InHealth

2018: The Year of Acceptance

By Dr. Alissa Shulman, MD, FACS

It seems to be the “it” concept of 2018…and a seemingly unlikely statement from a plastic surgeon. However, my happiest patients are those who accept the things that I cannot change and most of what they cannot change.

During a routine new consultation, we talk about healthy diet and active lifestyle. There is no point in investing money into your body if the results are not going to be maintained. Let me make this clear—I am NOT talking about working with only “skinny” patients (besides, I think insurance weight charts are ridiculous); I simply think that a healthy diet and lifestyle that makes you feel good should be the goal. The be-all and end-all is NOT a dress size or the number on a scale!

We discuss basic body shapes (athletic/voluptuous; long/short torso; fat distribution; skin excess; hidden/visible scars). Depending upon the answers combined with my 18 years of experience, we will figure out if surgery is a good option. A patient needs to recognize and accept their own basic body shape. Surgery won’t change that—it will only encourage a better version.     

A patient needs to be in a good place emotionally before we talk surgery. It is important to be able to have a frank discussion about what I can change and what I cannot. Too many people are unhappy because of life situations and they expect plastic surgery to make their whole life better. The hope is that our patients will like their results and, therefore, feel better about their appearance and have more self-confidence to face and improve their situation. 

Certain surgeries can give the illusion of a shapelier torso. Liposuction is best for a stable weight (no point in paying to remove fat if you are not going to maintain it). I can reduce the accessible fat around the waist and flank area. If some of this fat could be used elsewhere, you may want to consider fat grafting. The best area for fat graft placement is the breast—the feel and look are more natural than implants. An even more impressive change is fat grafting done in conjunction with a mastopexy (breast lift) and liposuction to the axilla (bra area fat). This gives more length at the torso and less width at the chest. For those who never had need for implants, a breast reduction can have a similar effect.

It is important to be very mindful of the visceral (internal) fat. It won’t matter how much fat is removed from the outside if the inside fat determines the overall shape (apple body). Even if some excess lower abdominal skin is removed, it usually does NOT change the overall shape.

Acceptance is something we find easier as we get older. This may be a good time to get rid of your old implants and see what Mother Nature has left you. With a little “tweaking” (lift, liposuction, fat grafting), you would be amazed at how good you can look and feel!

There are no standard “recipes” for plastic surgery. Over years of experience with learned techniques, doctors perfect their own procedures. You can speak to five different plastic surgeons and get five different opinions. You need to choose the procedure and surgeon with whom you are most comfortable.

Dr. Alissa Shulman practices at Sovereign Plastic Surgery
located at 1950 Arlington St., Suite 112, Sarasota, Florida.
941.366.5476 | www.sovereignps.com