How Long Does Body Contouring Last?

How long does body contouring last? After significant weight loss and often extensive procedures, patients frequently want to know about the longevity of their body contouring results.

Unfortunately, this can be a difficult subject to address — simply because the nature of body contouring is so individualistic. That is, each body contouring surgical plan is catered to the individual and will inevitably be unique.

What we can discuss is the longevity of most body contouring procedures. And we can also talk about tips and advice on how to maintain your results for as long as possible. But first, let’s take a look at what body contouring is.

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What Is Body Contouring?

Enhancing your physique through body contouring, also known as body sculpting, can effectively target stubborn fat, reshape various body areas, and promote skin tightening. Surgical options include procedures such as tummy tucks, lifts, and liposuction.

Who’s an Ideal Candidate?

Individuals seeking body contouring procedures should be in good overall health and have maintained a healthy stable weight for a minimum of six months. This is crucial since weight fluctuations can potentially compromise the success of the surgical process.

A consultation with Dr. David Sieber is important in determining your suitability for body contouring. Together, you and Dr. Sieber can create a personalized strategy for addressing any excess skin or unwanted body fat. For safety, those with multiple areas of loose skin should not undergo simultaneous skin removal surgeries.

Dr. Sieber will guide you in creating the safest and most effective surgical plan — one that is tailored to your unique physique, lifestyle, and goals. The ultimate goal is to prioritize the areas of concern that are most significant to you and to strategically combine surgeries that are compatible.

As stated above, this truly depends on multiple factors, including:

Your age
How much weight you lost
Your skin elasticity
Your muscle mass to fat ratio
How much loose skin you have
How much excess fat you’d like to get rid of
Your natural body shape and the body shape you want to achieve
Your overall health
Your unique goals for surgery
Your budget

Ultimately, if you choose a qualified, board certified plastic surgeon, create a robust body contouring plan, and, once recovered, maintain a healthy lifestyle and an ideal body weight, your results should be long-lasting.

With that said, it’s also important to remember that the effects of time, gravity, and aging cannot be stopped. As you get older, you will still experience natural skin laxity (loose skin and wrinkles) and, often, a loss of muscle tone and definition.

How Do You Maintain Body Contouring Results?

In order to achieve your body contouring procedure results, it’s important to lead a healthy lifestyle, including eating a balanced diet and exercise.

Overall, here are 4 goals to keep in mind in order to enjoy the benefits of body contouring for as long as possible:

1. Complete your family prior to surgery.

Most plastic surgeons recommend that women be finished having children prior to undergoing a body sculpting treatment. This is generally because pregnancy after surgery may diminish your surgery results — not because a pregnancy would be unsafe.

2. Exercise regularly.

Regular cardio and strength training exercise can help to maintain lasting results after your surgical treatments. Experts recommend getting at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise at least three times per week. Exercise is particularly good for maintaining good muscle tone and keeping the development of excess skin at bay.

3. Eat a healthy diet.

The target fat cells you have removed via liposuction will be permanently gone, but the cells that remain can still grow if you consume an unhealthy diet for a long period of time. Eat a balanced diet full of plenty of protein, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. Avoid or limit alcohol, saturated fats, and sugar-laden foods.

4. Take care of your mental health.

Finally, don’t forget about your mental health after undergoing cosmetic surgery. It’s also important to ensure you reduce your overall life stress and maintain good mental health. Get plenty of sleep, and do not engage in dangerous vices such as smoking, drugs, or excess alcohol use.

FAQ: Body Contouring Longevity

Is body contouring long term if you’re a weight loss patient?

It can be. It depends mostly on what body sculpting treatments you undergo and how well you maintain your results.

If you undergo a body lift, tummy tuck, and/or liposuction to reduce loose skin and stubborn fat pockets, you’ll need to lead a healthy lifestyle and stay at a stable body weight to maintain your results.

How often should you do body contouring?

For most patients who would benefit from a body contouring procedure, your plastic surgeon will develop a surgical plan for your unique needs and goals. If you decide to move forward with this plan, depending on your situation, you may require one or more surgeries (with each surgery including one or more individual procedures) in order to achieve your results.

At this point, some patients may wish to have additional body sculpting treatments performed in the future. But the initial goal should be to address most or all of your issues with one robust plan.

How long does non surgical body contouring last?

This depends on the non surgical body contouring treatment being used. There are numerous non invasive body contouring treatments available, from CoolSculpting to Kybella, and all will have different prospective outcomes when it comes to longevity. Speak with your surgeon to learn more about maintaining your results.

How long does laser body contouring last?

Most laser body contouring treatments can achieve lasting results as long as you maintain a healthy body weight. Extreme weight fluctuations can cause the tightening and slimming effects of these treatments to disappear.

Call Today to Set Up Your Consultation

Are you ready to take your weight loss journey to the next level with body contouring? Surgical body contouring procedures can change the entire way your body looks and feels. Body contouring after weight loss can help you keep moving toward your ultimate goal of confidence and self-assurance, building on all of the hard work you’ve put in to lose weight and get fit.

Feel proud of the body you’re in. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with double board certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Sieber. Dr. Sieber has helped thousands of patients in the San Francisco Bay Area achieve their aesthetic goals with body contouring. Call today to set up your appointment.

References

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/what-to-expect-after-liposuction/