Body
contouring
What is body contouring?
Who is a good candidate?
Risks
Recovery
What is body contouring?
Body contouring is surgery to improve the shape
or contour of a person’s body. Liposuction
is the traditional method for body contouring.
It remains best suited for small, isolated deposits
of fat that have only little extra skin.
The concept of body contouring can also be expanded
to include procedures that alter and improve the
overall shape of a patient’s body. For instance,
as the number of Americans choosing bariatric
surgery to lose a substantial amount weight
is climbing, body contouring can help these individuals
take the final step to looking and feeling their
very best.
Patients who have lost a significant amount of
weight – sometimes hundreds of pounds -
need to have excess skin and tissue surgically
removed to make the area look more normal. The
technique can be used on almost any body part,
including the belly, thighs, arms, breasts, back
and neck.
Who is a good candidate?
Bariatric patients should wait about two years
after their procedure before considering body
contouring surgery. It can take a full year to
reach your goal weight, and then another six months
to a year for your weight to stabilize.
If you have lost an extreme amount of weight
through other techniques, it is important that
your weight stabilize before having this surgery.
It is also important to note that body contouring
procedures are considered cosmetic surgery and
not covered by insurance. Work with your doctor’s
office to find out if your procedure will be covered.
Risks
Surgery has risks,
but you can help prevent complications by carefully
following your physician's instructions both before
and after surgery. Talk with your plastic surgeon
to be sure you understand the potential risks
and complications. If you don't understand something,
ask!
Recovery
Bariatric patients often have complex health issues.
After carrying extra weight, many have developed
diabetes, heart failure and other chronic conditions.
These existing conditions can mean that bariatric
patients need more time to heal after body contouring
surgery and may be more prone to infection. Talk
to your doctor about what to expect during your
recovery.
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