At Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN and Hendersonville, TN, we love helping our clients achieve their ideal appearance. Sometimes, we have clients come in with facial aging concerns that need to be treated with BOTOX or another anti-aging injectable. Other times, clients want to sculpt their ideal contours after significant weight loss. Today, we are taking a closer look at a thigh lift, one of our most popular body contouring procedures, including how it works.

How Does a Thigh Lift Work?

A thigh lift works in just a few simple steps. First, we will administer anesthesia to ensure that you are comfortable during the operation. Then, we will make incisions in the thigh area. Where exactly these incisions will be made depends on your personal preferences, the scope of your procedure, and other factors.

Through these incisions we can access the underlying tissues. If you have excess thigh skin due to significant weight loss, we will remove your excess skin tissue. Additionally, we may excise a bit of subcutaneous fat. These steps will help to achieve a smooth, toned contour. We will also reposition your muscle and remaining skin tissues to help you achieve your desired appearance. Finally, we will suture the incisions closed and apply a protective surgical dressing.

How Should I Prepare for My Procedure?

During your initial consultation, we will advise you on all of the preparation steps you must follow prior to surgery. One of the most important preparation steps to follow is to not consume any product containing nicotine for several weeks before your procedure. It is also very important that you do not consume alcohol for several weeks before your procedure. Additionally, you should not take any blood-thinning drugs or supplements.

What Should I Expect After My Procedure?

Once your procedure is complete, you should expect to feel very groggy as the anesthesia wears off. Once you are alert, we will review your recovery guidelines with you and address any concerns you have. After that, you are free to go home. You will not be able to drive after your procedure and will need someone to take you home. Additionally, you will not be able to drive within 24 hours of taking an analgesic that may affect alertness.

Generally, you can expect to need two to four weeks off from work to focus on your recovery. However, this depends significantly on the scope of your job. If your job provides you with a standing desk, you may be able to return to work just two weeks after your procedure. On the other hand, you may need to take a lot longer off from work if your job is physically demanding or requires you to sit for hours at a time.

Am I a Good Candidate for a Thigh Lift?

A thigh lift may be a good fit for you if you are concerned about excess skin or loose skin in your upper legs. However, you need to discuss your health, concerns, and goals with Dr. Nicholas A. Tarola, MD to verify that this procedure is right for you. Broadly, he needs to ensure that this procedure will be both safe and effective for you.

Dr. Tarola will determine if this procedure will be effective via a discussion of your expectations and an evaluation of your current contours, including the laxity of your skin and the amount of subcutaneous fat present. If you have a lot of excess thigh fat, you may be a better fit for liposuction, or you may need to combine liposuction with your upper thigh lift to achieve your desired contours.

Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

Most relatively healthy adults who are within 30 pounds of their ideal weight qualify for liposuction. However, an evaluation of all of the areas of concern is necessary before determining whether one or more areas qualify for treatment. Besides your weight and health, your body fat distribution is a significant factor affecting whether this fat removal procedure can help you achieve your desired appearance.

For example, you will not qualify for thigh lipo if you have too much excess subcutaneous fat. Liposuction can only remove a percentage of localized fat cells, and you may not achieve satisfactory results if you have too much localized fat. Additionally, liposuction will not be effective for you if you do not have enough extra subcutaneous fat in an area of concern.

Where Can Liposuction Remove Fat From?

Liposuction can be used to remove excess subcutaneous fat from virtually anywhere, but only 10 to 11 pounds can be removed safely.

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A thigh lift improves the appearance of your upper leg by eliminating excess skin tissue and restructuring the remaining muscle and skin tissue. A small amount of excess fat can be excised during this procedure, but you will need liposuction in addition to your upper leg lift if you have a significant amount of excess thigh fat. If you think an upper leg lift could improve your self-confidence, contact us now at Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN to schedule an evaluation.

A healthy diet and regular exercise routine are great for your health. However, it may not be enough to achieve the contours you’ve always dreamed of. At Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN, Dr. Nicholas A. Tarola, MD is passionate about helping his clients feel as confident in their appearance as possible. Today, we’re taking a closer look at a body lift, a comprehensive set of body contouring procedures, to help you determine if it is right for you.

What’s Included in a Body Lift? 

The procedures included in a body lift depend on the goals you are trying to accomplish. If you are only concerned about the appearance of your lower body, you may get a thigh lift, Brazilian butt lift, and liposuction. If you are also concerned about the current contours of your upper body, your comprehensive lift may also include an arm lift and tummy tuck. Furthermore, the appearance of the groin can also be improved during a comprehensive lift.

What Are the Benefits of a Thigh Lift? 

Depending on the concerns you have, a thigh lift is usually used to remove excess skin and tighten loose skin inner or outer thighs. However, it can also improve the appearance of the back of the thigh.

Whether you are experiencing loose skin due to aging or massive weight loss, this procedure can benefit you. Additionally, this procedure can be used to excise a small amount of excess fat, but if you have a lot of excess thigh fat, you may need liposuction to achieve your desired aesthetic.

What Are the Benefits of Liposuction? 

Liposuction is an incredibly versatile procedure. It can be used to remove excess subcutaneous fat from virtually any region of the body with just a couple of exceptions. Two of the most common exceptions are regions of the body with too little or too much excess fat for the procedure to be effective.

Typically, we look for areas of concern with at least an inch of pinchable fat. However, exceptions can be made. For instance, we can remove excess fat from the underarms, submental region,  or knees even if there’s not a full inch of pinchable fat. During your initial consultation, we will review all of your concerns and goals to verify that this procedure will be effective for you. Some of the most common areas targeted for treatment with liposuction include the: 

• Chest 
• Arms 
• Back
• Abdomen
• Thighs

What Are the Benefits of a Brazilian Butt Lift? 

A Brazilian butt lift can do a lot more for you than just tightening the skin on your buttocks. If you opt to get a Brazilian butt lift, or BBL, you can improve several contours at once. This is because the procedure treats skin sagging affecting the buttocks by augmenting the buttocks. This augmentation is not achieved through the implantation of plastic implants.

Rather, it is accomplished by using liposuction to remove excess fat from your body, processing it, and injecting it into the buttocks. Therefore, if you opt for a BBL, you can improve the appearance of your lower body significantly by increasing the size of your buttocks; simultaneously, you can significantly improve the appearance of other contours, like your hips, flanks, or abdomen, making your body look more proportional.

What Are the Benefits of an Arm Lift? 

Primarily, people seek an arm lift because they want to tighten loose upper arm skin and eliminate any excess skin they have hanging off of their upper arms. However, those are not the only benefits provided by this procedure. For instance, a small amount of excess fat can be removed from the upper arms. Additionally, during your arm lift, your upper arm tissues can be manipulated, making them look more toned.

What Are the Benefits of a Tummy Tuck? 

There are many incredible benefits provided by a tummy tuck. The benefits you can expect from your procedure depend on your goals. If you are dissatisfied with the appearance of your upper and lower abdomen, your upper and lower abdominal skin can be removed and tightened as necessary to provide you with desirable results. If you opt for a full tummy tuck, you can also have your abdominal muscles tightened and repaired as necessary.

Note that a full tummy tuck can address medical concerns in addition to cosmetic concerns. For example, it can be used to treat SUI. If you are only interested in improving the appearance of your lower abdomen, you can get a partial tummy tuck. Loose lower abdominal skin can be tightened, and excess lower abdominal skin can be removed. However, no improvements can be made to the abdominal muscles if you opt for this procedure.

Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today

Each body lift is different because everyone has unique cosmetic concerns and goals. Some of the most popular procedures included in this comprehensive body contouring treatment include liposuction, thigh lifts, Brazilian butt lift, arm lifts, and tummy tucks. Contact us today at Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN to schedule your initial body contouring consultation if you feel that you need help to achieve your desired contours.

At Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN, we believe that everyone deserves to feel confident in their skin. At the same time, we recognize that it can be extremely difficult to feel self-confident when your face is showing signs of aging. For this reason, we are proud to offer our clients several anti-aging options, including a facelifts. Today, we are answering some of the most frequently asked questions about this procedure to help you decide if it is right for you.

How Long Is Recovery After a Facelifts?

It may take between two and three months for your face to feel like it did before your facelifts, sometimes referred to as rhytidectomy. However, you will not need to spend two to three months off from work on bed rest. Rather, you can generally expect to need a week or two off from work.

Other Frequently Asked Questions Answered

What Can I Expect My Recovery Timeline to Be Like?

As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to feel physically fatigued for one to three days following your procedure. During the first 24 hours following surgery, you don’t need to worry about physical activity. However, after that, you should make a point to get at least 30 minutes of moderate cardio each day.

At first, you probably won’t feel up to completing 30 minutes at a time. This is okay. It is important to not push yourself too hard during the first six to eight weeks post-op. Just do what you can, rest, and pick back up when you are feeling sufficiently rested. After a week or two, your energy levels should be restored, and you should have no problem going for a 30 minute walk at least five days per week.

How Long Can I Expect My Results to Last?

You can feel extremely confident that your ideal results will last for at least a decade. If you maintain a healthy lifestyle following your procedure, you may be able to enjoy your ideal results for 12 to 15 years after surgery. Besides your lifestyle choices, your age significantly affects how long you can expect your ideal results to last. Younger clients tend to enjoy longer-lasting results than older clients.

What Can I Do to Extend the Longevity of My Results?

To enjoy the results of your rhytidectomy for as long as possible, you need to make maintaining your skin health one of your top priorities. Research shows that protecting your skin from sun damage is the most effective step you can take to prevent premature skin aging. To keep your skin protected, wear sunscreen every day, reapply it regularly, and limit your time in the sun.

Another very effective step you can take is to come in periodically for injectable anti-aging treatments. Depending on your cosmetic concerns, you may benefit significantly from both injectable muscle relaxant and dermal filler treatments. Furthermore, you can help your ideal results last longer by avoiding tobacco consumption and minimizing alcohol consumption.

Am I a Good Candidate for This Procedure?

To find out if you are a good facelifts candidate, you need to attend an initial consultation with Dr. Nicholas Tarola. During this consultation, he will verify your candidacy after reviewing your current health, medical history, cosmetic concerns, and desired aesthetic. You can generally expect to qualify for this procedure if you are relatively healthy, don’t have any medical conditions that will extend your recovery process, and you have realistic expectations about the results.

We also generally look for nonsmokers because you must go two weeks prior to surgery without consuming nicotine. Furthermore, you need to go two more weeks without nicotine during the first part of your recovery process. If you can’t abstain from nicotine consumption for 28 days, you will be considered a poor fit for this procedure. Additionally, tobacco consumption often leads to health conditions that will preclude you from this procedure.

What If Surgery Isn’t Right for Me?

If surgery isn’t right for you, BOTOX injections may be a better fit. This injectable muscle relaxant can be used to reverse many of the signs of aging that can be treated by rhytidectomy. For example, in some cases, it can be used to eliminate jowls and nasolabial folds. Whether BOTOX will be an effective anti-aging alternative for you depends on the cause of your cosmetic concerns.

JUVÉDERM formulas, like JUVÉDERM VOLUMA may be a better fit for you if the root of your cosmetic concerns is volume loss. For example, VOLUMA injections, like rhytidectomy, can be used to lift sagging cheeks and eliminate jowls.

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Even though facelifts recovery timelines vary, you can generally expect to be back to work just a week or two after surgery. After that, you may need to take another four to six weeks off from vigorous activity, and you can expect to feel just like your old self roughly two to three months following your procedure. Contact us today at Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN to schedule your initial consultation and find out if this procedure is right for you.

At Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN, we are passionate about helping our clients improve their self-confidence. We proudly offer a number of cosmetic procedures and treatments to help our clients maintain their youthful visage so they can feel as comfortable in their skin as possible. Today, we’re taking a closer look at one of our most popular procedures, a brow lift surgery. Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about this procedure.

What Is Involved in a Brow Lift?

The techniques used to perform your brow lift surgery depend on your cosmetic goals and other factors. Regardless of the best technique for you, your skin will be inspected to verify that it is suitable for surgery. Then, the incision areas will be sanitized, and anesthesia will be administered. Once you’re prepared for surgery, if you are getting an endoscopic forehead lift, a number of tiny incisions will be made behind your hairline.

A cannula with a light and camera affixed to the end will be inserted through one of the incisions. This camera allows us to see the tissues and muscles beneath your skin. Through a different incision, the problematic forehead tissues will be lifted. To ensure long-lasting results, sutures will be used to anchor them in place.

What Happens During a Coronal Forehead Lift?

A coronal forehead lift is another very popular technique. During a coronal forehead lift, only one incision is made. This incision discreetly hidden behind your hairline extends across the top of your head from one ear to the other. Through this incision, the forehead is repositioned. At this point, the scalp in front of the coronal incision overlaps the scalp behind the coronal incision. The overlapping scalp is then removed, and what remains of the scalp is sewn together.

What Type of Anesthesia Will Be Administered Prior to Surgery?

Typically, we use a combination of local anesthesia and a sedative to keep our clients calm and comfortable during surgery. However, general anesthesia may be more appropriate for you if you are also getting other facial cosmetic procedures at the same time as your forehead lift.

How Long Will My Procedure Take?

If you are only getting a brow lift, your procedure may only take an hour or two. If you need to address other facial concerns, your procedure may take roughly three to six hours depending on the scope of your concerns.

What Can I Expect After My Procedure?

After your procedure, you can expect to be observed until you are sufficiently alert. Then, we will review your recovery guidelines with you to ensure you are clear on all of your post-op obligations. After that, you are free to be driven home. You may not drive yourself home due to the potential that your reflexes will be affected negatively by the medication administered prior to surgery.

During the first few days of your recovery period, you will need to rest as much as possible with your head elevated. Additionally, you will need to take all of your prescribed medications exactly as directed. You should take a full course of antibiotics to mitigate the risk of postoperative infection, and you should not exceed the maximum daily dosage of your prescribed painkillers.

How Long Can I Expect My Results To Last?

On average, the results of a brow lift last 11 years, give or take a year. Factors affecting how long the results of your procedure will last include the severity of your cosmetic concerns, your age, your skincare routine, and your lifestyle choices.

What Can I Do To Enjoy My Ideal Results for Longer?

You may need to improve your skincare routine a bit to enjoy your ideal results for as long as possible. It is essential for the longevity of your results that you protect your skin from UV damage. Beyond avoiding the use of indoor tanning methods, you need to avoid sunbathing or subjecting your skin to unprotected sun exposure.

Another highly effective step you can take to extend the longevity of your results is to come in every two to 12 months for BOTOX injections. Additionally, you should make sure you include moisturizing in your daily skincare routine.

Am I a Good Candidate for This Procedure?

To find out if you are a good brow lift surgery candidate, you need to sit down with Dr. Nicholas A. Tarola, MD, and discuss your health and goals. If you’re fairly healthy, there is a pretty good chance that you will qualify for surgery. If you are not deemed a good fit for this procedure, BOTOX may be a better fit for you.

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What exactly will happen during your brow lift depends on your goals. Depending on the ideal technique for you, one or more incisions may be made through which your loose, sagging forehead skin will be tightened. In some cases, excess skin is removed. Contact us now at Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Tarola to schedule a cosmetic treatment plan that helps you achieve your aesthetic goals safely and effectively.

Are you ready to get rid of stubborn fat once and for all? CoolSculpting, a body-contouring treatment offered by Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN, can get rid of unwanted fat permanently with a painless, non-invasive appointment. This revolutionary treatment makes it easy to get your body in shape!

How Many CoolSculpting Sessions Do You Need?

Our practice uses CoolSculpting Elite, which is a new and improved version of the legacy system. The Elite system is capable of removing as much as 25 percent of unwanted fat in a single treatment, which is a larger fat reduction than what can be achieved with the legacy system.

The Elite system works so well that many of our patients get the results they want with a single treatment. But additional sessions can be scheduled if you want even more fat reduction. Most patients wait to see the results from their first session before scheduling a second.

How Does CoolSculpting Work?

This treatment uses chilly temperatures applied to the surface of the skin to freeze and destroy fat cells. Those fat cells are then expelled naturally from the body in the following weeks. During your appointment, the CoolSculpting applicator will be placed against the part of the body being treated. You’ll feel the cool temperatures, and perhaps some numbness, as the device gets to work, but you won’t feel any discomfort.

Patients typically sleep, read, or work on their phones during treatment. Because this is a non-invasive treatment, patients can return immediately to their normal schedules afterward.

How Quickly Will I See Results?

Results vary from case to case, but patients typically begin to see improvement in about three weeks, with their full results developing within four months.

How Long Will My Results Last?

This treatment system destroys fat cells, so you’ll never have to worry about them coming back. But it will still be possible to develop fatty areas in other parts of the body, so the best way to keep your overall silhouette in shape going forward will be to adhere to healthy lifestyle habits.

Which Areas Can This Treat?

This treatment works on unwanted fat all over the body. The stomach, where excess fat can sometimes be particularly difficult to get rid of, is one of the more popular treatment spots. This treatment also works on the thighs, upper arms, back, and around the buttocks. It can even be used under the chin and along the jawline, where it can eliminate a double chin.

Will I Lose Weight?

This treatment system improves your silhouette by getting rid of unwanted fat, but it usually doesn’t result in weight loss.

Is This Safe?

CoolSculpting is a safe and FDA-approved treatment system. It is capable of freezing away unwanted fat without posing any danger to surrounding skin or muscle.

Is This Treatment Suitable for Men?

Yes. Men struggle with pockets of unwanted fat just like women do, and this treatment is an effective option for patients of both genders.

What Benefits Does This Treatment System Offer?

It Eliminates Stubborn Fat

This treatment system can get rid of stubborn fat that hasn’t responded to diet and exercise. If you have frustrating problem spots that won’t seem to budge, no matter how hard you work, CoolSculpting may be the solution you’ve been looking for.

If Offers Natural Results

Once you’ve undergone this treatment, your body will gradually dispose of the destroyed fat cells. This means your body will gradually slim down, giving you results that appear completely natural. Your friends will never know you got a little help from a body-contouring treatment.

It’s Precise

Have you ever gone on a diet and ended up losing weight in the wrong places? When you’re dieting, you can’t control which parts of your body will improve. But CoolSculpting gives you the ability to precisely target the part of your body you want to shape up.

It’s Convenient

One treatment with the Elite system is all most of our patients need to accomplish their cosmetic goals. And the non-invasive nature of this treatment means you don’t have to do anything to prepare, and you don’t need to set aside any time for recovery.

Am I a Candidate?

This treatment is perfect for individuals who are close to their ideal weight but need a little help tackling stubborn pockets of diet-resistant fat. This treatment does not work on visceral fat, but it’s a great solution for individuals trying to shed subcutaneous fat, which is the pinchable fat just beneath the surface of the skin. The ideal candidate has at least one inch of pinchable fat.

To be considered as a candidate, you should be in good general health, you should have realistic expectations about what this treatment can accomplish, and you should not be pregnant. Patients should also be capable of adopting healthy lifestyle habits that will help them keep their bodies in shape after treatment.

Get Your Body in Shape

If you’re ready to say goodbye to unwanted fat with one or two easy treatments, CoolSculpting could be for you! Don’t wait any longer. Call Tarola Plastic Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN, and book your initial consultation today!