Body Procedures

With the latest advancements in medical science and plastic surgery procedures, you can have the body of your dreams. Certain factors like aging and childbearing can have effects on your body which are beyond the control of diet and exercise. Dr. Graivier will help you attain a more pleasing body shape with procedures such as:

• Liposuction
• Tumescent Liposuction
• Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)

Liposuction

Many of us carry pockets of fat around with us that we will never get rid of through diet and exercise. We are "genetically predisposed" to these saddlebags, love handles, and abdominal pooches that will not go away no matter how many stairs we climb, free weights we lift, miles we run, or hours that we aerobicize.

Liposuction has been around for years to remove those fat pockets. It is the most common form of cosmetic surgery in the United States today. Basic liposuction involves the insertion of a cannula (suction tube) into the pockets of excess fat beneath the skin in order to remove the fat tissue. Liposuction is not an alternative for a healthy lifestyle, and produces the best results when it is performed on individuals with a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index).

Tumescent Liposuction

The techniques to perform liposuction have changed significantly since the time of its inception. One of the improved techniques that Dr. Graivier uses is the tumescent (or wet) technique. Tumescent liposuction uses much smaller cannulas and focuses on multiple levels of fat coming closer to the surface of the skin than at any time previously. This technique significantly decreases many of the risks associated with liposuction, such as excessive blood loss, contour irregularities, and postoperative skin laxity The best results are obtained in someone who is near his or her normal body weight, who works out regularly, and wants to reduce an area not responding to diet or exercise. Dr. Graivier, however, is able to perform tumescent liposuction on many people who may not have been candidates for this procedure in the past.

During tumescent liposuction, large volumes of a much diluted local anesthetic are injected into the areas to be liposuctioned. This anesthetic solution causes the skin and tissue to swell. The anesthetic is usually Lidocaine with a mix that includes Epinephrine, which forces the blood vessels to constrict. This significantly lessens the amount of bleeding during the procedure and provides prolonged pain relief after the procedure. A small amount of Sodium Bicarbonate is also added to prevent infection.

A ¼- to ½-inch incision is made near the areas to be suctioned, and a very thin (approximately 4 mm diameter), straw-like cannula is inserted through the incision to suction the fat in multiple planes. To get a good of how tumescent liposuction works, visualize what a sponge looks like with multiple small holes throughout. This is what the fat looks like after liposuction. In the past, the use of larger cannulas and the dry technique looked more like Swiss cheese, with large holes that were much more susceptible to surface divots and irregularities.

Dr. Graivier's expertise is the key to this procedure. The artistry is in knowing how much fat to take, where to stop, how to make the areas of fat loss blend into the surrounding areas, and which areas of the body should and should not be suctioned. Areas of cellulite can be addressed (although not completely corrected) by fine tuning the collagen mesh (connective tissue) beneath the skin and injecting fat beneath these areas to prevent reformation.

Following surgery, the patient wears a postoperative girdle 24 hours a day for two weeks. After the first 24 hours, the patient may remove the girdle to shower. After a two week period, the garment should be worn for at least 12 hours per day for an additional two weeks. This garment is similar to a heavy object being placed on top of that sponge and allowing it to settle into a nice even, flat contour. Immediately afterward, the patient will see a slimmer, improved body contour, but it takes about three months to see the final results. A patient can gain weight after liposuction, but the area that was suctioned should not get significantly fatter. If you overeat, you will gain weight in other areas, and possibly regain the weight in the suctioned areas. So be good to yourself: maintain your new figure with a healthy diet and exercise.

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Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)

How many women go shopping for a bathing suit, cocktail dress or evening gown, and just can't find the one that flatters their figures?

While some women might spend endless hours searching for an outfit that camouflages that "little bulge" below their waistline, others attack the problem with exercise, special diets and weight loss, but are still left with unsightly loose, sagging abdominal skin. Still other women with thin figures wouldn't dream of wearing a two-piece bathing suit for fear of exposing their stretch marks. These women share a common dilemma that can be remedied by an increasingly common solution: abdominoplasty or, as most of us call it, a "tummy tuck."

The goal of the tummy tuck is to create an hourglass figure with a narrow waistline and flat profile. Good candidates for abdominoplasty are in good physical condition with minimal fluctuation in weight. Often these are women who are through with childbearing but are left with weakened or spread abdominal muscles and overstretched skin, or formerly overweight individuals who've lost significant amounts of weight and have redundant, flaccid skin. Unfortunately all the sit-ups and abdominal crunches in the world will not get this type of tissue to shrink. In these instances, the removal of the excess abdominal tissue and surgical tightening of the abdominal muscles is the way to correct the problem.

A tummy tuck can be done in conjunction with other intra-abdominal procedures such as hysterectomy, bladder suspension, or hernia repair. Additional body contouring using liposuction, breast reduction/augmentation, or thigh and buttock lift may be recommended on an individual basis. A mini-abdominoplasty (mini-tuck) with liposuction, endoscopic abdominoplasty, or liposuction alone are less extensive procedures but may be all that is required. A consultation with Dr. Graivier, with special attention to your goals and expectations, will determine the appropriate procedures.

Abdominoplasty is done as an outpatient procedure, with local nerve blocks used to control pain. Patients are asked to refrain from serious exercise for at least four weeks after surgery, though it usually takes up to six weeks to feel completely normal. The surgery will leave a scar that usually extends from hip bone to hip bone, along with another small scar around the navel. The incisions are designed to be hidden entirely in a bikini.

Abdominoplasty is not a substitute for a healthy diet and a conscientious exercise program. But for those who have tried their best at everything else to no avail, it can be a welcome opportunity for not only an attractive new figure but also the improved attitude and self esteem that go with it.

Pauline is a 46-year-old housewife who'd been carrying around an extra 45 pounds for years. After six months of intense effort, she finally managed to shed the excess weight and was anxious to show off her new figure. However, with sagging skin on her tummy, buttocks and thighs, she was unable to show off as much as she wanted. A tummy tuck, thigh lift and buttock lift completed the metamorphosis.

Allison had always had a slim, athletic figure, but after a third child was left with a below-the-belt "pooch" as well as lower abdominal stretch marks. No further pregnancies were planned, and medical circumstances required her to undergo a hysterectomy. This surgery seemed a perfect opportunity to regain her lost figure. Liposuction of her hips and thighs as well as a tummy tuck performed in conjunction with the other procedure brought her the results she wanted: the figure she thought she had left behind three babies ago.

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If you would like more information about our cosmetic surgery procedures, or any of our spa services, contact the North Atlanta Plastic Surgery & Day Spa today!