Anatomy, shape and appearance

Many patients present for consultations with expectations of transforming their bodies into an image constructed in their minds regarding what is beautiful and sexy to them. They somehow seem to disconnect from their bony and muscular structures that are fixed and difficult to alter in order to achieve the "desired" look. Therefore, when I begin to evaluate my patients I pay close attention to the following:

Overall shape and appearance

Spine curvature

Pelvic tilt

Leg length discrepancies

Posture

Chest/abdomen length

Back to buttock relationship

Buttock shape, volume, fat distribution and how it relates to thighs,hips and pelvis

Fat/ skin relationship (more fat than skin = suction, more skin than fat = cutting)

Body contour irregularities

So you see that to achieve body contouring the surgeon needs to think in an artistic way in how to transform a marble into a statue by using liposuction as a tool to remove unsightly fat deposits and cut excess loose skin for better draping, knowing that the bony frame, muscles and posture are fixed and can hardly be changed.

It is important that you discuss this with your surgeon in order to achieve a realistic expectation. Remember that before surgery it is an explanation but after surgery it becomes an excuse.