Have you recently lost a significant amount of weight and now find yourself feeling frustrated by the excess skin that remains? Do you miss the toned tummy you had before pregnancy? Have age and gravity caused your upper arms to look more like “bat wings”? If your answer to any of these questions was yes, you may be a good candidate for body contouring. A plethora of surgical and nonsurgical procedures can be performed to lift, tuck, tighten, and sculpt the body while creating desired contours that enhance one’s silhouette. The board-certified plastic surgeons at The Peer Group in Florham Park, NJ, have highlighted several of the most popular body-contouring procedures performed at their practice.
Liposuction
One of the top cosmetic surgery procedures in the world, liposuction is extremely effective for removing pockets of fat, especially those that prove impervious to the efforts of diet and exercise. Even those who are at their ideal weight can use it to help banish areas of stubborn fat on the stomach, thighs, hips, back, and even the face. Surgeons make small incisions through which a narrow tube called a cannula is inserted to manually break up and suction out fat cells while simultaneously creating a more toned and youthful appearance. Meanwhile, fat cells that are extracted can be purified and injected into areas, including the breasts and buttocks, where volume may be needed to create a fuller, more curvaceous figure. The versatility of liposuction is one of the reasons it has become a favorite body contouring treatment among New Jersey area patients and physicians alike.
Tummy tuck
Tummy tuck surgery is another popular body contouring treatment. Several styles of tummy tucks are available. Each is performed differently to achieve the shared goal of making the midsection appear more trim. During a traditional tummy tuck, the board-certified plastic surgeons at The Peer Group in Florham Park, NJ, create an incision on the lower abdomen and excess skin is removed. Underlying muscles are tightened and liposuction may be employed to remove pockets of fat, both of which work to give the stomach a flatter, firmer look and feel. The belly button may also be repositioned to look more aesthetically pleasing before the remaining skin is pulled tightly over the stomach and the incision is closed. This surgery often is included as part of wildly popular Mommy Makeovers, a collection of procedures designed for women in New Jersey to help restore features impacted by pregnancy and childbirth. An extended tummy tuck, on the other hand, typically is best suited for those who have lost a large amount of weight through diet and exercise or weight-loss surgery and now struggle with excess amounts of sagging fat on the abdomen. The results of an extended tummy tuck can be dramatic, altering a patient’s overall body size and shape.
Breast and other lifts
When the breasts sag due to age, weight loss, or the effects of breastfeeding, a breast lift can be helpful to reposition them on the chest wall. Incisions are made on the breast to remove excess skin, and implants may be placed to enhance their size and shape. Other areas of the body can also benefit from undergoing similar lift procedures, including the thighs, upper arms, face, and buttocks. During a lower body lift, excess skin is removed from the abdomen, outer thighs, hips, and buttocks, oftentimes during a single surgery. This procedure offers the added benefit of smoothing the skin’s surface and improving the dimpled appearance of cellulite.
CoolSculpting
This nonsurgical procedure requires little or no downtime following treatment to remove persistent, targeted fat. It is approved by the FDA for use by the board-certified plastic surgeons at The Peer Group on areas including the back, thighs, upper arms, and abdomen. CoolSculpting involves a process called cryolipolysis, during which specialized equipment crystallizes (or freeze) subcutaneous fat cells, which then go on to die. The body processes the cells naturally over time and eliminates them. A short, deep-tissue massage is performed following each CoolSculpting treatment to help move the fat that has been released by the tissues, as well as boost its drainage from the lymphatic system. Several areas may be able to undergo treatment on the same day. New Jersey patients may begin to notice a more toned, contoured appearance in treated areas within several weeks. Once removed, fat cells cannot return to the body, making it possible to achieve long-lasting results with CoolSculpting.
Ultherapy
This innovative treatment uses ultrasound technology to improve the appearance of sagging skin, lines, and wrinkles and provide results similar to those achieved through traditional facelift procedures minus the surgery and extended downtime. This makes it ideal for those who wish to restore a youthful appearance to their skin but who are unable to undergo – or simply would rather avoid – invasive surgery. Cleared by the FDA, Ultherapy employs carefully calibrated levels of ultrasound energy that is deposited deeply into targeted areas of tissue at precise temperatures to stimulate the production of collagen over the course of several months. Most patients of The Peer Group in Florham Park, NJ, require only one Ultherapy treatment, which typically takes an hour or so to complete and requires no recovery period. Its long-lasting results may include visibly smoother skin and a slimmer-looking face overall.
SculpSure
With the help of laser energy, FDA-cleared SculpSure is able to remove targeted, pesky fat cells from areas including the inner and outer thighs, back, abdomen, and below the chin to create defined contours with minimal discomfort and zero downtime. Treatments take about 25 minutes to perform, during which light-based technology heats and destroys fat cells. All the while, patients are kept cool and comfortable, and most usually are able to return to work or other regular activities immediately following the procedure. Over the course of several weeks to a few months, damaged fat cells are naturally removed by the body’s lymphatic system. The long-lasting results may include a noticeably slimmer appearance in areas treated with SculpSure.
As you can see, numerous body contouring options exist for New Jersey area men and women. Some require surgery and a lengthy recovery period, while others have patients up and moving around within a few moments of their procedure. You are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the board-certified plastic surgeons at The Peer Group in Florham Park, NJ, to discuss how which of these exciting procedures may help you achieve the more-toned, shapely results that you desire.