Celebrities make it look easy, but getting the body of your dreams is a process that takes a lot of work, and it can be pretty discouraging when it doesn’t seem like you’re making any progress. What do you do when diet and exercise aren’t working anymore? At eSSe Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale, FL our talented surgeons know that sometimes a helping hand is necessary to achieve your ideal appearance goals. One recommendation we have for patients is to explore the benefits of the body contouring process.
Everything in life has a process, including the body contouring process that will finally let you realize your ideal shape. Many of our patients are curious to know how long this process lasts. From the first appointment to your recovery, here are a few milestones involved in the treatment process:
The first part of the process is the treatment appointments you will attend. The length of time for these appointments varies based on the area being treated. Larger areas with more serious concerns have longer appointments, while smaller areas or areas with minor concerns are shorter. Treatment appointments also vary in time depending on the treatment method, which means that surgical treatments will typically take longer.
For non-surgical treatments, patients can expect to spend about 30 to 60 minutes at each appointment. For surgical procedures, patients can expect to have a two- to four-hour surgery.
Your initial results are those that become obvious while you are still in recovery. For both surgical and non-surgical treatments, the initial results become obvious around the six-week benchmark, meaning that you will begin to notice improvements in your overall appearance about one to two months after your treatment.
Your final results are the end product of your treatment. When you are fully recovered, your final results are the shape of your body when you resume all normal daily activities. Final results usually occur about three to six months after your treatment or whenever you are fully recovered from treatment. How soon you can enjoy the final results depends on whether you have had a surgical or non-surgical treatment.
Results for both surgical and non-surgical treatments can last a very long time: up to 10 years or more. This type of treatment is considered a permanent solution. The best way to have long-lasting results is to maintain a steady weight and a regular exercise routine after you are recovered. Leading a healthy life with smart lifestyle choices will allow the results of your treatment to last a lifetime.
If you have elected to use a non-surgical treatment, you will likely need at least two or three treatments for optimal results. This is because non-surgical treatments have results that build on each other, meaning that the results of the first treatment are usually not obvious until the second treatment has been completed. For non-surgical treatments, it is typical to have appointments about once a month. Depending on how many treatments you require for ideal results, you can expect non-surgical treatments to take four to six months to complete and then an additional three to see final results.
Recovery is different based on what kind of treatment you have had. For example, recovery from contouring surgery is about one to two months and involves a temporary stay on most normal activities, including exercise. For non-surgical treatments, the recovery period of two to three weeks is repeated each time you have a treatment, but you are also not as limited in your activities during this time. Recovery time may also depend on the area that is being treated and how quickly you respond to the treatment.
From the time of your consultation appointment to the final results at the end of your recovery period, this process takes time to complete. Overall, the process for this treatment will take about six to nine months for both surgical and non-surgical treatments. This ultimately means that you can have your ideal body in under a year, and with results that can last well over a decade.
This is an umbrella term for any surgical or non-surgical treatment that alters the shape or composition of the body. Contouring can refer to many things, such as slimming the shape or moving fat to other areas of the body. Sometimes the definition for what constitutes a contouring treatment varies. For example, some surgeons consider breast augmentation a type of contouring treatment. In the end, body contouring is any type of treatment that alters the current appearance of your body.
Contouring treatments for the body can address many appearance concerns. In fact, contouring treatments are some of the most versatile cosmetic treatments available to patients, and they can be totally customized to meet the patient’s exact needs and desires. However, the most common things a contouring treatment corrects are tightening skin and reducing unwanted body fat.
Skin tightening treatments are those that correct skin laxity on the body. Skin laxity refers to the looseness or thinness of skin that happens when skin elasticity is weak and skin cannot return to its normal shape. Skin can be compared to a rubber band as it has a natural elasticity that allows it to stretch and then snap back.
Skin laxity is associated with both aging and weight loss. Aging causes skin laxity when the body is depleted of collagen, whereas weight loss causes skin laxity because the skin has been too stretched to return to its original tightness. Skin tightening treatments can refer to surgical lifts of the skin tissues or to non-surgical energy-based treatments that stimulate the production of collagen within the skin.
Fat reduction treatments refer to any intervention that removes or reduces the amount of unwanted fat on the body. Fat reduction treatments typically address the stubborn adipose fat that is difficult to eliminate with regular diet and exercise methods. For some patients, unwanted body fat is caused by a genetic predisposition to store additional fat as well as by weight gain, hormonal changes associated with menopause or andropause, pregnancy, and even medications.
Fat reduction treatments can be surgical or non-surgical. The most common surgical fat reduction treatment is liposuction, which physically removes fat from the body with vacuum suction. Non-surgical treatments for reducing body fat include energy-based treatments or injections. Most energy-based treatments to reduce fat are designed to tighten skin at the same time.
Although liposuction is the most common surgical procedure to contour the body, it is important to know that there are various methods of liposuction, some of which are combined with lifts or skin tightening treatments. The procedures we specialize in include:
A tummy tuck is a surgery that removes unwanted fat from the stomach and tightens the remaining tissues. Tummy tucks are common after weight loss or after pregnancy to return the body to a more ideal shape.
A breast lift tightens breast tissues to lift the breast into a higher shape. Breast lifts are sometimes combined with other breast augmentation, such as reducing the size of the breast, enhancing the size of the breast, or correcting the shape of the areola.
Both arm lifts and thigh lifts are procedures focused on removing unwanted fat via liposuction. These procedures slim the shape of the body and can help clothing fit better. Arm lifts in particular can tighten skin on the arms.
There are dozens of non-surgical contouring treatments. At our clinic, our top three non-surgical treatments for contouring the body include:
This is a non-invasive energy-based treatment that uses radiofrequency to reduce unwanted fat and tighten skin. Vanquish can be used on the waist, thighs, and back with treatments that only last 30 minutes.
This is a non-invasive, energy-based treatment focused on correcting skin laxity. Exilis uses radiofrequency to tighten skin on virtually every area of the body, including the face, stomach, thighs, and buttocks.
Kybella is an injectable treatment that is designed to eliminate the unwanted fat beneath the chin, also known as a double-chin. Kybella can reduce unwanted fat on the neck and chin to help redefine the jawline.
Absolutely. In fact, we encourage patients to mix and match treatments in order to fully contour for their unique and ideal appearance goals. This is because some treatments can only be used on the face or on the body, meaning that the only way to have a cohesive overall appearance is to treat all problem areas with various treatments. Some treatments that are commonly combined with contouring include:
Determining which treatment is right for you can be a big task. We are here to help you. When you attend your consultation appointment, we will discuss all of your appearance goals and your expectations for contouring treatments. After examining your areas of concern, we will work with you to find the treatment or combination of treatments that will make your ideal appearance goals a reality.
Most patients are qualified for a number of contouring treatments. For surgical treatments, good candidates include patients who are in good health and who have serious areas of concern. For non-surgical treatments, good candidates include those who have mild or moderate concerns and who do not desire surgery. The best candidates for any contouring treatment are those who are willing to commit to healthy lifestyle choices and practices. You might be a good candidate if you want to:
Sometimes it can feel like getting the body of your dreams is a never-ending battle with a mountain of obstacles in the way. We understand that it can be discouraging when it feels like all the regular methods aren’t working for you. Fortunately, advances in medical science have made it possible for patients to choose treatments that work for their individual needs and goals. Making your ideal shape a reality has never been easier to accomplish.
It’s time to start this process to boost your confidence and start loving your shape again! If you’re ready to get a body shape you love and think our body contouring treatments might be right for you, call eSSe Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale, FL to schedule your initial consultation.
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