A very common question that I am asked from prospective patients who are considering liposuction is if the procedure will also improve their cellulite. Not only do they want to improve their overall body shape with liposuction but they would also like to address the cellulite commonly situated on the thighs, hips and waist in women.
What is cellulite? It is an anatomic structural abnormality involving the fat, tissue between globules of fat and the overlying skin which is affected by hormones and genetics. The skin in these areas has lost its elasticity, presenting with a relative laxity and contour irregularities.
Liposuction will remove the underlying fat but will not address the overall intrinsic anatomy of the area nor will it have any effect on the elasticity of the skin. With less fat stretching out the overlying damaged skin, the cellulite will actually worsen in appearance. Therefore, liposuction is not a treatment for cellulite.
For more information on liposuction, tummy tucks or any other plastic surgery procedure that I perform or if you would like to schedule a complimentary consultation with me, you can contact my office at 480-451-3000.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona
Liposuction, which is among the most common plastic surgery procedures performed, can provide very satisfying results for the right individuals. The best outcomes are obtained in patients who have localized fat accumulations, good skin tone and who are not far from their ideal body weight. If you elect to have liposuction in situations which significantly deviate from this ideal, your expectations should therefore be tempered.
With this in mind, a question that my office and I are commonly asked is if liposuction can be used as a weight loss procedure. The typical scenario is that the individual is considerably over their ideal body weight, sometimes 40 to 100 pounds or more, and just can’t lose the weight. They are frustrated and state that diets and exercising have not worked. Some indicate that they would use the results from liposuction to motivate them to be more diligent in dieting and exercising.
Delving further into their particular situations reveals that most are not even remotely adhering to their diets, and instead, are consuming far more calories than they think or want to admit to. Their exercise regimens also are highly inadequate, burning off far fewer calories than they think or hoped for. Thus, there is little or no weight loss.
Liposuction, in these situations and in general, is not and should not be employed as a method for weight loss. Removal of large amounts of fat from the body at one time does increase the risk for significant complications or even death when massive and inappropriate suctioning is performed. It is a widely accepted tenet that taking out 5 liters or less of fat in one surgical session is the prudent choice. This translates into only approximately 11 pounds at the time of surgery with the long term amount being notably less.
When you add up the attendant costs for the surgery including possible time off of work, the surgical risks that one is taking, and the considerably compromised aesthetic outcome, it rarely is a wise choice to use liposuction as a means for weight loss. Instead, I strongly recommend being far more diligent in dieting and exercising in order to lose weight.
Just what is a “Mommy Makeover”? You probably have been hearing or seeing this expression used in advertisements recently and wondered what it is. Essentially a “Mommy Makeover” is the correction by plastic surgery of the changes that occur as a result of having children in order to regain a more pre-pregnancy figure. Often, related cosmetic procedures can be performed concurrently to improve one’s overall appearance. Pregnancy permanently affects to variable extents women’s breasts, abdomen and body fat deposition and so these are the areas that are addressed.
Following pregnancy, many women lose some firmness, shape and volume of their breasts which may also become droopy and develop stretch marks. These changes can be further exacerbated by breast feeding with the duration and number of children affecting the outcome. A few women actually have a net increase in breast size though the shape and positioning usually suffer. Procedures that can effectively address these changes include a breast augmentation, breast lift with or without a breast enlargement and a breast reduction.
Permanent changes in the appearance of the abdomen following pregnancy are quite variable among women and are affected by a multitude of factors. The often is some residual degree of laxity of the skin and the underlying muscle layer along with changes in the distribution of fat. Cosmetic procedures that could improve the appearance of the abdomen include a mini tummy tuck, a standard tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and liposuction. Liposuction can also be performed elsewhere including the hips, thighs, knees and even back.
The combination of the appropriate cosmetic procedures of the breast and abdomen with or without liposuction performed at one surgical setting constitutes the “Mommy Makeover”. Of course, other procedures such as eyelid surgery can be done at the same time if warranted and indicated. This rejuvenation of one’s body back to a more desirable shape can do wonders for your psyche, self-confidence and sense of attractiveness.
Enlargement of the male breast (Gynecomastia) is a fairly common condition which frequently is a source of embarrassment and insecurity. As I have noted previous, its development is related to the absolute and relative levels of the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. These levels are significantly affected by puberty, aging, alcohol, and certain drugs, medications and diseases.
So what are some of the medications and drugs that are associated with male breast enlargement? The following enumerates several categories of medications and identifies some specific examples:
Anti-androgens that are used to treat enlargement or cancer of the prostate. These act to decrease the biological effect of male sex hormones. Some examples include finasteride (Proscar, Propecia), dutasteride (Avodart), flutamide (Eulexin); cyproterone (Androcur, Climen)
Anti-anxiety medications: diazepam (Valium)
Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), doxepin (Sinequan) and imipramine (Tofranil)
Antibiotics such as ketoconazole (Nizoral), isoniazid
Ulcer medications such as cimetidine (Tagamet)
Certain chemotherapy agents used in the treatment of cancer.
Cardiac medications such as digitalis (Digoxin) and calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem) and nifedipine (Procardia)
AIDS medications, most notably Efavirenz
Products containing tea tree oil or lavender oil
Miscellaneous medications including estrogen, spironolactone (Aldactone), and HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin)
The following are some of the street and illicit drugs associated with Gynecomastia:
Marijuana
Cocaine
Anabolic steroids
Methadone
Amphetamines
Heroin
The above listing is not meant to be comprehensive but instead as a guide. If you are experiencing increasing gynecomastia unrelated to puberty and may be on one of the agents listed above or a similar medication or drug, you may want to investigate this further and discuss it with your appropriate physician. In order to surgically address the enlargement induced by the medication or drugs (if appropriate), male breast reduction surgery can be considered. This may involve ultrasonic assisted liposuction of the breasts and/or direct excision of the enlarged glandular tissue.
If you would like additional information on male breast reduction surgery in the treatment of enlarged male breasts (gynecomastia) such as with ultrasonic assisted liposuction or on any other cosmetic surgery procedure, you can contact my office at 480-451-3000.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona
Many women request to have the appearance of their abdomens improved but they are not sure what it is that they need. Is it a tummy tuck? Liposuction? Or something else? How does one determine what is best?
A tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, is designed to address the lax skin and muscles of the abdomen. This can involve minor looseness that is confined to the lower abdomen (a mini tummy tuck), lax skin that is present both above and below the umbilicus (standard or full tummy tuck), and major excess of skin that hangs down in rolls (tummy tuck or a panniculectomy). Liposuction is best reserved for women who have localized fat deposits but relatively good skin and muscle tone. Of course, there are some gray areas where either procedure can result in an improved appearance though addressing slightly different issues depending on the patient’s primary concerns. There are also some situations where both liposuction and a tummy tuck should and can be done concurrently and others where I recommend first performing liposuction followed several months later by a tummy tuck.
In order to precisely determine whether a tummy tuck, liposuction or some sort of combination would be most appropriate for you, I would need to see you in consultation. To schedule an appointment regarding an abdominoplasty, liposuction, panniculectomy or any other cosmetic surgery procedure, you can call my office at 480-451-3000.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona
