Some Notes in Regard to Tummy Tuck Surgery

Tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a surgery that has some pluses and some minuses. When compared to liposuction, on the plus side there is a tightness of the front of the tummy skin, and the surgeon is able to sometimes tighten the muscles underneath. After pregnancy, these muscles pull apart in a fashion that is sort of like felt. Felt would not shrink back or “rubber band” back into its original state, but instead stays loose. When the tummy tuck is performed, the muscles in the middle of the “six pack” can be laced together with permanent sutures, and therefore the pulled-apart middle can sometimes be repaired. On the other hand, if there is a great deal of fat underneath the muscle surrounding the stomach and other internal organs, it doesn’t work very well because it’s sort of like suturing a drum head.

The downsides of tummy tuck are as follows:

1. It’s quite a dangerous operation compared to anything else in cosmetic surgery. The fatality rate (death rate) is approximately 1 in 3000.

2. You end up with a huge (about two-and-a-half-feet long) scar.

3. The belly buttons postsurgery are often a bit unnatural or very unnatural looking.

4. Liposuction at the same time is not usually regarded as safe. The reason for this is that the blood vessels that supply the area of the abdominal skin that’s to be pulled town to meet the pubic bone can be easily compromised by liposuction, and so liposuction is usually done on another occasion many months separated from the tummy tuck.

5. Liposuction if done instead of the tummy tuck can often produce a great deal of skin shrinkage and a very satisfactory result, and a recovery which is very, very minimal compared to a tummy tuck, which generally has a painful and prolonged recovery.

Remember when thinking about your alternatives between tummy tuck and liposuction it’s not a clear “yes” and “no” answer in most cases. Tummy tucks are not for everyone, because of the risks, deformity of the scarring, and other factors. Think carefully about these issues, and although the risks associated with liposuction are modest, they are still a factor too. Use your best judgment and your doctor’s advice in regard to these issues.

Liposuction Revolution!

Sushi dinner in Hawaii

Did you know that finally there is a new machine that helps liposuction surgery? We have tried almost every single new device (laser, Vaser, “Smart” Lipo, etc. etc) over the years, and they have provided minimal improvements at best. They just weren’t worth buying because they didn’t work. Since our experience extends over almost 20 years and 10,000 cases we knew they didn’t work.

Now, we have the new Power X® liposuction machine. It is a refinement of a patented design that has been around for almost a decade. The old machine broke down, and worked just a little, but the new one has been completely re-engineered by a new company and we bought one the first day we tried it. I do not spend money on devices that don’t work. Every fool and his mother is trying to sell me something because they believe we are a gold mine and foolish enough to buy any type of medical device.

This thing safely speeds the procedure up. We think we are spending 1/3 less time on liposuction; in other words, you need half the medication you would have used with the manual systems. Anesthesia medications are the most dangerous thing in the operating room, as they have the potential to cause you not only discomfort post operatively, but problems during surgery, sometimes serious ones. We have to watch carefully during the procedure to be sure you don’t get too much medication.

An additional benefit: we think it helps prevent some of the irregularities in skin quality that inevitably occur after some liposuction procedures. AND we have seen no more complications or problems post operatively than we had before.

Don’t be fooled: our experience still means a lot. Surgeons can’t start out and get great results because they have this machine. We still need all our expertise. But we think this device will improve our results, your postoperative experience, and our overall safety.

Call our office today to see how you can benefit from the LIPOSUCTION REVOLUTION!

Wonderful New Device Has Been Invented to Improve Liposuction Results

Have you heard of the abrasive cannula that is used by all the advanced liposuction surgeons these days? This cannula helps us spread the fat around and make the surface much more even after liposuction. What we do is at the beginning of the case, we use this special instrument in order to abrade and loosen the fat after insertion of the local anesthetic. Then the fat is suctioned and the patient is checked while standing. Any areas that are improper or irregular are marked with a sterile Sharpie marker and the patient is then put back on the operating table and sedated again so they don't remember or feel anything during the case.

The special cannula is again used and sometimes a bit more suctioning is performed. After this, foam and the specially designed compression garment is applied and the patient is allowed to wake up and given fluid to recover. 

We hope this detail isn't too technical for you. Some patients would rather not hear about it, but we think that this helps some people learn more and understand more and have a better feel for what is happening during surgery.

X Marks the Spot:  A New Gynecomastia or "Man Boob" Removal Technique

Dr. Yoho recently attended a medical conference for advanced cosmetic surgery in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There he learned an excellent technique for improving the results in gynecomastia surgery. Dr. Blugerman, just like Dr. Yoho, aggressively liposuctions the area around the problem using a special local anesthetic. After this is performed, instead of making an incision in the lower part of the nipple of the areola right at the junction of the skin, an X is incised right through the middle of the nipple areolar area. Oddly enough, these come together and look fantastic after the surgery, rarely causing problems of any kind, and in most cases making much smaller incisions and leaving no scars.

That said, remember that fluid buildup and sometimes a little bleeding into the area is not that uncommon with gynecomastia surgery. Be prepared to follow up closely with Dr. Yoho when you have your "man boob" improvement procedure, because occasionally this fluid needs to be removed postoperatively in order to get the best result possible and avoid complications such as infection.

Dr. Yoho Performs Pure Local Anesthetic Liposuction Too

Dr. Yoho on the edge

Although most of our patients like some sort of light sedation, we can do breast augmentation, liposuction, and eyelid procedures with pure local anesthetic. We often will give a relaxation pill prior to this, but local anesthetic does the job, and if you’re a calm and relaxed individual who doesn’t want any intravenous medicine, we’re certainly happy to help you using the pure local anesthetic liposuction technique. A few of our patients choose this method, and we can make you perfectly comfortable with it. It does take a little bit of talking during the procedure and hand-holding, but pain isn’t a significant problem at all; in fact, most of our patients have no pain and are able to go home almost immediately after the procedure is complete. Please let us know if this is what you want and we’ll be happy to oblige you.

Patient Describes Liposuction, Blepharoplasty, Cheek Implants, and Tummy Tuck

Patient: About 25 or 26 years ago, I had a tummy tuck by another surgeon: it was the one where they cut you and has the scar. I was unhappy with it. I did not like the scar. The scar went from hip to hip plus I developed keloids too from it. I went all these years unhappy and then about 12 years ago, liposuction. became popular and I decided to come see you, Dr. Yoho about it and the first thing you did, which I loved was you put me in a room and I watched the video. I watched the video with the old-fashioned tummy tuck and with the liposuction With the liposuction, there were no scars just a little needle marks and that was it. As soon I saw that, I said this is it and I noticed the difference in the body, which I felt that with the other surgery I am looking more like a square where this surgery it was contoured toward the body more. So I signed up immediately to have you do it for me and the reason I took me so long was because like I said I thought this was for rich people only and I was surprised that the prices and everything else. I had it done on a Wednesday and by Friday I was out with my girlfriend shopping for some new tops because my other tops were too big already. It was amazing. It totally amazed me. Then my girlfriend named ---------, she was so amazed with it that she was probably the largest case you did as I recall it that time and she had the same thing done. We were just flabbergasted with it. Then I came back later and I had these lumps where when I put my bra on I had these lumps behind my bra straps that bothered me. I came and you got rid of those for me so when I put on a dress it was nice and flat, I did not have all these little lumps. Then you did my cheekbones. I did not have this all at ones. This is like 3 to 5 years later. Because my face, I was tired or people asking me if I was tired and I would say no I am not tired. My face was flat. There was no shape to it. So of course, you did my cheekbones and I am crazy about it. I think you did one more thing for me. I think it was around … I know you did 1 more thing. I hope it was my eyes or … Oh yes you did. I think you did the bags under my eyes also. It just makes me feel better. The older I get, I feel better. I have a very loving husband. He loves me the way I am, but it makes me feel good and makes me happy. If it makes me happy, it makes them happy.I trust you. I love the work you do. You have done my daughter’s breasts, you did a friend of ours, ---------- breast, you did my friend, ------------- and she was the largest case you ever did, I remember that. If you ever look up your chart, her name is ---------- and I think you even used it at one of your lectures.

Dr. Yoho has patients come from all over Southern California to have their appearance improved with our special surgical technique. Our Cosmetic Surgery center in Pasadena, California specializes primarily in Los Angeles Cosmetic Surgery including breast augmentation Los Angeles, liposuction Los Angeles, tummy tucks Los Angeles, cosmetic facelift Los Angeles, forehead lift, Chin and jowl liposuction, Eyelid Surgery Los Angeles and other body contouring procedures. The center is lead by expert Los Angeles Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Yoho, who has passed the Boards in Cosmetic Surgery and is dedicated to providing high quality yet affordable cosmetic surgery options for his patients and being the best cosmetic surgeon in Los Angeles, Glendale, Pasadena, and Beverly Hills.