Body Contouring Treatment is a group of cosmetic surgery procedures that enable you to reshape your entire figure. Typically this is done after massive weight loss. Many times a patient is dissatisfied with the original shape of their body and multiple cosmetic surgery procedures can alleviate their discomfort and provide them with an aesthetically pleasing figure. Body contouring is also a very effective way to combat the sagging skin that occurs after massive weight loss.
Body contouring treatments can occur in the upper body, thighs and face. Upper body treatment usually involves treating redundant skin in the upper arms and sometimes even elbows. This extra skin is removed and the breasts are repositioned to a more natural position. Sometimes a breast reduction is desired as well. This results in more attractive breast that better fit the person’s body size and image.
Thigh treatment involves treating the extra fat hanging from the groin area. This redundant skin and fat can cause chafing and blistering (and sometimes even skin rashes). Many times there are two incisions that are combined for an improved removal of fat and skin. The patient will generally have to spend a night or two in the hospital and can return to normal activity within a couple of weeks.
Treatment of the face usually involves a rhitidectomy surgery to rejuvenate the face and eliminate signs of aging. Procedures can include anything from a neck suspension, face lifts and brow lifts. These procedures can be performed as office based surgeries and can take anywhere from six to seven hours depending on the specific nature of the procedures. Patients can usually go home that night, but probably can’t get back to everyday activity for a couple of weeks.
These days the popularity for non-invasive treatments has never been more in demand, and injectable facial procedures like botox and dermal fillers, and body contouring treatments like vaser lipo, have never been more popular or more accessible.
Lots of people are seeking non-invasive facial rejuvenation treatments such as:
- Botox – Facial lines can make you look tired, but botox injections can relax the face, making you look younger and more rested. Botox reduces the lines and wrinkles of the face, the wrinkles between the brows, lines and creases on the forehead, crows-feet, bunny lines, smoker’s lines around the mouth and unsightly neck bands.
- Chemical Peels – These are great treatments for skin imperfections, such as acne, mild scarring and signs of ageing. Chemical peels can improve the skin by stimulating new cell growth and collagen production to effectively reveal younger, fresher looking skin underneath.
- Microdermabrasion – This is a relatively gentle treatment that we can use on the face, neck, hands or body to rejuvenate and improve skin quality, colour and tone. The practitioner will exfoliate the chosen area by applying a fine mist of crystals which will gently dislodge dead and dull cells from the upper layer of the skin, whilst a vacuum suction simultaneously removes the crystals and dead cells. Microdermabrasion is safe for all skin types, has very little risk for side effects, and needs no downtime.
- Dermal Fillers – Cosmetic clinics use fillers to combat volume loss on the cheeks and the tear troughs under the eyes. They also help to reduce fine facial lines and creases, making the skin look smooth and supple. As we age, our face will naturally lose subcutaneous fat, causing the facial muscles to work closer to the surface of the skin, making smile lines and lip creases look more obvious.
- Lips – Lip enhancement involves placing the dermal filler over the borders of the lips and lip augmentation places the filler into the body of the lip. Lip augmentation improves the volume, structure and shape of the lips and can also reduce fine lines around the lips. Combining both treatments means a balanced look can easily be obtained.
- Vaser Lipo – Vaser can remove unwanted fat from stubborn areas, resulting in a smoother and slimmer silhouette. It’s ideal for treating love handles, rolls of fat around the bra line, tummy, thighs and even delicate areas such as the arms and under the chin. On men, it’s very popular for taking away unwanted fat on the chest area, known as man boobs.
Cosmetic clinics can offer face and body treatments using botox, lip augmentation, rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) PDO thread lifts, chemical peels and vaser lipo. Cosmetic treatments are now more popular than ever, with lots of celebrities bringing awareness about cosmetic treatments to the people. Non-surgical treatments are achieving impressive results with minimal down time.
There are often common misconceptions about many of today’s cosmetic procedures and treatments that seem to flood the market. Many of these treatments are very effective and valuable treatment options for patients seeking the services of cosmetic surgery. However, many patients confuse the uses of each treatment and mistake their own candidacy for these treatments.
One such procedure that is often misunderstood is liposuction. Commonly thought of as a quick weight loss solution for overweight and obese individuals, it is actually no such thing. It is best described as a body contouring treatment, used primarily for those patients with isolated, localized pockets of fat or fatty cells. Those searching for weight loss solutions should consult their physician for other options, steering clear from this cosmetic surgical procedure, as it is not intended to be used as the treatment many mistake it for. Liposuction can, however, be a viable and very valuable option for those looking to rid themselves of embarrassing pockets of localized fat. Some areas do not respond well to exercise and may be tougher to shape than other areas of one’s body. This is where liposuction comes into play as an effective option in removing these unwanted fat pockets to help patients look and feel their best.
Liposuction is usually performed using a general anesthetic or a localized anesthetic if the area is small enough and need be. Surgeons should place incisions in the least conspicuous places to maintain the cosmetic nature of the procedure. After all, most would consider trading pockets of fat for noticeable, unsightly scarring a push. Using a device called a ‘cannula’, surgeons remove the unwanted fat from the patient’s body and damage the remaining fat cells. The body then removes or repairs these remaining, damaged fat cells, often taking weeks to complete. It should be pointed out that removing an excess of fat in one area might cause dents to appear in the patient’s body. That is why the surgeon should remove only the top layer of fat during surgery.
Plastic surgery has become very popular over the past couple of decades and indications are that the trend will continue. Liposuction, many may be surprised to learn, is the most commonly performed cosmetic procedure in the United States, thus indicating the importance of this procedure for many Americans. As is true with many things in life and in medicine, communication can help to solve many problems. The surgeon and the patient should be on the same page about the procedure and the responsibilities the procedure brings to the patient. As mentioned previously, this procedure is not meant to be a weight loss solution, but as a body contouring option. Healthy individuals are the best candidates and maintaining a health lifestyle is important after the procedure is performed. All of the patient’s previous medical history and complications faced in the past should be disclosed so that the physician can better serve and treat the patient in a safe and reliable manner. As with any medical procedure, certain risks are inherent. Discussing all possible complications and risks prior to the procedure is wise, as it allows the patient to fully understand the treatment and all of the responsibilities that go along with it.