Pills, creams, fat transfer, and vacuum bras are some of the available non-surgical methods for breast augmentation—but do they work? “Breast enhancement” pills typically contain estrogen, which may cause breast swelling, but the effect isn’t permanent. Creams that contain herbs are said to stimulate the body’s estrogen production, initiating the same effect as the pills. The problem arises that the effect (if there is one) goes away as soon as you stop the treatment, and altering your hormones can cause negative side-effects.

What about vacuum bras? Vacuum bras work by gently pulling on the breast tissue, which is said to stimulate cell growth and thereby slightly increase breast size. While the procedure may have some science behind it, it’s too soon to say that it is a long-lasting and viable alternative to surgical breast augmentation.

What about fat transfer? Fat transfer has been discussed recently among plastic surgeons in New Orleans, Mandeville, and across the US because there has been new evidence to suggest fat transfer may be a viable solution to breast enlargement; however, the results to date have been inconclusive, and enlargement is typically limited to a cup size or less.

Women who are looking for a permanent and predictable increase in breast volume are safer spending their money on surgical breast augmentation in the New Orleans area. It is the only lasting solution that produces consistent results after surgery. Implants are rated for safety and can last for many years before needing to be replaced.

The goal of any plastic surgery procedure is to improve the life of the patient. Whether the procedure is cosmetic or reconstructive, plastic surgery can have a positive impact on the person’s mental health, self-esteem, and his or her ability to function in society. Because my job entails making a difference in someone’s life on a daily basis, I absolutely love it. Here are my top 5 favorite procedures that can have a huge impact on people’s lives:

Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation can be performed as a reconstructive or cosmetic procedure. Many women choose to undergo breast augmentation in the New Orleans and Mandeville area after losing breast volume from pregnancy and breast feeding. Other women undergo this procedure as part of their breast reconstruction after cancer. It can help a woman feel more feminine, sensual, or just more like herself.

Abdominoplasty

Tummy tucks can greatly improve the lives of men and women who are troubled by a protruding abdomen and stubborn rolls of skin and fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. It is also a highly common procedure for those who undergo major weight loss and may have loose abdominal muscles or excess fat and skin on the abdomen. For many, a tummy tuck is the final touch on their fitness journey.

Liposuction

Liposuction is a versatile procedure that can improve people’s confidence greatly. Most liposuction patients are plagued by fat they can’t get rid of. For these patients, liposuction, or one of the many alternatives such as Exilis – a revolutionary non-invasive skin tightening and fat-reduction procedure – may be the only option to remove these deposits. Many liposuction patients feel freed after surgery and experience a positive boost in their self-confidence.

Facelift

Facelifts can dramatically improve the aging appearance of a person’s face. The lifting can be subtle and the results can still be dramatic. Most men and women who undergo a facelift look much younger and are happy with their more youthful appearance after surgery.

Breast Reduction

Breast reduction patients are probably the most satisfied plastic surgery patients. Women who choose to undergo breast reduction often are experiencing chronic back, should and neck pain due to the heavy weight of their breasts. Women feel instantly lighter after surgery and are better able to exercise, fit into clothing and enjoy activities they couldn’t before surgery.

It’s important to know what to expect after undergoing liposuction in the New Orleans area. Beyond knowing how to plan for recovery, many of my patients wonder what they will look like after their healing time is over. Perhaps the number one question my patients ask is if they will gain the fat back. Liposuction permanently removes fat cells and reshapes your figure, but it’s important to remember that you can gain weight, even after you have undergone liposuction, if you do not maintain a proper lifestyle. You can expect to look slimmer after surgery, but keeping it up is up to you.

Your results after liposuction

Most patients are thrilled with their results following liposuction, especially when performed by an experienced plastic surgeon. A skilled plastic surgeon removes fatty deposits evenly to ensure that your skin looks smooth and your figure looks proportional. Liposuction can remove diet- and exercise-resistant fatty deposits with relative ease, finally freeing you from those stubborn “pockets” of fat that never disappear. All-in-all, a well-done liposuction procedure leads to a slimmer, better-proportioned figure that looks very natural.

How do you stop the fat from coming back?

Even though liposuction permanently removes fat cells from your body, if you over-indulge and under-exercise, it will be reflected in extra pounds on your body. The best way to ensure your liposuction results last is to maintain a healthy diet by minimizing high-calorie, fatty foods, and by exercising regularly.

Are there any alternatives to liposuction?

Some patients may be candidates for Exilis, a new non-invasive treatment which melts fat and has little to no downtime, the procedure can be performed in less than 30 minutes. While others would be candidates for Smartlipo™, the latest in liposuction with less recovery time and bruising than traditional liposuction. The best way to find out if you are a candidate for a liposuction alternative is to talk to your physician.

I see many women who would like to reshape their breasts or reduce their breast size. In our Louisiana practice, breast enhancement surgery (breast lift or breast reduction) can provide very pleasing results for these women, but, scarring is a common concern.

Anchor Incisions

One of the most common techniques for breast lifts and breast reductions involves an anchor-shaped incision. The incision is made around the areola, drops straight down, and then follows the breast fold. The breast fold incision can leave an uncomfortable and difficult-to-conceal scar.

Short-Scar Technique

The short-scar technique, also called the lollipop or vertical incision, leaves out the longer breast fold incision. While it is a more technically challenging procedure to perform, The Wall Center surgeons have been performing short-scar breast lifts/reductions exclusively for the past 8 years. Women visit us specifically for short-scar lifts and reductions because:

• Scarring is significantly reduced.
• It gives more attractive results by enhancing breast projection and cleavage.
• The improved breast shape lasts longer and rarely “bottoms out.”

It is likely that many surgeons shy away from the short-scar technique for breast lifts and breast reductions because it requires exceptional skill and precision to perform properly and achieve attractive, natural-looking results. When choosing a surgeon, be sure to do your homework and find one who is qualified for the job. The benefit to you will be worth the additional effort.

In the pursuit of bathing suit beauty, many people are interested in non-surgical ways to put the finishing touches on their appearance. There are many modern treatments that require minimal, if any, downtime and are best performed before you gain that summer glow.

Many women and men in Louisiana request:

• Laser hair removal removes hair on the bikini line, underarms, and legs. Men especially appreciate having a smooth back and shoulders. These mild treatments are most effective on dark hair and light skin.
• Laser vein removal is another treatment that works best on pale skin. It’s virtually painless to get rid of spider veins for more beautiful legs. You can also get rid of rosacea, age spots, and enlarged blood vessels.
• Laser tattoo removal can give you the confidence to show off your body without that tattoo that has been holding you back. Most tattoos require a series of treatments.

If you’re not interested in cosmetic surgery, there are still many effective, non-surgical treatments that can help you achieve a body you’ll want to show off all summer long.

Today, I’d like to talk about something many women may not be aware of – the adjustment period that can follow breast augmentation. While it’s exciting to wake up from surgery with the fuller breasts you’ve always wanted, it can be overwhelming for some women as well. Before surgery, I make a point to tell women considering Louisiana breast augmentation that they need to be patient when it comes to assessing their results.

Some important points to consider:

• If you have always had small breasts, suddenly having fuller breasts can require some mental adjustment. It’s not unusual to think initially that your breasts are too large.
• Your breast implants may take a few weeks to “settle in.” Our Louisiana patients sometimes feel that their breasts look too high right after surgery.
• Your breasts might appear tight, full, or shiny due to swelling. The breasts will soften as swelling gradually subsides within the first few weeks after surgery.
• As with all surgery, breast augmentation involves incisions. While at first they will be pink or red, they will usually become faint and barely noticeable.

Being Proactive

The best way to help your recovery go smoothly and increase your satisfaction with your results is to prepare prior to the procedure. During the consultation, I make sure I clearly understand the patient’s goals when it comes to breast size. For women who want to look natural, there are common ranges of implant size that are adjusted to an individual’s frame and body type. I also educate my patients in what to expect after surgery – physically and emotionally.

The vast majority of women who choose to have breast augmentation are very happy with their decision. You can help ensure that your surgery (and your recovery) is a success by choosing a qualified surgeon that you can trust. Be prepared – and then be patient during your recovery. You will likely feel as great as you’ll look.

As the weather grows warmer you might be thinking about how you’re going to look when you step into your bathing suit or swim trunks. If you’ve taken care to eat right and exercise over the winter months, you may still welcome a little improvement when it comes to showing some skin. Plastic surgeons in Louisiana can offer many women and men effective, long-term ways to have a body they won’t want to cover up this summer. Five popular surgical procedures include:

1. Abdominoplasty, often called a tummy tuck, can give you a flat, attractive abdominal area when weight loss and crunches haven’t helped. For many people, stretched skin and abdominal muscles are unable to bounce back when they’ve become stretched out – an abdominoplasty tackles these difficult problems for results that are as firm as they are slim.
2. Liposuction helps many patients who visit us in Louisiana fine-tune their figure by removing areas of unwanted fat like tummy bulges, love handles, and saddle bags. I developed a technique called SAFELipo™ that provides dramatic improvements in contouring, with smooth, natural-appearing results, without the risks of burning & scarring the body’s tissues with a “smart” laser or other heat-producing device. This method also results in little to no bruising, so you can recover quickly.
3. Breast augmentation increases breast size using silicone or saline implants. This procedure can help you look forward to wearing a variety of bathing suits by giving you the full, feminine breasts you’ve wanted for so long.
4. Short-scar breast lifts can give you a firm, youthful breast shape. Many women combine this procedure with breast augmentation.
5. Male breast reduction can help you look more masculine, eliminate self-consciousness, and increase self-esteem. After male breast reduction, men who were previously embarrassed by their large breasts (gynecomastia) can finally feel like they don’t have to wear a shirt at the beach anymore! Most times, this procedure can be done through tiny, hidden incisions in the armpit, leaving no trace of surgery.

Although you may need several weeks to recover completely from most of these procedures, there’s still time to improve your look in time for summer. It’s important to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon who will help you choose the procedure that will best give you the results you want and help you form realistic expectations.

By: Michele Cooper, MD

You don’t need to be told all the benefits of losing weight. They’re practically immeasurable – improved health, a more active lifestyle, and an enhanced self image. But what about those few downsides of weight loss, specifically the loose skin and flab that may still be left behind around your midsection and lower body? What can you do about those?

If you’ve lost a fair amount of weight and you schedule a time to talk with a plastic surgeon about your body contouring options, chances are good that both liposuction and a body lift may be presented as ways to improve your appearance. Oftentimes, a combination of these procedures, and even other procedures such as thigh lifts and arm lifts, is necessary to achieve your ideal look.

Liposuction

This procedure is the “gold standard” for body contouring. It’s chosen by thousands of people each year both for subtle contouring and more dramatic reshaping. My New Orleans liposuction patients generally have good skin tone overall but have stubborn pockets of fat that won’t respond to diet and exercise.

If you are considering this procedure, keep in mind that not all approaches are equally appropriate for every patient. Laser-assisted liposuction can get very good results for certain patients, but depending on your tissue quality and the location of your problem areas, you might be better off with a more traditional approach.

Body Lift

This is a much more extensive procedure than liposuction, but the results are also far more dramatic. A body lift involves re-sculpting the abdominal area, flanks, and thighs to slim down the mid-body and re-tighten loose skin.

In many cases, liposuction will be performed as part of a body lift. I always recommend the least invasive option possible to achieve my patients’ plastic surgery goals. If you are unhappy with the way your body looks after weight loss, it’s important to know your plastic surgery options and talk with a well-qualified plastic surgeon who can give you a better sense of which procedures make most sense for you.

By: Michele Cooper, MD

If you’re considering a facelift, you might have heard some plastic surgeons mention “short-scar” facelifts. With so many surgeons offering different types of “mini” facelifts (some more worthwhile than others), many patients aren’t very clear about the advantages that this approach offers.

Traditional vs. Short-Scar Facelifts: The Basics

A traditional facelift corrects typical signs of aging such as wrinkles, folds, sagging skin and facial muscles by either removing or repositioning the loose tissues that are causing these problems. In some cases a full facelift will also include adjustments to the neck tissues and the facial fat “pads” at the same time.

A short-scar facelift limits the procedure to create fewer or less-extensive changes, allowing the surgeon to accomplish many of the key adjustments included in a normal facelift, through incisions that are much smaller.

What This Approach Offers:

For the patient, the biggest difference between these procedures is that with the New Orleans short-scar facelift, recovery is much more rapid and comfortable. Additional advantages:

• Scars are smaller and heal faster because the incisions are smaller
• Postoperative swelling is less extensive and fades more quickly
• For younger patients the minimal approach avoids unnecessary, premature adjustments
• Depending on your surgeon’s technique, results with the short-scar lift can look subtler and much more natural

Unlike some mini facelifts, the short scar lift I use is a genuine facelift, and corrects both superficial and deeper loose tissues. If you are thinking of a more dramatic change, this procedure is probably not your best option just because I don’t re-drape the muscles quite as extensively as I would in the full facelift. However, for the right patient that “limitation” can also be a benefit because it means the results tend to look more gentle and natural. If you are thinking of a New Orleans facial plastic surgery such as the short-scar facelift, I would encourage you to discuss it in detail with your doctor and decide for yourself whether it seems like the right option for you.

By: Michele Cooper, MD

It’s a long road to becoming a board-certified plastic surgeon, and all along the way I learned so much that has proved invaluable in my ability to help my patients every day. Many people are interested in learning more about just what it took for me to become a board-certified New Orleans plastic surgeon. Briefly, here are the major milestones when becoming a board-certified plastic surgeon:

1. Graduate from medical school
2. Complete an internship (usually 1 year in length)
3. Complete a General Surgery residency (generally 3-5 years in length)
4. Complete a Plastic Surgery residency (at least 2 years in length)
5. Continue in practice for at least 6 months, while operative reports and preoperative and postoperative photographs are reviewed by a panel of board-certified plastic surgeons
6. Pass written and oral examinations administered by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

As you can see, it can be 10 years or more after a person begins medical school until they become a board-certified plastic surgeon. During this span of time a doctor is learning the essentials of medicine, specializing in the field, and refining their techniques and knowledge through many years of practice. Many plastic surgeons also take the time to earn additional board certifications or complete additional training. For instance, after my Plastic Surgery residency I completed a fellowship in Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery at Children’s Hospital of New Orleans.

What Does All This Training Mean to You?

Every “good” doctor must have a firm grounding in the theory and practice of their medical specialty.  Your best bet to achieve your ideal plastic surgery results is to choose a surgeon with more training and experience, and residencies are the place where surgeons gain the majority of that specialty knowledge and experience.

The Plastic Surgery Residency Explained

Plastic Surgery residency programs are located across the country. Most select only a handful of doctors each year. During the residency, residents perform literally hundreds of surgeries in all aspects of plastic surgery, including reconstruction and aesthetic surgery. These programs also involve conferences and lectures designed to provide each resident with increasing responsibility and complete immersion in all areas of plastic surgery.

I completed my Plastic Surgery residency through the Louisiana State University and the Charity Hospital system. I use the training and advanced education I received from this program on a daily basis in my work with New Orleans plastic surgery patients. If you have questions about surgical training while you are meeting with potential surgeons for your procedure, just ask – they should be more than happy to provide details.