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Posted by Dr. Hardesty
Posted by Dr. Hardesty
Posted by Dr. Hardesty
Online Rhinoplasty Self-Evaluation Tool – Click Here
Rhinoplasty or “nose job” is a surgery that changes the shape and appearance of the nose. The “tipping point” for a decision to undergo a rhinoplasty procedure is usually when the individual reaches a point where the change in the appearance of the nose, improve breathing or both have been made out of necessity or self-improvement. Rhinoplasty procedures are designed to refine a normally functional nose, repair deformities from an injury, correct a birth defect or improve breathing difficulties.
Depending on the desired appearance and underlying structure various rhinoplasty techniques can change the size, shape, and proportions of one’s nose while improving or maintaining breathing resulting in a natural appearance and a more functional nose. Based on a nasal examination, your anatomy and your desires a plan will be made to alter the structure of the nose. The four main structural components are:
All are covered by nasal skin or nasal lining. Rhinoplasty or “nose job”, when needed can change the bone, cartilage, and skin. There are several different techniques that can be utilized for each of the components above depending on the desired appearance and breathing findings.
Rhinoplasty is not a “cookie-cutter” operation. However, once the plan is made an ordered series of steps will be taken to achieve the desired results. Each surgery is unique and customized for the specific anatomy and goals of the person having the surgery. Realistic expectations are paramount for understanding what can and can’t be accomplished based on one’s wishes and your anatomy. The following will explain the usual steps taken and the process to reach one’s desired goal.
Before performing a rhinoplasty, you will meet with Dr. Hardesty, a highly experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, to discuss important factors that determine whether a rhinoplasty is likely to reach your goals. Since this is a surgical procedure, a thorough understanding of your current and past medical condition(s) is important and necessary.
Your expectations: Dr. Hardesty will listen and discuss your motivations and expectations. It’s normal to feel self-conscious discussing your appearance, however, it’s very important that you’re open with Dr. Hardesty about your desires and goals for surgery.
Your goals: The most important question Dr. Hardesty will ask you is about your expectations for surgery and your goals. Please be ready to be as specific as you can be.
Your medical history: Dr. Hardesty will ask questions about your medical history which includes your history of any allergies, medications you take and a history of nasal obstruction and surgeries.
A physical exam: Dr. Hardesty will conduct a physical examination. He will examine your facial features and the inside and outside of your nose. The physical examination is critical and helps Dr. Hardesty will determine what changes need to be made and how your physical features such as the thickness of your skin, the current structure of the cartilage at the end of your nose and internal position/shape of the nasal septum.
Photographs: The staff at Dr. Hardesty’s office will take standardized photographs of your nose and face from different angles. Most importantly, the photos allow for a specific discussion about your current anatomy, appearance and the goals you have
Additional and additive procedures: If you have a small chin, Dr. Hardesty, may recommend an additional surgery to augment your chin. This is because a small chin will create the illusion of a larger nose. It’s not required to have chin surgery however it may better balance the facial profile. Occasionally the base of the nose will be narrowed by removing small slices of nostril tissue called a Weir wedge will bring the nose into better balance
The plan: Having obtained the needed information, Dr. Hardesty will discuss “realistic” expectations. He will explain what rhinoplasty can and can’t do for. Based on the above Dr. Hardesty will formulate a surgical plan.
Depending on what is needed to reach your goals, the rhinoplasty procedure can be performed under local anesthesia with/without sedation or general anesthesia. This decision will depend on how complex your surgery and what needs to be done based on your desires.
The access incision may be made inside your nose, through a small external incision at the columella of your nose (the skin between your nostrils) or both. Dr. Hardesty will change the shape of your nasal bones or cartilage in several ways, depending on how much needs to be removed or added, your nose’s structure, and available materials.
As with any surgery there are always general risks of rhinoplasty, these unglued but not limited to:
Some rare, but still possible risks specific to rhinoplasty include but are not limited to:
After the surgery, you’ll be in a recovery room, where the staff monitors your return to wakefulness. You might leave later that day or, if you have other health issues, you might stay overnight. You will need to arrange for someone to drive you home if you’re having outpatient surgery.
For the first few days after anesthesia, you may have memory lapses, slowed reaction time and impaired judgment. So, arrange for a family member or friend to stay with you a night or two to help with personal care tasks as you recover from surgery.
Slight bleeding and drainage of mucus and old blood are common for a few days after the surgery or after removing the dressing. A “drip pad”, a small piece of gauze held in place with tape will be placed under your nose to absorb drainage. Change the gauze as becomes saturated.
In most cases, an external splint will be placed. It will be removed on the 10th day after surgery. If a septoplasty is performed a thin internal splint with small incorporate breathing tubes will remain in place for seven days after surgery. After the external splint is removed Dr. Hardesty will show you how to tape your nose for protection and support. Fortunately, “nasal packing” rarely has to be utilized in modern rhinoplasty surgery.
After the surgery, you need to rest in bed with your head raised higher than your chest, to reduce bleeding and swelling. Your nose may be congested because of swelling or from the thin internal splints placed inside your nose during surgery. Some temporary swelling or black-and-blue discoloration of your eyelids can occur for several weeks after nasal surgery. After the external splint is removed you will immediately see a difference in the nasal shape and look. Complete resolvement of subtle swelling of the nose takes longer to resolve.
Very slight changes to the structure of your nose, often measured in millimeters, can make a large difference in how your nose looks. Most of the time, an experienced Plastic Surgeon such as Dr. Hardesty can attain results that both of you are satisfied with. Your nose changes throughout your life whether you have surgery or not. For this reason, it’s difficult to say when you have obtained your “final result.” The majority of swelling usually resolves in weeks to months. However, in most, positive subtle changes continue swelling resolves within a year.
However, in some cases, the changes aren’t enough, and you and Dr. Hardesty might decide to perform a second surgery for further changes. If this is the case, you must wait at least a year for the follow-up surgery, because your nose can go through changes during this time.
Alternatives to a surgical procedure include injecting “fillers” to fill in depressions, add balance and disguise minor irregularities.
The fees are based on the anesthesia used (local vs sedation or general anesthesia), the facility (minor surgical suite, outpatient operating room or hospital setting) and if combined with other procedures. All pre and post-operative care are included. Some preoperative laboratory analysis may be required (usually covered by your medical insurance). To view a more detailed guide to pricing click here.
Please click here to find answers to commonly asked questions about rhinoplasty, septoplasty and turbinate reduction.
Rhinoplasty or “nose job” surgery performed for cosmetic Improvement or functional improvement of breathing has high-level satisfaction for both the patient and the Plastic Surgeon.
The most important factor to consider is seeking the opinion and services of a skilled, experienced and Board Certified Plastic Surgeon such as Dr. Hardesty who is an expert in rhinoplasty techniques. The Imagine Plastic Surgery team uniquely provides the full array of both nonsurgical and surgical alternatives to rhinoplasty thus filling our motto of “One Goal, Many Options”. For more information, call and schedule a consultation.
Since 2003 the Staff of Imagine Plastic Surgery has provided comprehensive Cosmetic Plastic Surgery services and procedures for the many communities of the greater Inland Empire, California including but limited to Riverside, Redlands, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Corona, Upland, Chino Hills, Temecula, Murrieta, Clairemont, the High Desert Cities of Victorville and Apple Valley.
Plan to take a week to 10 days off from work, school or other obligations. You will feel progressively better each day during the first week. Several days after surgery, rhinoplasty patients usually feel like they are themselves again. After surgery, there will be some normal and anticipated swelling and bruising. The majority of the surgical swelling and bruising has resolved in a week’s time. Most patients are usually back to performing routine daily activities after a week and resuming all activities after two to four weeks.
Highly unlikely. It is unheard for the insurance company to pay for a cosmetic rhinoplasty. However, if you are having functional breathing problems some insurance companies will cover the expenses for the septoplasty or turbinate reduction portion of the surgical procedure, but it depends on the insurance policy.
The cost of a rhinoplasty depends on several factors, including the complexity of the surgery, the surgeon’s training and experience, and geography. Please see our blog on “Costs.”
Not for most people. Most patients complain more of discomfort that is readily relieved by pain pills. One day after surgery, most people rate their pain between 0 and 4 out of 10.
No. Packing can be very uncomfortable. If you have undergone a septoplasty or turbinate reduction, you’ll likely have some soft thin splints in your nose. These splints have a hole in them to make it possible to breathe through them. They are easily removed at the one-week visit.
Some bruising is common. You will be given anti-swelling and bruising medication. If you do have some minor bruising, it usually lasts a week or so.
Posted by Dr. Hardesty
Unfortunately, despite the best efforts with diet and exercise many people still experience stubborn pockets of fat on their abdomens. This can happen because of stubborn fat that is natural or left-over from pregnancy. Whatever the reason, a tummy tuck is designed to help solve this problem.
There are three main modalities and various techniques that one can use to deal with unwanted diet-resistant tummy or abdominal fat.
The “Best” treatment for abdominal contour rejuvenation or restoration depends on and is determined by a personal exam, your desires, discussion of the benefits and the limitations of the technology, and procedure(s) available. Abdominal contouring can be accomplished using a combination of various procedures and technologies. We here at Imagine Plastic Surgery refer to this as “One goal, Many Options”.
Often a combination of non-surgical, surgical technologies and minimally invasive procedures are used in conjunction to attain a superior result than if only one technique was used alone. When using multiple modalities to contour the abdomen Dr. Hardesty refers to this combination of treatments as “Synergy”.
There are various technologies that are non-surgical fat reduction/removal and they include but are not limited to:
After trying and comparing CoolSculpting and UltraShape Plus, I personally found the UltraShape Plus was a superior technology. UltraShape Plus was painless compared to CoolSculpting and didn’t leave numb areas, demonstrated similar or often better results, and took less time to perform. I also tried Zerona and unfortunately was not impressed with the results. Thus, I most often use a combination of Ultrashape Plus and Vellashape III (RF=radio frequency) to shrink the skin after Ultrashape Plus for most of my non-surgical fat reduction body contouring. Thermi (Injectable RF) and/or Kybella, is reserved for those patients with smaller isolated areas of diet-resistant fat, who after discussion would like a non-surgical alternative.
Liposuction is the favored treatment for isolated diet resident fat removal of the abdominal wall when there is not abdominal wall muscle separation (diastasis recti) and excess loose skin.
There are various types of liposuction technologies including but not limited to:
They are all effective and are secondary to the experience of the Plastic Surgeon within the liposuction technology. In addition to liposculpting, many of us have added non-surgical methods “to shrink skin” after liposculpture using Radio Frequency (RF) devices. Two such devices I personally use are Vellashape III and Thermi Tight, in conjunction with liposuction to reduce the deflated postoperative lax skin.
Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is considered the “gold standard” for abdominal contour restoration after pregnancy or weight loss. Why? Because it addresses all the common causes of the “Mommy bump”. The abdominoplasty will be tailored to your anatomical needs.
There are five types of abdominoplasties that can be performed depending on your anatomy, amount of stretched and excess skin.
In addition, Dr. Hardesty includes in all his tummy tucks:
The various types of abdominoplasty are listed below and based mainly based on your physical findings and your goals the most appropriate technique will be recommended.
Each of the above categories (and the various subgroups) have their own specific benefits and limitations and need a personal examination and discussion of them. However, in general, and when comparing to non-surgical or liposuction abdominoplasty can be characterized as:
For additional information please see our Frequently Asked Question Section (FAQ).
Each of the above categories have their benefits and limitations and need/ require a personal examination and discussion. With an experienced Plastic Surgeon, such as Dr. Hardesty to determine what procedure(s) are best to reach your goals and desires.
The fees are based on the anesthesia used (local vs sedation or general anesthesia), the facility (minor surgical suite, outpatient operating room or hospital setting) and if combined with other procedures. All pre and post-operative care are included. Some preoperative laboratory analysis may be required (usually covered by your medical insurance).
Refer to cosmetic surgery pricing for a more detailed overview of our costs and fees.
The most important factor to consider is seeking the opinion and services of a skilled, experienced and Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon who are experts in non-surgical techniques. The Imagine Plastic Surgery team uniquely provides the full array of both non-surgical and surgical alternatives to abdominal wall fat reduction and rejuvenation thus filling our motto of “One Goal, Many Options”. For more information, call and schedule a consultation.
Posted by Dr. Hardesty
Online Otoplasty Self Evaluation Click Here
Otoplasty or “ear pinning” is one the most satisfying and highly rated procedure for both the patient and the Plastic Surgeon.
When surgery is over:
Average cost of popular Plastic Surgery Procedures Blog Contents: I. “COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES” II. TOTAL COSTS III. SOURCES OF PUBLISHED COSTS As in life, decisions are made on multitude of data points and an obvious one is total costs and fees. If you are buying an auto, you can easily compare similar models and […]
READ FULL BLOG POSTThe fees are based on the anesthesia used (local vs sedation or general anesthesia), the facility (minor surgical suite, outpatient operating room, or hospital setting), and if combined with other procedures. All pre and post-operative care are included. Some preoperative laboratory analysis may be required (usually covered by your medical insurance).
Otoplasty or “ear pinning” surgery is very gratifying to both the Plastic Surgeon and the patient. When the instructions have followed the complication, the rate is low.
The most important factor to consider is seeking the opinion and services of a skilled, experienced, and Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon who are an expert in otoplasty or ear pinning techniques. The Imagine Plastic Surgery team uniquely provides the full array of both non-surgical and surgical alternatives thus, filling our motto of “One Goal, Many Options”. For more information, call and schedule a consultation.
Posted by Dr. Hardesty
Now that the mommy makeover procedure is complete and you are in the recovery room, you may be wondering, “what should I plan for and what should I expect?” The common questions and normal recovery process will be discussed, but here is what you can plan for:
– you will be given TED (thrombo emboli device) hose, and
– You will be sent home with a portable and rechargeable Sequential Compression Device (SCD) to be used for two weeks after surgery. Get out of bed and walk around the house every 1-2 hours while not sleeping. Leave SCD’s on while sleeping or resting for the next two weeks.
Since the natural action of a subpectoral breast implantation to push the newly placed implants “up and put” instead of the usually desired placement of implants “down and in” (natural position with more cleavage).
The “Mommy Makeover” is a term often referred to as a combination of breast and abdominal procedures usually consisting of a Breast Augmentation, Mastopexy, and Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).
It also has one of the highest satisfaction rates of all Cosmetic Surgery. I hope these suggestions make your recovery a little easier as you reach your aesthetic goals.
The fees are based on the anesthesia used (local vs sedation or general anesthesia), the facility (minor surgical suite, outpatient operating room or hospital setting) and if combined with other procedures. All pre and post-operative care is included. Some preoperative laboratory analysis may be required (usually covered by your medical insurance).
The most important factor to consider is seeking the opinion and services of a skilled, experienced and Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who are experts in “Mommy Makeover” techniques. The Imagine Plastic Surgery team uniquely provides the full array of both non-surgical and surgical alternatives to thus filling our motto of “One Goal, Many Options”. For more information, call and schedule a consultation.
Posted by Dr. Hardesty
A “Mommy Makeover” is often referred to as a combination of breast and abdominal procedures usually consisting of a Breast Augmentation, Mastopexy, and Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).
Now that the decision is made, a detailed preparation plan will reduce complications, provide for realistic expectations and improve the entire experience. The following is what my staff and I will review with you again in detail prior to your Mommy Makeover surgery.
I trust you will find the following helpful as you prepare for your “Mommy Makeover”.
Please see and click on our champion blog in the title:
MOMMY MAKEOVER RECOVERY AFTER SURGERY: WHAT TO EXPECT AND PLAN FOR
The fees are based on the anesthesia used (local vs sedation or general anesthesia), the facility (minor surgical suite, outpatient operating room or hospital setting) and if combined with other procedures. All pre and post-operative care are included. Some preoperative laboratory analysis may be required (usually covered by your medical insurance). Please see our blog on “Costs of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery”.
The most important factor to consider is seeking the opinion and services of a skilled, experienced and Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon who are experts in “Mommy Make-Over” techniques. The Imagine Plastic Surgery team uniquely provides the full array of both non-surgical and surgical alternatives to “Mommy Make-Overs”, thus filling our motto of “One Goal, Many Options”. For more information, call and schedule a consultation.
Posted by Dr. Hardesty
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery is “want to have” and “not need to have” surgery. Thus, unfortunately not all patients may qualify based on their general health, associated medical conditions or medications they take.
Surgical procedures and administration of anesthesia are in general quite safe and considered low risk based on the newest and “state of the art” intraoperative monitoring technologies. However any surgical procedure regardless if it is for cosmetic improvement or required for a life threatening cause does have inherent risks. The risks are associated with the normal response ones body experiences based on its condition and health limitations.
The common risks of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery are mostly proportional to the type of anesthesia, the invasiveness of the surgery, the total operating time, amount of intraoperative blood loss, age, weight of the patient and the degree of postoperative pain.
Thus, we believe it is paramount and is well recognized that safe, efficient surgical procedure and anesthesia requires a patient who’s health is optimized. Thus a “cookie cutter” approach to evaluate patients perioperative risks is not in the best interest of prospective surgical patient. A customized preoperative evaluation based on the patients known medical history, physical exam and laboratory data. The other variables stated above will determine the extent of additional consulting and laboratory testing.
The overall risk for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and (all be it a small incidence) related complications depends on individual factors and the type of surgical procedure. For example, advanced age and/or weight places a patient at increased risk for post surgical problems. Why? The reason: simply stated the older and heavier we get the greater the chance of having medical problems.
In general (and accepted medical standards) are those individuals that are in good health, normal BMI (weight) and under the age of 45 and without medical problems may only need a basic a medical review and labs.
In contrast patients over age 45, those with medical conditions (regardless of age) and morbid obesity are recommended for a more extensive evaluation, also known as a medical “clearance” and recommendations to optimize the prospective patients safety of the procedure.
The overall risk for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery related complications depends on:
For example, advanced age places a patient at increased risk for complications. The reason for an age-related increase in surgical complications appears to correlate with an increased likelihood of underlying disease states in older persons. Diseases associated with an increased risk for surgical complications include respiratory and cardiac disease, malnutrition and diabetes mellitus.
Likewise, being overweight (a BMI over 30) incrementally increases the complication rate secondary to weight associated cardiac and pulmonary (lung) problems.
While the above increases (all be it small) risks, we believe here at Imagine Plastic Surgery, it is better to understand and make decisions on how to proceed with Cosmetic Plastic Surgery based on a complete preoperative evaluation rather than just guess work, luck and hope.
Thus when indicated, regardless of age, weight,medical conditions or medications …consultations with additional and appropriate medical providers and laboratory evaluations should be obtained preoperatively to diagnosis, improve and optimize the patient’s health prior to surgery. These consultations should ideally not be done in a “last second” fashion.
The ultimate goals of preoperative medical assessment (regardless of age) are to:
It is important to realize that “perioperative” risk for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery is multifactorial and is a combination of but not limited to:
Part 1: What does it take to become a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon I am often asked by friends, patients and those interested on how one becomes a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. How to choose The Best/Top Plastic Surgeon and what questions to ask during a consultation. Thus, I have created a 3 part document addressing […]
READ FULL BLOG POSTThe Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in San Bernardino will begin by reviewing of your general medical health and other related conditions and performing a “specific and focused history and exam” of the particular anatomical area where desired cosmetic improvement is desired.
If Cosmetic Plastic Surgery is indicated, and in my practice here at Imagine Plastic Surgery, for those patients over age 45 or those (regardless of age) with significant medical history it will be required that a primary care giver or the patients specialists evaluate the overall medical condition of the patient and make any recommendations to optimize the surgical outcome prior to surgery.
The medical history is key and should include a past and current medical history, a surgical history, a family history, a social history (use of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs), a history of allergies, current and recent medication therapy, unusual reactions or responses to drugs, previous surgeries, and any personal problems or complications associated with previous anesthetics. In addition,
A family history of adverse reactions associated with anesthesia should also be obtained such as malignant hyperthermia.
The history should include a review of systems to include diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are the most relevant in respect of fitness for anesthesia and cosmetic Plastic Surgery.
Should any unexpected findings have occurred or are found it is recommended that they be further investigated prior to surgery.
The physical examination should build on the information gathered during the history taking.
At a minimum, vital signs should be recorded and a focused preanesthesia physical examination performed, which includes an assessment of the airway, lungs and heart. Any unexpected and abnormal findings on the physical examination should be investigated further before elective surgery.
It is generally accepted that the clinical history and physical examination represent the best method of screening for the presence of disease. Extensive laboratory tests in patients who are apparently healthy on clinical examination and by their past medical history have not been found to be beneficial or cost effective.
Specific laboratory analysis should be ordered based on information obtained from the history and physical exam, the age of the patient and the complexity of the surgical procedure.
Specifically, besides a basic hemoglobin/hematocrit additional laboratory investigations should only be ordered only when indicated by the patient’s age, medical status, drug therapy, the complexity or the nature of the proposed procedure. Extensive laboratory testing had not been found to medically necessary or helpful on a routine basis.
However additional and specific laboratory tests may be ordered based on information obtained from the history and physical exam.
Thus when indicated additional testing when completed and evaluated may clarify and help provide data for planning and optimizing one’s health prior to a surgical procedure.
Taken as a whole, these above factors will help indicate and decide if the proposed surgeries risks are outweighed by the benefits.
I often quote “I earn my living by operating and my reputation by not”.
When indicated and upon receiving the above consultative services and laboratory tests are obtained and recommendations are made, I optimally will then meet several weeks prior to surgery to discuss the above findings with the patient in a non rushed appointment.
Taken as a whole, these factors (patients medical history, physical exam, laboratory investigation and consultative opinions) will help indicate and decide if surgery risks are outweighed by the benefits.
If we agree (patient and me) that that the benefits out weigh the known risks, complications and the patient has read and signed the consent forms for their Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, and only then, will we proceed with the elective, Cosmetic Plastic Surgery procedure.
"After research and meeting with several Doctors I made the right choice when I decided to go with Imagine Plastic Surgery and Dr. Hardesty. He was very informative and I knew he had my best interest when it came to my procedure. The staff is also awesome! They are so nice and make you feel so comfortable. I will continue to use him for any future needs!" -Verified Google Review
I believe the preoperative chart should include:
All patients should undergo a “basic” preoperative evaluation and for those over the age of 45 or medical conditions a more extensive preoperative clearance, carried out in a timely preoperative manner, the results reviewed, the risks and benefits discussed in detail. If the determination is made to go forward with surgery, one can rest assured that a systematic and careful evaluation was completed and the needed information obtained to make a informed decision of the surgical risks and benefits of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery outlay the risks.
While there is never a 100% guarantee of anything in life, however based on the preoperative evaluation and optimization of ones health status that a expected, safe, successful, unremarkable Cosmetic Plastic Surgical procedure and recovery will be follow.
In addition to the safety, a careful preoperative evaluation can result in additional benefits: reduction of costs, avoidance of hospital admission or shortened hospital stay, reduction or cancellations and increase of the patient awareness of surgery and satisfaction.
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery procedures are safe, predictable and rewarding surgical endeavors with highly satisfied patient results.
The most important factor to consider is seeking the opinion and services of a skilled, experienced, record of safety and Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who are experts in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery techniques. The Imagine Plastic Surgery team uniquely provides the full array of both non surgical and surgical alternatives., thus filling our motto of “One Goal, Many Options”. For more information, call and schedule a consultation.
Posted by Dr. Hardesty
Having children is a joyous experience, however, many mothers are left with unwanted changes to their bodies for years to come. After pregnancy and breastfeeding, the entire body can be affected. However, with a mommy makeover, Dr. Hardesty can perform several plastic surgery procedures at once in order to help you restore your pre-baby body and confidence! The mommy makeover is highly customizable, but here are some of the most common procedures to include:
The abdominal area is one part of the body that is highly affected by pregnancy, as it stretches to make room for your growing baby. However, after childbirth, you may have a hard time restoring your midsection despite dieting and exercise. With a tummy tuck included in your mommy makeover, Dr. Hardesty can remove stretched skin and tighten the underlying tissue to help you achieve a toned appearance. There are some potential risks, however, we offer techniques to reduce tummy tuck risks.
Weight gain is essential during pregnancy, but after childbirth, you may experience lingering pockets of stubborn fat. This is why many women add liposuction to their mommy makeover procedure. Liposuction can be used on virtually any part of the body and can be used to optimize the results of other contouring procedures. Using tiny incisions and the use of a cannula, stubborn fat is removed for precise contouring.
The breasts are another area highly affected by pregnancy and breastfeeding. Many women experience some volume loss and sagging that can be addressed with a breast augmentation. The breast augmentation provides breast implant options to restore breast size, shape, and symmetry.
Your breasts become larger during the pregnancy process, and for some, their natural breast size is never restored. Following pregnancy, some patients wonder how to reduce breast size. With a breast reduction, we recontour the breasts to achieve a more balanced figure.
The breast lift can be performed alone to address sagging, or can be combined with the breast augmentation or reduction. With a breast lift, Dr. Hardesty returns the breasts to a youthful position, removing excess skin to eliminate sagging.
Ready to restore your pre-baby body and confidence? Contact Riverside plastic surgeon Dr. Hardesty today to get started on your customized mommy makeover and schedule a consultation!
Posted by Dr. Hardesty
A big part of aging is losing skin elasticity which causes the skin to sag. This happens to everybody in different areas of the body. Having sagging skin on your arms can make wearing short sleeves seem unwelcoming. Any loose skin can be uncomfortable or embarrassing for people, but especially on noticeable areas such as the arms. That is why many people opt to get an arm lift. Arm lift surgery is designed to remove excess skin and fat on the upper arms while tightening the skin for a slimmer look.
Sagging skin on the arm can be the result of aging skin, weight floss, major weight fluctuations, or just plain genetics. The arm lift procedure helps to sculpt the arms by removing the excess skin and fat the arm and tightening the rest. The methods used by Dr. Hardesty at Imagine Plastic Surgery have been proven to be beneficial with unmatched results. He offers his patients many different arm lift options to give them the sculpted appearance that they desire. This ensures Dr. Hardesty’s motto of, “One Goal, Many Options.”
The arm lift technique will change depending on how much sagging skin needs to be removed and what results you are looking to obtain. Though each procedure varies, there are generalities that you can expect to go through during your arm lift. Arm lifts are typically done under general anesthesia. The procedure generally lasts about two hours where the surgeon will remove some fat and skin from the upper arm area through an incision near the elbow or near the armpit. If patients have minimal sagging skin, then liposuction can be a good option to get rid of excess fat and flabby skin.
After the body enhancement procedure, it is normal that your arms may feel tight and sore. You may be fitted with a compression garment to help with swelling following the surgery. These compression garments may be worn up to 6 weeks. It is imperative that you take the proper time to heal. You should be mindful that you will need to take a few days off of work. Most patients can return to non-strenuous activity between one week and ten days, but strenuous activity and exercise should not be resumed for about 6 weeks. There will be some scarring, but Dr. Hardesty has an anti-scar program which can help improve the look of scars. Your arms will be slim, sculpted, and youthful with one of Dr. Hardesty’s arm lift techniques.
To learn more about the arm lift surgery and the options we have available click here. Dr. Hardesty is a highly sought-after plastic surgeon working in Riverside, California where he helps patients reach their aesthetic goals through his many different surgical, non-surgical, and minimally invasive options. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Hardesty today.
At Imagine Plastic Surgery, we offer a variety a different procedures that all vary in prices. We strive in being transparent to all potential patients and being up front with how much our services may cost. For more information regarding the costs and prices, visit our plastic surgery prices page!
COST OF PLASTIC SURGERY