In the past year, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, over 1.6 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in the United States.  Nearly a third of those procedures were either breast augmentations or liposuction treatments.  However, despite their incredible popularity, many are still unclear as to what, exactly, these two procedures entail.  Specifically, many come into my office wondering if they are a good candidate or what they can expect during downtime.

Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation surgery involves using breast implants or fat to increase the size of the breasts or restore breast volume that has been lost after weight gain and loss, or pregnancy.  Breast augmentation is designed to increase fullness and projection of your breasts and can also improve the balance of the figure.

Am I a good candidate?  Breast augmentation is a very personal procedure and you should do it for yourself, not to please someone else.  Optimal candidates for breast augmentation surgery are physically healthy, have realistic expectations and breasts that are fully developed, and are dissatisfied with the size, shape, volume or symmetry of their breasts.

What can I expect from the recovery period?  After breast augmentation, the breasts will be wrapped in an elastic bandage or support bra to minimize swelling and support the breasts as they heal.  Once you are evaluated and cleared to leave the hospital, you will be given specific instructions that include how to care for your breasts following surgery, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the risk of infection, and when to follow-up with me.  You may be instructed to wear a support bra around the clock for the first week or two, and given other important post-operative care instructions.  Be sure to follow all instructions carefully in order to achieve the best possible breast augmentation results.  After a post-surgical recovery period of 24 to 48 hours, you will likely experience soreness and swelling for a few weeks and should reduce your level of activity accordingly.

Liposuction
Liposuction slims and reshapes specific areas of the body, such as the thighs, hips and buttocks, abdomen, waist, and back, by removing excess fat deposits that have proven resistant to diet and exercise and improving your body contours and proportion.  Liposuction can also be performed on small, precise areas like the upper arms, inner knee, calves and ankles, or even the cheeks, chin, and neck.

Am I a good candidate?  Ideal liposuction candidates are healthy adults within 30% of their ideal weight who have firm, elastic skin, good muscle tone, and no life-threatening medical conditions that can impair healing.  Because cigarette smoking can cause problems with blood flow and healing, non-smokers generally enjoy better results and a decreased risk of complications.

What can I expect from the recovery period?  Once your liposuction procedure has been completed, a compression garment may be used to cover the areas that have been treated.  These help to control swelling and compress the skin to your new body contours.  You will be given specific instructions on how to care for the surgical site, what medications you may need to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, any specific concerns to look for at the surgical site, and when to follow up with me.  Your final liposuction results may not be evident until the swelling has fully dissipated, a process that may take several weeks.

If you’re interested in any of the cosmetic procedures that I perform in Atlanta and Alpharetta, please contact us today to schedule a consultation.  I also provide a variety of options for financing, including Care Credit®, in order to assist you.  Don’t forget to connect with me, Dr. Hunter Moyer, on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news.