Florence Mussat, M.D.
680 N Lake Shore Dr. #1030 Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 751-9000

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Category: liposuction

Liposuction, Tummy Tuck, or Both?

When your abdominal area becomes a problem due to excess skin and a sagging bulge, and diet and exercise offer you little to no help, you may feel the urge to seek cosmetic solutions. Though you might have shed pounds by dieting and putting in effort at the gym, your abdomen could still refuse to cooperate after pregnancy or significant weight loss.

Fortunately, there is help in Chicago for your aesthetic concerns. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Florence Mussat offers two popular procedures for patients who want to look fit and feel attractive in their personal or professional lives. Liposuction and abdominoplasty are excellent cosmetic enhancements that have proven to deliver outstanding aesthetic benefits.

Liposuction for Tummy Sculpting

When excess fat is the primary reason for your belly bulge, liposuction is an excellent option. It involves tiny incisions that allow Dr. Mussat to insert a specialized device known as a cannula. After introducing the thin, hollow cannula into the incisions, she suctions the unwanted fat cells. Dr. Mussat may use a tumescent solution comprised of saline and a local anesthetic or choose ultrasound-assisted liposuction for fat removal.

Once Dr. Mussat has removed the stubborn fat, she will apply soft bandages and an overlying compression garment to support incisions as you heal. Because the incisions are so small, they typically require no sutures. Though you will notice an immediate improvement, it will take a few months to realize full benefits.

Tummy Tuck Surgery

Reducing excess skin in the abdomen requires a more intricate procedure. Abdominoplasty removes excess skin and reinforces the abdominal wall. This plastic surgery requires lifting the skin to expose damaged abdominal muscles stretched by pregnancy or weight fluctuations.

A tummy tuck uses internal and external sutures, and recovery is longer and more involved than liposuction. Dr. Mussat employs multiple techniques for tummy tuck surgery, including a mini tummy tuck and a traditional tummy tuck. The primary difference is that the mini tuck only addresses the lower abdomen below the belly button.

Combining the Two

There are advantages to combining aesthetic procedures to address multiple cosmetic concerns. Such is the case with adding liposuction to tummy tuck surgery. Here, you can resolve all the problems associated with a post-pregnancy stomach – excess skin, fat, and a damaged abdominal wall.

Dr. Mussat typically employs liposuction with mini and traditional tummy tucks. It makes sense to remove lingering fat, even if you’ve lost most of your belly pouch.

Pairing procedures will reduce risk and save you time and money. Less time in the surgery room means a more affordable cost. And by combining your surgeries, you will only have one recovery time, which will be no longer than a tummy tuck recovery when performed as a stand-alone procedure.

What’s Best for You?

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Mussat and learn more about liposuction, abdominoplasty, or a combination procedure, contact us or call (312) 751-9000.

How You Can Slim Down This Summer with Liposuction

Reinvent your shape with Dr. Florence Mussat‘s liposuction services. Perhaps you’re sticking to a healthy lifestyle routine but aren’t seeing improvements. You’d like to part ways with unwanted body fat, but you’re not sure what to do. Thankfully, liposuction can help you feel better about your appearance. 

Here’s how! 

What is Liposuction? 

Liposuction treats trapped, stubborn fat by using techniques that remove fat for body contouring and improved health. Common locations for fat removal include the thighs, arms, neck, hips, abdomen, and buttocks. 

Liposuction’s Proven Benefits 

Many studies suggest that the surgery may reduce the total number of inflammatory cells by 11%—the greater the inflammatory cells, the greater one’s risk for cardiovascular disease. The reduction of inflammatory cells also improves cholesterol. Reducing blood fat levels decreases total triglycerides. Some research suggests that triglycerides are reduced more significantly through liposuction than through medication. In a 2011 study, persons with high blood fat levels had a 43% decrease in triglycerides than those on medication with a 20% reduction.

How Does Liposuction in Chicago with Dr. Musset Work? 

The patient is sedated using general or local anesthesia and IV sedation. Traditional liposuction begins with a small incision at the target area. Next, a saline solution and an anesthetic are injected to remove more fat and reduce bleeding. Then, a cannula is inserted and moved through the incision area, and fat cells are suctioned out. Once removed, the area is dressed in soft bandages and overlying compression materials to reduce swelling.  

Good Candidates for Liposuction

Those with hormonal imbalances, autoimmune disorders, and susceptibility to weight fluctuations are good candidates. Ideal candidates have highly elastic skin, as this is required to shape the musculature after fat removal. If the skin is not flexible, it will be difficult for the skin to reshape itself. Candidates must not be pregnant, breastfeeding, or be below a healthy body weight to partake in liposuction. 

What Happens During a Liposuction Treatment? 

The surgeon will inject a solution that helps in fat removal and an anesthetic to relieve tension and pain experienced during standard procedures. Epinephrine is also injected to assist with the constriction of blood vessels. This constriction aids in fat removal. You will be under anesthesia and will not feel any pain during the procedure. 

Liposuction Recovery 

Full recovery can take anywhere between two and three months. You may return to work after one week and start exercising after four weeks. The more time you give your body to rest, the faster it will heal. Be prepared for swelling, bruising, and soreness, and continue wearing compression bandages as you heal. 

Take the Next Step and Slim Down for Summer!

Consider liposuction as your jumpstart to restored health and confidence. Reclaim your commitment to necessary diet and exercise changes! 

To learn more about liposuction, visit fmussatmd.com and read up on Dr. Mussat’s process. The experts at our Chicago practice are happy to answer any questions you may have. Contact us at (312) 751-9000 to find out how Dr. Musset can assist you in slimming down this summer.

How Many Areas Can One Liposuction Procedure Treat?

Having embarrassing pockets of stubborn fat on your thighs, hips, abdomen, buttocks, back, flanks, or under your chin can affect your self-esteem and make you feel unattractive. Genetics, lifestyle choices, or multiple pregnancies could contribute to these troublesome areas that refuse to respond to your healthy diet and exercise routine.

Liposuction can be an effective procedure at reducing your problem areas, and you may be wondering whether you could have multiple areas of the body treated simultaneously. What you learn in your consultation with Dr. Florence Mussat in Chicago, IL, might surprise you, so keep reading!

How Much Fat Can Surgery Remove?

How many areas can one liposuction procedure treat? The answer depends on how much fat Dr. Mussat can safely remove during a single session. To minimize risk, it’s a best practice to avoid removing more than five liters of fat at once. If your goal is to get rid of more than this, Dr. Mussat will need to create a treatment plan spanning multiple stages and sessions.

People who have more than five liters of body fat removed are high-volume liposuction patients. Since the chances of surgical complications increase with the amount of fat taken out, undergoing high-volume liposuction requires you to spend at least one night in the hospital.

It’s best to think of liposuction as a procedure that refines and contours your existing shape. If your goal is to lose a dramatic amount of weight, you are likely a better candidate for a different surgical approach, such as bariatric surgery.

Before considering liposuction, we recommend you have already achieved your ideal body weight, with a body mass index of less than 30.

Liposuction is a highly personalized treatment, and the number of areas you can have treated in a single visit will depend on several factors, including the following:

  • Your physique and anatomy
  • Location of each targeted area of fat
  • Volume of fat you hope to remove
  • Your unique body contouring objectives

When considering liposuction in Chicago, IL, remember that Dr. Florence Mussat is an expert in body contouring and can create a safe and effective treatment plan to match your specific goals.

Fat in One Region of the Body

If you hope to have fat removed from parts of the body in the same general region – such as the hips, thighs, and buttocks – it may be possible to treat these areas during a single outpatient visit.

Fat in Multiple Regions of the Body

Often, stubborn fat deposits don’t accumulate in one localized area. As a result, you may want to know how many areas a single liposuction session can address.

There isn’t a specific limit to the number of areas that can be treated during a single liposuction visit. Instead, the amount of fat Dr. Mussat can remove will depend on your unique anatomy and the volume and number of areas you wish to address. For example, a petite person might have all their target regions taken care of during only one liposuction session. However, someone with a larger build might require multiple treatments to remove the appropriate amount of fat safely.

If the volume of fat you wish to remove is more than the amount deemed appropriate for your body, or if the procedure might take longer than Dr. Mussat considers safe, staged procedures are typically the best solution.

As the number of treatment sites increases, so will side effects like pain and swelling. The recovery time associated with having multiple areas treated at once is also longer. After completing the liposuction procedure, Dr. Mussat will apply a compression garment, limiting swelling in the targeted areas.

Having liposuction performed across multiple areas is a highly individualized treatment. Dr. Mussat will determine the number of sessions necessary treat all your trouble spots according to your unique circumstances.

How Long Does It Take to Recover?

Fortunately, since liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure, recovery should take about two to three  weeks. You’ll need to diligently wear your compression garment to help with your healing process, and it’s best if you restrict your activities for a few days after the surgery. Any redness, swelling, or bruising in the treated areas should soon resolve on their own. Make sure you get plenty of sleep, follow a healthy diet, and stay hydrated during your recovery.

Learn More About Liposuction in Chicago, IL

The decision to have stubborn fat removed from multiple areas of your body with liposuction is highly personal, and having any part of yourself surgically altered isn’t a decision you should make lightly. For the best advice, please contact board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Florence Mussat in Chicago, IL. Schedule a personal consultation with her online or call (312) 751-9000 today!

Get Ready for Valentine’s Day – 10 Ways to Look and Feel Your Best

Valentine’s Day comes at the perfect time of year. The joy and excitement of the Christmas season are but a memory. As we eagerly begin to anticipate the arrival of spring, February brings us Valentine’s Day and, with it, a much-needed dose of fun, romance, and excitement.

With more and more people going the extra mile to look their best for Valentine’s Day, why not schedule a visit with Dr. Florence Mussat at her Chicago plastic surgery office?

Be on your way to a fresh, vibrant look with one of these 10 solutions from Dr. Mussat.

1.     Restore Youthful Fullness to Your Face

Perhaps it’s due to genetics, aging, or simply your facial structure, but parts of your face could be lacking in volume and making you appear gaunt. Well, it is possible to enhance your facial volume and improve the appearance of your face with a facial fat transfer expertly performed by Dr. Mussat.

2.     Fall in Love With Your Skin

Taking care of one’s skin is essential throughout the year, and there’s no better time than now to get back your radiant glow in time for Valentine’s Day with a nonsurgical facial rejuvenation treatment.

With medical-grade, topical retinoids, various conditions, including mild to moderate acne, signs of sun damage, freckles, fine lines, and wrinkles, can be treated.

3.     Refresh Your Eyelids

Your eyes may be the window to your soul, but drooping eyelid skin or undereye bags could be concealing and aging your eyes, making you look tired, sad, or angry. If so, you could be a good candidate for an eyelid lift, also known as blepharoplasty. It could take years off your appearance and give your self-esteem a big boost.

4.     Repair the Sun Damage

Even though summer is long gone, your skin could still be showing signs of too much sun with dryness, new lines, and wrinkles. Dr. Mussat offers a range of treatments to undo the harsh effects of summer, and just two of these are highlighted below.

Chemical Peel: Replaces thickened and damaged skin with fresh, youthful cells, eliminating uneven pigmentation and skin discoloration.

Microdermabrasion: By rubbing fine crystals across the skin with a medically-calibrated wand, the rough outer layer is removed, and new skin stimulated.

Laser Skin Rejuvenation: A concentrated beam of light is used to gently exfoliate the skin’s sun-damaged outer layer.

5.     Reclaim Your Youthful Shape

Becoming a mother can be one of the most rewarding experiences. However, pregnancy and breastfeeding can leave you with unwelcome reminders such as stomach flab and flattened breasts.

While diet and exercise can go a long way towards reclaiming your youthful appeal, a mommy makeover as a Valentine’s gift to yourself could be all you need to restore your youthful figure.

6.     Get Back Those Perky Breasts

Full, perky breasts may be a distant memory of the days before gravity, weight loss, pregnancy, or breastfeeding changed things. To regain confidence in your appearance this Valentine’s Day, a breast lift could be exactly what you need.

7.     Slim Your Jawline

Whether it’s the result of age or weight gain, a double chin can be one of the most frustrating facial flaws to have. Through a facelift, Dr. Mussat can tighten loose skin under your chin and neck area, lift those sagging jowls and restore a youthful appearance.

8.     Tone and Tighten

Are you plagued by problem areas of flab that won’t go away? Regardless of how much you exercise and eat healthily, do you find that lean, sexy stomach continues to elude you?

Well, you might consider a tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, which surgically removes excess skin and flesh from the abdomen and even repairs abdominal muscles damaged during pregnancy or weight gain.

9.     Restore Those Smooth Contours

If you’ve lost a significant amount of weight either through diet, exercise, or bariatric surgery, you could now have excess skin in areas of the body where large amounts of fat used to be. Through one or more body contouring procedures, expertly performed by Dr. Mussat, you could be well on your way to having your body’s contours restored by Valentine’s Day.

10.            Put Your Best Face Forward

Despite taking good care of yourself and trying to age gracefully, age-related changes in your face are still inevitable.

With facelift surgery, Dr. Mussat can tighten and lift the soft tissues of your face, tighten lax, excess skin and surgically reposition sagging facial tissue giving you a more youthful, rejuvenated look.

Regain Your Sexy, Youthful Look in Time for Valentine’s Day!

What better to get a self-confidence boost and bring some excitement back into your love life before Valentine’s Day than a visit to board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Florence Mussat in Chicago, IL?

Too look your absolute best before Valentine’s day, schedule a personal consultation or call (312) 751-9000 today!

Should You Add Liposuction to Your Tummy Tuck?

Are you struggling with your middle section sporting a permanent belly pooch, loose skin, and an extra layer of fat? Are you finding that, despite your healthy diet and consistent exercise routine, that your lean, sexy stomach is as elusive as ever?

Well, it’s not your fault. Excess skin, stretched muscles due to pregnancy, stubborn fat, or both are conditions that many of us encounter. You might be a good candidate for a tummy tuck, or liposuction, or a combination of these. Combining the two procedures, known as lipoabdominoplasty, might the best choice if your goal is to tighten your abdominal area as well as remove excess fat.

Liposuction uses suction to remove isolated pockets of stubborn subcutaneous fat in those pesky love handles, belly fat, and back rolls. What it doesn’t address is excess skin or muscle laxity that may follow pregnancy or weight loss.

On the other hand, a tummy tuck removes excess skin and tightens loose or separated abdominal muscles, resulting in a smooth, toned physique. For those areas of stubborn fat surrounding the abdomen, on its own, a tummy tuck may not be the most effective option.

Liposuction, combined with other procedures, is safe and growing in popularity. For example, for the mommy makeovers procedure Dr. Florence Mussat offers, she may combine liposuction with a tummy tuck. Doing this in one procedure removes excess fat and reduces abdominal stretching, returning your body to its former, more desirable, sexy shape.

How Does Liposuction Complement a Tummy Tuck in Chicago, IL?

At the start of your tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Mussat first performs liposuction throughout the abdominal area to eliminate excess fat. A tiny tube, known as a cannula, is inserted through small incisions in the abdomen, and fat cells are removed with an aspirator.

Once the fat has been removed, the tummy tuck is then performed, removing excess tissue and skin, and tightening the abdominal muscles, resulting in a flatter, firmer abdominal profile.

What Are the Benefits of Adding Liposuction to Your Tummy Tuck?

The most significant benefit of adding liposuction to your tummy tuck is that exercise- and diet-resistant fat can be removed during the same procedure where loose skin is tightened, and stretched muscles are repaired.

Scheduling only one surgery with just one recovery period and less overall downtime is an excellent benefit for someone with a busy schedule.

Finally, when your tummy tuck is combined with liposuction, body contouring results are maximized. Removing excess fat and stretched loose skin at the same time is often the most efficient and effective approach in getting ready for that new bathing suit!

How Do You Decide to Add Liposuction to Your Tummy Tuck?

You can combine these two procedures following a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Florence Mussat, in Chicago, IL. She would be happy to help you make this decision and to plan for the procedure itself. Schedule a personal consultation online or by calling (312) 751-9000 today!