Most people are familiar with the expression "muffin top." It's that bulge of fat that hangs over your waist when you're wearing your favorite jeans. Sometimes diet and exercise can help reduce this problem area but sometimes not, in which case you may be a good candidate for a liposuction of this area or a "muffin-top-ectomy!" 

Liposuction continues to be one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed today, right along with breast enhancement. In my hands, liposuction is a safe and reliable procedure, with very high patient satisfaction.  

Be aware of those marketing "the latest and greatest liposuction" techniques. My advice is to choose your surgeon and not the liposuction technique. Despite what you hear from the media, there is no proven benefit from these new techniques. In fact, the chance for an unsatisfactory outcome is greater when you choose a liposuction technique that sounds too good to be true. Oftentimes, these are marketing gimmicks and the providers of these services are less than experienced or sometimes even unqualified.  

Take a moment to read my article on liposuction that can be found on the Advanced Education tab on my website: www.westlakeplasticsurgery.com

 

 

Sun damage is a burn. Sun exposed skin will develop age spots over time, become loose and wrinkled, and basically look unattractive and old. More importantly, the sun's rays can cause skin cancer, typically basal or squamous cell cancer or even worse, melanoma.  

It's important to wear adequate sunscreen and apply it frequently. SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 works well to block most of the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. Sunscreens that contain Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are the most protective sunscreens available today. A cotton T-shirt offers about a SPF of 6, so don't rely on clothing alone. 

If you have children, teach them to wear sunscreen every time they play outside or in the pool. Tanning is not "cool"! Wear a hat that protects your face, nose, and ears from the harmful effects of the sun. Remember, especially in the hot summer sun, you must wear sunscreen! Use a lot and use it often! 

 

 

 

There has been an increase in the amount of people who have traveled abroad for plastic surgery. The question on everyone's mind is whether or not this is a good idea. Although there are very good surgeons to be found in countries other than our own, I wouldn't recommend traveling abroad for plastic surgery for several reasons.

 

First, I wouldn't look at plastic surgery as a commodity, like toothpaste. It's a service, and a serious one at that! I would only travel to a physician whom you are very familiar with and trust implicitly. Although it may sound attractive in terms of cost and recovery surroundings, there is probably a good reason why it is cheaper. Plastic surgery is not an area that you want to go cheap=you get what you pay for.

Second, what if something goes wrong? How will your care be handled far from your home and your family? Do you trust that you will get as high quality of care you can receive here? How will you be followed up? What if you need additional treatments to achieve the best result? 

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons makes the following recommendations: 

"Cosmetic surgery tourism is a price-driven phenomenon that has experienced increased growth over the past decade. Numerous companies offering all-inclusive vacation packages that include cosmetic surgery are popping up all over the world and can be easily located via the Internet. The offers generally include private hospital services and tout "highly trained" and "credentialed" medical staff. Since elective cosmetic surgery procedures are not covered by insurance, price is the major selling point of cosmetic surgery tourism, with entire vacation/surgical packages costing less than individual procedures in the United States. 
 
Although there are many skilled and qualified physicians practicing all over world, the ASPS cautions that it may be difficult to assess the training and credentials of surgeons outside of the United States. Patients may take unnecessary risks, when choosing cosmetic surgery vacations, by unknowingly selecting unqualified physicians and having procedures performed in non-accredited surgical facilities. The ASPS urges patients to consider the potential complications, unsatisfactory results, and risks to general health that may occur."