I had liposuction on 12/11/18. Even with the swelling I could see the difference in my shape. I had my 6 week follow-up today 1/21/19 and the results are amazing. Dr. Shuter is great plastic surgeon and very personable. I highly recommend his services.
OMG! Dr shooter is the greatest plastic surgeon I have ever met. Not only are his skills excellent he is very personable has an excellent excellent staff and took 20 years off my face in an hour and not one person noticed that I had plastic surgery done they just said I look fabulous!
After suffering from a ruptured brain aneurysm (subarachnoid hemorrhage) in September of last year (2012), I was rapidly given large amounts of IV fluids after the endovascular coiling surgery to reduce the risk of cerebral vasospasm. During this time, I experienced 3rd spacing and my body could not release the fluids as quickly as they were administered so I went from 135 lbs to 210 lbs within a few days. After (1) week, my body started to release the fluid. However, I was left with very deep, dark purple stretch marks from my natural waist down past my inner thigh (approximately 4 in. from the top of my knees). While I am grateful to be here today with only stretch marks as the resulting damage, it has been a journey for me to come to terms with the cosmetic damage. After a year of debating, I contacted Plastic Surgeon Dr. David Shuter hoping there may be a way to reduce the appearance of the stretch marks. He recommend starting treatment on my inner thigh (the most damage is here) using the Palomar 1540 with (6) treatments. Dr. Shuter explained the entire procedure to me and gave me a conservative percentage of reduction to be about 50% overall. I agreed to try it and my appointment was scheduled! Palomar 1540 Treatment #1 - My 1st treatment was on 10-17-13. The nurse used a topical numbing cream that needed to be applied 1-hr prior to the procedure. After 1-hr., Dr. Shuter proceeded with the treatment. I was given protective eye wear and Dr. Shuter prepared me for the treatment. The first zap felt very warm and slightly pinched. During the procedure, it felt like a thousand tiny rubber bands smacking me over and over again. The warm sensation began to feel a little bit like a sunburn (pain level 1-10 was approx. at 5). After he moved to the 2nd leg (inner thigh), I think I felt a little more relaxed and the pain was a bit less. (pain level 1-10 was approx. at 3). The laser leaves little red dots about the size of a nickle. At the end of the procedure (approx. 20 min. for both legs), the red dots were slightly swollen and both legs felt like I had a sunburn. The nurse gave me an ice roller and I applied the roller for about 5 min. After that, the sunburn feeling went away, the area was cooled down and the red dots were slightly less swollen (pain level 1-10 was approx. at 2). Approx. 1-hr. post procedure, I took (1) 500 mg Tylenol and the pain level was reduced to zero! 48- Hrs. Post Procedure - The red dots from the laser were much lighter (pink in color) and the swelling was completely gone. 1-Week Post Procedure - The red dots from the laser were completely gone. In the treated area, my skin was a little dry so I started using Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash by Philosophy once per day and Eucerin Original lotion twice per day. The dryness went away after (2) days. 2-Weeks Post Procedure - This is where I saw the magic! Exactly (2) weeks after the procedure there was a very noticeable difference. The stretch mark depth was reduced by approx. 25%, the purple coloring reduced by approx. 25% and the skin felt noticeably tighter. Palomar 1540 Treatment #2 - Treatment was on 11-14-13. The procedure was done exactly like treatment #1 except, I took (1) 500 mg Tylenol approx. 30 minutes prior to the treatment. This actually reduced the pain level by about 1/2. 48- Hrs. Post Procedure - The red dots from the laser were much lighter (pink in color) and the swelling was completely gone. 1-Week Post Procedure - The red dots from the laser were gone. However, I did notice a tiny bit of light pink in some areas that had been treated. Since I had experienced dry skin from the 1st treatment, I used the Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash by Philosophy once per day and Eucerin Original lotion twice per day for a couple of days until the dryness was gone. Then I just applied Eucerin lotion once per day after showering. 2-Weeks Post Procedure - At weeks (again) after the procedure there was a very noticeable difference. Just like the 1st treatment, it was at the 2-week mark where I was able to see the most improvement. The stretch mark depth was reduced by approx. 40%, the purple coloring reduced by approx. 40-50% and the skin in the area treated, continues to become firmer and tighter. I have recently undergone the 3rd Treatment and will continue with my review each month until my final treatment. Please feel free to ask me any questions. I am so excited about the results so far, I would be happy to help others achieve the same success in treatment. Updated on 31 Mar 2014: The 3rd treatment was performed on 12-9-13. At this appointment, Dr. Shuter decided that he was going to do the 3rd treatment and then we would wait for 3 months to continue treatments again. This is to see if waiting 3 months for skin healing would make a difference or a bigger impact on the success of the next treatment. 2-Weeks Post Procedure - 2 weeks after the procedure there was no noticeable improvement . The stretch mark depth was still reduced by approx. 40%, the purple coloring still about the same, reduced by approx. 40-50% and the skin in the area treated, did not become firmer or tighter. 1-Month Post Procedure - At the one (1) month mark, I did notice additional improvement in the depth, coloring and tone. Over the next couple of months, there was additional improvement with an overall improvement of about 60% reduction in color and depth. The skin is also firmer. Today I underwent the Palomar 1540 Treatment #4. It has been approximately 3 1/2 months since my last treatment. In comparing photos at Dr. Shuter's office, there is at least a 60% reduction since the start of the 1st treatment. Dr. Shuter is going to continue the laser therapy once per month for the next 3 months and then I will take a break from treatments for 3 months. I will continue to post the success of the treatments!
I first consulted with Dr. Shuter 2 years ago while I was researching my options for a tummy tuck and breast reduction. I consulted with a total of 7 plastic surgeons and Dr.Shuter stood out from the crowd.Why? Firstly, he's a gentleman and a family man and treats his patients with the utmost respect and care. He doesn't sugar coat anything and let's you know exactly what you're in for. He spends as much time as you need him to spend with you asnwering all questions in detail. You can tell he's passionate about what he does and wants the best results for every patient. He doesn't recommend tummy tucks and breast reductions at the same time for safety reasons. he's HUGE into safety which is major for us all! His bedside manner is comforting and he's a perfectionist in his field. My tummy tuck surgery in 2011 went much smoother than I anticipated and my scars are barely visible now! I just had my breast reduction yesterday (may 7 2013) and I cant believe how little pain I'm in, if any! His work is FABULOUS - he is the picasso of plastic surgery and you'd be crazy to overlook this brilliant surgeon. The staff at his office are extremely friendly and helpful and the team work is palpable. Look no further folks ... Dr. Shuter is AMAZING!
After turning 50 last year, I felt like I was getting old and sinking fast! I decided to talk to my doctor about breast implants and what they might do for me.I waited 3 months to make sure I was not making an impulsive decision and am so glad I went through with it. I still look in the mirror and cannot believe it is me! I had all the confidence in the world with my surgeon because he had already done an eyelid lift for me a few years back. I went to him after seeing several of my friends who had work done and they looked so great...not pulled tight like some aweful procedures I have seen.I feel so much younger...my husband would not like to hear this but I get lots more looks now! I did this for me and it was worth every penny!
My motivation...I wanted to look and feel better in a bathing suit. I've tried for years to lose that little bit around my stomach and nothing worked. I am thrilled with my results. The procedure was quick and less painful than I thought. I felt some cold and then the area went numb and it didn't feel much after that.
The two devices have completely different mechanisms of action. Coolsculpting utilizes freezing temparature to reduce the fatty bulges without damaging the skin, and Zerona uses phototherapy/light energy to reduce the fat. I am a big proponant of phototherapy overall, but for fatty bulge reduction, Coolsculpting has much more literature behind it as well as almost 2 million treatment cycles performed to date, with high patient satsifaction.
While your theory makes sense to a point, you have left out an important concern. If ice bags alone are used, the skin could be injured by frostbite as well. You've probably seen pictures of frostbite online and the tissue loss is dramatic. In other words, the fat would be reduced, but the overlying skin could also die, resulting in potential scarring at best or the need for reconstructive surgery- skin grafts, flaps, or even amputations, at worst. Coolsculpting solves this problem by monitoring the temperature carefully during the treatment cycle, and maintaining the temp at the point where the fat cell are affected but the skin is not damaged.
A recent review article, which analyzed over 300 hundred articles on cryolipolysis/Coolsculpting, clearly demonstrated the efficacy of this technique. As always, realistic expectations are the key to happiness. If a patient has appropriate fatty anatomy and is an acceptable candidate, Coolsculpting can deliver 20-25% bulge reduction with each cycle, and even more with additional cycles. This is done with no surgical risk or downtime.
As mentioned by others, each Coolsculpting cycle takes 1 hour.The number of cycle(treatments) depends on several variables- your fatty bulge anatomy, how much fat is present, your expectations. For example, some patients with minimal fat present in the bottom half of the abdomen may need only 1 or 2 cycles, whereas other pts with significantly more fat may need 4-6 cycles initially, and another series of cycles 1-3 months later. Each cycle will reduce the fatty bulge 20-25% on average. The stomach is a great area for Coolsculpting! Good luck!
You seem to be a good candidate for a breast lift. Many patients also have implants placed concurrently, which can improve shape further. However, if implants are used, your breasts will be larger, proportional to the size of the implants. This is very desirable for some women, and not desirable for others. This is a personal decision and should be made thoughtfully. The good news is, both methods- mastopexy with or without implants- are good techniques and patients can get beautiful results either way.Good luck
