Different Types of Body Sculpting

In this modern era filled with technological and medical advancements, science is not only helping medicine rise, but the world of beauty as well. Because of the increasing popularity of social media, the beauty community has now been widely accepted into mainstream media, and has slowly begun to integrate itself into popular culture. The widespread fame of Instagram models and influencers have sparked a new venture of perfection amongst the general public. Furthermore, the influence of Hollywood and Korean popular culture has introduced a newfound openness to cosmetic and plastic surgery.

While still a highly controversial topic, and even a hated notion, cosmetic and plastic surgery is now a mainstream process for global personalities. People such as reality television stars the Kardashians and the Jenners, model Bella Hadid, “Friends” actress Courtney Cox, multimedia personality and all-around judge Simon Cowell, rapper Iggy Azalea, makeup guru and business tycoon Jeffree Starr, and many more celebrities have been open about what they had to undergo to get rid of what they deemed as their imperfections, or what they’ve always wanted their appearances to be. Even if it’s a simple Botox injection to set one’s face back a few years or a few temporary lip fillers to satisfy one’s long-time lip insecurities, it is all just cosmetic magic.

Because of this, the market for cosmetic surgery has risen higher than ever, with reports by Market Research Future, or MRFR, saying that the global market for cosmetic surgery has will have reached a revenue of $ 21.97 billion by the end of the year 2023

And because of our modern world and more liberated views, body positivity is now a desired norm, especially raising the flag for the female bodily curves, which has long been endorsed by naturally voluptuous personalities such as singer Demi Lovato, model Ashley Graham, TV personality and model Tyra Banks, and of course, once more, the Kardashian-Jenner Family. This curve-positive notion is a very liberating perspective, but it still leaves those who do not have curve in the dust. Yet, those who desire to conform the curvy society are not truly unaided, for there is always the world of cosmetic and plastic surgery.

This brings us to body sculpting, also known as body contouring or body shaping. Body sculpting is the general term of a set of aesthetic plastic surgery procedures done to improve the shape, form, or overall bodily appearance. These procedures may or may not be surgical, but the extent of the body contouring wholly depends on the patients’ body conditions.

One of the most common reasons for people to turn to body sculpting to enhance their physical appearances is a major change to their body after bearing children, and body contouring would help return the body’s shape before childbirth and pregnancy. Another reason is to enhance the body when it is left in loose skin after a person loses an enormous amount of weight. This problem could be solved by body sculpting, tightening the skin. A majority of patients, though, undergo body sculpting to achieve their dream body figure, following the now-famous “curvy” image.

There two types of body sculpting: invasive and non-invasive. Invasive, or surgical, body sculpting refers to procedures that involve making skin incision or inserting any medical instrument into the body. Fortunately, for people who want to undergo body sculpting, but do not want to go under the knife, there are non-invasive, or nonsurgical, procedures, which are processes that do not break into the skin or into an internal body cavity.

In all its wonders and availability, body sculpting may seem to be an answer to everyone’s insecurities and bodily dissatisfaction, not all who want or need to undergo this procedure may be able to do so. Some hindrances to getting one’s body sculpted are:

· Body sculpting costs a whole lot of money. The average cost of body sculpting is $2000 to $4000 per session, although the price range depends on which body part is being worked on. Still, it is not an assurance that all procedures can be finished in single sessions. Therefore, it is very costly.

· The patient must have a stabilized major weight loss, with assurance of it not fluctuating.

· The patient must not have any ailments that would hinder or slow down the healing process after the procedure.

· The patient must not have any medical conditions that would heighten the risk for surgery.

· The patient must be a non-smoker. (for skin-tightening procedures)

· The patient must be maintaining a healthy lifestyle of proper nutrition and regular exercises. Or in short, the patient must be holistically healthy.

As said above, a patient must have a healthy lifestyle, meaning each part of his/her health and life must be in very well condition. This is because the procedure could be done in almost any part of the body. The most common body parts being body sculpted include the face and neck, upper arms, breasts, abdomen, waistline and back, thighs, calves, and love handles, among many others.

And because there are many different areas of the body that can be targeted for body sculpting, here are some details about the different types of body sculpting:

· CoolSculpting: It is a body contouring method that uses cryolipolysis, which uses a very low temperature for sculpting. The cooling then freezes the fat cells and destroys the fat without affecting the skin, tissue, or anything around it. It is the only FDA-approved non-invasive body sculpting technique. Targeted body parts that use cryolipolysis include the under-chin fat, the abdomen, arm wings, and thighs. An average amount of reduced fat in single CoolSculpting is around twenty-two (22) percent.

· SculpSure: It is a non-invasive body sculpting method that uses laser heat technology. The laser heat treatment is applied to the targeted bodily area, wherein it liquefies the selected fat cells. The laser heat is also capable of getting rid of this fat cells without the damage of the skin and tissue surrounding the targeted portion. The leftover liquefied fat is flushed away by the body in the time after the procedure, and results are then slowly evident. The body parts best treated with SculpSure are the same body parts that can be treated by CoolSculpting, as both the latter and the former methods are similar, differing only through the level of temperature. The average amount of eliminated fat per session is about twenty-four (24) percent.

· Vanquish: It is a non-invasive body contouring method that utilizes radio frequency for fat reduction. It eliminates fat cells by heating the cells through the radio

frequency. A patient cannot undergo this procedure if he/she is dehydrated. The body parts best treated by Vanquish are Abdomen, back, bra line, flanks, thighs (inner and outer), posterior waistline (also known as muffin top), and upper arms. A single session takes about forty-five (45) minutes.

· Ultra Shape: Also known as Ultrasound or Ultralipo, it is a body contouring method that uses Cavitation Technology to eliminate fat. A machine emits high-intensity ultrasound waves to breakdown fat cells. As the fat dissolves over time, the method also catalyses collagen production and eventually causes skin tightening. Ultrasound body contouring is best recommended only in the abdomen.

· Kybella: More popularly recognized as injection lipolysis, it is a nonsurgical body contouring technique that uses the chemical injection of deoxycholic acid to rid of the fat cells in the body. Although usually painless due to the local anaesthesia given beforehand, the patient will feel some level of discomfort in the few hours after the procedure. Kybella is best recommended for the removal of a double chin. This procedure usually needs about three treatments between four to six weeks, before the entire process is finished, totalling over $5,400.

· Meso-Lipo Therapy: Also named mesotherapy, it is also a non-invasive body sculpting procedure that uses a number of chemicals to eliminate fat, which include enzymes (e.g. collagenase and hyaluronidase), prescription medicines (e.g. vasodilators and antibiotics), hormones (e.g. calcitonin and thyroxin), selected herbal extracts, and a few vitamins and minerals. These substances are delivered to the body through a number of injections. Mesotherapy also improves blood circulation which lessens the risk of skin damage. Each mesotherapy session costs about $250 to $600, depending of the level of desired results.

· Resonax: It is a nonsurgical process that uses Resonax patches against the skin, which then emit energy at a high frequency, which catalyses in eliminating fat cells and gradually aids in skin tightening. It is best used for lifting sagging skin, and highly recommended to remove eye bags. The result is evident between three weeks and a month after the procedure.

· Liposuction: It is a surgical and one of the most popular methods of body sculpting. The procedure of liposuctions uses a thin, plastic tube to insert into a tiny incision made on our body and the tube then suctions the fat with the use of a surgical vacuum, permanently eliminating the fat. It is commonly used in stomach, calves and ankles, chest and back, upper arms, thighs, chin (especially double chin), hips, neck (back of the neck specifically) and buttocks. The duration of sessions depends on the patient’s desired fat reduction.