Beauty for the New Year

Beauty for the New Year magazine article

Beauty for the New Year

by Jill Taylor

As the weather cools and winter rolls in, people become more inclined to stay indoors, cover up with warmer clothes and prepare for the holiday season. The New Year is just around the corner, along with resolutions to eat right, exercise and do what it takes to stay attractive and healthy.

This is the time that most patients considering cosmetic surgery find convenient to undergo cosmetic surgery procedures and recovery, according to Dr. Anthony Musarra, a surgeon with the Plastic Surgery Center of the South, LLC.

“Liposuction and tummy tuck are done most frequently in the fall,”says Musarra. “People are usually pretty active in the fall, but because the surgery is done on the body, they can cover it up with clothing.”

Alternatively, most surgical procedures on the face are typically performed in the winter months, when people aren’t as socially active. “In the wintertime, people aren’t out as much, and it’s easier to stay at home and recover,” he notes.

Recovery time is an important consideration for these procedures, which limit activity from two days to up to six weeks after surgery. Furthermore, combinations of procedures may have to be performed to obtain the desired results.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, liposuction and facelift were two of the overall top five surgical cosmetic procedures ,in 2003 for both men and women, with 56 percent of procedures performed in office-based surgical facilities like the Plastic Surgery Center of the South, which offers two state-certified operating suites.

The facelift, or rhytidectomy, improves the signs of aging of the face by tightening the underlying muscles and tissues, repositioning excess fat and re-draping the skin. The result is a more youthful and rested appearance with smoother and firmer skin. The procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis, and the recovery period is typically 10 to 14 days.

To remove localized fat deposits that do not respond to dieting or exercise on the face, upper arms, back, abdomen, hips or legs, patients undergo liposuction. In most procedures, a solution is infiltrated into the areas of fullness at the beginning of the operation, after which the excess, unwanted fat cells are removed by liposuction. Like the facelift, liposuction is an outpatient procedure, with a recovery period of two to 10 days.

Less common, but long popular with women having undergone pregnancy, the tummy tuck (also referred to as abdominoplasty) both removes sagging skin and tightens abdominal muscles that often do not return to pre-pregnancy form with diet and exercise after birth. In contrast to the facelift and liposuction, abdominoplasty usually involves an overnight stay and a longer recovery period of up to six weeks. Furthermore, according to Musarra, liposuction is commonly required as a separate procedure to achieve the desired body contour.

“Most surgeons don’t like to do liposuction in the abdominal area at the same time as abdominoplasty, because it can injure the blood vessels to the point that circulation is reduced and cause significant healing problems,” Musarra says.

Body contouring techniques such as liposuction and abdominoplasty are also gaining popularity among men and women who have experienced massive weight loss, often times as the result of gastric bypass surgery.

Musarra stresses that anyone considering cosmetic surgery should seek out a board certified plastic surgeon. He believes that the experience of the three surgeons, including Dr. James Leake and Dr. Michael Petrosky, at the Plastic Surgery Center of the South is what helps the facility maintain a high standard of excellence.

“We have close to 70 years of combined experience, are all board-certified, highly trained, and keep current with all of the new information,” he says. “We also have a wonderful office staff that does a great job of making patients feel comfortable and like they are receiving the best service that they can.”

The Plastic Surgery Center of the South is conveniently located in the Kennestone Gates Medical Complex across from Kennestone Hospital in Marietta. For more information about the facility or the procedures offered, call (770) 421-1242.

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Because of our top-notch patient care and beautiful results, Plastic Surgery Center of the South has built a strong reputation in the region. If you are interested in visiting our Marietta practice from a nearby community, choose your area below to get easy-to-follow driving directions.

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