At some point in your life, you might find that aging, significant weight loss, or pregnancy has transformed your body. Maybe your formerly flat tummy and curvy, contoured thighs just aren’t what they used to be, or you may have stubborn “wings” of fat and skin on your upper arms. If these things are keeping you from wearing shorts, short-sleeved shirts, and other summer clothes, it may be time to consider a body-contouring procedure. It is important to note that if you’re considering plastic surgery, you will achieve the best results if you’re within 10 pounds of your ideal body weight when you have the procedure. So your first step is to get your diet and healthy lifestyle habits in order so you can not only lose weight effectively, but also get great, lasting results.
Plastic surgery can’t replace good, healthy habits like an exercise routine and healthy diet. However, targeted procedures can take care of the problems that healthy eating and exercise alone can’t seem to fix—for example, they can tighten or remove loose skin, remove stubborn fat pockets, and tighten the abdominal wall muscles. But it’s up to you to do what you can first by living a healthy lifestyle before and after having plastic surgery. It’s also important to rule out any medical conditions that might cause you to gain weight, such as hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, hormonal changes, and even chronic stress or depression.
If you don’t have any medical conditions contributing to weight gain and you’re eating right, exercising regularly, and are at or close to your ideal weight, consider the following popular procedures that can fine-tune your body contours:
- Liposuction: This body sculpting procedure removes stubborn pockets of fat that aren’t responding well to diet and exercise, most often from the tummy, hips, thighs, neck, and flanks. The surgery takes about one to two hours depending on how many areas you want to treat. The surgeon uses a small tube to suction out modest amounts of fat to help you slim down and become more toned, leaving you with natural curves that compliment your frame. This isn’t a weight loss solution, though, and if you don’t maintain healthy eating and exercise habits after your surgery, you can reverse some of the procedure’s benefits.
- Thigh lift combined with liposuction (body contouring): Combining liposuction with body lift procedures can treat the inner thighs. Liposuction removes the fat, then the lift removes any sagging skin (including naturally sagging thigh tissue), and tightens and lifts the thighs to create a more desirable contour.
- Arm lift: This procedure is very popular because arm fat is particularly resistant to diet and exercise. An arm lift removes excess, dangling skin from the backs of the arms and sometimes fat that extends into the armpit area beside the breast. Arm lifts are often combined with liposuction to remove stubborn fat.
Remember that body-contouring procedures aren’t weight loss options, but rather the next step to remove stubborn fat after you’ve achieved a healthy weight, or if you want to address the after effects of aging or pregnancy. More importantly, having plastic surgery doesn’t mean you can go back to old, unhealthy lifestyle habits. You’ll need to stay healthy and fit to maintain your surgery results. It’s definitely worth it for the boost in self-confidence you’ll achieve!
If you’re frustrated with stubborn body fat, these procedures can give you great results that will put the finishing touches on your weight loss, counteract the effects of aging, and boost your self-confidence. If you are interested in learning more about plastic surgery and what it can do for you, visit our website and schedule a consultation.
