Click on the following links for excerpts from the book "Beauty in Balance"
CHAPTER 7 - RECONTOURING YOUR BODY
The emphasis that modern society has placed on physical attractiveness and a lean, youthful body is largely responsible for the increased demand we have seen for procedures to trim excess fat and get rid of unsightly bulges. Genetics, life-style, disease and diet all influence body shape and appearance and explain the diverse body configurations we see around us. In addition to these factors, pregnancy, weight fluctuations and changes associated with aging have affects on body shape, skin tone and skin elasticity. This chapter will cover the methods of modifying your body shape by removing unwanted fat, tightening loose skin or both.
Liposuction and tummy tucks are not meant to be substitutes for weight loss. In general, you do not lose a significant amount of weight as a direct result of body contouring surgery. Actually, it is unusual to remove more than 5 pounds of loose skin from the abdomen or thighs during tummy tucks or thigh lifts and the fat removed during even a large volume liposuction procedure never weighs more than a few pounds. You do get some indirect weight loss from these procedures though, as visible contour improvements can be a strong motivational factor for you to stick to a diet and exercise regularly.
It not usual to quote people the number of dress or pants sizes that will be lost with a given procedure, but rest assured that body contouring procedures will trim inches from your hips, abdomen, and thighs, which translates into clothing fitting better, looking better and to you feeling more comfortable.
Results after body contouring surgery are always better when you are closest to your ideal body weight and it is a good idea for your weight to be stable for several months before surgery. If you are planning to lose a significant amount of weight later, you should also discuss this plan with your doctor since losing a substantial amount of weight after body lifts, tummy tucks, and thigh lifts may negate the tightened and lifted appearance that was achieved by surgery. In general, it is also best if you can get rid of as much extra fat as possible with diet and exercise before undergoing liposuction as it makes contouring easier.
Removing the Fat
Liposuction is the most common cosmetic surgical procedure performed in the United States today and works best for getting rid of localized fat deposits and unsightly bulges from many different areas of the body to improve shape and contour. Liposuction has come a long way since its introduction in the mid 1970’s and modern techniques have made it safer and simpler for both surgeons and patients.
Fat cells play numerous roles in metabolism. Fat cells serve as a storage depot and an energy source, and they interact with insulin and participate in hormone synthesis. Adult fat cells are thought to be incapable of multiplying. There are a fixed number distributed in a genetically predetermined fashion throughout the body when you are born. As you age and gain weight, these cells expand. As you lose weight, the cells become smaller but the number and distribution remain essentially unchanged. In rare cases of extreme obesity, new fat cells may be produced.
Ideal candidates for liposuction are people at or close to their ideal body weight who want to improve specific contours of their body that they have not been able to change with traditional diet or exercise. We commonly see people in our office who exercise regularly and are in relatively good shape but who cannot get rid of the "love handles", "saddle bags" or "spare tires". These areas are what we call exercise and diet resistant fat that are the result of your genetic make-up. You may have noticed the same pear-shaped bodies, heavy thighs and full rounded tummies in several members of the same family. These "genetic" fat deposits respond well to liposuction.
Laura’s Love Handles
When Laura came to our office, she assured me that I had never seen a pear-shaped body like hers. At 28, she had spent most of the last ten years becoming creative with her wardrobe to hide her large hip and thigh area that did not seem to match the rest of her body.
She was always a good weight for her height but still worked out regularly. The fat just seemed to be in the wrong places. When she lost five or ten pounds, she noticed her breasts became smaller and her face looked thinner but it did not change what seemed to be the enormous size of her hips and thighs. She felt most comfortable wearing blazers and long sweaters in the winter and loose fitting tunics in the summer. And she would always wear a sweatshirt tied around her waist at the gym. Wearing a one piece bathing suit in public was out of the question unless she wore a long, loose fitting T-shirt on top of it.
With liposuction I removed nearly a total of five liters of fat from her flank area, outer thighs and lower abdomen. Even with the swelling and garment in place after the surgery, she could already see the difference in her proportions. She was so happy she wanted to cry, but I told her that was just the beginning. Six weeks later she understood what I meant.
At two months after surgery, Laura was no longer a slave to her wardrobe and she was beginning to replace her long blazers and sweaters with cropped jackets and cute tops. She finally felt like her body "fit her". She left the office saying, "Dr. Ablaza, you’re my hero".
... to read more click here. 
back to top
