Body Countoring
Body contouring is the effort to shape the body into an ideal figure using a series of plastic surgery procedures. Body contouring procedures are not aimed at reducing body weight or managing cellulite, but rather “body carving”, similar to when a sculptor refines a piece of wood into a beautiful statue.
Body contouring procedures may include liposuction and skin and soft tissue resection or plication, which refers to lifting or “tuck.” The skin and soft tissue resection are the main procedures done in the tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and thigh lift or lower body lift. While liposuction address the excessive or undesired fat under the skin, the lifting procedures point out the redundant skin as well as the fat attached under the skin. In tummy tuck procedure, the tissue removed is wide enough to resemble a belt of a world-boxing champion. By removing the redundant skin and fat, the doctor is able to achieve a more contoured body shape. These open approaches are also effective to tighten the loosening supportive ligament and muscle, which is common in tummy tuck procedure.
Liposuction is practically considered as an almost-scarless procedure. On the other hand, all other body lift procedures are regarded as invasive procedures leaving long scars. Tummy tuck leaves a scar from hip to hip, as long as the distance “from Jakarta to Surabaya.” However, the tuck procedures are very straightforward as effective procedures to get the desired outcome.
Candidates of body contouring are those with a stable body weight for at least the last 6 months, have a high motivation to respect themselves, and have a positive and realistic view on life.
Before a body contouring procedure, you will need to have some preparations:
Physical examination of the body part that will undergo surgery
Vital organ function examination
Stop smoking and drinking alcohol for 2 weeks before surgery
Stop consuming supplements containing ginkgo biloba, ginseng, vitamin E, garlic, pien tze huang, and blood thinner medications
Discuss your wish with your plastic surgeon
(Source: Prasetyono TOH. Body contouring. Bazaar 2009 Feb;Chapter 4:52.)