What is body shaping?
Body shaping refers to the reduction of body fat in specific areas, shaping your body's contours to your preference. You can achieve a body shape you desire by using non-invasive or surgical treatments to remove the excess fatty deposits under your skin.
Body shaping also involves the firming or tightening of loose and saggy skin. Often, loose, saggy skin is the result of your natural ageing process and sun exposure. Skin tightening treatments help to tighten skin, resulting in a more shaped, attractive, and defined-looking body.
Body shaping, contouring and sculpting: They mean the same thing!
Body shaping treatments contour and sculpt the body by removing unwanted body fat to achieve the desired shape. Therefore, body shaping, body contouring, and body sculpting all mean the exact same thing.
We shape our body through the spot removal of fat in areas such as our:
- abdomen
- flank
- thighs
- "banana rolls" (the pocket of fat just below our buttocks)
- arms
- back
- chin area
Fat reduction treatments kill fat cells to remove stubborn fat pockets
Contrary to popular belief, these pockets of fat cannot be removed through exercise. CoolSculpting and Vanquish are fat reduction treatments that can remove fat cells in these areas.
Such treatments target only the fat cells in these problematic areas by killing off unwanted fat cells, using either cooling temperatures or thermal energy.
After the age of 5, our body will not be able to make any new fat cells. Therefore, killing off these fat cells ensures that they are gone for the long term.
In addition, skin-tightening treatments can enhance and shape the contours of the body. These treatments are:
- Exilis
- high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)
- radio frequency (RF).
Our skin starts to lose its elasticity as we age. Loose body skin is also a problem after pregnancy or weight loss. That is why we recommend skin tightening after fat reduction.
Body skin tightening is a procedure that people tend to forget, as they are often too focused on removing their fat and managing their weight loss. Just imagine someone with a trim tummy, but with loose skin that drapes over a bikini bottom.
Another reason why people do not think about skin tightening as part of body shaping is that they think the bulge on their body is due to excess fat. However, it could be loose skin. A doctor will be able to advise you on whether the bulge that you see is due to excess fat or loose skin.
Body shaping VS body slimming
Slimming, however, refers to the adoption of lifestyle changes such as:
- exercises
- eating habits
- weight loss medications to reduce body weight
During weight loss, the number of fat cells in our body remain unchanged. They only get bigger when we gain weight and decrease in size when we lose weight.
That is why the effects of slimming often occur over the entire body rather than at specific areas, unlike body shaping.
Body shaping is not weight management
Weight management is weight loss. It is the same as slimming. Both weight management and slimming involve helping a person manage his/her weight through weight-loss strategies to achieve an ideal, healthy weight.
Body shaping, however, has a different objective from weight management. Thus, they both require different strategies.
CoolSculpting, Vanquish and Exilis are example of body shaping treatments that are non-invasive and involve no downtime.
You may need just one or a combination of a few types of treatments to achieve your ideal result. A doctor will be able to help you determine what is suitable for you.
Calculating body-mass index (BMI) for weight management
Weight management, on the other hand, involves the loss or gain of weight to achieve a healthy BMI.
You can easily calculate your BMI by dividing your weight (in kilograms) with your height (in metres). Then, take the answer and divide it again by your height. This is visually represented this way:
Having a BMI of 23 or higher indicates that a person is overweight, while a BMI of 30 and higher indicates that a person is obese. If your BMI hits those numbers, you will need to get your weight back into the healthy zones.
An effective weight management plan will require a combination of weight-loss tactics. This includes lifestyle changes involving:
- how much and what to eat
- exercises to expend the calories consumed
- meal supplements
- weight-loss medications like Saxenda.
Multiple factors will determine the need for either one or a combination of these changes. Such factors include:
- weight
- height
- BMI
- other health factors advised by a doctor during consultation
Who is suitable for body shaping?
Both men and women who want to get rid of stubborn, unwanted fat in their abdomen, flanks, thighs, banana rolls, arms, back, and chin areas are suitable for body shaping.
In terms of age and lifestyle, those who are above the age of 30 and lead a sedentary lifestyle will also find body shaping treatments a good way to reduce fat in these areas. A slower metabolic rate as we age and loss in muscle mass will lead to fat gain.
Mothers who have given birth and who find it hard to get rid of the fat around their tummies and thighs are also good candidates for body shaping.
However, you should consult a doctor to determine your suitability for body shaping.
Popular areas for body shaping treatment
Common areas where patients get treatment on include the:
- arms
- outer and inner thighs
- abdomen
- flank
- bra fat
- back fat
- banana rolls
- upper arms
- chin area
Non-surgical treatments for body shaping
1. Fat Reduction
CoolSculpting
CoolSculpting is a non-surgical, no downtime fat reduction treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It uses the process of cryolipolysis to freeze and destroy unwanted fat cells.
Once the fat cells are destroyed, your body’s inflammatory and healing responses then kick in. Special cells called macrophages engulf the damaged fat cells. The macrophages then transport the fat to the liver where your body naturally disposes of it — meaning they are gone for the long term.
According to studies, CoolSculpting removes 20% to 25% of fat cells in the treated area each time [1].
For this treatment, only your fat cells are affected, thereby leaving your skin tissues safe and intact. This means that you can do what you like or need straight after the treatment.
Read more: A Doctor’s Guide To Fat Freeze CoolSculpting In Singapore (2021)
Vanquish
Vanquish is a no downtime, non-invasive treatment approved by the US FDA. It uses the thermal energy of non-contact selective radio frequency waves to destroy fat cells.
Contactless radio frequency results in gentle deep-tissue heating to remove fat in targeted areas of the body.
The plus side to this treatment is that it does not require a large amount of pinchable fat. As such, it can be used as a standalone or complementary treatment with other fat removal treatments such as CoolSculpting, depending on your desired result.
The Vanquish fat removal device delivers heat to your skin. It carefully heats the subcutaneous adipose tissue to the optimum temperature of 40°C to 42°C, which is needed for fat reduction by apoptosis.
Studies have shown that Vanquish achieves an average of 29% reduction of fat thickness and 4-5cm reduction of waist circumference after four weekly sessions. [2].
2. Skin Tightening
Exilis Ultra 360 (Exilis)
Exilis combines two popular and medically-proven technologies—radio frequency and ultrasound energy.
The two penetrate the skin together and heat up the deeper tissue underneath the skin surface. This stimulates collagen and tightens elastin fibres, which tightens saggy skin.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)
HIFU uses thermal energy generated from high-intensity focused ultrasound to tighten the skin. The thermal effect penetrates deep into the skin to stimulate collagen in the collagen-rich layer, known as the SMAS layer, to tighten it.
By focusing the ultrasound energy to 3mm and 4.5mm below the surface of the skin, burns and trauma are avoided [3]. As the ultrasound energy works at a deep level, the surface of your skin is unaffected, and therefore there is no downtime.
Radio Frequency (RF)
Radio frequency treatments uses radio frequency energy to heat skin tissue to stimulate collagen fibres and fibroblast cells. This produces new collagen and elastin fibres, which in turn tighten and rejuvenate the skin.
Like other skin-tightening treatments mentioned, radio frequency has no downtime. It can be applied to the tummy, thighs, arms, and even the neck and face.
Comparison of costs?
Treatment
Targeted area
Duration (and downtime)
Price/Session
Recommended number of sessions
What to expect after treatment
Cryolipolysis (CoolSculpting)
Abdomen, flanks, outer and inner thighs, banana rolls, arms, back and chin area
30 – 45 mins per session
No downtime
$690 – $760 / application
Variable; depending on patient’s desired result
Redness, numbness and soreness, which will be resolved after a few days to one to two weeks
Vanquish
Tummy, flanks, thighs, and arms
30 – 45 mins
No downtime
$400 – $580 / area
Minimum 4 to 6 sessions, once a week
Mild skin redness, but this will be resolved within an hour
Exilis
Tummy, flanks, inner and outer thighs, banana rolls, hips and arms
30 mins
No downtime
$390 / area
Minimum 4-6 sessions, once a week
Mild skin redness, but this will be resolved within an hour
HIFU
Tummy, inner thighs, back of thighs, hips and arms
30 mins – 1 hr
No downtime
$360 – $690 / area
Minimum 3 sessions
Mild skin redness, but this will be resolved within an hour
Radio frequency
Tummy, thighs and arms
30 mins – 1 hr
No downtime
$250 / area
Minimum 6 sessions
-
Surgical treatments for body shaping
Liposuction
Liposuction is an invasive, surgical procedure that removes excess body fat. In this procedure, a thin tube or cannula is used. This tube is connected to a vacuum that suctions the fat from areas of your body. These areas can include:
- hips
- thighs
- abdomen
- buttocks
You may have to undergo general anaesthesia during surgery, which means you will not be awake during the procedure.
Tummy tuck/abdominoplasty
An abdominoplasty, or more commonly known as a tummy tuck, is a surgical form of fat removal from the middle and lower abdomen area. Not only does the surgery remove excess fat and skin, it tightens the abdominal muscles as well [4].
Bariatric surgery
It involves reducing the size of the stomach or the flow of food through the gastrointestinal tract. Hence, these operations are suitable for patients with a very high BMI of above 40 [5].
Examples of these surgeries are:
- gastric stapling and
- gastric banding surgery
Pros and cons of non-invasive body shaping treatments
Pros:
No downtime – Examples of non-invasive body shaping with no downtime include:
CoolSculpting
Vanquish
Exilis
HIFU
Radio frequency
They allow patients to go back to their daily routine as soon as they have completed their treatment. Non-invasive treatments are particularly sought-after by busy professionals who cannot afford to take time off from work to recover from surgery.
- Minimal discomfort to no pain – Most patients who have gone through non-invasive procedures have said that they experienced minimal discomfort to no pain at all, while surgical body shaping treatments require a patient to be under general anaesthesia during surgery as part of the pain management process.
- Visible, permanent results – Fat reduction treatments remove fat cells for the long term. Patients can expect to see results after three months.
- No scarring – As there are no surgical incisions made on the patient, there is no risk of scarring.
Cons:
- Results take time – Non-invasive procedures require some time for results to be visible. The full effect of the procedure can be seen after a few sessions. Results can take up to three months to be visible.
- Multiple sessions required – The number of sessions varies from patient to patient. More than one session of fat reduction/skin tightening treatment may be required depending on their condition as well as the desired result.
Pros and cons of invasive body shaping treatments
Pros:
Immediate results – Surgical procedures remove excess fat and tighten skin during the surgery. Hence, the results are visible post-surgery.
Bariatric surgery addresses health issues related to excess weight in patients with very high BMI – Being overweight causes a myriad of health issues. Removing excess fat surgically in overweight and morbidly obese patients decrease the risk of the following [6]:
heart disease
stroke
diabetes
high blood pressure
kidney disease
sleep apnea
Cons:
- Downtime – Surgical methods of body shaping require at least a few days of post-surgery downtime.
- Surgical risks – Surgical methods of body shaping carry a risk of bleeding, infections, scarring, and adverse reactions to anaesthesia.
- Painful recovery process – Pain, soreness, and bruising are common post-surgery.
- More surgery may be needed to tighten skin post-surgery – After the excess fat is removed, patients may need to undergo another procedure to remove excess skin. This ensures that the skin is tightened in the treatment area.
Possible side effects of body shaping treatments
You may experience a few side effects after non-invasive body shaping treatments. However, do not worry. They are temporary and will resolve over time.
Most importantly, you should always make an appointment to see your doctor if you have any concerns. He or she will be able to advise you or even prescribe medication if necessary.
Some possible side effects include:
- Temporary redness of the skin – The skin on the treated area may turn red post-treatment. This will fade within a few days or a week. It will not affect your daily activities.
- Numbness or soreness of the skin – You may experience a tingling sensation or soreness/aching on the skin. This will also be resolved on its own. You can expect the sensation to disappear after a few days to two weeks.
How effective are body shapewear and creams?
Body shapewear makes use of elastic fabric to shape your body temporarily. For example, you would wear one when you would like to have a shapelier figure when wearing a tight-fitting dress.
However, these are only temporary fixes. The excess body fat is still there on the body. When you take the shapewear off, the unwanted body fat is still there and visible.
You may find body shaping creams sold in pharmacies or spas. These creams claim to help remove fat from areas that they are applied to. However, there is no medical evidence available to prove their effectiveness.
What you should know, prepare and expect before a body shaping treatment
I often get patients coming into my clinic after they've heard of someone they know achieve fantastic results with a particular treatment. However, you must remember that every person's body is different. We all respond to treatments differently.
Having said that, you should tell your doctor the result you desire. After understanding what results you would like, he or she can prescribe a body shaping and/or skin tightening treatment that is most suitable for you.
Before going for a body shaping treatment, it is important to drink more water. Drink about a glass or more per day for a few days before the treatment. This will help speed up the elimination of dead fat cells from the body through the lymphatic system. You will also feel more comfortable during the treatment when your body is well hydrated.
Besides that, you may consider avoiding activities that require physical exertion immediately after the treatment. Medically, there is nothing wrong with exercising post-treatment. In fact, I would recommend that you do exercise!
However, some patients may feel sore in the treated areas. Hence, they will feel uncomfortable when their clothes rub against their skin. Rest assured, any feeling of soreness will go away with time.
Are the results of body shaping permanent?
As stated above, fat cells are destroyed by fat-reduction treatments like CoolSculpting and Vanquish. Our body does not produce fat cells after we turn 5 years old. Therefore, the fat cells destroyed during the treatment are gone for the long term.
Conclusion
People think that it is tough to achieve their dream body. However tough it might be for you, just remember that it is not impossible! You don’t have to starve yourself or even avoid all your favourite foods in order to achieve your ideal weight.
There is no need to arduously exercise a particular part of your body just so you can remove those bulges. It has been proven that spot-toning exercises will not work!
Advancements in medical technology have made it possible for us to achieve our dream body without the stress and painful dieting that we often associate body shaping with.
All in all, I hope this article has provided a comprehensive understanding of what body shaping is and why an effective body shaping treatment entails two processes – fat reduction and skin tightening.
Medical technology has also given doctors tools that allow us to remove unwanted bulges of fat and tighten loose folds of skin. These technologies also allow one to achieve a contoured body comfortably and with no downtime. A dream body is no longer elusive, but achievable!
Cheers to good health and a better body contour, everyone!
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Dr Terence Tan obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and Master of Medicine (Surgery) from the National University of Singapore. He was accepted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) in 2003. He then furthered his training with medical aesthetic specialists. He is happily married, and a father to two boys. When not in his scrubs, he loves cooking for the family and planning their next holiday.
Read more from Dr Terence Tan in his Q&A here.