Cleavage refers to the visible space between your breasts, typically seen when the breasts are pushed together. It’s most noticeable when the breasts are fuller and closer together, often accentuated by specific outfits, bras, and swimsuits. Patients can lose cleavage over time due to several factors related to aging, hormonal changes, and lifestyle. As women age, the skin and ligaments that support the breasts (Cooper’s ligaments) lose elasticity, causing the breasts to sag or flatten. Additionally, the production of collagen and elastin decreases, leading to reduced firmness in the breast shape. If you feel like your breasts have aged or lost volume over time, cosmetic procedures may be able to help you restore cleavage and reclaim a more voluptuous, sensual silhouette. 

In many cases, cleavage can be enhanced using breast implants. Saline and silicone implants have the ability to enhance volume and fullness in the breasts, improving projection and creating a rounder, more youthful breast shape in the process. Patients who also deal with sagging may consider a breast lift with implants — a combination breast augmentation and mastopexy procedure — to simultaneously increase cleavage and rejuvenate the positioning of the breasts. That said, it’s important to remember that achieving visible cleavage also depends on anatomical factors, such as the nature of your body frame and how widely your breasts are spaced apart. A wide distance between the breasts is often observed in women who have gone through menopause, and may inhibit patients from gaining the increased cleavage they desire. Dr. Schooler will let you know what’s possible with regard to enhancing cleavage during your consultation. 

Dr. Wesley Schooler has a thorough understanding of the aesthetic procedures that can help you achieve your goals, and he would be happy to discuss potential treatment options with you based on your hopes for the outcome. Contact Santa Barbara Plastic Surgery today for more information about breast surgery, or to book a consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon. 

Pregnancy, weight fluctuations, or simply the effects of aging can leave behind a “pooch” of excess skin and fatty tissue in the abdomen. Despite living a healthy, active lifestyle, many patients find that this shelf of excess tissue is resistant to exercise, dieting, and other efforts to tone and tighten the belly. This aesthetic concern is not uncommon, but Santa Barbara plastic surgeon Wesley Schooler, MD understands how unflattering contours in the abdomen can negatively impact a patient’s confidence, self-esteem, and body image. Fortunately, stubborn regions of fat buildup and skin laxity don’t have to last forever. 

After having children and/or weight loss, a tummy tuck is often considered the most effective, long-lasting solution to improve the tone and texture of the abdomen. Often called abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck addresses excess skin, fat accumulation, and separated internal musculature to achieve a leaner, slimmer, and more sculpted look — effectively smoothing a belly pooch. Before-and-after photos of previous patients’ tummy tuck results can help highlight the transformative power of the procedure. 

While a tummy tuck is by far the most beneficial treatment to reduce a belly pooch, other non-surgical services may still be able to provide improvement. If you’d rather avoid surgery, Dr. Schooler also offers BodyTite^®, a minimally invasive skin tightening technology, to recontour the abdomen via radiofrequency (RF) energy-assisted fat removal. Through a process known as Radio-Frequency Assisted Lipolysis (RFAL), BodyTite^® can help remove excess fat while simultaneously tightening loose skin. Following a discussion of your overall goals, Dr. Schooler can recommend an ideal treatment plan to resculpt your abdomen. 

Dr. Wesley Schooler offers a range of body contouring solutions tailored for your unique needs at Santa Barbara Plastic Surgery. Don’t hesitate to contact our team today for more information about a tummy tuck, or to book a consultation. 

There are many factors that can cause the look and feel of the breasts to change over time, from genetic predisposition and weight gain to menopause and pregnancy. Eventually, patients in Santa Barbara and beyond may notice their breasts beginning to flatten, or observe early signs of ptosis (breast drooping). While Dr. Wesley Schooler — our board-certified plastic surgeon — understands that the loss of your youthful breast contours can be distressing, you don’t have to live with these changes forever. Modern advances in cosmetic surgery have made it safe, effective, and predictable to treat age-related changes in the breasts with a number of advanced procedures:

• Breast Lift: As the “gold standard” of breast rejuvenation for many patients, mastopexy removes excess, stretched-out skin and reshapes breast tissue. Combined, these enhancements achieve a firmer, more projected, and “perkier” breast profile.
• Breast Augmentation: Implants fill the upper poles of the breasts and add volume, making the breasts look fuller and more youthful. They also enhance the contour of the breasts, giving them a more rounded look and creating the illusion of firmer breasts.
• Breast Lift with Implants: In cases of significant sagging, breast implants can be combined with a breast lift (mastopexy) procedure. These surgeries may or may not be completed at different stages to increase the longevity of the final results, but this dual enhancement can remove excess skin and tighten surrounding tissues to provide a more lifted appearance.

The best treatment for you depends on your needs, goals, and anatomic indicators, which is why we advise scheduling a personal consultation with Dr. Schooler so he can listen to your concerns and develop the best surgical plan to help you regain firmer breast contours. These procedures can also be performed as part of a full-on Mommy Makeover to address multiple areas at once, if desired.

Dr. Wesley Schooler offers a myriad of effective solutions to combat the effects of aging on the breasts and restore more youthful contours. Don’t hesitate to contact Santa Barbara Plastic Surgery Center today for more information on our breast surgery options, or to book a consultation.

As you get older, you may notice a more fatigued or exhausted expression in the face due to signs of aging around the eye contours. Loose skin, dark circles, under-eye bags, and “hooding” — wherein excess drooping tissue obstructs a patient’s line of sight — can cause you to look more tired and aged, even when you’re feeling perfectly rested. To reclaim a more youthful and rested appearance, men and women in Santa Barbara usually find success in effective procedures like blepharoplasty, which is designed to smooth your upper and lower eyelids. Upper and lower blepharoplasty can address tired-looking eyes with powerful results by:

• Smoothing puffiness and eye bags underneath the lower eyelids
• Reducing wrinkles and fine lines around the corners of the eyes
• Tightening loose, excess skin in the upper eyelids causing “hooding” or a tired, aged look
• Alleviating the appearance of dark shadows underneath the eyes

If the signs of aging around your eyes are more mild, Dr. Schooler may recommend a less invasive treatment to attain a brighter appearance. Cosmetic solutions like BOTOX^® Cosmetic and Morpheus8^® skin rejuvenation can improve frown lines and loose skin around the eye contours, allowing you to look more lively and youthful. At our Santa Barbara practice, Dr. Schooler can recommend the best possible treatments to achieve your goals after listening carefully to your aesthetic concerns.

Dr. Wesley Schooler is highly skilled in performing the treatments and procedures that can reduce dark circles, loose skin, puffiness, and other signs of aging around the eyes. Don’t hesitate to contact Santa Barbara Plastic Surgery Center & Medi Spa to review personalized solutions to your concerns, or if you’re ready to book your appointment. 

Losing weight can be an uphill battle, but the confidence of improving your health and achieving your aesthetic goals is incomparable. When it comes to cosmetic procedures after weight loss surgery, comprehensive research before your procedure(s) is vital. While finding the right plastic surgeon to achieve your goals can be daunting, we encourage you to follow these tips to help narrow down your potential options:

• Select an extensively experienced board-certified plastic surgeon in Santa Barbara: Make sure your cosmetic surgeon is accredited by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), as plastic surgeons who are board-certified generally have the highest caliber of training in aesthetic body lifting procedures like brachioplasty, abdominoplasty, and mastopexy.
• Research their reputation and online reviews: In many cases, a doctor’s reviews can be a telling indication of the level of patient care you can expect to receive. Exploring these online reviews by previous patients can help you determine whether you feel comfortable entrusting a prospective surgeon with your goals.
• Review before-and-after photos: Ultimately, the photos in your plastic surgeon’s portfolio should mirror the types of results you wish to achieve. That said, we encourage you to explore his/her patient gallery to assess whether the outcomes depicted align with your goals.
• Visit their practice for a consultation: Feeling comfortable and confident under a plastic surgeon’s care can make your plastic surgery journey much easier. Book a consultation with a surgeon you’re interested in to not only speak about your goals more personally, but also to get a feel for the environment at their practice.

Post-weight loss procedures can help resculpt areas affected by residual hanging skin after significant weight loss, resulting in a slimmer and leaner look. For many individuals, body contouring surgeries like a tummy tuck, breast lift, thigh lift, and arm lift are often the last step in their aesthetic transformations.

If you’re looking for solutions to get rid of hanging skin, Dr. Wesley Schooler understands that you likely have many questions. He can evaluate your concerns and listen to your goals to develop the best possible treatment plan for your needs. Contact our Santa Barbara practice for more information about our body lift procedures or to book a consultation.

Large breasts can pose significant issues for patients burdened by the stressors of a heavy, dominating breast size. On top of aching pain in the shoulders, neck, and back, excessively large breasts can also cause skin chafing and “shoulder-grooving” — which refers to uncomfortable bra strap indentations in the skin. In light of the aesthetic and functional concerns often associated with overly large breasts, many women wonder whether dieting, exercise, or other natural remedies are capable of reducing the weight of the breasts. Unfortunately, a healthy lifestyle isn’t enough to alleviate the problems caused by a disproportionately heavy breast size. 

While dieting and exercise may help shed excess weight, working out does not affect the stubborn fat and glandular tissue that typically contribute to a large bust. Moreover, weight loss does not proportionally reduce the breasts or address skin inelasticity, stretched tissue, and other factors causing pendulousness. In order to effectively improve these concerns, many patients turn to breast reduction — a powerful and transformative procedure designed to reshape the breast contours and alleviate the discomfort of excessive breasts. This surgery can also improve stretched or elongated nipples caused by ptosis, or breast sagging. Breast reduction is the only cosmetic procedure designed to decrease the breast size while providing elegant and proportional results. In fact, most women consider breast reduction to be life-changing — not only by allowing a more youthful, aesthetic look in the breasts, but also by making it easier to live a more active life. In turn, many patients find that they enjoy a healthier lifestyle as an adjunctive benefit of breast reduction surgery. 

Dr. Wesley Schooler is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has provided top-notch results for the Santa Barbara community for decades. Contact Santa Barbara Plastic Surgery Center today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Schooler, or to learn more about our breast procedures. 

Among the most popular cosmetic procedures in the country is a Mommy Makeover — an advanced treatment plan consisting of aesthetic procedures designed to reverse the changes caused by pregnancy and breastfeeding. While the exact details of the process vary from patient to patient, a Mommy Makeover is usually quite extensive. Due to the complex nature of treatment, selecting the right plastic surgeon to make your goals a reality is pivotal. Dr. Wesley Schooler, our renowned plastic surgeon in Santa Barbara, understands that the process of choosing the right Mommy Makeover provider for your unique needs can be overwhelming. In conducting your research, our team encourages patients interested in a Mommy Makeover to select a doctor with: 

Extensive Credentials and Professional Memberships

Choosing a highly experienced plastic surgeon to conduct your treatment is paramount. In the interest of your health, safety, and appearance, selecting a doctor who is accredited by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and who belongs to other national professional organizations is recommended. Dr. Schooler is not only double board-certified in aesthetic and hand surgery, but he was also the Chief of Plastic Surgery at LAC-USC Medical Center, as well as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Southern California.

High-Quality Patient Results

A consistent record of beautiful and natural-looking results can be a very telling indication of a plastic surgeon’s ability to achieve your goals. While you will be shown before-and-after photos during your consultation, we also invite patients to explore a doctor’s patient gallery to see the potential results possible with the treatments you’re interested in. 

Non-Surgical Treatments and Technology

Although most Mommy Makeovers consist of surgical procedures, there are many non-surgical treatments that can also complement the results of a procedure and achieve a more rejuvenated, youthful look. It can be useful to select a plastic surgeon who offers non-surgical alternatives on top of cosmetic surgery to help ensure you receive the best possible treatment plan. At our med spa, Dr. Schooler offers fillers, microneedling, laser skin resurfacing, injectables, BodyTite^®, CoolSculpting^®, and other minimally invasive treatments to give patients a greater range of options to achieve their aesthetic goals. 

A Mommy Makeover can be a truly life-changing treatment plan to regain your pre-pregnancy figure as well as your confidence. Don’t hesitate to contact Santa Barbara Plastic Surgery Center for more information about your Mommy Makeover options or to schedule a consultation. 

Having children can cause a range of unfavorable changes in the body and excess abdominal skin is a common concern experienced by patients following pregnancy. For most patients, pregnancy reduces skin elasticity in the abdomen and the skin is unable to “snap back” to their original body shape. As a result, there is often an apron of loose skin left on the lower abdomen that cannot be corrected with dieting and exercise alone. While board-certified plastic surgeon Wesley Schooler, MD understands how frustrating excess skin can be, our Santa Barbara practice offers both surgical and non-surgical treatments to help you regain a smoother, tighter abdominal contour: 

• Tummy Tuck: A tummy tuck is the most effective treatment to rid the abdomen of excess, hanging skin. Results can be immediately noticeable and long-lasting, providing patients with a slimmer waistline and a sleeker, more defined abdomen. 
• BodyTite^®: Those looking for non-surgical improvement may benefit from BodyTite^®, a minimally invasive skin tightening treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to help promote skin tissue contraction. This can help enhance loose skin on the abdomen without the commitment of a surgical procedure and recovery period. 
• Post-Bariatric Body Contouring: Also known as a lower body lift, body contouring after weight loss can help address excess skin left in multiple areas, such as the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. This is a combination treatment plan designed to correct hanging skin in many different regions, resulting in all-encompassing improvement. 

There are many different options available to improve the abdomen after pregnancy and Dr. Schooler would be happy to meet with you to formulate an ideal treatment plan to obtain the results you envision. 

Loose abdominal skin left after pregnancy can negatively affect your abdominal contour, but Dr. Schooler offers solutions to give you the smooth, sleek stomach you desire. Don’t hesitate to contact our Santa Barbara office to book an appointment with Dr. Schooler or to learn more about our services. 

The best timing for a Mommy Makeover is a frequently asked question raised by patients in Santa Barbara and beyond. For many women, the desire to return to their pre-pregnancy body as soon as possible after giving birth is very common. Unfortunately, there are some concerns that cannot be improved with healthy living and an active lifestyle, such as separated abdominal muscles, hanging skin, and stubborn fat. A Mommy Makeover is perhaps the most effective and comprehensive way to reclaim your pre-baby contours, but it’s essential to give your body time to “settle” after giving birth before putting it through additional stress. In general, patients should wait at least six months to one year after their pregnancy before considering a Mommy Makeover.

While it typically takes six months to one year for the body to heal after having children, other factors may also affect the best timing for your Mommy Makeover. For example, many women choose to wait until their childcare responsibilities are less demanding — often through enlisting outside help or by waiting until their newborn is a little older — to ensure they have adequate time to recover and rest after surgery. That said, it’s never too early to start planning for your Mommy Makeover and to receive guidance on your potential treatment options during a consultation. The right timing for your surgery is unique to your situation, and Dr. Schooler will be there to help guide you through the process.

Regardless of when you decide to start pursuing a Mommy Makeover, consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon is the best way to determine how to safely and effectively achieve your goals. Dr. Wesley Schooler can answer all of your questions and help you develop the right treatment plan for your needs, so don’t hesitate to contact Santa Barbara Plastic Surgery today.

“Macromastia” is the medical term for large breasts. While many women are born with large breasts and experience no issues, a significant portion struggle with symptoms caused by the excessive weight of their breast size. These effects can range from minor burdens to debilitating health problems that diminish your quality of life. Some of the most common symptoms of large breasts — sometimes referred to as “breast hypertrophy” — include: 

• Chronic pain in the back, neck, and shoulders
• Grooving in the shoulders
• Chest wall pain
• Headaches
• Poor posture
• Tingling or numbness in the hands and fingertips
• Shortness of breath and labored breathing
• Rashes and skin irritation underneath the breasts
• Reduced capacity to exercise
• Disturbances during sleep

Unfortunately, overly large breasts will not improve on their own and often grow more pendulous (hanging) over time. If you find that a dominating breast size is interfering with your goals or if you simply want lighter and more manageable breasts, our plastic surgeon in Santa Barbara offers breast reduction surgery — a procedure that is widely considered the most powerful solution for a dominating breast size. A breast reduction can successfully make the breasts more proportional to the rest of your body by reducing excess skin, fat, and glandular tissue in the chest. This can greatly improve, or even completely resolve, the painful symptoms caused by excessively large breasts. 

Dr. Wesley Schooler can listen to your concerns and recommend an optimal treatment plan to make your ideal outcome a reality. A breast reduction naturally offers some of the benefits of a breast lift, and our team can help determine the best type of procedure to achieve your goals. Please contact Santa Barbara Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation or to learn more.