One of the most exciting recent developments in plastic surgery has been the degree to which men have begun to embrace the possibilities of cosmetic plastic surgery procedures.  Since 2000, the number of plastic surgery procedures performed on men in the United States has increased by over 20%, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).  As the social stigma attached to male plastic surgery diminishes, men are coming to more readily opt to take advantage of what these procedures have to offer.

The majority of this increase in popularity is due to the increased use of non-invasive facial rejuvenation procedures.  Botox® Cosmetic injectable treatments, for example, can help alleviate many of the signs of facial aging, particularly the lines that develop between and above the brows and the crow’s feet that can accumulate at the edges of the eyes, by relaxing the facial muscles that cause wrinkling in the first place.  On the other hand, facial fillers like Juvéderm® and Restylane®, help restore the volume and youthful “plumpness” that gradually diminishes in the tissues of the face over the years.  Together, these quick and easy maintenance procedures can effectively counteract the damage caused by time and environmental factors, keeping your skin and face looking younger, longer.

However, the fascination with maintenance procedures doesn’t end with the non-invasive.  Over the past several years, men have been increasingly drawn to a number of surgical procedures designed to relieve tiny pockets of excess fat and tissue in areas that are either genetic or notoriously difficult to exercise.  Specifically, blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) and liposuction remain two of the top five most popular cosmetic procedures among men, and both are excellent ways to make those minor, subtle changes that can make a significant difference in the overall appearance.

If you have any questions about any of the treatments that I offer, please contact us today to schedule a consultation.  Additionally, Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. provides a variety of options for financing, including Care Credit®, to assist you.  Don’t forget to connect with me, Dr. Hunter Moyer, on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news.

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.

Many people would like to look slimmer or more toned, and even if you exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet you may find yourself troubled by localized fat deposits that seem to cling to specific areas no matter what you do.  Often these areas of concern can be addressed with liposuction, a body contouring procedure that suctions out stubborn fat deposits and provides a more slender and shapely physique.

It is important to note that liposuction is not an effective treatment for obesity, nor is it a substitute for proper diet and exercise.  Liposuction does not have the ability to tighten skin that has been stretched by fat deposits or to remove cellulite, the dimpled skin that typically appears on the thighs, hips and buttocks.  In fact, the removal of fat deposits with liposuction can, in some cases, leave sagging skin behind, particularly in more mature patients whose skin has lost some of the elasticity of youth.

The abdomen is an area commonly treated with liposuction in both men and women, as it can stubbornly hold on to fat deposits and is notoriously difficult to exercise effectively.  When the body first begins to store fat, it does so in areas where it can do the most good, protecting and serving the nutritional needs of the vital organs in the abdomen.  Only then does it go on to store fat in the less vital areas, like the arms and legs.  However, when losing weight, the body more readily gives up fat cells in the less vital areas first and stubbornly holds on to fat in the vital core.  That’s why it can be so difficult to lose weight in the abdomen and hip areas.  Only once fat has been nearly eliminated from everywhere else in the body will the fat in the abdomen even begin to be released.

Liposuction can provide benefits to the extremities, such as the upper arms and thighs, as well.  Such procedures may sometimes require more than one treatment to achieve the desired results.  However, they are less invasive than procedures like arm and thigh lifts, and so produce less scarring and require less down time.  In some cases, fat can be removed, via fat transfer techniques, from the hips, flanks, or thighs, and then re-injected into areas that may require augmentation or greater definition, such as the buttocks or even areas of the face.

If you’re interested in liposuction or any of the other cosmetic or reconstructive procedures that I perform, please contact us today to schedule a consultation.  Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. provides 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.

Many patients exercise regularly but still can’t seem to get rid of excess fat, whether from weight gain or pregnancy.  With the advances in medical science and technology, body contouring procedures can sculpt and refine the body to help maintain a youthful and vital appearance.  Board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Hunter Moyer performs body contouring procedures that have become increasingly popular among patients.  According to the latest American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2013 statistics, liposuction ranked one of the top five most performed cosmetic surgical procedures, and the number of tummy tucks and buttocks lifts have both increased by roughly 80% since 2000.

Patients who experience localized amounts of fat that may be resistant to diet and exercise are ideal candidates for liposuction.  Dr. Moyer uses three fat removal methods to suit each patient’s specific needs.  Thru very small incisions (less than ¼”), Dr. Moyer uses a small hollow tube (or cannula) to suction out fat cells.  In tumescent liposuction a special anesthetic fluid is injected, which numbs the area and causes the fat cells to swell, making the fat easier to remove.  Ultrasound assisted liposuction uses high frequency sound to liquefy the fat, leaving the skin and other tissue unharmed.  Not only does this allow the fat to be suctioned more easily, but the stimulating vibration can tighten and revitalize the overlying skin as well.  Finally, Body Jet (or water-assisted) liposuction uses sterile water to loosen undesired fat for removal.  However it uses a closed system design, withdrawing the fat so it can be later used for other fat transfer or augmentation procedures like the Brazilian Butt Lift.

Over the years, weight gain or pregnancy can cause the muscles in the abdomen to stretch and separate.  As a result, even losing weight can’t tighten the midsection as much as some patients would like.  A tummy tuck (or abdominoplasty) is designed not only to remove unwanted fat and eliminate excess skin from the mid-section but also to retighten muscles along the abdominal wall that may have separated, restoring the smooth, lean contours of a more youthful physique.  Dr. Moyer makes an incision in the lower abdominal area, easily hidden by underwear or bathing suits, and tightens the skin downward to make sure the naval maintains a natural appearance.

Utilizing excess fat removed through liposuction, Dr. Moyer can perform buttock augmentation (or Brazilian Butt Lift) through fat transfer.  The fat that has been removed is carefully purified and then re-injected into the buttocks to re-contour the area.  Using the patient’s own fat instead of an implant creates a more natural contour.  During consultation, Dr. Moyer works with patients to determine the precise target areas for both removal and re-injection to make sure that the patient can get the expected results they desire.

If you are interested in body contouring procedures Dr. Moyer performs or would like to schedule a consultation, contact us today.  Also, connect with Dr. Moyer on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for more plastic surgery updates and the latest news articles.

Not exactly from Brazil and not necessarily a lift, the Brazilian Butt Lift nonetheless combines two great procedures for one outstanding result. No one is sure from where the name originates, as it was not started in Brazil or by a Brazilian surgeon. In addition, it is not a traditional butt lift as there are no large scars and no synthetic implants. The Brazilian Butt Lift combines liposuction of the abdomen, flanks, back and upper thighs (to slim your waist and legs) with re-injection of this fat into your buttock to improve dimples and plump up your bottom. The results are dramatic and give the hourglass shape of youth.

Atlanta plastic surgeon Dr. Hunter Moyer performs Brazilian butt lifts instead of using synthetic material such as silicone implants because the risk of infection is minimal, scars are smaller, and results are better. By using your own fat, you know that results are natural and will change in proportion to your body’s changes. Results from Brazilian butt lifts are permanent and will be noticeable directly after the procedure. While the body naturally re-absorbs some of the fat, the remaining fat will fill in the targeted injection area. The fat transfer technique has also been applied to other procedures such as breast reconstruction and the treatment of facial aging.

Prior to the procedure, Dr. Moyer meets with each patient to determine targeted areas to remove fat and how much fat will be transferred for a proportional result. For patients who are simply concerned with excess, unwanted fat, Dr. Moyer also performs liposuction individually to remove fat from specific problem areas.

If you are interested in a cosmetic or reconstructive procedure that Dr. Moyer performs, contact us today to schedule your consultation. For more news and updates on plastic surgery, follow Dr. Moyer on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.