Body Contouring Chicago
Body contouring is the name given to a set of surgical procedures designed to remove excess skin and stubborn deposits of fat while improving the shape and proportions of the body. Body contouring is most commonly performed after dramatic weight loss due to surgery or changes in lifestyle.
The procedures involved in body contouring are highly individualized according to each patient’s aesthetic goals, and may include a facelift, breast lift, tummy tuck, brachioplasty (arm lift), thighplasty (thigh lift), or others.
AM I A CANDIDATE FOR BODY CONTOURING?
As we age, our skin loses elasticity and deposits of fat gathered in specific parts of the body become more difficult to reduce or eliminate. If surgery or a lifestyle change has led to major weight loss and you find that some areas of the body sag or you have noticeable excess skin, body contouring may be an ideal solution.
Candidates should be in generally good physical health, non-smokers, and without any medical conditions that may affect the healing process. You should also reach your weight-loss goals before undergoing body contouring. If you believe that body contouring may be for you, schedule a consultation with a plastic surgeon board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR CONSULTATION
At the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago, we understand that each patient’s aesthetic goals are unique. Dramatic weight loss can lead to a healthy increase in self-esteem and confidence, but excess and sagging skin can be a hindrance to your self-image.
When you schedule a consultation with our practice, you will speak with a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic surgery of the face, breast, and body. You and your plastic surgeon will review your medical history to ensure that you are a good candidate for body contouring, and your surgeon will suggest treatment options that are right for your body type and goals. We will never perform any procedure unless we are certain that it is the best course of treatment for you.
HOW BODY CONTOURING IS PERFORMED
To begin, a general anesthetic is administered to ensure comfort during the procedure. The process itself varies according to the individual needs of the patient. Incision sites for body contouring are usually larger than most plastic surgery procedures due to the removal of excess skin; however, your plastic surgeon will place the incisions as strategically as possible and attempt to conceal them within natural folds and contours of the body.
Body contouring is usually performed in stages. Your plastic surgeon will outline each stage and discuss the particular process for each individual procedure during your consultation. The procedures typically involved in body contouring may include:
The details and process for each of these procedures can be read by clicking the link above.
RECOVERY AFTER BODY CONTOURING
The recovery period is different for each of the procedures that may be involved in body contouring. Most of these procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, so patients will usually be able to return home the day of surgery. Your plastic surgeon will prescribe pain medications and give specific instructions for post-surgical care. It is very important to follow all of these instructions to mitigate any potential risks that are associated with any of the procedures involved in body contouring.
Each subsequent stage of body contouring can be performed after the previous stage has fully healed. Results of each procedure are usually apparent right after surgery, but the full aesthetic results may not be visible until swelling and bruising subsides, which may take six to eight weeks.
POTENTIAL RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH BODY CONTOURING
Any surgical procedure involves some potential risks; in general, the risks of the procedures involved in body contouring may include:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Hematoma (blood clot)
- Changes in skin sensation
- Skin discoloration
- Scarring
At the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago, we take every precaution to avoid potential complications by employing the safest and most innovative techniques. You can further reduce the potential for risk by carefully following all instructions from your plastic surgeon, both before and after a procedure.
WHAT DOES BODY CONTOURING COST?
Due to the highly individualized process of body contouring, the associated cost varies too widely to be able to give an average. The cost may further be affected by your location, your plastic surgeon, and the surgical center at which the procedure is performed. Be sure to speak to your plastic surgeon during your consultation about the cost of body contouring, including any payment options that may be available. Medical insurance rarely covers the cost for body contouring, since it is considered a cosmetic procedure.
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
If you are bothered by sagging or excess skin after major weight loss, body contouring may be right for you. If you would like to know more about the procedure, or if you have questions about body contouring, schedule a consultation with the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago. We will be happy to speak with you and perform an evaluation to see if body contouring is the best fit for you and your aesthetic goals.
All surgical procedures by the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago are performed at top hospitals in Chicago and CMS or AAAASF-certified surgical centers for safety.
GOOGLE REVIEWS
JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM
Happy for this patient and her 6 week post-operative result from a breast augmentation. We placed a 400 cc gel implant, in a sub-muscular plane, and through a periareolar incision. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #breastaugmentation #gelimplants #mastopexy #gummybear #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Happy for this patient and her transformation. This patient is transfemale who underwent facial feminization. Can you tell what surgeries were performed? Still have to perform the tracheal shave. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #craniofacialsurgery #FFS #facialfeminization #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
6 month follow-up on a mastopexy augmentation case. The patient’s goals were to have her breasts lifted and the volume restored after pregnancy. No patient has perfectly symmetric breasts, which is normal. This case was challenging because of the asymmetries of the nipples; trying to lift, augment, and level the nipples all at the same time is difficult. Many variables to control but the post-operative photos demonstrate improved symmetry with all of the patient’s goals achieved. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #breastaugmentation #mastopexy #breastlift #gummybear #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
6 month follow-up on a challenging revision rhinoplasty case. The patient had 3 prior rhinoplasty surgeries by another surgeon and was not happy with the aesthetics of the dorsum or tip. In the pre-operative profile views, you can see a dorsal hump, under-projected tip, and abnormal alar-columellar relationship. On frontal view, there are asymmetries of the dorsal aesthetic lines and C-shape deviation of the nose. The goal of the surgery was to make the nose straighter, improve the dorsum and tip proportions, increase tip projection, and improve the alar-columellar relationship. Look closely at the post-operative profile views and how the tip, nostril and columella appear. Posted with permission.
#plasticsugery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #revisionrhinoplasty #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Many ways to do a breast augmentation but the periareolar incision is a great option because the scar becomes imperceptible as the scar matures. This patient is 6 months out from a breast augmentation and the access incision we made was at the bottom border of the nipple areolar complex. It’s hard to see the scar at this point and the scar gets even better at the 12-18 month mark. Also, nipple sensation is unaffected after surgery. The other incisions that plastic surgeons use include an incision underneath the breast, at the breast fold, or the armpit. Each incision has their pros and cons but the periareolar is my preferred approach.
#plasticsurgeon #plasticsurgery #breastaugmentation #gummybearimplants #breastimplants #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery #cosmeticsurgery
Challenging #gynecomastia case where the patient had grade 2/3 gynecomastia or male breasts with excess skin and significant asymmetries. The challenging part of this case relates to how to manage the excess skin and achieve a symmetric result. Do you remove the excess skin which will leave scars or try to contract the skin with minimally invasive techniques? In this case I performed liposuction, removed the breast tissue through a nipple incision, and performed #Renuvion to facilitate contraction of the skin. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #gynecomastia #liposuction #Renuvion #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Nasal reconstruction for a patient who had a full thickness defect or hole of the left nostril after Mohs surgery to remove a basal cell carcinoma. The patient was missing all three layers of the nose and if you look closely, you can see into the nose and visualize the septum. We re-built the nose using tissue from his forehead or a #forehead flap. In the post-operative photos, you can see a nice reconstruction of the nostril with restored form and function. Additionally, the reconstructed side is symmetric with the unaffected side. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #nasalreconstruction #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
3 month follow-up on this patient who wanted improvement in the projection of her chin and definition of the jawline. The patient has retrogenia or a small chin and underwent #chinaugmentation with a #genioplasty. In the pre-operative photos, you can see the chin is short and recessed and therefore I moved the chin forward and down. In the post-operative photos you can see improvement in the projection of the chin, a more defined jawline and neck, and a more balanced lower 1/3 of the face. This case highlights the advantages of a genioplasty versus a chin implant, a chin implant cannot lengthen and advance the chin to the same extent that a genioplasty can. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #genioplasty #chinaugmentation #craniofacialsurgery #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Gym or surgery? This patient underwent hi-def liposuction or abdominal etching to improve the contour of the abdomen and to define the abdominal muscles. In the post-operative photos, the patient has natural washboard abs. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #abdominaletching #hidefliposuction #liposculpture #liposuction #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Long term follow-up on a revision mastopexy augmentation case. The patient had a previous augmentation with gel implants and wanted the implants removed, breasts lifted, and re-augmented with fat but downsized. The patient underwent explantation of the implants, a capsulectomy, a breast lift, and fat transfer to augment the breasts. In the post-operative photos, you can see the breast/nipples are lifted to a more aesthetic position and we were able to maintain volume, although smaller, with fat transfer alone. This patient has a very natural result using only fat from her abdomen to restore volume. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #breastlift #breastaugmentation #mommymakeover #fattransfer #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
1 year follow-up on a primary rhinoplasty. This patient’s goals were a straighter profile, smaller and more refined tip, and a nose that was not drastically different. In the post-operative photos you can see the dorsal hump was removed and the nasal bones narrowed, the tip was refined, rotated, and projected more. Overall, still her nose but more refined and aesthetic. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #nosejob #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Early follow-up on a #facialmasculinization surgery for a trans male who wanted to improve the contour of the lower 1/3 of the face and neck. The patient underwent a sliding #genioplasty, custom #mandibularimplants, and #neckliposuction to achieve his goals. We used computer software to design the cuts in the bone and #3Dprinting to make the custom mandibular implants. Can you see the improved contour of the chin, jawline, and neck in the post-operative photos? Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #craniofacialsurgery #genioplasty #chinimplants #facialimplants #facialmasculinization #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
1 year follow-up on a patient who wanted fuller and more symmetric breasts after having deflation with pregnancy. The patient is athletic and therefore it was very important to her to have a smaller augmentation that appeared natural. The patient underwent a breast augmentation with gel implants (250 cc) through a periareaolar incision and in a submuscular plane. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #breastaugmentation #gummybear #breastlift #cosmeticsurgery #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
This patient had a full thickness nasal defect of the left nostril after a skin cancer was removed by our Dermatology colleagues. Even though the wound is relatively small, this is a challenging reconstruction because all layers of the nose have to be rebuilt without making the reconstructed area bulky and noticeable. Also, you have to make the area strong enough so that the nostril doesn’t collapse as the area heals and scars. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #skincancer #nasalreconstruction #nosejob #rhinoplasty #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
A 1 year follow-up on a patient who wanted a rhinoplasty to remove the dorsal hump and improve the aesthetics of her tip. In this case the dorsal hump was removed, the nose made straighter, the tip refined, and the tip rotated and projected more. Her new nose fits her face without overtly changing the ethnic features of her face. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #rhinoplasty #ethnicrhinoplasty #nosejob #cosmeticsurgery #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Proud of our research team for getting this important manuscript published in the #1 plastic surgery journal in the world. In this study, we looked at the published literature to develop guidelines on how to treat visual impairments related to droopy eyelids and excess skin of the eyelids.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #blepharoplasty #eyelidlift #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Happy for this patient who underwent full facial rejuvenation surgery, which included a brow lift, upper/lower blepharoplasty, facelift, neck lift, and facial fat transfer. How much younger does he look now? Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #facelift #necklift #blepharoplasty #eyelidlift #browlift #fattransfer #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Amazing transformation for this lovely patient who wanted to have fuller, more symmetric, youthful, and natural breasts. The patient underwent a #breastaugmentation with gel implants. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #breastaugmentation #gelimplants #gummybearimplants #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
One year follow-up on a #BBL or Brazilian butt lift. As you can see from the post-operative photos, the fat that is transferred stays and is permanent. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #BBL #360degreeliposcution #liposuction #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Male patient in his late 60’s who was able to turn back the clock after undergoing a #facelift, #neck lift, #blepharoplasty, and #fattransfer. Pay close attention to the “bags” underneath the eyes, the jawline, and neck. The scars have healed nicely and are inconspicuous even with short hair. In the post-operative photos, the patient has maintained his natural facial features and anatomy, but just looks like a more youthful version of himself. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #facelift #necklift #blepharoplasty #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
