The simpler, the better ?

The simpler, the better ? Of course, I like simple things. But the simple is not always the better. In calf reduction, simple procedures don't mean better procedures. Even though there are many simple methods in calf reduction, partial resection of Gastrocnemius muscle is the only effective and safe method of calf reduction surgery. Long recovery period, complex procedures, higher price are worth it surely. Modern people are easily seduced and fantasized by exaggerated advertisement, fake reviews, and cooked up before and after photos in SNS nowadays. And they end up in wasting their time and money to ineffective procedures and make their revision surgery more difficult.  Even if simple procedures have shorter recovery and are safer usually, it is not true in calf because calf has big muscles with little fat. Simpler calf procedures are not only ineffective and can make severe sequela (aftereffects). Liposuction on calf, Botox on calf, nerve block on calf, radiofrequency calf reduction are examples. Even if these procedures are cheaper, simpler and recovers faster, these are not only ineffective but also not so safe. I can't recommend these calf procedures to my family and acquaintances at least. Some people make the plan to try simpler procedures first and try muscle resection later if the result of the first surgery is disappointing. But that is not wise strategy because the simpler calf reduction can make muscle resection more difficult and complex. Always, it is the best to undergo right procedures in the first place. Liposuction on calf is not only ineffective but also harmful to calf except extremely fatty person. Because the fat layer in calf is very thin, liposuction can make irregularity so easily and can't make noticeable change in calf. Thinned fat layer in calf can make the outline of muscle more noticeable and can make the calf look more masculine. You can't see noticeable change after Botox injection to calf muscle because calf muscle is too big. Botox in calf means just a waste of money. Nerve block to calf muscle is simple and has some effects. But it is recurred in most of cases because the blocked nerve can be connected by themselves easily in calf. About half of my patients underwent many times of nerve block before coming to my clinic and gave up to the recurrence. In some cases, recurrence is happened in one leg and can't be cured with repeated nerve block. Radiofrequency muscle ablation should be avoided because it makes a lot of scar tissue in calf which is very hard to be removed in calf muscle resection. Because contracted and burned muscle (like too much cooked steak) are in calf, it is hardened with scar tissue in irregular shape. One of the saddest moment in my office is to see the patients who can't be improved much with muscle resection because of the sequela of the previous ineffective calf procedures and regret their previous unwise choice.  If they could come to my office at first... Fear arises from ignorance. If you understand calf muscle resection better, you may have little fear for this. Because muscle is encircled in strong fascia and there is no important structures in the facia, the other muscles and important structrues like vessels and nerves in calf are not injured in calf muscle resection and there is no risk of walking difficulty. Because muscle resection doesn't leave any residue or foreign body in calf muscle, it doesn't make much scar in calf muscle and the result is permanent and predictable. Because 30 % of Gastrocnemius muscle is remained, calf can maintain the natural shape of calf and compensatory hypertrophy is not happened. Because the site and amount of muscle resection can be adjusted, calf shape can be improved more accurately and effectively. Simple procedures don't mean better and safe procedures. In calf reduction, partial resection of Gastrocnemius muscle is the most effective and the safest method. I add one funny picture from my former patient. Her purpose of calf reduction was to be able to buy boots on the street without tucking in the middle of calf. (Because she had very big calf, there was no available off the rack boots for her). She sent me her pictures wearing off the rack boots after 1 month of surgery. LOL Hyuncheol Park MD OZ Cosmetic Clinic www.ozclinic.com