The mini tummy tuck procedure is used to remove and tighten excess, loose skin and the fascia that is only below the belly button. This procedure involves a shorter incision and sometimes a faster recovery period.
This procedure can be a good option for women suffering from C-section scarring and minimal loose skin, or a female that has good muscle tone in the area above the belly button. It’s not recommended for everyone. If the patient has fascial weakness in the upper abs as well, the result can end up looking unsatisfactory, with a bulge in the upper area, and a flat lower area.
There are now procedures being done that offer tightening of the entire abdominal fascia with just a minor lower ab incision, rather than an incision around the belly button. However, this technique can be difficult and require specialized equipment, so those are some things to take into consideration before choosing the right procedure for you.
Fillers may be a good option for you in order to correct the dents you are noticing. A long-lasting filler such as Radiesse or Artefill can result in long-term to permanent correction to these dents. Another possible long-term option may be fat injections, as well as cheek implants if the dents are pronounced. If the dents are mostly superficial though you may be better off sticking with the fillers mentioned above.
I recommend that you search for a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area who is a teaching physician or consultant for filler procedures, so that you can ensure that you are in the hands of an expert injector.
A Mid Face Lift, also called a Partial Face Lift or “Cheek Lift,” focuses on improving the cheeks when the neck is not an issue. The incision is usually mainly in front of the ears and well hidden within the folds in that area. It does not address the lower two thirds of the face like a traditional Face Lift will. There are of course other techniques used, and every surgeon will have their own preferences on preferred techniques.
Many people mistake this procedure as an alternative to a traditional Face Lift, but it isn’t. A Mid Face Lift is newer procedure meant to decrease hollowness and make the Mid Face and lower eyelid areas have a more pleasing appearance. They will typically not address the neck and may do little for the nasolabial folds, which is what a regular Face Lift will address.
It is important to choose a very experience Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for a procedure such as this, as the lower eyelid area is very delicate. Extreme care must be exercised when operating in this area, and some say it is one of the more challenging areas to perform surgery on.
These procedures differ in respect to the result that they achieve. A Face Lift targets jowling, sagging skin and muscle laxity of the lower part of the face and neck, and restores a firm and youthful appearance. Not only are you tightening the skin, you are also tightening the fat and muscle below it. Given that, recovery time can take longer than with a Mini or Mid Face Lift.
The Mini Face Lift, sometimes called a Partial Face Lift, utilizes shorter incisions and works mostly in the cheek area. It’s important to note that surgeons use the term Mini Face Lift very liberally and the procedure can range from being a regular Mid Face Lift to being just a small incision and a few tightening stitches. This procedure usually works best on people in their 30’s or 40’s with very early aging signs.
A Mid Face Lift works to pull up your cheek so that your nasolabial folds are improved and your cheek is lifted. This can improve the way your lower eyelids appear in relation to your cheek, and also may help out with the dark circles and bags under the eye some people suffer from.
There are many variations on the Face Lift procedures, so the best practice is to talk to your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, and have he or she help you to decide on the best procedure that is right for you.
The same technique used in the Brazilian Buttock Lift, which is called “Micro fat grafting”, could be used to add more volume to your hip area. The procedure would involve liposuction to another area of the body, such as the abdomen, and then these tissues would be skillfully injected to the hip area in order to create the shape you desire.
Keep in mind that your recovery period may be a bit more difficult. You will not only have to avoid putting pressure on your buttocks, but also the side areas. That means a lot of time positioned on your stomach, and a commitment to about 3 weeks of these limitations in order to ensure the best chance of success with the grafts.
It is important to have a discussion with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to ensure you both are on the same page in terms of goals and realistic results.
It’s been said recently that a proprietary dietary supplement makes Botox injections more effective. My opinion currently is that data is inconclusive, but let’s discuss it further.
First here’s what we do know about zinc and Botox injections to date.
Botox actually does require a bit of zinc to work properly. Botox is part of the enzyme family zinc metalloproteinases, so zinc works as a sort of catalyst. It’s been shown that too much or too little zinc can prevent optional function of the Botox protein in lab studies.
It’s also been shown that Botox, when treated with an agent that removes zinc entirely, doesn’t work. These agents are called chelators.??And finally, phytase by itself can help a person with a zinc deficiency, as it helps with the absorption of dietary zinc.
However none of those facts proves that Zinc does in fact help Botox perform better.
The sudden stir has been caused by a recent study done by a Dr. Charles Sopakar at Methodist Hospital in Houston.
This study suggested that Botox can be made more effective when combined with a tablet of zinc. Alternatively it can also be combined with zinc and the enzyme phytase. In the study, both combinations were shown to make Botox effective in 41 of the 44 people tested. The test was performed in 44 blepharospasm patients, and the supplements were used for 4 days prior to injections.
So… can zinc really help Botox injections perform better?
Perhaps.
My opinion is that these results are pretty inconclusive thus far. I think if the study is repeated in a controlled way, in patients suffering the normal cosmetic wrinkles rather than patients who have abnormal neuromuscular issues happening, we might become better informed as to whether or not this supplementation really helps much.
So my thoughts are if you want to take a zinc supplement a few days before treatment (not long term) then go for it and you can let me know if it seems to help your treatments work better. In the meantime, I’ll be following the developments of this theory, and keep you posted once there are some really definitive results.
It may be best to do these procedures separately. One reason is that you may not able to achieve optimal results since the positions you are instructed to sit/lay in during your recovery are different for the two procedures.
For the Brazilian Buttock Lift, patients are advised to lay on their stomach and sides, and only on their backs for a short amount of time. Too much pressure to the area can hinder the survival of the fat-graft.
For the Tummy Tuck procedure, recovery is generally most comfortable in a recliner like position, which requires patients to lay propped slightly upright on their backs. This helps to protect muscle repair and keep the skin flap tension free, for optimal final results.
As you can see, the procedures are a bit counter-intuitive when it comes to the recovery process, and may make things more difficult than they really need to be. Consult with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, and map out a plan to do both of these procedures within a time frame that offers both safety, and the best results.
It is generally not advisable to have these three procedures done at the same time. Combining body contouring procedures such as this, especially when they are somewhat time intensive procedures increases post-operative complications.
These types of body contouring procedures are very common after a significant weight loss, but it is best to practice a bit of patience. You should consider factors, such as: is it safe? What might your recovery time entail?
Give it some thought, and decide on which procedure you absolutely can’t wait to have done, just in case multiple procedures prove impossible. It is advisable to first meet with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. The two of you should then discuss a surgery plan which is tailored specifically to your needs and goals and that prioritizes your safety.
A Brazilian Buttock Lift is typically an out-patient procedure, meaning you can have the lift done, and go home the same day, with restrictions. Some patients may choose to stay overnight in a health care facility.
The recovery time for the Brazilian Buttock Lift generally involves taking about 1 week away from work, and 3 weeks away from exercise and heavy lifting. Every surgeon will have different requirements that you will be asked to abide by.
Most normal, daily activities can be resumed in about 1 week and a compression garment is worn by patients for a few weeks post-operatively to ensure minimal swelling and smooth results. This helps with the contour of the areas that experienced liposuction. However, please keep in mind that patients can’t sit or lie directly on the area that was grafted for about 14 days after the procedure.
It is commonly thought that procedures such as these, involving heat, laser, or ultrasound technology is less invasive. That actually may be a misconception. Procedures such as this can, in a sense, be considered more invasive since you are adding heat or laser to the traditional form of liposuction involving a metal cannula and vacuum aspiration.
With a Brazilian Butt Lift procedure, because it involves micro-fat grafting the fat that is removed must remain alive and viable. With procedures involving heat, lasers, or ultrasound, the fat is melted down for easier removal. These technologies can’t be used for a Brazilian Buttock Lift procedure because this can damage the fat cells that would later be grafted.
Also, the cells surrounding the area where you plan to inject the fat could be damaged as well, making survival chances of the transplanted fat cells very slim. Liposuction for a BBL needs to be especially gentle and done by using the traditional ‘tumescent’ liposuction technique without any heat, laser or ultrasound technology. This will offer the most viable chance for success.
