Did you know that more than 1.9 billion people worldwide are overweight? Some people might try dieting and exercising to get rid of some stubborn spots of fat but to no avail. This is especially true for stomach fat and fat on the hips and legs.
If this sounds like you, body contouring might be the solution. What is body sculpting or contouring, you might ask? It all has to do with removing fat from your body in one way or another.
There are two options when it comes to this procedure: surgical body sculpting procedures and non-surgical body sculpting procedures. It will depend on what you want from the results when it comes to making a choice. Keep reading and learn more about your different options for body contouring.
Liposuction
Liposuction is a type of surgical body sculpting but it is not as invasive as some other types of surgical options such as a tummy tuck. This is because liposuction only involves opening up small holes or ports in your body to remove fat. This is in contrast to a tummy tuck or similar procedures which involve making a large incision across the body.
Liposuction is unique because it uses a special tool known as a cannula to remove fat from your body. This cannula is a long tube that functions much like a vacuum. For the procedure, your doctor will first render you unconscious with general anesthesia.
Then, the doctor will create small incisions around the treatment area. The most popular places to get liposuction done in the lower abdomen, the hips, buttocks, and thighs. These are all places where people tend to hold onto excess fat and often have a hard time losing it with typical exercise and dieting.
Once the incisions are created, the doctor will insert the cannula into the body. Fat typically lays on top of the muscle, so it is relatively simple to run the cannula through this layer of fat without interfering with your muscles, nerves, or important organs. Once the cannula starts working, it will suck out any excess fat in the area and deposit it into a chamber.
What You Need to Know
Depending on how much fat you want to be removed, the length of the treatment session can vary. Usually, it takes around an hour or so. Liposuction does a very good job at evening out the body and smoothing out any lumps and bumps.
After the procedure is over, your body will be wrapped up with bandages to protect the ports while they heal. The healing process usually takes a few weeks. After you take the bandages off to change them, you will notice a big improvement in your body.
Any flabby areas will be much smoother and you should be able to see your muscle tone much better than before. Keep in mind, however, that liposuction is no substitute for exercise or a healthy diet. You need both of these factors in your life if you want to get the results you’re looking for.
Cryolipolysis
Cryolipolysis is the process of destroying fat cells with cold temperatures – CoolSculpting is an example of this procedure. By applying extreme cold to a certain fatty area, the fat cells will start to break down as a result. What happens to the dead fat cells, you might ask?
Fortunately, these dead fat cells don’t cause any problems and they simply absorb into your body where your body will then dispose of them. The great thing about cryolipolysis is that there are many many side effects to speak of. This is not to mention that this procedure is non-surgical.
So, you don’t have to wait for any incisions to heal and you won’t have to deal with fussy bandages that need to be changed every so often. Cryolipolysis also doesn’t hurt.
You may find the cold uncomfortable, but it won’t be anything like recovering from surgery.
You can get this procedure at many health spa locations. The process is quite simple. Your cryolipolysis provider will use a special tool on you to apply the cold. The tool does this with a bit of vacuum suction to pull the skin above the fatty area up against the tool.
Then, the tool lowers the temperature in the area which will numb the area and start to destroy the fat cells. Again, this process should not hurt but you will feel a cool sensation in the area. The length of the procedure will vary according to the size of the treatment area.
The Details of Cryolipolysis
Usually, the process takes around 60 minutes to complete, but in some cases, it may be as fast as 30 minutes. The most common side effects involve redness, itchiness, and a slight stinging in the treated area. All of these are normal and they go away on their own within a few days after treatment.
It will take some time before you will be able to admire the results of your cryolipolysis. This is because it takes several months for the body to dispose of the treated fat cells. You will likely need to get several cryolipolysis sessions before you see the results you want.
Whatever the case, you will start to see impressive results after a few months. You will notice that the treatment area is much smoother and more toned than it was before. In a way, the results are somewhat similar to those of liposuction, but the results of cryolipolysis take much longer to appear.
Keep in mind that cryolipolisis is not for everyone. For example, if you are not already at your target weight, don’t expect cryolipolysis to help you lose a few extra pounds. This procedure is only for smoothing out and removing small amounts of fat from certain areas.
It is best to be already in good shape before going through with this procedure if you want the best results.
Radiofrequency Lipolysis
Radiofrequency lipolysis may sound exotic but it is actually one of the most popular types of body sculpting available. For example, truSculpt uses this kind of body sculpting technology. Radiofrequency lipolysis focuses on the use of high-frequency ultrasound waves aimed at areas of stubborn fat.
Once the waves hit the fat, the waves heat up the fat and destroy it. When you go in for this procedure, you don’t need to be rendered unconscious with anesthesia and you don’t need any painkillers because this procedure is completely painless. It does not involve the use of any surgical incisions either, so there is no lengthy healing process to go through.
When getting the procedure, you likely won’t feel anything when your body sculpting provider aims the ultrasound waves at your body. Some people feel a slight warming sensation once the ultrasound waves start to heat up the fat cells, but some people don’t feel much of anything at all.
This kind of body sculpting is designed to only target fat cells. So, you won’t have to worry about your muscles or any other part of your body being negatively affected. Radiofrequency lipolysis is actually somewhat similar to cryolipolisis except that it uses heat to destroy fat cells instead of extreme cold.
The Process
Once the heat destroys the fat cells, it will take some time for the body to dispose of them. So, after the procedure, don’t be too surprised if you don’t see any dramatic results right away. Even though the fat cells are dead, they will still stick around in the treated area until the body starts to dissolve them and dispose of them.
As with cryolipolysis, radiofrequency lipolysis usually doesn’t produce any significant side effects. You might feel some tingling in the treated area and the area may be red for a day or so, but these side effects should soon go away on their own.
After a few months, your body will be working hard to remove whatever dead fat cells remain in the area. By that time, you will start to notice that the treated area is becoming more toned and smooth. Again, this type of body sculpting is not a weight-loss treatment.
It is simply a way to smooth out small amounts of excess fat in the body.
What You Need to Know About Body Contouring
Body contouring is a great way to get rid of stubborn fat from various parts of your body. Liposuction, cryolipolysis, and radiofrequency lipolysis are all common ways to destroy or remove fat from the body to get a smoother and more toned result. Whatever option you choose, you will find that once you start to see your results, your body will look better than ever.
To learn more, check out the other blogs on our website.
