Plastic surgery is more popular than ever, with about 18 million procedures performed in the US annually. Many Americans long to correct various things that they don’t like about their bodies. Fortunately, many affordable plastic surgery procedures for the body can improve your appearance and self-confidence.

Whether you’re interested in fat removal, breast augmentation, a flatter belly, or a more prominent rear, there are effective procedures available from your board-certified female plastic surgeon!

This guide highlights the most popular cosmetic procedure for the body, what they involve, recovery times, and more.

Liposuction

Many people have an average body weight but can’t get rid of stubborn fat pockets, no matter how much they diet or exercise. Some of the most common areas for liposuction are the lipo 360 areas:

Abdomen
Love handles
Hips
Thighs
Arms
Rear

There are many types of liposuction, but tumescent is the most common and popular today. Your surgeon makes small incisions in the targeted body area and injects saline, lidocaine, and epinephrine to reduce bleeding and swelling. This solution hardens the fat that is to be removed.

Next, the surgeon sucks the liquid and fat out with a cannula. Recovery time is only a few weeks, but it can take six months to see the final results.

Another popular form of liposuction is UAL or ultrasonic-assisted liposuction. The cannula shoots ultrasonic waves into the fat to melt it, and then your surgeon sucks it out with a cannula.

Breast Augmentation

Many women are unhappy with the size or position of their breasts as they age or have children. More than 300,000 breast augmentations are done in the US each year.

Your plastic surgeon will make incisions in one of a few areas, such as under the breasts or around the nipples. Then she’ll place saline or silicone implants under or above the chest muscle.

The FDA has approved both types of implants as safe and effective. Some women may need new implants after 10 or 15 years, but they can last for life in some patients.

Expect two weeks or limited activity, and then you can go back to work and engage in light workouts. It can take several months to see the final results once the swelling goes down.

Breast Reduction

Breast reduction surgery is one of the few plastic surgery procedures that insurance often covers. This is because the benefits are more than an enhanced appearance. Some women with very large breasts can suffer back problems, poor posture, and have trouble finding clothes that fit.

Your plastic surgeon will make incisions under the breasts and remove the appropriate amount of breast tissue based on your needs and goals. The procedure is permanent, and most patients can work after two weeks.

Breast Lift

Breast lift surgery is common for women as they age or have children because the breasts begin to sag or group. Other women opt for a breast lift after significant weight loss.

Some women choose to have a breast lift and enhancement at the same time. Most patients can go back to work within 14 days and resume all regular activities within one or two months.

Abdominoplasty

This popular procedure is also called a tummy tuck, and it removes extra sagging skin and fat from the lower abdominal area. Also, your surgeon will tighten the skin that remains and may sew together abdominal muscles that have separated.

Women often choose a tummy tuck after pregnancy or serious weight loss to eliminate the extra skin and fat that cannot be eliminated with diet and exercise.

Ideal candidates have loose skin hanging in the midsection but don’t have an excessive amount of fat. If necessary, liposuction can be performed, followed by a tummy tuck. Most patients can engage in limited activities within two weeks, but full recovery can take a few months.

Brazilian Butt Lift

This is a fat transfer procedure that increases the shape and size of the buttocks, but no implants are used. Extra fat is taken from the abdomen, hips, lower back, and thighs. Next, the fat is washed and processed, and injected into the buttocks.

Many women like the Brazilian butt lift because it enhances the rear and removes fat from problem areas in the same procedure.

If you are thin, you may not have enough fat available for this procedure. If so, silicone implants may be your only option.

Gynecomastia

This is a surgical procedure to remove extra tissue in the male breasts. Gynecomastia is a permanent solution in most cases if the excess tissue is from the patient’s genetics.

Note that some men have breast growth if they use steroids or marijuana regularly. For them, the breasts may continue to grow if their drug use continues.

Most men can go back to work in about a week and engage in everyday activities after a few weeks.

What You Can Expect

If you think you want to have cosmetic procedures on your body, below is more information about what to expect:

Consultation: Your plastic surgeon will go over your surgical goals in the initial consultation and perform a physical examination. Then, she’ll offer her recommendations about the best procedures to complete in your case. These procedures involve surgery and general anesthesia, so she’ll ask about your medical history and any medications you’re on.
Procedure: Procedure details depend on the type of changes you want to make. Please review the details of the most common operations on the body above.
Aftermath: Depending on the procedure you have, your surgeon will provide you with bandages and pain medication for the first few days after.
Recovery: Recovery for most plastic surgeries on the body range from a few weeks to months. Most people can return to work in a week or two, but you may need to wait to engage in vigorous physical activity.

Request a Houston Plastic Surgery Consultation

If you’re interested in learning more about plastic surgery options for your body, please set up a consultation with Dr. Ashley Steinberg today. She’ll talk to you about the benefits and risks of the many procedures available and determine if you’re a good candidate.

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