Many of us tend to take our bodies for granted. But your strong arms, core, and legs enable you to do so much, like go for long walks, lift your little ones, hit the dance floor—and even get out of bed in the morning.
However, rather than celebrating the power and ability our bodies have, we’re often all too eager to nitpick the parts of ourselves that don’t fit the mold we have in mind. Though it’s natural to see changes in our anatomy after a life event, we often neglect to give ourselves the grace we are worthy of.
And your body deserves care and attention, not shame or derision. With Turkle & Associates and Phases Skin Care & Laser Center, you can invest in your physique and actionably work towards your goals, not simply wallow in negative self-talk.
Discover our surgical and nonsurgical options for sculpting your figure, or schedule a consultation to speak with a provider about your vision for body contouring in Carmel.
Understanding Your Changing Physique
If you are feeling frustrated or dissatisfied with your appearance, it might help to understand why your body is changing.
The Aging Process
Often, we can attribute shifts in body fat distribution, muscle mass, and skin laxity to the natural aging process. As we grow older, our hormones decline, prompting many functions throughout the body to slow down or stop altogether. That means that instead of burning fat, we naturally retain more visceral and subcutaneous fat, gaining body fat at a rate of 1% per year once we enter our 40s.
In turn, we see reductions in lean muscle composition, detracting from our once-youthful, toned physique. With less muscle, we burn fewer calories, further perpetuating the cycle of weight gain.
Along with muscular atrophy, we also experience deteriorating skin quality. We lose our ability to regenerate dermal collagen and elastin fibers by 1% each year, a decline that slows skin cell turnover and leads to thinner, looser tissue.
Pregnancy
Creating new life can also contribute to changes in your anatomy. Throughout pregnancy, your:
- Abdominal muscles shift
- Skin stretches to accommodate the growing fetus
- Body stores fat for future energy reserves
Given the many transformations that occur prepartum, it can be difficult for your figure to return to its original state—especially when your hormones are likely still in flux.
You might experience ongoing diastasis recti, or abdominal wall separation, that affects the strength and protrusion of your core muscles, and even your posture. Your body may also continue to cling to excess pockets of fat gained during pregnancy.
Weight Loss Plateau
Many people expect a healthy diet and regular exercise to yield immediate results. More often than not, however, individuals encounter discouraging roadblocks on their weight-loss journeys.
When you “starve” your system with a caloric deficit, your body perceives the reduced food intake as a state of emergency. It adapts to work more efficiently, using the limited calories more frugally to keep you energized throughout the day.
Stringent dieting also activates your hunger hormones, like ghrelin and leptin. If your system decides you aren’t ingesting enough nutrients, these hormones signal you are hungry, even when you should feel full.
All these factors can hinder your weight loss goals, slowing progress to a standstill.
Shaping Your Body-Contouring Plan
Whether the source of your dissatisfaction stems from pregnancy or a weight loss plateau, our expert providers are here to help—and to listen.
That means beginning your care with a one-on-one consultation with one of our licensed medical professionals. During this consultation, you can share your treatment goals, aesthetic concerns, lifestyle, and medical history. Your provider gathers this information to form a well-rounded understanding of your vision and your health.
Then, they examine the desired treatment area, assessing your body composition and skin laxity.
Your provider will then work with you to craft a personalized treatment plan based on a thorough evaluation of your anatomy and your expectations. We can facilitate your aesthetic vision with surgical intervention or nonsurgical body contouring in Carmel.
Sculpting Your Figure With Surgery
Many patients opt to shape their curves with a personalized procedure with our dual board-certified plastic surgeons.
Surgical Options
For surgical body contouring in Carmel, our physicians often recommend a tailored:
- Breast surgery: A lift, augmentation, or reduction procedure helps you achieve the desired breast shape, placement, and size
- Arm lift: Removes excess skin and localized fat deposits to reveal sleeker upper arms
- Liposuction: Gently suctions out unwanted fat from beneath the skin to achieve smoother contours
- Tummy tuck: Strategically strengthens abdominal muscles, removes excess fat, and tightens the remaining skin for a slimmer midriff
- BBL: Precisely injected fat restores volume to your buttocks
- Body lift: An upper or lower body lift addresses sagging skin and fat deposits to advance a more comprehensive vision
- Mommy makeover: Combines a tummy tuck, breast surgery, and labiaplasty to restore your pre-pregnancy figure
Ideal Candidates
Our surgeons take the time to understand your body type, aesthetic vision, and wellness before advising treatment. At Turkle & Associates, we find surgery best suits patients who are:
- In good overall health
- Seeking a more dramatic transformation
- Capable of taking downtime to recover after surgery
- Interested in a onetime procedure rather than a series of treatments
Pre-Op Steps
The pre-care instructions leading up to a surgical procedure are naturally more rigorous than our noninvasive care options. These instructions include steps like:
- Stop smoking at least 4 to 6 weeks prior to surgery.
- Abstain from alcohol 1 to 2 weeks before your procedure.
- Avoid taking blood-thinners within 2 weeks of treatment.
- Arrange for someone to drive you home from your appointment.
Post-Care Instructions
After undergoing a complex procedure, your body needs time to heal. Following surgical body contouring in Carmel, our surgeons typically recommend that you:
- Use any provided compression garments and medications as directed by your surgeon.
- Keep your incisions clean and dry.
- Stop smoking at least 4 to 6 weeks prior to surgery.
- Avoid intense cardio or weightlifting exercises for at least 6 weeks.
- Do not submerge your body in baths or other bodies of water for 6 weeks, except for showers.
Surgical Results
Most surgeries call for 1 to 2 weeks of downtime. After this initial period of rest, continue to give your body time to recover. You can expect to see the sculpted outcome of your surgery in the months that follow, with your final results lasting decades.
Contouring Your Body Noninvasively
For patients interested in a less invasive means of sculpting their silhouettes, we offer a range of services at Phases Skin Care & Laser Center.
Treatment Options
When planning your nonsurgical body contouring in Carmel, your practitioner might recommend targeted care with:
- CoolSculpting Elite: Controlled cooling technology crystallizes the treated fat cells so your body can flush them out, fostering a more shapely form
- Kybella: Ideal for targeting fullness along your chin and jawline, Kybella injections steadily break down unwanted fat cells, sharpening your profile
- Physiq 360: Combined thermal energy and electrical impulses trigger repeated muscular contractions, enhancing tone and definition
- EVERESSE: Targeted radiofrequency energy gently heats your skin, awakening skin-firming collagen and elastin production from deep within
Ideal Candidates
Surgical and nonsurgical treatments naturally deliver different results. Before proceeding with your care, your provider ensures you feel confident in your treatment plan and understand what you can expect from each session.
For optimal results, you should be:
- Within 10 to 15 pounds of your goal weight
- Able to commit to a series of treatment sessions
- Expecting realistic results from treatment
Pre-Care Guidelines
Because we can perform these treatments externally with minimal invasion, the steps for preparing for treatment are often simple:
- Hydrate well before your appointment.
- Limit your consumption of alcohol and use of tobacco products the week of treatment.
- Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing to your session.
Post-Care Instructions
Following each treatment session, your provider will outline any recommended post-care steps. These typically focus on making lifestyle changes to preserve your renewed curves:
- Avoid participating in sweat-inducing activities like saunas, hot yoga, or other intense exercise for the first 48 hours.
- Maintain healthy habits, including a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and healthy sleep patterns.
Treatment Outcome
After completing a nonsurgical body-contouring session, you can resume your daily routine without interruption!
To foster lasting refinements to your figure, we typically recommend completing a series of at least 2 treatment sessions, supplementing with additional maintenance appointments as desired.
An Overview of Your Options
You don’t have to settle for a look that doesn’t feel true to you—and you don’t have to navigate your treatment options without guidance. Though you can always reach out to our team to speak about our services for body contouring in Carmel, we’ve also broken down the basics here for your reference.
| # of Sessions | Downtime? | Longevity of Results? | Maintenance Required? | |
| Surgical | 1 | 1 to 2 weeks | Years | Healthy habits |
| Nonsurgical | 2 or more | 0 | Months | Healthy habits and/or routine touch-ups |
Make Your Dreams a Reality
Don’t let the figure you’re envisioning remain a far-off dream—or a barrier to your present happiness. Prioritize your goals and reignite your confidence with custom body contouring in Carmel.
Dive deeper into your nonsurgical options for body contouring, or explore more targeted treatments like neck-sculpting procedures.
