CosmeticSurg blog: Expert insights from Dr. Ricardo L. Rodriguez

I’m sitting here waiting for my next case, a Mini Tummy Tuck. It is a natural tendency to want maximum results for minimal effort. That is why the words “mini facelift”, mini this and that, are so popular today. The main thing to remember about these procedures is that they are limited versions of the original procedure designed for patients with a minimal defect. Be aware that mini procedures can also mean mini results. Not everybody is a candidate, but some are.

Laser resurfacing is a procedure which is aimed at rejuvenating the face. It works by evaporating the top layers, the epidermis, of your skin causing a regeneration of new skin. While it is an effective method for prompting fresher, more youthful facial glow, there is a great alternative to consider if you are seeking a younger looking face. In fact, I am using laser resurfacing less and less in favor of fat grafting for facial rejuvenation. Why? Because with laser, regeneration of the skin is prompted by destruction and that destruction can also cause fat volume loss whereas with fat grafting, regeneration of the skin is prompted by adipose stem cells which reside in the fat that is injected and there is no additional facial fat loss. Here is why some people experience facial fat loss after laser resurfacing.

We know cost is one of the biggest considerations for patients exploring tummy tuck surgery. Curious about how our abdominoplasty pricing compares locally, we surveyed plastic surgeons near and around our Baltimore office.

Average Tummy Tuck price in Baltimore $11,125

We called 9 board-certified plastic surgeons in Baltimore who perform tummy tucks. We asked questions like, ‘What is the cost of a tummy tuck?’ and ‘What is the cost if I add liposuction to the flanks?’ We included our own cost in the survey, to make it a total of 10 plastic surgeons.

Importantly, we confirmed what each office included in the ‘total cost’ to ensure an accurate, apples-to-apples comparison.

Dr. Rodriguez explains how Abdominoplasty surgical techniques influence blood supply disruption and post-operative swelling, so let’s take a look at how that plays into reducing swelling and eliminating fluid collections.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted a Korean Plastic Surgeon who is popularizing the so called Smile Surgery. MSN News also recently featured an article about smile surgery, called a “smile lipt,” – a combination of the words “lip” and “lift.” While this procedure may sound odd, there are definitely some patients who are good candidates for this procedure. I have performed it in my practice in Baltimore. Some people have a distinct permanent frown type expression and Smile Surgery can help them because it lifts the corners of the mouth. It helps change the permanent sad or angry look to a more pleasant expression. This technique is different than a traditional lip lift procedure, as that technique focuses solely on the long space between the upper lip and the base of your nose.

There have been several comments recently on one of my previous blog posts about Tummy tuck swelling. While swelling is a definite concern, it’s only one of the possible complications following Abdominoplasty. Other complications can include infection, wound separation, and fluid collections. Be sure to discuss these things with your plastic surgeon prior to your surgery.

What are the most common sizes of breast implants used in Breast augmentation? To find out, we did an analysis of the last 125 cases of Breast augmentation procedures performed by Dr. Rodriguez in our surgery center located in Baltimore, Maryland. So what styles and sizes of implants were most popular? Glad you asked!

Very often a patient will ask me ” How much fat do you take out during Liposuction?”. The answer is dependent on two things: 1. liposuction area 2. patient height and weight Therefore, to answer the question, I will give my answers for a body frame type that I see most frequently. We’ll use as an example a woman of average height (5’3”-5’6”) who weighs about 150 pounds.

Following a Liposuction or Tummy Tuck procedure, the wearing of a compression garment should be a mandatory part of your post operative instructions. A medical grade compression garment will not only help give you smooth surgical results, but it can also eliminate the need for drains following a Liposuction procedure.

Patients contemplating a Brazilian butt lift procedure should be aware of the risks, specifically the risk of PFE, and should consider the following to minimize the risk involved. As a BBL patient, you should be sure to:

1. Choose a board certified plastic surgeon (American Board of Plastic Surgery)
2. Have your surgery performed in an accredited surgery center (AAAASF, JCAHO)
3. Ask your surgeon about injection technique details
4. Use IV sedation with tumescent solution instead of general anesthesia

What type of scar will you get with a Breast lift procedure? This is a very common question, and an important question that all patients should discuss with their plastic surgeon prior to having surgery. Any procedure that lifts the breast will require the surgeon to make an incision and that incision will leave a scar on your breast. In most cases, the scar will eventually fade and the positive aesthetic outcome of the ‘lifted’ breast will far surpass the remnants of a scar.

Which types of liposuction require massage post operatively?

• If the surgeon uses 5mm cannulas or laser/ultrasonic liposuction, you will need post operative massage
• If the surgeon uses thin 3mm cannulas with post operative compression garments, you should not need massage

The most common question we get about Tummy Tuck recovery in my Baltimore practice is ‘How much time off work do I need?’ The answer is 2-3 weeks. If you have an office job, you can resume WFH computer type work in week 3. You can go into work in week 3, but no driving until the end of week 3. 

Lip enhancements, whether through implants, lifts, or fillers, are about harmonizing the procedures with your unique features. It’s not just about knowing what you want, or what bothers you; it’s about effective communication to help you achieve the aesthetic you envision.

In my previous blog post about postoperative Tummy tuck swelling I talked about how the blood supply is disrupted to different degrees using the two different types of Tummy tuck techniques (standard vs. Lockwood). In summary, the more skin that is elevated and separated from the muscle layer, the more blood supply disruption you have. On this post we will address swelling of the tissues after Tummy tuck and why compression garments following surgery are important to reduce swelling. The body is made mostly of water, and there is a constant fluid leakage from the tissues balanced by reuptake of fluid into the lymphatic drainage system. When the lymphatic system is impaired, we get fluid accumulations. The fluid can accumulate between the tissues as interstitial fluid (like a soaked sponge), or outside of the tissues as a seroma (like a sac of fluid). It can also accumulate at some distance from the operative site, usually the upper thighs or legs. The drawing illustrates the various types of fluid accumulation following surgery. As you move from left to right on the illustration you have increasing swelling to result in these conditions: