Archive for March, 2021

Am I a candidate for a tummy tuck?

If you have been wanting to get a smoother, firmer abdominal profile, you may have been thinking about whether a tummy tuck is right for you. A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, removes excess fat and skin and tightens weakened or separated abdominal muscles. Here are some reasons why you may be a good candidate for a tummy tuck:

• You’ve lost a lot of weight and now have an “apron” of loose skin that hangs over your lower abdominal area.
• You have loose skin and abdominal muscles that need to be tightened after going through pregnancy.
• You have tried every diet and exercise program and are at or near your ideal weight, yet you still have a “pooch” of loose skin that bothers you.
• You are in good overall health and at a stable weight.
• You have a positive outlook and realistic expectations for surgical outcomes.
• You are a non-smoker.
• You are bothered by the appearance of your abdomen.
• You understand that a tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss or a weight-loss program.
• Even though the results of surgery are technically permanent, you understand that gaining weight can diminish or negate your results.
• If you are planning on losing a substantial amount of weight or are considering future pregnancies, you should postpone tummy tuck surgery.
• A tummy tuck may remove or improve the appearance of stretch marks if they are in the areas of the excess skin that will be removed.

The procedure

A tummy tuck requires general anesthesia, so you will be asleep during the entire operation. Depending on whether you have a complete or partial abdominoplasty, the procedure can take two to five hours to complete.

Incisions are made just above the public area and from hip bone to hip bone fur a complete tummy tuck. For a partial tummy tuck, the incision is shorter. In both cases, the healed scar will be hidden by the line of your panty or bikini bottom.

If you’re interested in learning whether you’re a candidate for tummy tuck surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr. Weinstein by calling (908) 879-2222.

Posted in Tummy Tuck on March 30th, 2021

How do you treat enlarged breasts in men?

If you are a man with enlarged breasts, you may be refraining from certain physical activities due to emotional distress from having the condition. The overdevelopment of men’s breasts is called gynecomastia, and it’s a condition that can affect men of all ages. Read on to learn more about gynecomastia and how to treat it.

What is gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia affects approximately one out of every two men at some point in their lives. Breasts are made up of fatty and glandular tissue. Gynecomastia consists of excess fatty and glandular tissue and can be present in one or both breasts. Sometimes men have excess breast skin as well.

Causes

Gynecomastia is often caused by an imbalance of the hormones estrogen and testosterone, and affects newborns, boys going through puberty and older men. Other causes include genetics, certain types of medication, certain health conditions and weight gain.

Treatment

Weight loss may help somewhat but will rarely alone result in the breast reduction men desire. Reduction mammaplasty is plastic surgery that reduces breast size, improves nipple anatomy and improves chest contours. Liposuction to remove the excess fatty and glandular tissue may be the only thing that’s needed for some patients. Others may need a procedure that involves making an incision around the areola, or the darkened part around the nipple, to remove the nubbin core of breast tissue, suction sculpt surrounding fatty tissue and remove excess skin to lift the areola for a more youthful appearance.

Male breast reduction is an outpatient procedure with local standby or general anesthesia. There is very little downtime required.

Candidates for surgery

If you’ve tried other non-surgical treatments to try to correct your enlarged breasts, you may need surgery. To be considered for surgery, you should be in good physical health, nonsmoking, have a positive outlook, specific goals and realistic expectations for surgical outcomes. It’s important that your breast development has stabilized to avoid future corrective surgery if breasts continue to develop.

If you’re interested in learning more about treatment for gynecomastia, schedule a consultation with Dr. Weinstein by calling (908) 879-2222.

Posted in Gynecomastia on March 15th, 2021

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