Newport Beach Plastic Surgery

Say goodbye to long recovery times, large incisions and higher complication rates. Smartlipo, a new advancement in liposuction technology can provide individuals with the targeted fat removal they desire without the downtime.

Smartlipo is an innovative body contouring technology that uses a small laser fiber to literally melt fat from area of the body. The incision, unlike traditional liposuction, needs to be only 1 to 2 millimeters to allow the laser under the skin. The laser disrupts the structure of the fat cells in the body causing them to be liquefied and to be excreted naturally by the body. The procedure usually last about 45 minutes to an hour for each treatment area.

The differences between traditional liposuction and Smartlipo are:

Traditional Liposuction: Most of the time, the patient is required to go under general anesthesia. The fat is vacuumed out of the body with a 4 -5 millimeter tube. Because of this, loose skin can remain in the area that is treated. Also, because the fat is being forcibly sucked from the treatment area, it is often traumatic to the surrounding tissues. Visible scars can be left behind from where the tube enters the treatment area and stitches are often needed. Recovery times vary, but are usually about a week.

Smartlipo: Smartlipo treatment areas can usually be treated with local anesthesia. Because of the laser, the procedure promotes collagen growth in the treatment area which helps to improve the unattractive loose skin that can occur with traditional liposuction. There is less trauma to the surrounding tissues, virtually no scarring, no need for stitches and a patient can usually return to work in just a few days.

Smartlipo has been featured on ABC News, and in People Magazine as a way to achieve the fat-melting fantasy.

Keep in mind that Smartlipo is not for everyone. Smartlipo is not a treatment for obesity. The best patients are those who are healthy, but have some areas that are resistant to diet and exercise.

How do you know if Smartlipo is right for you?

Contact me for a confidential consultation. I have performed hundreds of surgeries and can help you make an informed decision. For more information, visit my Smartlipo website where you can view before and after photos and read frequently asked questions.

Additional Resources:
View our Smartlipo Video
(Video link on Home Page)
View our Liposuction Myth Blog Entry

I have recently been enthusiastically won over by the vertical breast lift. Some call this the lollipop method, where the final scar is located around the areola and then in a vertical line down the breast from the areola extending to the breast crease. It stops there and does not extend into the crease, so the scar is relatively short and well hidden.

The vertical breast lift technique is fairly new to most American cosmetic surgeons. Most cosmetic surgeons typically use the anchor approach, which creates a much longer and more visible scar in the shape of an anchor that follows the entire breast fold. By using the anchor approach, the scar can become thick and noticeable.

European cosmetic surgeons began the march toward better breast lifting techniques more than a decade ago, but it has been slow to catch on in the United States. In fact, very few U.S. surgeons are using it.

I have found that using the vertical breast lift technique, my patients have better breast shape, faster recovery, less swelling AND shorter, better hidden scars. The surgery is also shorter taking only about 2 hours compared with 3 1/2 hours and is much simpler to do than "the old way."

It has been really a pleasure to now offer this procedure to my patients. To find out more about the vertical breast lift, contact me to set up a confidential consultation.

Today is my first in a series I want to call Urban Myth Busters. I have always wanted to collect a list of the common myths that patients ask me about when they consult with me for cosmetic surgery procedures, and comment on or correct some of the common misconceptions.

Today, I will address the common myths that relate to liposuction, since that was the last blog topic.

Urban Myth #1. “You are born with only a certain number of fat cells, and once they are removed, they are gone for good.”

Reality Check: Fat cells were once thought only to be able to undergo hypertrophy, that is, to grow larger and plumper, stimulated by an increase in circulating fat in the bloodstream. They were not thought to have the ability to multiply. Now we know that if there is enough of a stimulus (like a cheeseburger and fries) fat cells will divide and multiply. So, just because you remove fat cells with liposuction, It doesn’t mean that the treated area will be forever immune to the effects of over-eating.


Urban Myth #2. “If you remove fat cells with liposuction in one spot, you will just gain fat in other areas.”

Reality Check: Similar in concept to Urban Myth #1, Liposuction normally is done to reduce diet-resistant pockets of fat, the ones that often are determined by your DNA(genes-heredity). Once these pockets are reduced, they can still store fat again if they are stimulated to do so by taking in too many calories. The good news is that if you gain weight after liposuction, you will probably gain it more evenly over the entire body rather than in the localized areas that seemed to accumulate fat with weight gain before surgery.

Check out my before and after photos to see first hand what liposuction can do.


Next in the Myth Busters Series will be Myths about Soft Tissue Augmentation and Fat grafting.

In the second installment of the procedure of the week series, I will be
talking about one of the more common body-contouring procedures known as
Liposuction. In 2004, liposuction was the #1 most frequently performed
procedure by doctors who are members of the American Society of Plastic
Surgeons.1

Liposuction is a procedure that is often used by both men and women.

Common places that women get liposuction are:

* Under the chin
* Hips
* Thighs
* Stomach

Common places for men to get liposuction are:

* Under the chin
* Around the waist
* Breast area (To reduce the size of their breasts - a condition known
as Gynecomastia)

Liposuction is generally reserved for the mildly overweight whose bodies
will not respond to dieting. Liposuction is also usually reserved for people
who are active and healthy and who have localized areas of extra fat.

I have three really great innovations in liposuction that make the procedure
even better. Most physicians infuse a large amount of fluid containing
adrenalin in the area to be treated, prior to liposuction. In addition to
the adrenaline, I add a special mix of numbing medications that make the
site virtually pain free for up to 24 hours after the surgery. This, I
believe, allows you to resume normal activities sooner that most people do
after this procedure.

Liposuction surgery can vary in time and degree based on your needs. Things
I have to take into consideration when talking about surgery options are the
size of the area and the amount of fat that has to be removed. The procedure
consists of inserting a small metal tube with vacuum pressure through a
small incision and suctioning out the excess areas of fat. I prefer a
power-assisted liposuction device the vibrates the metal tube and shakes the
fat loose. It comes out faster and with less trauma using this device.
Fluids are typically administered intravenously, because body fluids are
lost during the procedure.

My third innovation is sutureless closure of the entrance sites. Most
doctors will suture the openings closed, which leaves a noticeable scar. I
use a special band-aide that seals the wound and essentially leaves very
little noticeable scar.






3 weeks post op.



After the surgery you will have to wear a compression garment as to help
with the reduction of swelling. Because of the swelling, results will not
show up right away. It takes around six weeks after the procedure to see the
full effect of the liposuction. Sometimes liposuction is done along with a
Tummy Tuck. These two procedures combined can significantly change the body
shape and contour for the better.

For more information on Liposuction, please visit my Liposuction Frequently
Asked Questions page. Also check out my before and after photos of
liposuction patients.

Liposuction is not right for everyone. To determine if you are a good
candidate for liposuction, please contact me today for your confidential consultation.

1. From The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (2004 Statistics)

Procedure of the week: Facelifting

In a series of blogs over the next few weeks, I will be giving my view about the latest in trends on facelifting, mini-facelifting, other facial procedures, body contouring and breast enhancement procedures.

The first article in this series is about facelifting.

Age and the environment around you often affect the soft tissues of the face. Your skin will become less firm and folds and wrinkles will begin to appear. What is the solution to this problem? While some women may try skin tightening creams or lotions, the most effective solution is a facelift. A facelift can dramatically improve the deep cheek folds, jowls, and loose sagging skin around your neck. Ultimately, it can make you look decades younger.

How is the procedure done?

First of all, mini-facelift means different things to different people. In general mini-facelift equals mini result. A mini-facelift may be great if you have a small degree of skin looseness, but it will not last as long as the traditional facelifting procedures that provide fantastic improvement with long- lasting results.

In traditional facelift surgery, the incisions are made at your hairline. The incisions are made there for a few reasons. The first is that they follow the natural lines of your face. The second is by making the incisions behind your hairline, the incisions are nearly impossible to see. Once the incision is made, the skin is gently separated from the underlying soft tissue. Once the separation is complete, excess skin can be removed and repositioned for a younger, healthier look.

The next step is the muscular layers under your skin are tightened. This is done to create a more youthful appearance to your lower face and around your neck. Areas that have excess fat may be trimmed or suctioned. Once the skin is properly and carefully positioned upward, the extra skin will be removed and the incisions will be closed.

For more information on the facelift procedure, please visit our facelift frequently asked questions section or visit my facelift before and after photos.

Facelift surgery is one of the most effective ways to look years younger. Both men and women alike get the procedure and I will be able to discuss the best way to reveal a younger looking you. By simply coming in for a confidential consultation, I can help you decide if facelift surgery is for you.

This week was a tough week for Board Certified Plastic Surgeons everywhere.

Two main news items took place:

The first, was Govenor Schwarzenegger signing legislation to allow oral surgeons to perform facelifts, rhinoplasty, brow-lifts and other cosmetic surgery procedures.

The second was a ruling by a judge in California to force the California Medical Board to grant equivalency to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. The ABCS is a group that has not been recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. The ABMS is the agency that regulates and certifies the different medical specialties, such as Psychiatry and Internal Medicine.

These groups have not been able to qualify through the traditional route of recognition through the American Medical Association and therefore have sought legal or legislative action to allow them selves to be considered "board-certified" and equal to true board-certified Plastic Surgeons.

Individuals that have chosen to pursue the training to become Board Certified plastic surgeons have chosen to be "The best of the best" and their training is typically as lengthy as neurosurgeons and cardiac surgeons. These other specialties, such as oral surgeons, that wish to claim equivalency have simply not spent the same amount of time dedicated to being the best.

Unfortunately for the public who seek someone with the best training, the term "Board Certification" has come to mean less and less, due in part, to these rulings.

I encourage every patient that expects experience, training and skill from their doctor, to look closely at the credentials before "signing-up".

Many plastic surgeons do not always have the patient in mind when it comes to cosmetic surgery. We believe it is of the utmost importance to find out exactly what the patient’s goal is and to achieve that goal with the patients care in mind.

At Pacifica Cosmetic Surgery Center, Dr. Douglas Hendricks will listen to your concerns and make recommendations based on your desired outcome. Dr. Hendricks offers a confidential consultation and he will meet with you personally to answer all your questions.

Dr. Hendricks will review all the surgery options with you and discuss the procedure, cost, and most importantly how to have a safe and speedy recovery.

If you are considering surgery, check out our before and after gallery. Dr. Hendricks many years of experience and board certification are what set him apart from other cosmetic surgeons. Contact us today for a consultation.

Dr. Hendricks has provided this content of the website for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor does it constitute a doctor/patient relationship. Dr. Hendricks specializes in cosmetic surgery procedures including tummy tuck, eyelid surgery, liposuction, BOTOX ® Cosmetic, breast augmentation, facelift, nasal surgery and many other body contouring and facial plastic surgery procedures.