The Non touch-No pain abdominoplasty technique

The Non touch-No pain breast augmentation technique was first performed by Dr Keramidas in 2004. All these years it has been presented at many international and national aesthetic plastic surgery meetings. In 2012 there was a video presentation about it at the International congress of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Geneva, under the auspices of ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery). So, it was a matter of time that this method was also used on other body parts. Now the new abdominoplasty technique is based on this special method.

What is Non touch-No pain?
The same principles used in breast augmentation are also applied here.
Before and during the surgery we provide the patient with:
-Antithrombotic (compression) stockings
-Flowtron system for mechanical calf compression
-Electric blanket for proper body temperature during the surgery

The surgical technique:
1. We use a special tool during surgery
This results in:
-Minimal tissue injuries
-No bleeding
-No need for blood transfusion
-No drains
-The patient being able to move the same day.

2. The lymph nodes next to the abdominal wall are left intact in order to limit the accumulation of fluid.
3. We also leave intact the nerves and vessels on the lateral sides of the abdominal wall in order to limit the pain and have a better flap perfusion.
4. Internal stitches restore laxity of rectus abdominal muscles.
5. Internal stitches keep the skin on the abdominal wall, thus minimizing the space that has been created and reducing the fluid accumulation in the abdomen.

What do all these mean?
1.
The patient can return home safely the same day!
2. There are no drains.
3. The pain is minimal and the patient should move/walk within 6 hours after surgery.
4. Any complications are reduced. They may include deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, fluid accumulation, skin necrosis.
5. Tummy tuck may be combined safely with other procedures, such as breast augmentation, liposuction, facelift, breast lift, etc. If we do this combination on mothers, we call it Mommy Makeover.

What doesn’t change
-The compression garment is used for 2-4 weeks
-The patient must be careful in the first 2 weeks after surgery
-He/she can go to the gym after 4 weeks

Is downtime so impressive?
Yes. The patient can move very quickly because the pain is so minimal and there are no drains. The same day he/she can return home. The following day he/she can enjoy a shower and go out for coffee. Some years ago all these things were beyond our imagination! But now any problems such as deep thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are rare, because the patient moves immediately.

When can the patient go back to work?
The patient may go back to work after 5 days to 2 weeks, but that depends on the type of work he/she is doing. It is important though, that he/she is able to resume his/her activities almost immediately.

Examples
A mother of two children and severe laxity of the rectus abdominis muscles, little skin laxity and no excess fat.

Get rid of the double chin forever –Dr Rodopoulou tells you how

Not long time ago the removal of fat deposits under the chin worried a lot both the patients and the plastic surgeons. The double chin, which is the result of skin laxity or fatty deposits, seemed to be a kind of quiz for specialists. But today the good news is that we may have found the permanent solution.

FaceTite and NeckTite: The new methods
The new method is based on the radiofrequency emission under the skin and it includes the neck, the face and other body parts with similar problems. The effective techniques FaceTite and NeckTite offer us the ideal solution to fatty deposits, tightening of areas, such as the chin and the cheeks, and the face contouring. FaceTite and NeckTite offer the most modern and less invasive solution which will postpone the facelift. However they can be performed on the arms, the inner thighs, the knees etc.

Can the new technique be performed on patients at any age?
All the techniques have their indications. The indication depends on the degree of laxity and fatty deposits on the affected areas. There is not a specific age we aim at, as the problem may concern younger people but also older ones who do not need anything invasive yet.

What kind of preparation does a candidate need before the procedure?
As the operation is performed under local anaesthesia on candidates who do not have such a medical history, you don’t have to undergo any detailed surgical check-up. However you have to stop taking pills that may cause bleeding, such as vitamins, aspirin etc.

How long does the downtime last?
The downtime is short, compared to the other invasive procedures, and takes about 5-7 days during which the patient may resume his/her everyday activities and cover any oedema or swelling with makeup or smart accessories (scarf etc) the first days after the operation.

What is the duration of the result? I would like to know whether I will need another session in the future.
The duration of the result depends on the changes that may happen on the patient’s body the following years. If there are weight fluctuations, you may notice a relatively big change on skin laxity and little on the adipose tissue. In any case the result will last many years.

To what extent is our age determined by the laxity on the neck or the fatty deposits?
If your neck looks sagging due to skin laxity or fat deposits this definitely makes you look older. On the other hand injectables or other techniques make it look youthful.

Do you think FaceTite and NeckTite are a luxury? How much do they cost?
If such treatments are considered to be a luxury, then all the others which are performed on millions of people everyday are also luxuries. However they contribute so much to the improvement of their psychology and the quality of their everyday life. The fact that FaceTite and NeckTite are so popular proves that the methods are not a luxury but a need. And this has made the prices fall so that everyone-and not only the rich-has access to these treatments. Of course the economic crisis has lowered the costs.
The classic liposuction procedure can, in some cases, make the skin laxity problem more intense, so this technique offers a very important advantage. This technology of radiofrequencies shrinks fat deposits and at the same time it offers tightening.

With this new technique do men achieve the square jaw?
FaceTite also defines the face contour in male faces which are usually gifted with more angles. The removal of the double chin defines the contour which may make the face look refreshed and youthful.