Body contouring, or perhaps body sculpting, can indeed eliminate fat, shape areas of the body, and tighten skin. Lipolysis is a nonsurgical option that uses cold, heat, lasers, and other methods. Surgical options include tucks, lifts, and liposuction. Surgery has more risks and longer recovery, but it usually provides more noticeable results. Thus, body contouring treatment can be given a try.
What is body contouring?
Body contouring, or body sculpting, is no doubt a medical or even surgical procedure that aims to reshape an area of the body. It may involve procedures to:
- Get rid of extra skin.
- Eliminate excess fat.
- Reshape or contour the area.
Body contouring does not help lose weight. Instead, it helps shape the body and also addresses specific areas where weight loss is not effective or after significant weight loss results in extra skin.
What are the different types of body contouring?
Nonsurgical body contouring is known as lipolysis. There are several lipolysis methods:
- Cryolipolysis makes use of very cold temperatures meant to destroy fat cells.
- Injection lipolysis involves putting deoxycholic acid into one’s body to target fat cells.
- Laser lipolysis uses lasers to destroy fat cells.
Radiofrequency lipolysis uses ultrasound waves and also heat to target fat cells. Sometimes, the results can indeed vary.
Options for surgical body contouring include:
Lifts and tucks: These surgical procedures remove excess fat and extra skin. Examples include a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), facelift (rhytidectomy), breast lift (mastopexy), and also double chin surgery.
Liposuction: Liposuction (lipo) suction out fat deposits.
Why is body sculpting used?
People do choose to have body sculpting to look and feel thinner or to attain a certain shape. It is often used on specific areas of the body when diet and exercise are not making much difference.
Surgical options also remove extra skin and make the skin look smoother and younger. Such procedures can indeed help people who have excess skin after significant weight loss. It can also improve loose, saggy, or wrinkled skin that tends to occur with natural aging.
Body contouring can target most areas of one’s body. Common sites include:
- Arms.
- Back.
- Belly and flanks (love handles).
- Buttocks.
- Neck and chin.
- Thighs
Discuss one’s options and also make recommendations.
Review the risks and also options, as well as discuss anesthesia and post-operative pain control if considering surgery.
If deciding to move forward, then there is a need to sign a consent form. By signing it, the person permits the healthcare provider to perform the procedure. The person also agrees that he or she understands the risks of the procedure and has realistic expectations.
Depending on what sort of body sculpting the person chooses, the healthcare team can ask the person to:
- Get blood work or have a physical exam with his or her primary care. provider.
- Stop smoking.
- Stop taking certain medications (for example, aspirin, NSAIDs, and herbal supplements).
What happens after body contouring?
Most people do go home the same day, even after surgical procedures. If having surgery, then he or she should have someone drive the person home and stay with him or her the first night. The person may have a thin tube near one or more incisions meant to drain fluid and prevent swelling. home, and you can go about your day normally.
Risks & Benefits
What are the advantages of body sculpting?
Several people who have body contouring report:
- More defined, well-shaped body parts.
- Younger, thinner appearance.
- Smoother skin.
- Symptomatic improvement.
Results from surgery are more noticeable and immediate. With nonsurgical options, it can take a few weeks or months to see a difference.
Risks or complications of surgery?
Any procedures, like lifts and tucks, are surgeries and thus come with certain risks, although relatively uncommon. Risks can include:
- Asymmetry (both sides do not look the same).
- Bleeding or blood clots.
- Complications from anesthesia, like nausea, vomiting, or trouble waking up.
- Damage to nerves, blood vessels, muscles, or organs.
- Hair loss near incisions.
- Hematoma (a pocket of blood under the skin), which may have to be drained.
- Incisions that do not heal properly.
- Infection.
- Nerve injury could cause weakness, numbness, or even changes in the way skin feels.
- Pain or swelling that lasts longer than expected.
- Problems with one’s heart or lungs.
- Results are not appreciated, which requires follow-up surgery.
- Scarring, rippling, or discoloration of the skin.
- Skin irregularities and discoloration.
With nonsurgical options, risks are much more limited and include:
- Hives or rash.
- Pain or soreness.
- Red skin.
- Swelling.
- Unsatisfactory results and need for repeat sessions.
Conclusion
Recovery from body contouring treatment can take weeks to months, depending on how much work is done and how large the incisions are.
Nonsurgical options have much shorter recovery times. Several people go back to work and other activities immediately after the treatment.