offers a more uniform effect because it treats a much larger area without contacting the tissues. Sometimes with CoolSculpting, there can also be a chance of fibrosis or hardening of the tissues at the edge of the treated area. Research studies have shown approximately 20 to 25% of fat reduction with CoolSculpting, and a confirmed 50 to 59% fat reduction with Vanquish ME. Dr. Barone feels Vanquish ME is more effective with quicker results versus CoolSculpting.
Additional Information about Vanquish ME
An exciting addition to Vanquish ME is the new addition of Cellutone. Cellutone produces a unique sound wave to treated tissues allowing a more effective removal of disrupted fat and better circulation. This addition has improved results, allowing more effective fat removal and faster improvement in body contouring.
As always, the training of the physician and technician is paramount in obtaining an effective and safe result. Call Dr. Barone’s office today to schedule your consultation for Vanquish ME today to experience the difference everyone’s been raving about! 419.720.2008
Everything You Need to Know About the Brazilian Butt Lift
Buttock augmentation or enhancement is often referred to as “Brazilian Butt Lift” and involves improving the shape of the buttocks by increasing the buttock volume, projection and contour. This can be accomplished by fat grafting or transfer, taking the patient’s own fat cells from an unwanted area where there is excess, and after processing, then transferring specific amounts to areas of the buttock to improve shape and volume which can actually result in lifting the buttock.
How is Buttock Augmentation Performed?
The options of buttock augmentation with the Brazilian Butt Lift include either using fat grafting or buttock implant, which is similar to a breast implant but a little firmer. In some situations where the buttock tissues are lax or sagging, surgical lifting of the buttock skin is sometimes added to enhance the natural contour and silhouette of the buttocks. The ancillary methods of buttock augmentation may include liposuction because shaping the excess fat around the buttocks such as in the hip or love handle area, as well as in the saddlebag or lateral thigh area, and in the thighs, can help bring out buttock contour and improve shape. This is often combined with the Brazilian Butt Lift or buttock augmentation because the fat needed for grafting is then processed and placed into the buttocks.
Why is Technique Important?
Technique is very important in buttock augmentation because fat grafting must be done carefully and precisely to maintain the viability of the delicate fat cells. Blood and other fluid are removed and the fat cells are concentrated gently. In order to improve the survival of the fat graft, PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, is used and the patient’s own blood is added. PRP contains concentrated growth factors from the blood along with platelets which are very powerful in improving the healing response and the stimulation of the fat grafts, as well as reducing swelling in the donor area of the buttocks.
What is The Recovery Period?
The recovery from buttock augmentation will depend on several factors such as the technique, including fat grafting, buttock implants, or lift of the buttock skin. Buttock augmentation surgery is typically done under general anesthesia and is always on an outpatient basis without the need for hospital admission. At our practice, evolv Plastic Surgery & Medical Aesthetics, the aesthetic surgery is always done at a fully credentialed outpatient surgery center for patient safety and consistency.
How Should I Choose a Surgeon?
Finally, when looking for a physician or a surgeon for buttock augmentation, the training, credentials and experience of the physician are typically the most important factors in obtaining the most optimal and safe result. The patient should always do their research and look at the doctor’s experience and try to find a board-certified or board-eligible aesthetic plastic surgeon, or board-eligible or board-certified plastic surgeon, that has special training in doing cosmetic procedures.
What is the Cost of Buttock Augmentation?
The cost of buttock augmentation will depend on the time of the procedure and the amount of the liposuction or other procedures that are needed to complete the augmentation. Recovery period involves wearing a compression garment for several weeks and avoiding any direct pressure on the buttocks. Patients can resume most normal activities within several weeks.
When done by a properly trained, board-certified or eligible aesthetic plastic surgeons, buttock augmentation, whether with fat grafting or implant, has been an extremely gratifying and life-changing procedure for many patients to restore or enhance the silhouette of the body and the buttocks. The results can be natural-appearing, long-lasting and very gratifying.
Summer Beach Body Series – Breast Augmentation
As summertime approaches, there is a lot of interest in improving body contour and the ‘summer beach body program.’ Breast augmentation for appropriate patients may be a considered option in enhancing overall body shape and balance.
What is the Goal?
The goal of aesthetic body procedures is to improve the balance and naturalness of the silhouette, perhaps reducing areas of premature aging, whether it’s sagging skin, sun spots, or excess fat accumulation. Patients have the option to naturally enhance their breast contour which has been shown to improve patients’ confidence and self-esteem when performed properly.
There has never been a better time to consider the various body contouring options at evolv with our new technology and scientific breakthroughs! At evolv Medical Aesthetics, we now can reduce fat non-surgically and tighten the skin with an in-office procedure and no associated downtime, by utilizing the Vanquish ME and Exilis Ultra technology from BTL Aesthetics.
Skin care is also important when trying to reduce the signs of aging especially in the summertime, as it can create firming and evenness to skin tone, as well as reduce the signs of aging and reduce the risk of skin cancer.
What is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation is the enhancement of the female breast contour, shape and balance by using either breast implants and/or fat grafting from the patient. Breast implantation surgery has advanced significantly over the years, with more choices of implants that have a greater longevity and naturalness in function. After a professional assessment by your board-certified plastic surgeon, breast augmentation is a very popular procedure and can be done safely as an outpatient procedure, resulting in a natural balance to the body and improved patient confidence.
Breast Implant Choices & Decisions
Breast implants are now available with a unique cohesive or form stable gel that maintains its shape and has greater longevity than ever before. Cohesive gel has the consistency of Jell-O, which makes it last longer and achieve more natural results than traditional gel breast implants or saline implants.
Most importantly, the implant that is chosen should be proportional in dimension to the patient’s body in order to achieve natural results. Implant options are available and may be anatomical teardrop shaped, or a round contour. Each implant has significantly potential advantages depending on the patient’s overall aesthetic goals. When performed properly, the breast implant is placed underneath the breast gland or underneath the pectoralis muscle below the breast and does not actually contact or enter the breast gland.
Does a Breast Augmentation improve self-esteem?
Studies have proven that a patient’s confidence can be improved with an appropriate breast augmentation procedure for those patients who have less breast development or who have lost breast tissue after pregnancy or weight loss. It’s also important to understand that appropriate breast implant surgery can enhance the female silhouette without having any indication that there has been any surgical intervention when done by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon.
The location of the incision for breast augmentation is variable, but in our experience, the most appropriate and safe location is in the fold underneath the breast, which allows for the best visualization and safety, as well as precision in placing the implant. These options all can be discussed with your plastic surgeon depending on your body type and current shape of your breasts as well as your goals.
Importance of Certification for Breast Augmentation Procedures
It’s most important for every patient to understand that breast implant augmentation is a surgical procedure requiring training, skill and experience. Every patient should do their homework, and carefully choose a board-certified plastic surgeon with experience in breast surgery and aesthetics. ASAPS is a professional organization of board-certified plastic surgeons that have special experience with cosmetic procedures, appropriate credentialing, and proven results.
Patients should always be careful and cautious when choosing a provider for aesthetic procedures as well as where they get their information, as this is directly related to reducing the risk of complications and obtaining favorable results. When done properly by a board-certified plastic surgeon, patients can expect a naturally appearing soft breast that is balanced with their body’s shape. The goal of breast augmentation as with any appropriate aesthetic procedure is a natural and safe result that will improve self-confidence as well as quality of life for each patient.
Request your private consultation with Dr. Frank Barone for breast augmentation today!
Cosmetic Benefits of Exilis Ultra
Exilis Ultra is an FDA approved, nonsurgical method of firming and tightening skin and body tissues as well as reducing excess fat. Exilis Ultra is unique in that it uses radiofrequency, which is an energy that passes through the skin and precisely effects the underlying fat cells, treating the skin for laxity and stimulating collagen production. The primary cosmetic benefits of Exilis Ultra are firming the skin, reducing fatty excess, and creating some tightening for a more youthful appearance.
How is Exilis Ultra Different?
Exilis Ultra is a new and exciting technology that combines the benefits of ultrasonic energy with radiofrequency. By combining radiofrequency and ultrasound energy, the Exilis Ultra can achieve benefits from therapeutic sound waves, which offers a synergistic effect. The ultrasound energy allows a faster, easier and more efficient delivery of energy to the tissues. Additionally, ultrasound energy allows the patient’s tissues reach therapeutic temperatures more quickly and with less discomfort than with radiofrequency alone. The end result is a more effective and comfortable treatment, improved skin tightening and more fat reduction for a positive patient experience.
The Exilis Ultra Applicator
The applicator of Exilis Ultra is also unique. It has a cooling tip specially designed to allow precise and adjustable penetration of the radiofrequency and ultrasound energy. It can also be controlled with a process called “layering”, which treats the surface of the skin if the patient desires skin tightening or targeting the deeper tissues for fat reduction and collagen stimulation or a combination of the above. The applicator also cools the skin to protect the surface while treating the deeper tissues, increasing the temperature in the fat. Ultimately, Dr. Barone has been quite impressed with the broad versatility of this technology.
Exilis Ultra Results
The results of Exilis Ultra last far longer than comparable treatments but also are influenced by the patient’s lifestyle and skin care regimen. At Evolv, we believe in designing individualized and comprehensive treatment programs combining skin care with nonsurgical treatments to enhance and maintain more long-lasting and balanced outcomes.
Results with Exilis Ultra are seen shortly after the procedure and will continue to improve for several weeks after each treatment. Dr. Barone recommends a series of 4-5 treatments, one to two weeks apart for optimal results. It is interesting to Dr. Barone and most patients that the appearance of cellulite can also be temporarily reduced with Exilis Ultra. As stated above, this treatment can be used on virtually any body area, lifting and contouring lifting tissues around the eyes, face, upper arms, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, chest and hips.
Candidates for Exilis Ultra
Almost anyone is an ideal candidate since Exilis Ultra treats any area of the body where patients desire skin and tissue tightening, restarting your body’s natural collagen production, or excess fat reduction. It is a very versatile research-proven technology that provides safe and consistent results in appropriately selected patients. Patients should know that this is not a treatment for weight loss, but is a body contouring procedure.
Why Choose Evolv?
This is always a fundamental question for patients considering safe and effective aesthetic rejuvenation. Some aging changes can not be corrected with nonsurgical techniques, and that is when aesthetic surgery may have better and more lasting benefits. It may be replacing or restoring tissue to its original position, elevating sagging tissues, reducing excess skin, restoring volume, reshaping the nose and reducing the jowls and lower cheeks for the lax skin on the neck. Surgical options, when done properly on the appropriate patient, are most effective for naturally restoring harmony and fullness to the face. At Evolv, surgical techniques are often combined with nonsurgical treatments to increase the longevity of the surgical procedure as well as to obtain a more balanced and natural outcome.
Dr. Barone’s philosophy to cosmetic or aesthetic rejuvenation, which he has developed and evolved through more than thirty years of experience and research, involves a comprehensive and holistic program of pretreatment, procedures and a long-term maintenance program. Pretreatment is designed to prepare the patient and the skin in order to improve response, outcomes and safety. The procedures are personalized to each patient’s anatomy, goals and expectations in order to achieve a natural appearing result and to reduce downtime. The maintenance program is a yearly plan of flexible and ongoing skin care and nonsurgical options that are specifically formulated to each patient’s budget and goals in order to provide continuity and maximize the longevity and harmony of their improvement and outcomes.
Dr. Frank Barone’s Advice
If patients are looking for nonsurgical rejuvenation or cosmetic surgery, my advice is to do your research, take your time and be careful about where you are getting your information. There is an overwhelming amount of marketing and advertising in aesthetics, which can be confusing to patients. It is recommended that you seek the advice of a board certified plastic surgeon, preferably one who is a member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, (ASAPS), having extensive experience with these procedures.
Also, if you are considering any type of injections or nonsurgical treatments, be sure it is done under the supervision of a physician who has experience in this area and board certification in the specialty related to the procedure. These treatments and services can be done legally in any doctor’s office, whether there has been adequate training or not. “It is very important for patients to be careful about looking for credentials of the treating physician, experience of the office and professional staff, and training in these specialties as patient safety and reducing the risk of complications are always of paramount importance”, said Dr. Barone.
Request your consultation for nonsurgical facial rejuvenation today!
Techniques to contour the arms are 2013’s most asked about procedures!
A significant number of patients are interested in improving the contour and shape of the upper arms and underarm areas. Loss of arm contour and shape may occur after significant weight loss or with aging, as the skin and underlying structures loosen and lose their firmness. Unfortunately this typically does not improve with exercise. We are proud to offer several different options for our patients, depending on the degree of skin laxity or excess fat present.
Brachioplasty is the name of the surgical procedure done for contouring the arms. Most often it is done with VASER Liposelection, which removes fat through a gentle ultrasonic technique and minimizes bleeding and excessive bruising. Most patients are more comfortable with a light general anesthetic and are able to go home right after the operation from the Outpatient Surgery Center at Regency Park. The typical brachioplasty with liposuction will take, depending on the patient and amount of correction, between 2.5 to 4 hours total time.
Many patients ask about the location and extent of the surgical scar from a brachioplasty. The following are variations of brachioplasty used in our practice. We have seen encouraging results in minimizing scars with SkinMedica’s Scar Recovery Gel.
- Minor degrees of skin laxity (minimal-incision approach) – scar in the upper crease of the underarm area
- Mild skin laxity (limited-incision) – upper half of the upper arm
- Moderate skin laxity (traditional brachioplasty) – from the axilla towards the
- Severe skin laxity w/ fullness in the underarm area (extended brachioplasty) – scar will be extended through the axilla to side of the breast.
If the problem is primarily excess fat and the skin is not loose or excessive, liposuction with the VASER or SmartLipo can give excellent improvement without any significant scarring. SmartLipo Triplex is particularly effective in tightening skin while removing fatty excess.
Each individual’s recovery time will depend upon the extent of the procedure, and whether or not additional procedures are done simultaneously. The recovery time after brachioplasty is typically one to two weeks but is variable.
For those with minimal skin laxity or fat excess, the non-surgical Exilis Elite procedure may be an option. This is a short procedure that can be done in the office and does not require any anesthesia or medication with no downtime. This device can be used with great effectiveness anywhere on the face or body where minor skin laxity or fatty fullness is an issue. The Exilis Elite treatments can also be used after brachioplasty or other surgical procedures to maintain and even improve results far longer we have experienced in the past.
Everything You Need to Know About the Brazilian Butt Lift
Buttock augmentation or enhancement is often referred to as “Brazilian Butt Lift” and involves improving the shape of the buttocks by increasing the buttock volume, projection and contour. This can be accomplished by fat grafting or transfer, taking the patient’s own fat cells from an unwanted area where there is excess, and after processing, then transferring specific amounts to areas of the buttock to improve shape and volume which can actually result in lifting the buttock.
How is Buttock Augmentation Performed?
The options of buttock augmentation with the Brazilian Butt Lift include either using fat grafting or buttock implant, which is similar to a breast implant but a little firmer. In some situations where the buttock tissues are lax or sagging, surgical lifting of the buttock skin is sometimes added to enhance the natural contour and silhouette of the buttocks. The ancillary methods of buttock augmentation may include liposuction because shaping the excess fat around the buttocks such as in the hip or love handle area, as well as in the saddlebag or lateral thigh area, and in the thighs, can help bring out buttock contour and improve shape. This is often combined with the Brazilian Butt Lift or buttock augmentation because the fat needed for grafting is then processed and placed into the buttocks.
Why is Technique Important?
Technique is very important in buttock augmentation because fat grafting must be done carefully and precisely to maintain the viability of the delicate fat cells. Blood and other fluid are removed and the fat cells are concentrated gently. In order to improve the survival of the fat graft, PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, is used and the patient’s own blood is added. PRP contains concentrated growth factors from the blood along with platelets which are very powerful in improving the healing response and the stimulation of the fat grafts, as well as reducing swelling in the donor area of the buttocks.
What is The Recovery Period?
The recovery from buttock augmentation will depend on several factors such as the technique, including fat grafting, buttock implants, or lift of the buttock skin. Buttock augmentation surgery is typically done under general anesthesia and is always on an outpatient basis without the need for hospital admission. At our practice, evolv Plastic Surgery & Medical Aesthetics, the aesthetic surgery is always done at a fully credentialed outpatient surgery center for patient safety and consistency.
How Should I Choose a Surgeon?
Finally, when looking for a physician or a surgeon for buttock augmentation, the training, credentials and experience of the physician are typically the most important factors in obtaining the most optimal and safe result. The patient should always do their research and look at the doctor’s experience and try to find a board-certified or board-eligible aesthetic plastic surgeon, or board-eligible or board-certified plastic surgeon, that has special training in doing cosmetic procedures.
What is the Cost of Buttock Augmentation?
The cost of buttock augmentation will depend on the time of the procedure and the amount of the liposuction or other procedures that are needed to complete the augmentation. Recovery period involves wearing a compression garment for several weeks and avoiding any direct pressure on the buttocks. Patients can resume most normal activities within several weeks.
When done by a properly trained, board-certified or eligible aesthetic plastic surgeons, buttock augmentation, whether with fat grafting or implant, has been an extremely gratifying and life-changing procedure for many patients to restore or enhance the silhouette of the body and the buttocks. The results can be natural-appearing, long-lasting and very gratifying.
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