Body Sculpting for Walnut Creek and San Francisco — Liposuction and Tummy Tuck
The best way to maintain a fit, toned body is to exercise regularly and maintain a nutritious diet. However, if you lead a busy lifestyle that doesn’t let you get to the gym as often as you’d like, or if exercising simply won’t reduce the size of areas such as your hips or stomach, we may be able to help. Our Walnut Creek facility, serving San Francisco and surrounding areas, offers both liposuction and tummy tuck. These two procedures are time-tested methods for instantly slimming down those hard-to-treat sections of the body.
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
For most people, even those who regularly exercise and limit the intake of fats and sugars, the abdomen is a difficult area to keep toned and flat.
A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is a type of plastic surgery that serves to tighten up the abdominal muscles and remove excess skin and fatty
tissue.
Dr. Ramin Behmand, serving patients from Walnut Creek and San Francisco, can perform a tummy tuck on patients who are otherwise healthy and are found to be good candidates for the procedure. A tummy tuck may be right for you if you have:
- Loose or weak stomach muscles due to aging or pregnancy
- Sagging or excess skin in the abdominal area
- Fat in the lower abdomen that is unresponsive to exercise
As with breast lift, you should postpone a tummy tuck if you are a woman who is planning to become pregnant in the future; pregnancy after a tummy tuck can damage the tightened muscles and cause need for additional surgery. During your consultation with Dr. Behmand, be sure to mention any previous abdominal surgeries or cesarean sections that you have had. Scars from these operations might affect the success of your tummy tuck.
The Tummy Tuck Procedure
The incision for a tummy tuck is similar for most patients; Dr. Behmand will place a horizontal incision just above the pubic area. The length of the incision will depend on the amount of excess skin to be removed. Because we respect the aesthetic wishes of our Walnut Creek and San Francisco patients, the tummy tuck incisions for both men and women can be hidden within the area normally covered by a swimsuit.
Dr. Behmand then brings together the loose muscles and connective tissue and secures them in their new locations with stitches. Once the muscles are taut, Dr. Behmand can remove the excess skin from the abdomen.
The completed tummy tuck will give you a firm, toned-looking abdomen and a trim waistline.
Recovery after a Tummy Tuck
Most patients find that their abdominal muscles feel extremely tight after a tummy tuck procedure. It is important that you make efforts to get out of bed and walk around in the days after surgery; doing so will aid your circulation and help your muscles to get used to their new positions.
Allow two weeks or so for bruising and swelling to subside. You should avoid lifting and bending for three or four weeks. After this time, your body will have healed enough that you can resume most non-strenuous forms of activity. During your initial consultation, you can tell Dr. Behmand about your lifestyle. He will be able to give you personalized recovery advice.
As the tummy tuck healing process progresses, you will notice a clear difference in how you look and how your clothes fit. Many patients find that a tummy tuck improves their self-esteem and makes them feel less self-conscious about their appearances.
Mini Tummy Tuck
Based on the outcome of your consultation with Ramin Behmand, you may find that you do not need a full tummy tuck to achieve a flat, trim stomach. A mini tummy tuck may be a good alternative if you only have a moderate amount of loose skin below the navel, as the incision tends to be somewhat smaller and the recovery time shorter.
If you are interested in learning more about your abdominal surgery options, contact the Behmand Institute of Plastic Surgery, serving the communities of Walnut Creek and San Francisco. Dr. Behmand will help you to decide if a tummy tuck is right for you.
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Liposuction
No matter how hard you exercise, or how well you eat, you may find that you still can’t trim down certain stubborn areas of your body. Fortunately, liposuction is a surgical body shaping technique that has allowed countless Walnut Creek and San Francisco patients to get the body profile they’ve always wanted. Liposuction may be an appropriate treatment option for you if you have areas of fat on your body that don’t seem to respond to diet and exercise, including:
- Buttocks
- Thighs
- Hips
- Abdomen
- Upper arms
- Neck
- Back
Also called liposculpture, liposuction can be combined with other procedures such as tummy tuck for best results.
The Liposuction Procedure
First, Dr. Behmand will make a tiny incision near the targeted area, after which he will insert a hollow tube called a cannula. Unwanted fat cells are removed through the cannula by means of an attached suction pump.
There are several variations to the basic liposuction technique available at our Walnut Creek facility. The liposuction method that best fits your needs depends on a number of individual factors, which Dr. Behmand will discuss with you. The following techniques may be used during your liposuction procedure:
- Tumescent liposuction: Fatty tissue is pre-injected with a saline solution containing small amounts of adrenaline and local anesthetic. This technique is always used by Dr. Behmand when performing liposuction in larger areas and serves to decrease blood loss, to increase the quantity of fat removed, and to improve your comfort both during and after the procedure.
- Ultrasound-assisted liposuction or UAL: This is a two-step process that uses sound wave energy to break down and liquefy the fat before it is suctioned. This technique is most useful in highly fibrous fatty areas such as the upper abdomen, enlarged male breasts and the lateral thigh and hip areas.
- Syringe suction: This method is commonly used to treat delicate areas of the body, such as the face and neck. San Francisco surgeon Ramin Behmand uses a liposuction syringe rather than a suction pump in these cases, so that he can more accurately achieve finely contoured detail.
These recent developments in technique have been instrumental in allowing Dr. Behmand to provide his San Francisco and Walnut Creek patients with better results and more comfort during their liposuction procedures. Anesthesia, too, can be customized to your needs. Depending on the size of area to be treated, you and Dr. Behmand can decide on the level of anesthesia that will serve your needs.
Recovery after Liposuction
After your liposuction procedure, Dr. Behmand may insert a small drainage tube in the incision to help drain fluid from the liposuction site. These tubes are generally removed a few days after the initial surgery.
You will likely be fitted with an elastic compression garment to help the swelling go down. Most patients return to work within a few days after liposuction; Dr. Behmand recommends walking and other types of gentle exercise to maximize your blood circulation and healing ability. More demanding activities should be put off until about a month after surgery.
Body image is an essential part of most people’s self-confidence. If you live in Walnut Creek or the surrounding communities near San Francisco and would like to learn more about what liposuction or a tummy tuck could do for your profile, contact the Behmand Institute of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Behmand will meet with you personally and help you decide on the best way to look and feel your best.
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