…Is this a healthy way of thinking? Let’s face it, after 40 weeks of feeling gigantic, we are all anxious to get back into our skinny jeans and ditch the elastic waste bands. The reality, however, is that following pregnancy our bodies take months to recover. The famous saying to make all of us in the postpartum state feel better is, “It took nine months to put it on; it will take nine months to get it off!” Well, this saying is frustrating to many of us, but there is some truth behind the madness.

Here are some medical facts: It takes one month for the body’s blood volume (which nearly doubles during pregnancy) to return to normal. Secondly, three months following pregnancy the body will have shed approximately 10 liters of fluid! At three months, most women are feeling up to, and are physically ready for, exercise! So, in reality, three to four months have flown by, your body chemistry has regulated, you are hopefully sleeping a little longer…and you’re ready for the gym! Now give yourself at least one week for every two pounds that you have left to shed. After you do the math, some of us might fall into the dreaded nine month deadline for weight loss, and some of us may have lots of time to spare. This is a healthy and realistic timeline to follow!

So, after you have done your part, there are some postpartum attributes that might stick around. Now ask yourself, “Do I want to have any more children?” If the answer is “no,” then plastic surgery might be your answer. Some physical characteristics that women despise following pregnancy are: stretch marks, extra skin folds of the abdomen, and sagging of the breasts. None of the previously mentioned changes can be fixed by crunches or miracle creams! This is when it is OK to consider cosmetic procedures such as breast lift surgery, breast augmentation, a tummy tuck, or a laser procedure to help fade stretch marks. If surgery is not for you, don’t be discouraged by what your body has endured!

Bringing a child into this world is an amazing thing – many women see the permanent changes to their body as badges of honor!

A New Way To Sample Beauty Products!

A recent topic discussed in the PlasticSurgery.com forum was that of New Beauty’s “TestTube,” which features a variety of beauty products available for sampling. As we all know, cosmetic products are not cheap!

So New Beauty is offering their TestTube for a reasonable price, allowing you to determine if you like a certain product before you drop serious amounts of cash on anything that sounds too good to be true. So far, consumers seem happy with the idea of the TestTube. Feedback suggests that this is a great way to try multiple products that range from whitening toothpaste to face masks. New Beauty offers the TestTube to its consumers four times per year.

If you receive this product, or have comments about it, please share with it all of us who are interested to know if it is worth the investment!

Breast Augmentation – Is maintenance surgery necessary?

Many women who desire larger breasts will most likely undergo breast augmentation. Yet most women are not aware, however, that breast augmentation surgery is not a one-time procedure.

So does this mean that "maintenance" (despite better terminology) is required for women who have undergone breast enhancement? Well, breast implants do not come with a lifetime warranty! It is important to discuss this with your plastic surgeon before undergoing this procedure. This is especially important for younger women in their early 20s who may face multiple operations in the future.

The truth is, the life of an implant is approximately 10 to 15 years. An ultrasound may be done between five to eight years post-augmentation to determine if the implant is intact. Yet before it anything even shows on an ultrasound, many women will notice a leak or problem with the implant, a rippling of the implant, a difference in size, or a change in the contour of the breast.

This information is not meant to discourage women from undergoing breast augmentation! It is simply to educate them about a very common procedure. Breast augmentation has been performed for many years now and has boosted women's confidence and drastically improved their self-image. So, if breast augmentation is the procedure you are currently researching, make sure you ask your prospective surgeon about the information I have just shared with you!

SmartLipo™ vs. Conventional Liposuction

Despite the appeal of SmartLipo™, many surgeons are sticking with conventional liposuction methods. But why? Conventional liposuction has many years of research behind it; doctors have been able to study long-term effects and the outcome of conventional liposuction methods while SmartLipo™ is relatively new and has minimal studies to back up its claim to safety and benefits. However, many people might be thinking about SmartLipo™ and how it compares to typical liposuction techniques.

As for treating small areas of the body, some plastic surgeons are claiming that SmartLipo™ is superior because: it is performed under local anesthetic versus general, the procedure results in less bleeding and bruising, and recovery time is quicker with less discomfort.

Basically, SmartLipo™ is a laser-assisted liposuction procedure that uses heat and energy to remove fat rather than suction alone. The device that is inserted into the skin is approximately one millimeter in diameter. This small tube contains the laser fiber which is used to break down cell membranes of adipose (fatty) tissue. The result is “liquid fat” that can be removed through light suction, or left for the body to remove. The added benefit of SmartLipo™ is that the laser acts on collagen and the dermis, which results in skin tightening.

This said though, many doctors are still sticking to traditional methods. Although who knows what may be the better answer in years to come?! Please share your experience with SmartLipo™ …we would love to hear your personal experience!