Sculpting the body, also known as body contouring, is a medical or surgical procedure that reshapes the body. Extra skin may be removed, the area may be reshaped or contoured, and/or excess fat may be eliminated.

Weight loss is not usually achieved through body contouring. Rather, it helps shape the body and remove excess skin in areas where weight loss is not effective.

To feel and look thinner, or to attain a particular shape, people choose to have body sculpting. When diet and exercise don’t seem to be working, it’s often used on affected areas. Extra skin can also be removed surgically to make the skin look smoother and younger. People with excess skin after significant weight loss may benefit from such procedures. Additionally, it can improve loose, saggy, or wrinkled skin caused by natural aging.

Heat, cold, or injectables are used to eliminate fatty tissue during body sculpting – also called body contouring. Body sculpting can be performed in a variety of ways. Cryolipolysis, laser treatment, and red-light therapy are the most popular forms. It is important to understand the pros and cons of each of these methods.

Using extreme cold, cryolipolysis reduces fat pockets by breaking down fat cells. Your surgeon places a cupped or paneled device on top of your skin around the treatment area. As a result, the fat cells are frozen and destroyed by the device. As muscle, skin, and nerve tissue cells freeze at lower temperatures than fat cells, they are unharmed.

As a result of laser treatment, the targeted fatty tissue is heated to the point where fat cells begin to break down. Meanwhile, a cooling mechanism protects your skin.

A new technology cleared by the FDA for non-surgical fat reduction is red-light therapy. A specific wavelength of light is sent through the skin using a specialized lamp. By being triggered by the light, fat cells release some of their contents through small openings. Consequently, fat cells shrink, causing the desired fat loss. There are a number of treatments that use red light therapy, including UltraSlim. There are several advantages to this method, including the release of excess fat as waste.

Depending on the specific procedure what happens prior to body contouring will vary. It is important that patients closely follow instructions on how to prepare and steps to take following the procedure to promote healing. Some typical instructions patients may receive include drinking two liters of water the day prior to treatment, avoiding alcohol and caffeine the day prior to treatment, and not eating for two hours before treatment. Lotion should be removed from the skin prior to treatment and body hair in the area of treatment should be shaved.

Body sculpting procedures take anywhere between 25 minutes to an hour and don’t require anesthesia or downtime. Depending on the procedure patients may plan on two to four sessions overall. It can take approximately 12 to 16 weeks for the body to process and dispose of fat which will produce the full results of the treatment. Pain from the treatment will be minimal or nonexistent. Any redness, bruising, swelling, or tenderness, will not last longer than a couple of days.

Depending on the extent of the surgery and the size of the incision, recovery can take weeks to months. The recovery time for nonsurgical options is much shorter. Body contouring specialists are available at Sòlas Rejuvenation + Wellness Med Spa. We serve clients from Coronado CA, Golden Hills CA, San Diego CA, Poway CA, Rancho Bernardo CA, Logan Heights CA, Little Italy CA, and Lincoln Park CA.