Typical areas of the body in which liposuction is used include the upper arms, neck, buttocks, hips, thighs, flanks, and abdomen.  Weight gain in these areas can be due to a number of factors, such as aging, pregnancy, or heredity.  In some cases liposuction is done in conjunction with other body shaping procedures such as face lifts, breast reductions, or tummy tucks.

Before looking to have liposuction make sure you choose an experienced surgeon.  Some complications that can arise from liposuction are incomplete liposuction, excessive liposuction resulting in a disfigured appearance, depressions in the skin, and scarring.

Liposuction is usually an outpatient procedure, and is typically performed using general anesthesia, although in some instances moderate sedation and local anesthesia can be used.  It may take up to several hours to one day for you to be able to return home, depending on the amount of fat removed.  Your incisions will be compressed and wrapped in gauze dressings as you are recovering.  It is recommended that patients who have had liposuction do not take part in any strenuous activity for up to one week.  Some bruising or swelling may occur, but that should subside within 10-14 days.

Breast cancer is a very real threat to millions of women, and some are at a higher risk due to genetic predisposition, which are more likely to develop this form of cancer. In Angelina Jolie’s case, she carries BRCA1, a gene, which puts her at up to a 65% chance of developing breast cancer at some point in her life.

Angelina Jolie’s mother fought the disease for nearly a decade, before losing her battle with cancer at age 56. In her op-ed, Jolie explains that while this was a very difficult decision for her to make, she decided to undergo surgery in order to be there for her children, and ensure that she would live long enough to meet her grandchildren.

The Angelina Jolie mastectomy process began on February 2^nd, with a procedure known as “nipple delay”. Nipple delay ensures that the disease won’t develop in the breast ducts behind the nipples, and increases the blood flow to this area. Although somewhat painful, this part of the process increases the chances of preserving a woman’s natural nipples.

After two weeks, Jolie had the bilateral mastectomies and the first stage of immediate reconstruction, which removed her breast tissue, and had tissue expanders (balloons filled with saline) put in place temporarily to stretch the skin gradually over the next 9 weeks. This surgery she says took eight hours.

Nine weeks after the removal of the breasts, Jolie underwent second stage breast reconstruction, with removal of the tissue expanders and placement of permanent implants. As Angelina Jolie explains in this section of her op-ed, there have been numerous advancements to breast reconstruction over the past several years, and “the results can be beautiful”. After completing the surgery, Jolie now only carries up to a 5% chance of developing breast cancer.

Breast reconstruction is mandated by federal law to not only be offered, but covered by health insurance companies for all women diagnosed with breast cancer and/or the cancer gene BRCA. The type of reconstruction Jolie had is the most common (%85), with several staged surgeries including tissue expanders and later implants. The type of reconstruction one chooses has many factors including the need for radiation therapy or not, and the ability to use ones own tissue (belly) to make a new breast out of.

Angelina Jolie’s choice to bring her mastectomy to light in this op-ed is an important one. As Jolie explains, the decision to have a mastectomy is not easy. Many women simply don’t know how likely they are to develop the disease until it has already started to grow. It’s highly important that women know their risk of disease so that they can take measures to prevent it. As breast reconstruction has come a long way in recent years, mastectomy is now a more attractive option than it has ever been before and more women are choosing to have the entire breast removed and reconstructed rather than trying to preserve the breast with a lumpectomy.

Chin implants are placed directly on the jawbone.  The implants are made of silicone, and have a very natural look and feel.  This procedure is often done in conjunction with other, especially rhinoplasty.  However, it can also be done as an isolated surgery.

Incisions for chin surgery are placed either in the mouth or under the chin.  Usually the preferred method is to place the incisions below the chin, but the surgeon will make this decision based on the condition of your skin, and your bone structure.

You might be a good candidate for Chin Surgery if:

• You’re physically healthy
• You’ve fully grown
• Your chin is not proportionate to the rest of your face
• The profile of your chin is not symmetrical
• You’ve had a serious injury causing a deformity of your chin
• Your chin’s appearance is affected by a birth defect
• Your chin has lumps or dents

Typical areas of the body in which liposuction is used include the upper arms, neck, buttocks, hips, thighs, flanks, and abdomen.  Weight gain in these areas can be due to a number of factors, such as aging, pregnancy, or heredity.  In some cases liposuction is done in conjunction with other body shaping procedures such as face lifts, breast reductions, or tummy tucks.

Before looking to have liposuction make sure you choose an experienced surgeon.  Some complications that can arise from liposuction are incomplete liposuction, excessive liposuction resulting in a disfigured appearance, depressions in the skin, and scarring.

Liposuction is usually an outpatient procedure, and is typically performed using general anesthesia, although in some instances moderate sedation and local anesthesia can be used.  It may take up to several hours to one day for you to be able to return home, depending on the amount of fat removed.  Your incisions will be compressed and wrapped in gauze dressings as you are recovering.  It is recommended that patients who have had liposuction do not take part in any strenuous activity for up to one week.  Some bruising or swelling may occur, but that should subside within 10-14 days.

Dermabrasion typically requires a recovery period of about two weeks, but patients can usually return to their daily activities earlier than this.  Men should avoid shaving for about four weeks, and only shave with an electric razor after having this surgery.  Dermabrasion yields the best results when combined with a well defined skin care regimen.   Patients should avoid direct sun exposure, and use sunscreen for a period of about six months following surgery.