Surgical Services : Body Contouring

Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
The goal of an Abdominoplasty is to flatten the abdomen by tightening abdominal muscles (diastasis repair) and skin while removing excess fat and skin.  This procedure can dramatically reduce a protruding abdomen and eliminate stretch marks and excess bad skin. The incision scar may extend from hip to hip depending on the extent of correction needed. However, the scar is kept very low centrally and comes up laterally to follow brief bathing suit lines. You will discuss this at the consultation. The scar may be very short in a Mini - Abdominoplasty where only a small amount of skin is removed. An Endoscopic Abdominoplasty with very small incisions can be done if only a muscle repair is needed or only a small amount of skin is to be removed.

The best candidates for Abdominoplasty are Men or women who are in relatively good shape but are bothered by loose abdominal skin and fat that won't respond to diet or exercise. If fat alone is the problem, liposuction may be all that is needed. Dr. Voci is very experienced with Liposuction and Abdominoplasty and can do with Liposuction and Ultrasonic Liposuction and short incisions what previously could only be done with Abdominoplasty and a long incision. Skin can tighten more than you would expect because of his technique and Ultrasonic Liposuction.  Consequently, many women who come to the office thinking that they need an Abdominoplasty really just need Dr. Voci to do Liposuction. He assesses each patient at Consultation and often gives them choices.  Abdominoplasty is particularly helpful for women, who through multiple pregnancies, have stretched their abdominal muscles and skin beyond the point where they can return to normal. Loss of skin elasticity in patients with slight or extensive obesity, or subsequent weight loss, can also be improved tremendously. A large heavy apron of fat and skin unresponsive to diet can also be removed.

Recovery:
Patients may return to work and or driving in 2 to 3 weeks. Strenuous work or exercise can be continued in 4 to 6 weeks. If muscle is tightened in surgery, strenuous lifting and straining must wait 12 weeks.

Liposculpture
Dr. Voci performed the very first Liposuction in Seattle, Washington in the early 80’s. In fact, he was one of the first plastic surgeons in the entire country to do Liposuction. He uses the term Liposculpture now to describe the refined Liposuction that he does to shape even the smallest of areas such as the jaw line, under the chin, and even the ankles. Liposuction is the most common cosmetic operation performed in the world. It achieved that status by giving results that oftentimes exceed expectations, through tiny incisions, with relatively quick recovery, excellent safety, and few complications.  It is not perfect, no procedure is, but it is extremely effective and very safe. It can contour areas that weight loss and exercise often cannot. It is not a substitute for weight loss, but when diet and exercise have done all they can, Liposculpture does the rest. Most times with extraordinary results.  The most common areas treated are: the upper and lower abdomen, hips, waist, inner and outer thighs, inner knees, upper arms, upper and lower back, lateral chest, the male breast and love handles, the lower face, jaw line, and upper neck. Calves and ankles as well as other areas around the knees can also be contoured with Liposculpture.

Dr. Voci was also one of the first Plastic Surgeons to use Ultrasonic Liposculpture. It is used to liquefy fat in fibrous tough areas such the waist, upper abdomen, the male love handles; and areas where skin must be tightened such as the upper arm and back. This technique has withstood the test of time and hundreds of thousands of cases and actually removes the liquefied fat, as opposed to the new, very well marketed, but not widely used Laser/Smart/Cool Lipo which liquefies, but does not remove the fat cells. The marketing for these laser liposuction machines far exceeds their success. They are being marketed to non- plastic surgeons to do liposuction. Very few plastic surgeons are using the Smartlipo or laser equipment because it adds nothing to what we are already doing. With regard to recovery and type of anesthesia, those depend on the amount of fat treated and the surgeon, not the machine used. Tightening of skin beyond what naturally happens nicely with Liposculpture anyway can be enhanced with Ultrasonic Liposculpture the same as it can with Laser. And Dr. Voci has been doing that for over 10 years. Smartlipo is being used by gynecologists, family practitioners, ENT, and Dermatologists, and very few real Plastic Surgeons because of marketing. It offers no advantage other than the marketing. Dr. Voci’s advice is: “Patients must choose the doctor and not the machine with the best marketing.”  We all know that marketing is purchased with money not results, thus it can be very deceiving.