How to Manage Your Holiday Weight Gain through Body Contouring

Now that the holiday season is coming to an end, most people have two main concerns: weight gain after the holidays and how to deal with it. The holidays interfere with diets because people gather for parties. Coupled with lack of sleep and other factors during this fast-paced time, it’s hard to get back to exercise and healthy eating habits.

Holiday weight gain settles on the hips, stomach, and thighs. And it can be difficult to get rid of the excess weight. Dieting and regular exercise may be the first place to start to shed pounds, but they are not always an effective solution. This is exactly why you should consider body contouring in the new year.

Body Contouring is not an alternative to weight loss but a supplement for patients who have reached their ideal body weight. At Memorial Plastic Surgery, our board-certified plastic surgeons offer customized body contouring procedures to help patients achieve and maintain their dream figure and counteract the effects of the holidays. Here are three of the most popular body contouring procedures in Houston, TX.

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1. Liposuction

Performed through a range of techniques, liposuction targets stubborn fat anywhere on the body – whether the holiday pounds are on the abdomen, hips, thighs, or any other part of the body. It offers immediate results and low downtime, making it the perfect solution for anyone looking to start the year by getting rid of fat. Not to be confused as a fast weight loss solution, liposuction can still slim and improve body contours and proportions of the body when the fat cells are surgically suctioned out. In addition, for many people, liposuction is the motivation they need to lead healthier lifestyles because it encourages them to maintain their weight so that the results are enjoyed longer.

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2. Abdominal Etching

When the holidays are over, many people feel a little chubby and wish they had a more muscular stomach. One type of liposuction, called abdominal etching, aims to sculpt and enhance a patient’s waist and abdominal area and create the appearance of a six-pack on the surface.

Over the years, the tummy tuck has become increasingly popular with patients who have tried unsuccessfully to get a flat stomach despite regular exercise. During tummy tuck surgery, the fat deposits over each abdominal muscle are removed by suctioning, while the fat remains on top of the muscles.

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3. Tummy Tuck

Designed to reduce excess skin, tighten the underlying muscles, and improve the contour of the body, a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, addresses the loose, inelastic skin that gives the appearance of a protruding abdomen. The tummy tuck is commonly combined with liposuction for enhanced contouring. This surgery, which is becoming increasingly popular with patients, comes in several varieties, such as a modified tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck, to create a tighter, flatter stomach. This procedure removes excess skin and fat from the mid and lower abdominal area to tighten the abdominal wall muscles.

Even if gaining weight during the holidays does not alter your figure forever, many of us would rather take on the new year looking and feeling our best. Each body contouring treatment we offer at Memorial Plastic Surgery is performed with minimally invasive techniques and short downtime and is designed with your comfort in mind. To find out which treatment is best for your body goals, call us at 713-633-4411 to schedule a consultation.