David Altamira, MD

Breast augmentation also referred to as breast enhancement, involves using breast implants or fat transfer to increase the size of your breasts. Breast Augmentation is often used to help restore breast volume lost after weight loss or pregnancy. Other times this procedure is used to achieve a round breast shape, improve breast size or to have a better breast size asymmetry. Some of the most common reasons patients choose to undergo breast augmentation surgery are: You feel that your breasts are too small Dissatisfaction with your breasts losing shape and volume after pregnancy, weight loss or with aging You are unhappy with the upper part of your breast appearing “empty” Your breasts are asymmetrical One or both breasts failed to develop normally or have an elongated shape Types Of Breast Implants Silicone Gel Implant Saline Implant Gummy Bear Implant Fat Transfer Implant Silicone gel and saline are the two implant types most commonly used in breast augmentation.

Mastopexy (breast lift) is a surgical procedure for lifting and reshaping sagging breasts. Aging, pregnancy, weight loss and gravity can all cause breasts to sag. By trimming excess skin and tightening supporting tissue, breasts can be made to sit higher on the chest and be firmer to the touch. In addition, the nipple and areola can be repositioned or resized to further enhance breast appearance. Since Mastopexy does not change breast size, it is often combined with breast augmentation or reduction. An eligible mastopexy candidate is in good overall health, maintains a stable weight, and has realistic expectations about what mastopexy can do. A woman who chooses to undergo mastopexy has one or more of the following: Sagging breasts Breasts that have lost shape or volume Breasts that are flat or elongated Nipples or areolas pointing downward One breast lower than the other A woman planning to have (more) children should not undergo mastopexy because pregnancy and nursing can counteract its benefits. Mastopexy is performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia, and usually takes 1 to 3 hours. Depending on the size and shape of the breasts, as well as the degree of sagging and amount of excess skin, one of the following types of incisions is often used: Two rings, one larger than the other, around the areola A keyhole shape, around the areola and down to the breast crease An anchor shape, beginning in the breast crease, and extending up to and around the areola The first type of incision (above) is used for small breasts and leaves the least amount of scarring; the third type is used for breasts with significant sagging. After the incisions are made, breast tissue is removed and reshaped to achieve the desired breast contour. The nipple and areola are usually moved higher on the breast or resized. Excess skin is trimmed to create a tighter, more defined appearance. Incisions are closed with stitches.

Breast Lift (Mastopexy) with breast augmentation is a combination procedure that lifts sagging breasts while increasing their size and enhancing their shape. Aging, pregnancy, weight loss and gravity can all cause breasts to sag. When sagging cannot be corrected by implants alone, augmentation mastopexy may be recommended. During mastopexy alone, excess skin is trimmed away, supporting tissue is tightened, the breasts are “lifted” to sit higher on the chest, and the nipple and areola are repositioned or resized. By adding augmentation with implants to the procedure, the breasts can also be made larger and firmer. Good candidates for augmentation mastopexy have sagging breasts that have lost fullness at the top. Candidates must be in good overall health, maintain a stable weight, and have realistic expectations about what augmentation mastopexy can do. A woman who chooses to undergo augmentation mastopexy is unhappy with her breast size, and has one or more of the following: Sagging breasts Breasts that have lost shape or volume Breasts that are flat or elongated Nipples or areolas pointing downward One breast lower than the other A woman planning to have (more) children should not undergo augmentation mastopexy because pregnancy and nursing can counteract its benefits. Augmentation mastopexy is performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia and usually takes 1 to 3 hours. Depending on the degree of sagging, the amount of excess skin, and the size and type of the implants, one of the following types of incisions are often used: A circular incision around the areola A keyhole shape, around the areola and down to the breast crease An anchor shape, beginning in the breast crease and extending up to and around the areola After the incisions are made, excess skin is removed to create a tighter, more defined appearance. The nipple and areola are usually moved higher on the breast or resized. Implants made of either saline solution or silicone gel are inserted under the breast beneath the pectoral muscle or mammary gland. Incisions are then closed with stitches; the incisions used for augmentation mastopexy are longer than those for augmentation alone, which requires only an incision in the breast crease, the bottom of the areola or the armpit.

Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) helps flatten and improve the shape of the abdomen by removing excess fat and skin, as well as tightening the stomach muscles. A tummy tuck tightens and reshapes the abdominal area, helping to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing, slimmer overall appearance. Tummy tuck surgery is good for areas of fat or loose skin that have not responded well to diet and exercise. Abdominoplasty can also be appropriate for slightly overweight people whose skin has lost some of its elasticity, and for women with skin and muscles stretched from pregnancy. Anyone planning on losing a significant amount of weight, and women planning on having (more) children, should most likely wait before undergoing abdominoplasty. Abdominoplasty takes approximately 2 to 4 hours to perform and is almost always done under general anesthesia. Two incisions are made: one from hipbone to hipbone along the lower abdomen or “bikini” line, and another around the navel. The abdominal skin is separated from the muscles below it, and then the muscles are pulled together and tightened to achieve a firmer abdomen and narrower waist. The abdominal skin is then stretched downward over the newly tightened muscles, and the excess skin is removed. At this point, it is very common to perform some liposuction of the sides or flanks in order to remove excess fat from these areas if needed. The incisions are then closed, and sterile surgical dressings are applied over the sutured areas.

Liposuction is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that uses a thin, hollow tube called a cannula to remove localized areas of body fat. The cannula is inserted through extremely small incisions and then moved back and forth to loosen excess fat, which is suctioned out using a vacuum or a cannula attached syringe. Treated areas look slimmer and more contoured, and in better overall proportion to the rest of the body. However, liposuction is not a method for losing weight and is not effective in eliminating cellulite or tightening loose and sagging skin. The ideal candidate for liposuction is in good overall health but has one or more areas of fat that do not respond to diet or exercise. Liposuction can be performed alone or in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures, such as tummy tuck or a thigh lift. Common Areas Treated With Liposuction Thighs Hips and buttocks Abdomen and waist Upper arms Back Chest area Cheeks, chin, and neck One of the most common liposuction techniques is tumescent liposuction, which may get an assist from a laser and is on an outpatient basis. During tumescent liposuction, Dr. Altamira injects a solution of a saline, lidocaine (an anesthetic) and epinephrine (a blood vessel constrictor) into the area. The solution causes the targeted tissue to swell and become firm, which makes it easier to remove the fat with the cannula. The advantages of this technique are that there is minimal blood loss because the epinephrine constricts blood vessels in the areas. In addition, the anesthetic is built in, so the procedure can often be performed without general anesthesia. However, if several different areas of the body are being treated, or large amounts of fat are being removed, then it may be preferable to perform the surgery with general anesthesia. In laser-assisted tumescent liposuction, a laser is used to liquefy the fat, which makes removing it easier. The laser can also tighten the skin in the treated area after fat removal.

Individuals who have lost a dramatic amount of weight due to gastric bypass surgery or dieting often discover that their skin has lost its ability to reconform to the body. Many times, these patients have developed uncomfortable skin flaps around the midsection, buttocks, and upper thighs that need to be addressed surgically for both aesthetic and medical reasons. Undergoing body lift surgery with Dr. Altamira in Houston, Texas can reveal your new, slimmer figure from beneath excess skin and tissue. He begins with a careful incision around the midsection, positioned below the belt line. After releasing the skin from the underlying tissue, Dr. Altamira lifts the bottom portion of the body by stretching the skin, smoothing skin flaps on the lower abdomen, hips, and buttocks, and trimming away excess skin and fat. Often, he will use liposuction techniques to help sculpt and refine your new figure. He then repeats the process with the upper portion of the body, contouring the abdomen and back area. Once all areas have been tightened, the incision is closed. Body lift is a life changing procedure for those who have chosen to have it done, finally giving them the graceful body proportions and curves that they have worked so hard to achieve through weight loss.

Some areas of our bodies can stand up to the effects of aging better than others. The upper arms aren’t one of those areas. The constant pull of gravity and weakening muscles and support tissue can give you upper arms that are loose and actually swing back and forth with movement. Colloquially known as “bat wings,” this phenomenon can make a person avoid wearing sleeveless fashions or even swimsuits. Dr. Altamira can return contour to your upper arms with an arm lift. An arm lift, clinically known as Brachioplasty, reshapes your arms to a more toned, slimmer profile. Loose upper arms can be the result of aging, or from the gain and subsequent loss of a good deal of weight. If the loose skin on the underside of your upper arms moves freely when you shift your arm, an arm lift could be a good procedure for you. An arm lift removes the loose skin and accumulated fat and returns tone and contour to your upper arms. But an arm lift is not intended to be for weight loss, so patients need to be near their ideal weight. Plus, the procedure creates a lengthy scar, so that should be taken into account. Due to the length of the upper arms, an arm lift creates a lengthy incision. Dr. Altamira usually makes an incision that runs on the underside of the upper arm, running from the underarm to the elbow. Through this incision, he is able to remove excess fat pockets with liposuction. He then repositions and tightens the underlying muscle tissue, and trims away excess skin. If a patient doesn’t have extensive sagging skin, sometimes a minimal incision arm lift technique can be used. In this technique, Dr. Altamira makes a few small incisions near the underarm, in lieu of one long incision on each arm. This method, while creating much less scarring, doesn’t allow the same degree of overall tightening. Recovery from arm lift surgery is not difficult. You’ll return home with bandages and possibly drainage tubes on your incisions. You’ll be given compression garments for both arms to minimize swelling and help your arms adapt to their new contour. There will be swelling, due to the tissue repositioning, but it should be gone in around two weeks. Within one to two weeks you can return to work, but special care has to be taken to avoid much lifting and strenuous activity with your arms.

Everyone wants to have slim, contoured thighs. But due to normal aging or a significant gain and loss of weight, some people now have thighs covered with loose saggy skin. Once the skin has stretched and loosened, often it won’t respond to targeted exercise or a change in diet. Dr. Altamira can perform a thigh lift to give you firmer, more attractive upper legs. This procedure may be performed alone, or in combination with other cosmetic procedures such as liposuction. A thigh lift removes excess skin, fat, and tissue to tone and refine the inner and outer thighs. Patients who have lost a good deal of weight are great candidates for thigh lifts. Thigh lifts are also excellent for those with poor skin elasticity on the inner or outer thighs. The procedure alongside liposuction will remove the excess skin and tighten and firm the thigh contour. There is a simple test to see if a thigh lift would benefit you: For the inner thigh lift, stand in front of a mirror and pinch the skin of your inner thigh and lift that skin upwards toward your groin. This will give you an idea of what an inner thigh lift will accomplish. For the outer thigh lift, pinch the excess skin at your hip together. Notice the effect this has on the profile of your leg, making it appear more slender and contoured. This is what an outer thigh lift will do. Thigh Lift Surgery Procedure There are various incision options for thigh lift procedures. Dr. Altamira will discuss your options and what he feels will work best for your particular situation during your consultation. Generally, the procedures target the inner or outer thighs. Inner thigh lift Also known as a medial thigh lift, the inner thigh lift is begins with an incision at the junction where the thigh meets the pubic area. This gives Dr. Altamira access to the underlying tissues while making the incision as discreet as possible. A wedge of skin is removed, along with unnecessary fat (some fat needs to stay), and the remaining skin is pulled upward. Outer thigh lift Sometimes referred to as a bilateral thigh lift, the outer lift has the goal of tightening the skin on the front and outside portions of the thighs. For the outer lift, Dr. Altamira makes the incision at the top of the leg near the hipbone, creating a “V” shape. This incision is intentionally made to hide beneath the panty line. The incision may wrap around to your hip or buttocks area, depending on your needs. Dr. Altamira will first trim the excess skin, then pull and attach the remaining skin to the same area. An outer lift can remove larger amounts of tissue, and it can lift your buttocks along with your thighs. If we are combining a tummy tuck with an outer thigh lift, the incision will simply be an extension of the horizontal tummy tuck incision, wrapping around your hips. In all cases, skin and/or fat is removed; underlying tissue is reshaped and tightened with support sutures; and the remaining skin is lifted and smoothed, and sutured into place at the incision site. Drains may be placed to keep fluid from building up; if so, they are removed after a few days. Surgery typically takes 2 to 3 hours. Post surgery, a compression garment is worn to minimize swelling and promote healing. Recovery from a thigh lift generally requires around three weeks. Due to the tissue removal and re-draping, we advise our patients to consider bed rest for up to seven days. This helps avoid putting any pressure on your thigh tissue, and speeds recovery. Climbing stairs, squatting, or any strenuous activity of any sort is out of the question. Walking during these first few days should really only be to the bathroom. You’ll definitely need help around the house. You’ll have bandages and compression garments on your thighs. The compression garments will initially hold your sutured incisions tightly in place. Then as your recovery progresses they will help your thighs adapt to their new slimmer contours. You’ll wear your compression garments for one full month. You can’t sit for two weeks, to keep pressure off your sutures. After one week, we allow our patients to walk around the house, but driving is out for at least three weeks. After about six weeks you can resume your normal activities.

Changing the size or shape of your nose with a nose job, or rhinoplasty procedure, at our Houston, Texas plastic surgery practice can enhance your overall facial appearance by adjusting your facial proportions to a more ideal aesthetic balance and harmony. Rhinoplasty is an effective procedure that can dramatically improve the appearance of the nose, and the entire face by altering many undesired aspects of the nose, such as bumps in the bridge, large size, crookedness, a bulbous tip, large nostrils, as well as a deviated septum and more. Plastic surgeon Dr. David Altamira will customize your nose job surgery at his Texas practice according to the requirements of your individual case and your ideal surgical results. Our rhinoplasty patients in Houston are often very pleased with the results and their appearance, increasing their self-confidence and in some cases inspiring them to become more outgoing. Whether you desire a subtle change in your nose, or a dramatic alteration, Dr. Altamira can help you with rhinoplasty performed at his Houston plastic surgery practice.

Facelift surgery at our Texas practice is designed to rejuvenate your facial appearance by combating the effects of time, stress, sun exposure, and environmental damage. For the best facelift results, our surgeon, Dr. Altamira customizes your facelift surgery at his Texas office according to your unique bone structure and degree of skin elasticity. By removing fat and tightening facial muscles, facelift surgery allows the skin to be smoothed over the underlying bone structure more tautly. Dr. Altamira can perform facelift surgery at his Texas practice to diminish wrinkles, reduce deep creases, and remove sagging jowls from the face. Some patients choose to combine facelift with other facial procedures like forehead lift or eyelid surgery in order to achieve more dramatic overall results. Facelift surgeon Dr. Altamira can help you decide which approach is best for your individual case.

A Contour ThreadLift™ is a minimally invasive, safe and effective, non-surgical procedure that offers subtle, natural-looking facelift-like results. This is an innovative facial rejuvenation procedure designed to gently elevate sagging brows, cheeks and jowls. Due to the unique design of the delicate filaments used in the procedure, the surrounding tissues act to hold them in place without the need for visible scars. The delicate filaments do the work of holding, by becoming fixated to tissue as they are softly smoothed into place. The result is a refreshed, rejuvenated and natural look without the telltale signs of major surgery. For the best results, Dr. Altamira customizes your procedure according to your unique bone structure and degree of skin elasticity.

Expressive and delicate, the eyes often reveal our secrets, at our Texas practice, eyelid surgery can help keep age from being one of them. Eyelid surgery can be performed to rejuvenate the upper and lower eyelids, removing wrinkles, puffiness, and sagging. Texas surgeon, Dr. Altamira can use eyelid surgery to enhance the appearance of your upper or lower eyelids, or both. Depending on your situation, excess skin may be removed along with unwanted deposits of fat and tissue. The results of eyelid rejuvenation can be very dramatic – smoother skin in the eye area, reduction of under eye bags, and a more youthful, energetic facial appearance. Our Texas eyelid surgery patients experience a short recovery time, usually returning to their normal activities within a week or less.

Dr. Altamira uses forehead lift surgery, also called brow lift, at his Houston, Texas practice to remove wrinkles from the forehead, lift sagging eyebrows, and improve the appearance of the upper eyelids. Forehead lift requires only a few incisions along the hairline to lift lax forehead skin and the brow line to a more elevated, youthful position.In cases requiring more extensive rejuvenation, Dr. Altamira can remove the dense muscle and connective tissue that causes deep furrows and tension between the eyebrows during the lift. Recovery time needed after forehead lift surgery is generally shorter than it would be after a full facelift procedure. Despite its relative simplicity, forehead lift has been shown to significantly reduce the appearance of facial aging. In appropriate cases, Dr. Altamira can combine forehead lift with facelift, or upper and lower blepharoplasty for more dramatic results.

Placement of a chin implant is a simple and relatively inexpensive way to create ideal facial proportions. For patients with a small chin or weak jaw line, Dr. Altamira can choose from a number of chin implant shapes, sizes and materials to best suit the individual's facial features and structure. Chin augmentation can be performed right in our Houston office saving you the cost of hospital fees.

At our Texas plastic surgery practice, BOTOX® Cosmetic offers Houston area patients a convenient, non-surgical way to diminish or erase the appearance of wrinkles. As a purified protein toxin, BOTOX® Cosmetic is carefully administered through a series of small injections with a micro-needle. Once applied to the necessary areas, BOTOX® Cosmetic works by paralyzing the muscles around facial wrinkles, forcing them to relax. Once relaxation is achieved, the skin smooths and wrinkles disappear or fade considerably. At our practice in Texas, BOTOX® Cosmetic is most often used to effectively treat deep creases between the brows, forehead wrinkles, crow's feet, and lines between the nose and mouth. The effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic are not permanent, but the procedure can be repeated as necessary. Dr. David Altamira is very experienced in administering BOTOX® Cosmetic at his Houston practice, making him well qualified to perform your procedure.

Juvéderm™ is a smooth consistency gel made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in your skin that helps to add volume and hydration. Dr. Altamira eases Juvéderm™ injectable gel under the skin to provide a smooth, natural look and feel-so everyone will notice (but no one will know)! In fact, studies show superior results of Juvéderm™ compared to a collagen-based dermal filler.* And, almost 90% of all study volunteers who were treated with both Juvéderm™ injectable gel and another dermal filler* preferred Juvéderm™! With Juvéderm™ the injection process takes only about 15 minutes and results are immediate. Plus, there's minimal recovery or downtime. So you can step into your doctor's office for treatment and step right back into your life.

Restylane® is a new dermal filler formulated with hyaluronic acid, a natural compound found in the skin, that can fill mild to severe facial wrinkles and folds, and add volume to areas of the face like the cheeks and lips. Over time, volume can begin to deplete from the lips, skin, and beneath the cheeks, causing wrinkles, thin lips, and thinning of the face. The hyaluronic acid found in Restylane® naturally binds to moisture molecules in the skin, plumping and smoothing the skin from the inside out to help maintain long-lasting youthful volume and suppleness. All it takes is a few small injections of Restylane® into problem areas to dramatically improve their appearance. Restylane® is not a permanent enhancement and may be repeated to maintain its cosmetic benefits.

Dr. David Altamira can help reduce excess hair anywhere on the body and face with laser hair removal treatments at our Houston, Texas office. Laser hair removal is a simple and relatively painless procedure that quickly eliminates hair using gentle pulses of high-energy light. The area to be treated is first prepped with a conducting gel and then exposed to the laser. When the hair follicle absorbs the light, it is heated and destroyed, preventing it from regrowing. Compared to other hair removal solutions like waxing and electrolysis, laser hair removal is a far less painful procedure that provides excellent results. To effectively reduce hair, a few laser hair removal sessions at our Houston practice may be required.

As one of the newest, most advanced methods of skin rejuvenation, FotoFacial™ provides unparalleled skin improvement without any need for recovery! FotoFacial™ is a gentle light treatment that smoothes the skin, reduces pore size, and eliminates broken capillaries and blotches, in addition to stimulating collagen production to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. There is no pain during treatment and the skin is never broken, making FotoFacial™ one of the most outstanding non-surgical options that we offer for obtaining youthful looking skin.

We offer two methods for spider vein treatment at our practice in Houston, Texas to reduce their appearance on the legs and other areas of the body and face. These small, sometimes bluish, thread-like veins can appear either as a result of physical strain, genetics, or both. Laser Spider Vein Therapy Laser spider vein therapy is most effective for treating small to medium sized spider veins and broken capillaries of the face. When treated with the laser, the high-energy light causes spider veins to shrink and coagulate beneath the skin. Within a short time, the veins begin to fade and are removed by the body. Contact us today for more information about laser spider vein therapy. Sclerotherapy – Injectable Spider Vein Therapy Sclerotherapy is a generally more effective treatment for the removal of larger spider veins than laser therapy. During sclerotherapy treatment of spider veins, a solution is injected through a small needle into the site of the spider vein. When the special solution hits the walls of the vein it collapses and fades from view over a short period of time. Contact us today for more information about sclerotherapy treatment for your unwanted spider veins.

Undergoing a facial glycolic chemical peel at our Houston practice is an excellent way to reduce wrinkles, balance uneven pigmentation, improve skin texture, refine pores, and refresh the overall appearance of the skin. Skin exposure to the glycolic chemical peel solution we offer, causes the superficial layers of dead and damaged skin cells to shed, revealing fresh new skin that looks years younger without surgery. Sun damage, age spots, and skin dullness are erased with just one glycolic chemical peel treatment at our Houston office. Healing and full recovery can last up to ten days depending on the strength of the glycolic chemical peel you have applied. Contact us today for more information about receiving a glycolic chemical peel.

At our practice in Houston, Texas we offer the complete line of Jan Marini skin care products to keep your skin looking radiant and healthy every day. Enhance the results of your latest skin procedure by discovering Jan Marini's scientifically formulated products which are designed combining advanced technology and latest skin care breakthroughs. Jan Marini is a pioneer in the field of skin care and focuses her products on providing outstanding results that make a significant difference in the appearance of any skin type.