Board-certified cosmetic surgeon Dr. Michael Kulick has been acclaimed for bringing his skilled touch to patients in the San Francisco area for more than two decades. Over that time, he has seen various trends rise and fall in popularity. Here are the face and body procedures he predicts will be the hottest topics of 2018.
Lip Augmentation
The trend toward full, sensual lips – made popular, in part, by selfies such as those posted on Kylie Jenner’s Instagram feed* – has made the popularity of lip augmentation skyrocket in popularity, and is expected to continue through 2018 and beyond. Lip enhancement is often a stand-alone procedure, but can also put the finishing touches on a more comprehensive facial improvement such as a facelift.
Volume loss in the lips is an aspect of the aging process that creates those unwelcome lipstick “bleed lines” around the mouth, as well as fine wrinkles appearing in the lips themselves. Lip augmentation is a way to both smooth those lines and create plumper and more youthful-looking lips. Even patients with naturally narrow lips can now achieve the perfect pout.
One lip augmentation option is to implant your own body tissue into your lips. This procedure involves taking tissue from an unobtrusive part of your body – such as the bikini line area – and transferring it into the lips via four tiny incisions near the corners of your mouth. Once these incisions are healed, they are almost impossible to see.
However, for patients who do not want a scar created by removing tissue from their bikini line, Alloderm is another “graft” option. While it’s use in the lips is considered “off label,” Alloderm is an FDA-approved tissue derived from donated human skin that has been specially processed to ensure its safety. For appropriate candidates, this tissue is inserted similarly to using your own tissue.
Another reason lip augmentation is so popular is that it’s a highly customizable procedure. As the patient, you can direct the desired final size and shape of your lip during your pre-procedure consultation. Bring pictures of your ideal lips, as well as ones you dislike, so Dr. Kulick can discuss all your options for giving you a lip size that fits your desires.
After a lip augmentation, the lips may initially look puffy; however, recovery time is minimal, and you can begin to see and enjoy the new look of your lips within one to two weeks.
Breast Lift
Rather than enlarging their breasts, many women are now opting to lift their breasts to a perkier position. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the popularity of breast lifts has increased 70 percent since 2000**, and it shows no signs of slowing down!
Why is the breast lift procedure topping so many women’s wish lists? A breast lift can turn back the clock by rejuvenating your figure and giving you a more youthful, uplifted breast profile.
Women who would like to reverse the sagging or stretching of their breasts because of gravity, pregnancies, aging or weight loss are good candidates for this procedure. Women who are self-conscious about enlarged areolas may also benefit from a breast lift.
Before undergoing a breast lift procedure, you will sit down for a consultation with Dr. Kulick to talk about the goals you hope to achieve. We encourage you to bring photos of breasts whose shape you like, as well as those you do not like. Dr. Kulick can provide surgical options to address your requests.
Dr. Kulick performs the breast lift surgery under general anesthesia. The procedure usually involves incisions around the areolas, as well as in the creases under each breast. These incisions allow Dr. Kulick to remove excess breast skin, as well as lift and reshape the underlying breast tissue to improve firmness and overall breast contours. The nipples and areolas are also repositioned to a more youthful and natural height. If necessary, enlarged areolas can be reduced during the surgery by removing skin around the perimeter.
After the surgery, you will notice an immediate improvement in your breast positioning; however, you will have swelling and tenderness. We recommend wearing a specially designed support bra for the first week of recovery from your surgery. Most patients wait a week or so before returning to work and resuming normal daily activities.
Liposuction
Almost all of us struggle with pockets of fat that stubbornly resist diet and exercise. Liposuction remains one of the most commonly requested cosmetic procedures for an excellent reason: It quickly and effectively re-contours and improves the overall shape and appearance of almost any area of your body, including abdomen, buttocks, arms, neck and legs.
Liposuction involves small incisions to remove pockets of subcutaneous fat. There are limits to the amount of fat this procedure can remove, which is why the best candidates for liposuction are already at or near their target body weight./span> During your pre-operative consultation with Dr. Kulick, you can discuss potential areas for sculpting, your expectations and the recovery process.
LipoSelection is a new form of liposuction that removes unwanted fat more precisely than older methods. An alternative to the more invasive techniques of traditional liposuction, LipoSelection uses state-of-the-art ultrasound technology to reshape your body.
LipoSelection liquefies the fat before removing it from the body, which provides smoother and more toned-looking results. LipoSelection is an optimal technique for removing large volumes of fat or for working in areas that have tough scar tissue left over from a previous liposuction.
Patients have reported minimal pain, swelling and bruising after undergoing LipoSelection. Your recovery time will vary based on the amount of fat removed and the number of sites treated, as well as your pre-surgical health and post-operative compliance. However, in general, you can expect to wear a compression garment for four to six weeks after the procedure, and return to your normal daily activities within a week or two.
What would change for the better if you had cosmetic surgery? The best way to determine if you are a good candidate for any of these procedures is to contact us for a consultation. Our practice is here to provide you with enhanced self-esteem and improve your quality of life.
*Source: https://www.instagram.com/kyliejenner/?hl=en
**Source: CBS News, March 31, 2014
Dr. Michael Kulick, MD is a leading board certified plastic surgeon in San Francisco, California. During an initial consultation, he’ll examine your individual anatomy, discuss all your options, and create a unique treatment plan along with any other necessary procedures. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of plastic surgery and are looking for a qualified cosmetic surgeon, use this online form to request a consultation with Dr. Kulick or call 415-956-2550.
