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Town & Country's Comprehensive Guide to
Plastic Surgery
Edited by Janet Carlson Freed and Diane Guernsey
Herewith, Town & Country's complete guide to cosmetic
surgery, from head to toe. It explains not only how each procedure
is done and what you can expect of the experience, from pre- to
post-op, but also what the risks and complications can be; what
the costs are; and, most importantly, how to choose a doctor. We
hope you'll use this guide to arm yourself with the information
you'll need to make whatever decision is right for you.
SURGERY, FROM HEAD TO TOE
Problem: Excess fat around your stomach, hips, inner and
outer thighs
Solution: Liposuction
Procedures: Only a few years ago, liposuction had to be
performed in the hospital under general anesthesia. With the newer
"tumescent" technique, which entails injecting the skin
with varying doses of the anesthetic lidocaine, saline and the blood
vessel constrictor epinephrine (adrenaline), doctors can now remove
larger volumes of fat in a quick outpatient procedure. The tool
is a small cannula connected by ahose to a suctioning device. Before
the procedure starts, the doctor injects you with the lidocaine
solution, saline and epinephrine, which limits bleeding. After fifteen
to twenty minutes, when the injected is area is white and raised,
the doctor uses the cannula to dislodge chunks of fat via tiny incisions
hidden in such areas as the gluteal fold or groin crease. The fat
whooshes through the hose into a nearby sterile container. Some
surgeons emulsify the fat with an ultrasonic probe prior to suctioning.
"It makes the procedure faster and easier for the surgeon,"
says New York plastic surgeon John Sherman, M.D. "You
don't have to push the cannula as hard." Others have tried
external ultrasound to soften fat cells in an attempt to reduce
bruising and pain and to create a smoother contour.
T & C's Directory of Top Cosmetic Surgeons
in the U.S.
John E. Sherman, M.D.
1016 Fifth Ave., New York, NY
10021; (212) 535-2300. Board
certification: plastic surgery. Special
focus: face; ultrasound liposuction;
body contouring
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