Body contouring is the name given to the combination of several different plastic surgery procedures that all aim to remove excess skin and fat, tighten loose skin, and lift any areas of the body that are drooping to completely transform one’s appearance.
Body contouring can treat a number of different body parts and regions, including (but not limited to) the neck, arms, thighs, hips, breasts, and buttocks. By combining different procedures into one surgery, the patient only needs to recover from one surgery appointment rather than having multiple procedures and extended recovery periods over the span of a few years.
Dr. Leo Lapuerta, a triple-board-certified plastic surgeon with an impeccable reputation among patients in Katy, Pearland, and Houston, Texas, advises patients to opt for body contouring during the wintertime. Why? Dr. Lapuerta explains six reasons why below.
1. Keep Warm and Comfortable During Recovery
Following the body contouring procedure, patients are advised to wear a compression garment. The tight compression garment is meant to help support proper healing and recovery, applying constant pressure to keep down swelling and hold the impacted areas in the proper position in order to achieve the very best results.
This compression garment can be quite thick, adding an additional and possibly unwanted layer of clothing. This can be a difficult proposition during the summer, when high temperatures, sunshine, and humidity can cause the compression garment to quickly become hot and sweaty. During winter, however, the compression garment can add a cozy extra layer to your clothing, allowing you to stay nice and warm as the temperature outside gets colder and colder.
2. Cool Temperatures Keeps Swelling Down Following Surgery
If any area of the body is swollen, the first order of business is to grab an ice pack. By keeping the area cold, blood flow to the area slows and swelling goes down. During the cold wintertime, post-operative swelling is easier to keep under control because of the lower temperatures. Usually, when the body is recovering, blood vessels will be pushed close to the surface of the skin to dissipate heat, leading to swelling. If it’s chilly outside, your body does not have to work as hard to dissipate heat, making it easier to keep swelling under control.
3. Hide Any Signs of Recovery with Bulky Clothing
When recovering from body contouring, there will be signs of the surgical procedure all over your body: scars, bruising, redness, and swelling. The natural reaction would be to find loose, baggy, and comfortable clothing that covers the entire body, but that can prove difficult during summer, the season of tank tops and shorts.
Winter is the season of thick sweaters, scarves, and pants, making it the ideal time to recover from body contouring. Keep your new body under wraps, both literally and figuratively, until springtime rolls around. Come spring, your body will be healed and you will be ready to reveal your new appearance for all to see.
4. Taking Time Off Is Easier and Comes with Fewer Questions
Winter is the best season to take time off from work. There are already a variety of holidays scattered throughout November, December, January, and February (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and President’s Day). Many offices already give employees time off for these holidays, so if you are strategic, you can plan for your recovery time to overlap with one (or more) of these holidays.
Oftentimes, recovery from body contouring requires patients to take between 2-3 weeks off from work. By choosing to undergo the surgery in the winter, you can keep some of your paid time off for a fun summer getaway!
Not only that, but the winter gives recovering patients a simple and easy excuse to take time off from work. If you do not want nosy coworkers to know that you are undergoing body contouring, simply tell them that you have family is in town. Visiting with your family is something everyone can understand, leading to fewer follow-up questions or any additional inquiry into your personal matters.
5. Avoid Unwanted Sun Exposure During Body Contouring Recovery
Following most procedures, plastic surgeons ask patients to avoid direct sunlight, as UV rays can weaken the body’s ability to naturally heal. Wounds are very sensitive, and scars that are constantly exposed to sunlight are in danger of being burned. This can lead to any post-operative scar tissue growing darker and thicker, and the resulting discoloration may never fully go away.
During the winter, the sun is usually hidden from view—and even if it is in view, you will likely be wearing clothing that covers the recovering areas of your body. And if you live in especially colder climates, you are more likely to spend your leisure time inside and away from the sun, making winter your best chance to avoid the sun during body contouring recovery.
6. Get Fit Just In Time for Summer Swimsuit Season
While the recovery from body contouring surgery requires a few weeks of downtime, the entire healing process can last much longer. Recovery and final results will not be complete until a few months following the procedure.
That means that if you are anxious to flaunt your new and improved body in a swimsuit during the summertime, winter is the time to act. Undergoing body contouring during the winter means that your body will be 100% recovered by summer, allowing you to show off your amazing results by the pool or on the beach.
Request a Body Contouring Consultation with Dr. Lapuerta
Winter is the perfect time for body contouring. Give yourself or a loved one the perfect wintertime holiday gift: the gift of a completely transformed appearance. Regardless of the cause of loose, sagging, or excess skin, body contouring can address these imperfections to give you a more youthful, attractive, and revitalized appearance.
Dr. Lapuerta has more than two decades of experience helping patients optimize their appearance. He has consistently earned rave reviews from former patients for his ability to successfully partner with them to help them reach their goals. If you are interested in learning more about body contouring or would like to request a body contouring consultation with Dr. Lapuerta, contact us today.