The weekend Facelift in NC

I think that "weekend facelift" is a misleading term, as it suggests dramatic surgical improvements are possible with minimal surgery. As with most things which sound too good to be true, so it is with the "weekend facelift". As you might expect, the degree of improvement one obtains from surgery is, in general, directly proportional to the surgeon's effort. An hour of surgery through a shorter incision can not be expected to produce a result approaching that of a conventional facelift. A better term, however, might be "Mini-facelift", as no surgeon can guarantee a two-day recovery, and patients' expectations may be inappropriately heightened by the promise of a big improvement by a minimal surgery.

The Cheek lift or Midface lift in Raleigh

The primary aging change in the cheek area consists of a combination of deflation and descent of the cheek fat pads, creating a hollowed appearance below the lower lids and deepened nasolabial folds (oblique lines which extend from each side of the nose to the area beside the corners of the mouth). Descent of the midface/cheek fat pad can also contribute to the exaggeration of marionette lines and downturning of the corner of the mouth.

Cheek area rejuvenation by mean of a mid face lift can be performed as part of a facelift procedure, but is also sometimes performed alone to specifically address deflation and descent of the cheek fat pad. The procedure is performed through two hidden incisions. One is made inside the mouth, at the apex of the space between the gums and the lower cheek. The second incision is hidden behind the hairline of the temple area. Through the intra-oral incision, the cheek fat pad is freed from the cheekbone. A suspension suture is used to grasp the cheek fat pad, and the suture is then passed below the skin to the temple-area incision. Upward traction on the suture elevates the cheek fat pad, and with it the corner of the mouth is elevated slightly. The nasolabial folds soften and in some cases can be almost completely eliminated. The suspension suture is then anchored to the deep soft tissues below the scalp, producing a permanent elevation of the midface.

Less Recovery Time with Vaser Liposuction

A specialized form of liposuction, vaser liposuction removes targeted areas of fat that fail to respond to healthy weight loss methods. Using his surgical skills and gentle touch, Dr. Law gently reshapes the body to achieve slimmer, natural-looking contours that achieve dramatic improvements. The process of performing Vaser liposuction is similar to traditional liposuction, except after applying the wetting solution, Dr. Law administers sophisticated ultrasound technology to break apart fatty deposits. Then, the fat is removed with the cannula.
Using state-of-the-art ultrasound technology in Vaser liposuction allows several advantages, including higher levels of precision, faster recovery periods, and minimal pain and bruising. Unlike traditional liposuction, Vaser liposuction targets fat tissue, while not damaging other important tissues, like nerves, blood vessels and connective tissues.
Vaser liposuction is not fit for everyone, which is why Dr. Law thoroughly evaluates patients to determine if they are good candidates for the procedure.

Male Breast reduction in Raleigh

Enlargement of the male breast is referred to as gynecomastia, which may occur in response to certain medications or hormonal conditions but most often has no clearly identifiable cause. Gynecomastia may develop at any age, and may occur on one or both sides. In most patients it can be corrected with liposuction or with a combination of liposuction and direct excision (removal) of breast tissue and/or skin. Surgical correction of gynecomastia produces a dramatic, positive change for patients with this troublesome problem, as it is usually a source of significant self-consciousness and embarrassment. For most patients the results are quite liberating, especially in terms of participating in athletic endeavors and relaxing at the beach or pool.

Tummy Tuck for Men

Men are also candidates for tummy tucks, especially those who have experienced significant weight loss, and as a result have excess abdominal skin and laxity of the abdominal wall which generally cannot be corrected with exercise alone. In male abdominoplasty, it is sometimes possible to achieve the desired post-operative appearance by means of fairly aggressive liposuction of the anterior abdomen and circumferential trunk, combined with removal of redundant lower abdominal skin via a suprapubic incision. In many cases, this does not require enough skin excision to warrant the creation of a new belly button, and thus surgical scars are avoided in that area. Other male patients with significant anterior abdominal skin excess will require significant skin excision and the requisite umbilicoplasty. Midline tightening of the rectus muscles is performed to flatten the abdominal profile

Upper Arm Lift in Raleigh

Brachioplasty is designed to remove excess upper arm skin (and some cases, fat as well) and requires an incision that runs from the underarm area to the elbow. The scar is placed in the inner aspect of the upper arm, facing the side of the chest, to help conceal its presence. This is a great operation for fair-skinned patients who are generally in their fifties or older, as the skin is often fairly thin, and results in a scar which is faint and minimally visible. In younger patients, this fairly long scar tends to widen, become pigmented, and even thicken - which means that younger patients must seriously consider if the scar is an acceptable trade-off for the improvement in upper arm contour.

In some cases, when the skin excess exists primarily in the upper half of the upper arm, the skin excision can be performed in the underarm area only, avoiding the scar along the inner aspect of the upper arm. Underarm incision brachioplasty can often be combined with liposuction to produce a very favorable upper arm contour. This can be a good option for some younger patients and for those with more deeply pigmented skin. In some patients with an 'in between' amount of skin laxity, the underarm incision may be combined with an incision that extends only halfway down the arm, thereby avoiding the 'armpit to elbow' scar.

For more information about arm lift or liposuction or if you would like to schedule a complimentary liposuction consultation, please contact the Raleigh, North Carolina office of Dr. Michael Law Today

The Breast Lift in Raleigh

Having a breast lift operation involves making a decision to trade an improved breast shape and contour for some (well-placed and concealed) surgical scars on the breast. For the Raleigh breast lift patient who is displeased that her nipples are downpointing, it may be a relatively easy decision. The surgical incisions are strategically placed to be as minimally noticeable as is possible. One component is around the areola, which is usually well concealed by the color difference between breast skin and areolar skin. The second component extends vertically from the '6 o'clock' position of the areola to the fold below the breast, and as the majority of this scar faces downward, it is usually quite acceptable.

Breast lift surgery works well for patients with enough existing breast tissue to build a projecting 'breast mound'. However, in most breast lift Raleigh / Durham patients it is difficult to create sustainable fullness in the upper poles of the breasts by means of a mastopexy alone. This is particularly true in patients who have experienced significant deflation following pregnancy and lactation. For patients who indicate that they wish to achieve a fair amount of fullness in the cleavage area as a result of their breast lift surgery, I recommend that they undergo augmentation mastopexy. This surgery combines a breast lift with the placement of a breast implant usually of modest size, which produces the most youthful breast profile possible.