In this day and age of Hollywood and social media, it feels like we are bombarded with slim, in shape people. They're everywhere! It’s getting clear that we are unhappier with our bodies now than ever before. It doesn’t need to be this way, though.
Maybe you lived a certain way, adopting a diet and a lifestyle that wasn't conducive to being in shape, but now you're ready to make a change. You want to slim down and shed some body fat - to turn a new leaf. If this is you, we applaud you! Way to go!
Although body contouring is multi-faceted, fat reduction is typically the star of the show. Most of us, if we’re being honest, have fat we want to eliminate. Unfortunately, fat is no longer deemed as “desirable” by most in western culture. Several thousand years ago, fat was considered sexy (we wish we could return to those times), but now it’s something most of us want to get rid of.
Before we begin, please remember: comparison is the thief of joy. As we approach the topic of body contouring, we want to broach this topic tactfully and respectfully. You don’t have to do anything from this blog to be beautiful. But, if you're looking for practical ways to boost your confidence in 2020, here at The Esthetics Center, we have a few options— both surgical and non-invasive.
Until recently, the only option for those looking to medically eliminate fat was liposuction. Liposuction is the single most common cosmetic surgery in the United States, with more than 400,000 procedures done in the U.S. alone. As a plastic surgeon, it allows me to precisely target and remove fat from my patients while simultaneously sculpting their figure into their desired shape. There’s no guessing. No uncertainty. Just guaranteed results. In basic terms, liposuction is a cosmetic surgery procedure in which the fat in a particular area of the body is broken up and then “sucked” from the body. The fat is removed via a cannula, which is a tiny hollow tube attached to a high-pressure vacuum.
CoolSculpting is incredible. It really works. However, CoolSculpting is not a cure for obesity, nor is it a weight-loss method. When fat is resistant to diet & exercise, patients have the option of CoolSculpting, which removes almost any "pinchable" fat on the body. This includes the abdominal area, love handles, bra fat, back fat, thighs, double chin, upper arms, etc. The procedure will reduce your fat layer by 20%-25%, and the COOL part (no pun intended) is that the body does not replace the fat cells removed. When it comes to non-surgical fat reduction, CoolSculpting is the easy answer. It's a slam dunk for our patients as far as efficacy and ease of treatment and recovery.
So you might be asking...which option is right for me?
Liposuction and CoolSculpting are two very different procedures that are designed to reduce unwanted fatty deposits. With both procedures producing the same outcome in the end, how are you to decide which is best for you? Let me break down the differences between the two so that you can make the best decision for you.
Option #1: For patients looking to treat excess fat over a larger area of the body or for patients desiring a more dramatic change in body contour, liposuction may be the more suitable choice. Liposuction is a more aggressive treatment option and allows for more fat to be removed during a single session. However, after your liposuction procedure, you should expect some swelling, soreness, and bruising. Stiffness and soreness may linger for several weeks, but pain medication is always provided that will help to control any discomfort throughout the recovery period. Depending upon how many areas and how extensive the areas are, most liposuction patients are able to return to work within a week.
Option #2: For patients seeking a nonsurgical method to reduce fat in a localized area, CoolSculpting is the best option. There are no needles, no scars, no downtime...just a smoother, leaner you! The procedure itself only takes 1 hour to treat a single area. You may return to work, the gym, or other activities on the same day.
We hope you now have a clearer picture as to how you can get your body to where you want it to be. It’s your year to eliminate unwanted fat and start feeling like the beautiful person that you KNOW you are.
