Unfortunately, some of those men may feel hesitant about investigating the tummy tuck and talking to cosmetic surgeons. One man who documented his experience online said he perceived a “stigma or shame associated with male tummy tucks,” saying he was “initially embarrassed” when he first made inquiries about the operation.

A good surgeon will have experience and advice to share about abdominoplasty for a male patient. On RealSelf.com, a man asks about the procedure:

I’m dealing with loose skin after a 50 lb weight loss in my teens. I’ve totally transformed and I’m very athletic with well-defined abs, but [skin] laxity mostly below the navel and around the lower back. The problem areas are very localized and I hide it under the belt line, and even under form fitting swimwear, with no one suspecting I was obese. But I feel “unfinished.” The front skin is very thin and hangs, the back is mostly smooth. Is there a tummy tuck technique that would excise the abdominal skin and provide modest tightening in the lower back?

Dr. Chris Hess, a plastic surgeon practicing near Washington DC, answers “even though we (men) tend to have better skin tone than women, we can still end up with excess skin due to skin memory. It sounds like you could undergo a mild excision of the excess tissue – less than a mini tummy tuck.”

However, in cases where the male patient has experienced a greater weight reduction, the full tummy tuck may be recommended. Dr. Angelo Cuzalina, an Oklahoma cosmetic surgeon writes “Do not hesitate to use a full abdominoplasty for a male patient with extreme skin laxity. Men tend to heal better than women after abdominoplasty.”

This comprehensive approach may be optimal in many cases to provide the results men expect. In Cosmetic Surgery Times, Dr. Alan Matarasso, scientific editor of Aesthetic Surgery Journal, says “you really need to treat [men] circumferentially, all the way around, because if you ask most men what bothers them, it’s the ‘love handles,’ and that goes all the way around to the back.”

Clearly, many plastic and cosmetic surgeons can offer specific advice for men considering abdominoplasty. If you think you might benefit from the procedure, don’t hesitate to ask a qualified surgeon for more details.

Plastic and cosmetic surgeons are opposing the tax for a variety of reasons.  Others in support of the tax have suggested that, aside from generating revenue for healthcare, it could encourage talented medical professionals to work in areas of general medicine that need them.

What’s your opinion?

Cosmetic and plastic surgeons have offered strong objections to the bill. One such objection is that women, the predominant consumers in this industry, will pay the projected 5 billion dollar revenue almost entirely. The tax is “discriminatory” and therefore, “the wrong way to raise money to pay for expanding health care.”

Others, such as the ASPS, are trying to draw attention to the fact that cosmetic surgery procedures are not a luxury for the rich and famous, but services primarily purchased by the middle class.

A recent press release said the following:

In a 2005 ASPS survey of people planning to have cosmetic surgery within the next two years, 60% of respondents reported an annual household income of $30,000-$90,000 a year. Most importantly, 40% of those reported a household income of only $30,000-$60,000. Only 10% of respondents reported a household income of over $90,000, which clearly refutes the suggestion that elective surgery taxes are “luxury” or “sin” taxes affecting a privileged few.

Follow the links below to learn more about the elective cosmetic medical tax.

• Politico.com: Senate bill includes the Botox tax

• Nasdaq.com: US Cosmetic Medical Market Faces New Challenge in Senate Bill

• Bnet: Why Allergan and Medicis Should Embrace Botox Tax

Follow these 2 steps to ensure that your consultation with Dr. Edds is productive.

1. Prepare Yourself: have questions and know your general goals

Do some reading on our website.  If there are topics that seem unclear, your consultation is a perfect time to get answers from a professional.  Just bring a list of questions or topics that you think are super important.

It also helps to know your general goals; what would be the ideal outcome of cosmetic surgery, for you?  Some patients know the answer right off the bat because they’ve researched cosmetic procedures for a long time, while others are just beginning their search.  In either scenario, you can benefit from a surgery consultation.

2. Communicate, be open, and be creative if necessary.

Great communication is important from the first consult all the way through the surgery.  If it seems difficult for you to communicate your goals, use pictures or other visual aids.  You can view our before and after photos or bring examples that you think are appealing.  Communicating your desires and specific needs better will help Dr. Edds serve you better, so use whatever tools you think will help.

You should not hide your medical history, past procedures, goals or motivations for surgery.  There’s no commitment necessary; after the consultation, you can take as much time as you need to consider your options.

Cohera Medical calls the new product TissuGlu®, and recently announced plans to move forward with clinical trials this November.  As explained in a recent press release, the adhesive bonds flaps of tissue together during tummy tuck surgery to reduce fluid accumulation and thereby, the chance of complications.

Most tummy tuck surgeries require placement of a special drain to remove fluid.  A method that uses surgical adhesive could, in theory, make drains unnecessary.

Cohera Medical CEO Patrick Daly explains, “This unique product will ultimately help surgeons address a critical need and improve patient care.”  In Germany, as many as 40 patients are expected to be enrolled in clinical trials to investigate TissuGlu’s  safety and efficacy.

About Abdominoplasty

The tummy tuck is a common cosmetic procedure designed to reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen, whether it is due to weight fluctuations, pregnancy, or aging.  See our homepage to learn more about how Dr. Edds performs this procedure right here in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Patients who are interested in cosmetic and facial plastic surgery first go through a sort of ‘lifestyle makeover,’ modifying their habits until they have reached a satisfactory state of health. At Edds Cosmetic Surgery, we want our patients to have the best experience and outcome possible, so we ask them to focus on this first. The ideal patient refrains from smoking or using illegal drugs, has a stable weight, and realistic expectations about cosmetic surgery.

Contact us for a consultation and we can provide more specific information on health and surgery outcomes.

Multiple web-based communication tools have emerged to aid in this process, with email being the most prominent. Prior to a consultation in person, you can write us with questions and concerns you may have.

As more patients decide to research plastic surgery online, the popularity of these services will grow. CNN reports that some surgeons have gone as far as implementing a “virtual consultation” using live chat services like Skype or iChat. These platforms are known for being user-friendly. One East coast surgeon claims that roughly 15 percent of his patients opt for his virtual consult.

Surgeons abroad have also capitalized on the technology, which has greatly increased their clientele. For the potential patient or customer, it’s a great way to gather information or determine their comfort level with a particular surgeon. Michael Boeckle, who helps schedule surgery “vacation packages” says, “patients usually do not pick their doctor by price, but by how comfortable they feel with the information they have received.”

With any method you use to contact us, we can ensure your privacy. We’ll also do our best to address your questions in a timely manner.

341,144 liposuctions were done in 2008, while breast augmentations numbered a surprising 355,671 during the same time period. “For the first time in the twelve years these statistics have been collected, liposuction is a runner up in popularity to breast augmentation”, said ASPS President Alan Gold.

Dr. Gold theorizes: “Changes in fashion, i.e. décolletage baring styles, might be a factor in bringing about this change. This turnabout will generate discussions in the medical community and the public at large”, he predicts.

We’re curious about what our readers think. Is this change surprising? Is it an obvious result of “changes in fashion”?