A ^Retired Plastic Surgeon's Notebook

Seattle Plastic surgeon thinks a picture is worth a thousand words in explaining what she does with the muscle during an abdominoplasty a.k.a. tummy tuck.   Check out these drawings of the abdominal wall.  The one on the left shows what I see during an abdominoplasty a.k.a. tummy tuck.  The white area in the middle isContinue reading…

Seattle Plastic Surgeon discusses one of life’s little surprises. I have seen 2 patients in the past week who had babies after having had a tummy tuck.  These were surprise pregnancies and both patients had been concerned about 1) the effect of their surgery on their baby and 2) the effect of their baby onContinue reading…

Seattle Plastic Surgeon shares an article in last Saturday’s Wall Street Journal that takes on the problem of food addiction in women. I am a bit of an expert on the subject of overeating.  I’ve been in practice over 20 years and many of my patients are women with “food issues.”  I always try to gently probeContinue reading…

There’s nothing that makes me wanna holler much more than an anatomically perfect patient for tummy tuck who smokes! Last week I saw two patients in one day who were both absolutely anatomically perfect patients for tummy tucks.  They were both done with child bearing, they were both thin and both had abdominal muscle separation and loose jelly belly skinContinue reading…

Seattle Plastic Surgeon blogs about the influence of body type on body contouring procedures. Short waisted on the left and long waisted on the right. It is super important for your plastic surgeon to be aware of body type when he or she undertakes a body contouring consultation.  A lovely hourglass waistline is on everyContinue reading…

Seattle Plastic Surgeon finds (and fixes) umbilical hernias in about 20% of her tummy tuck patients.  I do a lot of abdominoplasties a.k.a. tummy tucks and I fix a lot of umbilical hernias.  Here’s how I approach this very common problem: During surgery, I carefully exaimine the umbilicus (that’s belly button in normal speech) to feel ifContinue reading…

Seattle plastic surgeon blogs about the lessons she has learned (the hard way, of course) about Mini Tummy Tuck. Indications for a Mini Tummy Tuck are few and far between. Sometimes a procedure just seems too good to be true and that is often the case for Mini Tummy Tuck.  It seems that every weekContinue reading…

Seattle Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Lisa Lynn Sowder blogs about patient satisfaction.  I can usually tell when a patient really, really likes the result of their breast or body contouring surgery, at least if they have had any sun lately.  I just take a look at their tan lines!  (Those of you who read this blog regularlyContinue reading…

Seattle Plastic Surgeon Blogs About Trees and Mommy Makeovers – Again. I returned from my two weeks away on Sunday night after dark.  The next morning as I was getting into my car, I caught the most lovely scent wafting across my drive way.  Lo and behold, our harlequin glorybower tree had bloomed while I wasContinue reading…

Seattle Plastic Surgeon discusses her very favorite operation. “Dr. Sowder, what is you favorite procedure?” That is a question patients frequently asked. The answer, hands down, is breast lift a.k.a. mastopexy. I really love doing breast lifts because the patients get a lot of benefit for little risk and very minimal pain and suffering andContinue reading…