Is your body ready for summer on the beaches of Cancun?If you're not so sure - and plastic surgery isn't out of the question - you can find your fix at home in Magic Valley.

Carrie Nutsch, a nurse at Center for Plastic Surgery in Twin Falls, said plastic surgery is becoming more popular in southern Idaho. Breast augmentation and liposuction are especially sought in early spring, when people are preparing for swimsuit season.

Body modification comes with a cost, however. Major procedures cost thousands of dollars.







That doesn't stop local clients. Popular procedures include liposuction, breast reduction and tummy tucks, but plastic surgeons can correct almost anything, Nutsch said.

"If you've got something wrong with it, we can fix it," she said.

But, Nutsch added, patients need to get cosmetic surgery for the right reason:to please themselves.

"If you're going to have a breast augmentation, make sure it's for you and not for anyone else,"she said. "It's not going to save your marriage. It's not going to get you the job of your dreams."

It will boost self confidence, she said. "You just need to be realistic about your expectations."

Melissa Davlin may be reached at 208-735-3234 or melissa.davlin@ lee.net.

Breast lift - Mastopexies perk up what gravity has ravaged. The procedure is common post-breast-feeding and with older women.

Mastopexies can be performed in conjunction with breast augmentation for patients looking for more volume in their lift. Implants or not, recovery requires avoiding lifting hands above the head and requires about a week's absence from work.

Complications include change or loss of sensation, irregularity in nipple position, asymmetry and infection. With implants, risks include leaking and rupture.

Breast augmentation - Turn those molehills into mountains with a little silicone or saline help.

Controversy has surrounded implants since they first boosted mommy parts. According to the Food and Drug Administration, however, there is no conclusive link between breast implants and autoimmune and connective tissue diseases, like systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Recovery takes three or four weeks and requires sleeping in a reclined position and abstaining from lifting arms above the head.

Risks include infection, scarring, rupture, changes or loss in sensation, hardening and interference with mammography.

Breast reduction - Not everyone is a mountaineer. Large breasts can be problematic both physically and aesthetically, and breast reduction surgery eases the pain for well-endowed women.

Recovery is similar to a breast augmentation; three or four weeks; at first, avoid raising arms above head.

Complications include loss or change in sensation, infection and asymmetry.

Pectoral augmentation - When bench presses aren't enough, some men turn to augmentations to make their pecs more pronounced. Recovery is much like breast augmentation - sleep with the chest elevated, and avoid lifting arms except for gentle exercises to bring blood back into the area.

Complications are rare but include infection and implant displacement.

Liposuction - This procedure removes a localized area of fat around the body. Don't think lipo is an easy way out of an exercise-and-diet regime. Lipo is best used to get rid of that extra five pounds around the waist that Jenny Craig just couldn't eliminate. Ideal candidates are within 25 pounds of their ideal weight.

The old style of liposuction that uses a metal tube and vacuum to suction out fat requires general anesthesia and often requires a face lift or tummy tuck in conjunction to tighten up loose skin. SmartLipo, a laser liposuction available locally only at Marod Medical Spa, is performed under local anesthesia and is less invasive.

Risks include swelling, infection and fluid imbalance.

Buttock augmentation - This is one procedure Sir Mix-A-Lot would condone.Silicone implants or fat grafts taken from other parts of the body are placed just above the bony part of the bum to make the derriere more pronounced, J-Lo style.

Recovery takes three to four weeks and requires sleeping on the stomach and avoiding sitting for prolonged periods. Complications include scarring, hardening, loss of sensation, infection and asymmetry.

Tummy tuck - Abdominoplasties tighten skin and muscles around the stomach. The procedure fixes saggy, droopy skin and muscles and is often performed in conjunction with liposuction to remove pockets of fat. Surgeons pull the vertical abdominal muscles close together and stitch them into their new positions.

Make sure to save vacation time for this procedure; recovery often takes two to four weeks. Risks include loss of sensation and infection.

Belt lipectomy - Sometimes extreme weight loss can lead to other problems, like loose, saggy skin around the belly - not the sexy figure most have in mind when hoping to shed pounds. A belt lipectomy removes excess tissue and tightens skin around the torso to create a more natural look. It produces more dramatic results than a tummy tuck, which focuses on the abdomen.

Complications include infection and wound separation.

Where to find it These procedures are all available at Center for Plastic Surgery, and Marod Medical Spa offers SmartLipo. For information: Center for Plastic Surgery 1880 Fillmore St. N., Twin Falls 735-8386 Marod Medical Spa 706 North College Road, Twin Falls 736-2763