Shapewear has become a common way to manage unwanted bulges and bumps. These are frustrating problems that many people live with, which is exactly why we have various compression garments like Spanx® to help smooth and refine the silhouette. These items allow people to feel better in that little black dress or slim slacks. However, they can also become uncomfortable after a while. If you’ve been relying on shapewear and are ready for a change, now may be your ideal time for liposuction.
Shapewear has lost its appeal.
Shapewear may be a great idea for temporary contouring. Compression can work splendidly for holding in bulges or hiding cellulite that may show in that special outfit. The thing about shapewear, though, is that it only works in certain areas. They happen to be the most common areas, such as the tummy, hips, buttocks, and thighs. As good as shapewear may work for the occasional event or night out, it may not be something you want to wear every day. As you may know, it isn’t exactly easy to squish excess fat into garments that fit tightly!
With liposuction, you wear what you want because your body is always ready. No more wiggling into and out of uncomfortable compression shapewear.
You want something more long-term.
While shapewear can give you the contours you want for a night, liposuction can give you that shape for years. The procedure is performed using a local anesthetic in most cases. To sculpt the body, the surgeon uses a small cannula, a hollow tube attached to a medical device that suctions fat cells into a reservoir. The tube extracts lines of fat cells, and surrounding cells fall into the space to create a smooth, natural result. Fat cells do not grow back so, with a healthy lifestyle, the slimming effects of liposuction can last a very long time.
You want to love the skin you’re in.
Wearing Spanx, you might feel great in the little black dress you wear to that holiday dinner party. When you get home, though, you see something different in the mirror. Shapewear is a lovely illusion for special occasions, but it may not meet your true desire to feel great no matter what you wear. Liposuction does not conceal the problem of extra fatty deposits, it eliminates it! So, no matter what you’re wearing, or if you’re wearing nothing at all, you feel great in your own skin.
We are pleased to perform liposuction for patients in the Hazleton and Pottsville areas. For your consultation, contact an office near you today.
Botox Cosmetic has been around for well over a decade. Millions of treatments have been performed by this time. And yet, we must remember that there are people who are new to injectables. If you are thinking about getting Botox to reduce the signs of aging on your face or neck, we imagine you would like to know what to expect when you arrive at the office. Here, we walk you through the process of getting Botox for the first time.
When people become concerned about lines and creases becoming obvious, they often think of Botox as the ideal solution. This is because this FDA-approved drug is pretty much a household name at this point. The first thing to recognize is what it is used for. Botox treatment can help you if you have frown lines, crow’s feet, forehead lines, a lowered brow line, or horizontal lines on your neck. These are the most common uses of Botox.
Your first Botox treatment does not begin with injections, it begins with a conversation. Injectable treatments like Botox and dermal fillers are customized to each individual. So, before we can plan your treatment, we need to know a few things. We need to know what you want to accomplish, first, and we need to assess where you’re at. A brief look at your skin can give us the information we need to know to plan the right treatment for you. Sometimes, dermal fillers are a better approach. Sometimes, a combination that includes Botox and dermal fillers is best. Your provider will explain their recommendation and answer any questions you have.
Botox injections can be given right after your consultation. Your provider will cleanse the skin in the area where injections will be given and will then use a small needle to administer treatment. No anesthetic is needed for injectable treatments. The needle is so small that you should feel only a minor pinch. You don’t feel the liquid entering the skin or getting absorbed. The entire process usually takes 15 minutes or less.
Being new to injectable treatment, you may want to plan to go home after your appointment. The side effects of Botox are typically limited to minor swelling and pinpoint redness. These fade very quickly. This is why injectables are thought-of as lunchtime treatments. Once you know how your body responds to treatment, you can schedule future visits as they suit you. Some people who get Botox notice a mild headache that lasts a few hours. Some feel a little achy like they would if they had the flu. These are normal side effects, though less common.
Your rejuvenating results appear gradually after your Botox treatment. In about one week, you should see the peak effects of your wrinkle-reduction. From there, these effects will gradually fade after 3 to 6 months. You may schedule touch-ups as often as every 12 weeks.
Schedule your Botox consultation now! Call our Hazleton or Pottsville office.
Plastic surgery procedures have become somewhat of the norm in countries all around the world. Various techniques provide adults with the opportunity to feel more confident in their appearance. Some procedures enhance the body while others correct the signs of aging. Regardless of the type of procedure a person has, they are often interested in knowing what their recovery will be like. Usually, the primary questions revolve around how much pain they will be in and how they can manage it. Because plastic surgery offers significant rewards, patients rarely wonder how they will feel emotionally after having their desired procedure. The fact is, plastic surgery can affect emotions, so we need to talk about this aspect of recovery, too. We’ll do that here.
It doesn’t seem logical to have the blues after undergoing an elective procedure. After all, most patients spend months if not years looking forward to looking better! There are several reasons why the blues may pop up out of nowhere in the first days of recovery. The primary issue that seems to arise is frustration about results. Bruising and swelling are common side effects of surgery. When these don’t go away as quickly as a patient would like, they can feel like they are not healing properly and wind up feeling down. Surgery is also very fatiguing. Patients may feel relatively comfortable and able to resume some of their normal activities but they become easily tired. This can also lead to sadness. The list goes on: feeling unable to take care of others as they normally do, not being able to work or socialize for a few weeks, feeling bored or unproductive; these are all feelings that can result in the blues. Also, they are all normal.
In the end, the majority of people who have plastic surgery are glad they did. We think the process can be pleasant from start to finish! To schedule your consultation for a face or body procedure, contact us in Pottsville or Hazleton.
Regardless of your age and overall cosmetic goals, it’s nice to have soft, glowing skin. You may accept the changes that age causes, such as lines and wrinkles, and have no plans to correct these changes with plastic surgery. However, there are ways that you can keep your skin more resilient and youthful. One of the ways we help our patients do this is through microneedling. This service is available in our Pottsville office and can do wonders for the skin. Here, we discuss what you need to know.
Microneedling is a minimally-invasive form of skin rejuvenation. It can be performed on any part of the body that needs tissue regeneration. The most common treatment area is the face. We call microneedling minimally-invasive because the technique does create what are called “micro-injuries” in the upper layers of the skin. This is achieved using an automated device that quickly “stamps” the skin with several tiny needles at once.
The purpose of microneedling is to make tiny channels in the skin that the body will then want to heal. The channels close very quickly. However, the body is stimulated to create more collagen and elastin in the area that has been treated. Collagen is the protein that heals wounds, scars, and discoloration. Collagen also provides a firm foundation for the skin. Elastin is what gives the skin bounce. It helps the skin bounce back when stretched. Together, these are powerful chemicals that support resilient, youthful skin.
Microneedling is beneficial for several reasons, including:
You deserve to have skin that looks and feels healthy. For more information or to schedule your microneedling treatment, call our Pottsville office at 570.622.2900.
Breast augmentation has been a leading plastic surgery procedure for many years. Still, some questions need to be answered. One that continually comes up during consultation visits, and one that is often typed into Google search, is “are breast implants safe?” We’ll discuss that here, so that you may make the most informed decision about whether or not breast augmentation is right for you.
Researchers have spent years conducting thorough research on breast implants. One area of interest is whether or not breast implants can cause cancer in the ductal or lobular breast tissue. Case studies have provided concrete evidence to refute this. Breast implants do not cause breast cancer. However, women with breast implants can get cancer just like women without them can. If you choose to get breast implants, it is necessary to continue having normal mammograms or ultrasounds as recommended by your primary care physician.
Breast implants do not cause cancer. However, can they make it more difficult to spot breast cancer? There are differing opinions about this. Some say that, because breast tissue is spread out over implants, it is easier to feel small nodules. Some say that, if a nodule were to develop behind the implant or at its edge, it would be more difficult to feel. What is most important to this topic is survival rate, and that’s where we see definitive good news. Studies have shown that breast cancer survival rates are comparable across the board.
Breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It affects T-cells that are part of the body’s immune system. The risk of developing this disease is very low. It is estimated that BIA-ALCL occurs in 33 out of 1 million patients. This complication also seems to coincide with a seroma formation. A seroma is an accumulation of fluid around the breast implant. It is more commonly associated with textured breast implants. The majority of breast augmentations performed involve smooth implants that are much less likely to lead to fluid buildup.
Breast augmentation can be a beneficial procedure that helps you feel like your best self. To learn more, schedule a consultation in our Hazleton or Pottsville office.
Tummy tuck surgery is very exciting for most women who are ready to take back their shape. This procedure, whether performed alone or as a part of a mommy makeover, corrects problems like excess fat and loose skin in the midsection area, stretch marks, a muffin-top, and cellulite. Nearly as soon as women begin envisioning their new bodies once they have decided to have a tummy tuck, they also start thinking about their recovery period. Many of our patients want to know when they can expect life to return to normal after their procedure. We discuss that here.
A tummy tuck, called abdominoplasty, is a procedure in which the abdominal muscle is tightened. Dr. Kimmel does this through an incision just below the bikini line that runs from hip to hip. Gently pulling the abdominal muscle so that it lies flat and smooth, he trims the excess loose muscle and inserts sutures to secure the tissue. This same process is repeated for the overlying skin. In some situations, it is necessary to also reposition the belly button so that it does not sit too low on the abdomen. The result of tissue tightening is a flat, taut midsection.
We understand why patients want to know about their tummy tuck recovery. This procedure is often misunderstood as painful and lengthy. The reason this is the perception that many people have of tummy tuck recovery is that patients cannot stand upright or sleep lying flat for several days after their procedure. This, however, is related to tightness and simple mobility more than it is pain. Because the muscle has been tightened, it needs time to relax and flatten after the natural trauma of surgery. For a few days, patients take prescription pain medication to control comfort. Usually, by the end of the first week, soreness has improved so much that comfort is achievable with over-the-counter pain relief.
During the first week, patients should expect to not be able to reach overhead. After a week to 10 days, mobility should improve quite a bit. However, it can take two to three weeks to be able to stand completely upright with minimal tightness. This improves a little each day. Patients are usually ready to return to work and light activities after 3 weeks of recovery. Light exercise may resume after about 4 weeks of recovery. However more vigorous exercise and heavier lifting may need to be postponed for another few weeks.
Patients who undergo tummy tuck surgery can expect routine follow-ups to assess their healing. During these visits, we discuss which activities may be resumed based on how the muscle and skin are recovering.
Learn more about tummy tuck surgery. Call our Hazleton or Pottsville office to schedule your consultation.
Hundreds of thousands of breast augmentation procedures are performed each year. This trend has remained consistent for well over a decade. Throughout those years, though, we’ve seen varying trends that have affected women’s choices in the size of breast implants they find appealing. For several years, the trend involved larger implants; larger to the extent of looking like breast implants rather than naturally-large breasts. From that end of the spectrum, we swung to the other side, where we say many women choosing to enlarge breasts by one cup size. As trends go, they are now changing again. This time, though women are choosing larger implants once again, few are going overboard. Many, in fact, ask how to avoid choosing breast implants that are too large for them. We discuss that here.
There are several factors that contribute to women’s choices in breast implants. Some may surprise you.
There is nothing wrong with considering outside input when planning breast augmentation surgery. However, a woman’s choice is ultimately her choice and hers alone. Using sizers and a lot of self-reflection, a woman can feel very confident choosing the breast size that is right for her.
Consider body shape, the width of the chest and shoulders, the level of lifestyle activity as you decide what will look and feel best for you. Then, schedule your consultation in our Pottsville or Hazleton office to discuss what you would like to achieve with breast augmentation.
Men with breasts. This sounds like the title of a bad Sci-Fi movie, doesn’t it? In truth, gynecomastia is a very real, very troubling problem. Comedians and many people in our society joke about this condition that we call gynecomastia, referring to enlarged male breasts as man boobs. For the man with this condition, such as description is demeaning and embarrassing. Until recently, very few men realized that there was a name for what they were experiencing. Even fewer have realized that their problem could be corrected. It can. Here’s what patients need to know about returning to their normal workouts after gynecomastia treatment.
Because we’ve only recently begun talking about gynecomastia, there are still misconceptions about what causes this condition and how to correct it. Many men spend months or years trying to contour their chest with exercise. While fatty tissue does play a small role in some cases of gynecomastia, it is not the only issue to contend with. Male breast enlargement is a result of excessive breast tissue. Where fatty tissue is soft and related to weight, breast tissue is glandular. It is dense. It does not change much with weight. This is why men who are otherwise fit may still have puffiness in their chest area.
Even knowing that exercise cannot eliminate gynecomastia, many of our patients feel a sense of urgency to resume their normal workouts after treatment. We understand, and also advise patients not to rush back to the gym. Doing so can create more problems and hold up the progress of healing.
After gynecomastia surgery, rest is the primary action that a man needs to take. This can be difficult when so much effort has previously gone into correcting shape. For the first two weeks of recovery, though, the extent of physical activity is light walking. Patients can walk for up to 30 minutes and can do this a few times a day. It is imperative to maintain a casual pace. Even brisk walking that increases heart rate can disrupt tissue healing and create a risk of complications.
While it may be possible to return to work two weeks after treatment for gynecomastia, physical activity remains limited until about 4 weeks post-op. At that time, the patient may begin walking briskly, hiking, and doing light cardio exercise that primarily uses the lower body. Chest and arm exercises may need to wait until 6 weeks post-op and, when they do resume, should be done slowly and carefully.
Living with gynecomastia is difficult. Treatment can successfully correct this problem and, even with a short recovery period, the outcome of surgery is well worth the wait to get back to a normal exercise routine. Learn more about male breast reduction. Call our Hazleton or Pottsville office to schedule a consultation.
Rhinoplasty is the surgical procedure that reshapes the nose to fit more harmoniously on the face. The objective of a nose job is to make the nose blend in better with surrounding facial features. Sometimes, there is a need for structural modifications to enable the patient to breathe more easily. The aesthetic and functional results achieved in this procedure are the hallmarks of its success.
Rhinoplasty surgery can dramatically improve:
Rhinoplasty procedures may be performed using an open or closed technique. This should be determined based on the structure of the nose and the desired changes, not based on the idea that closed rhinoplasty offers an easier recovery. Both forms of rhinoplasty heal nicely with only short-term discomfort. Rather than focus on incision placement, patients should look at the signs of successful rhinoplasty as:
We respect the individuality of each of our patients and reflect this in our personalized approach to rhinoplasty and other procedures. To schedule a consultation, call our Pottsville or Hazleton office.
The appearance of the skin changes as we age; most people realize this. What we don’t often see is just how many factors influence the skin. Our genetics play some part in how we age, but there is much more contribution made by our lifestyle habits and how much time we spend in the sun without sunscreen. Even our facial expressions affect the elasticity and firmness of tissue. Those who know the skin needs help often look for it in the form of products. This is a good start that should be a part of a bigger plan that includes laser skin resurfacing.
Laser skin resurfacing delivers controlled energy into the skin to remove the uppermost layer of cells. These cells no longer provide value to appearance and are just stuck in place. The dead and damaged cells that sit on the epidermis dull the complexion and make it much more difficult for skincare products to achieve their intended effects. These cells need to go, and laser is a great method of removing them.
It isn’t enough to undergo a single treatment and expect the skin to age more gracefully. After you have laser skin resurfacing, we recommend that you:
Give your skin a leg up on the aging process. Call our Hazleton or Pottsville office to learn more about laser resurfacing.
Medical terms have a way of sounding complicated. Gynecomastia is one of many examples. While doctors and other healthcare providers may find this jargon helpful, you may not. We must build a bridge between everyday language and clinical verbiage so more people can be helped. You may not know what gynecomastia is (why would you?). That is unless you’ve ever googled the words “man boobs” or “male breasts.” These are the everyday terms used to describe the enlargement of a man’s breast tissue. And they are the topic of discussion here.
Based on everyday language like “man boobs,” we see that gynecomastia is the noticeable enlargement of a man’s breasts. All men have breasts, to be honest, but most are more muscle than fat. This is what differentiates male from female physique, muscle tissue. For some men, this balance of muscle to fatty tissue doesn’t fully develop or it gets disrupted.
There are several contributing factors to gynecomastia. Genetics may play a role, as can weight and medication or drug use. It would seem that genetics are more influential because not all men who gain weight see an increase in breast size. Conversely, some men with gynecomastia are at a stable weight and may even work out frequently to correct their breast shape. From what we know at this time, the only way to correct enlarged male breasts is with plastic surgery.
Male breast reduction is a procedure that is consistently growing in popularity. This isn’t because the number of men developing enlarged breasts is increasing but that more men are learning that this effective treatment exists. Gynecomastia has to do with fat. It may be influenced by the breast gland. And it may affect the skin. Therefore, male breast reduction may address all three. Some of the techniques that are considered for gynecomastia treatment include:
Whatever we call it, the enlargement of the male breast is not a condition that a man needs to live with. If you would like to learn more about male breast reduction, schedule a consultation in our Pottsville or Hazleton office.
It is no secret that pregnancy and motherhood change a woman in more ways than one. As a reputable plastic surgery practice, we help women address the physical aspects of their body that they want to regain. Mommy makeover treatment is popular for several reasons. One is that the series of procedures involved in the process is completely customized to each patient. The list goes on and on but it does not answer common questions patients have, like how to make the most of their treatment process. This month, we will thoroughly discuss this topic, starting with pre-operative preparations.
Research several plastic surgeons, then whittle your list down to two or three. Schedule a consultation with each and ask all of your questions. Consider the comfort you feel with each physician, their experience with mommy makeovers, and the feedback you get from other patients in the form of testimonials or direct contact.
Once you have selected your surgeon:
Mommy makeover treatment offers numerous benefits for patients who want to feel great about their body. In our next post, we will discuss more about what to expect after your mommy makeover. For more information, schedule a consultation in our Pottsville or Hazleton office.
Sleep is one of the cornerstones of good health. More than providing us with the rest we need to succeed in our ultra-busy society, sleep is the catalyst for physical rejuvenation and healing. Knowing this, plastic surgery patients can give themselves permission to rest as much as their body dictates after their selected procedure. Depending on the type of surgery, though, sleep can be somewhat of a challenge.
Tummy tuck surgery is performed to restore muscle tone to the abdomen. The procedure achieves outstanding outcomes by surgically repositioning the abdominal muscle and trimming excess that has become loose. Understandably, when abdominal tissue is altered from a very loose state to one that is flat and tight, it takes time for settling to occur. After a tummy tuck, this can be 4 to 6 weeks. During this time, it is not possible to sleep on the side or the stomach. This can be a challenge for many patients but not one that is insurmountable.
Dr. Kimmel’s patients are encouraged to sleep only on their back while they are recovering from abdominoplasty. Because pressure and strain on incisions should be minimized, it is also necessary to sleep in a somewhat included position. This can be achieved by sleeping on several pillows or in a recliner. Even in a recliner, some patients like to place a pillow behind their head and one under their knees. This slightly inclined position may also be more comfortable on a sofa than in a bed.
Some of the ways that good sleep can be fostered after abdominoplasty include:
Dr. Kimmel has been providing outstanding care to patients in the Pottsville and Hazleton areas for more than 20 years. During this time, he has performed thousands of face, breast and body procedures. Schedule a consultation in an office near you to discover the benefits of a customized tummy tuck.
There is an old adage that says “beauty is only skin deep.” Its message has been translated in a variety of ways. Ultimately, the proverb relates to the value of character over physical appearance. We’re going to trust that our patients have the inner traits that make them beautiful from the inside out. Now, what about that outside? It’s one thing to feel beautiful as a person; it’s another to feel beautiful when you look in the mirror.
We gain a great deal of joy from helping people marry the two: their outer appearance and their inner vibrancy. One way we do this is with quality skin care that supports aging tissues. Multiple studies have shown that the skin benefits greatly from the daily effort we make to nourish it. Here, we discuss just how easy it is to promote healthy skin day in and day out.
The very basis of a good skin care regimen is the act of cleansing the epidermis. Dr. Kimmel has developed an entire skincare line with products suitable for every skin type. The first product for daily use is a pure glycolic acid foaming cleanser. The purpose of washing every morning and every night is to break down excess oil and wash away debris like dirt and makeup that would otherwise become trapped in the pores. In addition to glycolic acid, the KSC foaming cleanser contains 2% salicylic acid to exfoliate dead and damaged cells in the gentlest way.
The skin needs moisture to remain vital and healthy. Moisturizing is a step that will change throughout the year and also throughout the years. What one needs in their twenties will be quite different than what their fifty-year-old skin will need. One of the ingredients all skin can benefit from is hyaluronic acid. This sugar compound exists in the body naturally. It is also the base of most dermal fillers. Why? Because hyaluronic acid attracts water molecules and binds to them. Applied topically, a hyaluronic acid serum traps moisture in the upper layer of the skin for several hours. Used regularly, this medical-grade product promotes healthy cosmetic aging.
The skin has particular behaviors, all of which are dictated by the energy within cells like fibroblasts. It is in these cells where collagen is made. The various cells that determine the appearance of the skin respond to specific ingredients. Skin serums that contain antioxidants, peptides, and other nutrients boost the activity and physical liveliness of the cells so the skin is optimally supported.
We are proud to offer one-of-a-kind skin care in our Pottsville and Hazelton offices. Contact us to learn more.
Each year, several thousand people turn to liposuction to get a better shape. This procedure has been performed by plastic surgeons for many years. It has continually performed so well that it has been listed as a leading cosmetic procedure year after year. Still, there are common misconceptions about this body-contouring technique that keep some people in an area of dissatisfaction. Here, we want to discuss a few points about liposuction that can help you make the most informed decision about your potential treatment.
One of the primary factors that leads to patient satisfaction is expectation. To this day, misconception about liposuction helping with weight loss are far too common. When a patient expects to see a drop on the scale after undergoing liposuction, they are bound to be disappointed. Liposuction is intended as a body-shaping procedure, not a weight loss tool. The technique that is used on a local area such as the thighs or abdomen reduces fatty tissue but not to such a degree that weight changes. This doesn’t mean there aren’t significant benefits to liposuction. To see them, you’ll need to look no further than the mirror.
Weight management is an important topic of discussion when planning liposuction. One should neither believe that liposuction will change the shape of their body forever or that fat will quickly return after liposuction. What needs to be expressed here is that weight management continues to be important after a body contouring procedure of any kind. Liposuction does remove fat cells forever. No new cells replace those that have been removed. On the other hand, where there are fat cells, there is a chance for increase. Fat cells enlarge in relation to diet and exercise habits. Knowing this, one is in the prime position to enjoy long-lasting results from their procedure.
Do you have questions about liposuction? Get accurate information straight from the source. Contact our Pottsville or Hazleton office to arrange a convenient consultation with Dr. Kimmel and our friendly, experienced staff.
