Zerona continues to be one of the most popular body contouring and sculpting procedures around. It can effectively remove excess fat, improve contours and tone up the skin without invasive surgery, making it an attractive alternative to liposuction. Recently featured on "The Dr. Oz Show" (May 16, 2011), Dr. Oz hailed Zerona, calling it a “miracle” procedure. The Zerona system offers patients the results of a body scultping procedure without the surgery, pain, incision wounds, marks, compression garments or other side-effects.

Introduced in April 2008, the Zerona system uses a low-level laser to target excess body fat that may be resistant to diet, exercise and lifestyle changes. The FDA-approved Erchnoia laser used by the Zerona system has been approved for use in use for laser-assisted liposuction since in 2004. The laser's energy is absorbed by body fat, which is broken down and passed through the body as the body naturally detoxifies itself.

While the Zerona laser has little to no reported side-effects, one of the reported benefits is the ongoing loss of days and weeks after treatment as the excess, broken-down fat is passed through the body. A study by the American Society of Lasers in Medicine and Surgery in 2008 demonstrated that patients lost an average of 5-6 inches from their waists, hips and thighs over the course of a few weeks of treatment. A healthy diet and continued exercise is always necessary to keep the weight off with any body contouring procedure.

Most providers say you can expect to lose 3 to 12 inches in a six-treatment, two-week session. The Zerona laser body sculpting procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, and continuous treatments of up to six sessions in a two-week period may be necessary to see the best results. The painless 40 minute sessions are usually spent by patients reading, relaxing, or sometimes taking a nap. Zerona is quick and convenient enough that many patients schedule treatments during their normal lunch hour.

Zerona is one of the most popular body contouring and sculpting procedures for effectively removing excess fat, improving contours and toning up the skin without invasive surgery. Check out this video about Zerona from one of the latest episodes of Dr. Oz.

A Body Lift, or post-bariatric plastic surgery, is a common procedure for patients who recently experienced a significant weight loss. A Body Lift combines various upper and lower body lifts, such as the thigh lift or arm lift, to help improve the shape and tone of the body by removing excess fat and skin. Sagging skin and excess leftover body fat can affect the contour and appearance of a patient's body, and can lead to discomfort or medical complications.

It's always recommended that patients be as close to a healthy weight as possible and that they maintain that weight for a while before undergoing cosmetic surgery. Being as close to a healthy weight as possible helps to get the best results and lowers the risks of complications during surgery.

One of the most important factors in determing if a patient is at a healthy weight and a good candidate for "body contouring after major weight loss" or "weight loss plastic surgery" is a patient's current BMI (Body Mass Index).

Normal: 20 - 25
Overweight: 25 - 30
Obese: 30 - 35
Morbidly obese: BMI greater than 35

You can calculate your BMI here!

To get the best result and lower the risks of complications it's recommended that patients reduce their BMI to under 30. Patients with a higher BMI (Body Mass Index) or a higher body fat % are usually recommended to consider a weight loss program, including a proper diet and exercise, first.

Liposuction is often combined with a Body Lift, or post-bariatric plastic surgery to help remove additional or stubborn subcutaneous fat deposits and get the best results. In some cases, Liposuction may be performed before a Body Lift to help improve the odds of a successful procedure.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery recently reported that almost 9.5 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2010. The demand for plastic surgery procedures increased almost 9% with over 1.6 million procedures performed, while cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures decreased almost 9 percent. Surgical procedures accounted for 17 percent of the total procedures for 2010.

"These numbers mirror what we have been hearing across the country this past year,” said Felmont EavesIII, MD, Aesthetic Society President. "Patients who put off surgery because of uncertainty in the economy and the job market are coming back for tried and true procedures. Growth in demand will likely continue as the recession eases and baby boomers and their offspring begin to explore surgical and nonsurgical options."

The most frequently performed surgical procedure was breast augmentation and the most popular nonsurgical procedure was injections of botulinum toxin type A (including Botox and Dysport). Here are the top five cosmetic surgical procedures and top five minimally-invasive procedures.

Women had almost 8.6 million cosmetic procedures equalling 92 % of the total, while Men had over 750,000 cosmetic procedures representing 8% of the total.

The Aesthetic Society, which has collected multi-specialty procedural statistics since 1997, says the overall number of cosmetic procedures has increased 155 percent since the tracking of the statistics first began.

Source: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

As we move into 2011, the Mommy Makeover continues to be one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures. A combination procedure, the Mommy Makeover is a series of plastic surgery procedures, customized by a plastic surgeon to meet the needs and goals of a specific patient. The most common procedures included in a Mommy Makeover can include abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, breast lift and liposuction. The Mommy Makover has been a successful procedure for countless mothers everywhere looking regain their youthful, pre-pregnancy figure.

Women looking for a Mommy Makeover in the Houston, TX area could expect the average cost of a Mommy Makeover to usually be between $8,000 - $12,000 after surgeon's fees, lab fees, surgical facility costs and so on.

If you're a Mom and you're considering a Mommy Makeover in the Houston area, we have a list of plastic surgeons in the Houston area who may be available for a Mommy Makeover consultation. Here's just a few of our Mommy Makeover surgeons in the Houston, TX region:

• Bruce K. Smith, M.D.
• Donald R. Collins, M.D.
• Lisa Santos, M.D.
• Mark A. Schusterman, M.D.
• C. Bob Basu, M.D.
• Sean Boutros, M.D.
• Michael Ciaravino, M.D.
• Michael Eisemann, M.D.
• Andrew T. Lyos, M.D.
• Bonnie Baldwin, M.D.

Not in Houston, TX? Click Here to Find a Mommy Makeover Surgeon in Your Area.

CoolSculpting  by ZELTIQ is a non-surgical alternative to liposuction that can gently and effectively reduce unwanted fat in problem areas with noticeable, natural-looking results. CoolSculpting selectively targets fat bulges in the abdominal area, love handles (flanks), and back using a precise and controlled method called Cryolipolysis™ which cools and eliminates fat cells without damaging the surrounding tissue.

CoolSculpting is a non-invasive procedure that does not require the doctor to use needles or create surgical incisions. The benefits are no surgical scars, no anesthesia or pain medications, and no recovery time. You can resume routine activities, return to work and keep up your exercise regimen on the same day as the procedure.

In this video patient diary, a Zeltiq patient shares her reasons for choosing CoolSculpting by Zeltiq for body contouring and non-invasive fat reduction - Courtesy of CoolSculpting's YouTube channel.