Body procedures articles

Dr. Ricardo L. Rodriguez discusses plastic surgery for the body and related topics.

  • Body lift complications & revisions

    36% of all patients who undergo a Body lift procedure will have a complication.

    As with any surgery, the body lift comes with possible complications and potential revisions as it lifts and tightens the entire lower part of the body. The good news is that most complications are relatively minor and can be handled post operatively in the office setting.

  • BMI guidelines for Tummy tuck and BBL

    Body mass index formulas.

    Your BMI, or Body Mass Index, is calculated with a mathematical formula using your height and weight. The higher your BMI, the higher your surgical risk for complications both during and after surgery. Therefore, when I am evaluating patients for cosmetic (elective) procedures, I use their BMI as a surgical complication risk assessment factor. Find out what your BMI needs to be in order to schedule plastic surgery.

  • Fat graft success starts with Liposuction

    An illustrating showing the reasons why small particles are better for fat grafting.

    Patients routinely get fat grafts to the face, breast, and buttocks. However, some patients do not get the result they wanted because the fat graft did not ‘take.’  So, what happened? Why do fat grafts sometimes die or fail to take? In this post, I will explain one of the most important factors in creating a long-lasting fat graft. When the recipient tissue is normal, there really should be no need for a touch-up, or revision. Plastic surgeons have all of the tools they need to create a good fat graft on the first try!

  • What do Tummy tuck scars look like?

    Tummy Tuck scar is placed in panty line

    Many patients are afraid of getting a Tummy tuck because of the scars. But patients should not be afraid, because these incisions can be surgically placed so that they are not noticeable, even when you wear a bikini after the surgery. However, you should know that the appearance of the final scar is very dependent on the technique your surgeon uses. Based on some of the before and after photos that I have seen on the web, there is a wide variation in scar placement for this procedure. There are very concrete steps that a surgeon can use to ensure a scar is well placed (and thin enough) to allow the patient to wear a bikini after having a Tummy tuck.

  • Tummy tuck patients Are happy happy happy!

    96% worth it rating based on 5705 stories

    I’ve been online for quite some time, writing this blog and producing videos in hopes of educating patients who are considering cosmetic surgery. As such I’ve also been involved with online forums centered around plastic surgery topics. Perhaps the most comprehensive online portal for patients looking to gain first-hand knowledge and information about plastic surgery procedures is RealSelf. Today I took a look at the “Worth It” Ratings for the various cosmetic surgery procedures and according to RealSelf, the highest rated procedures are.

  • How to get the smoothest Liposuction results?

    Different liposuction cannulas.

    To get the smoothest result with Liposuction your plastic surgeon needs four things: SMALL 3 MM LIPOSUCTION CANNULA: The instrument that a plastic surgeon uses to remove the fat from your body is called a cannula. Cannulas come in a variety of sizes and are classified by the width of the long slender tube. After over 25 years of performing Liposuction, I have found that the cannula which works best is a small, thin, 3 millimeter diameter cannula. The small diameter cannula ensures that you don’t leave defects in the fatty tissue where fluids or blood can accumulate. Larger liposuction cannulas allow fluids to accumulate and have a higher likelihood of uneven scarring and surgery results. Uneven scarring is what causes skin contour irregularities.

  • Compression garments for Liposuction and Tummy tuck

    A compression garment from Design Veronique.

    For the best results following any plastic surgery procedure it’s important to choose your board certified surgeon carefully, discuss your goals and options very specifically, and follow your surgeons post-op instructions completely. Not wearing your compression garment after surgery might not seem like a big deal, but in fact, it is very important to your surgical result! I ask all of my patients to wear a compression garment after their Liposuction and/or tummy tuck surgery. Here’s why.

  • What does the Mommy makeover do?

    A collage of photos of a patient before and after a Mommy makeover.

    The Mommy makeover is a combination of cosmetic surgery procedures done at the same time to address the changes in the body after pregnancy. Each Mommy makeover is customized to your concerns. However, the Mommy makeover should address 3 main issues, which concern the breast , stomach, and upper body changes.

  • How long is the Tummy tuck recovery?

    A pen marking a date on a calendar.

    Recovery after a Tummy tuck has to balance two things: the need to get your body going as quickly as possible versus the need to keep things quiet until your body has a chance to heal well. In the past, patients were told to stay very still for a long time, but that created complications such as blog clots in the legs and problems with the lungs. Nowadays patients are encouraged to get moving much sooner, but that can have its own set of problems such as wound separations and infections. Like most things in life, the answer is somewhere in the middle. Here is how we advise our own patients who have surgery in our Baltimore surgery center, and we hope you find it helpful.

  • How much fat is taken out during Liposuction?

    A collage of photos of a patient before and after a Liposuction.

    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.

  • Avoiding thick Tummy tuck scars

    A collage of photos from different angles of a patient before and after a Tummy tuck procedure.

    Many patients are afraid of the Tummy tuck procedure because they have seen friends’ scars or pictures of scars on the Internet and they think such scars are unavoidable. Still others, including Hispanic, Orientals, or African Americans think they are bound to get thick scars simply based on their racial background. This is just not so. Thick or unsightly scars following Abdominoplasty can be easily avoided.

  • Tummy tuck complications – Infection, wound separation, seroma, hematoma

    Fluid collection from a seroma.

    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.

  • Can a Tummy tuck be performed with a Brazilian butt lift?

    A photo of a female patient, zoomed in from behind, showing the results of a Brazilian butt lift and Tummy tuck combination.

    “Can I have another procedure at the same time as the Brazilian butt lift?” The answer is yes and no. A Tummy tuck can be safely combined with the Brazilian butt lift to give a great result. However, combining the butt lift with breast aug is usually not advisable. Watch this video by Dr. Ricardo Rodriguez, a Yale trained Plastic Surgeon.