Liposuction is changing the contour of Michiana -- men and women alike.
The surgical removal of excess fatty tissue is the No. 1 procedure performed by two plastic surgeons at The Centre PC in RiverPoint Surgery Center.
Liposuction is the leader among women, as well as men, who account for about 10 percent of The Centre's patients, according to Dr. Ronald Downs.
Breast augmentation is the women's second-leading surgical procedure, followed by tummy tucks. Botox and chemical peels head the list of nonsurgical cosmetic procedures at The Centre.
Among men, facelifts are probably second in surgical procedures and eyelids third, Downs said.
"We have a lot of kids in this part of the country, and we do a lot of post-baby work -- breast lifts, breast augmentations and tummy tucks," said Dr. Alissa Shulman, a plastic surgeon with the Plastic Surgery Center PC in South Bend and a consultant at The Retreat Women's Health Center in Goshen. "A lot of women are wanting to look like they used to look.
"Women in their 40s also start looking at their face a little more," she continued. "When we're talking face, we start with their eyes. Eyelids make a big difference. Botox helps soften wrinkles around their eyes."
Botox injections are a minimally invasive procedure.
"We believe that cosmetic injectables will continue to grow in popularity with the aging public," said Dr. Patrick Viscardi of The Centre.
In 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Restylane, a popular dermal filler made from hyaluronic acid, according to Viscardi.
Some women come into Shulman's office not knowing what they want done to their abdomen. They just know they want something.
Liposuction is removing fat and relying on the skin to drape over it. A tummy tuck is correcting a protruding or loose, sagging abdomen.
"The tummy tuck is taking on a new face in post-bariatric surgery," Downs said. "It's gone from a cosmetic type of tummy tuck to removal of massive amounts of skin.
"It almost becomes a reconstructive effort, rather than cosmetic," Downs added. "It's cosmetic to some degree, but it's more functional because there are large quantities of skin on the front of people."
The extra skins causes problems with lower back and hygiene, according to Downs. He expects the number of tummy tucks to increase.
Contact Rick Meyer at rmeyer@etruth.com.