What to expect: Arm Lift

Average Time:
Two to three hours, depending on the amount of work required
Anesthesia:
General
Am I a good candidate?
Adult with significant arm skin laxity, in good health, has a stable weight
Recovery:
Recovery instructions will be given to you post-surgery.
Risks:
Bleeding, infection, poor healing, uneven body contour, or body asymmetry and anesthesia risks
Inpatient/Outpatient:
Both are possible.
Cost:
The cost of the procedure will be discussed at your consultation with Dr. Peterson.

Drooping skin is often caused by a decrease in skin elasticity and weakness in the tissues that hold skin and fat in place. By removing excess skin and repairing the tissue underneath, an arm lift, also known as brachioplasty, can give you a more youthful upper arm and restore the confidence to wear everything in your closet.

An arm lift is not a substitute for weight loss and is not intended strictly for the removal of excess fat. If skin elasticity is sufficient, liposuction may be used to remove unwanted fat instead of an arm lift. If the skin is not able to support liposuction, a combination of the two procedures may be needed to achieve best results.

Surgery Details

Dr. Peterson will make an incision, either on the inside or back of your arm. Then, she will tighten up and reshape the tissue that supports your fat and skin. This improves the contour of the finished arm. Excess skin is removed before the incision is closed, and the skin is pulled tight to fit the new contour of the arm.

The results of your arm lift will be noticeable as soon as swelling goes down and fluid build-up has been removed. If you maintain a stable weight, the results of the procedure will be mostly permanent.

What to expect: Body Contouring

Average Time:
Varies, depending on the amount of surgeries performed
Anesthesia:
General
Am I a good candidate?
Stable weight, in good health
Recovery:
Recovery instructions will be given to you post-surgery.
Risks:
Bleeding, infection, poor healing, uneven body contour or body asymmetry, and anesthesia risks
Inpatient/Outpatient:
Both are possible.
Cost:
The cost of the procedure will be discussed at your consultation with Dr. Peterson.

Significant weight loss should be a time for celebration. Whether accomplished through diet and exercise or surgical methods, losing a large amount of weight can provide a fresh start and an improved outlook.

Unfortunately, the rapid loss of weight often leads to other physical problems. The upper arms, breasts, abdomen, buttocks, groin, and thighs often begin to sag as stretched skin is unable to conform to your new, slimmer body. Body contouring improves the shape and tone of the tissue that supports muscles, fat, and skin. It also removes excess skin, leaving a smoother, more natural appearance.

If you continue to lose weight following your body-contouring procedure, new pockets and areas of loose skin will develop, mitigating the improvements made by the procedure. If you begin to gain weight following body contouring, your already-stressed skin may begin to stretch. This leads to wide scars and unpleasant stretch marks.

Surgery Details

As the goal of body contouring is to remove excess skin, a series of significant incisions is necessary. Depending upon your body and condition, your body-contouring process might include a lower body lift, breast lift, thigh lift, arm lift, body contouring, breast augmentation, or breast reduction.

The recovery from body contouring is different from other cosmetic surgeries, as it requires a number of individual procedures spaced over a relatively long period of time. While the different procedures that make up your body-contouring plan might seem to be unrelated, your general health is a major factor in determining the spacing between procedures.

The results of your body contouring will be noticeable as soon as swelling goes down following each individual procedure. While it might take time to reach your goals, it is important to be patient and live a healthy lifestyle. When it is all said and done, the change will make the process worthwhile.

What to expect: Body Lift

Average Time:
Varies, depending on the amount of work required
Anesthesia:
General
Am I a good candidate?
Significant soft tissue looseness in one or multiple body areas, stable weight
Recovery:
Recovery instructions will be given to you post-surgery.
Risks:
Bleeding, infection, poor healing, uneven body contour or body asymmetry, and anesthesia risks
Inpatient/Outpatient:
Inpatient
Cost:
The cost of the procedure will be discussed at your consultation with Dr. Peterson.

Be it the result of aging, sun damage, childbirth, or fluctuations in weight, excess skin, cellulite, and fat can cause a loss of confidence in one's appearance and a poor body image.

A body lift can be performed on the abdominal area and lower back, the buttocks, the groin, the thigh, or any combination of these locations. A body lift is not a substitute for weight loss and is not intended strictly for the removal of excess fat.

If skin elasticity is sufficient, liposuction, instead of a body lift, may be used to remove unwanted fat. If the skin is not able to support liposuction only, a combination of the two procedures may be needed to achieve best results.

Surgery Details

The incisions required to perform your body lift are almost entirely dependent on what combination of areas are being treated and factors unique to your body. In the case of a complete body lift, Dr. Peterson will make a circumferential incision around the body. This one incision will be used to remove excess skin and fat and tighten the underlying tissue with deep sutures. When the incision is closed, skin will be stretched and tightened to more closely fit the contour of the body.

The results of your body lift will be noticeable as soon as swelling goes down and fluid build-up has been removed, but it may take up to a year or more for the full effects to become visible. Your incision scars will never completely go away, but they will fade significantly over time.

What to expect: Mommy Makeover

Average Time:
Varies, depending on the amount of work required
Anesthesia:
General
Am I a good candidate?
Done having children and breast-feeding, non-smoker, want to restore body to pre-pregnancy look
Recovery:
Recovery instructions will be given to you post-surgery.
Risks:
Bleeding, infection, scarring, pain, leakage or rupture, poor healing, uneven body contours, anesthesia risks, and change in nipple sensation
Inpatient/Outpatient:
Both are possible.
Cost:
The cost of the procedure will be discussed at your consultation with Dr. Peterson.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding can take a toll on your body, leaving loose skin and fat around the tummy, sagging breasts, and stretch marks. A Mommy Makeover is a bundled service that consists of a breast augmentation or lift, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), and liposuction.

A breast augmentation will help improve the shape and lost volume by using breast implants. Depending on the condition of your breasts, Dr. Peterson may decide that a breast lift is a better procedure for your needs. A breast reduction may be performed if you feel your breasts are too large.

A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen while tightening the muscles of the abdominal wall. If skin elasticity is sufficient, liposuction, instead of a tummy tuck, may be used to remove unwanted fat.

What to expect: Thigh Lift

Average Time:
Two to three hours
Anesthesia:
General
Am I a good candidate?
Adults with excess soft tissue along the inner or outer thigh, in good health, stable weight
Recovery:
Recovery instructions will be given to you post-surgery.
Risks:
Bleeding, infection, poor healing, uneven body contour or body asymmetry, and anesthesia risks
Inpatient/Outpatient:
Outpatient
Cost:
The cost of the procedure will be discussed at your consultation with Dr. Peterson.

A thigh lift is designed to remove small amounts of fat and skin while tightening the supporting tissue underneath. A thigh lift is not a substitute for weight loss and is not intended strictly for the removal of excess fat. If skin elasticity is sufficient, liposuction, instead of a thigh lift, may be used to remove unwanted fat. If the skin is not able to support liposuction only, a combination of the two procedures may be needed to achieve best results.

Surgery Details

To perform a medial thigh lift — or inner thigh lift — it may be possible for Dr. Peterson to use only an incision in your groin. If more correction is necessary, the incision can be extended downward to wrap around the back of the thigh.

To perform an outer thigh lift, the incision generally runs from the groin to around the top of the hip.

Once the incisions have been made, Dr. Peterson will first shore up and reshape the tissue that supports your fat and skin. This improves the contour of the finished thigh. Excess skin is removed before the incisions are closed, and the skin is pulled tight to fit the new contour of the thigh.

The results of your thigh lift will be noticeable as soon as swelling goes down and fluid build-up has been removed. If you maintain a stable weight, the results of the procedure will be mostly permanent.

What to expect: Tummy Tuck

Average Time:
Three to four hours
Anesthesia:
General
Am I a good candidate?
Sagging, protruding stomach, in good health, non-smoker, stable weight
Recovery:
Recovery instructions will be given to you post-surgery.
Risks:
Noticeable scarring, bleeding, infection, blood clots, poor healing, and anesthesia risks
Inpatient/Outpatient:
Outpatient
Cost:
The cost of the procedure will be discussed at your consultation with Dr. Peterson.

A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, can make your dieting efforts and your hard work in the gym pay off by removing fat and skin. It also repairs abdominal muscles that have separated or stretched, giving the stomach a smoother, firmer appearance.

A tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss. While the surgery is permanent, fluctuations in weight can mitigate positive change made during the procedure. If you are planning to lose a significant amount of weight or thinking about having a child, it might be a good idea to hold off on the procedure.

Surgery Details

A tummy tuck requires a horizontal incision in the area between the pubic hairline and the navel. The length of the incision is determined by the amount of correction that is necessary. Once Dr. Peterson has made the incision, she will repair weakened or separated abdominal muscles and remove excess fat, tissue, and skin. After all necessary tissue has been removed, the skin is stretched and incisions are closed, resulting in a firm and flat abdominal area.