Body contouring surgery or body sculpting refers to medical procedures that eliminate excess skin and fat to change the shape of a person’s body. Body contouring is considered a cosmetic procedure and isn’t usually used as a way to help patients lose weight. However, it can address parts of the body that haven’t responded to regular exercise or where rapid weight loss has resulted in excess loose skin.
Types of Body Contouring
Body contouring procedures can target practically any part of the body, but common areas include:
- The stomach
- Arms
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- The chin
- The neck
Non-Surgical Body Contouring
Body contouring can be a more invasive surgical procedure, but there are several non-surgical options for your body contouring procedure. Cryolipolysis is a technology used in CoolSculpting or CoolTone that uses intense cold to freeze and destroy fat cells. RF (radiofrequency) treatments or lasers such as the VSHAPE ULTRA laser can also be used to destroy fat non-invasively with heat or ultrasonic waves that break down and melt fat. A minimally invasive option is injection lipolysis, a procedure that injects deoxycholic acid into target areas under the skin to destroy fat cells.
Surgical Body Contouring
As for surgical procedures, these usually involve either body lifts, TUMMY TUCKS, or liposuction. Lift and tuck procedures such as lower body lift, breast lift, tummy tuck, or facelift procedures can be performed to remove both excess fat and sagging skin for a tighter, toned appearance. LIPOSUCTION involves inserting a tube called a cannula underneath the skin in a targeted area to suction out excess fat.
Whether a body contouring procedure is performed surgically or non-surgically, its purpose is to help patients look and feel thinner or otherwise achieve a certain body shape. As we’ve said before, it’s not often used as a way to help someone lose weight. Rather, it’s a way to target specific areas that aren’t affected by regular exercise. It can also help remove excess skin that may become loose and saggy after significant weight loss or that has become wrinkled naturally with age.
What to Expect from a Body Contouring Procedure
If you are considering a body contouring procedure, you will first meet with a member of our staff to discuss your cosmetic goals and medical history. We will examine the area(s) you would like to treat and recommend treatment based on your specific needs. For example, patients with severe skin laxity or excess fat may be recommended to receive a surgical body contouring procedure for optimal results.
Most non-surgical body contouring procedures can be performed quickly, often in less than 60 minutes in an outpatient setting. You may need several sessions to achieve the results you want, however. Surgical procedures such as liposuction or tummy tucks can last anywhere from 45 minutes to several hours depending on the procedure. Most patients can go home the same day after the procedure, although you can expect a longer recovery time for more invasive operations.
Schedule a Consultation
For more information about body contouring procedures or to schedule a consultation to discuss which procedure might be right for you, SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION at the Aesthetic Center at Woodholme today. Drs. Papel, Kontis, and Brown will be happy to speak with you and help you develop an individualized treatment plan.
Body contouring or body sculpting refers to medical procedures that eliminate excess skin and fat to change the shape of a person’s body. Body contouring is considered a cosmetic procedure and isn’t a way to help patients lose weight. However, it can address parts of the body that haven’t responded to regular exercise or where rapid weight loss has resulted in excess loose skin.
Types of Body Contouring
Body contouring procedures can target practically any part of the body, but common areas include:
- The stomach
- Arms
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- The chin
- The neck
Surgical Body Contouring
As for surgical procedures, these usually involve either body lifts, TUMMY TUCKS, or liposuction. Lift and tuck procedures such as tummy tucks or facelifts can be performed to remove both excess fat and skin for a tighter, toned appearance. LIPOSUCTION involves inserting a narrow tube called a cannula underneath the skin in a targeted area to suction out excess fat.
The purpose of a body contouring procedure is to help patients look and feel thinner or otherwise achieve a certain body shape. As we’ve said before, it’s not often used as a way to help someone lose weight. Rather, it’s a way to target specific areas that aren’t affected by regular exercise. It can also help remove excess skin that may become loose and saggy after significant weight loss or that has become wrinkled naturally with age.
What to Expect from a Body Contouring Procedure
If you are considering a body contouring procedure, you will first meet with one of our doctors to discuss your cosmetic goals and medical history. We will examine the area(s) you would like to treat and recommend treatment based on your specific needs.
Surgical procedures such as liposuction or tummy tucks can last anywhere from 45 minutes to several hours depending on the procedure. These are all outpatient procedures, which means patients can go home the same day after the procedure, although you can expect a longer recovery time for more invasive operations.
Schedule a Consultation
For more information about body contouring procedures or to schedule a consultation to discuss which procedure might be right for you, schedule a consultation at the Aesthetic Center at Woodholme today. Drs. Papel, Kontis, and Brown will be happy to speak with you and help you develop an individualized treatment plan.
Dr. Ira D. Papel is certified in Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Papel earned his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and his M.D. from Boston University of Medicine. He completed a residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and a fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Papel is considered an international expert in rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty, and facial aesthetic surgery.