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summer body

Non-Surgical Procedures to Help Get That Summer Body

Non-Surgical

Summer here and that means hot weather, BBQs, and most importantly: bathing suits. If you haven’t been keeping up with your New Year’s resolution to go to the gym at least 3x a week, there are a few options to help you get your body ready for swimsuit season.

While you could always undergo the knife, it could get rather expensive. You also might not heal up fully until the leaves start turning color in the fall time. Fortunately, there are a few affordable non-surgical procedures that can help you get a banging hot body just in time for summer.

Here are our top five recommendations for getting that summer beach bod without undergoing the knife!

Coolsculpting

Got a little bit of extra baggage under your arms or love handles that you just can’t seem to get rid of? Coolsculpting can help get rid of that “stubborn fat” that many people have come to accept it as an inevitability of life.

Coolsculpting uses science to literally freeze fat cells in their tracks. As the fat cells freeze, they die off, and your body naturally absorbs them. There are no injections, no chemicals, nothing but a wand that the doctor or his assistant will place over the problem areas to freeze the fat.

The entire procedure can be done in an outpatient setting, and you’ll be back to your regular daily routine after a single session at the plastic surgeon’s office.

Botox

What good is a beach body if you don’t have the face to match? Botox has been around for a few decades and is a safe and effective way to treat wrinkles and age lines. Millions of people have gotten the procedure, which can shave a few years off your face.

Botox is administered through a needle by a plastic surgeon or one of his highly trained assistants. It can take a few weeks to a month or so before the full results start to make themselves apparent. However, most people tend to see results within a week or so. The entire procedure takes anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes and you can go back to your regular schedule immediately with no downtime whatsoever!

ThermiSmooth and Thermi-Tight

If you were recently pregnant or lost a lot of weight, you might notice some saggy skin on certain parts of your body. Non-invasive procedures such as ThermiSmooth and Thermi-Tight can help tighten up and smooth out those problem areas.

They work by applying heat to the deeper layers of your skin. This helps stimulate elastin and collagen production, and your skin tone and texture will improve over the course of a few treatments.

Thermi-Tight is a procedure performed over 1-2 hours and can help tighten the breasts, tummy, neck, and thigh areas. ThermiSmooth uses radiofrequency waves to heat the skin, causing it to tighten and smooth.

Laser Treatments

Lasers aren’t just relegated to Star Wars movies and eye surgery. Low-level laser therapy emits cold laser energy into body tissues which are absorbed by fat cells. These fat cells are broken down and naturally absorbed into the body.

The best part about Low-level laser therapy is that while you can feel the laser device physically touching your skin, there is no pain sensation whatsoever. Patients literally do not feel a single thing during the five to ten-minute procedure. Over the next few weeks to a few months, your body will harmlessly absorb the body fat that was treated.

Do you have too much hair in a specific area of your body? You can also get laser hair removal which permanently gets rid of that unsightly and pesky body hair. In some cases, it can take several appointments to get rid of the hair entirely. This is entirely dependent on how much hair is in the problem area.

Healthy Diet

Ok, so we had to throw this one in there. You can always make a mid-year (early summer?) resolution to eat better and exercise more regularly. You might find that by the time summer is over, you’ll have lost a few pounds and look and feel a bit younger.

Of course, this natural approach to weight loss takes time and willpower. If you’re willing to give it a shot, you should find an accountability buddy or friend who can motivate you to eat healthy and work out on days when you’d rather be sitting on the couch watching t.v.

Non-Invasive Surgical Treatments in Dallas

If you suffer from embarrassing body fat, wrinkles, or other problem areas, you owe it to yourself to make an appointment with Dr. Adams. He  just recently opened AYA Dallas, a state of the art medical spa offering a wide variety of non-invasive treatments that can help you lose weight and make you feel younger again.

Best of all, all these procedures can be performed in an outpatient setting in under an hour or so. Give us a call at (214) 965-9885 to schedule an appointment or visit our website to learn more about the revolutionary non-invasive surgical treatments that we offer!

abdominal etching

What is Abdominal Etching?

Plastic Surgery

Have you ever noticed that no matter how hard you work out, or how healthy of a diet you eat, there’s that little bit of belly fat that refuses to go away?

If so, you’re not alone. Millions of healthy, active people have a small percentage of body fat that simply won’t disappear. There are a wide variety of causes as to why this can happen:

  • You’re doing the wrong exercises.
  • You don’t exercise enough.
  • Your diet isn’t healthy enough.
  • Your genetics don’t support having a natural 6-pack or perfectly flat stomach.

The good news is that now anyone can get the sculpted abs of their dreams by undergoing a minor surgical procedure called abdominal etching. We’re going to look at what this new surgery is all about, what does the procedure entail, and whether or not it’s safe.

What is Abdominal Etching?

Abdominal etching gained national attention when the rapper Drake posted a shirtless photo of his 6-pack abs to Instagram. He received thousands of compliments; however, one of his good friends made a joke that claimed he got his 6-pack through surgery, not a healthy diet, and working out.

While Drake denies getting the surgery, all of the publicity has caused many people to take an interest in abdominal etching and learn more about it and whether or not it’s safe.  

Abdominal etching is the process of using one’s own body fat to create the look of a 6-pack on their abs. It’s performed via a liposuction procedure in which the surgeon will “sculpt” the abdomen wall such that males will get the coveted 6-pack and females will get the three lines that are indicative of someone with zero belly fat.

Who is it for?

The ideal candidate for abdominal etching is someone who is physically fit with already pronounced abdominal muscles. They only have a few minor areas of belly fat that refuse to go away no matter how hard they work out or eat healthy.

Abdominal etching is not for someone who eats a poor diet, doesn’t exercise, and has a lot of body or abdominal fat. This is because if liposuction is used to remove the fat, it will eventually return unless a healthy diet and regular exercise routine are maintained.

Is the Surgery Safe?

Like all plastic surgery procedures, there are a few risks involved. Abdominal etching requires an incision to be made in the body so that the surgeon can insert the liposuction device to perform the procedure.

Infections and other surgical complications can potentially occur in any surgery where incisions are made. However, that doesn’t mean the procedure isn’t safe.

A study was performed on both men and women who had gotten the abdominal etching procedure performed. It found that there were no significant complications, and the average patient satisfaction rate was around 98%.

There were some minor complications such as contour irregularities (12% of the study participants), hyperpigmentation (2%), and seromas (10%). Patients were followed-up with for an average of 27 months after the procedure was performed.

The biggest surprise of the study was that the vast majority of study participants retained their results for upwards of six years! Of course, they had to exercise and eat a healthy diet to maintain the results.

Is Abdominal Etching Worth It?

Whether or not it’s worth it is really up to the individual person.

How badly do you want that 6-pack?

Are you willing to undergo a rigorous maintenance routine to keep it?

For some people, fitness is life, and a little bit of belly fat is unacceptable and can cause them to want to undergo the procedure. After all, they are in top physical condition, they eat a proper diet, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t have the rock-hard body they worked so hard to achieve.

If you do decide to undergo the procedure, you’ll also need to maintain an extremely healthy diet and rigorous exercise routine. Otherwise, all of that unhealthy brown fat that was sucked out via the liposuction can and will return. 

It should also be noted that in the above study, patients worked very closely with nutritionists and personal training professionals to keep their new physiques. If you can’t get rid of the body fat on your own, it means that you’re genetically pre-disposed to it. The only way to keep it away after undergoing the abdominal etching procedure is to work out extremely hard and eat healthy.

Ultimately, there is a lot of maintenance involved in keeping away that little bit of belly fat that your genetics have caused to exist. If you have the money, you’re willing to undergo the surgical procedure, and are ready to work hard to maintain the results, then abdominal etching might be right for you.

Conclusion

If you’re fit and healthy and can’t seem to lose that extra bit of belly fat, you might be an ideal candidate for this amazing procedure. If you’d like a consultation to see if abdominal etching is right for you, give us a call at (214) 965-9885.

Dr. Adams is one of the premiere Board-Certified plastic surgeons in the U.S. and will sit down with you and listen to your concerns and go over possible solutions.

If you want that perfectly flat tummy or 6-pack, give us a call to learn more about this fantastic procedure which can transform your stomach and last for years to come if maintained properly.

textured breast implant

What is a Macrotextured Breast Implant and Why Are They Being Banned?

Breast Augmentation

Macrotextured breast implants are at the forefront of a recent international medical controversy that has turned political. Some countries, such as France have completely banned the usage of macrotextured breast implants due to their concerns that they can cause a rare form of cancer.

The U.S., on the other hand, is refusing to perform a blanket ban. The FDA states that the current available evidence is inconclusive, and they will instead require women considering breast implants to receive a more strongly worded warning about the potential dangers of the product.

In this blog post, we’re going to look at what a macrotextured breast implant is, why some countries are banning it, and what are the associated risks.

What Is a Macrotextured Breast Implant?

A macrotextured implant is a breast implant that has a textured and irregularly shaped surface. When implanted into the human body, it facilitates adhesion to the surrounding breast tissue and makes it very stable. This helps ensure that it stays precisely where the surgeon put it.

In the hands of an experienced surgeon, a macrotextured implant can help them shape and create a more natural looking breast.

In comparison to other types of implants that have different surfaces, macrotextured implants have a low rate of capsular contraction, rotation, and rippling.

So why are some countries like France banning them? And why hasn’t the U.S. followed suit?

Why Did France Ban the Macrotextured Implants?

On Friday, April 5th of 2019, the country of France banned macrotextured and polyurethane breast implants. The ban extends to several types of textured implants and is the first of its kind in the world.

Since 2011, 59 French women have developed a rare case of cancer called anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL). France’s National Agency for Safety of Medicine and Health Products (ANSM) has found that many of those women suffering from the condition had textured implants that are designed to adhere to breast tissue.

It’s hard to say exactly why the French government reacted with such a heavy-handed blanket ban, especially when there isn’t much scientific evidence that links textured breast implants to an increased rate of a rare form of cancer. Many other  regulatory bodies in other countries including the US have looked at the same  data and  decided not to restrict any  implants.

Microtextured vs. Macrotextured Implants

Interestingly enough, France still allows for the sale of microtextured implants. The critical difference between the two is that macrotextured implants have a larger surface pattern and depths than microtextured ones.

Macrotextured implants have also been scientifically shown to adhere better to breast tissue, thereby immobilizing the implant and lessening the chances of it moving around or shifting position after the surgery.

Potential Risks of Breast Implants?

One of the most significant risks for women getting breast implants is the development of a rare form of cancer called Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). This type of cancer affects the cells of the immune system, and is found in the scar tissue that surrounds the breast implant.  Around 457 women in the U.S. alone have been diagnosed with BIA-ALCL, and nine of them have died so far.

What is BIA-ALCL?

Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma is not a form of breast cancer. It’s actually a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or cancer that affects the immune system.

It occurs when a patient’s white blood cells, which are used to fight off infections, start to rapidly multiply out of control.

BIA-ALCL can start to form and build up in the scar tissue that surrounds the implant. It does not form around the implant itself.

Risk and Signs of BIA-ALCL?

BIA-ALCL is a very rare form of cancer that has been associated with textured breast implants. It’s been estimated that the lifetime risk of developing this disease is around 1 in 3,000 and 1 in 120,000 depending on the type of implant. To put that number in perspective, breast cancer affects 1 out of every 8 women in America. BIA-ALCL is much rarer than breast cancer.

If you have textured breast implants, there are a few things you can do to be on the safe side. First off, be sure to keep your scheduled post-operative surgery appointments until your surgeon is satisfied with your healing progress. If you notice any of the following symptoms, schedule an appointment with your surgeon immediately:

  • Lump
  • Change in the shape of the breast
  • Pain in the breast area
  • Swelling around the breast

Breast Implants in Dallas

If you have any questions about textured implants or would like a second opinion, give Dr. Adams a call at (214) 965-9885 or schedule an appointment online. Dr. Adams is a Board-Certified plastic surgeon who will sit down with you and answer any questions you might have regarding your current or new breast implants.

botox millennials

Why Are More Millennials Getting Botox?

Non-Surgical

Botox has been around now for well over 30 years. What once was a social taboo, is now one of the most popular non-invasive plastic surgery enhancements out there.

Traditionally, people over the age of 35 (think GenX and Baby Boomers) would get the procedure to remove facial wrinkles and tighten up their skin. Recent research and several news articles state that the newest Botox clients are Millennials.

Why would someone in the prime of their youth get Botox?

We’re going to look at the recent phenomenon of Millennials and Botox and discover why it’s become so prevalent with this younger generation.

Access to Technology

Unlike the Baby Boomer and GenX generations, Millennials grew up using computers and the internet. This means that throughout their life they have had access to information that the other two generations haven’t.

For example, someone from the Baby Boomer generation would understand that using sunscreen helps prevent sunburns. What they might not have realized in the pre-internet years of the 1980s is how damaging sun can be to human skin. Only dermatologists, researchers, and doctors knew that too much sun exposure could cause aging issues when someone hits their 40’s.

With access to computers and the internet, Millennials can instantly see pictures of people in their 40’s and 50’s who got way too much sun exposure in their youth. They also have access to on-demand medical information sites which will tell them that overexposure to the sun can have damaging long-term effects upon the skin.

Being on Top of the News

When GenX and Baby Boomers wanted to read the news in the 1980s and early 1990s, they had to run out and buy a newspaper. The news cycle moved a lot slower in those days because the Internet didn’t exist yet. The only beauty advice people would get came from magazines in the checkout aisle of a supermarket or from their doctor.

With the advent of the internet and 1-hour news cycle, Millennials have quick and easy access to the latest news stories about how well Botox works. They can see just how good various social media celebrities look after a round of injections and naturally want to emulate their heroes.

Online Research

The ability to perform instant, on-demand online research is another factor responsible for the increasing number of Millennials looking to get Botox injections. They can look up various plastic surgery clinics, read their reviews, and research the overall patient satisfaction. This, in turn, gives them a greater sense of confidence that they will be happy with the results.

The internet also gives them access to a wealth of information such as new procedures that combine Botox and injectables to perform a non-surgical facelift. Access to all of this information helps them make more informed decisions when it comes to beauty and wanting to look your best.

Social Media

Millennials are the most clued in when it comes to social media. Unlike Grandma who logs into Facebook once a week to upload pictures of her kittens or grandkids, Millennials use social media on a daily (and sometimes hourly) basis.

They also follow various social media celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and other online models. These e-celebs go to great lengths to look their best and Millennials can see just how well a few injections of Botox work.

Social media encourages people to post pictures and videos of themselves. Before they post their photos, they can use various filters to edit their skin tone, color, and soften up perceived self-defects in their images. As times goes by, they feel like they have to look as good as they do in their heavily-edited social media photos.

When it comes to social media, it’s very easy for Millennials to get caught up in an obsession with their physical appearance as they want to look their best all the time.

Physical Appearance Obsession 

Social media and the obsession with physical appearance have driven more and more Millennials into the plastic surgery office.

While they may not have as many wrinkles as someone in their 40’s, some doctors have reported that Millennials getting lip and other facial enhancements have gone through the roof.

Many of them also feel a lot of peer pressure to look their best as social media and competition amongst their friends makes them feel like getting Botox is a necessity, not a luxury.

Payment Plans

Some plastic surgery offices have been experimenting with a subscription-based model wherein Millennials would pay a low monthly recurring fee.

This would enable them to spread out the costs of Botox and dermal fillers over the course of a year and allow them to come back into the plastic surgeon’s office for routine maintenance.

Millennials have responded very well to the subscription-based model as it’s much easier on the wallet than shelling out $500 or more for a single session.

Millennials and Botox

As the stigma of Botox and plastic surgery starts to wear off, and more and more Millennials look to retain their youthful good looks, it stands to reason that this trend will only increase as the years go by.  We live in an era where many people feel that they have to look their best 24/7 and injectables and Botox are an easy way to accomplish that goal.

facts before surgery

7 Facts to Know Before Surgery

Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery is just that, surgery. And sometimes complications can occur due to the nature of the work that’s performed. Infections, nerve damage, and anesthesia issues are all side effects that some patients could experience. It’s sometimes challenging for surgeons to predict the risk factors in what seems like an otherwise healthy patient.

Fortunately, these types of problems are extremely uncommon. Plastic surgeons would rather you focus your time and due diligence on vetting out the doctor performing your surgery rather than reading internet chat forums and getting misinformed, but well-meaning advice.

7 Things to Know Before Having Surgery

Board Certification

Did you know that most states allow licensed physicians to perform plastic surgery, even if they weren’t specially trained in plastic surgery? This is why you should always ask if your surgeon is board-certified. If they aren’t you should look for a surgeon who is.

The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is the organization that awards surgeons board certification. This means they’ve gone through an extensive five-year training program and have passed a very tough written and oral exam. If you decide to go with a surgeon who isn’t board-certified, there’s a very good chance you won’t be happy with the results.

Dr. Google

While it’s common for many people to research their upcoming plastic surgery procedure on the internet, many surgeons will warn patients from taking advice from a random internet stranger who may or may not be a licensed medical professional.

When it comes to getting a second opinion, it’s best to seek out another board-certified plastic surgeon versus letting Dr. Google give you advice. You never know if the information you’re being given (even from a well-meaning internet friend) is medically correct or not. If you listen to the advice of someone on the internet over your surgeon, you could experience severe complications or potentially fatal consequences.

Infection

When you undergo the knife, the plastic surgeon is essentially creating an open wound that he or she will sew back up. Surgeons are highly trained in creating a sterile environment, and they use all best practices known to modern medicine. However, due to factors outside of their control, such as how healthy and strong the patient’s immune system is, there is always a risk of infection.

If you suffer from a pre-existing condition or think you might be at risk of an infection, it’s vital that you discuss this with your surgeon before undergoing the procedure. They may decide that the procedure is too risky, or they may prescribe you some antibiotics to lessen the chances of an infection forming.

Nerve Damage

Nerve damage is another risk that plastic surgery patients face when undergoing the knife. The face, breasts, and other parts of the body contain a lot of nerves right underneath the skin. Whenever it’s cut with a knife, nerves are immediately damaged. This is completely normal and an unpreventable side-effect of surgery. Most of the time the damage will reverse itself after a few months, or in some cases a few years.

Whenever a nerve is cut, cauterized, or stretched, there is a chance for damage to occur, even though the surgeon is providing a high standard of care. It’s hard to say who is at risk because humans are different and while one person may heal up just fine, another may suffer some form of nerve damage.

Anesthesia Complications

A certain number of people can get anesthesia complications. Although complications from anesthesia are infrequent, some patients can experience pneumonia, blood clots, or even die during the procedure.

This is why a licensed anesthesiologist needs to be present during the surgery. While it’s the job of the surgeon to perform the work, the anesthesiologist is tasked with administering the anesthesia, monitoring the vitals of the patient, and taking corrective action if complications arise.

Blood Clot

A blood clot is where the blood thickens and prevents bleeding. This is usually a good thing for an open wound which helps slow the bleeding, but not so much if the blood clot forms inside your blood vessels. On occasion, a blood clot could travel up to your lungs and cause a condition called pulmonary embolism. Although this is a life-threatening condition, it is fortunately very rare.

Reasonable Expectations

Patients also need to have reasonable expectations. While plastic surgeons are highly skilled professionals, there are certain things they cannot do, such as making someone who is 60 years old look like they’re 18 again.

You should sit down with your plastic surgeon before the surgery to discuss the results. By setting your expectations appropriately, you’ll know what to expect and will get a good idea if the procedure you’re considering is even right for you.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Dallas

If you have any questions that weren’t answered in this blog post or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Adams, give us a call at (214) 965-9885. He is a board-certified surgeon who will sit down with you, listen to your concerns, and discuss options to achieve the results you desire.