Recent Blog Posts from Rowley Plastic Surgery

5 Reasons Why Exercising Might Not be Working for You

5 Reasons Why Exercising Might Not be Working for You

If you’ve hit the local Lubbock gym or the yoga mat repeatedly, done countless crunches, and spent who-knows-how-long planking, and it just simply doesn’t touch that pooch above your belt, you’re certainly not alone.

Here are some of the reasons that exercise might not be hitting the spot, and for some of these categories, a Mommy Makeover may be the answer to helping you achieve your goals.

  • You’re Getting Older— As much as we hate it, getting older changes all sorts of things, including our metabolism and hormones. Both of these changes cause exercise to impact our bodies differently than it used to.
  • Those Foods Aren’t as Healthy as You Think— Advertisers do a great job of convincing us that unhealthy foods are great for our bodies, just so that we’ll buy them. Even moderately healthy foods eaten in excess can add up, so if you find that you’re munching mindlessly, try putting away the snacks–even the “healthy” ones. Processed foods are also a big culprit for this category, so keep an eye on food labels for MSGs, hidden sugars, and other concerning ingredients. And watch your quantity along with quality.
  • Don’t Compare— Your partner may be losing weight more rapidly with the same diet and exercise plan. It could be genetics, but it could also be gender. Men and women store and burn fat differently, so don’t be surprised if you lose weight differently as well.
  • Right Idea, Wrong Exercise— While exercise, in general, is good for your health, if you’re looking for specific results in weight loss or body toning, you might not be doing the right exercises to achieve your goals. Cardio workouts, like a daily jog, should be paired with weight training. Getting a personal trainer to help tailor your exercises to your goals can help you be more effective in your workouts.
  • Medications Can Create and Uphill Battle— If you have an underlying medical condition or you are taking a medication that increases your body fat, exercise alone may not give you your desired results. There are many medical conditions that can result in weight gain or bloating. Having regular physicals and consulting a doctor in times of concern are vital for ensuring your body is prepared for and can sustain exercise.

If you think you have a healthy diet and the right exercise routine, but you’re still not seeing results, a Mommy Makeover may be an option for you to achieve your body image goals. A tummy tuck and liposuction may be the only way to change the stretched skin and pooch caused by a pregnancy that exercise will never touch. If you think you’re a candidate for a Mommy Makeover, call our Lubbock office today.

5 Surprising Facts About Liposuction

5 Surprising Facts About Liposuction

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), Liposuction procedures are among the most popular of plastic surgery procedures in America. Doctors, including Lubbock Dr. Jane Rowley, have performed these surgeries for years, and yet there are still some things about this surgery that aren’t well understood by most people.

  • You don’t lose a lot of weight.

Although fat cells are removed during the liposuction procedure, the objective of liposuction isn’t to help you lose weight, but rather to shape targeted areas of the body that haven’t responded to diet and exercise. You may notice some weight loss, but most of the impact of liposuction is seen in the mirror and not on the scale.

  • Liposuction is not for obese people.

Although we would all love a true quick fix for unwanted body weight, liposuction is not performed with the intent of being a substitute for a healthy diet and consistent exercise. Suddenly losing a significant amount of weight can be dangerous for your body and general health. So a natural, more gradual approach like diet and exercise will always be recommended. Liposuction is intended to target “problem areas” on your body for cosmetic correction and contouring. You don’t need to be overweight to consider liposuction. A good candidate for liposuction is someone who is prepared to maintain their liposuction results with diet and exercise and is within 30% of the target body weight. The best way to determine if liposuction is for you is to call our Lubbock office and ask.

  • Results aren’t always immediately visible.

While preparing for your procedure, it’s not uncommon to spend time looking at before and after pictures of others who have had liposuction. Not only is it important to remember that everyone’s results will be different, but also that time may have passed in between each of those pictures. You will need to wear bandages or compression garments for days or weeks following your procedure. Results may not settle in for weeks or even months after your surgery. Be patient with your body as it heals.

  • Fat can and does return after the procedure.

It is true that our bodies are born with a specific number of fat cells and that we do not produce more fat cells during our lives; however, even though liposuction removes fat cells, the fat cells that remain can grow large enough to fill in the space left by the removed cells. Without proper diet and exercise, fat can easily expand to areas of the body previously treated by liposuction if we allow the remaining cells to grow uncontrolled.

  • The removed fat can be transferred to other parts of your body.

This may sound weird, but it’s actually a big plus if you’re looking to augment another part of your body to use unwanted fat from one part of your body to fill in another part. The fat removed during liposuction can be used to shape and augment your breasts or butt, rejuvenate and lift the face, or even enhance muscles like abs, pecs, and shoulders.

Dr. Jane Rowley will carefully explain everything you need to know about liposuction. She is the leading board certified plastic surgeon in Lubbock with over twenty years of experience. You can trust you are in good hands at Rowley Plastic Surgery for all your cosmetic procedures. Call today.

Plastic Surgery Procedures – What Your Insurance Might Cover

Plastic Surgery Procedures You Didn’t Know Your Lubbock Insurance Would Cover

If you’ve wanted or needed plastic surgery but felt you couldn’t afford it, you’ll be pleased to learn that Lubbock health insurance covers part of all of these procedures under the right circumstances.

1. Nose

The rhinoplasty surgery, or a “nose job,” is often medically necessary to correct issues like a deviated septum; however, even during the correction of medical issues, people will often request tweaking of their appearance to improve symmetry and facial harmony. Although insurance will only cover costs associated with medically necessary procedures, by getting aesthetic adjustments during the same operation, there may be cost savings for the combined procedures.

2. Ears

Your ears grow throughout your lifetime, so big ears tend to just keep getting bigger. Ear surgery, also known as otoplasty, can improve the proportion, position, and the shape of the ear. An injury or birth defect that causes a need for otoplasty are often covered by insurance for youth; however, adults may be left to their own dime if the issue doesn’t interfere with their hearing.  

3. Eyes

Sagging skin, wrinkles, and puffiness around the eyes all occur naturally as we age. Blepharoplasty, or an “eyelid lift,” can remedy this tired look and it’s covered by insurance in two situations. 1) The sagging skin weighs down the eyelid enough to obstruct the patient’s vision, and 2) the muscles stretch over time leaving a “sleep-eyed” look that also impairs vision.

4. Beauty marks

If a doctor says, “this a mole looks suspicious,” or in other words, a reflection of cancer or another issue, insurance will usually cover its removal, even if the mole turns out to be benign. “Suspicious” moles tend to be those that have changed in size, color, or shape, that are larger than a pencil eraser, and moles that have bled or itch.

5.Breasts

Breast surgery can either be cosmetic or reconstructive. Cosmetic surgeries are paid for by patients, but reconstructive procedures might be covered by insurance. Cosmetic surgeries include changing the appearance, being the size or shape, of your breasts simply to make them “look better.” While reconstructive surgeries include addressing functional disabilities and deformities. Lubbock women who suffer back pain from excessively large breasts may pursue a breast reduction and have it paid for through their insurance. Women who have experienced a mastectomy may also get breast augmentations with the support of insurance.

Dr. Jane Rowley and her caring staff will help you decide which plastic surgery procedure you can best benefit from and help you explore payment options. Schedule your no-obligation consultation today to learn more.