This is one of my favorite patients and what I think is probably one of my better tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) results.

She is shown below preoperatively in the before photo.  Her major concerns were the stretch marks, loss of skin quality and elasticity, the pooched appearance of the upper abdomen, loose sagging of the lower abdomen and loss of the youthful appearance of her belly button.  She remembered how easy it was to wear a bikini before having her kids and she admitted that now she would not be caught dead in a two piece bikini showing her abdomen.

I saw her recently at her one-year follow-up from the tummy tuck surgery and she looked amazing!  The one-year post-op photo is shown in this article. I shared her preop photos with her and she couldn’t believe how she used to look.  She says that she wears a two-piece bikini now without even thinking about it.  What amazes her is the how the quality and elasticity of her skin continued to improve even up to and beyond one year from the time of the surgery.  She was good and continued to diet and exercise even after the procedure but she didn’t expect the result to get better  as time went by. She is obviously very pleased with her result and has recommended the procedure to numerous friends and family members.

Please contact our office with any questions or comments, 626-683-9080.

Dr. Shankar Lakshman

A tummy tuck removes fat AND excess skin.  Liposuction removes fat ONLY and relies on skin contraction and scarring beneath it to change the body contour.

If your skin is loose, with stretch marks, then a tummy tuck is indicated. The extra skin will not go away with liposuction and will in fact probably get worse.

If your skin is reasonably firm, with good elasticity, and the main problem is excess fat beneath it, then liposuction will work well.

In certain cases in which there is both loose skin and excess fat, both liposuction and tummy tuck can be done at the same time.

Here, I present two cases. The first before and after shows how well liposuction alone works in the right candidate.  The second before and after shows the results after tummy tuck.

Liposuction Before and After

Tummy Tuck Before and After

The decision to go over or under the pectoralis major muscle when performing breast augmentation is a hotly debated topic amongst plastic surgeons.  Recent studies reported that capsular contracture or scarring around the implant was decreased when performing breast augmentation under the muscle.  While this may be true in some situations, it may also cause deformities such as the “double bubble.”

When there is enough breast tissue, I like going over the muscle.  There is less distortion of normal anatomy, less pain, and a more natural appearance. I find that there is no significant difference in capsular contracture especially when following my special exercises after surgery.

When patients have very flat breasts with little tissue, I recommend performing breast augmentation under the muscle. This provides the needed padding between the implant and the skin to avoid feeling and seeing the implant edge.

Breast Augmentation Over The Muscle

Breast Augmentation Under The Muscle

You have put in the time and effort to keep your body and face looking young.  You’re in the best shape of your life, feeling better than you did in your twenties.  You have watched your diet and are exercising regularly, even introducing weight training into your regimen.  Your muscle tone is like that of a college co-ed.

But when you reach out to shake someone’s hand, it is the telling sign of your age.

We communicate our youth and our vitality to the world with our hands.  The hands are an important part of non-verbal communication. Should we not pay the same attention and love to the appearance and health of our hands?

Fortunately, hand rejuvenation is simple, effective, and long lasting.  The hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and uneven skin tone can be treated with creams and resurfacing techniques such as chemical peels.  The loss of fat, collagen and volume that lead to the “gnarled” or “witchy” appearance of the top of the hands can be treated with fillers such as Radiesse ®.

The results are what you expect.  Youthful hands that reflect your youthful body and mind.

Hand Rejuvenation Before and After

Childbirth is one of the most satisfying experiences a mother can have but the physical changes afterward can be disappointing.  The skin becomes stretched and loose. Stretch marks can extend above the belly button and around the hips. The breasts droop and the nipples enlarge and point downward.  Clothes don’t fit the way they used to.  Exercise and crunches have no effect on the loose skin.  And you haven’t even considered wearing a two-piece bikini in years.

All of these changes can be addressed by your plastic surgeon with one procedure: the mommy make over.  The breasts are lifted, the loose tummy skin is removed, and the sides are liposuctioned.  The incision is placed low so that even two-piece bikinis can be worn.

The women that have had the mommy makeover procedure tell me that it changes their life. They have a newfound confidence and social poise. They are not afraid to wear form-fitting styles and are even ready for that “triangle white bikini”.

Actual Patient - Mommy Makeover Before and After Photo

Please contact our office with any questions or comments, 626-683-9080.

Dr. Shankar Lakshman

An important decision when considering breast augmentation, is whether to go with saline or silicone gel breast implants.

Saline implants cost less.  They can be placed using a smaller incision.  They are more adjustable and can correct for differences in size more precisely.  If they rupture, the saline leaks out and the breast becomes flat.  They have a firmer feel then silicone gel implants. You have more chance of noticing the implant against the breast skin. This gives a slightly “faker” look.  The rates of internal scarring are higher then silicone gel implants.

Silicone gel implants are more expensive but they are lighter and softer.  They hang more like natural breast tissue.  They require a larger incision to place in the body.  They are not as adjustable as saline in correcting differences in breast size.  Studies have shown decreased rates of scarring.  If they rupture, the silicone gel can sometimes “leak” outside the breast pocket.

Both silicone and saline breast implants are safe, FDA approved devices that do not cause cancer or prevent cancer diagnosis.  Please contact my office with any questions or to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Dr. Shankar Lakshman

When you meet someone for the first time, one of the first things you notice is their face, not their shoes or their tie. Is the quality of the skin around the jawline and neck wrinkled or saggy? Is she or he tired, or just looks it?

A patient said something remarkable to me as I was evaluating him for surgery. He said that inside, he always felt like he was about thirty years old and one day was surprised when he saw this old man staring back at him from the mirror. “Who is that guy?”

A traditional facelift rejuvenates the entire face and neck and can take 10 years off of your apparent age. The effects usually last a full decade. A face lift performed in your 40′s or 50′s will have you still looking 50 when you are 70!

Facelift - Actual Patient

You may be a candidate for a facelift, a procedure that can turn back the hands of time. Please call to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Dr. Shankar Lakshman