If you have spent any time researching plastic surgery online, you likely discovered an overwhelming amount of information. However, with so many unverified sources out there, only a fraction of this information may be true — and a lot of it can be confusing or misleading to someone without any medical training.
This can result in misperceptions about certain plastic surgery procedures.
Dr. George Sanders has met patients who believe they want or need one type of operation based on their Internet research, but would actually benefit from something totally different. In this post, Dr. Sanders sheds light on the most commonly misunderstood plastic surgery procedures.
Abdominal Liposuction
There is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about what abdominal liposuction can and cannot achieve, and who can best benefit from it.
Liposuction is designed to remove unwanted pockets of fat for a flatter abdominal contour. It is ideal for someone bothered by unwanted fat on the front of the abdomen and/or around the sides of the waist or flanks.
Some individuals — particularly women that have had children or individuals that have lost a lot of weight — believe they can benefit from abdominal liposuction but actually have additional problems, like excess skin and separated or weakened abdominal muscles, that cannot be resolved with liposuction. Simply removing the fat without addressing loose skin or damaged muscles may make the abdominal area look even worse.
In these scenarios, the better solution is usually tummy tuck, which includes a liposuction component as well as skin removal/tightening and muscle repair.
Facelift
Facelift is another commonly misunderstood plastic surgery procedure. Although facelift is designed to minimize the appearance of many signs of aging (including wrinkles, deep creases and jowls), it focuses on the middle and lower areas of the face; it does not treat the entire face. Prospective facelift candidates that are bothered by droopy brows, hooded lids or forehead wrinkles typically require an additional procedure, like eyelid surgery or brow lift, to see the desired results. If that is the case, Dr. Sanders may recommend combining several facial procedures into one operation to address all areas of concern.
Breast Augmentation
The idea of enhancing the size and shape of the breasts with implants seems straightforward, but the confusion lies in whether breast augmentation can improve breast sagging (i.e., ptosis).
In cases of very mild breast sag, placing implants may fill out the skin envelope and create the illusion of a slight “lift.”
However, this is only true for a very small pool of women. Most of the time, breast lift is required to reverse sagging and achieve the full, perky breast shape patients desire. Like facial rejuvenation procedures, breast lift and breast augmentation can be combined into a single operation.
Consult with Dr. George Sanders
The most reliable source of plastic surgery information is a board-certified plastic surgeon, who can examine you in person and recommend the right fit for your needs. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Sanders, please call or email our office today.
