Indiana Plastic Surgery Blog

Despite the obvious benefits of a dermal filler, the first question patients usually ask is “How much does it hurt?”

If it’s your first treatment, you might be surprised to learn that today, a number of injectable procedures can be done with little or no discomfort, thanks to local anesthetics that numb one or more areas of the face beforehand.

Lidocaine is the one most frequently used by plastic surgeons, and there’s no doubt it makes an injectable procedure easier for the patient.

Your dentist probably uses Lidocaine as a simple way to numb your mouth prior to performing dental work. Likewise cosmetic surgeons use it as local anesthetic for injections. Lidocaine blocks the pain signal sent by the nerve endings on the skin in response to injections of the dermal filler solution. Patients quickly feel the anesthetic taking effect, and numbness kicks in.

The benefits of Lidocaine for cosmetic injections

• Greatly reduces pain during injections into sensitive facial tissue
• Helps minimize swelling after injection, allowing better sculpting of treated areas
• Allows you to relax better during the procedure
• May eliminate the need for general anesthesia during more extensive procedures

Several of the new dermal fillers even come pre-mixed with Lidocaine, which is good news for those who want the procedures, but not the pain.

No, we can’t claim that fat of all kinds, amounts and shapes is healthy or fashionable. However, medical research suggests that fat around the hips, thighs and buttocks may work advantageously against heart and metabolic diseases.

Hip fat burns at a slower rate than tummy fat, a distinction that, for the body, means the release of fewer cytokines associated with health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Additionally, hip fat absorbs harmful fatty acids, and produces anti-inflammatory agents and adiponectin, the fat-derived hormone that assists in moderating metabolic functions and suppresses the development of diseases such as type-2 diabetes and obesity.

When you carry lots of fat around the tummy, you have a higher risk for both diabetes and heart disease. Also known as visceral fat, this dangerous fat lies closer to vital organs, whereas subcutaneous fat is situated closer to the skin and is more visually accessible. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are the culprit here, a protein that accelerates inflammation. As Dr. Rallie McAllister explains, “pear-shaped individuals tend to have more subcutaneous fat, while people who are apple-shaped tend to have more visceral fat.” In other words, it’s better to be a Jennifer Lopez than a Rosie O’Donnell.

Yet another advantage of the healthier, hip fat is that it more stubbornly resists modification compared to tummy fat, and therefore releases fewer cytokines. No longer an aesthetic enemy, hip fat indicates health, and as we all know — health is beauty.

The trick, then, is to keep the waist trim while maintaining the full shape of the thighs, buttock and hips. This might be a challenge for science, a task that has already caught the attention of researchers at Oxford University who believe that we may in the future be able to redistribute body fat to the hips in order to benefit from the purported health benefits.

Related Links

• BBC News: “Having a big bum, hips and thighs is healthy”
• Body Shape, Fat Distribution May Be  Best Predictor of Health Risks

When it comes to treatments that revitalize the skin, plastic surgeons and aestheticians offer a plethora of choices – so many that you’re probably confused about which one is the best.

Microdermabrasion and chemical peels are both excellent treatments for improving the skin texture and complexion, but how do you know which one to choose? First of all, if you see a good aesthetician, you’ll get expert advice about each treatment, so choosing will be much easier.

In cases where patients have little time for recovery or when they are anticipating an important social event, microdermabrasion is the best choice. The exfoliation depth is easily controlled with microdermabrasion, so you’re less likely to experience side effects like redness or swelling.  The typical healing time with microdermabrasion is also super short – usually 3 days at the most.

With most chemical peels, healing time takes longer than 3 days (often 1 week). However, the micro-peels available at Indiana Plastic Surgery are very light, so recovery time is fairly quick as well.

Sometimes an aesthetician will combine microdermabrasion and a peel. If done carefully, a light chemical peel such as AHA or salicylic acid can work in combination with your microdermabrasion treatment. Just make sure you choose an aesthetician or surgeon that has experience doing this.

• Read more about micro-chemical peels in Munster, Indiana
• Read more about microdermabrasion at Indiana Plastic Surgery

Q: What is the best type of liposuction?

A: While the operator is always the most important factor, several new liposuction platforms have been introduced in recent years. There is no best method because each platform has particular benefits. For example, water assisted liposuction is great for removing a large volume of fat, while ultrasonic liposuction is great for precise body contouring.

Q: Why do I keep hearing about new liposuction methods?

A: Plastic and cosmetic surgeons are trying to set themselves apart with more effective liposuction methods. You might hear about “reduced downtime” or “reduced trauma to surrounding tissues” in the marketing for these procedures; just know that any proven liposuction technique will utilize the same basic tools as the standard tumescent liposuction technique.

Q: Can I get liposuction anywhere on my body? What is the most common area to treat?

A: Many people aren’t aware that liposuction can be done on so many areas of the body. While the abdomen and thighs are probably most common, you can also get liposuction below your chin or even on the ankles.

Q: What type of doctor is most qualified to perform liposuction?

A: See a board-certified plastic surgeon for your liposuction.

Q: Is liposuction “minimally-invasive” like some of the advertising says?

A: The techniques have improved over time, making recovery quicker and incisions smaller, but liposuction is still cosmetic surgery. It’s not like getting a quick Botox injection.

Click here to read more about Liposuction in Munster, Indiana.