Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Articles

If the prospect of “going under” is keeping you from committing to the cosmetic plastic surgery you know could make a dramatic difference in your life, consider this: We are performing more and more surgical procedures, like neck lifts and even facelifts, under local anesthesia.

This is a trend Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery has practiced for a decade now. Lately, this has gained momentum as plastic surgeons refine their techniques and patients become more enamored with the range of benefits, including that surgery under local anesthesia is less physically taxing, less costly, and, for many, far less intimidating.

Having the option to undergo a growing list of plastic surgery procedures (mini lifts, brow lifts, eyelid lifts, lip lifts, rhinoplasty, breast lifts, and breast implant removals) is making these procedures more accessible to a segment of patients we see who can’t go under general anesthesia, whether because they’re taking a blood thinner or for other medical problems.

But, for most, local anesthesia simply creates a chance to enhance their appearance without worrying about the potential side effects of general anesthesia, including post-operative nausea and vomiting, which is estimated to affect a third of surgical patients. Vomiting after surgery can also lead to increased bruising and swelling, which can lengthen the recovery period.

How Local Anesthesia Works

Local anesthesia affects nerves on a cellular level, shutting down pain receptors so that a patient doesn’t feel anything other than a bit of pressure. A critical difference between local and general anesthesia is that local numbs only the area where it’s injected, while general anesthesia—usually a cocktail of drugs administered through intravenous injection—renders a patient completely unconscious and unable to feel anything.

The most common local anesthesia we use is lidocaine. If you’ve ever had facial filler, you’re probably familiar with its effects because it’s frequently mixed in with the injectable to minimize discomfort at the injection sites.

For more invasive procedures, including surgery, we often use oral sedation, such as Valium, along with local anesthesia. Our goal is to have the patient feel fairly awake, but very relaxed and comfortable. After feeling a few pinches when the local anesthesia is injected, the discomfort is minimal. And then you shouldn’t feel much of anything in that area for a few hours, when the anesthesia finally wears off.

As you consider your plastic surgery options, please know we at Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery are here to guide and advise you when it comes to your options and to ensure to receive your desired results.

Please contact us with any questions, or if you wish to have a consultation with Dr. Davis and our staff.

Liposuction and the tummy tuck consistently rank among the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures because fat reduction and skin tightening treatments yield some of plastic surgery’s most dramatic transformations. With the rise of noninvasive fat reduction technologies, prospective patients have more options than ever before on this front.

Today, I’ll highlight the most effective surgical and noninvasive fat reduction and skin tightening treatments for, arguably, the most common trouble spot to help illustrate how you can narrow your choices.

Surgical or noninvasive?

First, here’s a little guidance to help you choose between a surgical and noninvasive fat reduction treatment. The number of noninvasive devices has multiplied over the last decade, and that trend’s only expected to continue for the foreseeable future. To filter that number down to a more digestible amount, there are two main questions you should be asking:

Does it actually work? And, does it fit my needs and goals?

No one’s expecting you to come up with these answers on your own — me and my staff are here to help guide you down a path that works for you. Of course, It helps to do some preliminary homework on your own, but you should rely on your plastic surgeon to help you filter your options and, ultimately, select the right treatment for you. During our consultation, we not only physically assess your anatomy and skin quality, we also want to learn about your goals. All of which will enable us to form a realistic idea of what is achievable through each approach.

Target area: The abdomen

CoolSculpting works through a noninvasive process called cryolipolysis, where the fatty tissue in the targeted area is frozen and up to 25% of the fat cells in that area are destroyed. And because the body only produces a certain number of fat cells, those particular fat cells are never coming back. All of that is encouraging. It does, however, require some patience. The fat cells are dispensed by the body gradually, so it can take several weeks to see the full results of a treatment. And most patients need multiple treatments to achieve their desired look.

If you don’t mind a bit of downtime, liposuction remains the gold standard for precision and large-volume fat reduction. Coupled with BodyTite, a minimally-invasive procedure that tightens skin through radiofrequency-induced heat, the two are a formidable one-two punch for flattening just about any paunch.

There is an exception, though. A sculpted midsection is comprised of three components: tight skin, minimal fat, and strong muscles. If lax muscles are a concern, a tummy tuck may be a more appropriate choice. Depending on your needs, that could mean a mini-tummy tuck, which focuses on the lower abdomen, or a full tuck, which will address the entire abdomen.

Three potential treatments for one problem area, all of them effective. Again, allow your expectations for both the treatment and the outcome to be your compass. And trust your surgeon’s expertise.

I know this information can be overwhelming, which is why my staff and I are available to help you decide which treatments are best for your overall goals. Please contact us with any questions, or if you wish to schedule a consultation.