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Why Liposuction Has Remained One of the Most Popular Plastic Surgeries

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Watching the trends change in plastic surgery can be fascinating—one year may see a surge in facial rejuvenation procedures like the facelift, while another year may have record numbers of post-weight loss procedures. But through the years, liposuction has held steady as one of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures available. Given that every plastic surgery patient has very unique aesthetic concerns and goals, how has the same procedure continued to top the charts year after year?

07.13.15 InfographicLiposuction is versatile and can target specific problem areas.

One of the most important points that any liposuction patient must understand is that the procedure is not a substitute for weight loss. A healthy diet and exercise regimen are important for overall health, as is maintaining a healthy weight. However, natural weight loss measures cannot target specific areas of fat; you may be shedding pounds, but you have no control over whether those pounds come off your waist, legs, arms, etc. For patients who only have a small amount of excess fat in a particular area, liposuction can slim down the treatment area with precision. The versatility that this offers means that the procedure can be a great fit for many patients, whether they want a thinner waistline, firmer arms, a slimmer neck, or improved contours on other areas of the body.

Liposuction results can be long-lasting.

For some cosmetic procedures, results will naturally fade over time. Facelift patients, for instance, will see years taken off their face but will continue to age, so over the years, their skin will once again become lax. Liposuction results, on their other hand, do not inevitably fade. If a patient gains weight, the fat cells that were removed will not grow back, but the remaining cells can expand and make the patient look similar to the way they did before liposuction. However, patients who practice a healthy diet and exercise and maintain their post-procedure weight can see their results last for the rest of their lives.

Liposuction has existed long enough for some surgeons to become highly skilled in performing it.

Like most aesthetic procedures, the success of liposuction depends largely on the skill and experience of the surgeon. Board-certified Atlanta plastic surgeon Dr. Franklyn Elliott has been performing liposuction since it was introduced in the United States in the 1980s. His decades of experience have allowed him to develop a strong skill for removing fat effectively and contouring the patient’s body to best fit their cosmetic goals.

Liposuction allows weight loss patients to put the finishing touches on their success.

It’s always cause for celebration when a patient becomes healthier and loses extra pounds that they’ve been unhappy with for years, but for many patients, the results they see in the mirror are a bit disappointing. They’ve worked hard to reach or come close to their goal weight, but they still have one or two areas of stubborn fat that holds them back from enjoying the physique they’ve worked so hard for. For these patients, particularly those who are within 30% of their goal weight, liposuction can be the key to helping their success shine through.

Liposuction certainly has benefits that make it a perfect fit for many patients. However, choosing the right procedure to meet your needs is an important part of having a rewarding plastic surgery experience, and there’s no need to make your decision alone. To start discussing whether liposuction or another cosmetic procedure can help you feel more confident in your appearance, schedule a consultation with Dr. Franklyn Elliott. Or, to learn more about other procedures and stay up-to-date on the latest plastic surgery news, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Liposuction Beyond the Belly

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According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, liposuction was one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries in 2014, and for good reason. Many people have unwanted fat that is resistant to even the best efforts in healthy eating and exercise, which can be extremely frustrating, but liposuction can be an effective way to remove the excess fat. For many patients, liposuction is a way to remove belly fat, but while the procedure is effective and popular in the abdomen area, few patients realize the many other areas of the body where liposuction can make a difference.body contouring atlanta ga

Under the Chin—Whether it’s the result of overall weight gain, genetics, or natural sign of aging, excess fat in the neck area, under the chin, and around the jawline is a common concern. Patients who are also concerned about sagging skin can benefit from a neck lift as well, but for some patients, liposuction alone can give them the more slender, youthful profile they seek.

Upper Arms—While the weight is easy to gain, fat in the upper arms is notoriously difficult to reduce. For patients whose skin still has youthful elasticity, liposuction in the upper arms can create a more sleek contour. To discuss whether liposuction alone can give you the results you’re looking for or whether a more comprehensive procedure called an arm lift may be necessary, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott.

Outer Thighs—Excess fat on the side of the legs, sometimes referred to as “saddlebags,” can make a patient to have ill-fitting clothing and an appearance of being larger than the rest of their body truly is. Fat in this area can also be especially stubborn, even for those who exercise regularly, which is why liposuction can be an ideal solution for many patients.

Inner Knees—While unwanted fat commonly affects both genders, women have a higher tendency than men to store fat in the legs, and for some patients, this results in excess fat in the inner knees. Many patients become self-conscious, especially when it comes to enjoying warm weather in shorts or skirts. For these patients, liposuction may be able to provide the targeted fat reduction and better contour they seek.

Ankles—All patients’ bodies store fat differently, and some have a tendency to build fat around the ankle area. This can be both damaging to the patient’s self-esteem and uncomfortable when it comes to wearing many types of shoes. While this fat can be resistant to diet and exercise, it can be effectively removed using liposuction.

Beyond being an effective procedure on nearly any part of the body, liposuction can also be a very safe procedure. For many patients, especially those receiving liposuction on a small area, I utilize a technique called tumescent liposuction. By using local anesthesia and minimal incisions, this method provides patients with safer results and lower recovery time than more comprehensive procedures.

As I’m reminded every day, each patient that I see has different concerns, different expectations for their surgical results, and different medical needs. The only way to know which plastic surgery procedures are the best fit for you is to set up a consultation with me, and in the meantime, it always helps to research possible procedures. To learn more, explore my website or join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

How Male Body Contouring Can Give You a More Masculine Shape

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We live in a world where images and information can be dispersed to millions of people within a matter of seconds, and where we’re constantly in contact with the media. This certainly provides us all with more beneficial information than we’ve ever had access to in the past, but along with this comes the constant exposure to images of “beautiful people” (sometimes unrealistic Photoshop beauty). Despite what we often hear from the media, the self-consciousness this has brought us is not limited to women. Men, too, find themselves comparing their physiques to those of prominent public figures. Fortunately, there are many plastic surgery procedures available to sculpt the male form, and liposuction in particular, as well as body contouring, are especially versatile.

Why is liposuction as effective for men as it is for women?
We all know that there are many biological differences between men and women, but fortunately for men, their biology makes liposuction especially effective. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the fat beneath the skin is firmer and more vascular than it is in women. Plus, men’s skin retains its elasticity longer, which makes it more likely that the skin with remain taut and youthful after the fat has been removed.

Which fat removal procedures create an especially masculine look?
We associate attractiveness with a fit and lean physique, so liposuction on any part of the body can make men appear leaner and can move the body-fat-to-muscle ratio in a more desirable direction. But a few body contouring procedures in men are especially effective in producing a more masculine appearance:

  • Male breast reduction – Whether it’s caused by a build-up of fat or by gynecomastia, men with larger than normal breasts are often embarrassed and feel that their chest gives them a less masculine appearance. A skilled plastic surgeon can remove the excess fat and contour the chest area to create a more masculine shape.
  • Chin and neck reduction – Another feature that we often associate with the male appearance is a strong, defined jawline. Excess fat in the chin and neck area can create undesirably soft lines, so liposuction in this area is an optimal way to create the powerful jawline many male candidates are looking for.

Body contouring procedures like those listed above are not an alternative to diet and exercise, but may be the answer to those stubborn problem areas that have held you back from having a more masculine form. For more information about some of the most popular procedures in the growing area of male plastic surgery, check out our most recent YouTube video. You can always set up an appointment with me, Franklyn L Elliott, MD, for a personalized consultation. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest industry updates, too.