Baltimore plastic surgery procedures

Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting, involves taking fat from one part of your body and injecting it into another to restore volume and create a natural appearance. This procedure works particularly well for facial areas like the cheeks, nasolabial folds, jawline, and under-eye regions.

The method restores lost volume due to aging, weight loss, or laser damage. In addition to creating a youthful appearance, the injected fat also nourishes the skin and boosts blood supply.

Evolution of Fat Grafting Procedure

Plastic Surgeons have performed fat grafting for over 100 years. You can read more about the history of fat grafting here.

In the last two decades, advances in fat grafting have made the procedure even more effective. In my Baltimore practice, I frequently use fat grafting to complement other procedures such as the Brow Lift and lower facelift. It is also used as an alternative to the full Facelift procedure.

Gynecomastia, commonly referred to as “man boobs”, is the enlargement of breast tissue in men. Gynecomastia surgery, also called “male breast reduction”, is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures for men. While some men undergoing this surgery are overweight, many are not. The procedure can be performed under local or IV anesthesia, and most patients return to work within a week.

Labiaplasty is a cosmetic surgery for women that reduces the size of the inner lips of the vagina. The labia minora (inner lips) can vary in length. The average length is 61 mm, but some women have labia up to 100 mm long.

Women often choose this surgery to reduce discomfort or improve appearance. Tight clothing can be uncomfortable for women with long labia.

A Tummy tuck, or Abdominoplasty, is the most effective way to tighten your stomach area and remove excess hanging skin. The most common types of Tummy Tucks are:

• Mini-tummy tuck
• Full tummy tuck
• Extended tummy tuck
• Dermolipectomy, aka Panniculectomy

The Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) is a procedure that enhances the size and shape of your buttocks using your own fat. This makes it a natural way to create a fuller, rounder, and more youthful look. The fat is taken from areas like the stomach, thighs, or back and injected into the buttocks.

This procedure is popular among people of all ages and body types. It’s sometimes referred to as BBL with Lipo 360.

BBL Safety and Dr. Rodriguez’s Role in the BBL Task Force

In recent years, there has been concern over the safety of the BBL, particularly the risk of Pulmonary Fat Embolism (PFE), a serious complication. There were several reported BBL deaths due to PFE during the period 2014-2017. To address these concerns, a multi-society Gluteal Fat Grafting Safety Task Force was formed in 2017.

Dr. Rodriguez was a key member of this task force, which set new BBL safety guidelines in 2019. These guidelines ensure that fat must only be injected into the subcutaneous layer (just under the skin) and never into the muscles, as this increases the risk of PFE.

Why Dr. Rodriguez’s Expertise Matters

As a member of the Gluteal Fat Grafting Safety Task Force, Dr. Rodriguez played an important role in creating the best practices that keep BBL patients safe.

His involvement ensures that your procedure will follow the latest safety techniques. Be sure to ask your surgeon where they inject the fat and if they follow these critical safety guidelines.

Facial fillers, also known as dermal fillers, consist of synthetic injections specifically designed to fill in wrinkled or uneven areas of the face. While Botox relaxes muscles to soften wrinkles, dermal fillers actively add volume, effectively ”filling in” these areas. Common facial fillers include…

Lip augmentation is a procedure that gives you fuller lips and can be performed on the upper lip, lower lip, or both lips. The lip can be augmented with your own tissues (Fat transfer) or biological tissue fillers (Juvederm or Restylane). Results with biologic fillers typically last 6-9 months, while your own fat is a more long lasting solution.

Lip augmentation is very popular because it produces immediate results which can be subtle or dramatic. The degree of fullness of each lip (upper and lower) can be controlled as your lips can be injected with different amounts.

If you choose to augment your lips with Restylane or Juvederm, those injections will be performed by Dr. Rodriguez personally.

Botox is a brand of botulinum toxin type A, a purified substance that’s derived from the bacteria that causes botulism. Other common brands include Botox® Cosmetic, Xeomin®, and Dysport.

The Breast augmentation, or Augmentation mammoplasty procedure, enlarges your breast. This can be done with either silicone or saline implants, as well as using your own fat. High-profile implants can be used if the patient wants more upper pole fullness in the breast. Patients select their size and shape at the pre-op consult.

Breast reduction, or Reduction mammaplasty, is a plastic surgery procedure that removes excess skin and fatty tissue, lifting the breasts and making them smaller. Because it’s often used to relieve pain associated with having large breasts, it is considered reconstructive surgery and is frequently covered by medical insurance.

A Mommy Makeover is a highly customizable combination of procedures designed to help you feel more like yourself after pregnancy. It flattens and tightens your tummy, removes stretch marks, and addresses your breast concerns, all in one operative session. This procedure targets physical changes women experience following pregnancy, such as sagging breasts, separated abdominal muscles, and excess fat in areas like the waist or thighs. Common mommy makeover combinations include . . .

A Posterior Butt Lift is a skin-tightening procedure that removes loose, hanging skin from above the buttocks. By removing this skin, the buttock tissues are lifted, improving the overall contour and giving a more youthful, perky appearance. It is especially suitable for patients who have lost significant weight through dieting, gastric bypass, or weight loss drugs like Ozempic.

Laser resurfacing of the skin is a method to make the skin of the face appear younger-looking. Generally speaking, the laser creates damage to the top layers of the skin, which has the immediate result of a tightening of the skin.

There are now many types of lasers on the market. While some may achieve superficial tightening, Dr. Rodriguez no longer performs laser resurfacing due to concerns about tissue damage. In his experience, certain lasers can affect the adipose stem cells and tissue matrix, leading to facial fat atrophy.

Over the past two decades, patients have sought his care after experiencing complications from various laser procedures performed elsewhere.