5 Popular Cosmetic Procedures for a Bikini-Ready Body

As the temperatures rise and layers of clothing are shed, many men and women are taking a hard look at themselves in the mirror and deciding that they’re due for a little tune-up.

Summer is also the best time of the year to get work done if you don’t want to be conspicuously absent from the office while recovering from surgery. After a few days off you’ll return to the office looking better than ever, which co-workers will simply attribute to a much-needed vacation.

Here are 5 “hot” summertime cosmetic procedures, with advice from doctors who perform them on how to get the beach body you’ve been dreaming of.

Breast Augmentation

New York City-based plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Schwartz notices “a definite uptick in cosmetic breast procedures during the summer.” Google Trends confirms this: interest in “breast surgery” is indeed at its highest between June and August, when the vision many women have of themselves in a swimsuit becomes a decisive factor in their choice to undergo a breast augmentation, a breast lift, or breast augmentation coupled with a breast lift.

With minimal downtime – maybe a little more recovery for a breast augmentation with lift – patients can be bikini-ready in a couple of weeks. Schwartz also sees “an uptick in breast reduction procedures” during the summer. This is especially true for high school graduates as they get ready for college and a new chapter in life.

Facial Rejuvenation with Lasers

“We spend more time looking in the mirror and paying attention to our complexion in the summer” says Schwartz. Consequently, surgeons tend to see the popularity of laser treatments increase around this time of year.

Sciton’s HALO, a hybrid fractional laser, can improve both the deep and surface layers of the skin in one treatment, removing pigment irregularities like dark spots and evening out texture. “You can dial the laser up or down, depending on how aggressive patients want to be with the treatment,” explains Schwartz. “During the summer most people opt for lighter, less aggressive treatments with shorter downtime.”

Sciton’s HALO fractional laser reduces the appearance of sun spots and fine lines. “You can dial the laser up or down, depending on how aggressive patients want to be with the treatment,” explains Dr. Schwartz.

Photo credits: Sciton

Another option is BBL (broadband light), a non-ablative, pulsed laser used to treat brown spots as well as red areas and active acne on the face.

The key with facial laser treatments during the summer is to avoid the sun before and after treatment, says Schwartz. That means staying indoors more, avoiding direct sunlight, and using a good sunscreen when you do go outside.

Spider Vein Treatments

Women are often self-consciousness about the visible, dilated capillaries that tend to appear on the lower leg, and as a consequence will avoid wearing shorts or dresses.

Fortunately, the same lasers used to improve skin texture and appearance can also be used to treat spider veins on the face, legs, and feet. This non-invasive approach uses highly focused light to damage the vein and close off its source of blood.

Sclerotherapy is another popular option. It involves injecting a saline solution into the veins, causing them to scar and be reabsorbed into the body. In most cases the treated veins will fade within a few weeks.

The Brazilian Butt Lift

Just as the chest becomes a focal point during the summer, so does the posterior.

Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Cain Linville explains that with a Brazilian butt lift, fat is harvested from the belly and around the buttocks through liposuction and reinjected to “create a heart or ideal round shape.” Why is the procedure called a Brazilian butt lift? Because Brazilians are known and appreciated for their well-formed behinds, and because it was invented there.

Butt lifts are more popular than ever, according to recent statistics published by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and we can expect the trend to keep growing as the world’s attention turns to Rio, host of this summer’s Olympics.

Cellulite Removal

Cellulite is the result of fat pushing up through connective bands under the surface of the skin, creating a puckered appearance. An estimated 90% of women have cellulite, but that doesn’t make it any more appealing.

Two techniques are popular for addressing the issue, says Linville. Calling it “the hottest thing on the market,” Linville believes that Cellfina is “the most effective way to get rid of cellulite on the buttocks and thighs.” Cellfina is minimally invasive, using a micro-blade on the end of a needle to cut the bands of fat and release the tissue that was causing the puckering, he explains. “You wear compression garments for a couple of weeks following the procedure, but other than that, there is no downtime.”

Dr. Linville favors Cellfina for the treatment of cellulite on the buttocks and thighs, calling it “the hottest thing on the market.”

Photo credits: Dr. Cain Linville

Another popular procedure for cellulite and fat reduction is CoolSculpting, which is completely non-invasive. The machine allows surgeons to effectively “freeze the fat cells while sparing the skin,” says Linville. The freezing can cause 25-30% of fat cells to be destroyed and absorbed by the body during the subsequent 1-2 months.

Many of the most popular summertime plastic surgery procedures are minimally invasive, allowing patients to hit the beach only a few days after being treated, with either no scars at all, or extremely small scars that are hidden.

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