In Ontario, patients who have abdominal skin that hangs over the groin crease and have a history of bad skin infections or other complications can ask their surgeon to apply for insurance (OHIP) coverage of a panniculectomy (removal of a skin apron). Depending on the severity of the pannus, this can be a life-saving operation, and at minimum will dramatically improve your quality of life. The operation is not intended as a cosmetic procedure, and we are careful to demonstrate at our consultations the limits of a panniculectomy and the benefits of adding an abdominoplasty (cosmetic) to the procedure. An abdominoplasty is much less expensive if a panniculectomy is already…

The Mansierre, The Bro, Moobs- funny on television, but no man with large breasts finds the reality of this problem funny. As ‘deformities’ go, this is particularly difficult for men as it can be an afront to their image of masculinity. Gynecomastia is common among adolescents as hormonal activity and tissue responses play havoc, but generally the breast over-development subsides over a few years. For those troubled by permanent breast enlargement, plastic surgery Toronto is the answer. Surgical planning for each patient requires consideration of three tissues: skin fat and gland. Skin is a problem only if there has been massive weight gain/loss, and the resultant loose skin must be…

Whether a mommy make-over or full rehab for a major weight-loss patient, body contour surgery is the most powerful tool for removing or lifting excess skin and fat on the abdomen (abdominoplaty/tummy tuck), breasts (breast lift/mastopexy), thighs (thigh lift), arms(arm lift/brachioplasty) and back/buttocks. Many consultations in our practice are focused on how much surgery to do in one operation. Some procedures go together very well, like liposuction hips with a tummy tuck, or tummy tuck and breast lift together. Advantages of combination procedures include: 1. single recovery period 2. lower cost- if procedures are compatible, once you are in the operating room it is cheaper to keep operating than to…

A recent patient was raving about the results of her arm lift (brachioplasty), and wondered why it was so hard to find an expert in a big city like Toronto. Brachioplasty is a procedure that often gets plastic surgeons in trouble. It isn’t a very common procedure, and so an inexperienced plastic surgeon may try to approach it like a ‘tummy tuck for arms’. This approach is certain to damage the many small nerves and lymphatics in the arm and will result in wound healing problems. If you see a surgeon to tighten up your arms, reduce excess fat, or both, make sure the surgeon has good experience with arm…

Most people who come to our North Toronto office expecting a tummy tuck to be ‘just’ a cosmetic operation, but the benefits are so much greater than just appearances. 1. Exercise and diet are frustrating if they just leave you with more loose skin. A tummy tuck will remove the loose skin and motivate you to continue to improve your health through proper diet and exercise. 2. Exercise is physically uncomfortable if you have loose skin flapping around, and compromised skin hygeine (including rashes and odour) can also make exercise unpleasant. 3. Improved self-esteem helps you to be more assertive in your relationships. 4. Women have expressed resentment of their…