Body contouring, also known as body sculpting, is a procedure that can reduce fat, reshape certain regions of the body, and tighten the skin. Lipolysis is a treatment that does not involve surgery and may be performed using a variety of techniques including lasers, cold, and heat. Among the surgical treatments available is the tummy tuck, as well as lifts and liposuction. Surgery comes with a higher risk of complications and a longer recovery time, but it often produces more obvious results.
Benefits of Body Contouring
A medical or surgical operation that reshapes a region of the body may be referred to as body contouring or body sculpting. Both of these terms refer to the same thing. It could need certain treatments to:
- Get rid of excess skin.
- Eliminate extra fat.
- Modify the form of the region or contour it.
In most cases, body sculpting will not assist you in losing weight. Instead, it helps shape the body and addresses particular regions where weight reduction is ineffective or after considerable weight loss resulting in excess skin on the body.
Types of Body Contouring
Lipolysis is a method of body reshaping that does not involve surgery. There are a few different approaches to lipolysis:
- Cryolipolysis, also known as CoolSculpting® or Zeltiq CoolSculpting: It is a technique that eliminates fat cells by subjecting them to extremely low temperatures.
- Injection lipolysis: It is a method for targeting fat cells that includes introducing deoxycholic acid into the body.
- Laser Liposuction: The Zerona® procedure is an example of laser lipolysis, which employs lasers to kill fat cells.
- Ultrasound Liposuction: The fat cells that are targeted by radiofrequency lipolysis (such as with truSculpt®) are destroyed by ultrasonic waves and heat.
The findings don’t always conform to expectations.
The following are some of the surgical body contouring options:
- Lifting and sculpting:
These surgical techniques cut away any excess skin and fat that may be present. Surgical procedures such as a Tummy Tuck or Mini Tummy Tuck (also known as an abdominoplasty or Mommy Makeover), facelift (also known as rhytidectomy), breast lift (also known as mastopexy), and double chin surgery are some examples.
- Liposuction:
Liposuction (lipo) suctions out fat deposits.
Before Body Contouring Procedure
At the outset, you are going to consult with a plastic surgeon. You’ll discuss:
- Your objectives.
- your whole medical history, including any ailments you’ve had, allergies you have, and any procedures you’ve had before.
- Any and all medications, including vitamins and over-the-counter prescriptions, that you are now taking.
- Consumption of alcoholic beverages, cigarette products, or illicit narcotics.
In addition to this, the healthcare practitioner will:
- Investigate and take measurements of the region (or areas) that you wish to modify.
- Make some markings on the area(s) with a pen or a marker.
- Take some photographs.
- Talk about the many possibilities and provide some suggestions.
If you’re thinking about getting surgery, you should go through the potential drawbacks and benefits, as well as the logistics of anesthesia and pain management after the procedure.
In the event that you want to proceed, you will be required to sign a permission document. Simply putting your signature on the document grants the healthcare professional authorization to proceed with the treatment. You also acknowledge that you are aware of the potential hazards associated with the surgery and that your expectations are reasonable.
Depending on the kind of body sculpting that you decide to go with, the medical staff may require you to do the following:
- Have your primary care physician do blood tests and/or a physical examination on you.
- Stop smoking.
- Put an end to the use of certain drugs (for example, aspirin, NSAIDs and herbal supplements).
Liposuction and Other Surgical Body Contouring Procedure
The vast majority of cosmetic procedures are performed in either the office of a plastic surgeon, a surgical facility, or a hospital. Depending on what it is that you’re having done, the process might last anywhere from forty-five minutes to several hours.
The following are some of the surgical techniques that the team may:
- In advance of the operation, mark the spots.
- You will be placed on a surgical table, and nursing and anesthesia will do a series of safety checks.
- Depending on the operation, either a local or general kind of anesthetic should be administered.
- Remove any dirt or debris from the skin in the surgery region, and then prepare it.
- In order to accomplish the procedure(s) being done, cuts will need to be made in your skin. These are called incisions.
- You can get the appearance you want by cutting away superfluous tissue and fat, repositioning it, or shaping it.
- During an abdominoplasty, it is normal for patients to experience muscular tightening.
- Remove any extra skin.
- Liposuction can be performed on its own or in conjunction with other operations to remove excess fat from the body.
- After the operation is finished, suture any incisions that were made.
- Put on some bandages.
During Non-Surgical Body Contouring Procedures
The majority of lipolysis operations are performed in an office setting or a medical facility. One session typically lasts for thirty to sixty minutes.
The group could:
- You should put on this robe or this medical gown.
- Put yourself in a seated position at a table or chair.
- Make markings on the skin with a pen or marker.
- Inject a medication into the part of your body where you want to see the most significant fat loss (for injection lipolysis).
- Depending on the sort of lipolysis being performed, you may need to make use of a device (such paddles or a wand) that can provide ultrasonic waves, laser beams, cold or heat.
The majority of patients require many therapy sessions before seeing any signs of improvement.
Risks or Complications of Body Contouring Surgery
Any procedures, including lifts and tucks, are considered to be surgeries, and as such, they come with some risks, albeit dangers that are quite infrequent. Among the potential dangers are:
- Asymmetry refers to the fact that both sides do not appear identical.
- either bleeding or clots in the blood.
- Complications resulting from the anesthetic, such as feeling sick, throwing up, or having a hard time waking up.
- Nerves, blood vessels, muscles, or internal organs may be damaged.
- Hair loss in the vicinity of the incisions.
- Hematoma, also known as a blood pocket under the skin, which may or may not require drainage.
- Incisions that do not heal in the expected manner.
- Infection.
- A damage to the nerve that may result in alterations in the way the skin feels, numbness, or even weakening.
- Pain or swelling that persists for a longer period of time than was anticipated.
- issues affecting either the heart or the lungs
- You are unhappy with the results, which may necessitate more surgical intervention.
- Skin that has been scarred, rippled, or discolored in some way.
- Discoloration and abnormalities of the skin both.
When it comes to nonsurgical alternatives, the risks are significantly reduced and include the following:
- Itchy welts or a rash.
- Aching or a painful sensation.
- Red skin.
- Swelling.
- Results that were less than desirable, necessitating more treatment sessions.
Recovery After Body Contouring Surgery
Recovery after surgical body contouring procedures can take anything from a few weeks to several months, depending on the extent of the work that was done and the size of the incisions.
Recovery time for nonsurgical procedures are significantly more reasonable. The majority of patients promptly resume their normal activities, including employment and other commitments, after receiving therapy.
How long do results from body sculpting last?
After documenting two patients who had only one flank treated, a research study that was published in 2016 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology revealed that the results of body-sculpting last for six to nine years post-treatment, establishing the treatment’s long-term efficacy and proving that it is effective over the long term.
Cost of Body Contouring Surgery
The cost of Body Contouring may be rather high. Getting a full-bodylift will cost you around $30,000 on average. Arm surgery can cost up to $8,000, while procedures on the inner thighs can reach upwards of $10,000 per pair. A breast lift and surgery on your upper back will run you around $15,000, and a neck and face lift will add another $15,000 to the total cost of the procedure.