What Is Body Contouring?

Published on: January 24, 2022

Body contouring is a broad term that covers a range of services and treatments designed to help sculpt your body into a shape you love. Many people seek contouring treatments after they have undergone weight loss or when they want to make minor changes to the appearance of their belly or other small areas. Fortunately, the staff at Glow Medispa of Seattle, WA is available to help with all of your contouring questions.

What Is Body Contouring?

Contouring, or sculpting, is a service provided by medical spas and plastic surgeons to treat areas of the body where you want a firmer, sleeker look. The most common treatment areas are the lower belly, sides, back, and thighs, although you can have almost any area sculpted. There are many different sculpting types available to choose from as well.

Sculpting for Skin Tightening

Many people seek out contouring services after losing weight or giving birth as a means of restoring the skin to a smoother texture around the belly and hips. During pregnancy and weight gain, your skin can lose some of its elasticity, which makes it sag or appear unsightly even after the weight is gone. Contouring addresses this by reactivating the collagen in the skin cells and helping your body naturally tighten up.

Sculpting for Fat Removal

Another common type of contouring is for the removal or shrinking of small fat deposits. These treatments use heat, cold, or lasers to destroy pockets of fatty cells that you have been unable to work off through diet and exercise. Once the cells have been treated, the body will naturally flush them away over time. This is not meant to be an instant weight-loss strategy, but a treatment option that can help you make the most of the work you've already done to reach your ideal body.

Sculpting To Reshape

Finally, contouring can be used to reverse the effects of aging and reshape areas of your body that you are no longer happy with. This is most common in areas like the thighs, butt, and even the neck area where you begin to notice that you have lost the smooth body lines you are accustomed to. Reshaping can help restore your confidence and comfort so you can wear your favorite outfits for many more years to come.

How Does Contouring Work?

While there are many different types of body contouring on the market these days, they all work a little bit differently. For instance, surgical sculpting procedures are more invasive and require specialized care and recovery. On the other hand, less invasive procedures like heat or laser sculpting can be performed in an afternoon and you can be on your way.

The Consultation

Before you undergo any kind of treatment or sculpting, you will sit down with a professional and go over the areas that you would like to see changes in. Your doctor will take measurements and get a full medical history to rule out any complications that may arise. They will also offer you a variety of options for sculpting that might fit your needs and provide you with some examples of what you can expect to see after treatment.

Once your treatment is scheduled, they will also send you home with a list of instructions about eating, drinking, and sun exposure, which may have an impact on your results before and after your sculpting appointment.

The Day of Treatment

When you arrive, you will be brought into the treatment area and undergo another quick evaluation to make sure your skin is safe and ready for treatment. Then, your doctor will apply the sculpting machine to the area to be treated. If you are undergoing a laser or heat treatment, it is normal to feel warmth in the area and see redness for several hours or days after treatment. With cool treatments, you may still see some pinkness or redness in the area that was treated.

The Days After

Contouring is not intended to give you instant results. Instead, it works by activating your body's natural mechanisms and rejuvenating your skin and collagen. For several days after treatment, you might notice mild redness and slow changes to the area that was treated. However, it will usually take 2-6 weeks to begin to see the final results.

Follow Up Treatments

Depending on the amount of change you are seeking, your doctor may have placed you on a long-term plan that includes future treatments over the course of many months. This slow, but steady, approach is the best way to ensure that you are making progress and that each step is closer to your ideal. This also gives your body plenty of time to recover and restabilize in between treatments so that you are prepared to continue your sculpting journey.

Body Sculpting Near You

As you can see, body sculpting and contouring are treatments that will help you put the finishing touches on the body you've worked so hard to achieve. If you are ready to learn more about what types of treatments are available, contact Glow Medispa in Seattle, WA, and schedule your consultation today. You will be set up with a body sculpting professional who can help you get the toning you've been looking for.

Author Profile Picture
Dr. Kate Dee grew up in New York City and attended Yale for college and medical school, finishing her MD in 1994. She first came to Seattle for residency at the University of Washington in 1995 followed by fellowship in Breast Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco. She was a breast cancer specialist at Seattle Breast Center for 13 years, receiving Top Doc honors each year since 2010. After a successful career in breast cancer, Kate found her way to aesthetic medicine in her 40's when her expertise with needle procedures coincided with a deep interest in anti-aging techniques. Kate lives in West Seattle with her 3 teens. She especially loves to ski, cycle, play tennis and pickle ball.
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