Palm Springs Tummy Tuck doctors

Dog ears refer to when the very ends of the incision are bunched up and the skin sticks out a little. This can be avoided by careful planning (including the shape and length of the incision) and surgical technique. The length of the upper and lower borders of the skin that is removed in a tummy tuck are different, so when closing the incision the surgeon has to sew the borders in a way that lines up without bunching and creating areas that stick out. Dog ears often occur when there is an attempt to keep the incision shorter than it really needs to be. You can certainly let your plastic surgeon know you want to avoid dog ears, but this isn't something you should have to remind a surgeon to do. Better things to interview prospective surgeons on are their credentials, training, and prior surgical experience with tummy tucks. I recommend consulting with a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and ask to see some before and after photos of previous patients.

Smartlipo may or may not be a smart choice for you. No type of liposuction (Smartlipo or not) replaces the need for a tummy tuck. What you need is a smart surgeon. If you already have sagging skin in those areas, liposuction alone does not sound like the best option for you. Combining a tummy tuck and liposuction is a great way to get rid of both excess skin and fat. (If you only had excess fat and good skin quality than you could expect good results with liposuction alone.)  Somehow the name Smartlipo makes it sound far advanced over liposuction, and this has not been shown to be the case. Definitely consult with a board certified plastic surgeon on this one.

Stretch marks are a result of damage to the dermis (portion of your skin) that is not reversible. The best way to truly get rid of them is to remove the affected skin, such as with a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck will get rid of the lower abdominal stretch marks, but if you also have them above the belly button, you may not rid of them completely. There are some lasers and radiofrequency treatments that may help lessen the appearance of stretch marks, but they do not get rid of them. Creams or lotions may help prevent stretch marks, but they are not effective in treating or getting rid of stretch marks. Once stretch marks appear, the damage has already been done. A tummy tuck is great because not only can you get rid of stretch marks, but you also remove excess skin and tighten the abdominal muscles (the fascia layer), giving a nice contour to the abdomen overall.