Men and women choose body contouring for a variety of reasons such as to regain your pre-baby body or eliminate residual pockets of fat after massive weight loss. Diet and exercise are the best ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but your genetics and other factors limit just how much you can achieve through these methods alone. In today’s world, we are more body conscious than ever before, and sometimes our bodies need help reaching that goal weight or hourglass figure, particularly if you struggle with loose, sagging skin. Our board-certified plastic surgeon offers several options to improve your body contour.
If you’re interested in liposuction, a tummy tuck, or another body contouring procedure, please contact Dr. Bogue in Boca Raton today at 561-886-1000 to schedule your plastic surgery consultation.
We serve patients in nearby areas of Florida including Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, and West Palm Beach.
What is Body Contouring?
Body contouring is the general term used to describe the tightening or lifting of multiple parts of the body. This may be the thighs, chest, upper arms, or breasts. For people who have lost significant weight, the excess skin can be a problem in all of these areas. Body contouring surgery performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon such as our Dr. David Bogue removes this excess skin, improving your physique and confidence in how you look.
Some of the cosmetic and restorative body procedures we offer to our Boca Raton patients include:
- Liposuction:Â This is the most popular form of body contouring surgery. Lipo is the surgical removal of unwanted fat from nearly any area of the body from your neck to your ankles. The traditional tumescent liposuction procedure helps isolate fat cells, causing them to swell and firm up, which makes removing the fat through a cannula easier.
- Tummy tuck:Â Dr. Bogue offers several tummy tuck options including the full abdominoplasty, which addresses sagging skin, loose abdominal muscles and excess fat in the upper and lower abdomen, and the mini tummy tuck, which focuses on the lower portion.
- Mommy makeovers:Â This combination procedure often involves breast augmentation or a breast lift along with a tummy tuck and liposuction. Mommy makeovers are customized to suit your individual needs.
- Body lift:Â This technique typically involves making a circumferential excision (removal) of skin reaching from the abdomen around to your back, which improves the appearance of the abdomen, waist, outer thighs, back, and buttocks.
- Inner thigh lift:Â The inner thigh lift can improve sagging skin of the thigh, tighten the thigh, and even improve skin overhanging the knee. The incision is hidden in the groin for conservative lifts or may extend down the inner thigh for larger lifts.
- Breast lift: A mastopexy, or breast lift, elevates and tightens the breasts by removing excess skin, reshaping the breast gland, and repositioning the nipple. Breast lifts are often combined with breast augmentation to increase the size of the breast or to provide fullness in the upper pole.
These procedures are all categorized as body contouring surgeries because they are all aimed at removing excess, hanging skin from various areas of your body.
Body contouring might be right for you if:
- You have a stubborn area of fat which doesn’t seem to go away regardless of diet and exercise.
- Your pregnancy has caused stretch marks, loose skin or a bulge in the stomach.
- You lost a lot of weight, and now the skin seems to hang.
Body contouring is commonly requested by men and women who have undergone bariatric surgery, which tends to result in significant weight loss. Other people seek out body contouring because of skin that has begun to sag as a result of aging. Regardless of the reason, body contouring can have dramatic effects. For some patients, the procedures are staged to maximize safety and improve outcomes.
"Dear Dr. Bogue, thank you for the awesome care during my past two surgeries. I am so grateful!"
"David, thank you so much for everything you have done to help Cindy. I am so grateful for your kindness, skill and support."
Finding Out If Body Contouring Is Right for You
Typically, if you are in good physical health, then you are a good candidate for body contouring to remove excess, hanging skin. The only way to know for sure is to visit Dr. Bogue for an in-person consultation. In addition to performing a physical assessment, Dr. Bogue will discuss with you some of the following factors:
- Current health issues
- Nutritional status
- Weight loss objectives and goals
- Expectations of the procedure
- Planning the procedure, staging, and recovery
Depending on the exact procedure, body contouring can be a longer surgery compared to others. As such, proper medical clearance is essential. These procedures are performed in a hospital setting with general anesthesia. Some procedures are outpatient and allow you to return home the same day. Others require an overnight stay. Dr. Bogue will evaluate the option of combining multiple procedures into a single operation versus staging the procedures over time.
Fulfilling Your Aesthetic Goals for Your Body
Dr. Bogue and our staff are committed to the quality of your experience. Dr. Bogue will be available to you throughout your time with us, to answer your questions and address your concerns. It is important to Dr. Bogue to provide individualized attention to each of his patients; it's one of the many reasons our patients refer their friends to us and praise Dr. Bogue's care.
During your consultation, you will meet Dr. Bogue and discuss your goals and wishes with him. This time is set aside specifically for you so that you can get all of the information you need. Dr. Bogue's will discuss the procedures, recovery, and expected results in detail and answer any questions you may have.
How Can I Prepare for Body Contouring?
Preparing ahead of time for your body contouring procedure can help prevent complications during treatment and ensure a successful recovery. Before committing to your body contouring appointment, we recommend patients do the following:
- Consult with your primary doctor about stopping any medications that may interfere with your procedure.
- Get a lab test.
- Quit smoking at least six weeks before your surgery.
- Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements.
- Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs that may increase bleeding.
- Prepare your home for easy mobility.
- Stick to a balanced and nutritious diet.
- Establish a routine workout plan that can help you maintain a stable weight.
- Arrange transportation plans with a loved one to bring you to and from your procedure.
What Is Recovery from Body Contouring Like?
The recovery process from body contouring can vary from patient to patient. Typically, recovering from body contouring surgery can take anywhere between several weeks to a month, depending on your rate of healing. Common side effects such as soreness, tenderness, swelling, and bruising may occur.
However, these side effects should disappear on their own. Patients can expect to return back to work within four to six weeks.
During your recovery, we recommend doing the following:
- Wear comfortable clothing.
- Avoid drinking alcohol.
- Avoid intense physical activity.
- After periods of rest, engage in light exercise.
- Eat healthy.
- Wear comfortable clothing.
Are There Any Risks with Body Contouring?
Just like any other cosmetic procedure, body contouring can come with several risks that patients should be aware of. Although rare, these risks can include:
- Asymmetry
- Excessive bleeding
- Blood clots
- Anesthesia complications
- Damage to nerves or blood vessels
- Hematoma
- Improper wound healing
- Infection
- Nerve injury
- Scarring
At David Bogue Plastic Surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Bogue prioritizes patient comfort and safety. Under his care, patients undergoing the body contouring procedure can feel confident that their risks for complications will be minimized.
What Are the Benefits of Body Contouring?
As a safe and effective surgery, body contouring can provide many benefits to patients, including:
- Achieving your goal weight
- More defined body parts
- Slimmer figure
- Smoother skin
- A younger appearance
- Symptomatic improvement
- Body symmetry
- The more feminine and masculine figure
- Increase in self-confidence
Is Body Contouring a Replacement for Weight Loss?
No. While body contouring is an effective procedure for achieving a slimmer figure, it should not be considered an alternative for weight loss. This procedure is effective at eliminating stubborn pockets of fat and excess skin that have stopped responding to traditional methods of weight loss, such as exercise and dieting. Before undergoing body-contouring surgery, patients should be as close to a stable weight as possible.
How Long Do the Results of Body Contouring Last?
You will notice immediate results after your body contouring surgery. However, after achieving a successful recovery, it may still take up to two years before you can see the full results of your procedure. While results typically last several years, keeping a stable weight through balanced eating and frequent exercise will help you maintain your results longer.
Schedule Your Body Contouring Consultation in Boca Raton
If you’re interested in one of the types of body contouring mentioned above or have questions regarding plastic surgery, please contact Dr. Bogue in Boca Raton today at 561-886-1000 for your initial consultation. Our plastic surgeon serves patients in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida.
