Planning for Body Contouring Before and After
Body contouring before and after photos show the amazing transformations this procedure can achieve for weight loss patients and others seeking a dramatic change. You’ve put in the hard work to get where you are today — now, it’s time to reap the rewards.
Of course, a major surgery like this requires a lot of planning and preparation.
Below, we’ve created an outline regarding how to prepare for your body sculpting procedure. Feel free to use this as a guide leading up to your surgery to ensure you get the outstanding results you deserve.
What Is Body Contouring?
Body contouring is a plastic surgery procedure aimed at getting rid of excess skin, tissue, and fat on the body after significant weight loss.
After an individual loses a large amount of body fat, their skin, tissues, and muscles sometimes do not “bounce back” to their new shape. Instead, skin laxity causes loose skin folds (stretched skin) to become uncomfortable and cumbersome.
Rashes, chafing, and sometimes even infection can result. This is not even to mention the overall physical discomfort when trying to shop and fit into clothes and the frequent self-consciousness and embarrassment individuals feel about carrying around folds of excess skin.
A body contouring procedure addresses major areas of concern, which typically means the abdominal area and sometimes, the chest, upper arms, buttocks, and thighs — depending on the patient’s goals. The face and neck area can also be addressed if the patient desires.
Everyone’s anatomy is different, so some patients may struggle with skin laxity in certain areas but not others. At your consultation appointment, you will work with your surgeon to determine which procedures will be best for achieving your desired results.
What Procedures Can Be Included With Body Contouring?
Tummy Tuck Surgery
Tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) removes unwanted folds of excess skin from the abdomen. Depending on the severity of the loose skin and the patient’s desires, multiple abdominoplasty techniques can be employed.
Liposuction
Liposuction removes unwanted fat from stubborn areas. Some patients may benefit from a fat transfer procedure using liposuction as well.
A fat transfer BBL (Brazilian butt lift), for example, is a procedure that reinjects the fat from liposuction into the hips and buttocks. See body contouring hourglass tummy tuck before and after photo galleries online for examples of this.
Body or Arm Lifts
Lower body lifts and upper body lifts aim to reduce loose skin (as well as excess fat and tissue) from various areas on the body. Lower body lifts focus on the thighs and buttocks. And upper body lifts focus on the arms, chest and breasts, and back.
Other Procedures:
In many cases, additional areas of the body may be addressed with surgery as well, including the breasts, face, neck, thighs, and elsewhere. If a patient doesn’t want a full upper body lift, for example, a breast lift alone may be performed. Like essentially any plastic surgery, the procedure can be catered to the individual.
How to Prepare for Body Contouring
Once you decide to undergo body contouring surgery before and after you have a lot of planning to do. Here are some helpful tips as you prepare for this life-changing procedure:
1. Strategize with your surgeon. Attend a consultation with your board certified plastic surgeon, and work together to create a personalized surgical plan that aligns with your goals and expectations.
2. Maintain a healthy lifestyle overall. Maintain a balanced diet and regular exercise routine to optimize your body’s condition before surgery. Living clean and healthy will help immensely during your body contouring surgery recovery.
3. Abstain from smoking and alcohol. Quit smoking and limit alcohol intake several weeks before your surgery to minimize complications and support a smoother healing process. Most surgeons have specific guidelines concerning use of these substances.
4. Prepare your home for the recovery period. Make your living space recovery-friendly. For example, set up essential items so that they are easy to reach, prepare freezer meals, buy snacks and bottled water, and create a comfortable recovery area in a central living space. Also arrange for assistance, especially for the first few days of the healing process.
5. Follow your surgeon’s guidelines carefully. Adhere to your surgeon’s specific instructions, which will be unique to you. They will go over wound care, bathing, medication use, compression garment use, physical exertion limits, and more.
6. Prepare mentally and emotionally. Mentally and emotionally prepare for the significant changes you’ll experience after surgery. It’s important to have realistic expectations and patience as you heal.
Q&A: Body Contouring
How painful is body contouring?
Body contouring procedures require longer, more extensive surgery. Therefore, discomfort and pain may be more acute and longer-lasting when compared with simpler, one-surgery procedures. Still, all patients will be under general anesthesia during surgery and will receive the proper pain medications and other pain-reducing guidance as they recover.
Do non surgical body contouring before and after photos show as dramatic results as surgical body contouring photos?
Typically, no. If a patient only opts for nonsurgical body contouring, their results will occur more slowly and less drastically than if they had chosen the surgical route. Often, patients will use non surgical body contouring procedures as add-ons to surgical body contouring.
How long does body contouring last?
It takes time for your body contouring scars to heal, it will usually take up to a year or more to see your fully healed results after body contouring surgery. However, after this point, your results should be long-lasting. Most patients maintain their results for 10 to 20 years or more.
Of course, you must maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid gaining or losing large amounts of weight to keep your results. The healthier and fitter you are long-term, the more you will benefit from body sculpting.
Contact Us to Book Your Body Contouring Consultation
Stop letting loose skin hold you back from living the great life you deserve. By sculpting your body with body contouring, you can regain your comfort, ease of movement, and confidence.
Dr. David Sieber is a double board certified plastic surgeon performing body contouring procedures for patients at his San Francisco Bay Area practice. Call today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sieber and his team.
References
https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/body-contouring
