Body Contouring Surgery: What To Know Before Reshaping Your Body
General Health & Wellness Aging Well
July 16, 2026
Whether you've lost a significant amount of weight, experienced changes after pregnancy or simply feel frustrated by loose skin that won't respond to diet and exercise, body contouring surgery may help you achieve the shape you've worked hard for.
Body contouring procedures can remove excess skin, tighten tissues and improve body proportions, helping patients feel more comfortable and confident in their appearance. According to Jessica Gillespie, MD, an Indianapolis board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with the Franciscan Physician Network, body contouring is about enhancing areas that lifestyle changes alone can't always address.
Key Takeaways: Body Contouring Surgery
- Body contouring includes procedures that reshape areas such as the abdomen, breasts, arms, thighs and neck.
- The best candidates are patients who are at a healthy, stable weight and maintain healthy lifestyle habits.
- Some procedures, including certain breast reductions and panniculectomies, may be covered by insurance.
- Recovery varies by procedure, but most patients begin feeling significantly better within a few weeks.
What Is Body Contouring Surgery?
"Body contouring surgery is a broad term for plastic surgery procedures that help reshape your different body areas," Dr. Gillespie said.
These plastic surgery procedures are designed to reshape and improve the appearance of different parts of the body.
Body contouring procedures may include:
- Tummy tucks (abdominoplasty)
- Liposuction
- Breast reduction
- Breast lift
- Breast augmentation
- Arm lifts
- Thigh lifts
- Neck contouring
- Skin reduction after weight loss surgery (panniculectomy)
Body contouring is not intended as a weight-loss solution. Instead, it addresses excess skin, stretched tissues and stubborn areas that remain after weight loss, pregnancy or aging.
Who Is A Good Candidate For Body Contouring?
One of the most important factors in achieving lasting results is being at a stable weight before surgery.
Dr. Gillespie often asks patients whether they are at their "happy weight"—a weight they can comfortably maintain over time.
“I always ask patients if they're at their ‘happy weight’ and to me, a happy weight might not be your ideal body weight. We all come in different shapes and sizes,” Dr. Gillespie said. “But your happy weight, the weight you're comfortable at, you're not going to try and lose another 10 or 20 pounds. You're comfortable at this weight and you just need some help with getting things corrected, removing loose skin and to keep you looking confident.”
The ideal candidate:
- Maintains a healthy lifestyle
- Exercises regularly
- Eats a balanced diet
- Has reached a stable weight
- Is not planning major weight loss after surgery
- Is not a smoker
If significant weight loss occurs after body contouring surgery, patients may develop additional loose skin and feel as though they need further procedures.
Why Weight-Loss Patients Often Seek Body Contouring
Patients who have undergone bariatric surgery or lost a substantial amount of weight are among the most common candidates for body contouring procedures.
While weight loss can dramatically improve overall health, it often leaves behind excess skin that can:
Body contouring can help address these concerns and better reflect a patient's weight-loss success.
Panniculectomy vs. Tummy Tuck: What's the Difference?
Many patients assume these are the same procedure, but there are important differences.
Panniculectomy
A panniculectomy removes the hanging skin and fat that develops below the belly button and may hang over the waistline.
This procedure is often performed for functional reasons, particularly after significant weight loss following bariatric surgery.
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
An abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) includes removal of excess skin but goes several steps further. It may also:
- Tighten abdominal muscles
- Improve abdominal contour
- Reposition the belly button
- Create a smoother overall appearance
"Oftentimes after pregnancy or after weight loss, your abdominal muscles will separate," Dr. Gillespie explained. During a tummy tuck, those muscles can be repaired to create what she calls an "internal corset."
Does Insurance Cover Body Contouring Procedures?
Some body contouring procedures may qualify for insurance coverage when they address a medical issue rather than a cosmetic concern.
Examples that are commonly covered include:
In some situations, insurance may cover part of a procedure while patients choose to pay an additional cosmetic fee for enhancements such as a full abdominoplasty.
Coverage varies by insurance plan, so a consultation is the best way to understand your specific options.
Can Multiple Procedures Be Done At Once?
Many patients ask whether they can address multiple areas during a single surgery.
The answer depends on:
While combining procedures is often possible, Dr. Gillespie emphasizes that safety should always come first. Some patients benefit from staging procedures over time to improve recovery and optimize results.
What Is Surgery Recovery Like?
Recovery varies depending on the body contouring procedure, but patients should expect some swelling, soreness and activity limitations during the first few weeks.
Most patients:
- Begin walking the day of surgery
- Feel considerably better within two to three weeks
- Continue healing for several months afterward
While patients often return to daily activities relatively quickly, final results may take longer.
For many contouring procedures, especially those involving liposuction, final results can take six months to one year as swelling resolves and tissues settle into their new shape.
How To Prepare For Body Contouring Surgery
Preparing for body contouring surgery can significantly improve healing and outcomes.
Dr. Gillespie recommends:
Reach a stable weight
Patients should aim to achieve and maintain a healthy weight before surgery rather than continuing major weight-loss efforts afterward.
Avoid nicotine
Smoking, vaping and other nicotine products increase the risk of:
Most plastic surgeons require patients to stop using nicotine before and after surgery.
Maintain good nutrition
Proper nutrition helps support healing. Surgeons may evaluate blood counts and protein levels to ensure patients are ready for surgery.
Plan ahead
Patients should schedule surgery during a time when they can focus on recovery and avoid major personal or professional commitments.
Are Results Permanent?
The improvements from body contouring surgery are long-lasting, but the body continues to age.
Factors that may affect results over time include:
"Life marches on," Dr. Gillespie said. While removed skin won't return, future body changes can affect the appearance of surgical results.
More Than A Cosmetic Procedure
For many patients, body contouring is about more than appearance.
These procedures can help people feel more confident, more comfortable in their clothing and more positive about the progress they've made through healthy lifestyle changes.
"Body contouring surgery is wonderful for many different types of people, of all ages and all genders," Dr. Gillespie said. "It helps improve a patient's self-esteem and helps people feel more confident about themselves."
Considering Body Contouring Surgery?
If excess skin, stretched muscles or stubborn problem areas are affecting your comfort or confidence, a consultation with a Franciscan Health plastic surgeon can help you understand your options. Together, you can discuss your goals, determine whether you're a candidate and create a personalized plan to help you look and feel your best.
Frequently Asked Questions: Body Contouring Surgery
Why is smoking a risk factor for body contouring surgery?
“Nicotine and smoking will increase your risk of infection, increase of your chances of how wound healing problems and even having the blood supply to the skin, not being good and having some skin loss or delayed wound healing,” Dr. Gillespie said. “Most plastic surgeons are going to have you stop those products and try to eliminate them from your system, both before surgery and after surgery.”
What are risks of dieting to lose the last pounds before surgery?
“Some people will do an extreme diet and come in for surgery, and if you're nutritionally depleted, you will not heal well,” Dr. Gillespie said. “As a surgeon, I might check your blood count to make sure you're not anemic. Make sure that your protein levels are good just to make sure you're optimized for surgery.”
What can I expect in the weeks after recovery?
“I think for any body contouring procedure, the first couple of weeks, you're going to be sore,” Dr. Gillespie said. “You're going to be swollen. You're not going to feel normal. But you are going to be functional. You're going to be excited about your results. You might have drain tubes that will be a little cumbersome for a short period of time. I say from probably any surgery that any surgeon would do, it's three months for the most complete recovery.”
How quickly can I see results?
“For a lot of body contouring procedures, we don't see full results for three months to up to a year,” Dr. Gillespie said.
Listen To Franciscan Health Plastic And Reconstructive Surgeon Jessica Gillespie, MD
Listen to an in-depth conversation with Dr. Jessica Gillespie about body contouring surgery.
