What is Body Contouring: Benefits, Risks & Recovery

Those concerned about their appearance after dramatic weight loss often seek options to improve their public look. Body contouring is a procedure thrown around as a remedy to excess skin and fat and shape bodies to achieve a better appearance.

However, more needs to be explained about what body contouring involves. You can get an understanding of how the procedure can help with an experienced professional here.

Otherwise, read on to get a definitive answer to the ultimate question, ‘what is body contouring.’

What is Body Contouring?

Body contouring, also known as body sculpting, is a procedure that seeks to reshape specific body areas to desired standards. Those interested in the surgery typically seek to remove any excess skin, eliminate excess fat, or contour a body part to make it more aesthetically pleasing.

It’s important to note that body contouring is not a weight loss surgery. But rather a procedure that shapes areas where weight loss isn’t practical, or there’s an undesirable appearance following weight loss.

So what does the body contouring procedure involve?

What Happens in the Body Contouring Procedure?

The body contouring procedure is more a series of surgeries rather than a single one to achieve the desired appearance. Prospective patients will consult with a certified, capable plastic surgeon to discuss the results they seek, and the surgeon will recommend the best course of action.

The surgeries typically involved in the body contouring procedure include:

During a consultation, the surgeon will discuss your goals and medical history and conduct a physical examination to ensure you are a candidate for body contouring.

Who is a Good Candidate for Body Contouring?

Many prospective patients for body contouring want the procedure for varied reasons. The prime candidates for the surgeries have experienced some dramatic weight loss and want to address excess skin and fat.

However, other candidates that want to achieve a younger, slimmer appearance can yield the benefits of the body contouring procedure. Let’s review the advantages of the process and what they can offer patients.

What are the Benefits of Body Contouring?

Here are some of the benefits of body contouring.

  • You’ll have more defined, aesthetically-pleasing body parts.

The surgeries can target specific areas, reshaping them to give the patient their desired appearance. The results of the procedure generally make body parts more defined or ‘sculpted,’

  • You’ll have a younger, slimmer appearance.

Natural aging and dramatic weight loss can cause sagging and wrinkling. Body contouring helps candidates remove unwanted sags and wrinkles by reshaping excess skin and fat.

  • Your skin will be smoother.

Besides your body looking more defined, patients can see smoother skin with the surgeon addressing the excess and pulling the skin back through lifts.

But with the advantages of body plastic surgery always come disadvantages. So what are the risks of body contouring?

What are the Risks of Body Contouring?

Find the most prominent risks of body contouring below.

  • The results may not meet your expectations.

One of the primary risks of body contouring is that your final appearance may need to meet your expectations. Fixing addressed areas can require more surgeries and be very expensive to amend the work already done.

  • You could experience damage to nerves, blood vessels, muscles, or organs.

Body contouring may involve a few different procedures, presenting an increased risk of damage to nerves, blood vessels, muscles, or organs. Make sure your surgeon highlights potential complications when discussing the needed surgeries.

  • You might have visible scarring and skin discoloration.

Some surgeries may require incisions, potentially leaving scars and bruising behind. There’s a risk that these don’t heal as quickly or as well as expected, leaving more permanent scarring and skin discoloration.

Now understanding some of the risks and rewards behind a body contouring procedure, what happens during recovery?

What Happens During Body Contouring Recovery?

There’s no definitive answer to recovery time, as body contouring can involve multiple surgeries, each with varying recovery times. Your plastic surgeon will outline your recovery process beforehand, which is likely to include bandaging, the use of medications, and regular follow-ups.

So finally, body contouring is the correct procedure to achieve your desired appearance.

Is Body Contouring Right For Me?

Learning ‘what is body contouring’ and finding whether it benefits your ambitions may require extensive consultation. There’s no better professional than Dr. Baumholtz, who is knowledgeable, experienced, and straightforward in discussing your personal needs and achieving results in body contouring.

Schedule a consultation at Baumholtz Plastic Surgery today to understand if body contouring is appropriate.


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