The Tummy Tuck is one of the most requested cosmetic plastic surgery procedures I perform. Whether after childbirth, or weight loss, the procedure removes excess fat and loose skin and tightens the abdominal muscles. On the most recent Body Beautiful on the San Francisco Bay Area’ News Station, KRON 4, I had the opportunity to discuss the latest in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery including Abdominoplasty.
Tummy Tuck Video (Abdominoplasty)
Abdominoplasty Video Presentation
The above Abdominoplasty Video discusses the procedure, its recovery, and I narrate the results for multiple Tummy Tuck Before and After Pictures. Examples of combining Abdominoplasty with Mommy Makeovers and Brazilian Butt Lifts are included, too. More on these next.
Tummy Tuck With Brazilian Butt Lift
Abdominoplasty can be combined with other procedures. The most common add-on is Liposuction. It is used to contour the lateral hip and lower back and reduce the undesirable the muffin top. In some cases, the fat removed with Liposuction is repurposed to augment the buttocks. Also known as the Brazilian Buttocks Lift, the procedure can create, or restore, the fullness to the buttocks and hips. An example is depicted below.
The Above Tummy Tuck before and after pictures show an example of what the combination of Tummy Tuck, Liposuction and Brazilian Buttock Lift can do. In the post operative picture on the right, the abdomen is flatter, the muffin top is missing and the buttocks are fuller and rounder.
Abdominoplasty With Breast Augmentation Lift
Tummy Tucks can be combined with Breast Enhancement also. This class of combination cosmetic plastic surgery is termed the Mommy Makeover. The most common combination is Abdominoplasty with Breast Augmentation using Breast Implants. The Mommy Makeover Before and After Pictures shown below illustrate the combination of Breast Augmentation Lift (Periareolar) with a Tummy Tuck.
Mommy Makeovers are a class of cosmetic plastic surgery procedures that enhance both the breasts and the belly. The Mommy Makeover before and after pictures above are an example of what can be accomplished with the combination of Breast Augmentation Lift and Tummy Tuck. As with all plastic surgery, careful patient selection is very important.
Tummy Tuck Consultations
If you are considering a Tummy Tuck, Brazilian Buttocks Lift or Breast Augmentation, be certain to consult a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area. If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, call (925) 943-6353 to schedule a convenient, personalized consultation appointment. My office specializes in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and discretion. Come in and learn more.
Dr. Mele discusses Cosmetic Plastic Surgery on Body Beautiful – September 12, 2017, at Noon.
Hey San Francisco Bay Area. Body Beautiful will be broadcast this Tuesday, September 12, at noon. You may not have noticed, but KRON 4 was acquired by Nexstar. The good news is that they have decided to continue Body Beautiful, so I’ve got new Plastic Surgery News to share with you.
Body Beautiful on KRON 4
KRON 4’s Body Beautiful with Vicki Liviakis and yours truly on the San Francisco Bay Area’s News Station.
I have been doing Body Beautiful live for the last 10 years. The original show was with host Vicki Liviakis, and we would take viewer calls live, on the air. It certainly added excitement. Since we were on the air live, even the “unusual” questions had to be answered.
The latest version of Body Beautiful with host Janelle Marie.
Now Janelle Marie is the host, but the format remains the same. This week’s show was taped last week. Maybe KRON’s new management was a little nervous about an amateur, me, on the air live. But don’t worry, you can still submit questions for the show via email or the contact form here in the margin.
This Week’s Body Beautiful Discussion
This week’s show is dedicated to four Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedures:
The links above will take to more detailed information about these procedures.
Body Beautiful Airs Tuesday At Noon
Body Beautiful will be broadcast this Tuesday, September 12, at noon. Be sure to tune in or set your DVR. I you miss it, don’t worry. I will be posting the segments from the show here, and the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog and on my YouTube channel.
The Tummy Tuck remains one of the most popular Cosmetic Plastic Surgery procedures. Also called Abdominoplasty, the procedure tightens the abdominal wall and is especially useful after pregnancy or weight loss.
Tummy Tucks After Other Abdominal Surgery
The question of how preexisting abdominal surgery effects Tummy Tuck planning, execution and recovery often arrises. While most the time an Abdominoplasty can be safely performed, there are some incisions that make the procedure dangerous. Today, we will talk about how scar location may change your Tummy Tightening Procedure.
Where Is The Tummy Tuck Scar?
The above Tummy Tuck before and after pictures show where the skin is removed.
To understand how previous surgery effects Abdominoplasty, it is important to know the location of the removed skin and the circulation that supplies the remaining skin. As the Tummy Tuck Before and After Pictures above show, the lower abdominal skin is excised to remove the excess from the lower belly, to lift the skin above the pubic region (the FUPA) and to leave a scar which is low enough that it hides below the belt-line. The circulation that keeps the remaining skin alive travels in the superficial circulation of the skin that is located above and lateral (toward the sides). It’s the circulatory pattern of the remaining skin that really determines which, if any, of the surgeries performed prior to the Tummy Tuck are likely to cause problems.
Common Surgeries That Do Not Effect Abdominoplasty
In general, any surgery which leaves a scar within the excised skin is safe. This includes c-section, hernia and low appendectomy scars. Surgeries which leave small scars, such as laparoscopic surgery are safe.
Longer scars in the midline are also safe. Since the blood supply comes from each side independently, an incision that runs up and down the middle is unlikely to cause wound healing problems. Below is an extreme example.
The Fleur-de-Lis Tummy Tuck
The Fleur-de-Lis Tummy Tuck is an unusual Tummy Tuck that includes not only the usual low abdominal skin resection, but also removes skin from the middle of the abdominal wall to tighten side to side.
The Fleur-de-Lis Tummy Tuck is used in cases of extreme weight loss, when the upper abdominal skin is loose from side-to-side. In the example above, my patient had a pre-existing midline scar running from the rib cage to the pubic region. Since the scar is in the middle, it is not cutting across the blood supply and is removed with the excess skin.
The previous scar was excised with the loose upper abdominal skin as evidenced by the removal of the excess skin in her underwear, as well as the excess skin located above the underwear. Her clothes fit much better after her surgery, and her mobility is improved thanks to the loss of the excess abdominal skin. The muscle, too, was tightened to further improve the cosmetic results and to provide better muscular support for her abdominal wall.
No More FUPAs
The FUPA (fat upper pubic area) is the excess fullness located above the pubic region and below the excess belly skin. If not addressed at the time of a Tummy Tuck, this excess skin can be a continued source of annoyance and embarrassment.
The FUPA (fat upper pubic area) can be seen in the Abdominoplasty Before and After Photos above. It is the separate skin fold / bulge seen below the redundant abdominal wall skin and above the pubic region. If a standard Tummy Tuck is performed, the FUPA remains a source of annoyance and embarrassment. These pictures were originally shown on my TV show, Body Beautiful. The before picture did not require censorship, because the FUPA covered the private area.The after picture, on the other hand, had to be covered. The scar from the Tummy Tuck can be seen extending laterally from the sides of the blacked out pubic region.
Common Surgeries That Complicate Abdominoplasty
The most common surgeries that can negatively impact the healing after a Tummy Tuck include the traditional “open” cholecystectomy (gall bladder) and pancreatic or any other upper abdominal surgery performed through a “chevron” incision.
The traditional cholecystectomy scar runs diagonally across the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, parallel to the lower edge of the rib cage. This incision cuts the blood vessels supplying the skin below the scar and can lead to problems with circulation to the sin between the scar and the Abdominoplasty scar. Problems can range from slight redness, to complete skin loss. Options are available to “delay” the skin flap, a smaller operation a few weeks before the Tummy Tuck to improve the circulation to the skin, but sometimes performing the Tummy Tuck may be too risky.
The extreme is the “chevron: incision. This scar extends across the entire upper abdomen from side-to-side, just below the ribs. A traditional Tummy Tuck is usually not advisable after this surgical approach. Instead, a reverse Abdominoplasty may be recommended. The Reverse Abdominoplasty is an abdominal wall tightening procedure which is performed across the top of the abdomen, rather than the across the bottom. In most cases, the skin cannot be tightened as well as with the traditional approach, but in select cases, the improvement is still very good.
Tummy Tuck Consultations
In most cases, previous abdominal surgery is not a contraindication for Abdominoplasty; however, you should discuss your specific situation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, prior to scheduling any elective surgery. If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area call (925) 943-6353 today, to schedule a private consultation tailored to your specific needs.
For the sixth year in a row, Dr. Joseph Mele has won the Talk Award for Excellence in Patient Satisfaction.
The 2017 Talk Award Winner
The 2017 Talk Award Winners were announced last week, and I am humbled and honored to announce that for the sixth year in a row, my staff and I have been awarded the 2017 Talk Award for Excellence in Patient Satisfaction.
Thank you, to all my patients who have taken the time to post a positive review. After 20+ years in practice, I know how rare that is. This is especially true for Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons, like myself, who practice in Northern California, where results are more often very personal and private, than they are something to be live streamed for the world to see.
Dr. Joseph Mele, your San Francisco Bay Area patient rated, five-star, Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon.
Talk Awards Selection Process
The Talk Award Committee gathers information from a combination of highly respected, no-cost, online user-review websites, blogs, social networks and business-rating services to measure customer satisfaction. Star ratings from the websites, the number of user reviews, scores from other business-rating services and accolades found through their research establish the basis for ratings. This annual audit provides data for a review process to evaluate and rate its findings.
Based on the results of this review and internal guidelines, the Talk Awards assign their own rating to act as a representation of the data accrued. By combining all online information into one score, consumers and businesses receive a fairer overview of customer feedback without having to spend hours locating all the information. Talk Awards takes the worry and work out of finding the top consumer-rated businesses across the country.
…And Thanks For All The Stars
Thank you for all the positive reviews. I run a very personal practice, and do not actively solicit on-line reviews. Perhaps I should, but I find that word of mouth is still alive and well. A referral from a happy patient is the best five-star review I can receive.
If you are considering Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, information on specific procedures is available on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog via the search box in the “Find a Post” section either in the side column, if you are on a big screen, or lower on the page if using a smaller device. You may also search by category by using the drop down menu under “Search By Category.”
Despite the massive amount of information available on the Internet, there is no substitution for an in-person consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. To schedule your personal and private consultation appointment, call (925) 943-6353, today.
If you have Breast Implants, here’s some peace of mind to help you chill this summer.
Did you know your Breast Implants come with a manufacturer’s warranty? It’s true. All FDA approved Breast Implants in the US come with a Breast Implant Warranty automatically. The details of coverage have changed throughout the years, but here are the latest details for the summer of 2017.
The Big Three Breast Implant Manufacturers
In the US, there are currently three FDA approved Breast Implant manufacturers:
Natrelle® (Allergan)
Mentor (Johnson & Johnson)
Sientra
Below are the latest details. These have been fairly consistent over the last two decades; however, contact your breast implant’s manufacturer directly for the latest information.
Allergan Natrelle® ConfidencePlus® Warranty
Natrelle breast implants are manufactured by Allergan.
The following applies to Breast Augmentation using Natrelle® breast implants performed on or after November 1, 2014.
Enrollment:
For Natrelle® Silicone Gel Breast Implants:
Automatic and Free
For Natrelle® Saline Breast Implants:
Standard Warranty: Automatic and Free
ConfidencePlus® Premier: Enroll within 45 days and pay $200
Coverage:
Natrelle® Silicone Gel Breast Implant coverage:
Lifetime FREE breast implant replacement for rupture
10-year FREE breast implant replacement for grade III or IV capsular contracture
10-year up to $3500 surgery cost assistance for rupture
Natrelle® Saline Breast Implant coverage:
Standard Natrelle® Saline Breast Implant coverage:
Lifetime FREE breast implant replacement for rupture (deflation)
Premier Natrelle® Saline Breast Implant coverage:
Lifetime FREE breast implant replacement for rupture
10-year up to $2400 surgery cost assistance for rupture
Mentor® MentorPromise™ Warranty
Mentor breast implants are manufactured by Johnson & Johnson.
The following applies to Breast Augmentation using Mentor® breast implants performed on or after May 1, 2017.
Enrollment:
For Mentor® Silicone Gel Breast Implants:
Basic warranty: Automatic and Free
Enhanced warranty: Enroll within 45 days and pay $300
For Mentor ® Saline Breast Implants:
Basic Warranty: Automatic and Free
Enhanced warranty: Enroll within 45 days and pay $200
Coverage:
Mentor ® Silicone Gel Breast Implant coverage:
Basic Mentor® Silicone Gel Breast Implant coverage:
Lifetime FREE breast implant replacement for rupture
10-year up to $3500 surgery cost assistance for rupture
Enhanced Mentor® Silicone Gel Breast Implant coverage:
Lifetime FREE breast implant replacement for rupture
10-year up to $3500 surgery cost assistance for rupture, grade III or IV capsular contracture, double bubble or late seroma
Mentor ® Saline Breast Implant coverage:
Basic Mentor® Saline Breast Implant coverage:
Lifetime FREE breast implant replacement for rupture (deflation)
Enhanced Mentor® Saline Breast Implant coverage:
Lifetime FREE breast implant replacement for rupture
10-year up to $2400 surgery cost assistance for rupture
Sientra® Warranty
Sientra manufactures only silicone breast implants for use in the US.
Sientra® offers the following Breast Implant Warranty on all their breast implants.
Enrollment:
For Sientra ® Silicone Gel Breast Implants:
Sientra warranty: Automatic and Free
Coverage:
For Sientra ® Silicone Gel Breast Implants:
Lifetime FREE breast implant replacement for rupture
10-year up to $3600 surgery cost assistance for rupture
5-year FREE breast implant replacement for grade III or IV capsular contracture
Breast Implant Warranty Updates
Breast Implant Manufacturers are constantly updating their warranties. Be certain to check with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and your Breast Implant’s manufacturer for the latest details.
If you are considering Breast Augmentation or Breast Implant Revision Surgery, give my San Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgery Clinic a call today at (925) 943-6353.
SanFranciscoBreast.com has been completely updated. This update includes new content, and it is artfully illustrated with new breast enhancement videos and more before and after pictures. In addition, the fresh content is wrapped in a new skin, improving navigation for the small screen and the desktop alike.
New Breast Augmentation Information
The site includes new pages featuring the most requested Breast Enhancement Procedures. For example, the Breast Augmentation Information has been exploded into a dozen detailed pages including:
The Breast Lift section includes details about five main options for Mastopexy. There are also pages dedicated to the combination of Breast Lift using Breast Implants and Areola Reduction.
Breast Reduction for Women and Men
Options for Breast Reduction for Women are also reviewed, as several techniques have evolved during the 20+ years I have been in practice. Breast Reduction for Men, also known as Gynecomastia Reduction, is covered with attention paid to the causes and the most current treatments available.
Specialty Breast Procedures
A section on the often overlooked details of Breast Enhancement is also included. San Francisco Breast’s Specialty Breast Pages include:
Inverted Nipple Correction
Areola Reduction
Nipple Reduction
Tubular Breasts
Poland Syndrome
Other Congenital Breast Abnormalities
Areola Reconstruction
Nipple Reconstruction
A Plastic Surgery Web Site Dedicated to Breast Enhancement
I have tried to create an all inclusive Breast Enhancement site designed to provide detailed information about the many Plastic Surgery options available for Breast Enhancement, whether that be Breast Enlargement, Breast Reduction or Breast Reshaping.
While the San Francisco Breast web site in meant to provide information, it is just a starting point. The Internet cannot take the place of a thoughtful, in-person consultation with a qualified Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. If you would like to schedule a private, personalized consultation appointment call (925) 943-6353 today. My San Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgery clinic specializes in helping you obtain the best possible results.
The Thigh Lift was performed about 10,000 times last year in the United States alone. It is a specialized procedure that is almost exclusively performed after weight loss or bariatric surgery. As Thighplasty techniques have improved, its popularity has increased. The number of Thigh Lifts performed is up 8% this year compared to last year and up 87% since the year 2000.
Thigh Lifts are most often performed after massive weight loss or bariatric surgery. They can be combined with other skin tightening procedures, such as an abdominoplasty in this case.
Thighplasty Techniques (Thigh Lift)
There are two main techniques used for the Thigh Lift. For reduction of upper inner thigh skin redundancy an Upper Thigh Lift is performed using an incision that wraps around the upper thigh from the groin, along the top of the thighs and underneath the buttocks. This keeps the scar high on the thigh and allows for maximum upper thigh tightening.
The Medial Thigh Lift uses a scar running down the inside of the thigh from the top to the knee. This scar is more exposed than the scar from an upper thigh lifts; however, it can tighten the skin at the knees better. Which type of lift will work best for you depends on where the skin is loose. The following video discusses more Thigh Lift Details.
Thigh Lift Video (Thighplasty)
Thigh Lift Presentation
The Thigh Lift Video Presentation above is a segment from the San Francisco Bay Area’s News Station, KRON 4’s, Body Beautiful. The show discusses the latest in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, and the topic for the day was Thigh Lifts. Thighplasty Before and After Pictures are displayed and narrated, to demonstrate how the procedure is performed and the results that can be obtained. Individual results will vary depending on the amount of skin laxity, amount of thigh fat that remains and the elasticity of your skin.
Thighplasty Consultations
The American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons was formed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeons specializing in skin tightening after massive weight loss.
If you are seeking a Thigh Lift, be certain to discuss your goals with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, who is familiar with Postbariatric Plastic Surgery. As an active member of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons (ASBPS), post weight loss skin tightening is an area in which I specialize.
If you are in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and would like to schedule a personalized consultation appointment for a Thigh Lift, or another Cosmetic Plastic Surgery procedure, call (925) 943-6353 today.
Breast Augmentation adds volume, while Breast Lifts reshape. What happens when you put them together? You get Cosmetic Plastic Surgery that can enhance both breast volume and shape.
Total Breast Enhancement – Breast Aug and Breast Lift
Sometimes a Breast Implant or a Breast Lift alone is not enough to get the results we want. The combination of Breast Augmentation with a Breast Lift, or Augmentation Mastopexy, is used when breast sagging is combined with a loss of breast volume. Board Certified, San Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Joseph Mele, discusses the nuances of Breast Augmentation Combined With Breast Lift on this episode of Body Beautiful, a live television show dedicated to the latest in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery news for the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
Everyone knows that Breast Implants make breasts bigger. It’s a simple concept. Adding volume behind the breast tissue, often behind the pectoralis muscle, enlarges the breasts you have. While the size of the breast changes, the shape does not. It simply inflates the skin you have.
Breast Lifts Make Breasts Perkier
Breast Lifts (Mastopexies), on the other had, are all about breast shape. Lifts do not make breasts bigger or smaller. Breast Lifts reshape the skin envelope. Mastopexies reposition the nipples/areolae into a more attractive position and reduce the amount of breast tissue that sags below the IMF (inframammary fold).
Breast Augmentation Lift Consultations
The subtleties of the procedures, whether considered separate or together, are beyond the scope of one San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog post, though you will find other posts on the topic here and on my other web sites. But rather than learning everything there is to know about both, why not learn about the aspects of the procedure that apply to your body?
Breast Augmentation Lift Consultations are the best way, and really the only way, to get the information specific to your needs. They focus on your breasts and your goals. You won’t waste time learning about options that won’t do what you want, and you will learn what to expect from the procedures that are most likely to help you.
If you would like to schedule a personalized and private Breast Enhancement Consultation, call my office today at (925) 943-6353. Get specific information that is tailored to address your needs, not generic information meant for the masses.
The Mommy Makeover combines the most common body shaping procedures, breast augmentation and tummy tuck, into one, maximum result, breast and belly shaper.
The Mommy Makeover is one of my favorite combos. The ability to reshape the damage done to a woman’s body after childbirth or weight loss, in a single operation, makes it one of the most satisfying Cosmetic Plastic Surgery procedures.
What Is A Mommy Makeover?
The Mommy Makeover is not a specific procedure, but rather the combination of breast and belly enhancement performed in a single operation. Breast Enhancement may include Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Breast Augmentation with a Lift or Breast Reduction. It all depends on what needs fixing. Belly Enhancement is usually a Tummy Tuck; however, for the patient who needs less, Mini Tummy Tucks or Liposuction may be the procedure of choice.
Mommy Makeover Video Presentation
Recently, I had the opportunity to discuss Mommy Makeovers with the San Francisco Bay Area television audience. Body Beautiful airs on KRON 4, the San Francisco Bay Area’s News Station. The Mommy Makeover features the best and the latest in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. This week, the spotlight is on Mommy Makeovers.
Mommy Makeover Video
More About Mommy Makeovers
The Mommy Makeover Video segment featured above reviews many of the available options and outcomes of the procedure for several of my patients. Additional Mommy Makeover Videos are available here, on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog, and on my main site’s Mommy Makeover Video Page.
Mommy Makeover Consultations
When you are considering a Mommy Makeover, be certain to consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. Call (925) 943-6353 today, to schedule a private, personalized Mommy Makeover consultation in our San Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgery Clinic.
Learn the latest plastic surgery news on the Bay Area’s News Station’s, KRON 4’s, Body Beautiful with Dr. Mele.
Getting ready for today’s live show with Janelle Marie. Body Beautiful airs at noon (June 7, 2017) on the San Francisco Bay Area’s News Station, KRON 4. Tune in to hear the latest plastic surgery news. Today’s topics include:
Mommy Makeovers
Breast Augmentation Lifts (Augmentation Mastopexy)
Brazilian Butt Lifts (Fat Grafting to the Buttocks)
Thigh Lifts (Thighplasty)
The previous post has more details about the topics to be covered. If you are reading this after the show airs, segments from the show will be posted on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog.
EDIT – The first Plastic Surgery Video segment on Mommy Makeovers is up and live right here: Mommy Makeover Video.
