When the beach season is looming just around the corner, or you want to get a head start on your new body goals, you may have found yourself considering body contouring. Body contouring isn’t a single procedure, but a suite of procedures that include skin-tightening procedures, fat-dissolving methods, and other options like liposuction. If you’ve been considering a body contouring procedure you’ve likely been looking for additional information, which we’re happy to provide here. Set Proper Expectations If there will ever be a magic wand of cosmetic surgery, one that can instantly transform you into the person of your dreams, it has yet to be invented. This means that you need to set proper expectations when you’re heading in for cosmetic surgery and considering something like body contouring. The current market has resulted in a lot of hype and empty promises from plastic surgeons looking to get desperate patients into their chairs. If what you’re being told sounds just too good to be true, the odds are likely that it entirely is. Now That We’re Wary, Let’s Get Realistic Do you have a healthy bit of skepticism with you now? Excellent, that means we’re ready to start talking about what body contouring can actually do for you. There are many procedure types out there to talk about, and we’re going to give you a brief overview of the most common. • Thermage – This process uses the application of cold or heat, using specialized equipment, to speed your bodies metabolizing of fat. These procedures tend to take a while to work but also have excellent results. Thermacool and Thermalift are the most common names you’ll find this under. • Mesotherapy – Also known as Lipodissolve, this process involves the injection of a number of therapeutic treatments under the skin and into the fat to help dissolve fat. While effective it also takes time and can only be used for treating isolated areas. You won’t be getting a full abdomen of this and watching your beach body magically appear; it’s more for problem areas. • Liposuction – Liposuction is one of the most common forms of body contouring and is, by far, the most well known to the laymen. Using specialized equipment the cosmetic surgeon removes fat from the patient using a method that allows a significant amount to be withdrawn at any time. Bruising is inevitable after this procedure, and recovery can take some time before the signs disappear. • LipSonix – This procedure uses ultrasound at high-intensities to permanently destroy fat cells. Like most non-invasive procedures this is an excellent solution for problem areas but isn't a realistic approach to large areas that need treatment, especially if there’s a significant amount of lipids (fat) present. While there are other treatments available on the market, these are the most common. With just this overview you’ve got an idea of what you can look forward to, but now it’s time to call in a professional to get the details. Pick up your phone and give Ayala ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery a call and speak to Dr. Carlos Ayala to learn what they can do for you. They’ll patiently explain each of these services and help you schedule an appointment for the one that best suits your needs. Whether you live in the McAllen, TX area or are flying in from other regions, Ayala ENT is there for you.