Body contouring is surgery to improve the shape or contour of a person's body. Liposuction is the traditional method for body contouring. It remains best suited for small, isolated deposits of fat that have only little extra skin.

The concept of body contouring can also be expanded to include procedures that alter and improve the overall shape of a patient's body. For instance, as the number of Americans choosing bariatric surgery to lose a substantial amount weight is climbing, body contouring can help these individuals take the final step to looking and feeling their very best.

Patients who have lost a significant amount of weight - sometimes hundreds of pounds - need to have excess skin and tissue surgically removed to make the area look more normal. The technique can be used on almost any body part, including the belly, thighs, arms, breasts, back and neck.