If you want to know how long does body contouring last, you must be considering it. So, what is body contouring and why should you opt for it? How much will it cost and how long will the results stay? Find out everything about body contouring before making up your mind.
Table of Contents
What is body contouring?
Body sculpting or body contouring is a surgical or medical procedure that will reshape an area of your body. It is a popular aesthetic surgery that tightens skin and makes you fall in love with your shape. It can eliminate fat, remove extra skin, and contour a specific area to enhance your physical beauty.
Nonsurgical body contouring is a procedure that gets rid of fat cells without any surgery. It uses heat, lasers, cold, and other techniques to achieve the results. Common surgical options are liposuction, lifts, and tucks. While surgery takes a long time to recover, it also gives more noticeable outcomes.
Now the question arises: how long does body sculpting last? Stay tuned to have a clear idea about it.
Why do so many people choose body contouring?
Many people aren’t happy with the way their bodies look. Medical science has evolved so much that there is a cure for everything from wrinkles to sagging skin. Body contouring is one such procedure that is known for its impressive outcomes. But is body sculpting permanent?
Men and women around the globe undergo body contouring treatment to look attractive. It allows them to attain good shape and feel thinner. It can even target those difficult areas of body where exercise might not make any difference.
Surgical body contouring treatment can also get rid of extra skin and bless you with younger and smoother skin. So, such treatments can be of great help to people who want to remove the excess skin resulting from huge significant loss of weight.
It can also improve saggy, wrinkled, or loose skin that happens to us with age. Some common sites where body contouring works like magic include thighs, chin, buttocks, love handles, arms, neck, and back.
What happens prior to the body contouring procedure?
If you have made up your mind, you will have to look for an esteemed surgeon. It is important to meet the plastic surgeon in person to discuss your requirements.
The cosmetic expert will go through your medical history to acquaint himself with your health conditions and allergies. You must inform him beforehand if you have undergone previous surgeries as well as existing medications. You should also not hide if you are consuming any illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco as these things might have adverse effects.
Your doctor will also examine you thoroughly and measure areas you’d like to change. He will draw on those places with a pen or marker and take pictures for his reference.
After that, he will recommend which treatment will be ideal for you. It is at this stage that he will be able to provide an estimate of the cost. He will also walk you through the process and let you know the associated risks (if you’ve considered surgery).
Lastly, you will have to sign the consent form your surgeon gives you. Your signature on the form confirms that you are ready for the treatment. Depending on the body sculpting treatment you have chosen, the surgeon will tell you how to prepare for the surgery. He might instruct you to quit smoking and stop taking medications like aspirin and NSAIDs.
How does surgical body contouring work?
Cosmetic surgeries generally take place in the office of the cosmetic surgeon or a hospital. The procedure may take several hours, depending on the number of incisions.
Before starting the operation, the team will mark the target regions and take you to the surgical table. After that, the surgeon will administer general or local anesthesia as per the needs of the procedure.
When the anesthesia does its job, the doctor will clean the skin for surgery. He will make cuts in the skin and reposition the tissue to create the shape you want. He will also trim extra skin and use liposuction to suck out excess fat. When he is satisfied, he will close the incisions and apply bandages.
Surgical body contouring procedures
Before figuring out how long does body contouring last, it is essential to find out your options. Cosmetic surgeons offer a range of sculpting treatments such as:
Tucks and lifts
Tucks and lifts are surgical procedures for excess skin and extra fat. A breast lift or a tummy tuck is an example of this procedure. Doctors suggest lift procedures for people who have lost significant weight quickly. In such cases, the skin fails to conform to the altered contour.
Liposuction
It is among the less invasive procedures that need a slender tube to suction away fat. The tool is called a microcannula. The cannula can enter your skin through very small incisions. So, there will be no visible scarring and it will heal within a few days. Liposuction works on any area like the waistline, bra rolls, hips, abdomen, chin, and neck.
How does nonsurgical body contouring work?
Like surgical procedures, nonsurgical body contouring is done in a clinic or office. It is not a complicated treatment and should not take more than an hour.
How long does non surgical body contouring last? The longevity will depend on your food habits, lifestyle, and body type.
The team will hand over a hospital gown or robe to you. They will position you on a table or chair. The surgeon will then mark the target areas with a marker/pen.
Injection of a drug in the fat reduction area is necessary. The surgeon will use a tool (a wand or a paddle) to deliver laser beams, heat/cold, or ultrasound waves. Note that several sessions are mandatory before you start seeing noticeable improvements.
Will body contouring help you lose weight?
People often have the misconception that body contouring is one of the easiest ways to lose weight. But it plays no part in weight loss. Instead, its goal is to shape your body by addressing certain areas where weight loss exercises aren’t effective.
Recovery time after treatment
How much time your body requires to heal completely will depend on the nature of the treatment. If you opt for a surgical procedure, it may take weeks or months for all the side effects to disappear. The healing period also depends on how big the incisions are.
Nonsurgical body contouring treatments, on the other hand, have shorter recovery periods Most people return home and resume their daily activities right after the treatment. So, a lot of women prefer it as it’s convenient for them. If you want quicker results, non-invasive procedures are your best option.
When should you visit your healthcare provider?
Nonsurgical body contouring methods carry minimal risk. Most people do not experience any complications. But if you’d prefer a surgical procedure, you must report to your surgeon if you notice these kinds of infections:
- Bleeding, redness, drainage, and swelling at the sites of incision
- Vomiting or nausea
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Fever
- Intense pain that can’t be cured by medicine
Body contouring aftercare
One good thing about body sculpting is that it is a single-session procedure. So, you won’t have to take leaves and pay multiple visits to your doctor. But once the treatment is done, you must look after yourself for it to last. Body contouring results will not last if you look at it as a replacement for a workout.
So, what should you do after the treatment? Try maintaining a healthy lifestyle to keep weight gain in check. If you put on weight, the existing fat cells in the area will swell within a few months. So, aftercare involves being active and following a balanced diet.
How long should you wait for the results to appear?
The body contouring results you get depends on the type of procedure you choose. Invasive treatments like a tummy tuck or liposuction produce dramatic results. Non-invasive treatments can shift stubborn and small fat pouches. Unlike invasive surgery, the non-invasive procedure does not have any downtime or risks. So, you can even go to work on the same day without any issues.
Wondering when you will see the desired result? It may take 3-6 months for the results to be prominent. So, if you are undergoing body contouring for some special occasion, make sure you have enough time. It is crucial that you start the treatment as soon as possible. For more details, get in touch with a cosmetic surgeon.
How long does body contouring last?
Now it is time to answer the most-asked question: how long does body contouring last?
Body contouring is a permanent treatment. Both non-surgical and surgical body contouring treatments can last for a long time. It can stay intact for a decade or more. But if you put on a lot of weight, fat deposits will again take place in those areas. So, as long as you don’t regain excessive weight, body contouring will last.
Tips to maintain body contouring results
After the completion of the body contouring procedure, you can do several things to stay in perfect shape for years. Follow these simple steps:
Drink sufficient water
Everyone knows that water will keep your body hydrated. But did you know that drinking at least 3 liters of water regularly will keep weight gain in check? That’s because it will keep your stomach full and stop you from overeating. So, have a glass of cold water before each meal.
Sleep well
You have understood how long does body contouring last. But can you do anything to make it last? Sleeping soundly at night is crucial if you’re struggling to shred some pounds. Proper sleep will also help you achieve your daily targets at the gym. So, you must go to bed early and sleep for at least 8 hours.
Exercise
Hitting the gym to burn some calories is a brilliant idea. If you do not like high-intensity workouts, there are several alternatives. Yoga, cycling, swimming, and dancing are some enjoyable activities to become a fitter version of yourself.
Avoid unhealthy fats
Polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats are good fats. Avocados, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds are great sources of healthy fats. Trans fats, on the other hand, have multiple ill effects on your body. If you want the body contouring results to stay longer, avoid the intake of trans fats.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, body contouring eliminates unwanted fat. It is an excellent treatment to shape body parts where exercise or diet aren’t working. For it to be effective in the long run, you have to be mindful of what you eat and remain fit. Now you’ve also learned how long does body contouring last. So, it is for you to decide whether you want to go for it.
FAQs
1. Is body contouring good for your body?
If you expect body contouring to treat obesity, that won’t happen. But if you are concerned about the safety of the procedure, keep your worries at bay. It will neither have health benefits nor impact your body adversely.
2. How long does it take to recover from body contouring?
Complete healing after the procedure may take weeks. So, you have to remain patient and follow the post-surgery guidelines dedicatedly.
3. Is body contour permanent?
In most cases, the results of body contouring are permanent. Now it depends on your lifestyle. So, how long does body contouring last? It will stay for 10 (or more years) if you don’t gain weight drastically.
4. Do you lose weight after body contouring?
It will only remove fat cells from the target regions of your body. It doesn’t affect weight loss/ gain.