What is Body Contouring?

Body contouring is an umbrella term for procedures intended to change body shape. The right category depends on whether the goal involves fat, loose skin, muscle definition or added volume. In this episode, Darren M. Smith, MD, a plastic surgeon in New York City, compares surgical, minimally invasive and noninvasive approaches.

He also explains two terms patients may encounter: high-definition liposuction and contouring after substantial weight loss. These labels describe different goals and do not identify one standard operation.

Key takeaways

🔬 Skin-removal surgery addresses excess tissue.

The episode includes tummy tucks, arm lifts, thigh lifts and lower body lifts, with different incision and recovery tradeoffs.

🔬 Liposuction and fat grafting serve different purposes.

Liposuction removes localized fat; fat grafting transfers a person's fat to add volume elsewhere. Both require a procedure-specific assessment.

⏳ Skin elasticity affects the plan.

Dr. Smith explains why removing fat does not automatically address loose skin and why selected cases may prompt discussion of additional treatment.

🔬 Noninvasive devices target different tissues.

The recording discusses fat freezing separately from the muscle-conditioning goal of original Emsculpt. Device treatment is not interchangeable with surgical skin removal.

🔎 Contouring after major weight loss can be more extensive.

Substantial excess skin may require an operation designed for its location and distribution, rather than assuming a small-incision treatment will suffice.

💬 Questions answered

What does Lipo360 mean?

Dr. Smith describes it as a broad term often used for liposuction around the torso. He prefers naming the exact areas, such as the abdomen, flanks or portions of the back, so patient and surgeon agree on the treatment plan.

Can liposuction remove loose skin?

Liposuction targets fat. The recording emphasizes evaluating skin elasticity and the amount of excess skin separately. Some patients may need a different or additional procedure to address that concern.

ℹ️ Current context for this 2020 recording

The discussion includes buttock fat grafting, or BBL. Small incisions do not imply low risk: an ASPS-led joint safety statement highlights serious risks, including fatal fat embolism, and supports real-time ultrasound and fat placement above the muscle. These measures do not eliminate risk. The episode's device preferences and comparisons are historical opinions, not guarantees of superiority or current treatment availability.

🎧 Episode chapters

01:26 — Surgical body contouring

04:01 — Liposuction, Lipo360 and fat grafting

07:58 — Skin elasticity and tightening

11:08 — Noninvasive fat and muscle treatments

14:15 — High-definition liposuction

15:58 — Contouring after substantial weight loss

🔗 Related information

Explore body-contouring procedures, liposuction, tummy tuck surgery, or request a consultation with Dr. Smith in New York City.

About the host — current biography

Darren M. Smith, MD, FACS is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Manhattan specializing in mommy makeover surgery, breast surgery, and body contouring. He was named to Newsweek’s America’s Best Plastic Surgeons 2026 and has co-authored authoritative peer-reviewed publications on combined breast surgery and abdominoplasty and the surgical care of postpartum patients.

Originally released September 10, 2020. Show notes updated September 30, 2026. This is general education. Current recommendations, suitability, risks and expected results require an individual assessment.

Full transcript and related resources