Once you have made the decision to have a procedure, it is important to take all steps necessary to let your new body heal. Whether you have had a tummy tuck, vaginal rejuvenation, breast augmentation, or any combination of the above, your own recovery should remain a top priority. This may involve your spouse taking time off of work to tend to you/your children’s needs, hiring a babysitter, or having family stay over to help.

Most plastic surgeons agree that the recovery process following a mommy makeover can take between 1-2 weeks, at which time an individual can begin increasing physical activity. The duration of recovery depends on a variety of factors including:

• your age
• overall fitness
• and ability to heal

Following surgery, individuals may require pain medication for the first 2-3 days to ensure optimum comfort. Many individuals report total recovery after 1 month.

To arrange for your recovery, you should be prepared to take 10-14 days off from work. The actual amount of time may vary depending on the amount of physical activity your job duties require. Keep in mind; both constant movement and remaining seated for extended periods of time are not optimal for your recovery. Caring for your children and household obligations should be relayed to your recovery help, to allow for the  relaxation needed to achieve an enjoyable recovery experience. The end results of a peaceful and uneventful recovery will be well-worth it!

Any incision into the skin can leave a scar but those associated with the modern techniques of liposuction, like the ones we do here in Alpharetta, are very tiny and essentially invisible. Any qualified plastic surgeon can place an incision in a location where it will be difficult to see. Liposuction is also far less invasive than it used to be, but here are some facts you need to know about potential liposuction scars to help alleviate some of your concerns.

In the old days, traditional liposuction involved making a fairly large incision to accommodate a large tube (a cannula) which was inserted into the skin and moved around vigorously to loosen and then suck out the excess fat with a powerful vacuum. Today plastic surgeons most commonly perform liposuction using a much smaller, endoscopic size cannula. If liposuction scars do occur, they will be very tiny, nearly invisible, and should fade quickly.

Another type of liposuction we do here in Alpharetta is laser-assisted and ultrasound-assisted liposuction. When these types of liposuction are done, fat cells are liquefied by heat, making them easier to remove. These techniques are less invasive and typically cause less bruising and scarring. A consultation with one of our board certified plastic surgeons will equip you with all the information you need to decide on which technique is best for you.

If you’re concerned about scarring or want to know more about the procedures we perform, contact our office today. We will be more than happy to help.

• the mother’s age,
• number of pregnancies,
• and the size of her children at delivery.

It is often easier for moms to get their pre pregnancy body back after the first child, but usually much harder for woman that have had multiple pregnancies.

Sometimes healthy eating and working out during pregnancy may not prevent the loose skin, stretch marks and/or separation of abdominal muscles, which is when women may decide to have tummy tuck surgery.

The tummy tuck procedure is performed to remove excess abdominal skin and correct separated abdominal muscles, thus giving the stomach a tighter, more toned appearance. Although most plastic surgeons recommend that women wait to undergo an Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) procedure until they are finished having children; it is perfectly safe to get pregnant after the surgery.

Women who have children after undergoing a tummy tuck can typically carry and deliver without any difficulty, understanding results may be affected by pregnancy and a revision surgery may be desired.

It is important for you to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to assess your unique situation so they can advise you on the best surgery to help you achieve your desired results.

All breast augmentation patients have some basic decisions to make with their board certified plastic surgeon of choice.  What type of implant, whether it be saline (salt water) or silicone (gel), size, shape, profile, and placement are just a few of those conversations to have with your surgeon.   Like all women, smaller framed women considering placement above or below the muscle have to think about their implant choices, and lifestyles and what they are hopefully trying to achieve by having this surgery performed in order to make an informed decision.

There are advantages of placing the implant over the muscle and under the muscle. and In some cases is recommended. Over/Under the muscle is largely dependent again on the patient’s goals and whether they are looking for a super natural breast look.  With all of that said, we usually recommend under the muscle for most implants placement if the patient is a smaller person to give the patient a more natural look and feel.   (Of course, some patients want less of a natural look so our advice to those patients could be a little different!)

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In addition to removing excess skin and fat, your surgeon may decide that you would also benefit from tightening the abdominal muscles. This is called rectus plication, and it is so routine that many patients don’t even give it a second thought. If you’re considering a tummy tuck and you question the necessity of rectus plication, you may be surprised to learn that there are times it is crucial and other times it may not be necessary.

For most women with children, widening or separation of the abdominal muscles can occur during pregnancy.  The muscle separation can develop from the long-term pressure on the abdomen during pregnancy, and theses muscles may not completely return to their pre-pregnancy state.  Correction of these muscles during a tummy tuck is recommended if the abdomen has the appearance of an abdominal “pouch.”

It is important for you to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to assess your unique situation so they can advise you on the best surgery to help you achieve your desired results.

There are plenty of things you can do to ensure that you are fitted with the perfect implant for you! First, mentioning your desired cup size is not nearly enough. You need to make sure your surgeon really understands your vision for your body. You can bring in photos of breasts that you like so the surgeon can get a visual of your desires.  Your plastic surgeon will tell you whether or not your chosen look is realistic for your anatomy. Your physician should be able to provide you a way to compare implant sizes and shapes, so you can reach an informed decision together.

Upon consultation, special garments are typically worn so that the patient can get a better idea of what they would look like with each implant size and shape.  The breast implant size you decide on with your surgeon is considered your range.  The surgeon may have multiple shapes and sizes of implants available while operating. They can use disposable sterile ‘sizers’ in your breast during the surgery to see what a particular implant looks like inside of you so that a final decision will be made. This is why it is so important that you vividly communicate your expectations for your breast implants to your surgeon ahead of time and know your desired range.

If you think you are ready to get this process started you want the Swan Center on your side. With their expert, experienced staff you are sure to find the perfect shape and size for your breast implants!

It’s not difficult to see why breast reduction is desired by many women.  Here are 6 reasons why some women choose to get smaller breasts and go with the “less is more” approach:

1. Less unwanted attention:  Not everyone wants to be like Dolly Parton.  When your breasts are large they tend to get noticed whether you want them to or not.  Sure it’s nice to feel attractive but having breasts so large that that’s all anyone can focus on can have the opposite effect on your self-esteem.
2. Less Pain: Big breasts come with extra pounds to the front of your chest and your back feels the weight. One of the most common reasons women get breast reduction surgeries is to treat chronic unbearable back pain caused by large breasts. They really can be a pain.
3. Less Sagging:  Naturally large breasts often fight a losing battle with gravity, which results in sagging. Many of our clients in Atlanta come to us complaining that their sagging breasts make them look older than they are or more tired looking.  A lot of women ask for smaller, perkier breasts that make them look and feel younger.
4. Less Problems Shopping: Even women with petite frames have to buy extra-large tops just to accommodate their large breasts and the results are either unflattering or inappropriate.
5. Less Post-Pregnancy Signs: Giving birth and breast-feeding can easily alter a woman’s breast size and cause significant sagging.  These changes aren’t always appreciated.  One of our Atlanta clients felt incredibly uncomfortable when her breasts remained large after having her twins but breast reduction returned her to her pre-pregnancy appearance.
6. Less Rashes:  Unfortunately, large breasts rub against each other and the area underneath each breast are prone to creating rashes from chafing or just being warm and moist.  Many of our clients who see us for breast reduction surgeries frequently have rashes both between and underneath their breasts but after having a breast reduction surgery; they are thrilled that their breasts actually have some space between them.

If you live in the Atlanta and are struggling with unwanted large breasts contact us today. We will be happy to go over all the options available to you.

One type of breast lift surgery is known as a concentric breast lift surgery.  This type of breast lift is for less extreme cases and can be performed under local anesthesia. An incredibly small amount of incisions are made with this technique.  Concentric breast lift surgery begins with first drawing two concentric circles (a circle within a circle) on the breast, which is how it got its name.  It’s also often nicknamed “a doughnut breast lift” or “doughnut mastoplexy,” because the inner portion between the two circles is removed, and the outer skin is then pulled together.

The nipple is then moved upward into its new position.  Immediately after the procedure the skin around the areola may pucker or wrinkle a bit, because there is now more skin along the incision of the breast.  This will typically subside in a few weeks when the breast begins to take shape and adapt to its new size.  If the wrinkling does not go away, which is rare, we can easily fix this by performing another surgery and making a new incision that descends from the nipple down to the breast fold. A vertical strip of skin will then be removed and the two sides will be stitched together along the incision site.

The other type of breast lift surgery that can be done is known as the anchor shaped breast lift surgery. This type of breast lift surgery is performed by making three incisions in the breast in an anchor shape. The first incision is made around the areola so it can be repositioned for the nipple. The next incision descends vertically from the nipple down towards the breast fold. The last incision typically runs underneath the breast right near the breast fold.

With these three incisions, skin flaps are created so extra skin can be removed. The excess skin is then trimmed away and the surrounding skin is sutured back together into its newer, perkier position. The nipple is also placed up higher on the breast but it remains connected to its original nerves and blood supply so there is less risk of losing sensation to the nipple. As with a concentric breast lift, breast implants may be used to enhance the shape after a breast lift surgery.

Schedule a consultation today to learn more!

If you’ve decided that liposuction is something you want to do, your next step will be going over your medical history.  It’s important that you share your expectations so it can be determined if those expectations are realistic or not.  After expectations are discussed, you need to have a candid conversation about the risks, the complications, and what you need to do before and after the procedure to prevent complications.

Immediately following a liposuction the area is going to be swollen.  Occasionally the incisions are left open to allow for more draining after the process is completed.  The area worked on will be wrapped in bandages and you may be required to wear support garments to help prevent swelling and bruising.

Blood clots are a rare but serious post-operative complication and one way to help avoid this is to get up and move around as soon as you can after the surgery.  Most of our Atlanta liposuction clients can resume regular activity after just a few days of rest, but strenuous activities like hard exercise will need to be avoided for up to a month or more.

Many clients can actually look larger than they did before the surgery because of the swelling but it’s important to keep in mind that the swelling will go down.  It’s not uncommon for six months to go by before the final results reveal themselves.

Bruising and swelling are most often short term but they can be painful.  Swelling can take a few months to completely diminish and can be uncomfortable but it will go away. Hematomas can also occur when blood collects in the incision or punctured area.  Typically this goes away with just a little time, but it can be painful and unattractive.  The skin will swell and a collect blood, leading to a large lump under the surface of the incision.

The amount of scarring can be dependent on the specific type of procedure that is performed.  There are typically only small incisions from a liposuction procedure and often they fade quickly after the first few weeks of healing.  For many of our clients in Atlanta healing scars can take up to a year’s time. However, very few people have visible liposuction scars a year after surgery if you take proper care of yourself which includes avoiding tanning and smoking.

As with practically all procedures there will be some amount of pain and this experience is different for everyone.  Most often the pain levels can be managed by an over-the-counter pain reliever.  For some, a stronger prescription pain reliever is needed.  Occasionally there can be a loss of sensation in the area that the liposuction was done but this is a normal side effect and is most often temporary.

Schedule a consultation to learn more!

Lumpiness became a problem with Radiesse when it was used for lip augmentation.  Most experts now recommended avoiding use of Radiesse in the lips. Many Atlanta plastic surgeons and other practitioners realize that this could be an even more significant problem around the eyes.

Radiesse is not the only injectable filler that has demonstrated the potential for problems in the area under the eyes.  Use of hyaluronic fillers is also associated with long term edema or swelling. However, these side effects can be mostly reversed with an antidote for hyaluronic fillers, but not for Radiesse.  Many wise plastic surgeons are becoming more and more conservative on the use of any filler around the eye with the exception of injectable fat used through an open “transconjunctival approach.”

Once a problem has become evident there are injections that may help dissolve the material, but there can be side effects to this type of treatment and some have not found it helpful.  Often times camouflage, massage, and cover up make-up may be the only alternatives after the deed has been done. Ultimately, complete resolution will occur but it may take a while.

Regardless of what procedure you choose to get be sure you choose a well-qualified and experienced plastic surgeon.  If you’re interested in Radiesse or any other cosmetic procedure, contact our office today. You’ll be in good hands.