Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Articles

Body contouring is a term that’s been steadily gaining attention as major weight-loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, becomes more prominent in our society. And that’s because the two commonly go hand-in-hand.

There were 228,000 bariatric procedures were performed in the United States in 2017—and most of them were done right here in the Northeast. And yet that amount only accounts for one percent of the eligible population.

In other words, we may be standing at the very beginning of what’s likely to become a pretty significant trend over the years ahead.

Weight-loss surgery assumes several different forms. Body contouring can, too. It refers to the surgery to remove excess skin and fat following a major weight-loss surgery, improving the tone of the underlying tissue in the process. It can be done on your lower body (tummy tuck, lower body lift), upper body (breast lift, back lift), and extremities (arms, thighs, and buttocks).

And, depending on the extent of your weight loss, it may entail several procedures. Which is why the decision to have this surgery is often a deeply personal one. While there are lots of benefits (more on those in a moment), it’s a process that can require months of commitment.

It’s not the daunting obstacle it may seem at first glance, though. After all, a new you is waiting for you on the other side.

Beyond aesthetics

There are more immediate rewards, too. As you shed your excess skin, you’ll lose even more weight. And while it’ll take some time to heal, you’ll start gaining confidence in your appearance right after the surgery.

But this isn’t purely about aesthetics. Excess skin will encumber your daily life in any number of ways, from the basic stuff, such as walking, to the things that should be entirely pleasurable, like sex. So, body contouring should really be seen as a means to improve your quality of life.

Enduring results

The results of body contouring are generally long-lasting as long as you stick to a balanced diet and a challenging exercise regimen. That’s what the textbooks say. It’s not inaccurate, but it only tells part of the story. Recent research has indicated that body contouring often becomes a springboard.

Here’s an example: In a study that compared the progress of those who had weight-loss surgery and body contouring with those who only had weight-loss surgery, the weight-loss surgery and body contouring patients lost more weight and had a lower body mass index five years later.

In another study, patients who had body contouring had a better body image six and 12 months after their procedures.

So, for all the anxiety that may precede it, body contouring frequently proves to be the right choice.

It’s bathing suit and sleeveless top season—which may not be welcome news if you’re particularly sensitive about your upper arms.

Rest assured, you’re hardly alone. Sagging upper arms can occur not just as a result of having lost some weight but also simply from aging and heredity. So it’s a concern that plagues millions of women.

More positively, there’s a pretty straightforward solution for it. It’s a cosmetic procedure known as brachioplasty, or an arm lift. An arm lift is a surgical procedure that:

• Reduces the excess skin from the underarm between the elbow and the armpit
• Tightens and smoothes the supportive tissue that defines the upper arm
• Reduces localized pockets of fat in the upper arm

So, what’s the procedure like?

Once you’re sedated with a general anesthesia, the plastic surgeon will remove an elliptical segment of skin from the inner backside of your arm. Depending on the extent of the excess skin, the surgeon may also take some from the very top of the arm, into the armpit.

In the process, some of the fat is also removed either surgically, with the aid of liposuction, or through a combination of both. Liposuction alone may seem like the preferred treatment for sagging upper arms because there’s no scarring, but liposuction doesn’t address the excess skin.

From there, the muscles are tightened and the incision is sutured. In all, an arm lift generally takes two to three hours.

And, how long do the results last?

The results of an arm lift are permanent—and dramatic. Most describe a significant improvement in their upper-body appearance as a result of the surgery.

The smoother, tighter contours should be apparent almost immediately after the procedure, even with some initial swelling and bruising. (A compression garment will help control the swelling.) And the scar will fade with time.

You should be able to resume most of your normal activities within just a few days. And you could likely go back to more strenuous activities within three to four weeks, which is important because your upper arms will maintain those sinewy contours for years to come as long as you stick to a nutritious diet and a challenging exercise regimen.

Aging may eventually diminish a bit of the firmness, but you’ll still be much better off than you were before the procedure.