Life. Time. Gravity.
You could look at it all as the perfect excuse not to look your best.
Or, you could look at Body Contouring as the perfect next step.

You may even be close or at your ideal weight.  Your diet and exercise program could get a perfect score, and still the mirror does not reflect the progress you feel you've made.  Body Contouring could be the perfect answer for you.

Body Contouring, a broad term for removal of fat and excess skin in areas of the body that are especially diet and exercise-resistant, may be beneficial to many types of patients.

• Mothers who seek to restore their bodies, especially their abdomen, after pregnancies
• Those who have a stubborn fat deposit (“love handles” perhaps, or “saddlebags”) that just won’t go away with proper diet and exercise
• Those who feel they have always been disproportionate,“pear shaped,”or “apple shaped”
• Those who have undergone tremendous weight loss and have excess, hanging skin (See Body Contouring after Weight Loss)

Body Contouring involves either or both:
Direct removal of fat and excess skin, as well as shaping and tightening, with surgery, or
Removal of fat only with Liposuction (Lipoplasty)

Body Contouring with Surgery
This surgical option is appropriate for either women or men who have excess skin and fatty tissues that have not responded to diet and exercise.  Body Contouring with surgery improves the shape and tone of the tissues affected while excess skin and fat are removed.  This option is most typically used to improve the appearance of the lower body.

Lower Body Lift
The ultimate cosmetic result can be achieved in rejuvenation of the abdomen and buttocks with the Lower Body Lift.  Sometimes after weight fluctuations, pregnancies, or just time and gravity, there is sagging and flattening of the buttocks and excess abdominal tissue that appears like an apron at the front and sides.  This may be the case even if you are at or near your ideal weight.  The Lower Body Lift circumferentially removes the sagging skin and fat apron in the abdomen, sides, lower back, and buttocks area, while also lifting and smoothing the outer thighs, buttocks, and the groin area.

Because it so successfully addresses the whole lower body, the Lower Body Lift is considered the gold-standard in Body Contouring.  This is usually the procedure of choice for someone who has had large fluctuations in weight, or has previously undergone successful bariatric (gastric bypass) surgery.  Good surgical candidates have usually achieved their ideal weight and have been able to maintain this weight for at least 6 months to 1 year.  The incision for a Lower Body Lift, although circumferential, may be completely concealed even when wearing a 2-piece bathing suit!

What if the only excess skin is in the abdomen, primarily the front of the body?

Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
A Full Tummy Tuck, excision of the excess fat and skin of the lower abdomen, is one of the most common cosmetic surgery procedures.  Factors such as substantial weight loss, multiple pregnancies, and/or genetics can contribute to the development of loose skin, fat deposits, and stretch marks in the abdominal region.  In addition, the vertical abdominal muscles (that have stretched and weakened over time after pregnancy and/or weight loss) are tightened, restoring the appearance of a firmer, flatter abdomen and trimmer waistline.

Women often choose a Tummy Tuck after pregnancy to restore tone and shape to the lower abdomen, and to eradicate the lower abdominal stretch marks.  As these areas typically persist despite proper diet and exercise, they can make the abdomen appear disproportionate with the rest of the body.  Tummy Tuck procedures can be performed alone, but are often performed with Liposuction to further improve body contours.

A Tummy Tuck is not a treatment for obesity, or a substitute for proper diet and exercise. Tummy Tuck candidates should be healthy and relatively fit.

Full Tummy Tuck procedures typically require two incisions – one just above the pubic area that spans from one hip bone to the other and a second, virtually unnoticeable one, around the navel.  The length of the incision and its shape will depend on the extent of treatment as well as the contours of your body.  Typically, this incision is hidden by a bathing suit or undergarments.

Mini Tummy Tuck
A Mini Tummy Tuck removes loose skin, fat deposits, and stretch marks from the lower abdominal region below the navel.  In addition, the vertical abdominal muscles that have stretched and weakened over time are tightened, restoring the appearance of a firmer, flatter abdomen.

Unlike a full Tummy Tuck, a Mini Tummy Tuck procedure typically only requires a single incision, because an incision around the navel is not required.  An incision is made just above the pubic area and its length and shape will depend on the extent of treatment, as well as the contours of your body.  Typically this incision is hidden by a bathing suit or undergarments.

Liposuction, another option for body contouring and sculpting, is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures performed.  Liposuction is the removal of fat deposits below the skin with hollow stainless steel tubes or “straws” connected to a suction or vacuum source.  This procedure is best for women or men of ideal or nearly-ideal weight who have localized deposits of fat that have been resistant to diet and exercise.  The skin overlying the area to undergo Liposuction must have sufficient elasticity so it can "shrink wrap," or conform to the new contours.  So, an area which is stretch-marked or has lots of excess skin would not be optimal for Liposuction. Liposuction can remove larger areas of excess fat, or help contour problem areas – abdomen, thighs (saddle bags), hips, upper arms and back.  Liposuction can be performed alone, but can also be performed with other procedures such as the Tummy Tuck.  Liposuction is not an effective treatment for cellulite or obesity.  Candidates for Liposuction should be healthy and relatively fit, have firm, elastic skin and good muscle tone, and be within 30% of their ideal weight.

Tumescent Fluid Technique
The Tumescent technique is the most common type of Liposuction procedure.  Tumescent fluid – a dilute solution of adrenaline to constrict blood vessels and minimize blood loss and a local anesthetic to minimize post-operative discomfort – is injected into the treatment area.  A forward and backward motion with the cannula loosens and breaks apart the fat tissue.  A suction device attached to the opposite end of the cannula removes the fat.  In some cases, the fat is removed manually using a syringe attached to the cannula.  Following the procedure, the incisions are closed with stitches.  Some incisions are so small that they can heal without stitches.  These scars are typically hidden in the contours of the body.

Although fat cells are permanently removed from the treatment area during the procedure, Liposuction does not prevent additional weight gain.  In order to maintain the results from your procedure, it is important to follow a healthy diet and exercise routine.