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

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    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!

    This is taken directly from a press release from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

    New York, NY and Arlington Heights, IL – What people find beautiful about themselves may be different than what they find appealing in another person. That’s just one finding from a recent consumer survey conducted on the BeautyforLife website (a joint venture of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.) Visitors were asked “What aspect of physical beauty do you find most appealing in another person?” In their 20s, 30s, and 40s, respondents look for a fit, well proportioned body; youthful skin ranked at the top for respondents in the 50s and 60s. When considering “Which part of your body are you most concerned about?” respondents ranked their abdomen/hips number one in their 30s. But surprisingly, respondents listed the face, not their body, as the most popular choice in the 20s, 40s, 50s and 60s.

    “It is always important to understand what our patients are most concerned about at different stages of their lives. We want to be equipped to help our patients make the right decisions to maintain their beauty at every age—no matter which type of cosmetic medical procedure they are interested in.” said ASAPS President Renato Saltz, MD.

    Additional results were revealed when answering “Which part of your body are you most concerned about?” While respondents primarily chose their face, significantly more respondents are concerned about their abdomen/hips than their breasts (chest)—with the disparity increasing throughout the decades:

    1. 30s – 37% chose abdomen/hips as their top concern while only 18% chose breasts
    2. 40s – 32% selected abdomen/hips and only 10% breast
    3. 50s – 25% chose abdomen/hips compared to 7% breast
    4. 60s – 23% indicated concern about their abdomen/hips, while only 7% selected breast

    Community members were also asked to consider “The most important reason to maintain your physical appearance.” “To boost self-confidence” was the top choice across all decades, with “To attract potential partners” a close second for the 20s. In the 30s and 40s, the second-most popular choice shifted to “To increase professional opportunities,” which remained the number two choice in the 50s, but by a much smaller percentage. In the 60s, increasing professional opportunities fell to third behind “To help make friends.”

    “The survey on the BeautyforLife website has provided interesting data about patients’ attitudes, motivation and perception. Our goal is to provide useful tools for prospective patients to help them first decide if a cosmetic medicine procedure is right for them and then to provide information on how to choose an appropriate provider,” said Dr. Richard D’Amico, past president of ASPS.

    Another question asked members to contemplate “The most important factor in maintaining beauty.” While adherence to a healthy diet, regular exercise and skin care were popular choices, approximately one in five members felt that a cosmetic medical procedure was most important in the 50s and 60s.

    This survey was conducted by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, via their Beauty for Life program—a series of patient education tools.

    About ASPS
    The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 6,700 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. For more information, please visit the ASPS website at www.plasticsurgery.org.

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    Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75231
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