Do you wish there was a way to remove unwanted fat from one area of your body and transfer it to another? There is a way to do this! With a fat transfer procedure, fat can be transferred from areas in which you have excess fat into areas that may be lacking it for a more balanced figure.
To schedule your fat transfer procedure, contact us today.
Do your body goals seem to get a bit more elusive every year? If you’re already exercising and following a healthy, nutritious eating plan, the problem probably isn’t your lifestyle. Biological factors, like genetic fat distribution patterns or age-related fat centralization, may be working against you.
Though diet and exercise are both important for overall health, their ability to reshape the body is more limited than many people realize. Diet and exercise can’t “spot reduce” deposits of stubborn fat, nor can they permanently destroy fat cells (weight loss just causes existing fat cells to shrink). As we lose weight, our bodies become smaller in size, but their basic proportions remain the same. This can make it extremely difficult (if not impossible) to get rid of an inherited double chin or love handles without losing a dangerous amount of weight.
Body contouring procedures, by contrast, have the power to permanently destroy fat cells. When a body contouring procedure is applied to a specific problem area, it actually reduces the density of the fat cells in that region, making it visibly slimmer. Body contouring procedures aren’t intended to replace weight loss—most only remove between three to eight pounds of fat—but they’re ideal for sculpting away fat that won’t respond to diet or exercise. Body contouring procedures are also the only way to get rid of loose skin that’s been created by weight loss, pregnancy, or normal aging. Some of our most popular body contouring procedures are outlined below:
Liposuction is the “gold standard” in fat removal. This procedure can remove up to ten pounds of unwanted fat, quickly and without creating noticeable scars. Liposuction also has the distinct advantage of being versatile: It’s the only fat removal procedure that can be used virtually anywhere on the body. Liposuction can treat both large areas, like the belly and back, and very small areas, like the fingers and the space under the chin.
During liposuction, Dr. Mussat uses a very thin tube called a cannula to remove fat cells. The cannula is inserted directly into the patient’s subcutaneous fat through a small “keyhole” incision. Dr. Mussat then irrigates the treatment area with a tumescent solution that’s designed to liquefy fat cells while controlling pain, bleeding, and swelling. The patient’s unwanted fat is then removed via suction.
Tummy tuck surgery, medically known as abdominoplasty, combines liposuction with skin resection and muscle repair to create a lean, flat stomach. Tummy tuck surgery is used to heal damage that’s been done to the abdomen by pregnancy or substantial weight gain, making it a core part of most mommy makeovers.
Many people—especially women—notice that as they get older, their upper arms start to look flabby. In women, hormonal changes cause fat cells to move away from the legs and hips and migrate to the belly, bust, and arms. In both sexes, declining muscle mass creates pockets of loose skin on the arms.
Arm lift surgery can reshape the arms, making them look slim and toned again. During this procedure, liposuction is used to remove excess fat from the arms, then Dr. Mussat carefully trims away any loose skin that’s left over.
No matter what your body goals are, Dr. Florence Mussat can help you achieve them—and maintain your results over the years to come. To learn more about the many body contouring procedures she performs, contact her to arrange a one-on-one consultation.
Over the last decade, dermal fillers have become a staple of medical skincare. These versatile injectable compounds can correct a wide range of cosmetic issues while also improving skin health. The secret to their effectiveness lies in their key ingredient: Hyaluronic acid (HA).
Hyaluronic acid is a safe, natural substance that’s found throughout the human body. Though the word “acid” suggests something caustic to most people, HA is inherently non-destructive. In fact, this carbohydrate polymer is one of the primary building blocks that make up our skin, cartilage, and other connective tissues. HA-based dermal fillers will not damage your skin or cause side-effects, and dermal filler treatments don’t require any downtime.
When HA is injected into the skin, it stimulates the production of collagen, a protein that keeps the skin healthy, strong, and supple. This process is an important part of cellular repair; it combats environmental damage while working to improve skin texture and tone. HA gel can also literally “fill in” distracting blemishes and act as a facial contouring agent. Some of the primary benefits of HA-based dermal fillers are outlined below:
HA is a humectant, meaning it has a powerful ability to pull in water molecules from the external environment. HA can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water.
As new collagen is synthesized, the water molecules attracted by HA are locked into the skin, becoming resistant to evaporation. HA-based fillers are therefore an excellent long-term treatment for chronically chapped lips and areas of rough, scaly skin.
After age 30, the rate at which the body produces collagen declines by about one percent per year. Over time, this causes the skin to become thinner and more fragile. By age 40, most people notice lines and creases starting to form because their skin has become more susceptible to damage and less able to repair itself. By stimulating the production of collagen, HA can reverse some of these unwanted changes and restore the skin’s tensile strength, making it more resistant to future wrinkling.
HA’s thick gel-like consistency also provides an immediate volume boost in treated areas. Dermal fillers can therefore fill in deep creases and pockets of loose skin created by age-related facial fat loss. Dermal fillers are frequently used to fill in hollows around the eyes and cheeks; they can also restore the fullness of the lips.
The volume-building properties of dermal fillers can do more than just fill in wrinkles and hollows: Fillers can also temporarily reshape the cheeks, nose, lips, and chin. People who want to avoid the discomfort and downtime associated with surgery can elect to have a non-surgical rhinoplasty, chin augmentation, or cheek augmentation performed solely with injectable fillers.
If you’re ready to experience the many advantages of dermal fillers, Dr. Florence Mussat will be happy to help you select the right filler treatment to meet your needs. To learn more about dermal fillers, contact Dr. Mussat online or by phone at: 312-751-9000.
