September 2019

About That Sagging Tummy of Yours…

Part of aging is slackening of both our skin and the support tissues beneath. This creates sagging across the body, but especially in certain areas such as the lower abdomen, the tummy. If you’re a woman and have had a couple of kids, it’s almost guaranteed. Clinically known as abdominoplasty, the goal of a tummy tuck is to tighten and change the contour of the abdomen area. The procedure removes excess fat and skin, and restores weakened or separated muscles, resulting in a flatter, more contoured abdomen.

Abdominoplasty is a specialty of Dr. Frank and his patients from Calgary and the surrounding areas are thrilled with their slimmer contours afterwards.

What causes the sagging that merits a tummy tuck?

When the skin is overstretched for a long period of time, it has trouble rebounding to its former degree of tautness. That’s what happens during the weight gain of pregnancy, or if the patient has gained a good deal of weight and has then shed the pounds. In many cases, the muscles that control the area have become stretched and separated, diminishing their ability to tighten the area as they formerly did. Plus, simple aging tends to make both our muscles and the underlying tissues less tight. A tummy tuck is more about skin and muscle than fat.

Who is a good candidate for a tummy tuck?

If you have loose, inelastic skin, with some pockets of fat, a tummy tuck is the best option (combined with light liposuction to remove the fat). Pregnancy is especially hard on the abdominal muscles because the way it focuses the weight gain in such a small area. This can permanently stretch and separate the abdominal muscles and they won’t return to their former degree of tautness without surgery.

However, if you think you may want to have additional children, your tummy tuck will have to wait. The effects of pregnancy will negate the results of your tummy tuck. Also, people who plan on losing additional weight should delay their tummy tuck because the additional weight loss will create more loose skin. It’s important to remember that abdominoplasty is a body-contouring procedure, not a weight loss procedure. You should be at a healthy weight prior to surgery, with a BMI (Body Mass Index) no greater then 30.

Are you interested in a slimmer contour on your lower abdomen? Call Dr. Frank at (403) 245-1228 and set up a consultation for abdominoplasty.

About That Sagging Tummy of Yours… Read More »

A Nose for Change

After the eyes, the nose is the defining feature of the face. People tend not to notice it if everything is even and balanced, but they really notice things such as a bulbous tip, a knob on the bridge, or an unsymmetrical shape. And people who have a nose that they aren’t happy with see it looking back at them every morning in the mirror.

Why put up with that? Get that nose you’d like to have with nose surgery from Dr. Frank. Dr. Frank customizes your reshaping surgery to complement your features, and he has a long list of happy Calgary patients who’ve benefitted from his surgical expertise.

Should you have nose surgery?

Really, anyone unhappy with his or her nose is a good candidate for nose surgery, known as rhinoplasty. Whether it is congenital or the result of an injury makes no difference. Here are some things to consider.

Your nose appears too large compared to your face
When viewed in profile, there is a bump on the bridge
The tip of your nose droops or is enlarged
Your nostrils are overly flared

The surgery

Prior to even deciding on surgery, you will consult with Dr. Frank about your potential nose surgery.

The actual surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Dr. Frank matches the method used to the patient. In open rhinoplasty, the incision is made across the columella, the tissue between the nostrils. All the skin and cartilage are then lifted up off the underlying structure. In closed rhinoplasty, all incisions are made within the nose. The skin is lifted off of the underlying bone and cartilage, which is then shaped and sculpted. With either method, once the changes are complete, Dr. Frank redrapes the skin and the nose is taped with steristrips and covered with a molded plastic splint to provide support.

Recovery

Recovery is not fast with nose surgery. You’ll need to lay low for a full week, with your splint in place on your nose. In this time, your bruising should run its course. Over the next six weeks, your swelling should decrease up to 80%, but you must be patient.

If you’d like to get a nose you like seeing every morning in the mirror, please call Dr. Frank at (403) 245-1228 to set up a consultation for rhinoplasty.