Body Contour Procedures

Your self-image is a strong barometer of how you interact in work and social situations, and in personal relationships. It’s a basic building block of self-confidence. Aging, specific physical characteristics or environmental changes to your appearance can greatly affect your self-confidence and the persona you project in social circumstances.

A body contouring procedure can help enhance or maintain a positive self-image. Call us for more information!

Abdominoplasty | Tummy Tuck

After pregnancy or weight gain, the abdomen often fails to return to its original shape and does not respond as well to exercise and diet programs. In these cases, tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) can provide a long-term solution. This frequently performed procedure is used to tighten overly stretched abdominal muscles for a flatter, smoother appearance.

A tummy tuck flattens your abdomen by removing extra fat and skin, after tightening muscles of your abdominal wall.

If your only problem area is below the belly button, you may benefit from a procedure called a partial abdominoplasty or minitummy tuck, which can be performed as an outpatient procedure.

For a full tummy tuck, an incision is made across the lower abdomen, in the bikini line. Dr. Stein then tightens the loose muscles with special sutures. This creates a stronger abdominal core and a smaller waist. Excess skin is removed, and a new opening is made for the belly button at the right position.

After a Tummy Tuck

For the first few days, your abdomen will probably be swollen and you’re likely to feel some pain and discomfort, which can be controlled by medication. Patients usually stay the first night after surgery in the ambulatory unit of the hospital. Though you may not be able to stand straight at first, you should start walking as soon as possible. Surface stitches will be removed in 5-7 days. Most people return to work within 10 days to two weeks, depending on the work you do.
Exercise will help you heal better. If you’ve never exercised before, you should begin an exercise program to reduce swelling, lower the chance of blood clots and tone muscles. Vigorous exercise should be avoided until you can do it comfortably at 6 weeks.It takes nine months to a year before scars flatten out and lighten in color. Scarring is permanent, but will not show under most clothing, even under bathing suits.

Liposuction | Lipoplasty

Liposuction is the most common cosmetic surgical procedure performed on both men and women in the United States. It can produce profound body sculpting results, offering a more tapered waist, thinner thighs, contoured neck and chin, or flatter abdomen with minimal incisions and an easy recovery. Unwanted fatty deposits can be significantly reduced in various areas of the body, including abdomen, buttocks, inner and outer thighs, hips, flanks, back, neck and arms.

During the past decade, liposuction has benefited from several refinements that we implement at Somerset Center for Plastic Surgery. Today, several new techniques, including ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL), the tumescent technique, and Power Assisted Liposuction (PAL), are helping to provide patients with more precise results and quicker recovery times. Although liposuction is not a substitute for diet and exercise, liposuction can remove stubborn areas of fat that don’t respond to traditional weight-loss methods. The time required to perform liposuction may vary considerably, depending on the size of the area, the amount of fat being removed, and the technique used.

The incisions from liposuction are small and strategically placed to be hidden from view. However, imperfections in the final appearance are not uncommon after lipoplasty, as the skin’s surface may be irregular, asymmetrical or even baggy, especially in older patients. This condition can easily be alleviated with Thermage. Numbness may occur. Sometimes, additional surgery may be recommended.

After Liposuction Surgery

After the liposuction procedure, you will able to go home while wearing compression garments over the operated areas. These should be worn around the clock for the first 2 weeks and when active for another 2 weeks. Most patients can stop taking pain medication and go back to work within a few days. Non-strenuous activity can begin at 5-7 days, low impact exercise at 3 weeks and unlimited activity at 6 weeks.

You will see a difference in the shape of your body soon after surgery, and improvement will become even more apparent after four to six weeks. After about 6 months, any persistent mild swelling should disappear, and the final contour will be visible. A healthy diet and getting regular exercise will help you maintain your new shape!

Thigh Lift

Thigh lift surgery is used to elevate the inner thighs by removing excess skin and fat, while the remaining tissues are tightened to produce a more attractive body contour.

Skin laxity and poor tone may be related to the normal aging process, genetics, pregnancy or significant weight loss.

Patients who have lost large amounts of weight and whose skin remains loose will benefit greatly from this procedure.

A thigh lift will tighten and smooth the skin, creating a firmer silhouette.

After a Thigh Lift

Elastic compression garments are worn for several weeks. Usually, patients are able to return to non-strenuous work activities after two weeks. Low impact exercise can begin around four weeks after surgery and by six weeks, activity is unrestricted.

Breast Augmentation Surgery

Breast augmentation surgery is a procedure that enhances the size and shape of a woman’s breast. Breast augmentation involves inserting an implant behind each breast. During your first consultation with Dr. Stein, he will evaluate your health and explain which surgical techniques would be most appropriate and effective for you based on the condition of your breasts and skin tone. If your breasts are sagging, we may also recommend a breast lift.
We make every effort to ensure the incision is placed so that any scars will be as inconspicuous as possible.

Implants are placed either directly behind the breast tissue or beneath the pectoral muscle. The implant is positioned in the pocket created to give the best results.

After Breast Augmentation Surgery

You may feel tired and sore for a few days following your surgery. Most of your discomfort can be treated with medication. Immediately after surgery, a special bra will be placed on you and you will be given instructions for how long you should wear it. You may experience a burning sensation in your nipples for about two weeks, which will subside as bruising fades.

Most patients who have implants placed for mild drooping (ptosis) return to work in 2-3 days. Patients with implants placed under the muscles usually need a week.

Breast Reduction

Large and droopy breasts can cause a variety of medical problems, including back and neck pain, skin irritation and even skeletal deformities or breathing problems. Breast reduction surgery can alleviate these issues as well as self-consciousness that often accompanies these health problems.
A breast reduction can offer smaller, better shaped breasts that are proportional to your body, while also reducing the size of the areola. Breast reduction surgery provides patients with both physical relief and cosmetic improvement.

After Breast Reduction Surgery

You may be able to return to moderate activities in about a day or two following your surgery, but your breasts may continue to be sore for a couple weeks. Avoid lifting or pushing anything heavy for three to four weeks.
Of all plastic surgery procedures, breast reduction surgery offers the quickest body image changes, relieving patients of their discomfort. Your body will look better proportioned and clothing will fit you better as well.

Breast Lift

Pregnancy, nursing, weight fluctuations and aging all contribute to breasts losing their shape and firmness. Breast lift (mastopexy), raises and reshapes sagging breasts enhancing body contour and self-confidence. A breast lift can also reduce the size of the areola (the darker skin surrounding the nipple).

If your breasts are small or have lost volume after pregnancy, breast augmentation, combined with a lift can improve the shape and size.

The most common procedure involves an anchor shaped incision following the natural contour of the breast.

While excess skin is being removed, the nipple and areola are moved to a higher position. Incisions are usually located around the areola in a vertical line extending down from the nipple area and along the lower crease of the breast. Women with smaller breasts and minimal sagging may be candidates for less extensive incisions, such as circu areolar mastopexy. This involves circular incisions around the areola only.

After Breast Lift Surgery

The sensation in the nipples is temporarily reduced or enhanced while the scars heal, and a few patients have a permanent change in the sensitivity of the nipple. Proper support of the breast is important after your breast lift surgery to reduce scarring, swelling and breast discomfort.
Gravity, pregnancy, aging and weight fluctuations will affect firmness and sagging. Women who have implants and a breast lift may experience longer lasting results. A breast lift does not affect breast feeding, but pregnancy and nursing are likely to stretch your breasts and offset the results of an uplift.