Many people have an area of their body they wish were a bit trimmer. You might want to have a flatter abdomen, for example, or slimmer thighs. While diet and exercise can help you shed extra weight and fat, they don’t always help get rid of stubborn areas of fat. If you have an area of fat that you’d like to see gone, body contouring might be a good option for you. There are a few all too common myths floating around out there when it comes to body contouring. Learning the truth can help you see if the procedure is a good option for you.

It Needs to Be Surgery

While traditional liposuction is a surgical procedure that requires some form of anesthesia and some recovery time, other body contouring options out there are non-surgical and minimally invasive. One such option is Liposonix. During a Liposonix treatment, the surgeon directs ultrasound energy to the fat you want removed. The energy destroys the fat, without the need for incisions or suction devices. Since there are no incisions made, you don’t have to worry about scarring or about taking a significant amount of time off. In many cases, you can head back to work the day after a Liposonix treatment.

It’s Another Tool When It Comes to Weight Loss

A major misconception people have about liposuction and body contouring procedures is that they can be used as ways to lose weight. The opposite is actually true. If you are significantly overweight, you’ll want to find a way to shed those extra pounds before you undergo body contouring.

Typically, body contouring procedures, such as Liposonix, are recommended for patients who are at or near their goal weight and who have a body mass index (BMI) under 30. You can think of a Liposonix treatment as putting the finishing touch on your weight loss. You’ve done most of the work with exercise and diet. Body contouring will take you the rest of the way there.

It’s also worth noting that you need to have a minimum amount of fat to qualify for a Liposonix treatment. Generally, you’ll need at least 1 inch of fat in the area to be treated.

You’ll Never Have to Worry About Weight Gain Again

A body contouring procedure does destroy fat cells permanently. But that doesn’t mean you’re free and clear for the rest of your life. While the fat cells that were removed from the treated area won’t come back, if you gain weight, fat cells located in other areas of the body might become bigger.

That means that you’ll want to work to maintain your weight after a Liposonix treatment, so that you can continue to enjoy your results for many years to come. You can talk to your doctor about ways to keep the weight off after body contouring.

You Can Do Whatever You Want Afterwards

While the downtime after Liposonix is practically non-existent, you will need to make a few subtle changes to your routine. For one thing, your surgeon will most likely recommend that you adjust your diet for about two weeks after the treatment, a time that the body will spend flushing out the destroyed fat cells. It’s a good idea to stick with a diet that is low in carbohydrates and low in fat for about two weeks after the treatment. Although you can go back to work right away, your surgeon will usually recommend waiting another day or two before you head back to the gym or resume your exercise routine.

Results Are Instantly Visible

You’ll need to give your body time after a contouring procedure, whether you have surgery such as liposuction or a non-invasive procedure such as Liposonix. At the very least, it might take a month for you to see any changes or results. After Liposonix, your body is working to flush out the damaged fat cells through the liver. After liposuction, you might have some bruising, swelling and need to wear a special compression garment to help give the treated area the  desired shape.

While many patients get the results they are after from just one Liposonix treatment — often losing up to a full dress or pants size — in some cases, it can take as long as four months for those results to appear. After Liposonix, you can expect to wait anywhere from one to four months before you see any noticeable changes.

Don’t believe the myths. Liposonix and other body contouring procedures can help you get the shape you want, as long as you’re at a healthy weight and are ready to make changes to your life. In the Virginia Beach area, Dr. Kyle Choe offers Liposonix to patients who looking lose that pesky stubborn fat. To learn more about the treatment, contact The Choe Center for a consultation today by calling 757.389.5850.