If you’re thinking about pursuing a body cosmetic surgery for yourself, make sure you; ask yourself why, find a reputable doctor you trust, be specific about what you want to be different, and be realistic.
The type of body cosmetic surgery you need depends on certain factors like weight, age, injury, sex, medical conditions, lifestyle, and beauty/fashion. There are so many cosmetic treatments for your body, face, breast, and genital.
What are the cosmetic surgeries I can do for my body? How do I know the best body cosmetic surgery to go for? How do I know I’m fit for a particular cosmetic treatment?. This article seeks to answer these questions. You can also check out my other article on “What breast cosmetic surgery do I need?“.
11 Types Of Body Cosmetic Surgery You Can Do
This is a list of common and current body cosmetic surgeries (and their ideal candidate), both invasive and non-invasive, that you might need. They are:
Arm Lift or Brachioplasty
From the underarm to the elbow, an Arm Lift or Upper arm lift, also known as Brachioplasty, reshapes drooping, sagging skin, and fat deposits under the arm. An upper arm lift can be paired with liposuction to give you a sculpted upper arm that looks good with the rest of your body.
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The arm lift is for:
- Individuals who have lost a lot of weight but still have sagging skin and a lot of fat under their arms.
- Individuals whose underarm have lost its elasticity owing to age or heredity.
An arm lift candidate should ideally be a nonsmoker in good health and with a stable weight.
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Body Lift
When a person loses a substantial amount of weight, whether, by gastric bypass, lap band surgery, post-pregnancy, or diet and exercise, they may be left with a large amount of excess skin that is unable to adapt to their current body contours. Loose skin can make it difficult to feel comfortable, fit into clothes, and maintain personal hygiene resulting in rashes and skin infections.
A body lift can help to remove excess skin, restore and change the contour of underlying tissues, and remove any remaining excess fat in this case.
Body lift is for:
- People who are in good physical condition.
- People who have kept their weight stable for at least 6-12 months.
- Women who have no intention of getting pregnant
- People who have lost a lot of weight and have a lot of loose skin.
Brazilian Butt Lift
Fuller, rounded buttocks are becoming increasingly common. The Brazilian Butt Lift, also called Gluteal augmentation surgery, achieves this look by reshaping the contour of the buttocks with surplus fat harvested from other parts of the body.
The Brazilian Butt Lift is a healthy and efficient treatment for people who have a sunken or flattened look or are otherwise unhappy with the contour of their buttocks.
Brazilian butt lift is for:
- Individuals who are generally in good health.
- Individuals who want their buttocks to be more rounded.
- Individuals who have excess fat that can be transferred.
Buttock or Gluteal Augmentation
The demand for enhancing the size and shape of the buttocks has increased significantly as the popularity of generously curved backsides has risen. Cosmetic surgeons can increase the size and contour the shape of the buttocks in three ways; Buttock implants, Fat grafts, and Brazilian butt lift.
Your cosmetic surgeon will decide the most suitable procedure for you based on your aesthetic objectives.
Buttock Augmentation is for:
- Individuals who are generally in good health.
- People who are unhappy with the way their buttocks look.
- Individuals who want to improve the size and shape of their buttocks.
- Individuals whose buttocks have sagged or lost shape as a result of aging or substantial weight loss.
Liposuction or Liposculpture
Liposuction, also known as liposculpture, is the removal of excess subcutaneous fat pockets. Liposuction is a fat removal technique.
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Despite the fact that liposuction selectively eliminates fat and contours skin, these fat pockets remain in localized areas that are resistant to diet and exercise. Obese people who have a lot of fat will not benefit from liposuction and will be disappointed with the outcome.
Liposuction is for:
- Patients who want fat removed from trouble areas like their faces, necks, torsos, breasts, arms, and legs.
- Patients who want a more athletic or contoured figure.
- Patients of all ages that are in good health and follow a balanced diet and exercise routine.
- Patients who are aware that this is not a weight-loss surgery.
- Patients that have reasonable aspirations.
Mommy Makeover
This is also known as Post-pregnancy cosmetic surgery.
Any woman who has given birth will testify to the physical changes that have occurred as a result of giving birth. Fortunately, a specialist cosmetic surgeon may assist in restoring a more youthful look and removing many of the changes of childbearing.
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The exact procedures vary depending on the individual’s cosmetic objectives, but most Mommy Makeovers include three or more of the following:
- Breast Lift
- Breast Augmentation
- Liposuction
- Tummy Tuck
- Buttock Augmentation
- Vaginal Rejuvenation
Mommy Makeover is for:
- A woman who has given birth once and is unhappy with the physical consequences of childbearing.
- A woman who does not want to have another child.
- A mother who hasn’t had a child in at least 6 months.
- A woman who is in good physical condition.

Nonsurgical Fat Reduction
This is also known as Noninvasive fat reduction, Minimally invasive fat reduction or Noninvasive body contouring.
We now have a variety of non-surgical options for permanently removing unnecessary fat deposits while preserving healthy surrounding tissue. The most recent methods include:
- CoolSculpting – uses cold temperatures that shock fat cells.
- Kybella – uses a synthetic form of a chemical that is naturally found in the body to disrupt and reduce fat cells under the chin.
- Vanquish– uses radiofrequency to heat fat cells.
- SculpSure – uses laser energy to heat and disrupt targeted fat cells while at the same time keeping the skin cool.
- Ultrashape – uses focused pulsed ultrasound waves to create heat to destroy the fat cells.
- Liposonix – uses high-intensity sound waves to create heat and destroy fat cells.
Nonsurgical fat reduction is for:
- Individuals in good health who are within 15 pounds of their ideal body weight.
- Individuals who have fatty bulges that diet and exercises have not been able to remove.
- Individuals who are unwilling or unable to undergo cosmetic surgery to remove fat deposits.
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Skin Removal Surgery
Sagging, inelastic skin can be depressing and troublesome, whether it’s due to significant weight loss, pregnancy, or aging. Excess skin is removed in a variety of cosmetic surgery procedures, including:
- Body Contouring: After substantial weight loss, this procedure removes excess skin and fat while shaping the tissue underneath to form proportionate contours.
- Tummy Tuck: After a pregnancy or significant weight loss, abdominal muscles are repaired and excess skin and fat are removed.
- Mommy Makeover: A combination of cosmetic surgical procedures aimed at helping mothers regain their pre-pregnancy form.
- Body Lifts: Restoring symmetry and tautness to specific body areas.
Skin Removal Surgery is for:
- Adults who are unhappy with the long-term effects of substantial weight loss on their bodies.
- Adults whose weight has returned to normal after a period of dramatic weight loss
- Adults who are committed to a safe lifestyle but do not smoke.
- Strong people who have a positive outlook on life.
Spider Vein Treatment or Sclerotherapy
Spider veins are veins that occur near to the skin’s surface, most often on the legs, ankles, and face. They appear as small web or net-like clusters that are blue, red, or purple in color, contrasting sharply with the skin.
It’s important to understand the difference between spider veins and varicose veins. Varicose veins are visible veins that bulge at the surface, cause discomfort, and are a medical condition that must be treated separately. Spider veins are normally solely cosmetic in nature and can be quickly removed by a cosmetic surgeon.
The modern procedure for extracting spider veins is simple and painless, and it can be performed in the office as an outpatient procedure.
Sclerotherapy is for:
- A healthy person in good physical shape.
- An individual who has clear spider veins on their legs and/or face.
- An individual who has never had a blood clot or has no family history of blood clots.
Thigh Lift or Thighplasty
Thigh Lifting, also known as thighplasty, is a procedure that reshapes the contour of the inner or outer thighs by removing excess fat and skin to create a well-proportioned, natural appearance. The number and position of incisions needed will vary depending on whether an inner, vertical, or outer thigh lift is needed.
Thigh lift is for:
- People with loose or sagging skin in the thighs who has been unable to achieve the look they seek through exercise and diet.
- Individuals in good physical condition
- Individuals who maintain a constant weight
Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck as it is more widely known, is a procedure that reshapes the abdomen. The skin extends beyond its elastic limit or ability to return to natural form as a result of weight gain and loss, pregnancies, and aging. Muscles are also torn apart, but they never return to their original location.
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Abdominoplasty is a procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen while leaving the underlying muscles intact.
Tummy tuck is for:
- Individuals that have realistic goals
- Individuals that are physically fit and maintain a steady weight
- Skin on the abdominal wall that is loose or sagging.
- Individuals with abnormal relaxation of the anterior (front) abdominal wall muscles due to weight gain or loss, pregnancies, or prior surgery.
Conclusion
This list of 11 cosmetic surgeries for the body and their best candidates is for current and common procedures. There are others which are not common.
It is best to ask yourself why you need the surgery, find a reputable doctor you trust, be specific about what you want to be different, and then be realistic. It is best to peak with your doctor to determine the best cosmetic treatment for you.
You can learn the fundamentals of each procedure, including their best candidates, the expected outcomes, recovery details, and alternative options here.