Traditionally, plastic surgery has been the only way to deal with unwanted fat or skin. Many clients come in to our office at Aesthetic Body Design for consultations, weighing the options of non-invasive versus invasive procedures, trying to understand what is the best fit for them.
Here are some options to consider if you are looking at pursuing contouring procedures, whether they are surgical or non-surgical.
Results:
Surgery is an immediate change where fat and/or skin is removed. Since it is a quick, dramatic change, it is difficult to predict you’ll look exactly as you desire once the healing is complete. Post-surgery, many patients find they want a revision of some kind. Surgery is semi-permanent, as lifestyle can impact the look of the results, as well as the normal aging process. It also can be very costly.
Non-invasive procedures are more gradual, but also can be semi-permanent like surgery. The slower process does require patience and good at home habits, but it also can keep a client from experiencing unevenness and lumpiness in the treatment site, as well as protect from loose skin, allowing the skin time to tighten naturally as fat is removed. Non-invasive procedure results usually are more natural looking and more subtle than surgery. They also tend to be more affordable than surgery.
Downtime:
Surgery downtime can vary greatly from procedure to procedure. With surgical procedures, you can expect anywhere from a week to 3 months of downtime with pain and swelling. Usually, you will need to take a break from work for some extended period of time in order to heal.
Non-invasive procedures allow you return immediately to normal activity and don’t require you to take off time from work. They do require aftercare for optimal results, such some level of cardio exercise and adequate water intake following a treatment.
Side Effects:
Common side effects of surgery can be scarring, uneven removal of fat, loose skin, pain and swelling, as well as risk of infection. Non-invasive procedures can cause some minor skin irritation due to hot or cold temperature, but typically have no major side effects.
Lastly, a point to consider is that both surgical and non-surgical options go very well together and don’t need to be exclusive of each other. Those who pursue surgery and experience some post-surgical unevenness, scarring, or loose skin, can explore non-invasive options to take their surgical results to the next level. Between surgery and non-invasive body sculpting, many clients feel they are finally able to achieve their dream body.
Come in for a free consultation to see if non-surgical options for fat reduction and skin tightening are a fit for you and your goals. Call us at 503-575-7653 or email us at hello@aestheticbodydesign.com. Visit our website at www.aestheticbodydesign.com.