Is Surgery to Slim Calves Safe?
More women these days are considering having surgery to slim their calves. However, many are concerned about the safety of these procedures. With horror stories in the news about calf surgeries that have gone wrong, it’s easy to see why they’re worried. Here, we take a look at the various surgeries available to slim the calves. We also look at which are safe and which are not.
Muscle Resection for Calf Reduction
One way of reducing the size of the calves involves resecting the calf muscles. This surgery allows you to change the shape of your lower leg. The procedure removes some of the calf’s gastrocnemius muscle. This is an aggressively drastic calf reduction procedure. Many patients report complications following surgery, including bothersome scarring and difficulties in walking. The recovery time may also be long, and there are numerous risks. These include asymmetry of the calves, blood clots, persistent swelling, and long-term pain. It may sometimes significantly reduce athletic abilities. Hardened fat, sagging skin, and ongoing nerve pain can also occur. As you can see, this is not the safest way to improve the calves. For this reason, many surgeons will not carry out this procedure in the United States.
Blocking the Nerves to Reduce the Calves
Another potential surgery for calf reduction involves selective nerve blocking techniques. This procedure, known as calf neurectomy, cuts the nerves controlling the muscles in the calf. When the muscle receives fewer signals telling it to flex, it will start to atrophy. This causes its size to reduce. While this type of surgery is minimally invasive, it isn’t a perfect solution. Some patients have suffered from hypertrophy as a compensatory response. This means that the muscles in the surrounding areas get bigger. As a result, the improvement may not be as significant as hoped. In fact, the legs may end up looking worse than they were in the beginning.
Is Calf Liposuction Safe?
Calf liposuction is a popular choice among women who want to achieve slimmer lower legs. It is an effective way to help patients suffering from poorly defined lower legs. If you have large ankles and calves, calf lipo will permanently remove the excess fat cells. A skilled surgeon can define the contours around the ankles and knees. This creates a slimmer, more toned lower leg. Liposuction is a relatively safe procedure with excellent outcomes. Recovery times are quite short, and scarring is unlikely. Most patients experience no long-term side effects after this surgery. As long as they follow their surgeons’ post-procedure advice, they recover well.
Choosing A Skilled Surgeon
Although liposuction is the safest way to reduce the size of the calves, choosing a skilled surgeon is essential. Not every cosmetic surgeon has experience in performing this procedure. In the wrong hands, the result can be less than impressive. Dr. Su is an expert in performing surgery to slim calves at Artistic Lipo and Plastic Surgery. The results he can achieve are excellent, so contact us today to learn more about surgery with us.
