9101 N. Central Expwy.
Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75231
Tel: 214.827.2814

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Mini Tummy Tuck (Mini Abdominoplasty)? Dallas Tummy Tuck Specialist Dr. Sam Jejurikar

Tag Archives: Dallas

Many patients come to the office inquiring about mini tummy tucks. The rationale behind this is quite clear. They would like a smaller scar, and believe that there is very little difference between a mini tummy tuck and a standard tummy tuck.

There are key differences between the operations. In a mini tummy tuck, there is very little separation of the skin from the abdominal wall muscles, meaning that less skin can be removed. In addition, there is usually no tightening of the abdominal wall muscles, particularly in the abdominal wall above the belly button. Therefore, if a patient has upper abdominal bulging or fullness, a mini tummy tuck doesn’t correct it. Finally, there is no reshaping of the belly button with a mini tummy tuck.

An advantage of a mini tummy tuck, however, is that, given there is less lifting of the skin from the abdominal wall muscle, liposuction of the entire abdominal wall and flanks can be performed much more extensively and much more safely. This is because there is less chance of wound healing complications.

Ultimately, mini tummy tucks are best for women that have undergone pregnancy and have only small lower abdominal pooches and only minimal to moderate changes to their abdominal wall. It also can be good for men who have lost large amounts of weight. For women that have bulging of the upper and lower abdomen with significant excessive skin and stretch marks, a full tummy tuck is almost always a better option.

Should you have additional questions, contact Dr. Jejurikar at 214-827-2814.

Juvéderm is a hyaluronic acid filler which is commonly used in cosmetic surgery procedures. Hyaluronic acid, after collagen, is the next most common component of human skin. Filling agents utilizing hyaluronic acid therefore feel natural with virtually no allergic reactions.

Juvéderm is the most frequently used dermal filler and is commonly used as a lip plumper. Patients receive topical anesthesia with numbing ointment placed over their lips. In some cases, Dr. Jejurikar augments this with a series of lidocaine injections within the mouth to completely numb the lower one-third of the face. Juvederm is then injected directly into the lips over a span of 10-15 minutes, creating full, plump lips immediately..

Other than bruising and minimal discomfort with the procedure, there are virtually no side effects with Juvederm lip augmentation. The results typically last from 6-12 months.

If you would like more information about this procedure, contact Dr. Jejurikar’s office at 214-827-2814.

Many patients ask if their muscles truly need to be tightened during a tummy tuck. For most patients, the answer is yes. After pregnancy or massive weight loss, many women develop a condition known as rectus diastasis. With this condition, the midline vertical muscles that extend from the sternum and rib cage to the pubic bone, known as the rectus abdominis muscle, separate in the midline. This leaves a gap that was not present before pregnancy or weight loss. The gap is not indicative of muscle weakness, but it does lead to an abnormal bulge in the upper abdomen. As well, it can contribute to an overhanging skin apron in the lower abdomen.

Because this is not indicative of muscle weakness, performing abdominal wall exercises to strengthen the rectus muscles do not considerably improve this. The only true way to fix the abdominal bulging is to tighten these muscles by bringing them back together in the midline. As of now, this can only be accomplished with surgery, with the placement of multiple sutures to restore the overall integrity of the abdominal wall.

Obviously, removal of skin and reshaping the belly button are also integral portions of an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). For most patients, however, failure to tighten the muscles of the midline abdominal wall would lead to less than optimal results.

For additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Jejurikar via the web or via telephone at 214-827-2814.

Patients are obviously interested in knowing the likelihood of their saline breast implants or silicone breast implants rupturing. Although breast implants can remain intact for decades, all mechanical devices will fail at some point. When saline breast implants rupture, they deflate rapidly; rupture is usually easily detectable clinically. Studies of Allergan (Natrelle) saline breast implants showed rupture/deflation rates of 3–5% at three years and 7–10% at 10 years.

When silicone breast implants rupture they rarely deflate, and the silicone from the implant can leak out into the space around the implant over many years. It is often difficult to detect a rupture clinically. For that reason, the FDA recommends that patients undergo a screening MRI to look for rupture 3 years after placement of silicone breast implants, and then every 2 years thereafter. Rupture rates are thought to be similar between silicone and saline breast implants. It is reasonable to estimate the risk at approximately 1% per year.

Should you have more questions regarding breast implants or breast augmentation, contact Dr. Jejurikar’s office at 214-827-2814.

Gynecomastia, or male breast development, is a common, yet embarrassing, condition for many men. There is oftentimes a social stigma associated with gynecomastia, which limits clothing choices and can cause men to avoid removing their shirts in public. Many men are too embarrassed to seek medical treatment for this condition.

Ironically, male breast reduction surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedures for men. In the most common variety of this operation, ultrasound-assisted liposuction is used to remove excessive breast tissue and fat, to provide a flatter, less feminine contour to the chest. In more severe cases, because of significant droopiness to the nipple and areola (pigmented skin around the nipple), incisions need to be made to remove extra skin.

Obviously, the goal with every patient is to provide the best cosmetic results with the least amount of scarring. For that reason, every effort is made to achieve the final result with liposuction and utilization of a compression garment to facilitate postoperative skin shrinking.

If you have any questions, call Dr. Jejurikar’s office at 214-827-2814 to schedule a consultation.

Many women experience changes in the appearance of the breasts after massive weight loss, pregnancy, or breast-feeding. Oftentimes, these women will come in for consultation, looking for either a breast lift or placement of breast implants. It is important to realize that breast implants are primarily aimed at increasing lost volume in the breasts, particularly in the upper portion of the breasts, and have very little effect on sagging breast skin and on downward-pointing nipples and areolas.

For patients that do suffer from severe droopiness of the breasts, as well as sagging breast tissue, breast lift (mastopexy) tends to be the best option. Oftentimes women are resistant to hearing this, as they do not want the scars that are associated with the operation.

There are a large variety of incisions that can be utilized for performing a breast lift. In the most limited incision form of breast lift, known as a circumareolar lift or Benelli mastopexy, an incision is made just around the areola (the pigmented skin surrounding the nipple). This operation is useful only for very mild forms of breast droopiness, and is best performed in combination with placement of a breast implant. The reason for this is that be Benelli mastopexy does very little to restore lost volume in the upper portion of the breasts, which is usually seen in association with mild droopiness. For mild forms of droopiness (ptosis), however, the performance of a Benelli mastopexy in combination with breast implants can lead to a very pleasing shape.

The next form of mastopexy is known as a circumvertical, or lollipop mastopexy. In this form of breast lift, an incision is made around the areola, and a vertical incision is made from the areola along the middle portion of the breast to the crease at the bottom of the breast. This is far and away the most common type of incision utilized for mastopexy. This access allows the surgeon to reshape breast tissue, and place a large portion of breast tissue from the bottom portion of the breast into the upper pole of the breast, where breast volume is lacking. It can be utilized for mild to severe forms of breast droopiness. It can be performed in combination with either saline breast implant or silicone breast implant placement, but can also be performed without breast implant placement.

The last form of mastopexy is known as a Wise pattern mastopexy or anchor pattern mastopexy. This involves an incision around the areola, a vertical incision from the areola to the crease at the base of the breast, and an incision along the very base of the breast. This is the traditional type of incision utilized for mastopexy, and is most often reserved for patients that have lost massive amounts of weight, and have a severe amount of extra skin. Like the lollipop mastopexy, it can be performed with or without the placement of breast implants.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Jejurikar’s office at 214-827-2814.

Facial injections with Botox and Dysport are becoming increasingly popular with patients because they can be administered in as few as 15 minutes, there is virtually no downtime, and results are apparent within just a few days. So are there significant differences?

To start with, there are more similarities than differences. Both are derivatives of Botulinum Toxin and paralyze muscle to smooth facial wrinkles. The costs are similar between the products.

In some patients, Dysport does last longer than Botox (4-5 months as compared to 3 months). The results often times are apparent more quickly, often times being seen in 24 hours, as opposed to 2-3 days with Botox. Both products work great on the forehead. Dysport injections into the glabella (frown lines) must be performed carefully, as the product diffuses more than Botox and theoretically has a higher risk of causing eyelid ptosis (droopiness).

If you’d like more information, or would like to schedule a consultation, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Jejurikar’s office at 214-827-2814.

Buttock augmentation with fat, or the Brazilian Butt Lift, is being performed with increased frequency. The concept is quite simple; patients undergo liposuction in various locations and the fat that is removed is then re-injected to create a fuller, shapelier buttock.

The most common sites for liposuction include the love handles, inner and outer thighs, abdomen and lower back. The fat that is removed is processed prior to reinjection to remove natural oils and serum. Even with this, the body reabsorbs some of the fat that is injected in the first few weeks after surgery. To compensate for that, if possible, Dr. Jejurikar overinflates the buttocks initially after surgery. To try to minimize the amount of fat reabsorbed, patients are asked to avoid placing any pressure on the buttocks for 10-14 days postoperatively. They are also asked to minimize sitting as much as possible and to pad the buttock while sitting for six weeks thereafter.

For more information, check out the photo gallery or contact Dr. Jejurikar’s office at 214-827-2814 to set up an appointment.

I’m struck by the number of patients who come in seeking liposuction, but really need abdominoplasty surgery (tummy tuck). There are important differences between tummy tuck and liposuction, which help determine which procedure is right for you.

During liposuction, a blunt cannula is used to suction fat through multiple tiny incisions. Although many types of liposuction are available, including standard tumescent liposuction, ultrasound liposuction (VASER), power-assisted liposuction, tickle liposuction (vibroliposuction), etc., no skin is removed with any type of liposuction. The best liposuction candidates maintain a healthy lifestyle and have focal fat deposits not responsive to diet and exercise.. Liposuction is not effective as a means for major weight loss. Liposuction is not effective in treating skin with stretch marks, which are signs of irreversible skin injury, or muscle looseness, all of which is common after pregnancy or massive weight loss. In fact, in a patient who really needs a tummy tuck, liposuction may worsen the patient’s appearance. However, in patients close to their ideal body weight, without significant stretch marks, liposuction can be highly effective in treating extra fat of the love handles, thighs, back, arms, neck, calves and ankles.

Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is usually a far better option for patients who have experienced massive weight loss or multiple pregnancies. Most of these women have extra abdominal skin with stretch marks, and separation of the abdominal wall muscles (rectus diastasis). The muscle looseness gives the impression of an upper abdominal bulge and a lower abdominal skin apron. These women are great candidates for a tummy tuck, particularly if they are close to their ideal body weight. With removal of the extra abdominal skin, tightening of the abdominal muscles, and reshaping of the belly button, achieving a youthful appearance to the abdomen is often possible!

Questions? Feel free to call 214-827-2814 to schedule an appointment today!

What Do People Value Most About Beauty? Insights for 2024

Beauty is a personal and evolving concept, with different features holding more importance as we age. A recent survey from Beauty for Life, a collaboration between leading plastic surgery organizations, sheds light on what individuals value most about themselves and others, as well as their primary concerns about their appearance.

What People Find Most Appealing

When asked about the most appealing aspects of beauty in others, responses varied by age:

In their 20s, 30s, and 40s, individuals tended to prioritize a fit, well-proportioned body.
For those in their 50s and 60s, youthful skin became the most valued feature.

When reflecting on their own concerns, however, respondents showed different priorities. For example, in their 30s, many individuals focused on their abdomen and hips, while in other decades, concerns about the face took precedence.

Body Concerns Through the Decades

When it came to personal concerns, the focus on specific areas of the body also changed with age:

30s: Abdomen and hips were the most commonly cited areas of concern.
40s: Abdomen and hips remained the top concern, but the percentage shifted slightly.
50s and 60s: While concerns about the abdomen and hips persisted, these areas consistently outpaced concerns about the breasts or chest.

These results suggest that priorities shift over time, but the abdomen and hips often remain areas of focus for those seeking aesthetic improvements.

Motivations for Maintaining Appearance

When asked why maintaining physical appearance was important, self-confidence was the leading motivator across all age groups. Other reasons, however, changed with life stages:

Younger respondents often prioritized attractiveness to potential partners.
In their 30s and 40s, individuals increasingly viewed appearance as a factor in professional opportunities.
Later in life, social factors like forming friendships became more significant.

These insights highlight how personal and professional contexts influence our approach to beauty and self-care over time.

Factors Contributing to Beauty

When it comes to maintaining beauty, respondents emphasized the importance of a well-rounded approach:

Healthy habits like regular exercise, a balanced diet, and good skincare were consistently valued.
In later decades, many respondents also recognized the role of cosmetic medical procedures in maintaining a youthful appearance, with these treatments becoming increasingly important as part of an overall beauty routine.

Understanding Evolving Priorities

These survey results underscore that beauty concerns and priorities evolve throughout life. For younger individuals, the focus may be on certain physical attributes or relationship goals, while older adults may place greater importance on maintaining a youthful appearance for social and professional reasons.

Recognizing these shifts is important for anyone considering aesthetic treatments, helping individuals make choices that align with their personal goals and values at every stage of life.

If you’re interested in exploring options for enhancing your appearance, it’s helpful to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Jejurikar who can guide you through the best approaches to meet your needs and priorities.

Contact

Our Location Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute

9101 N. Central Expwy.
Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75231
Tel: 214.827.2814

Stay Connected

Ready to get started?

Request a Consult