It may shock you to learn that over 90% of women are unhappy with their bodies. They often resort to dieting and athletic activity to achieve their desired body shape.
For some people, no amount of calorie restriction or cardio sessions will make their goals a reality. This is where the body contouring process comes in. While there are many benefits of body contouring, it’s essential to understand how to attain the ideal outcome.
We’ve written a guide with key details on booking a procedure that can make you more confident in your body. Let’s explore how to get the best body contouring results.
You Have a Healthy Lifestyle
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential to getting the ideal outcome from your body contouring procedure. Unfortunately, many people assume they can schedule surgery and never have to worry about their bodies again. In reality, you can easily undo the outcome if you don’t break poor habits.
This means you’ll need to keep your diet in check and remain physically active. The good news is you don’t have to dedicate your life to fitness to maintain your appearance.
Avoid processed foods and those high and saturated fat/sugar. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day, even if it only involves taking a walk around the neighborhood. Habits like these go a long way toward helping you keep your results for decades to come.
You’re a Good Candidate
Not everyone is a solid candidate for cosmetic surgery. For example, people with underlying health conditions should avoid procedures like these. However, there are plenty of people who can highly benefit from body contouring services.
Booking a consultation with a surgeon will help you understand whether it’s right for you. If they don’t recommend this procedure, this doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. For example, they may ask you to make certain lifestyle changes before reassessing your candidacy at a later date.
This is especially common with patients who are substantially overweight. In general, you should be at or near your goal weight before you move forward with a body contouring surgery.
This will ensure that you can achieve the smooth, toned body you desire. It also helps you avoid potential complications.
You Don’t Want More Children
While not all women gain a substantial amount of weight during pregnancy, there’s always the risk of undoing your surgical results.
It’s possible to schedule additional body contouring after you give birth, but it’s not recommended. Ideally, you won’t plan on having children after getting this type of cosmetic surgery.
Find the Right Doctor
Under no circumstances should you settle for suboptimal candidates when looking for a surgeon. It’s only recommended to move forward with the procedure after you find someone experienced you can trust. Don’t rush your search, even if it takes you months to locate the right doctor.
Understand Your Goals
Some people move forward with cosmetic surgery without having a strong understanding of what they want to achieve. They simply know that they want to look better.
Be honest with yourself about your problem areas and whether cosmetic surgery will probably address them. To clarify, let’s assume you don’t like the way your stomach looks.
However, you’re also notably overweight and store excess fat in other areas. If you perform cosmetic surgery on your stomach, the rest of your body could look strange in comparison. Situations like these are crucial to acknowledge, as they’ll play a large role in the results you achieve.
Preparing for the Procedure
Getting top-tier results requires careful preparation. Contouring surgery imposes a major change on your body, and it can be difficult to accommodate if you don’t take the right steps beforehand. Let’s explore these in detail below.
Avoid Certain Medications
People who take certain medications may need to discontinue them shortly before their surgery. This is most common with pain relievers and blood thinners.
These can increase the likelihood and severity of bruising after the procedure. Ensure that you’re honest with your doctor about all the medication and supplements you currently take.
This is true even if they seem innocuous. For example, supplements like vitamin E and fish oil can interfere with blood clotting, causing dangerous complications.
Stay Out of the Sun
Direct sun exposure can make your surgery more uncomfortable. Experiencing harsh sunburns can also damage your skin and make it difficult to achieve the results you want.
To be safe, do your best to stay indoors during daylight hours during the weeks preceding your surgery. If you have to be outside, wear plenty of sunscreen.
Quit Smoking
Smoking can adversely impact your body’s ability to heal. This can substantially lengthen recovery time and make the surgery less effective.
If you find it difficult to quit smoking entirely, avoid doing so for at least two weeks before your surgery. The longer you abstain from this behavior, the better.
Let Wounds Heal
It’s impractical to perform surgery on an area of your body that isn’t in healthy condition. Cuts, bruises, and rashes can cause major issues.
You’ll need to wait until these concerns are fully resolved before moving forward. In some cases, this might involve delaying your surgery for weeks or months.
Aftercare Steps to Take
Aftercare is just as important as preparation. Neglecting this obligation could undo what would have been an amazing outcome. Follow these steps to ensure everything goes as planned.
Lymphatic Drainage Massages
This procedure is a bit different than a conventional massage. It aims to improve circulation to areas of concern and promote healing.
In contrast, regular massages have a tendency to increase swelling and bruising. Lymphatic drainage massages will direct fluid away from the surgical site toward the body’s lymph nodes. It can also help him minimize pain, which some people struggle with after a body contouring surgery.
Get Plenty of Rest
To heal appropriately, you’ll need to get plenty of rest. It’s not uncommon for people to take time off work after undergoing major cosmetic surgery. Some patients might find it difficult to remain inactive, but it’s essential.
Avoid rigorous physical activity, such as playing sports or heavy lifting. Your total amount of downtime will depend on numerous factors. People who underwent more extensive surgeries will need to wait longer than people who had smaller procedures.
While resting, it’s essential to ensure you consume sufficient nutrients and stay hydrated. This will help you heal faster.
Listen to Your Surgeon
Always listen to your surgeon. This is true even if their statements don’t make sense at first. If you don’t understand a recommendation, ask for clarification.
There’s a reason why they’re telling you to avoid or focus on certain behaviors. Most issues that people experience after surgery could’ve been prevented by listening to their doctor.
Recognize Medical Emergencies
In rare cases, people experience major problems after surgery. You should understand how to recognize medical emergencies so you can seek care as soon as possible. If you have an ongoing fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher after your surgery, seek medical attention.
You should also do so if you notice numbness, cold sensations, or an inability to feel/move your extremities. Fatigue, nausea, and trouble urinating are other potential complications.
One of the most important to understand is the presence of an infection. This is often denoted by unusual swelling, redness, pus, and increased drainage.
If something seems abnormal, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Unresolved complications could both impact your results and your overall health.
Be Patient
Depending on the procedure you get, it can sometimes take a year or more for your body to fully recover. This is an important fact to remember, as it can prevent you from feeling dissatisfied if a few months pass and you haven’t healed as well as you expected.
Try your best not to focus on the surgical sites after your procedure. Live your life as normal and let your body heal. Eventually, everything will fall into place.
Types of Body Contouring
There’s a variety of procedures to choose from when considering body contouring. One of the most popular is liposuction.
This involves removing fat from specific areas of the body, such as the thighs, hips, or stomach. Many people are highly satisfied after liposuction procedures, as it can be difficult to get rid of stubborn fat on your own.
Various types of body contouring can also be used to correct the side effects of major weight loss. Breast lifts, arm lifts, buttock lifts, and tummy tucks are all great ways to do so. The best form of body contouring will depend on your needs.
For instance, you might want to schedule a breast lift and liposuction in multiple areas. Someone else might simply want to schedule an arm lift.
Finding a Surgeon
Finding the right surgeon is by far the most important part of getting the results you desire. Working with someone inexperienced could lead to dissatisfaction and potential health complications. Listed below are some of the most notable attributes to keep an eye out for.
Experience
How experienced are they? It’s recommended to only work with surgeons who have been in the field for over a decade.
They should also specialize in this area of plastic surgery. Put simply, they should have a solid portfolio of amazing results from people in similar situations as yours.
The best way to gain insight into a doctor’s credentials is by visiting their website. Reputable surgeons will proudly display their education and experience.
Enthusiasm
If they don’t seem interested in helping you, this is a red flag you can’t ignore. Doctors with poor enthusiasm are likely to fall short of your goals.
They’re also more likely to make mistakes. The last thing you want is to deal with issues you could’ve avoided.
Most people find it easy to gauge enthusiasm shortly after speaking with a doctor. Surgeons who are genuinely interested will ask questions about your goals, concerns, and needs. Do your best to find doctors like these.
Pricing
You get what you pay for when it comes to plastic surgery. Avoid professionals who offer low-end rates. The only reason they do so is because they lack experience or proficiency.
While it’s not impossible for an inexperienced surgeon to provide great results, you’re taking an unnecessary risk by working with them. Ask them for a detailed breakdown of what you’ll pay.
This will prevent financial surprises from arising. Trustworthy surgeons will have no issue being transparent about their pricing.
If they deflect money-related questions, continue your search elsewhere. Chances are they’re charging more than they should for the level of service they provide.
Are You Comfortable?
Consider how comfortable you are interacting with your potential surgeon. You should also assess how you feel when you tour the clinic. If something doesn’t seem right, don’t hesitate to look at other options.
Surgery is never an easy experience to manage, and you’ll want to go into it with your mind at ease. Find someone who goes out of their way to reassure you that everything will be alright.
Transparency
Don’t work with doctors who refuse to help you understand the process. It’s customary for reliable surgeons to explain the procedure in a way their patients can understand.
This helps address questions and concerns that people have about the surgery. It can also put their mind at ease, as many procedures seem much more intimidating and complicated than they actually are.
Get the Best Body Contouring Results
While getting the best body contouring results might seem difficult at first, it’s simpler than most people anticipate. The tips in this guide will help you bring your vision to life. Just make sure you work with the right professional.
Dr. Deuber has a keen eye for design that he translates through his excellent surgical work. He has no trouble looking at patients and understanding how to take their appearance to the next level. Reach out today to learn more about how he can assess your needs and help you reach your goals.