Small areas of stubborn fat can make you appear much heavier than your actual size. Whether you struggle with underarm fat, a bra bulge, or a double chin, small-volume liposuction can improve your body contour with minimal fat removal. Low-volume, high-impact liposuction, or mini lipo, can revitalize your figure with less recovery and risks than large-volume liposuction. Dr. Ary Krau in Miami can fine-tune your appearance with mini liposuction.

Treatment Areas for Mini Liposuction

Small-volume liposuction sculpts specific areas of the face and body, such as the elbows, knees, armpits, and under the chin. These body parts are challenging to target with exercise and are primarily determined by your genetics and unique fat distribution. Some people may be predisposed to submental fullness (double chin), while others may have a sloping neck profile, and these fat pockets can make you appear heavier.

Women may have an armpit bulge or stubborn fat in front of the underarm, and reducing this area with mini liposuction can enhance the breast’s appearance. Likewise, the bra bulge may stick out around your bra band and affect your clothing choices and comfort level. Small-volume liposuction for a bra bulge can allow you to wear more fitted tops without fat spilling out.

Men and women may also have small pockets of fat above their elbows and inside their knees. Liposuction in these areas can cause a dramatic change in arm or leg appearance. “Cankles” caused by excess fat are another treatable concern with mini liposuction. Dr. Krau may recommend liposuction of the ankle, inner knee, and thigh for full leg recontouring.

Benefits of Small-Volume Liposuction

Mini liposuction is less intensive than large-volume liposuction and often requires only local anesthetic. You can be awake for the procedure and minimize the surgical risks associated with general anesthesia. Mini liposuction is a faster and more convenient procedure, and the removed fat cells can be used for facial fat grafting to restore volume to the cheeks and other areas of the face.

Candidates for Mini Liposuction

Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. Patients need to have healthy lifestyles with balanced diets and regular exercise. If you recently lost a lot of weight, you may need to wait six months to a year to ensure you can maintain your results. Generally, people interested in mini liposuction have small pockets of unwanted fat and are in good overall health. You should have realistic goals and a positive outlook for what small-volume liposuction can do for your face and body.

If you’re interested in mini liposuction, contact Dr. Krau in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida. Schedule a consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon by calling (305) 861-6881.

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Liposuction is a popular surgical procedure that has helped countless patients achieve their body goals. Patients are often surprised to learn that what they do before the procedure has a significant impact on their surgical outcomes. Attempts at losing weight and stubborn fat before the procedure are most useful.

Dr. Ary Krau is a leading plastic surgeon in Miami. Here, he discusses how long you should try to lose stubborn fat before trying liposuction.

What Is Liposuction?

Liposuction is a safe and effective outpatient surgical procedure to remove stubborn pockets of fat. It is a fat removal procedure, not a weight loss procedure. During the procedure, a small incision is made in the treatment area. A thin tube is inserted and used to break up the fatty tissue and then suction it out.

There are a number of different liposuction techniques. Dr. Krau utilizes power-assisted liposuction for his patients. During the procedure, an oscillating tube that vibrates at 4,000 cycles per minute helps break up fat so it is easier to remove from the body.

Who Is a Liposuction Candidate?

The only way to know for sure if you are a liposuction candidate is to schedule a consultation with an experienced plastic surgeon. The plastic surgeon will go over your medical history and fat loss goals. They will also look at any potential risk factors. The ideal candidate is a non-smoker who is at their ideal body weight and in good physical and mental health. It is also important that the patient has realistic goals for the procedure.

How Long Should You Try To Lose Stubborn Fat Before Trying Liposuction?

A common concern that patients have before liposuction is how long they should try to lose stubborn fat before the procedure. As mentioned above, the ideal candidate is at (or within a few pounds of) their ideal body weight. Notably, they should be at this weight for at least a few months.

The focus for most patients before liposuction isn’t necessarily losing stubborn areas of fat but instead maintaining a healthy weight. If a patient is at or slightly above their ideal body weight and still has stubborn areas of fat, then they may want to talk to a plastic surgeon about liposuction.

Schedule a Liposuction Consultation

The only way to know if liposuction is an option for you and your stubborn fat is by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Krau. Dr. Krau evaluates each liposuction candidate on an individual basis. Call (305) 861-6881 or request a consultation online. 

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Even if you are in shape, eat well and exercise regularly, saggy, wrinkled knees may make your legs look older than they are.

If the appearance of your knees bothers you, Dr. Ary Krau can help. Read on as he discusses how to get the smoother, tighter leg contours that you envision.

Surgical and Non-surgical Tightening Treatments

In some cases of mild to moderate knee sagging and wrinkling, non-surgical, ultrasound-based tightening treatments can offer improvement. A series of treatments with the Ultherapy system can trigger the production of collagen in the foundation of the skin; with replenished collagen reserves, knees gradually appear smoother and younger.

However, Ultherapy is only effective in a fraction of cases. The more reliable treatment option is to surgically lift and tighten the skin and tissues of the entire upper leg with thigh lift.

During thigh lift surgery, an incision is made in the groin area, sometimes extending down the leg toward the knee. Through the incision, the leg’s tissues are lifted and tightened, and the skin is wrapped more smoothly around the newly improved tissues. Excess skin is removed. Most patients are happy to trade some light scarring for a better leg contour.

If you have lost a substantial amount of weight and are left with sagging or redundant skin folds around your knees, thigh lift is probably your best option for comprehensive improvement.

Will Liposuction Help?

Some of Dr. Krau’s patients are under the impression that knee liposuction can remedy the appearance of wrinkled, saggy knees. This is true for a small number of patients whose primary problem is excess fat and not excess skin. Liposuction eliminates unwanted fat without improving the appearance of the skin. Simply removing fat and ignoring folds of skin usually does not provide the desired improvements.

If you have “pinchable” areas of fat around your knees but your skin has relatively good tone, knee liposuction may be appropriate.

Individualized Care for Your Unique Needs

The best way to determine a suitable treatment approach to your unique needs is with a surgical consultation at Dr. Krau’s practice. He will examine your knees, evaluate the amount of unwanted fat as well as the quality of your skin and recommend the best way to proceed. Dr. Krau is happy to answer any questions you have about knee liposuction, thigh lift or other treatment options, so you can feel fully informed about your choices.

To request a consultation with Dr. Krau, call or email our office today.

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Fortunately, Dr. Ary Krau welcomes the challenge and enjoys exceeding his patients’ aesthetic expectations of what liposuction can do. Read on as he shares some of the secrets to delivering the best liposuction results.

Judicious Approach to Removing Fat

The best liposuction surgeons understand that liposuction isn’t just about how much fat is removed, but also how much fat is left. There are certain areas of the body, like the abdomen, that should never look completely flat; a toned, attractive abdomen has natural peaks and valleys. In addition, being too aggressive with fat removal can leave divots or surface irregularities.

Dr. Krau views liposuction as a means of sculpting the body rather than simply removing a lot of fat. He has studied the human form extensively and has a strong artistic vision. Dr. Krau works meticulously and thoughtfully to give patients smooth curves that look balanced and symmetrical.

Discreet Scars That Fade Well

Unlike other body contouring procedures, liposuction does not require long incisions. However, a suction-enabled device called a cannula must be inserted under the skin to access and remove the unwanted fat. If the openings for the cannula are carelessly placed or too big, it could result in conspicuous marks or scars.

Dr. Krau is very careful about placing skin openings in natural transitions of the skin or in parts that can be covered by undergarments or a bathing suit. Whenever possible, he uses very small cannulas, which require smaller openings and produce smaller marks that fade well and disappear with time.

Elastic Skin for a Smooth Result

As Dr. Krau pointed out in his last blog post, there is little benefit to removing body fat if the skin won’t lay taut over the newly contoured area. This is why he carefully screens candidates prior to surgery, perhaps using the “pinch test,” to gauge the quality of the skin. If the skin doesn’t quickly bounce back after a quick pinch, it is not likely to sufficiently retract after liposuction and the patient probably won’t be satisfied with the results. Another body contouring procedure, such as abdominoplasty, arm lift or thigh lift, may be the better solution.

Your Best Body With Liposuction

Dr. Krau would love to explain how liposuction can help you get the fit, well-defined physique you desire. To request a consultation with him, please call or email our office today.

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Although liposuction is not about weight loss, many patients have questions about how much fat can be removed during the surgery. Read on as Dr. Krau shares the answer here.

Safety Comes First

Currently, American Society of Plastic Surgeons guidelines recommend removing no more than 5 liters, or 11 pounds of lipoaspirate (fat and fluids) during liposuction. Any more than that, and the risk of complications is believed to increase.

However, Florida regulations limit removal to 4 liters (8.8 pounds) of lipoaspirate. If you are having another surgical procedure, like tummy tuck, only 1 liter of lipoaspirate can be removed. These guidelines apply to procedures performed in outpatient facilities, not procedures performed in hospitals.

A Little Goes a Long Way

As you think about your goals for liposuction, consider that removing the maximum amount of fat is not always going to give you the best result. Removing too much fat can actually leave you with an unnatural contour or lumpy, dimpled skin in the treated area. Liposuction is a shaping and sculpting tool, not a quick weight loss method. You may be surprised to find that by removing a small amount of fat, Dr. Krau makes a big difference in the targeted area.

The amount of fat removed during your liposuction surgery is a topic of conversation reserved for you and Dr. Krau. Together, the two of you will talk about your desired goals, review your health and medical history, and find a plan that works for you.

Learn More About Liposuction With Dr. Krau

Dr. Krau is an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who has performed countless liposuction procedures in his career. His ultimate goal is always the safety and satisfaction of his patients. You can trust that he will keep your best interests in mind when making suggestions about your treatment.

For more information about liposuction, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Krau. Please call or email our office to request an appointment.

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Liposuction

If you have good skin elasticity and are at or just slightly above your ideal body weight, but are bothered by excess fat around your waist that hangs over the top of your pants, you might be an appropriate candidate for liposuction. With liposuction, Dr. Krau can remove stubborn fat that is resistant to diet and exercise from around your waist (or nearly any area of the body). The result is a sleeker waistline and no more muffin top.

Tummy Tuck Surgery

If you suffer from muffin top, and your skin has lost its elasticity and is no longer able to shrink down to a smaller size and shape — perhaps due to pregnancy, massive weight loss or the aging process — tummy tuck surgery might be a more appropriate treatment option for you. With tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Krau removes loose excess abdominal skin and tightens the underlying musculature, for a fitter, firmer abdominal contour.

The Perfect Combo- Tummy Tuck with Liposuction

If liposuction is properly incorporated into the tummy tuck procedure, the skin flap can be pulled down and redraped without sacrificing the major blood supply originating through the abdominal musculature.  This not only made the procedure much safer, but the results are superior as it allows for better contouring and shaping of the abdomen.  Therefore, liposuction in combination with tummy tuck is not only desirable, but mandatory. See results

About Body Contouring Procedures

With either procedure, it is important that patients are at a body weight that they feel they can maintain after surgery, in order to preserve the aesthetic effects of the body sculpting procedure.

With liposuction, the fat cells that are removed will not grow back, but gaining a significant amount of weight can cause the remaining ones to grow larger or new ones to develop.

Likewise, gaining a substantial amount of weight following tummy tuck surgery can counteract the slimming results of the procedure. For this reason, women who plan to get pregnant in the future are advised to wait until they are finished having children to undergo tummy tuck surgery.

Say Goodbye to Muffin Top

If you are ready to say goodbye to your unsightly muffin top, Dr. Krau invites you to learn more about your body contouring treatment options.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Ary Krau to learn more about liposuction, tummy tuck surgery or the perfect combo, please contact his office by calling (305) 861-6881.

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