If you’re exploring body contouring, you’ve likely encountered a wide range of options, including both surgical and non-invasive solutions. But determining which treatments suit your needs can feel like an overwhelming challenge that requires guidance from a medical professional.
Fortunately, the triple board-certified surgeons at Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates can help you evaluate your options and create a body you feel confident in. With treatments ranging from Emsculpt NEO to liposuction near Fruit Cove, the contours of your dreams have never been more attainable.
Continue reading to learn more about your body contouring options and what you can expect from the treatment process. Ready to discover which treatments suit your aesthetic needs? Visit our website, give us a call, or schedule a consultation to get started.
What is body contouring?
Body contouring refers to any treatment that sculpts stronger curves. These treatments enhance your natural shape through various techniques and technologies, including methods that eliminate unwanted fat, strengthen targeted muscle groups, and tighten loose skin.
Ideal candidates for body contouring include postpartum mothers, weight loss patients, and those who want to target stubborn “problem areas.” At Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates, we offer both surgical and non-surgical sculpting treatments to help patients improve their figures.
Surgical Body Contouring
Surgical body contouring best suits patients who want to create more dramatic and noticeable contours. Though these procedures often involve longer recovery times, surgical body contouring helps patients achieve curves that last for years to come.
Some of our most effective surgical body contouring procedures include tummy tucks, body lifts, and liposuction near Fruit Cove.
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen to help patients create a smoother, sculpted stomach. Also referred to as an abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck tightens the core muscles for a toned appearance.
There are many tummy tuck variations, each involving customized techniques to help you achieve your aesthetic goals. We frequently perform the following tummy tuck procedures at Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates:
- Full tummy tuck – The most common tummy tuck variation. Targets excess skin and fat in both the upper and lower abdomen.
- Mini tummy tuck – A less invasive tummy tuck best suited for patients with minimal skin laxity and unwanted fat. Involves smaller incisions and less recovery.
- Extended tummy tuck – Best for patients with excessive skin laxity in the abdomen and love handles. Uses longer incisions that contour the waist and hips.
Procedure Process
During a tummy tuck procedure, your surgeon first administers general anesthesia. This medication blocks pain and puts you in a sleep-like state.
Then, they make an incision across your lower abdomen according to your personalized procedure plan. The incision allows them to remove most of the skin and fat between the belly button and pubic hair. Your surgeon also tightens fascia, or connective tissues, to slim the waistline.
From there, your surgeon adjusts the position of your belly button, inserts drainage tubes, and closes your incisions. Most tummy tucks take 1 to 4 hours to complete, but this timeline may vary depending on your chosen variation.
Body Lift
Body lifts use a variety of procedure techniques to contour the body’s underlying tissues and create a more desirable shape. Your surgeon can customize your procedure to your specific aesthetic goals, ensuring your concerns are heard and addressed.
Targeting everything from excess fat to loose skin, we can include the following procedures in your body lift plan:
- Tummy tuck to target the upper and lower abdomen
- Liposuction to remove unwanted fat
- Butt lift to tighten the tissues around the buttocks
- Excess skin removal to give your body a new shape
- Thigh lift to create contoured, toned legs
- Arm lift to trim away skin laxity around the upper arms
- Breast lift and augmentation to shape perkier breasts
Procedure Process
Body lifts vary from patient to patient. Every patient who walks through our doors has unique aesthetic goals, so no two body lift procedures look the same.
You and your surgeon outline your body lift plan during your initial consultation. During this appointment, your surgeon listens carefully as you describe the areas you want to contour and how you want to look after surgery. They also ask about your medical history to ensure you are a good candidate for the procedure.
Most body lift procedures take approximately 3 hours to complete, but this time estimate varies greatly depending on your individualized treatment plan.
Liposuction
Liposuction near Fruit Cove uses a cannula and vacuum suction to target unwanted fat deposits. Also known as “lipo” or a “lipoplasty,” liposuction permanently removes fat cells to create stronger body contours. Patients often use liposuction to eliminate fat from the following areas:
- Abdomen
- Buttocks
- Thighs
- Arms
- Face
- Neck
- Hips
Our experts primarily recommend liposuction to patients with areas of fat that resist traditional weight loss methods. Though liposuction cannot serve as a substitute for healthy lifestyle habits, it can help patients within a few pounds of their weight loss goals.
After liposuction, the skin typically molds itself to the treated areas if you have good skin elasticity. If your skin appears loose or saggy after liposuction near Fruit Cove, your surgeon may recommend pairing your procedure with Renuvion skin tightening. This treatment uses J-Plasma technology to tighten the skin’s fibro-septal network, creating a firmer appearance and smoothing skin texture.
Procedure Process
To begin your liposuction procedure, your surgeon first administers general anesthesia or IV sedation. You determine which anesthetic best suits your health needs during your initial consultation.
Next, your surgeon makes a series of incisions in your treatment area. This allows them to insert a thin tube, or cannula, underneath the skin to break up portions of unwanted fat. Your surgeon may use one of the following liposuction techniques during your procedure:
- VASER – Uses a liposuction cannula with grooves to break up and remove fat cells from the body.
- Power-assisted – Moves the cannula back and forth for precise fat removal.
From there, your surgeon uses vacuum suction to remove the liquified fat. To finish, they close your incisions, apply bandages, and place compression garments on your treatment area. These garments help reduce swelling to streamline your healing process.
Non-Surgical Body Contouring
As opposed to surgical procedures, non-invasive body contouring treatments best suit patients who want to sculpt their body gradually over time. Our experts primarily recommend non-surgical sculpting treatments to patients who want to avoid incisions or feel anxious about anesthesia.
Many of our patients also pair non-invasive body contouring treatments with procedures like Renuvion and liposuction near Fruit Cove for enhanced results. Your surgeon can help you determine which treatment combinations can create your desired look.
Among other treatments, Emsculpt NEO and RF microneedling can refine your figure using advanced techniques.
Emsculpt NEO
Emsculpt NEO combines multiple treatment technologies to tone your muscles and reduce fat.
First, Emsculpt NEO uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) energy to trigger intense muscle contractions. This energy stimulates as many as 20,000 contractions in one 30-minute treatment session—much more than what’s possible during any regular gym workout.
At the same time, Emsculpt NEO emits radiofrequency (RF) energy to prepare the muscles for contraction. This RF energy also melts areas of unwanted fat, which the body later flushes out through the lymphatic system.
We recommend using Emsculpt NEO to tone and strengthen the following areas:
- Abdomen
- Buttocks
- Arms
- Thighs
- Calves
Much like liposuction near Fruit Cove, patients should not use Emsculpt NEO as a substitute for weight loss habits. We recommend being as close to your goal weight as possible before treatment.
Treatment Process
To kick off each session, your provider first places the Emsculpt NEO applicator paddles on your desired treatment area. Once they tune the device to an optimal frequency, you should feel mild muscle contractions. Most patients describe these sensations as similar to a warming massage.
Emsculpt NEO treatments take 30 minutes to complete. Our experts typically recommend patients undergo a series of 4 or more treatments to achieve optimal muscle toning and fat reduction.
RF Microneedling
RF microneedling treats more than just skin tone and texture issues on the face—it can also help patients eliminate skin laxity all throughout the body.
Pairing traditional microneedling with radiofrequency energy, our Morpheus8 device penetrates the dermis, or middle layer of skin, to create microwounds that boost collagen production. As the body’s primary protein building block, collagen provides the skin with structure and support. Increasing collagen helps tighten the skin, creating a firmer, more youthful appearance.
Aside from body contouring, Morpheus8 can also address:
- Wrinkles
- Uneven skin tone
- Fine lines
- Scarring
- Prominent blood vessels
Treatment Process
First, your provider cleanses your treatment area and applies a topical anesthetic. They then precisely stamp the Morpheus8 handpiece across your desired treatment areas, minimizing skin laxity and increasing collagen production as they go. Some patients report experiencing mild discomfort, but the numbing cream should reduce pain throughout your treatment.
We recommend patients undergo a minimum of 3 treatment sessions to tighten skin laxity and create smoother contours. Most treatments last anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.
Create Your Body Contouring Plan
Whether you choose non-surgical body contouring treatments like Morpheus8 or prefer surgical solutions like liposuction near Fruit Cove, our surgeons are here to support you every step of the way. You deserve to feel confident in your own skin, and with personalized procedures at Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates, the possibilities are endless.
Visit our website or give us a call to schedule your consultation.
Want to learn about liposuction as a form of lipedema surgery? Looking for expert advice on losing extra skin after weight loss? Head over to our blog for more information.
