Sometimes, you can eat right, exercise often, be at or slightly over your ideal body weight, and still have certain areas on your body that are resistant to your healthy efforts. These trouble areas may include stubborn pockets of fat under the skin in your midsection, thighs, hips, buttocks, back, upper arms or even neck area. Perhaps you are troubled by lax, excess skin throughout the abdominal area, or you have greatly weakened or separated abdominal muscles. Or, maybe you have excess skin that has lost its elasticity elsewhere on your body.

Whatever the case, there is a body contouring cosmetic surgery that can help. Here is a general overview of the body contouring procedures that Portland plastic surgery expert Dr. Michael Bohley offers.

Liposuction

Dr. Bohley performs liposuction surgery to eliminate unwanted pockets of fat from nearly any part of the body. During liposuction, Dr. Bohley uses a thin, hollow tube called a cannula to remove fat from under the skin.

In general, liposuction is a good plastic surgery option for those who are in good overall physical and mental health; are at or just over their ideal body weight but have stubborn fat pockets that are resistant to a healthful diet and exercise; and are at a weight that they feel they can maintain following the procedure. Most importantly, suitable liposuction candidates have sound skin elasticity that will bounce back after surgery.

Tummy Tuck

Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck surgery) may be beneficial for those who have extra skin that has lost its elasticity throughout their midsection, and/or severely weakened (and possibly separated) abdominal muscles. These changes in the abdominal area can occur due to major weight loss, pregnancy or other factors, such as the natural aging process.

During tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Bohley makes a horizontal incision across the lower abdomen, from hip bone to hip bone, in an area that is concealed by the underwear or bikini line. He then repairs weakened stomach muscles before eliminating excess skin from the area. He re-drapes the remaining skin and repositions the navel to align with the new abdominal profile before closing the incision. Although the incision is significant, most tummy tuck patients feel that it is a fair trade for the appearance of six pack abs following tummy tuck.

Body Lift

Those who have extra skin that has lost its elasticity in other areas of the body, such as the thighs, may benefit from body lift or thigh lift plastic surgery. With body lift or thigh lift, Dr. Bohley surgically removes lax, excess skin from an area other than the midsection. Typically, suitable candidates for body lift or thigh lift have lost a major amount of weight, resulting in sagging skin that no longer re-forms to the patient’s fitter figure.

Mommy Makeover

Dr. Bohley provides mommy makeover cosmetic surgery to give moms their pre-baby body back. Pregnancy can cause abdominal muscles to separate or severely weaken. It can leave moms with lax, sagging skin throughout the midsection. In addition, nursing may cause breasts to droop, look deflated like a pancake or shrink in size. Dr. Bohley can address all these concerns with mommy makeover surgery, which is actually a combination of surgery techniques, usually tummy tuck surgery, breast lift, and breast augmentation, and sometimes thigh lift surgery.

To schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Bohley to learn more about your body contouring plastic surgery options, please contact Dr. Bohley Cosmetic Surgery by calling (503) 253-3458 today.