What Can a Tummy Tuck Do For You?

There is probably no cosmetic surgery procedure that is as powerful, and life-transforming, as a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck, which is also known as an abdominoplasty, can help women or men to improve the appearance and tightness of the abdomen or tummy in a beautiful and dramatic fashion. In summary, this procedure eliminates loose and excess skin and fat from the belly, tightens and flattens the muscles, and improves drooping in the pubic area. Often, all or most stretch marks can be removed at the same time.

Women frequently benefit from tummy tucks after having children. The skin and muscles become stretched during pregnancy, and often don’t tighten up fully after the pregnancy is over. When this occurs, no amount of dieting, sit-ups or other exercise will help: the extra skin must be cut out. Many of my patients who were embarrassed to wear any types of swimsuits actually resume wearing bikinis after their tummy tuck! The stretch marks from pregnancy are cut out during a tummy tuck, although stretch marks in the upper part of the abdomen may remain after surgery (but will usually look smoother and better).

Other patients, including men, seek a tummy tuck to address the loose, droopy skin that can result after losing a lot of weight. These patients are often thin, without any excess fat, but with skin so loose and wrinkled that it’s unattractive and even uncomfortable. A tummy tuck can eliminate that skin, and give patients the appearance and sense of good health that they were seeking when they lost so much weight in the first place. On my website, www.ataleisnikmd.com, is a touching testimonial from a woman whose life was transformed after I performed a tummy tuck for her following massive weight loss. She now runs in long-distance races, participates in triathlons, and feels more fit and attractive than ever.

Even patients that are still very overweight can benefit from a tummy tuck. I’ve operated on many patients who were 70 pounds or more over their ideal weight, but had been unable to lose any significant amount of weight despite many diets and exercise programs. When someone so overweight works hard to diet and exercise, and loses 10 pounds, he or she looks in the mirror and sees little change, since the rolls and loose skin of the abdomen hide the changes. It becomes discouraging, which is why so many people then give up and regain the weight. After a tummy tuck, with the fat, skin and rolls eliminated, even a 10 pound loss of weight results in an obvious change in appearance and the way that clothes fit. Patients who could never lose and keep off weight before are often able to lose large amounts of weight after the tummy tuck, because it’s so much easier to stay motivated when the changes are visible. Also, it becomes much easier to exercise without the extra tissue on the belly. Most of the before and after tummy tuck photos on my website, www.ataleisnikmd.com, were taken about 6 weeks after the surgery, and show the results of the surgery itself. A few show patients who were able to lose a lot of weight after their tummy tucks, resulting in an appearance change that is truly miraculous.

There are different types of tummy tucks, and different technical points that distinguish an excellent tummy tuck from others. I’ll write more about these issues in futures articles on this blog. It is crucial to understand from the start the importance of choosing a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, as I am. I wrote a previous article about this topic, emphasizing that many doctors may offer a procedure such as this, but only a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery has the necessary education, training, background, and experience to provide you with the best chances of a beautiful result, with the highest safety level and quality of care.

Posted in Abdominoplasty | 2 Comments »

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction is one of the most common and effective surgeries that I perform. This procedure removes fat by suctioning it with a thin tube, using small incisions that can usually be placed in very inconspicuous locations. It is important to understand that liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. If you are overweight before the surgery, you’ll still be overweight after the surgery, but will LOOK slimmer. Liposuction is ideal for removing bulges or localized deposits of fat, especially those that do not disappear no matter how much you diet or exercise. Even patients who are thin and physically fit often have spots that are troublesome, such as the inner or outer thighs, the roll beneath the butt, or the hips. Liposuction might help you to feel more comfortable wearing bathing suits or other clothing. I often perform liposuction for overweight patients as well, removing bulk and bulges.

You may have heard about various options and techniques pertaining to liposuction, such as “tumescent technique,” “ultrasonic liposuction,” or “power-assisted liposuction.” These terms refer to the way a plastic surgeon prepares the fat to be suctioned, and the way it is actually removed. I’ll discuss these issues in more detail in an upcoming blog.

It is critical that you consult a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery if you are considering liposuction, or any other cosmetic surgical procedure, rather than other doctors who may advertise that they do liposuction. The keys to a good outcome include the doctor’s ability to determine whether liposuction is indeed the best option for a given problem or patient, or whether other procedures might be more effective. Doctors who have taken a weekend liposuction course don’t have the large armamentarium of surgeries and skills that a board-certified plastic surgeon does. Also important is the surgeon’s ability, training, and experience. Finally, in the unlikely event that a complication occurs, you’d want a fully-trained and experienced physician caring for you, to make sure your end result is as good as possible.

My website, www.ataleisnikmd.com, reviews my extensive background and training in plastic surgery. I take pride in caring for each and every one of my patients in the most comprehensive, individualized, personalized manner possible. The initial consultation is always with me, not a nurse or assistant. I want to ensure that the patient understands the options and consequences fully, and that I understand what the patient is truly trying to achieve. Whether a patient is seeking breast augmentation, a tummy tuck,liposuction, or any other procedure, every patient has unique preferences and unique challenges. I spend a lot of time with every patient, to an extent that exceeds virtually any other office, to be sure that we are both comfortable with our choices, and are striving for the same goals. Every postoperative visit is supervised personally by me as well. From beginning to end, you will be cared for like nowhere else.

If you’d like to schedule a consultation to meet with me, please call my office at 714-835-6500. You can e-mail questions to me from my website, www.ataleisnikmd.com. I answer each e-mail personally.

Posted in Liposuction | No Comments »

Breast Augmentation in Orange County

Few procedures have as great an impact on a woman’s appearance, self-esteem and confidence as breast augmentation. This surgery is generally performed for women age 18 or over, although it can occasionally be appropriate for those under 18 as well. Many women who seek breast augmentation never experienced much breast development. Others complain of decreased breast fullness and volume after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Still other women develop empty, sagging breasts after losing significant weight, or have an unsatisfactory breast shape. Finally, many women who already have nicely shaped and sized breasts simply wish to increase their size. After surgery, my patients often tell me that they feel more feminine, sexier, and more comfortable and confident wearing bathing suits and many types of clothes.  They often undergo breast augmentation seeking to improve the proportions of their figures, balancing their breasts with their shoulders, hips and butts. The results after breast augmentation can be dramatic for all of these reasons, and I receive great satisfaction from the joy my patients express to me after surgery.

There are many options and choices when considering breast augmentation, including whether a breast lift should be combined with the augmentation. Many women who feel that their breasts are droopy or saggy actually just have breasts that are now empty, and can obtain beautiful results with breast implants alone. Others clearly would benefit from a lift with the augmentation. Other considerations include use of saline or silicone implants, standard or high profile implants, incision location, placement of the implant above or below the pectoral muscle, improvement of asymmetries, and determining the implant size that will provide the look YOU are seeking. I will discuss all of these issues in future blogs in more detail.

As you might imagine, every woman has her own goals, concerns and challenges when undergoing breast augmentation. All breast augmentations are unique. It is therefore critical that you select a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.  My website, www.atlaeisnikmd.com, reviews my extensive background and training in plastic surgery. I take pride in caring for each and every one of my patients in the most comprehensive, individualized, personalized manner possible. The initial consultation is always with me, not a nurse or assistant. I want to ensure that the patient understands the options and consequences fully, and that I understand what the patient is truly trying to achieve. Whether a patient is seeking breast augmentation, a tummy tuck, liposuction, or any other procedure, every patient has unique preferences and unique challenges. I spend a lot of time with every patient, to an extent that exceeds virtually any other plastic surgery office in Orange County, to be sure that we are both comfortable with our choices, and are striving for the same goals. Every postoperative visit is supervised personally by me as well. From beginning to end, you will be cared for like nowhere else.

If you’d like to schedule a consultation to meet with me, please call my office at 714-835-6500. You can e-mail questions to me from my website, www.ataleisnikmd.com. I answer each e-mail personally.

Posted in Breast Augmentation | No Comments »

Choosing a Qualified Plastic Surgeon

There are now so many individuals offering cosmetic surgical procedures that it can be very difficult for a patient considering surgery to choose the best or most qualified doctor. Advertisements for plastic or cosmetic surgeons are everywhere, so how does a patient make sense of all the information?

First, you should be aware that ANY doctor can call him or herself a cosmetic surgeon, and can legally perform many types of cosmetic surgeries even if they’re not actually plastic surgeons. Also, many doctors advertise that they are “board certified,” but don’t indicate the specific type of board certification they have. There are many unofficial boards and societies, with very official sounding names, that grant certification or society membership merely by paying a fee. 

The ONLY board that counts for a properly trained plastic surgeon is the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). Surgeons that have received certification through this board have gone through many years of rigorous training, passed written and oral exams on a periodic basis, and had their practice patterns and results evaluated by reputable peers. Most board certified plastic surgeons are also members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the main professional society of true plastic surgeons.

Why is it important to choose a properly board certified surgeon? You are entrusting your body, your health, and your well-being to someone. An ABPS certified surgeon has the training, skill and experience to help you decide which of many procedures and options will help you the most. A dermatologist or gynecologist who has attended a weekend liposuction course may recommend liposuction even if other procedures might be more appropriate for a certain patient, because that’s all they have to offer. A properly certified plastic surgeon has a large array of procedures and techniques that he can utilize to give you the results you truly want, and knows when to use which. He also has the training and experience to handle problems or complications, even if they may occur infrequently.

My website, www.ataleisnikmd.com, reviews my extensive background and training in plastic surgery. I take pride in caring for each and every one of my patients in the most comprehensive, individualized, personalized manner possible. The initial consultation is always with me, not a nurse or assistant. I want to ensure that the patient understands the options and consequences fully, and that I understand what the patient is truly trying to achieve. Whether a patient is seeking breast augmentation, a tummy tuck, liposuction, or any other procedure, every patient has unique preferences and unique challenges. I spend a lot of time with every patient, to an extent that exceeds virtually any other office, to be sure that we are both comfortable with our choices, and are striving for the same goals. Every postoperative visit is supervised personally by me as well. From beginning to end, you will be cared for like nowhere else.

If you’d like to schedule a consultation to meet with me, please call my office at 714-835-6500. You can e-mail questions to me from my website, www.ataleisnikmd.com. I answer each e-mail personally.

Posted in Choosing a Plastic Surgeon | 2 Comments »