Our practice offers about nine different body contouring service/procedures. Many of which can be combined or tailored to your aesthetic wish list. It’s important to do your research and consult Dr. Brian Buinewicz before committing or rejecting a body contouring option.
In an effort to help you cut through the Internet clutter and buzz words, we want to debunk the Top 6 Myths we hear about on a regular basis.
Myth 1: Body contouring gets rid of stretch marks.
Stretch marks can, in some cases, be removed surgically as part of a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, because those procedures remove excess skin. As a bonus, most body contouring methods, simply reduce the look of marks. Light and laser therapies are the best non-invasive tactics to treat stretch marks. A variety of these therapies are available to help stimulate the growth of collagen or elastin in your skin.
Myth 2: Body contouring is the same procedure as liposuction.
Liposuction is a type of body contouring, but the field also includes many other procedures such as a mommy makeover, labiaplasty, a thigh lift a tummy tuck, etc. Each of these procedures help reshape and contour the body, and when used in tandem, they can help you create your ideal body.
Myth 3: Liposuction gets rid of loose skin.
Liposuction is not an effective skin tightening treatment and will not get rid of loose skin. This procedure is frequently performed in combination with procedures that do address excess skin (such as tummy tucks and lower body lifts).
Myth 4: Body contouring procedures are covered by health insurance.
Throughout the past 10 years, it’s been increasingly difficult to get health insurance providers to pay any portion of a plastic surgery procedure—even if the procedure is due to a pre-existing health problem. Health insurance providers traditionally do not cover the cost of any plastic or cosmetic surgical procedures. Insurance may cover a panniculectomy, which is removal of the lower abdominal skin and fat that hangs over your waistline since this skin placement contributes to chronic infections and skin breakdown. It’s always best to review your insurance coverage to see what is considered cosmetic.
Myth 5: Tummy tucks can be performed in between pregnancies.
Technically yes, but Dr. Buinewicz recommends patients postpone the tummy tuck procedure until after the birth of all planned pregnancies. A pregnancy could alter the results of any body contouring option.
Myth 6: Certain body contouring procedures are only available for women.
All the body contouring services at our practice are available for both men and women. In many cases, liposuction alone can effectively correct problem areas for men in the abs, flanks, chest, chin, neck and waste. Men retain their skin elasticity longer than women do, and the areas of fat beneath the skin tend to be firmer and more vascular than those in women.
Men who have some loose or hanging skin, as well as areas of excess fat, may opt for a traditional surgical skin removal in addition to liposuction. This type of excision may also be performed on gynecomastia patients whose breast enlargement is made up of mostly glandular tissue, rather than fat.
