The A-Z of Body Contouring

If you've considered booking a body contouring treatment before, you'll know that it can be hard to know where to start! Which one(s) are best suited to your needs, budget, body type and concerns? Are there any you should avoid? What will work best for you and your unique requirements?

Recent research has shown that non-surgical tightening and / or fat reduction treatments are two of the most sought after procedures on the market - especially right now, after months in lockdown with reduced levels of activity & movement; and gyms closed across the UK.

Whether you want to blast away unwanted fat, supercharge your fitness goals / muscles or create definition via other aesthetic routes... we've included everything you'll need to make an informed decision below. With the help of our industry leading aesthetic doctors & experts.

Fat Freezing / Fat Reduction (Temperature Based)

Temperature based, non-surgical fat removal is where you pretty much either heat or cool your fat cells to the point where lipolysis occurs and the fat cells die. Treatments such as CoolSculpting or CoolTech are examples of fat freezing - and heat based fat reduction treatments typically include radiofrequency or laser technology.

"Fat freezing cools fatty tissue and heat based fat reduction treatments warm fatty tissues. Thermal based treatments work on the premise that fat cells are more vulnerable to temperature changes than surrounding tissues and are controlled to cause fat cell destruction without causing harm to muscle and skin," explains Dr Priya Verma, Aesthetic Doctor at Nova Clinic.

"Fat freezing treatments such as CoolSculpting work by freezing fat cells to -11 Celsius for a period of time (up to 45 minutes). Radiofrequency treatments on the other hand, work by ‘melting’ fat with high temperatures," Dr Dianni Dai, Aesthetic Doctor at Rejuv Lab explains. "Both methods are suitable for the majority of the body parts for fat reduction."

Temperature based fat reduction treatments are great to use on stubborn, hard-to-shift areas of fat; such as under the arms or chin, around waist or on the abdomen / thighs.

When it comes to determining which kind of treatment would be best for you, Dr Priya tells us, "To determine which treatment is best for you I would always recommend booking a consultation with a reputable clinic and having an assessment. A clinician will assess the problem area, take measurements, and propose a treatment plan. Fat reduction treatments, involving temperature change, will not be a substitute for weight loss. All non-surgical fat reduction treatments work best for people not far off an ideal weight, with stubborn, exercise resistant, pockets of fat."

Results from these treatments are considered permanent - with Dr Dianni Dai confirming, "As long as a healthy diet and lifestyle is maintained (no extreme weight gain), the results can easily last up to a decade."

"Your lifestyle will have a significant impact on whether or not body size improvements achieved through treatments are maintained," concludes Dr Priya.

Downtime for these non-surgical treatments is minimal - with perhaps a just little tenderness, bruising and swelling expected at worst. You should be able to resume normal activities straight after your procedure. Costs vary depending on the number of area(s) to be treated, and the kind of treatment you opt for.

"Expect to pay between £300 - £900 per application of fat freezing," says Dr Priya, "and anything from £900 for HIFU or £2000 for Endolift laser depending on treatment area size. Beware of cheap treatments and voucher websites offering heavy reductions, because whilst these treatments are usually harmless they’re rarely effective. The clinically proven, FDA approved machines are extremely expensive investments for a clinic and are unlikely to be available at such low prices."

Body Contouring

Body contouring - sometimes also referred to as body sculpting, is basically where your practitioner will help you 'reshape' problem areas of your body; in this case, non-surgically.

"Body contouring combines fat removal, skin tightening and smoothing through treatments tailored to improve body shape," says Dr Priya. "Treatments can include temperature based fat reduction techniques or the manual stimulation of fat cells to induce lipolysis; where fat cells empty contents are reduced in size. Body contouring treatments can also incorporate thermal stimulation or physical stimulation of collagen and elastin to increase in firmness in treatment areas."

"Body contouring can be used as a treatment to address fat reduction, cellulite, skin tightening & various other skin conditions," says Dr Munir Somji, InMode KOL and founder of Dr Medispa. "Treatment areas include the arms (to tighten 'bingo wings'), buttocks (reduce fatty areas and smooth cellulite), abdomen (reduce excess skin post pregnancy and tighten skin), legs (reduce cellulite on the upper thighs and tone the skin), flanks (reduce ‘back fat’ in the lower back region), chest (improve the appearance of ‘moobs’ in men), face (treat skin conditions and improve skin tone and texture), chin (reduce unsightly fat under the chin and tone the skin) and the neck (tone neck wrinkles and tighten the skin)."

"Most areas of the body can be treated safely," Nalan Aksahin, Senior Aesthetician at Rejuv Lab tells us. "Common treatable areas are; thighs, banana rolls, above the knees, abdomen, arms, bra/back, flanks etc. Those with a healthy BMI presenting with “pockets" or wider dispersed fat and no contraindications are suitable for treatment. Those of a slightly higher than healthy guideline BMI may be suitable for some treatments. And those that are significantly over a healthy guideline BMI may not be suitable but are welcome for consultation and referral for alternative treatments."

In terms of treatments, Cooltech fat freezing is another popular choice amongst our practitioners. "For fast localised fat reduction I would recommend fat freezing treatments with Cooltech," reveals Dr Priya Verma. "For muscle toning and definition, new electro stimulation technologies such as EM Sculpt provide faster and more effective treatments than the traditional at-home electro muscle pads or belts," she concludes.

"Results can be temporary to lifelong depending on the patients expectations, treatment plan, and modality," Nalan tells us. "Notably cryolipolysis and ultrasound cavitation are lifelong; as once adipocytes are destroyed, they will not come back or grow new ones in their place (except in some cases of severe obesity). Remaining fat cells may still expand or contract depending on factors such as diet, exercise and health."

"Non-surgical body contouring treatments carry little to no downtime," reveals Dr Priya." Treatment aftereffects can be an instant sense of relaxation and well-being, or can leave you feeling a little bruised and tender, but able to carry on with normal life immediately. Costs range from £85 per session for multiple treatment procedures such as LPG Endermologies, and from £2000 per area for sculpting treatments such as Endolift laser. Costs will vary by clinic and treatment area size."

Skin Tightening

Sagging, loose skin occurs naturally with age, as natural collagen production in our bodies decreases. Other factors, such as weight loss and pregnancy, can also leave things feeling looser and less defined. Non-surgical skin tightening, which has surged in popularity recently, can be performed on the body and / or face and in basic terms, uses different technologies to rejuvenate skin - often by stimulating collagen and elastin production. "Collagen induction techniques include the stimulation of skin through heat application with laser, radiofrequency or ultrasound, or through controlled damage with techniques such as microneedling or specific laser wavelengths," says Dr Priya Verma.

"Skin tightening on the body is best when at an ideal weight, where skin has a crepey or saggy appearance," she continues. "Common areas for skin tightening on the body are upper arms, abdomen, upper back and inner thighs. Skin tightening procedures for body are often used in conjunction with fat loss treatments or following surgical fat reduction, such a liposuction."

"Radiofrequency Skin Tightening is a simple, non-surgical procedure that can help to improve the contours of the upper arms, reducing ‘bingo wings’ and fatty deposits." Dr Munir explains. “This method combines radiofrequency technology with fractional micro pins and has been clinically-proven to deliver fractional radiofrequency energy deep into the dermis; further enhancing skin tightening and scar reduction. Results are variable depending on treatment. Generally speaking, radiofrequency skin tightening treatments results can last up to 2 years."

Is there anything we can be doing at home, or any at home skin tightening options on the market? In short, yes there are... but you might be better saving your money to spend in a reputable clinic, as results are limited with at-home tech.

"At home options for tightening skin on the body centre around massage and even heat massage to stimulate collagen production," says Dr Priya Verma. "There are various handheld devices which can be used at home to give a firming effect... however results are limited, devices must be used daily and often are not easy to apply accurately on body areas. Some at home massaging or heat treatments can complement clinical treatments... but always check with your clinician when using these before or after a medical grade procedure," she warns us.

Downtime post-skin tightening treatments is minimal, although some treatments can result in bruising, redness, swelling and temporary discomfort. During many in-clinic skin tightening treatments you'll be numbed pre-procedure using numbing cream to ensure the treatment is as comfortable as possible.

Muscle Enhancement Treatments

Muscle enhancement treatments (which include names such as EMSculpt, EMSella and Evolve by InMode) work to stimulate thousands of muscle contractions per treatment; supercharging your results and helping bulk up muscles / body tone. Popular treatments include the core (abdomen), the buttocks (working the gluten for a Kardashian-esque booty) and thighs.

Dr Dev Patel, InMode KOL and founder of Perfect Skin Solutions, tells us, This type of treatment “uses radiofrequency energy which in itself is not new, but how it applies this is very unique. Depending on your body type, one of a combination of these modalities can be performed, but get this: once the device is attached to you, your practitioner does not need to bother you at all. You can lie back and listen to music or read a book! 60-90 minutes later, you are done! Repeat on a weekly basis for up to 8 weeks for your transformation to occur."

Another treatment worth mentioning is muscle enhancement treatments - but for the face! Freshly landed in the UK from the US (and currently available exclusively at Lisa Franklin's Clinic Privé in London), this type of treatments is the first pain-free, hands-free facial sculpting technology in the world (which can be used on the face & neck.) It allows your practitioner to achieve total tissue targeting during your treatment... looking at improving your skin and muscles, whilst targeting fat... unlike anything else on the market right now.

Lisa Franklin, founder of Clinic Privé, says, "The treatment times are short at between just 15 - 30mins per applicator with no downtime, so you can easily fit treatment sessions around a busy schedule, and because its hands-free you can sit and relax on your laptop, tablet or smartphone”.

Cellulite Treatments

Cellulite is a common problem which will affect most us in our lifetimes. It's caused as a result of a loss of skin integrity / firmness, which can be caused by age, changes in weight, skin stretching and genetics. Dr Dianni Dai explains, "Cellulite commonly affects body parts like the buttocks and the thighs. In order to minimise the appearance of cellulites, the overlying structures from fat need to be enhanced and strengthened and these structures include muscles, layer between the deep and superficial adipose tissue and the skin."

"High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can effectively target the different layers mentioned. This coupled with collagen injections which directly stimulate collagen in the skin, repair the skin's inner structure and strengthen the skin which could reduce the appearance of cellulites," she concludes.