Thinking About Body Contouring Surgery?

Not everyone is happy with what they see in the mirror. There's nothing wrong with wanting to make some changes. You could be a candidate for a body contouring procedure if you're serious about it.

Jessica Gillespie, MD, an Indianapolis board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with the Franciscan Physician Network, shares insights on who makes a good candidate for body contouring and the different body contouring procedures available.

Who Makes A Good Candidate For Body Contouring?

Body contouring surgery is a fairly broad term for plastic surgery. It includes procedures that help reshape different body areas, such as the abdomen, breasts, neck, thighs and legs.

The best candidate for body contouring is someone who is already maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including eating well, exercising regularly, and refraining from tobacco use. People looking for these procedures should also consider the difference between their "happy weight" and ideal weight.

"A happy weight might not be your ideal body weight," Dr. Gillespie said. "We all come in different shapes and sizes. With your happy weight, the weight you're comfortable at, you're not going to try to lose another 10 or 20 pounds. You're comfortable at this weight and you just need some help getting things corrected, removing loose skin and keeping you confident."

What Are Common Areas For Body Contouring?

Common areas addressed by body contouring surgery include the abdomen and breasts. Patients who lose a lot of weight after bariatric surgery also usually seek help for body shaping surgery.

The most common body areas woman wish to address are the breasts and abdomen through procedures like breast lifts or tummy tucks, for example. Alongside women, men also seek body contouring. Dr. Gillespie has stated that she sees many male patients for abdominal reshaping.

What Options Do I Have For Abdominal Body Contouring?

Specific to the abdomen, patients can consider two procedures:

• Panniculectomy: involves removing hanging skin and fat on the lower part of the abdomen beneath the belly button.
• Abdominoplasty: includes a panniculectomy, because the skin is still removed, but surgeons address the upper abdomen as well.

"I always tell people it's kind of like making the bed. We pull up the sheets, which would be your abdominal skin and fat flap. We pull it, straighten it out, remove the excess, and relocate your belly button," explains Dr. Gillespie.

An abdominoplasty also includes some muscle tightening. Usually, after pregnancy or extreme weight loss, the rectus abdominis muscles separate. Abdominoplasty brings these muscles back together.

"I like to call it an internal corset. When you're standing up, it looks like you're sucking in your stomach. You're actually not, you just have some tight abs," Dr. Gillespie adds.

Can A Physical Change Lead to A Confidence Boost?

Of course, people can consider many body contouring options - each with differing levels of invasiveness and recovery. Regardless, Dr. Gillespie wants to assist people in achieving their body contouring goals.

"Procedures such as breast reduction, breast lifts, breast augmentations, tummy tucks, liposuction, and arm lifts are all procedures that help improve a patient's self-esteem and confidence." Dr. Gillespie says. "It's one reason I went into plastic surgery. One of my favorite parts of my day is having a consultation with a new patient to find out more about them and how I can help."

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.