What is the Ideal Female Body Shape and Why?

What is the ideal female body shape? It depends if you're asking a man or a woman.

For women, the ideal will be a fashion model's body, a tall, willowy body with a modest bustline, a small waist-to-hip ratio, and thin, muscled thighs. According to women's ideal of the perfect female body, she should be 70 inches tall, have a BMI of 16.5 (underweight BMI), and have a hip size that is just 46 percent larger than her waist size.



A composite of celebrity body parts showing the differences of men & women's ideas of the perfect female body

Just the Facts - About Weight Loss

I'm starting a new series of posts entitled Just the Facts, to present bite-sized facts about various topics in cosmetic medicine. Got a topic you'd like me to address? Contact details are down below! 

Today's topic is about weight loss. So many people are fighting obesity today, and despite the many success stories, countless books, endless magazine articles, it seems weight loss, dieting and slimming remain a problem and concern for so many people. If you are struggling with weight control and want to take control of your health problems, too, its important to recognize that healthy weight loss is possible, but requires commitment, dedication and perseverance. Instead on focusing on slim-fit jeans, think about how you want to feel when you can walk up a hill without being breathless, or if you'd like to be able to chase after your grandchildren without worrying about a heart attack! If you're serious about getting healthy and gaining a better lifestyle through weight control, do read on for some tips on gaining a healthy lifestyle. 

Just the Facts - About Weight Loss 

Cellulite Treatments - Is A Permanent Solution Available?

Cellulite, also known as adiposis edematosa or orange peel syndrome, is a natural occurring condition that affects up to 90% of women, and can occur anywhere on the body from the arms, abdominal and back areas, but is most common on the buttock and thigh areas. Sedentary lifestyles combined with unhealthy diets as well as practices such as smoking and tanning can exacerbate the appearance of cellulite. Genetics and hormonal changes also appear to be an important factor, as healthy, fit and active women do report having cellulite even from ages as young as their 20s. 


There are many treatments that can, however, give on-going improvements and can potentially prevent a worsening of the existing condition. 


There is no treatment available that can cure cellulite permanently, as it is an on-going effect of the natural bodily processes. But there are treatments that can significantly improve it's appearance. 

The Liposuction Alternative -Why More People Are Exploring Nonsurgical Approaches To Body Shaping and Contouring

Liposuction is currently one of the most popular procedures available at the plastic surgeon's office, with an estimated 1.6 million liposuction procedures performed worldwide in 2010 alone. It is also one of the most highly searched keyword on Google, with over 1.2 million searches worldwide every month, an indication of the growing number of people who are looking for a way to shed those inches.

With obesity at epidemic proportions, battling the bulge is a major concern for many

Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty, can be performed on many areas of the body, including the arms, neck, upper arms, calves, and back areas, with the abdomen and thigh areas being the most popularly treated areas. Although liposuction is a proven and highly effective tool, the decision to undergo such a treatment should never be taken lightly. Liposuction is a major surgical procedure, and the risks are as high as in any other surgery.

Here are some things that any person considering this procedure must know -

Liposuction is not for everyone - 

Many people think of liposuction as the 'weight loss solution for lazy people', but actually liposuction is best suited for people who have pockets of fat that they have not been able to lose through diet and exercise. The patient must be relatively fit and healthy in order to withstand the rigours of the surgery and recovery process.

Severely obese patients are never a candidate for liposuction - they are encouraged to lose the weight through bariatric (weight loss) techniques or surgery such as gastric banding.

Liposuction is not a magic wand for instant weight loss

Besides the cost and discomfort that this major surgical procedure involves, there are also many risks that must be considered. These risks can include damage to surrounding tissue, toxicity, allergy, uneven contouring and infection. The amount of fat that can be removed from any single procedure is also limited, and some patients are disappointed when the procedure doesn't give them the smooth silhouette and shapeliness they were expecting. Expecting to go from a size 16 to a size 8 is also unrealistic, as

Just because the fat is gone doesn't mean you won't put on weight

Liposuction works by the physical removal of fat cells from the body, so it's easy to think that your post-surgical body will stay the same forever. However, a study done at the University of Colorado found that the majority of liposuction patients regained the weight within a year after their surgery, but in different, non-treated areas. Those who had their abdomen treated regained it on their thighs, and others who had their thighs liposuctioned found their upper body area getting larger.

Historically, fat reserves were the body's insurance against starvation, so our fat cells were tuned to reserve as much energy as possible from the food we ingest. The fat stores on a post-liposuction patient are just redistributed to existing fat cells in other areas to make up for the reduced amount in the treatment sites. Having liposuction to reduce your problem areas does not mean diet and exercise are no longer important.

The typical liposuction patient - the procedure can give you a temporary boost, but research shows the weight is usually put
back on after a year, but tends to regrow in different areas than the ones treated.

Liposuction alternatives - what options are available besides the surgical procedure?

Liposuction is still the gold standard and the quickest method for fat loss and body contouring, but it does not address long term weight control, and always needs to be carefully considered due to cost, discomfort, recovery and health concerns. Liposuction should not be performed  repeatedly on the same treatment area due to the formation of scar tissue. Other problems such as skin laxity and lumpy or uneven areas are also common after the surgery. Liposuction also cannot address concerns such as cellulite, and is not practical for slimmer people who have small fatty deposits.

The trend today is for non-surgical procedures such as cryolipolisis, soft laser lipolysis or ultrasonolipolysis as an alternative for or extra treatment option post-liposuction. In Europe, many also swear by carboxytherapy and mesotherapy, and new techniques that employ these methods are being explored and introduced on a regular basis. 

While these are exciting prospects for those who don't want to opt for or don't qualify for surgery, they cannot produce the instant results of a liposuction procedure, but often rely on repeated procedures or take time to show effects. Safety concerns are key with nonsurgical methods, and fat loss is slow to avoid complications such as skin or organ damage. The amount of fatty tissue treated is also limited as a sudden loss of too much fat can cause your body to go into shock. Most nonsurgical lipolysis (fat elimination) treatments are also dependent on the efficiency of the body's metabolic system, as the treated fat is not manually removed as in surgical procedures, but purged from the body as part of it's natural waste elimination process. A drawback of this extended recovery process is that it can be hard to see visible results. 

You can read more about non-surgical body shaping options in my previous blog post. Have you tried any of these treatments and do you think you prefer them to surgery?

Cosmetic Medicine, MD

Dr. Liow Tiong Sin is an aesthetic practitioner who practices in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, Malaysia. He has more than 12 years of expertise with non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and  conducts training courses for other doctors from all around Asia. To connect with Dr. Liow, Like Cosmedmd's Facebook page. medical centre website or email. 

Body Contouring - Newest Technologies for Getting The Body You Want

Body contouring is of huge concern to many people, old or young, fit or unfit, and the growing trend is for less invasive, low risk treatments with proven efficacy. Even as economies around the world tighten their belts, our physical waistlines are getting bigger. In Asia, there has been a steady growth in the body shaping and tightening market. While not a replacement for diet and exercise, body contouring treatments are an effective way to spot treat problem areas such as abdomen, back, hips, thighs and upper arms. Some equipment are also approved for double chin areas.

Non-invasive body contouring treatments generally work by the application of some sort of energy, such as radiofrequency (RF) or ultrasound, to disrupt or destroy fat cells that are then flushed out through the body's waste drainage system. Results are rarely immediate as the body's elimination process can take up to six weeks. Best results are also seen with repeated treatments, as each session is designed to target only a certain percentage of the fatty layer to prevent accidental damage to other areas of the body. Most treatments are quick, relatively painless and require no downtime, which are all factors contributing to their popularity. 

Here is a list of some of the latest treatments and modalities available, as well as a general picture of how the treatment is conducted. Bear in mind that best results are seen when used in combination with proper diet and exercise, and that results are generally modest compared to liposuction. Fat loss from these treatments are generally permanent with dietary moderation. The best canididates for non-invasive body contouring treatments are those who have a BMI less than 30, are generally fit, but with unwanted pockets of fat.


MedContour / Vaser Shape
MedContour (Vaser Shape MC1 is the name used in the US) uses external ultrasound to target cellulite and localized fatty deposits, and combines it with a massage therapy for lipo drainage and boosting the metabolism.
The machine uses two angled transducer heads to shoot two beams of modulated energy through the skin. Each beam is harmless, but when they meet, the combined energy heats up the targeted area, causing fat cells to vibrate and be destroyed. The treatment is akin to warm massage. The lymphatic massage is delivery using a separate suction applicator, and is a quick and painless adjunct to the treatment.
Typical treatment time is 60 to 90 minutes, and the treatment can be repeated every week. A minimum of four treatments are recommended to see lasting results, with up to three centimetres lost after every procedure.

Before                                                               After
MEDCONTOUR /VASER SHAPE

Coolsculpting by Zeltiq
Zeltiq is a US FDA-approved cryolypolisis treatment. Based on research done in the USA on the effect of cooling on fat, Coolsculpting essentially freezes the fat cells, causing them to die and be eliminated from the body.
Every session typically eliminates 20-22% of the fatty deposit and takes one hour per area. During the session a suction cup is placed over the fatty deposit, the fleshy area is vacuum suctioned into the cup and a sustained cooling procedure is applied. The actual treatment process is very comfortable, with most patients experiencing some minor discomfort when the machine is removed. Most people compare this discomfort to the feeling of pins and needles that occur when you remove your hand from a bowl of ice-cold water.
The treated area can feel numb for several days after the procedure, and a repeat treatment can be done two months later. Results are generally seen by the first month after the first treatment, with up to three treatments recommended depending on the amount of fat. 

Before                                                                                       After -
COOLSCULPTING

Zerona Laser
Zerona Laser is a cold laser is that US FDA-approved for loss of inches from the waist, hips and thighs. This technology was proven to create a pore in fat cells to drain away the fatty contents while doing no harm to the surrounding capillaries and organs. The body then removes the drained fat by the natural detoxification process. The process does not employ any heat, so discomfort levels are very minimal, and clinical studies have shown an average of 3 - 9 inches lost per six treatment cycle.
Each treatment involves a cold laser being projected onto the abdomen, hip and thigh areas for 20 minutes on the front, and 20 minutes on the back. The treatment must be repeated every 48 hours for maximum results, and a minimum of six sessions are given within a two week time frame.
A dietary supplement known as Curva is given in conjunction with the Zerona treatment to enhance the lymphatic drainage effects of the procedure.

Before                                                                                    After
ZERONA

UltraShape 
UltraShape uses pulsed focus ultrasound and vacuum-assisted radio frequency technologies to target and shrink localised fat deposits for a reduced body circumference and improved body shape.
The one hour treatment involves an extensive preparation in which the target area is measured, marked and surrounding areas covered with protective sheets. During the treatment, focused pulses of ultrasound are directed all over the targeted area, and energy levels are adjusted to maximize comfort of the patient. The ultrasound pulses destroy fat cells, while selectively prevents harm to surrounding vessels, tissues and cells. After the ultrasound treatment, the vacuum radio frequency head is applied briefly to assist in the drainage of the destroyed fat.
A minimum of three treatments given two weeks apart are recommended for proper results, and an average of a 4cm circumference reduction has been demonstrated after three treatments.

Before                                                     After
ULTRASHAPE

LipoSonix
LipoSonix is the newest player in the body contouring market, and employs a high-intensity focused ultrasound methodology to disrupt subcutaneous fat. This US FDA-approved treatment delivers precise and consistent thermal energy to the targeted areas, and energy levels are adjusted to suit patient needs. The advantage of this treatment is that even areas with smaller or harder fat deposits that are hard to treat with other procedures are treatable with LipoSonix.
The one hour treatment session involves positioning of the energy transducer head on marked treatment areas and a mild warmth or tingling sensation can be felt as the ultrasound waves are delivered, heating fat cells to 56 degrees celcius to ensure their destruction.
Each single procedure promises an average of a one-inch circumference loss, and full results can be seen in eight to twelve weeks after the body has had time to process and eliminate the destroyed fat.

Before                                                             After
LIPOSONIX