Top Op in the UK? Lipo for Men!

Following on the footsteps of their beloved soccer star, Ronaldo, who had abdominal lipo last year, British men have been flooding plastic surgeries with a desire to trade their love handles for 6-packs—to the tune of a 117% increase just since last August! Previously, the Brits were hot for man boob treatments, to avoid looking like Simon Cowell, famous for his noticeable nipples in t-shirts.

In America, there was an increase of 9% in men’s cosmetic surgery procedures from 2008 to 2009, with a total of almost a million surgical procedures for men. Lipo was the top pick, followed by nose jobs, eyelid surgery, breast reduction and halr transplantation to round out the top five US men’s procedures.

Here in my Delaware plastic surgery practice, liposuction enables me to predictably contour all kinds of fatty areas, including the jawline, thighs, belly, flanks (the dreaded love handles!), the neck, buttocks, almost anywhere. Traditional lipo works best on people with good skin quality, so that there isn’t loose skin hanging around at the end of the procedure. For those who are a bit older and whose skin might not “snap back” after lipo, here in our practice in Delaware, tummy tuck procedures are a great alternative to abdominal liposuction, both for men and for women. It’s a popular choice for women who have finished childbearing (as well as for the men who gained weight during their wife’s pregnancy!)

If you’re thinking about lipo for the man in your life, or for yourself, come in and see me in consultation. You’ll be surprised how sexy and young you feel afterwards! 

C-Tucks: Unsafe For Regaining a Post-Baby Body

While celebrities like Jessica Alba and Gisele Bundchen may be able to bounce back to their pre-baby bodies quite easily, not all women can slim down with ease just weeks after childbirth. Skinny celeb mommas—who have the luxury of hiring personal trainers, chefs, and nutritionists—have sparked rumors about a controversial new cosmetic procedure: the ‘C-Tuck’.

The C-Tuck is a cesarean section for childbirth, immediately followed by a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).  If the idea of having a little nip and tuck during childbirth sounds too good to be true, it probably is. It is hard to find a doctor offering the procedure, however, this is not a surprise as the C-Tuck is considered to be relatively unsafe. While OB/GYNs or other unlicensed individuals may be performing C-Tuck’s under the radar, you won’t catch a board-certified plastic surgeon cashing in this trend.

The average abdominoplasty can take up to five hours, which would require an unsafe amount of anesthesia for both the mother and child. Combining an abdominoplasty with a cesarean section could be potentially deadly for both parties.  In addition, a woman’s hormone levels are spiked during childbirth and therefore the skin and soft tissue of the abdomen may not heal the same with a C-Tuck as it would with a standard tummy tuck.

C-Tucks can also run a high risk of infection as there are numerous cavities exposed to a combination of fluids during a cesarean section. By adding another in another procedure, there is more tissue exposed to pathogens. Combining a hysterectomy with a tummy tuck is a more controlled procedure that is more commonly practiced.

If you are a mom who is considering a tummy tuck, I recommend waiting at least nine months after childbirth before undergoing the procedure. Patients will see optimum results if they allow their body to heal and the abdominal skin to shrink as much as possible.  Also, you should not undergo an abdominoplasty unless you do not plan on having any more children. Giving birth after a tummy tuck can reverse the results of the procedure completely.

While C-Tucks would certainly make life easier on moms, they are neither realistic nor safe. Tummy tucks in Delaware should only be performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon, not an OB/GYN or otherwise.