Showing posts with label Physician Skin and Weight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Physician Skin and Weight. Show all posts

Loving Latisse

November 04, 2011 eye lash growth , latisse eye lashes 2 Comments

not mine, but similar

When I was 12 or 13 I went on an extended summer trip of the Eastern United States with a group of other 'gifted' children. This was a big deal considering that at the time I still lived in Saudi Arabia. This meant a two-month vacation traveling with our teacher and being away from my family.

Ah, puberty. It was during this trip that we girls started shaving. There probably wasn't too much to shave at that point, but it was a right of passage that began on that trip.

Upon returning home I now had a shaver amongst my bathroom toiletries. One day my father discovered it - how I'm not sure since I had a separate bathroom where my father never ventured. Anyway, my father came to lecture me about not thinking that I had any reason to be shaving. After all, I had most of my mother's Filipina traits in that I really had hardly any body hair. He didn't forbid me or stop me, but I still remember the talk.

 The thing is, he was right in some regards. I hardly have any hair on my arms and legs. But as we all know in our American culture, women still shave under their arms and sometimes in the nether regions. My point is, though, that this lack of body hair includes around my eyes. My eyebrows are light and my eyelashes are practically nonexistent.
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Final Lipo Appointment

September 03, 2011 laser , laser lipo 10 Comments


Well, it's been six months. The end of the laser liposuction saga. And here are my pretty satisfying results.

Before we get to that I should reflect back to the beginning when I was told that liposuction was not for weight loss, it was body contouring. Six months later, I understand it on a more personal level. I've also read a few articles on the subject which, with my own experience, only solidifies the concept.

I happen to be lucky enough to always hover around my happy weight point, 122. I can lose weight and come back to 122. I can gain it and come back down again. It's my body's happy place. I thought by removing about 5 pounds of fat would mean my new happy weight would be 118-119. Not so. My body, once again, went to its happy weight of 122. It's just that the fat is now evenly distributed throughout my body instead of all at my waist/belly.
So yes, there was no weight loss, just a new look to my body overall.

And now for the results.

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Laser Lipo - Four Months Out

June 04, 2011 laser lipo , lipo 1 Comments
I thought I would do a quick update on how my recovery from laser lipo is going. I still have some lumps in my abdomen that I am having to deal with. I went for a check-up and they say that I'm not drinking enough water to flush the material out of my system. It is going down now. I guess I will be one of those that takes the full six months for my final results. 


I'm still not willing to share a photo, but here is a drawing I  made demonstrating the before and after. Before, I had muffin top and so I always wore my shirts untucked. Yes, it looked like I had a waist, but it was high up. Now I can tuck in my shirts because all that muffin top is gone. Yay! My waist is back down where it is supposed to be!  

So now all I need is for the last bit of front, abdomen stuff to whittle away. And even if it doesn't, I'm satisfied with my results.


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Laser Lipo - 5 Weeks Out

Laser Lipo - 5 Weeks Out

March 10, 2011 laser , laser lipo 14 Comments

No, I'm not ready to show you pictures yet. Mostly because I forgot to take the camera with me to my follow-up appointment. I'll have to get a friend to take them for me. But also because I'm still not reveal-ready yet.

Last time I left you on this topic, I was just a couple of days out from the actual surgery. I can tell you that I stopped taking any pain medication (Tylenol) after day 4. I just didn't have a  need for it. Yes, I was still tender and sore, but it was never anything that was unbearable to me. And excessive use of Tylenol is bad for your liver (any drug is, but Tylenol has significant documentation).

Even after two weeks I could already see that my side muffintop was gone. That alone is great. But even today, at week 5, I'm still a bit swollen in the abs and still slightly tender. I'm a bit surprised by how long the tenderness is lasting, but not concerned. Again, it's bothersome, but not unbearable. 

The second biggest side effect is the osmotic-edema.
With the tumescent technique, there is always a certain amount of blood-tinged anesthetic solution which remains beneath the skin where the fat has been suctioned. This blood-tinged fluid causes bruising and the post-operative swelling known as "osmotic-edema". 
Basically the fluid that was left in your body and didn't get drained out needs to be reabsorbed and flushed via your lymphatic and circulatory systems. Until it's all reabsorbed, it sits there and creates firm lumps. The reason for using compression garments (which must be worn for several weeks) is to force the absorption of the blood-tinged anesthetic solution into the body's blood vessels. 

So I've had these lumps for weeks. When I went to my one month appointment the nurse said I needed to drink more water, massage the area, heat it with a heating pad, and come back for a Velashape treatment to help loosen those lumps for absorbtion.
VelaShape™ features the combination of Bi-Polar radiofrequency (RF), Infrared Light Energy, plus Vacuum and Mechanical Massage. The combination of these energies increases the metabolism of stored energy, increases lymphatic drainage and reduces or shrinks the size of the actual fat cells and fat chambers.
In this treatment the nurse took a paddle that vacuumed up and then treated the area. It was a bunch of quick thumps as she moved along my abdominal area. Because of my sensitivity, it was a bit uncomfortable. But it only took about 15 minutes and I was done. I was told to continue to drink a lot of water. This may be part of why it is taking a while for me - I'm not a big water drinker. It's a lot of effort for me to even remember to drink. 

I'll give you all another update in about another 6 weeks. By that time I should be flattening out and really seeing the results. My next follow-up, though is not until the six month mark.
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Laser Lipo - Surgery Day

February 12, 2011 laser , laser lipo 15 Comments
Part 1: Selecting the Clinic & Pre-op Appointment


Liposuction History




Dr. Giorgio Fischer, a gynecologist from Rome, Italy, invented the liposuction procedure in 1974. Dr. Illouz, a French plastic surgeon, made the first purely cosmetic use of the procedure four years later. During these early years, lipo was done with thicker tubes using the dry method. That meant that a person was under general anesthetic and they vacuumed out the fat by thrusting and sucking, a rather harsh method.


Dermatologists Dr. Jeffrey Klein and Dr. Patrick Lillis invented the tumescent technique of liposuction in 1985. In this technique "a solution composed of lidocaine (a local anesthetic similar in its numbing effects to novocaine), saline, and epinephrine (a drug that constricts blood vessels and thus reduces bleeding during surgery)" is pumped under the skin. The added fluid in the area makes it easier to maneuver. The patient is awake with this local anesthetic and is able to do this as an out-patient procedure.


In 2006 the technique become even less invasive with the approval for the use of lasers. Now cannulas that were once several mm in size are down the size of a strand of spaghetti. The procedure can be done through small port holes punched into the skin - about the size of a cocktail straw.


The Day is Here


Was I excited? No. Nervous? A little bit, but not too much. My appointment wasn't until 3 p.m. and so I went to work. 

Michelle picked me up at 2 and we headed out to the Physician Skin and Weight's  (PSWC) Roseville surgery center. I had been told the procedure would take about 3-4 hours and Michelle could either go shopping or go to a movie. She opted for shopping and took off.

I was met by Vanessa, a nurse aide who was going to be with me for the afternoon. She had me strip for some more 'before' pictures and more measurements. Then it was time to meet Dr. Menon.

Dr. Shailaja Menon is actually the owner of PSWC. She started the business over seven years ago doing mostly work with skin, things like botox, restalyne, microdermabrasions, etc. Then when laser lipo (also known as SmartLipo) was finally perfected and released in 2006, she immediately trained on it so she could add it to her practice. Since that time laser lipo has become about 90% of their business. There are offices in Folsom and Roseville and she's been able to open a second surgery center in San Jose and is currently looking for a suitable location to add another in the San Joaquin valley. Currently there are six doctors, including herself. An important detail - she's had the procedure done on herself!

They had me take Vicodin and Ativan while I asked her some more questions, like the nature of fat. She explained that we are all born with X number of fat cells in our bodies. You don't get more, they don't regenerate. All fat does is inflate and deflate as needed. Each person is different due to genetics - where the fat sits in the body, their metabolism, hormones - all are factors to how fat appears on us. So I asked her about the size of fat cells on severely overweight people, like 700 lbs. Menon explained that they were probably the size of raisins.

Needle that irrigates with saline/lidocaine mixture

I asked her how much is the most they could take out. After all, I couldn't imagine taking out 100+ pounds of fat from a person. She explained that there is a law and standard that only 5 liters at a time can be removed. She politely explained that this isn't a method for weight loss. What they do is provide body sculpting and contouring. Therefore, they do work closely with clients to discuss realistic outcomes. For instance, some people might ask for something that their body frame just won't pull off. If they are big boned and have a wide skeleton, they'll never have narrow hips - you can't change bone structure. 

She then proceeded to mark my torso with a marker. She indicated where the 7 port holes would be placed. Two would be visible under my chest, but the other 5 would be down at my bikini line. I was the laid on the table to wait. 

The procedure

Punch tool for making port holes
The first part of the procedure was to numb the port hole areas for puncture. I was expecting a harsh needle, like a shot, but was happy that they were more akin to pin pricks. The needle is actually attached to a tube that leads to liters of a saline and lidocaine, which is the numbing agent. Dr. Menon was then able to punch the holes, slightly smaller than a straw.

Next was the injection of the saline. I was inflated like a water balloon with the lidocaine saline solution. This solution numbs up your insides in preparation for the laser and vacuuming. But when you add a couple of liters under your skin that's not used to it, it's stretched very tight. Plus the saline is heavy, so you have the sensation of bricks being loaded on your torso. 

The laser tip comes out of the end of the tube.

Finally it was laser time. The laser itself is on the tip of a thin strand, the size of angel hair pasta. It's super thin. Dr. Menon inserted it into one of the ports and began stroking back and forth with it as the laser blasted the fat cells. I could feel the wand scrape my insides. It didn't hurt except for an occasional jab. I asked her what protected my organs. She explained that it was my abdominal muscles, which are about an inch thick. That after the first couple of strokes, the muscles reflexively tighten up as a self defense mechanism. I was feeling the strokes along the muscles and along the inside of my epidermis (skin). It didn't hurt, I just knew it was happening.

She continued with each section. She had marked 8 sections on me and it took about an hour for that part alone.


NOT a smoothie, some of my fat.
After she was satisfied that she had 'melted' the fat, it was time to suction it out. She switched to the vacuum cannula to once again work each section. This step was a bit more aggressive in the strokes and the jabs, but nothing unbearable.


Interestingly, I was lucid and alert during the whole procedure. The drugs are supposed to be for pain and to calm you down. For some people, they get really loopy. Some people fall asleep. I was alert and paid attention during the whole thing. It wasn't until we were done and I had to stand up that I got a little dizzy.


Finally she was done and Vanessa helped to clean me up. Expect a lot of liquid since there is a lot of the saline solution involved. I used 6 liters of it! This was partly due to my apparent dehydration. Dr. Menon said she could tell I was dehydrated because my body just sucked up the saline.


Vanessa stood me and massaged my body to get some more of the saline to come out of my port holes before dressing me. They aren't able to suck it all out and so it will either drain through the port holes over the next 24 or so hours or it will be reabsorbed into the body and disposed of through your urine.


The port holes were dabbed with antibiotic and then I was taped up with feminine pads over the holes to soak up the drainage. Finally, the compression bandage garment was wrapped and strapped around me. A giant girdle to hold you in tight while your body heals. You are required to wear it 22 hours a day for the first two weeks and then 12 hours a day a month after that. You can also wear Spanx.


Michelle was there to drive me home except that you are required to be with someone for 24 hours just to be sure you don't have any problems. I spent the night over at BFF's house. I took a shower and rebandaged up. Then I took another Vicodin to sleep through the night. It was just a bit uncomfortable with all the padding and the compression garment.


I felt fine the next day. I drove to the first follow-up so that Ranee could check my port holes and to make sure I was wearing the compression garment properly. I was now able to take Tylenol instead for the pain. Basically my holes were itchy and my midsection was just really sore. I was still draining out of the lower holes (gravity), but the upper ones were already closing and healing.


I wore the compression garment and padding through a second night. The next morning I was able to just put small gauze pads on the last three holes that hadn't stopped draining completely and then switch to wearing Spanx. Then I went about my day as normal. I didn't even necessarily need Tylenol anymore. It's just soreness.


What Next


My next follow-up is in a month. By then my swelling should be down and I'll have my first set of after pictures. Perhaps I'll share some body pictures at that time (but that's not a promise). Then I think the final follow-up will be at the 6 month mark. But I should be 'done' any time from 4-6 months, depending on my body. Stay tuned!


Part III: 5 Weeks Out 
Part IV: 4 Months Out
V - Final Appointment


FCC Disclaimer: I was provided a substantial discount on the procedure in exchange for this series of articles. 
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Laser Lipo - The Journey Begins

Laser Lipo - The Journey Begins

February 11, 2011 laser lipo , liposuction 14 Comments
I remember about 20 years ago when my then mother-in-law got liposuction done. I was in my late 20's myself and she was about the age I am now, in her 40's. I remember questioning her on why she wanted to get it done. After all, she wasn't fat. Sure she might have had a few extra pounds, but not worth going to get lipo done!

Now I find myself in her shoes. I look in the mirror and see the extra pounds that have collected around my midsection. Wearing certain clothes is no longer an option without the strongest set of Spanx possible to hold it all in. And Spanx, God love 'em, isn't a complete miracle. You can still ooze out of the top/bottom.

So I started the new year with wondering about the new laser lipo. I have a reunion Memorial Day weekend and figured I needed to look into it soon if I was going to be ready in time. (For more on my reasons, read this post.)

Shopping Around

I decided I would check out the two top clinics in Sacramento that offer it. I kept in mind that I was not going to get pressured into anything. After all, they will push for the sale like a car salesman by creating that sense of urgency - You need to sign up now because this price is only good for this month!

Clinic #1 was nice enough. I went to talk to the consultant about how the procedure takes place, what I can expect, etc. She had me lift my shirt and lower my jeans so she could look at what I needed done.

These clinics parcel off the human body like a beef-on-the-cow diagram. Here I am thinking that I just needed my abdomen done. Nope. It's considered four areas: upper abs, lower abs, waist, and hips. At this place it is about $1k per area, add the other fees, and I'm up to about $5k. They do offer a 12-month, 0% financing plan.

Clinic #2 was Physician's Skin and Weight Centers (PSWC). The visit started off the same way with my consultant, Lindsay. But there were differences that I noticed right away. First of all, Lindsay explained that I would be required to get a series of blood tests before my pre-op appointment. If the blood tests indicated any reason I should not be allowed to have the surgery, the contract would be canceled with no cost to me. I appreciated this thoroughness. It gave me a sense of comfort that they were taking the extra steps to look out for my welfare.

Second, Lindsay had had the procedure herself. She was personal testimony in the flesh, showing me the small port holes on herself and her before/after pictures. It is one thing to read testimonials in marketing materials and another to talk to someone in person. She was able to answer all questions. She was also so friendly and pleasant that I felt like I was talking to a girlfriend rather than a salesperson.

PSWC had a different chart and according to their system, I had three sections to work on. But they were more expensive by quite a bit. They do offer an 18-month, 0% financing plan though - extra Brownie points.

I weighed the two clinics in my mind and in the end decided that PSWC might cost more, but I felt much more comfortable with them. I liked the extra steps of having my blood tested, the pre-op appointment, and the 18-month financing plan. I also liked Lindsay and having talked to her about her own experience.

The Pre-op Appointment

Lindsay gave me a lab order with the blood tests I would need checked off. She explained that I could either go to an independent lab or try to get my health plan to do it. I was able to get my primary care doctor to order the labs and went in at no cost to me. If you go to an independent lab, expect to pay about $100. In the end I had about 20 pages of results since my lab prints out each result on a separate page. Nice thorough blood work!

I arrived at my pre-op with lab results in hand. Ranee was my nurse practitioner who met with me for an hour. She took the standard measurements of weight, body fat, temperature, and blood pressure. Then she did an EKG on me to measure my heart rate. Another detail that I appreciated. This gave me another sense of thoroughness.

Ranee then went over all the releases I needed to sign. These included being explained the procedure, the dangers, what I needed to do before and after, etc.

I left feeling nervous and a bit excited. Really my nerves are more about these posts because I'm exposing myself to the world here. Most people would do this quietly and only tell their few closest friends. Me, I'm writing about it and EVERYONE will know.


FCC Disclaimer: I was provided a substantial discount on the procedure in exchange for this series of articles.
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