Written by Dr. Konrad Sarosiek, Double-Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
As the summer months roll on, many patients are walking through our doors wanting to look their best in their swimsuits and make a serious life change. There is so much that goes into having the body that you have always wanted— with AND without plastic surgery. I’m going to spend some time talking about how you can achieve your goals with the procedures we offer, and how you can use exercise and diet to maximize your results. Let’s start by giving you the short answer to the big question:
Can I achieve my dream body through plastic surgery?
That really depends on what you consider to be your dream body. Having realistic expectations is one of the most important things to keep in mind when meeting with your plastic surgeon. Many patients struggle with their weight, and despite making changes to their diet and exercise program, they can’t make any progress. For these patients, plastic surgery can serve as a springboard to get their body going. By undergoing surgery to help remove the weight from their breasts, abdomen, arms, or thighs, these patients can then pursue their exercise regimen with greater ease and begin achieving lasting results. Other patients are closer to achieving their goals but are struggling with one last area, such as their love handles or loose skin on their belly. For these patients, plastic surgery can be the final step in achieving their dream body.
No matter what surgery patients undergo, the important thing to remember is that recovery is a journey, not a car wash. Healing takes time. Patients must be patient to allow their bodies to heal. After surgery, patients need to work on maintenance – that means healthy eating and regular exercise. It is important to remember that surgery is just one step among many in achieving a goal and staying focused on a healthy diet combined with an exercise program. I encourage my patients to make lifestyle changes before they undergo surgery.
What are the most popular procedures?
Liposuction is a fat-removal option that can be used on several parts of the body. It’s a surgical procedure that can be performed using small incisions between 4-5mm (as small as a pencil eraser!) to reach various areas of the body. The small incisions lie in areas that are commonly hidden by your clothing or bathing suit. The recovery is faster than standard incision surgery and patients are back on their feet within a few weeks of surgery. The only drawback to liposuction is compression. I ask my patients to wear compression for about 8 weeks depending on the body area. Compression is essential and allows the skin to stick itself down to the muscle underneath to give you amazing results. As you can see above, it can do more than just remove fat. Liposuction can also be used in conjunction with surgical procedures to create contour and give patients a healthy and fit-looking body. In the photos above, I added liposuction to my patient’s abdominoplasty which achieved her contoured abdomen.
Liposuction can also be used to help improve the contour of the neck. With the increase in Zoom calls and video conferencing over the past year, many patients are more focused on the appearance of their necks and chin areas and are looking to get rid of the dreaded “double chin.” Neck liposuction can be a great option for these patients. Using three small incisions (one behind each ear lobe and one under the chin) fat can be removed from the neck in just under one hour. Patients have a relatively painless recovery and are able to work from home as early as the next day after surgery. The procedure removes extra fat from the neck and results in an improved contour of the neck and a new jawline.
How do you achieve and maintain the most beautiful result?
The answer is pretty simple: diet and exercise. Having healthy habits post-surgery will take your results far into the future and make them look even better. Some ideas that have helped our patients include: healthy meal delivery services, engaging in community exercise programs, online workout classes, and utilizing apps to help track and maintain your fitness goals. There are many options out there to help you maintain your beautiful results post-surgery but the bottom line is that you have to put some work in!
I hope this was helpful in explaining how you can achieve your goals here at Cool Springs Plastic Surgery. If you are interested in seeing more results, check out our before and after gallery or follow me (@drsarosiek) on Instagram.
