Body Procedures

Tummy Tuck (abdominoplasty):

Over time, unwanted adipose (fat) tissue may accumulate along the lower abdomen and hips. This can be worsened by childbearing or advancing age. One of the most effective treatments for adiposity of the abdomen is the tummy tuck procedure (abdominoplasty). In this procedure, unwanted adipose tissue and excess skin are removed from the lower abdomen. In addition, any laxity of the abdominal wall may be surgically corrected during this procedure. The key surgical principle is to use the deep connective tissue layer when planning and carrying out the abdominoplasty. By using this superficial fascial system (SFS) to re-suspend the soft tissues, one may achieve a more aesthetically pleasing and long-lasting result. In some cases, the results can be greatly improved by extending the abdominoplasty around the waist like a belt. The belt abdominoplasty can simultaneously achieve a lateral thigh lift and a buttock lift while removing hip and lower back fat.

Liposuction (suction-assisted lipectomy):

The deposition of adipose (fat) tissue frequently produces unwanted bulges or body contour deformities around the trunk and thighs. These "problem areas" may develop due to hereditary factors, and may not respond well to diet and exercise alone. The majority of these bulges and "problem areas" can be effectively corrected using liposuction. It is important to mention that liposuction is generally not indicated for obese patients, and will not improve problems with skin laxity or cellulite. Recently, efforts have been made to improve liposuction by adding ultrasonic energy to the suction instrument. At the Baker Center for Plastic Surgery, we employ both traditional liposuction and ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

Body Lift After Massive Weight Loss:

Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States. Fortunately, many formerly obese individuals have successfully lost massive amounts of weight (>100 lbs). While some are able to overcome obesity with a major lifestyle change, most have undergone obesity (bariatric) surgery. Obesity surgery dramatically improves the overall health of these patients, but they are usually left with tremendous amounts of excess hanging skin once the weight loss has stabilized. This development can be very deforming and quite distressing for the massive weight loss patient. Restoring the massive weight loss patient to a more normal body contour is not a simple one-stage procedure. The one-stage whole body lift has been discouraged in recent years for both patient safety reasons and due to poor aesthetic results. Modern body lift surgery groups several of the many required procedures into two or three stages. One advantage of this strategy is reduced operative times for each stage and improved patient safety. Another advantage is that more "tailoring" can be done during each subsequent stage in order to realize the best possible final result.

Arm Lift (brachioplasty):

In some patients, the accumulation of fat and skin laxity in the upper arms is quite distressing. The best course of action in these cases may be to proceed with an arm lift procedure (brachioplasty). While the resulting scars are unavoidable, every effort is made to reduce their visibility by concealing them on the inner aspect of the upper arm.