Motherhood is one of the greatest joys you can experience in life. It is a lot of hard work to raise children, but when you see the wonderful people they grow up to become, you realize it is also one of the most rewarding things you can do. However, motherhood also does come with one downside — it can take a toll on your body.

Pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding can impact your abdominal muscles, preventing them from remaining tight and firm the way they once were. It can also result in sagging breasts and lost breast volume. Many women also experience stretch marks and excess skin after pregnancy.

In addition, the long hours spent helping your children with homework, shuttling them to activities, and engaging them after a long day of work can leave you with precious little time to focus on yourself. If you have been struggling to restore your body to its pre-pregnancy appearance, you may want to consider a mommy makeover.

A mommy makeover consists of a series of plastic surgery procedures which will help reverse the signs of aging typically associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. Depending on the condition of your body and your unique aesthetic goals, Dr. Bruno and Dr. Brown may recommend one or more of the following procedures as part of your mommy makeover:

• Breast augmentation
• Breast lift
• Tummy tuck
• Liposuction

During your initial consultation, our Washington DC plastic surgeons will listen carefully to your concerns and goals in order to recommend the right combination of procedures to deliver your desired mommy makeover results.

If you are ready to restore your body to the youthful, toned appearance you enjoyed before children, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery to schedule your mommy makeover consultation. We serve patients in the Washington DC area.

Becoming a mom is undeniably one of the most rewarding experiences of your lifetime, but having children takes a toll on your body. Sometimes, even with a healthy diet and regular exercise, it can feel impossible to restore your body to its pre-pregnancy form. If you have problem areas that feel beyond your control, you may be in need of a mommy makeover.

Dr. Bruno and Dr. Coleman make it a priority to provide technologically advanced, cutting-edge services to help moms in Washington D.C. stay beautiful inside and out.

Ideal mommy makeover candidates are generally:

• Moms that are finished having children
• Moms in need of a breast lift or breast augmentation
• Moms suffering from excess skin or fat around the abdomen
• Moms in generally good health without serious existing medical issues
• Moms who have realistic expectations about plastic surgery

At Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery, we offer the latest cosmetic and reconstructive procedures for moms in Washington D.C.

Depending on your unique needs, your mommy makeover may include one or more of these procedures:

• Liposuction
• Breast enhancement
• Breast lift
• Tummy tuck

We understand that choosing to have a mommy makeover is a personal, private and sometimes life-changing decision. We make it our mission to provide the most advanced professional care every mom deserves.

If you are a mom ready to reclaim your pre-pregnancy body, contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery in Washington, D.C. at (301) 215-5955.

Losing 50 or 100 pounds, or more,  is a major achievement. But once you’ve reached your goal, you might find that your healthier, thinner body needs some additional fine-tuning. After significant weight loss, the skin often fails to shrink back to its former size and shape. That’s because large amounts of excess skin that have been stretched around the abdomen, may have lost its’ elasticity.

Washington D.C. plastic surgeons, at Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery offer  tummy tuck procedures designed specifically for patients who have achieved significant weight loss. A tummy tuck can remove skin or fat and tighten or lift your abdomen area.  The results can help your clothes fit better and allow you to participate more comfortably in your favorite activities.

The tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, involves removing excess skin and tightening of the underlying abdominal muscles. An incision is made just above the pubic area from hip to hip, occasionally extending to the back. Sometimes a vertical incision is necessary as well.

The results of a tummy tuck are visible almost immediately, although you will experience some post-surgical swelling. Full recovery to normal activity level generally takes 4-6 weeks. Once the swelling subsides, you will notice a permanently flatter, smoother tummy and a slimmer figure.

If you are ready to complete your weight loss process, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery in Washington, D.C. to learn more about how a tummy tuck can benefit your situation.

Smartlipo™ is a form of liposuction that is less-invasive that traditional liposuction. A laser is used to essentially melt the fat, making it easy for removal through suction. Because the fat gets emulsified prior to surgery, typically Smartlipo™ helps the plastic surgeon to remove more fat than traditional liposuction.

The plastic surgeons at Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery in Washington D.C. suggest if you’re considering laser liposuction or Smartlipo™  that you are in good health before undergoing the procedure. 

Their facility is the only surgical facility in the DC Metro Region certified by Cynosure, the manufacturer of Smartlipo™ equipment, as a training center.

Smartlipo™ can be performed under local anesthesia, while traditional liposuction is done under general anesthesia. This makes recovery go quicker and allows you to be back to your typical routine with 1-2 weeks.

Is Smartlipo™ right for you?

Smartlipo™ can benefit almost everyone. The ideal candidate is in good health, has one or more fatty areas that have not responded well to diet and exercise,  and wants the fat removed from those areas.

What are the advantages of Smartlipo™?

Smartlipo™ offers the smoothest and best body contouring results. Because it is performed under local anesthesia, recovery time is short, and patients are back to normal activities very quickly. It is safer than more traditional methods of liposuction and the results last longer, if not permanently.

If you are considering laser liposuction contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery. We serve clients in the Washington DC area, Arlington, and the surrounding areas. Call us (301) 215-5955.

Once you decide to have breast augmentation surgery, your next decision will be which type of breast implant is right for you- saline or silicone. Both types of implants have two distinct parts. One is the shell, and all breast implant shells are made of silicone, a rubber-like substance. The other part is the fill material inside the shell. Breast implants are filled with either saline or silicone gel.

Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery has experience with both types of breast implants and can go into detail about each option in their office near Washington D.C.

Saline Versus Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Millions of women have had successful breast augmentations with saline and silicone breast implants. So, which breast implant is best for you? There is no single universal answer to this question and the decision must be customized to each woman’s unique characteristics and desires. Breast implants are made in a variety of shapes, sizes, surfaces, and fill materials.

The differences between saline and silicone breast implants:

• Aesthetic Appearance: saline and silicone implants have a different visual appearance after surgery
• Natural Feel: saline implants generally have a more natural feel
• Surgery Invasiveness: saline implant surgery is less invasive as they aren’t pre-filled
• Possible rupture or failure: when a saline implant deflates, it is obvious; silicone isn’t obvious and requires an MRI to pinpoint

If you are in the Washington D.C. area and have decided you want more information about breast implants please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery. Call them at (301) 215-5955 today. 

If you’ve dieted and exercised and still haven’t achieved the flat midsection you want, other factors like genetics, prior pregnancy, and weight fluctuations could be sabotaging your efforts. But a tummy tuck can help you achieve the look you want even when traditional approaches fail. During your initial consultation, our Washington DC plastic surgeons will determine whether a tummy tuck is the right answer for you.

In a tummy tuck, our plastic surgeons remove fat and skin from the abdomen, creating a smooth, firm appearance. The surrounding muscles are also tightened, which further helps promote a flat stomach.

To be considered a good candidate for a tummy tuck, you should:

• Be at a stable weight
• Be in generally good health
• Have realistic goals
• Not smoke
• Want to improve the way you look
• Have loose, hanging skin, excess fat, or stretched abdominal muscles

Dr. Bruno and Dr. Brown often recommend a tummy tuck as part of a mommy makeover, since it is an excellent way to tighten abdominal muscles that have been impacted by prior pregnancies. It is also commonly performed on patients who have undergone significant weight loss and would like to improve the appearance of excess hanging skin resulting from their weight loss.

If you’re ready to learn how a tummy tuck can improve your appearance and boost your self-confidence, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery today to schedule your consultation. We serve patients in the Washington DC area.

If you’re considering breast augmentation, you may already know that you can choose from several kinds of breast implants. But did you know that you also have a choice in the type of incision your plastic surgeon uses to place your desired implant? The Washington, DC breast augmentation specialists at Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery have performed many breast augmentation procedures, and we will help you choose the incision option that best suits your unique needs.

Incisions for breast augmentation are usually located in one of three places:

• Periareolar incisions: Beneath the areola, which is the dark area surrounding the nipple
• Inframammary incisions: Beneath the breast, at the fold where it meets the body
• Transaxillary incisions: To the side of the breast, inside the armpit

Each type of breast augmentation incision is different, and a choice of one over the other depends on many factors, including:

• Your chosen type of breast implant
• Your desired amount of breast enlargement
• Your individual anatomy
• Your preferences
• Our surgeon’s recommendations

If you’re ready to learn how breast augmentation can improve your appearance, self-confidence, and quality of life, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery today to schedule your consultation. We serve patients in the Washington DC area.

When you are considering liposuction or any other type of plastic surgery, it is important to remember that your choice of plastic surgeon will significantly impact your final results. Your choice will also play a key role in your comfort and safety, making it important that you take time and do your research before you commit to any one doctor.

Liposuction is a plastic surgery procedure, but you don’t have to be a plastic surgeon to perform it. In fact, anyone with a medical degree can perform liposuction, even if they lack sufficient training and experience. The only way to be sure your liposuction is being performed by someone with the training, experience, and proven results you deserve is by choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon. Our Washington DC plastic surgeons are both board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and remain active in industry groups such as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

In addition to board-certification, you should look for a plastic surgeon who views you as an individual, not as just another liposuction patient. Your liposuction surgeon should work with you on a personal level, paying close attention to your desires, fully informing you of your options, and providing you with the special attention you deserve. Dr. Bruno and Dr. Brown both take great pride in working individually with each patient, and they cater all of their plastic surgery procedures to meet the needs of the individual being served.

If you are considering liposuction or any type of plastic surgery in or around Washington DC, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery today to schedule an initial consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has released a three-part series about breast augmentation on YouTube. The series, entitled “Real People. Real Surgery. Breast Augmentation,” explores subjects such as why women choose to undergo breast augmentation, how breast implants work, and what a woman can realistically expect from the procedure.

In addition to the ASPS breast augmentation series, there are a number of YouTube videos exploring this procedure, including some that show the procedure itself. These can be useful when you are considering breast surgery by giving you a better idea of what you can expect before, during, and after the procedure.

While there are a number of breast augmentation videos on YouTube, our Washington DC breast surgeons know that every woman is unique. No two procedures are identical and no collection of videos can provide you with the full information you deserve. The best way to learn about breast augmentation and what it can do for you is through a one-on-one breast surgery consultation at our office.

If you would like more information about breast surgery, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons. We serve patients in the Washington DC area.

A recent report in the New York Times tells of the death of a young student from black-market buttock injections using silicone. It’s not the first, nor likely the last, time this has happened and it is utterly appalling. There are myriad issues this brings to light but I will focus on two.

The first is silicone. Silicone in medical grade form is not typically used by plastic surgeons, especially those certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Silicone is, however, typically used when engineered into implants for use in various applications. When a licensed practitioner injects medical grade silicone they are taking a bit of a risk because silicone does not meld into the tissue very well. In fact, the body reacts to the product and creates scars and cystic like reactions around it in an attempt to isolate it from the body. I have seen many patients who present with scarred buttocks or over-inflated lips from the injection of silicone. Unfortunately, there is no good solution. Sometimes they can be excised, but often this is extremely difficult or potentially incredibly disfiguring. Silicone in implant form is a safe, wonderful product that can help enhance the anatomy when used properly. Buttock augmentation patients should at all costs avoid direct injections of any foreign product. There isn’t a “filler” out there that can enhance the backside sufficiently without either causing problems (see article) or cost too much. The best choices include either fat grafting (from your own body) or implants. I routinely perform fat grafting which I feel is the safest, most natural choice.

The second is the injector. In today’s day and age of instant information and reviews on everything from the local ramen shop to your plumber, it amazes me that these people exist. I know, someone had a good result and referred them. Or, it’s cheap and I can’t afford plastic surgery. Well, death isn’t cheap and neither is a life-altering infection or complication. Although complications can arise in any environment, do yourself a favor and do some real research. Ask yourself if it makes sense to go to some seedy motel for a medical procedure, and then go see a real doctor.