What Are the Top Benefits of Breast Augmentation?

It goes without saying that any form of cosmetic surgery can be highly transformative, but what many of our patients want to know is: “Is it worth it getting breast implants?” Our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute team believes that for many patients, the advantages of breast augmentation with implants will greatly outweigh any disadvantages.

Research has shown that a majority of women around the world aren’t completely satisfied with the size of their breasts—either wishing that they were bigger or, in some cases, smaller. Some women may have lost volume in their breasts due to aging, weight fluctuations, or pregnancy, while others may have always been naturally smaller chested.

A breast augmentation procedure is ideal for someone who wants bigger breasts or who hopes to improve the symmetry of their breasts. See below for some of the top benefits of breast augmentation.

Improving Volume and Curves

Many women associate breasts with both beauty and vitality. If you’re naturally flatter chested, you may want to add more curves to your physique, go up a cup size, or fill into everyday clothing in a more comfortable and flattering way. Breasts augmentation is ideal for sculpting a curvier silhouette, which patients often associate with femininity and feeling sexy.

Better Confidence and Self-Esteem

Feeling more attractive and confident is one of the biggest advantages of augmentation with implants. Many women say that they feel higher levels of self-esteem after breast augmentation, which can also help to make them feel better in their relationships. You may have felt self-conscious about the size and shape of your breasts before breast augmentation, so a boost of confidence after this procedure is a welcome benefit.

Have More Clothing Options

You’re likely to have a larger selection of clothing that you can buy and wear after breast augmentation. Tops will no longer hang loosely around the chest. You may also be more comfortable wearing the V-neck tops, bikini tops and tight-fitting shirts you may have avoided before.

Is it worth it getting breast implants? Our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute team will explain everything you’ve wanted to know about the procedure so that you can determine whether it’s ideal for you. If you’d like to get started with breast implants, call us at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request a consultation.


What Makes You a Good Tummy Tuck Candidate?

Getting a flat stomach with sculpted abs can be very difficult to achieve—even if you’re slim, healthy, and exercise regularly. Resistant fat tends to cling to the belly area for many people, and especially those who naturally have a more apple-shaped body because of genetics. Pregnancy can cause excess saggy skin and separated muscles that result in a belly bulge. For men, the stomach is the default storage area for any excess fat on the body. Although many people want a flatter, firmer abdominal area, a tummy tuck may not be the right choice for every individual. Patients often ask us, “What does your weight have to be to get a tummy tuck?” Our Palm Desert-based team at Cosmetic Surgery Institute can answer the questions you might have about what is technically known as abdominoplasty during your consultation, but in the meantime, here are some basic traits that tend to make an individual a suitable candidate for this surgery.

  • You are physically healthy and at a stable weight for at least six to 12 months prior to having this procedure
  • You maintain realistic expectations
  • You are a non-smoker
  • You are unhappy about the appearance of your abdominal area
  • You have sufficient loose skin on the stomach that can be tightened without causing a “stretched” appearance
  • You don’t intend to get pregnant in the future
  • You are committed to maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle to preserve results from a tummy tuck
  • You are bothered about having loose skin, excess fat, or other types of cosmetic imperfections on the belly area

Patients should keep in mind that while this surgery is an excellent strategy for reshaping the body, a tummy tuck isn’t a substitute for weight loss. Patients should be within 10 to 15 pounds of their ideal weight to have this procedure. Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight after a tummy tuck could have a negative effect on results and may even require revision surgery.

Our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute team can provide a more comprehensive answer to this and other questions during your consultation. Call us at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request a visit.


Will Fat Come Back After Liposuction?

Even people who are in great shape can still have areas of excess fat that they wish they could reduce. Unfortunately, exercise and a healthy diet may not be enough to reduce stubborn fat that clings to isolated areas due to genetics, age, or hormonal factors. Liposuction, which involves the selective surgical removal of subcutaneous fat from stubborn areas, is ideal for re-shaping the body and producing major aesthetic improvements to boost confidence. With that in mind, many patients who are having surgical body contouring procedures want to know: Does fat removed from liposuction come back? Our Palm Desert-based team at Cosmetic Surgery Institute knows that patients enjoy the transformative results they can achieve with this treatment—but also that they are frequently concerned about the potential lifespan of those results.

While liposuction is a highly popular cosmetic procedure, it is also one of the most misunderstood treatments. If you’re worried about fat returning, here’s what you should know:

The fat that is surgically removed during a liposuction procedure is indeed gone for good. Since the fat is literally taken out of the body and those fat cells can’t regenerate, there’s no need for patients to worry about the same fat coming back in the areas that were treated. This means that many patients will be able to enjoy the dramatic outcome from the procedure essentially forever.

However, it is important to remember that if a patient gains weight after liposuction, it’s likely that the results will look less impressive as remaining fat cells—in the surgery area as well as other areas—can become enlarged. If a very significant amount of weight is gained, new fat cells can be created even in treated areas.

Therefore, it’s important to maintain your post-liposuction weight to maximize results. Continue to eat well, exercise regularly, and be aware of your overall health.

Regardless of whether or not you gain weight, patients should know that there will still be comparatively fewer fat cells in treated areas than in untreated ones. Fat-reduction surgery alters a person’s distribution of fat, so volume or “bulk” may be stored in other body areas. This means that a new body shape will remain mostly the same and look better than it did if the patient hadn’t had liposuction.

Our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute team can provide a more comprehensive answer to patient questions during a personalized consultation. Call us at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request an appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss liposuction.


What Are the Benefits of Combining BOTOX® With Fillers?

Can you get BOTOX® and fillers at the same time? Our Palm Desert patients often ask us this question when they’re thinking about having minimally invasive treatments to enhance their appearance.

Non-surgical injectable treatments not only have amazing anti-aging benefits but also are highly convenient for patients because they have such little recovery time. Even just by temporarily reducing facial wrinkles, patients notice a much younger, more awake, and more attractive appearance, which is why these treatments are so popular. Most of the time, patients want to make changes to their appearance but are unsure which treatment or combination of injections they will need to achieve their goals. See below for some of the advantages of having combined BOTOX® treatments at our practice.

One of the reasons why it’s good to combine neuromodulators like BOTOX® and fillers is because the two options treat different types of wrinkles. In other words, they work differently, but complement each other.

BOTOX® blocks messages between muscles and nerves to temporarily relax facial muscles so that expression wrinkles like crow’s feet and frown lines can’t form on the surface. Facial fillers are soft gels that add volume beneath the skin to diminish static wrinkles, which are lines caused by collagen loss rather than muscle activity.

Since BOTOX® is primarily used on the upper third of the face and facial fillers are designed for the center and lower areas, these treatments can be combined to address multiple areas for comprehensive facial rejuvenation.

As much as they are thrilled about seeing the results from facial fillers, most patients are not keen on having to rush back for repeat treatments too quickly and want to get the most out of their fillers. Fillers tend to dissolve faster in high-movement areas of the face. BOTOX® may help to prolong the results from facial fillers by freezing the muscles to prevent them from contracting.

Both types of treatments are quick, well-tolerated, and minimally invasive with minimal downtime.

If you’re seeking more answers to others questions, our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute team is here to provide guidance on these minimally invasive procedures. Call us at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon if you want to know more about these treatments.


Can a Facelift Reduce Wrinkles?

It’s natural for your skin to lose some of its elasticity as you get older. Not to mention, wrinkles and depressions begin to form when levels of collagen—one of the building blocks of healthy skin—begin to decrease over time. One of the major facelift benefits for Palm Desert patients is that this surgical procedure can tighten skin significantly in a way that wouldn’t be possible with non-invasive cosmetic treatments on their own.

Although the facelift is most well-known for its ability to lift sagging cheeks and jawline skin to rejuvenate the face, patients are often curious about whether this form of cosmetic surgery will also reduce other effects of facial aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles.

The word “rhytidectomy”—which is the medical term for facelift—comes from the words “rhytid” meaning wrinkle and “ectomy” meaning excision or surgical removal of something. The truth is that while facelifts are excellent for correcting loose skin to improve facial contours, they aren’t designed for smoothing superficial wrinkles; other forms of sun damage; creases around the nose and upper lip; and wrinkles around the eyes, forehead, and mouth. They also will not address uneven skin or areas of irregular pigmentation, such as hyperpigmentation and age spots.

In other worlds, facelifts are great for making deep folds and creases less noticeable, but they won’t change the texture, look, or tone of the skin itself. In fact, experienced plastic surgeons avoid pulling the skin too tight during a facelift because this strategy can give the patient an overly “windswept” or artificial look.

Facial cosmetic surgery is meant for correcting “sags and bags,” jowls, or weakened muscles. If you hope to improve the overall quality of your skin, BOTOX® and fillers are the better options for reducing most facial wrinkles, and laser treatments, microneedling, and chemical peels are rejuvenation techniques that can enhance your skin’s quality and appearance. These treatments can be done before or after a facelift to optimize results.

For more details about improving the look of the face, contact Cosmetic Surgery Institute by calling (760) 837-0364, or send a message via a contact form to request a consultation and find out whether you’re a suitable candidate for various procedures or treatments.


How Have Trends in Breast Implants Changed Over Time?

Each year, millions of breast augmentations are performed around the world. In fact, some studies suggest that the surgery is more popular in the United States than in any other country—and it has remained within the top five most frequently performed cosmetic surgeries in the country every year for the past several years, according to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Experts expect that augmentation will continue to be one of the most sought-after procedures throughout 2022. Breast augmentation can boost a patient’s confidence by sculpting higher, fuller, shapelier, and more youthful-looking breasts. There are many aspects to consider when you’re planning this procedure, such as which size, shape, and projection type would be the best fit for you. Even though the surgery is still in high demand, patients now tend to want different results compared to what was popular in the mid-2000s and prior. If you’re planning on having breast implants from our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute, here’s what you should know about how trends in breast augmentation have changed in the last several decades.

Surgeons have reported that higher numbers of patients are preferring smaller cup sizes instead of more dramatic increases in size. This is partially due to many patients desiring a slimmer, more athletic-looking body shape.

One of the most common misconceptions about implants is that they all inherently will look fake. Implants during the 2000s tended to be very obvious due to their large, wide, gravity-defying appearance. Back then, they tended to be viewed as a status symbol and a way to stand out. Think about how popular the “Baywatch look” was at the time.

Very large and artificial-looking implants are now not as popular, and patients are seeking out smaller, more natural-looking curves. In fact, patients who had larger implants before sometimes now choose to swap them for smaller devices to reduce the strain on their back and allow them to move around or exercise more easily.

Whether you want a more understated look or a total transformation, it’s important to talk to your surgeon about your goals.

For more information on breast implants, contact our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute team. Call us today at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon if you would like to find out more about how this procedure works.


Will a Tummy Tuck Reduce Love Handles?

While it would be great if we could lose weight evenly all over, we all have areas of the body where fat seems to be lost and gained more easily. “Love handles” and “muffin top” are some of the cute nicknames given to common problem areas on the body where resistant fat tends to accumulate, but there isn’t much to love about these fatty deposits that visibly cling to the sides of the waist and hang over the edge of a pants or skirt. A standard abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is traditionally used to re-shape the stomach area, but this procedure only addresses the frontal part of the abdomen. While tummy tuck surgery from our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute isn’t a solution for love handles, these other techniques might be able to help you develop a thinner waistline.

Exercise

Remember that spot exercises that target the obliques and side crunches are unlikely to slim down your sides because they don’t shrink fat cells. However, since a sedentary lifestyle makes fat accumulation more likely, try to be more active and incorporate cardio into your daily routine along with weight training.

Sleep More

You need to get enough sleep to avoid high cortisol levels in the body that can cause weight gain on the abdominal area. Try to consistently get seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

Liposuction

Our team usually combines liposuction with tummy tuck surgery to target surrounding areas such as the sides, lower back, and hips. This is what’s called an extended tummy tuck. If the front of the stomach and the sides are both areas you hope to improve, be sure to express your concern about love handles as well if you’re having a consultation for a tummy tuck. Liposuction can also be performed as a standalone procedure if you simply want to decrease fatty deposits on the flanks.

Ready to sculpt a slimmer, sleeker abdominal area? Get more advice about tummy tuck surgery from the team at Cosmetic Surgery Institute. If you have questions about this or other types of plastic surgery, don’t hesitate to contact us. For more information, give us a call at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request a consultation.


What Strategies Can Maximize Liposuction Results?

Is a more sculpted physique one of your resolutions? Sometimes diet and exercise can only take you so far, so patients will turn to surgical fat reduction as a way of finally reducing the volume of excess fat on isolated parts of their body. Liposuction isn’t a weight loss technique, but it’s ideal for the patient who has reached their goal weight and just has a few areas they wish were a bit slimmer. Along with enhanced body contours, liposuction patients also often report having better self-esteem and feeling more confident. Once unwanted bulk has been removed via surgical fat reduction from our Palm Desert-based team, the fat can’t regenerate, so patients enjoy lasting slimmer contours.

That doesn’t mean, however, that patients can return to unhealthy habits after the surgery. One or two extra pounds might not make much of a difference, but remember that if you don’t maintain a healthy lifestyle and you do gain a significant amount of weight in the future, the remaining fat cells in the treatment area could become enlarged. Fat cells in other parts of the body may also grow in size, leading to new bulges in unexpected areas.

If you’re considering liposuction to enhance your body shape, we have some tips to help you boost the outcome from this procedure.

Exercise Regularly

Although you won’t be able to engage in any intense exercise while you’re recovering, going for walks is important after surgery to prevent blood clots and help you to heal at a faster rate. Once you’ve recovered and your surgeon has given you approval to do so, return to your normal exercise routine as soon as you can.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Even if you’re exercising frequently, you might not notice the slimming and contouring effects of liposuction if you have unhealthy eating habits. Avoid processed foods, refined sugars, and simple carbohydrates as much as possible.

Wear Your Compression Garments

The ultimate results from liposuction may not be noticeable until post-surgical swelling goes down. Compression garments keep this side effect under control and improve contours in the treatment area.

Thinking about having liposuction to reduce stubborn deposits of fat? For more advice on surgical body contouring, contact our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute. For more information, give us a call at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.