Once any procedure is complete, your body will start to recover. During this time, it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions and take extra precautions to ensure a safe and successful healing period. But what does this recovery process look like after body contouring? Let’s answer some of the most common questions.
What is Body Contouring?
Body contouring is a versatile plastic surgery procedure that helps patients achieve an improved body shape by removing excess fat and skin. This can be done through liposuction, tummy tuck, arm lift, thigh lift, or even a combination of these procedures. Essentially, body contouring helps to target problem areas and give you the shape you want.
What Should I Expect After Body Contouring?
After body contouring, the recovery period is often short and relatively free of complications. However, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind. Immediately following the procedure, you may experience some swelling and discomfort that can be managed with medication prescribed by your doctor. What’s more, you should also plan for a few weeks of downtime as the body recovers from the procedure.
How Do I Care for Myself During Recovery?
Proper care is essential during the recovery period. To assist your body in healing, doctors often recommend wearing a compression garment to reduce swelling. Also, you should plan to take it easy for the first few days and avoid any strenuous activities. Furthermore, you should also carefully follow any instructions given by your doctor, such as keeping up with doctor-ordered medications and following a healthy diet.
When undergoing body contouring in Tucson, it is also important to be mindful of the sun. Sun exposure can cause complications and increase the risk of infection. Therefore, patients should avoid tanning beds and take extra precautions when out in the sun, such as wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
What are the Long-Term Benefits of Body Contouring?
The long-term benefits of body contouring can include improved self-confidence, improved posture and balance, increased exercise tolerance, and a more attractive physique. Also, the results of this procedure are often long-lasting, as body contouring can help to create a new shape for the body that is better able to resist fat deposits and skin laxity over time.
As an additional benefit, body contouring can also tighten the skin, reducing the appearance of cellulite. In some cases, this procedure can also help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and other skin blemishes.
How Does the Procedure Work?
Before body contouring, the patient is typically given a local or general anesthetic to ensure that they remain comfortable during the procedure. Then, any excess fat, tissue, and skin are removed from the area. Depending on the procedure, this may involve liposuction, laser treatments, a combination of both, or other technologies.
As an example, laser therapy involves a laser that emits specific wavelengths of light energy to target fat cells. This causes them to break down and be eliminated from the body naturally through waste. During the procedure, a cooling device helps to protect the skin while keeping it comfortably cool.
What’s the difference between laser therapy and liposuction? Liposuction involves surgically removing fat cells with a suction device. It is usually done in larger areas of the body where more skin needs to be tightened or reshaped. The recovery process after a body contouring procedure depends on the type of procedure performed, as well as the patient’s overall health.