Your Body.....

There are some things you can do for yourself and there are some things that require help. We help. That’s what we are here for.

Most people (according to surveys) are dissatisfied with their bodies. Commitments of work, jobs, motherhood prevent us from being all we could be with regards to figure and shape. The flat tummy, narrow waist or proportional bust line elude us because of the necessities of our busy society. Surgery is a safe, predictable, reliable option due to today’s less invasive techniques.

An abdominoplasty is what is commonly referred to as a "tummy tuck." Abdominoplasties are used to tighten the skin and/or muscles of the abdominal wall that have been stretched by pregnancy, the aging process and/or by weight fluctuations.

Abdominal procedures are divided into three patient categories; 1) people with excess fat, 2) people with excess muscle laxity and excess skin fat. 

The first category of patients, people with excess fat, require nothing more than Liposuction. Liposuction has advanced in recent years and the procedure is now a minimally invasive extraction of fat that requires only a couple of days of recovery. In some cases, some patients who might be considering a tummy tuck would be well served to proceed with a thorough Liposuction first and then wait and see if the more invasive tummy tuck is necessary.

The second category, people with excess muscle laxity, require some type of tummy tuck. Tummy tucks can be done two ways. The mini-tummy tuck and the full tummy tuck. The difference in the two procedures is the way the navel is handled. In a full tummy tuck, the entire area between the navel and the pubis needs improvement, therefore a new navel is created by the surgeon. This is done in a very natural way and the incision is hidden within the navel itself. In the mini-tummy tuck, the navel is just pulled down a little and it gets no actual surgery upon it. Hence, there is no scarring in or around the navel whatsoever.

The third patient category, people with excess skin and frat and muscle laxity, requires abdominal reconstruction often known as a panniculectomy. This something that patients who have lost a significant amount of weight frequently have done to totally remake their bodies. It is not uncommon nowadays for a patient to have successfully undergone a weight reduction plan or gastric bypass operation to lose 100 or more pounds. Obviously, the would cause excess skin the abdomen and around the back. This so-called belt lipectomy attends to all the loose skin, circumferentially around the patient. It gives a person an entirely new body.

Liposuction is the removal of fatty deposits from the body with the aid of a vacuum technique. The fat is removed via a "cannula" which is inserted through small incisions which are hidden as much as possible.

You may be a good candidate for liposuction if you have localized excess fat or if you desire contouring in any of the following areas:

• cheeks, jowls and neck hips and buttocks

• upper arms inner and outer thighs

• breast or chest areas inner knee

• back calves and ankles

• abdomen and waist

Liposuction may sometimes be used to treat a condition called gynecomastia, or male breast enlargement, which frequently occurs among both teenage and adult males.

Lower Body Lift

Lower body, buttock and thigh lifting procedures are used to elevate the lower body, buttocks and thighs while excising redundant tissues. Excess skin and fat are removed and the remaining tissues are tightened to produce a more attractive body contour. The skin laxity and poor tone may be related to the normal aging process and genetics, pregnancy or significant weight loss. Frequently, patients who have lost large amounts of weight benefit greatly from these procedures. After you've done the hard work and shed the pounds, the skin frequently remains loose and excessive. No matter how hard you try, you can't alter your skin's elasticity. A body lift is the answer. Those who have suffered the effects of gravity or pregnancy may also enjoy the results of a lifting operation.

An arm lift or brachioploasty is done to remove excess skin from the upper arm area. An upper arm lift removes skin and fat from various body areas. This sagging skin in the upper arm is usually caused by weight loss. However, the natural ageing process also causes skin to lose elasticity naturally. Many individuals find that the arms, in particular, lose their firmness as the layers of muscle and supporting fat become thinner.

An arm lift can improve your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with Dr. Chicarilli. The best candidates for an arm lift are men or women who are looking for improvement, not perfection, in the way they look. If you're physically healthy and realistic in your expectations, you may be a good candidate.

This surgery is not suitable after mastectomy or other operations in the axillary (armpit) lymph nodes. Those with multiple infections of the sweat gland may also be poor candidates for brachioplasty.

You're likely to feel tired and sore for a few days following your surgery, but you'll be up and around in 24 to 48 hours. Most of your discomfort can be controlled by medication that we will prescribe. Within several days, the dressings, if you have them, will be removed, and you will be asked to wear a compression garment. This is to reduce swelling and assist in shrinking and tightening of the skin. You should wear it as directed. Elevation with pillows increases comfort.

Most patients can return to work within a week, depending on the level of activity required for one's job. Limiting lifting is important. Follow our advice on when to begin exercises and increasing activities after surgery. Your scars will be firm and pink for at least six weeks. They may remain the same size for several months, or even appear to widen with time. After several months, your scars will begin to fade, although they will never disappear completely.