Many patients call upon our plastic surgery practice for help in sculpting their bodies to a more attractive silhouette.

Weight tends to accumulate in genetically pre–determined spots on the body. You inherited this from your parents—if you note where they tend to store fat, it's likely that you store fat in the same locations, such as the hips, around the belly, under the chin, etc. This exacerbates with age, but can be present even in the 20s and 30s.

These spots of fat can be difficult to remove with diet and exercise, which is why many turn to liposuction to permanently remove them. We have many choices for spot fat removal, so please take a look at the options and call either our Palo Alto or Los Gatos plastic surgery office for a consultation appointment to see what can be done for you in 2011. There's no need to endure lumps and bumps on your otherwise fit frame any longer! .

Here is a list of our body sculpting liposuction options:
» Tumescent Liposuction
» Body–Jet Liposuction
» Smartlipo
» VASER LipoSelection
» Zerona

Tumescent Liposuction is the oldest and most traditional of liposuction methods.
Performed under local or general anesthesia, tumescent fluid (salt water plus liquid anesthetic) is inserted into the body through tiny incisions. The fluid helps soften the fat, which is then removed through a tube called a cannula. This method is best for those with very good skin that can conform to their improved, slimmer shape without wrinkling or sagging.

Body–Jet Liposuction is a new method of tumescent liposuction.
Instead of inserting tumescent fluid, a spray of fluid is used to loosen the fat. This allows the fat cells to be more easily flushed out through a smaller cannula. Because it's gentler than traditional liposuction, the removed fat cells aren't destroyed, so they can be repurposed in a fat transfer procedure to enhance the face, butt or breasts. It's a great option for those who wish to use their own fat, rather than filler material, to fill wrinkles or increase buttocks or breast size.

Smartlipo is a great alternative for those individuals needing smaller amounts of fat removal or those with looser skin.
Downtime is quite minimal and because the blood vessels are sealed at the site with Smartlipo, there's usually less swelling, bleeding and bruising. Smartlipo also encourages the production of collagen, essentially tightening the skin.

VASER liposelection is yet another option here in my Los Gatos plastic surgery office.
VASER uses ultrasonic waves to "shake loose" the fat and is especially useful in men with more dense and fibrous fat. There are huge differences between Vaser and traditional liposuction. According to clinical studies reported at the 2009 American Society of Plastic Surgery meeting, VASER improved skin–tightening after liposuction by as much as 53% while simultaneously causing 26% less blood loss compared with traditional lipo. .

It's very important to keep in mind that liposuction, regardless of the name, is an invasive procedure. That's why it's extremely important that you have this procedure performed by a plastic surgeon who is (A) board certified in plastic surgery and (B) experienced in liposuction.

Zerona is a non–invasive fat reduction treatment that can be used in lieu of liposuction in some cases. It is a low level laser that makes the fat cells temporarily "leaky" allowing fat loss without surgery. The fat simply leaves the system—all without surgery!

Take a look at my liposuction before and after photos to get a better idea of what liposuction can do for you in 2011.

We're betting that, if you ask 5 of your cosmetic-savvy friends about silicone injections, that none of them will know that the FDA does not approve liquid silicone injections for cosmetic purposes. It' true. Although it is often used "off label" by non–qualified practitioners or even physicians who aren't in the know, there is no FDA approval to use silicone, which was once very popular as an injection into the lips, wrinkles and even the breasts and buttocks.

No doubt you've seen or heard about the silicone injections that Priscilla Presley undertook to soften her aging face. Unfortunately, her face was nearly ruined with what her doctor said was "better than Botox." Similarly, Lisa Rinna also had silicone injected into her lips, which was recently removed. Once injected, however, silicone is "forever" until it's surgically removed.

Please make sure that you and your friends are aware of the dangers of silicone injections, and the fact that they are not approved by the FDA. Here at our Palo Alto and Los Gatos plastic surgery offices, we have a plethora of FDA–approved dermal fillers that give excellent results, as well as Fraxel treatments and chemical peels to treat aging skin.

ZITS!
We hope that you and your friends and loved ones have already quit smoking, but if that's not the case, here's another reason to do so: adult acne that develops among smokers.

A study performed in Rome was recently reported in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The study involved 226 adult women with acne. The goal of the study was to determine if these 226 women had anything in common among their health habits that might contribute to their acne.

Of the 226 women, 66.3% were smokers. Of the smokers, 73% had generalized acne, while the remaining 27% had pustular acne.

If you haven't quit, please quit this year. Non–smokers live longer, have better teeth, skin, nails and hair—and they smell better too!

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