Despite everything we do to exercise and eat a balanced diet, many of us remain dissatisfied with our appearance due to stubborn pockets of fat on our bodies. There are two types of procedures that can help address patients’ goals in this area: liposuction and body contouring.

What Is Liposuction?

Liposuction is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures in America, and that includes our Louisville clinic. Board-certified cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jerry O’Daniel applies his expert touch to every procedure.

Most commonly, liposuction is used to remove exercise-resistant fat deposits around the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, upper arms, chin, cheeks and neck. During liposuction, Dr. O’Daniel inserts a small, hollow tube under the skin through a small incision, then vacuums out the fat using a powerful, high-pressure vacuum.

Liposuction is not an overall weight-loss method or a treatment for obesity; rather, it is a purely cosmetic procedure. Patients who choose to undergo liposuction generally have a stable body weight, but would like to remove undesirable deposits of body fat to enhance the contours of specific parts of their body.

The goal of liposuction is to reduce the number of fat cells in isolated areas, permanently altering the shape of your body. Patients who maintain their weight can usually expect permanent results. However, if you gain weight after the operation, there is a risk that the remaining fat cells will increase, both in size and in volume.

The Key Benefits of Liposuction

1. One treatment may be all you need to reshape problem areas
2. May be performed with either local or general anesthesia
3. More consistent and predictable results than noninvasive treatments

Who Is a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

The best liposuction candidates are:

1. People who struggle with excess fat deposits that have failed to respond appropriately to diet and exercise
2. Adults within 30 percent of their ideal weight who have firm, elastic skin and good muscle tone
3. Healthy individuals who do not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing
4. Nonsmokers
5. Individuals with a positive outlook and specific goals in mind for body contouring

If you are considering a liposuction treatment for one or more problem areas on your body, schedule a consultation to talk with Dr. O’Daniel about your goals, expectations and the desired outcome of your procedure. We want you to have a thorough understanding of all the aspects of the procedure, as well as what you can expect after your liposuction.

What Is Body Contouring?

Following any major weight loss, either due to a surgical solution or after following a diet and exercise regimen, people’s skin and tissues often lack the elasticity to snap back to a smaller body size.

After a dramatic weight loss, many patients opt to have surgical body contouring to improve the shape and tone of the underlying tissue, and simultaneously remove excess fat and skin from the body.

 

What Body Contouring Procedures Are Available?

Depending on your specific goals for your ultimate surgical outcome, body contouring procedures may include a combination of the following:

1. Tummy tuck: removes excess skin in the abdominal area
2. Lower body lift: addresses sagging flesh on the belly, buttocks and thighs
3. Facelift: removes loose skin in the mid-face, jowls and neck
4. Breast lift: helps improve the shape and firmness of the breasts
5. Arm lift: restores contours and firms up the upper arms
6. Liposuction: permanently removes fat cells from the body

The Key Benefits of Body Contouring

• • A more attractive figure: Substantial weight loss, especially in a short amount of time, often leaves loose skin behind. While you may have achieved your weight-loss goals, you may be frustrated by flaps of skin that hide your slimmer figure. Body contouring procedures such as tummy tuck and arm lift remove excess, drooping skin. The result of body contouring fully reveals your improved physique.

 

• • Physical relief: Patients who have lost a large amount of weight often experience discomfort as a result of large flaps of overhanging skin. Excess skin can rub against other parts of the body, causing chafing or irritation and making even the simplest daily activities uncomfortable. Body contouring procedures remove this skin and help relieve the discomfort. Following body contouring, many of our patients say they are more content with their appearance, and feel motivated to stay active and maintain their slimmer, more attractive physique.

 

• Improved self-confidence: The outcome of weight loss should always make you feel positive about yourself, but many massive weight loss patients often experience self-consciousness about their appearance. Folds of sagging skin can be embarrassing and make people feel ashamed to wear revealing or form-fitting clothes. Many of our body contouring patients experience heightened self-confidence and feel like they can proudly show off their post-weight-loss bodies.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Body Contouring Procedures?

Anyone who has lost a large amount of weight may be a good candidate for one or more body contouring procedures.

The best candidates for body contouring are:

1. Adults who have lost 100 pounds or more
2. Patients with flabby skin in multiple areas of their bodies
3. People who have achieved a stable body weight
4. Healthy individuals without circulatory problems or other medical conditions that may increase the risk involved in surgery
5. Nonsmokers
6. Patients with a positive attitude and realistic goals for their post-surgery appearance
7. People who commit to maintaining their results by working out and eating a balanced diet

To prepare for your body contouring procedure(s), we may ask you to:

1. Get your bariatric surgeon or primary care doctor to approve you to have surgery
2. Get a lab screening
3. Begin taking certain medications
4. Stop smoking
5. Avoid taking any medications that may increase the risk of bleeding, including aspirin, anti-inflammatories and herbal supplements

If you would like to complete your weight-loss journey through body contouring surgery, contact our Louisville office today to book an appointment and discuss all your objectives and desired outcomes with Dr. O’Daniel.