The abdomen is an area of the body where fat often accumulates in both women and men. Skin looseness in the abdominal region can be caused by a number of factors, including aging, pregnancy, stress, improper diet, hormonal imbalance, genetics, and massive weight fluctuations. All of these factors contribute to the appearance of a loose, flabby stomach and unfortunately, in many cases, no amount of exercise or diet will resolve this problem. Many patients are unhappy with the shape and appearance of their abdominal region, and for these patients, a tummy tuck may be the perfect option.

Tummy tuck procedures provide remove the surplus fat and skin from the middle and lower abdomen and tighten the muscles along the abdominal wall to give the appearance of a dramatically flatter, smoother stomach.

Some of the specific problems corrected by a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) are as follows:
Removing excess skin
Tightening muscles
Removing resistant regions of abdominal fat
Reshaping a flabby abdomen
Defining an expanded waist
Flattening a protruding belly

In some cases, optimal results are achieved to perform tummy tuck with liposuction for a full abdominal rejuvenation.

OPTIONS

There are many options and choices to review when considering a tummy tuck surgery.

A standard tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat from the abdominal regions below the belly button, while a partial (mini) abdominoplasty tightens only the skin in the lower abdominal region (below the belly button). In both procedures, the muscles of the abdomen are also tightened to improve the contours of the abdomen. Some patients require a wider incision that extends to the hip area, and patients with moderate to severe excess skin often require their belly button position to be shifted during the operation. During your consultation, Başaran, MD will inform you about the various incision types, techniques, and placements for your individual surgical needs, and will help you to find the ideal surgical treatment plan for your specific aesthetic goals.

In the full tummy tuck procedure, a horizontal incision is made in the area between genital and the belly button. Atrophied or weakened abdominal muscles are repaired, and while suturing through this incision, excess fat, tissue, and skin are removed.

In some cases, a second incision around the belly button may be necessary in order to shift the belly button to a new and more attractive position. Your initial results will be visible immediately, and the results improve over the following months as the swelling subsides.

Partial or complete abdominoplasty enables to obtain excellent results for patients who have weakened abdominal muscles or excess skin, and these results can be long-lasting in conjunction with a balanced diet and regular exercise.

The popularity of the “sleeveless” trend in fashion has led women and men to seek a surgery as a solution to problems with excessive skin in the upper arm area.
Exercise may strengthen and improve muscle tone, but it cannot solve the problem of the skin losing its elasticity, the unwanted fat deposits that give the upper arms a sagged and flabby appearance.
Due to the degree of skin looseness in the patient, tightening can be performed on the skin and effective results can be obtained with brachioplasty. Brachioplasty is especially popular among patients who have lost a significant amount of weight because along with their weight loss, they often have a large amount of excess, sagging skin in the upper arm region. In most cases, the skin has been stretched to the point that it has lost its elastic ability, however, excess skin can be seen. The reduction of sagging skin in the upper arm area often help to bolster patients’ self-confidence and enables patients to dress in clothing styles that they might have previously been too self-conscious to wear.

OPTIONS

Arm contouring surgery can be performed according to each patient’s individual needs. Not all patients require extensive skin excision – the decision of what type of operation to perform is based on the amount and type of skin and fat present in the upper arm:

Type I—Excess skin with minimal fatty deposits
Type II—Both excess skin and fatty deposits
Type III—Excess skin in the upper third of the arm, typically caused by aging
Type IV—Excess skin in the lower third of the arm, typically caused by aging or massive weight loss

A body lift is a surgical procedure designed to enhance the appearance of the upper or lower torso by removing excess skin. There are different types of body lifts (upper, lower, mid, and total), and Başaran, MD determines the best body lift option for the patients need after consulting him. Liposuction alone is generally sufficient to achieve optimal results and remove excess fat deposits for patients with good skin elasticity that conforms naturally to body contours. Body lifts are more comprehensive procedures that are not intended solely for the removal of fatty tissue. Surgical body lifts improve the shape, contour, and tone of the underlying tissue supporting the fat and skin, and during the procedure, excess sagging skin is removed to treat conditions caused by poor tissue elasticity. Once the loose skin has been removed, Başaran, MD tightens the remaining skin by manipulating the tissues, shaping the underlying skin matrix, and smoothing the overlying skin to make it appear more firm and in shape.

Although each procedure is customized to meet the relevant patient’s needs, loose skin is typically reduced and tightened during a single operation in the body lift. If an upper and lower body lift are combined, the treatment is known as a total body lift. In the past, body lift was generally performed for patients with sagging skin after massive weight loss, but today the procedure can be benefited by anyone seeking a firmer, more youthful-looking body. There is no other method of body contouring that can restore the body shape, skin appearance, and skin tone as effectively as body lift.

Some people have naturally less prominent buttocks and desire augmentation to improve their shape and appearance. As getting older, the elasticity of our skin declines and it causes the shape of the buttocks to appear flat or sagged by changing the distribution of fat and muscle. Extreme diet, exercise and/or weight loss can also deteriorate the appearance of our buttocks and can cause large amounts of excess skin.

Gluteal augmentation is a surgical procedure that uses gluteal implants or a fat transfer (fat removed from one area of the body and transferred to another) to increase the size of the buttocks and to create a rounder, more attractive shape.

A bad buttock appearance often cannot be often altered through diet or exercise—a surgical solution can be an excellent way to improve this aesthetically unpleasant condition.

There are two options in buttock augmentation procedures:
Augmentation with Fat Grafting
Augmentation with Silicone Implants

AUGMENTATION WITH GLUTEAL PROSTHESIS

Over the past few years, gluteal prostheses (implants) have undergone significant improvements, and previous problems with rupturing and unnatural-feeling implants have been corrected. The most popular gluteal implants today are made out of soft-solid (elastomer) silicone and have a consistency that matches the natural tissue in the buttocks. Gluteal implants are typically used to enlarge the buttock region; however, in some cases, they are also used to treat problems with gluteal asymmetry, or for gluteal reconstructive purposes.

There are several different styles and sizes of gluteal implants, which vary in dimension and volume to suit a variety of aesthetic tastes. Gluteal implants are designed specifically to augment the gluteus maximus muscle, thereby producing a more desirable shape to the buttocks.

Gluteal implant surgery offers a number of benefits, including:
Implants (silicone) available in a variety of shapes and sizes
Incisions made during the procedure are very invisible
Gluteal muscles keep the implant in place, so sagging is removed
Gluteal implants offer long-lasting results
Implants create a natural look and feeling because they are covered by muscle, making the implant invisible
The deep placement and structure of the implant prevent the risk of implant rupture.

AUGMENTATION WITH FAT GRAFTING

For gluteal augmentation with fat grafting, the patient’s own fat is removed from a donor area (abdomen, back, hips or thighs) by liposuction. The fat is then purified and strategically injected into the buttocks—most of the fat is injected into the upper quadrant of the buttocks to create a more lifted and fuller appearance.

Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty or liposculpture, is a surgical procedure that can slim and reshape specific regions of the body by eliminating excess fat deposits, thereby improving the patient’s body contours and proportions.

Many patients for liposuction are the group in good health and have a relatively high level of fitness; however, these patients still suffer from localized fat deposits and disproportionate body contours as a result of family genetics, as opposed to insufficient weight control or fitness.

SURGICAL OPTIONS

Liposuction can be used to treat persistent fat pockets in various regions of the body.
These various regions are as follows:
Abdomen and waist
Thighs, hips, and buttocks
Arm, neck, and back
Inner knee
Chest
Cheeks and chin
Calves and ankles

Liposuction can be performed alone or in conjunction with another plastic surgery procedures such as facelift, breast reduction or a tummy tuck. Liposuction should not be considered as a substitution for regular exercise and a healthy diet or a treatment for obesity. It is also not an ideal treatment for cellulite, causing the dimpled skin that sometimes appears on a patient’s hips, thighs, and buttocks. Although it is not a solution for obesity, liposuction helps fat and skin sagging after losing significant amounts of weight.

Liposuction can be performed with tiny, invisible incisions.

Fatty tissues are suctioned out of the body using a surgical vacuum or syringe. When the swelling and fluid retention disappear, improvements to the contour of your body become apparent. In most patients, 80% of their results can be seen 1 month after the surgery, but you have to wait for the final results for 4 to 6 months. By continuing practices of healthy diet and fitness, the loss of excess fatty tissue after a liposuction procedure can be maintained for a very long time. However, excessive weight gain after the surgery can negatively impact the liposuction results.

Liposuction does not change the appearance of the skin, so the ideal candidate for surgery should have good skin tone and elasticity and stay at a stable weight with minimal fluctuations. Many patients prefer liposuction as a complementary treatment to procedures such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), thigh lift, facelift, body lift, arm lift, butt lift and/or breast reduction.

To be a good candidate for liposuction, it must be understood that the goal is an improvement, not perfection. Having realistic expectations will increase the obtained satisfaction and reduce the risk of disappointment.

Gravity, genetics, loss of skin elasticity and weight fluctuations increase the changes occurring in our thighs as getting older. Thigh lift is an ideal surgery for the fatty tissue and sagging skin that stubbornly lingers on the thighs which women and men spend countless hours in the gym in an attempt to achieve fit and slender thighs. Thigh lift is a surgical procedure designed to tighten the skin and improve the contour of the legs by removing excess skin and fatty deposits from the thighs.

SURGICAL OPTIONS

There are many surgical techniques used in thigh lift, including; inner (medial) thigh lift, upper thigh lift, and spiral thigh lift.

SURGERY DETAILS

INNER THIGH LIFT:

The inner thigh is targeted.
It is a good option for mild to moderate amounts of excess fat and skin within the inner thigh.
Short incisions are made relatively (from the groin and thigh crease to the buttock crease).

MEDIAL THIGH LIFT:

It targets the inner, upper thigh.
The incision starts from the inside of the thigh, moves along the back and ends under the buttock crease.

VERTICAL THIGH LIFT

It is a comprehensive thigh lift used for those who have excessive sagging skin within their thighs after obesity surgery.
A vertical incision, extending from the groin crease to the inner knee, is made.

SPIRAL THIGH LIFT

It shapes the front, back, inner and outer region of thighs.
An incision goes from below the buttock crease (infra-gluteal crease) and ends where the thigh and pubic areas join.

POSTERIOR THIGH LIFT
Also known as hip lift, posterior thigh lift helps to correct sagging, loose skin and excess fat deposits in the posterior region of the thighs
The procedure also improves the dimpled appearance in the back of the thighs.
The details of the posterior thigh lift surgery can change considerably, and the types of incisions vary from patient to patient according to the anatomy and surgical goals of the individual.

Post-bariatric aesthetics surgery includes a number of procedures to correct body contours of the patient after excessive weight loss.

The body contours of the patient may vary significantly after gastric bypass or other excess weight-loss types of surgery (sleeve gastrectomy). The skin may sag and may not adapt to the thin body structure. Facial weight loss can occur and stretch marks appear on the skin. There are various procedures for these problems. Some procedures can be combined for the patient to see the maximum benefit.

Post-bariatric aesthetics surgery can correct these aesthetic problems after successful weight loss. It can help the patient to achieve a body shape and a proportional appearance ideal for the new lifestyle.

Some post-bariatric procedures are as follows:
Breast Augmentation
Breast Lift
Breast Reduction
Gynecomastia (Male Breast Reduction) Surgery
Abdominoplasty / Tummy Tuck
Body Lift
Liposuction
Brachioplasty
Thigh Lift
Facelift

The skin is the largest organ in the body and has many purposes such as temperature regulation, protection against germs, feeling around and as a protective barrier. After being injured (through trauma, surgery or other causes), all skin heals as a scar. The appearance of a scar can range from being completely invisible to potentially creating a bad image. The amount of scarring is determined by the person’s age, heredity, skin characteristics (including pigmentation) and the wound size, depth, and location. A scar looks different when compared to the natural skin because the new scar tissue consists of different amounts of collagen and the other tissue material when compared to the normal skin. In some cases, skin trauma can result in hypertrophic or keloid scars that are large or even create a bad image.

In some patients, scars can naturally diminish over time, however, they never heal completely on their own. Scars can be almost unnoticeable and of no concern, or can be an extreme source of displeasure and concern to an individual. Thanks to advances in the field of plastic surgery, there are many treatment methods to treat these scars. Scar revision surgery can restore the function and correct skin changes caused by an injury, wound, or a previous surgery.

Just as wounds vary in terms of size, scope, depth, and location; the scars around them vary in similar ways. Scars may be raised or recessed, different in colour or texture from their surrounding healthy tissue, or particularly noticeable due to their size, shape, and/or location.

Scar revision is a procedure often performed locally. Recovery from the procedure is generally fast, and while your initial postoperative improvement will be dramatic, it may take months or even over a year to see the final improvement.

STEPS OF THE PROCEDURE

Scar revision procedures aim to minimize the appearance of the scar and make the surrounding skin tone and texture naturally undistinguishable. The general scar revision procedure involves the following steps:
Topical Treatments – Gels, tapes, or external compression can aid in wound closure and healing and can prevent the skin from producing irregular pigmentation and discoloration.
Injectable Treatments – Injectable products are often used to fill depressed or concave scars, and the results may last from three months to several years. Injectable treatments must be repeated periodically in order to maintain the beneficial results.
Surface Treatments – This approach is most often used to soften surface irregularities and reduce uneven pigmentation. Surface treatments such as dermabrasion, laser/light therapy, chemical peels, and skin bleaching agents are used to mechanically remove the top layers of skin or to improve the condition of the skin tissue.
Surgery – Surface and injectable treatments may not be sufficient to produce optimal results for particularly deep scars. For these scars, Başaran, MD may decide to incorporate surgical excision techniques, tissue expansion procedures, and/or skin grafting techniques into the scar revision treatment plan. These surgical techniques may be used on their own, or in conjunction with less invasive scar revision measures.