Is Body Contouring Permanent?

Body contouring is the only way to reach a sculpted shape for your body, no matter how hard you do aggressive diets and exercise, you cannot get the ideal contoured body except through body contouring.

Body contouring procedure gets rid of excess fat under the skin permanently and that is achieved either invasively or non-invasively.

What is body contouring?

Body contouring means not only achieving ideal body weight but also ideally reshaping your body by;

Removing excess fat layers underneath the skin.
Eliminating stubborn fats.
Get rid of loose skin left behind severe weight loss.
Firm the supportive tissue.

What are body contouring major types?

There are two types of body contouring:

Non-surgical body contouring; which is known as body sculpting.
Surgical body contouring; which is known as liposuction.

Main differences between body contouring and liposuction

Invasive and non-invasive ways of contouring your body are different from each other in the following points:

Procedure

Body sculpting is a non-invasive treatment, while in liposuction, a sequence of tiny incisions is done around the selected site, and the fat cells are destroyed using a tiny tube before being vacuumed out.

Safety

Body sculpting is a minimally invasive procedure therefore most side effects and risks are minimal. On the other hand, Liposuction is a surgical treatment that may necessitate the use of a general anesthetic.

Effectiveness and results

Body sculpting has less noticeable outcomes since it cannot kill more than 20 to 25% of fat cells in a given area, while in liposuction treatment, up to 80% of body fat in a given area can be lost so it has more significant results.

Side effects

Short-term bruising or skin allergies are the possible side effects of body sculpting, and they usually fade away within a few weeks, but in liposuction, more significant side effects are possible, and your physician has to manage their potential risks.

Recovery time

In the body sculpting procedure, there is little or no recovery in most cases, while the time taken for the body to recover after liposuction differs from one patient to another, but generally, it takes a few days to return to your routine activities.

Number of sessions

To see maximum results a course of up to 8 treatments is recommended, per body area. in twice-per-week regular intervals, some devices achieve targets in 1-4 sessions, while in liposuction the procedure is performed only once.

Time to see the results

It takes time after body contouring treatment to see the full results, however, improvement in your body shape appears immediately following the surgery.

Types of body sculpting

Non-surgical body contouring gets rid of localized fat deposits by applying very cold temperatures, laser beams, ultrasound waves, or injecting certain medicines into the target fat cell.

And according to the technique used body sculpting has the following types:

Cryolipolysis

Also known as fat freezing as it uses very cold temperatures for destroying fat deposits depending on the susceptibility of the fat cells to be damaged from cold temperatures more than other cells, such as skin cells.

Injection lipolysis

Is a chemical reduction in the number of fat cells around the injection site, through applying the deoxycholic acid to the area underneath the skin, resulting in the chemical destruction of fat cells.

Laser lipolysis

It uses the heat emitted from a laser beam that penetrates the skin and heats up the fat cells underneath the skin destroying the fat cells’ membranes, so they start to die off and then the body absorbs the dead cells.

Radiofrequency lipolysis

Radiofrequency lipolysis is a procedure that uses a radio frequency to heat the fat deposit under the skin without an instrument making physical contact with the patient. The applicator applies heat from a distance of 1 centimetre from the skin.

Types of liposuction

In liposuction, a number of tiny incisions are done in a selected site, and the fat cells are destroyed using several techniques, and according to the technique used it has the following types:

Power-assisted liposuction

A tool is used at the end of the suction device that helps to cut through the fat, to facilitate its removal.

Tumescent technique

Calculated quantities of a combination of medicines are injected into the selected fatty area, the fat is then suctioned out by inserting a tube connected to a vacuum.

Ultrasonic-assisted liposuction

Ultrasonic waves are used to liquefy fat in the patient’s target area, later on, fats are sucked out by a cannula, or a thin type of medical vacuum.

Laser-assisted liposuction

Is the same idea as ultrasonic-assisted liposuction but fat layers are emulsified first utilizing laser energy for easier, faster removal along with mild skin tightening benefits.

Common sites targeted by body contouring procedures

Body contouring can target most areas of your body, including common sites:

Arms.
Back.
Thighs
Belly and flanks (love handles).
Buttocks.
Neck and chin.

Things you should avoid after body sculpting treatments?

1- Dehydration

It is highly important to avoid dehydration in the days following your appointment or following surgery, you must keep hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of water and taking an adequate intake of fruits and veggies that are usually high in water and will help you stay hydrated.

2- Sunburn

it is very important to avoid sunburn for a few days following your fat removal treatment. Regardless of the site where you had to perform the procedure, you have to take all precautions to protect yourself against sunburns.

3- Malnutrition

You should avoid malnutrition in the weeks following fat reduction, hence your immune system and your body’s excretory systems deal with the destroyed adipose tissue from your body, and these systems need plenty of energy and micronutrients to function efficiently.

4- Excessive Sitting

The more sedentary you are after the procedure, the longer will be your recovery period, and also the longer it will take you to see your final results, but you have to follow your doctor’s recommendations regarding vigorous exercise.

5- General Warning

The few days following the procedure you have to keep in mind the following:

Keep your blood pressure within normal ranges, and avoid elevated blood pressure.
Reduce caffeine consumption as it elevates blood pressure, and induces dehydration by its diuretic effect.
Avoiding alcohol and tobacco consumption during the period following the procedure is highly advisable.

Fortunately, the results you gain following body contouring procedures are permanent regardless of the technique used, since your body loses its ability to produce new fat calls when you exceed 25 years old, so the fat cells you lose, your body couldn’t reproduce again.

Fat reduction techniques can get rid of from 20% up to 80% of the localized fat cells, so according to the technique used, you permanently lose a percentage of your body fats that you cannot regain.

Everyone has a symmetrical, sculpted body, hidden behind accumulative layers of fat deposits and wrinkled, loose skin.

almost anyone is a good candidate for at least one of the body contouring procedures, only selected persons are not candidates and it might be due to risks or conditions your physician can manage.

Body contouring procedures are not the only weight loss way, but it’s the only way to achieve the ideal contoured sculpted body with firm tight skin.

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Is body contouring permanent?