How to Recover From a Year of COVID-Related Stress Eating

The COVID-19 lockdown has been the perfect storm for weight gain.

Toronto’s public gyms keep opening and closing at a maddening rate, depending on which zone colour we happen to be in this week. At the same time, it has never been more difficult (or expensive) to create a home gym. Things like Peloton bikes or Bowflex Dumbbells are in incredibly high demand and you could be looking at a month or more for delivery times. And if you’re lucky enough to find free weights in a retail store, they are about 3 times as expensive as they were this time last year.

Of course, there is also stress eating. Many of us are turning to food and drink as a source of comfort during these stressful times.

This is why nearly a third of all surveyed Canadians reported that they have gained weight during the COVID-19 lockdown, and why more than 1 in 5 has gained more than 10 lbs. We’re fairing slightly better than our neighbours down south, with over 40% of American respondents gaining weight and almost 29% gaining more than 5 lbs. But still, the extra weight is simply something that we could all do without.

If you’re struggling with the so-called Quarantine 15, or any other recent weight gain, here are a few of the body contouring procedures that our experienced plastic surgeons perform on a regular basis.

Liposuction

This is probably our most popular and most-requested body contouring procedure, because it can be the most impactful.

We’re really excited about the energy-assisted liposuction technology we use these days. It’s the most advanced we’ve ever seen, and it’s leading to some amazing results and some truly striking liposuction before and after pictures.

How Does Liposuction Work?

The concept of liposuction has been roughly the same for years, but the evolution of liposuction technology has come a long way. With these technological advances comes more interest, meaning liposuction for men and women has become one of the world’s most popular cosmetic procedures.

Today we use energy-assisted devices to break up the fat cells to make for unbelievably easy extraction, while also using an incredibly small microcannula to do the actual extraction. What does that mean for you? Quite simply, our patients are experiencing far less bruising than they may have seen a few years ago, with less downtime.

Our clinic currently offers 3 different types of liposuction:

BodyTite™ Lipo

We are privileged to say that our own Dr. Bell is widely known as one of Canada’s foremost BodyTite experts. His results and his reputation are simply unmatched.

This technology releases radiofrequency energy via a small probe directly into the fat. The process will coagulate the fat and seal the very small blood vessels, which results in the most gentle aspiration on the market today, and the least amount of swelling and bruising.

Besides removing unwanted fat, this device also gives you remarkable skin tightening. In fact, you can expect to see soft tissue contraction between 40-50% over 12 months with BodyTite.

SmartLipo™

SmartLipo uses a 1 mm laser fiber to emit laser energy that heats, liquefies, and coagulates your unwanted fat. It also seals the blood vessels for easy extraction, which results in far less bruising than the older tumescent liposuction techniques of the past.

Our patients really love the added skin tightening that these treatments can provide. In fact, you can see a 17% skin contraction and a 25% improvement in skin elasticity.

Is this the right procedure for you? Generally speaking, SmartLipo works best when thermal energy and contraction are needed for smaller zones. On the other hand, BodyTite lipo sees its best results in bigger areas that need more contraction.

You have plenty of options when looking to get liposuction in Toronto and the rest of the GTA. If you choose our clinic, you can take comfort in knowing that Dr. Bell is in worldwide demand because our clinic has more energy-assisted liposuction devices than any other facility in Canada, which means he has more skill and experience using them.

VASERLipo

This could be the best procedure to get if you’re planning on getting a fat grafting procedure like:

• Facial fat transplantation
• Brazilian butt lift
• Fat transfer breast augmentation

The technology relies on ultrasonic energy to vibrate and implode the fat cells, while still being gentle enough to keep the cells intact for transfer and repurposing.

You get simple and easy extraction, predictable and long-lasting results, with very little downtime.

And Then We Take Liposuction to the Next Level With…

We also provide you with a number of other services following your procedure to ensure you get the very best results. We want to ensure you get the best possible outcome, which is why the liposuction process offered by our clinic doesn’t end with your surgery!

Roughly 12 weeks following your initial procedure, we will also provide:

• Additional non-surgical skin tightening
• Localized fat reduction
• Muscle toning procedures

These services are all completely free of charge. This is how we’re able to take our results from good to great, or from great to exceptional.

Where Can Liposuction Be Used?

One of the best parts of our liposuction technology is that it can be safely used to effectively remove unwanted fat from nearly any part of your body.

This could include:

• Waist and flanks
• Upper arms
• Thighs
• Neck and chin
• Lower legs
• Face
• Chest
• Buttocks
• Back
• Abdomen

If you’re looking to trim areas other than you’re stomach, you could also consider non-surgical body contouring treatments, which we will explore in another section.

The Ballpark Cost of Liposuction

There is no one-size-fits-all liposuction price or a flat rate. There are a lot of variables, such as the type of liposuction you get and the size of the treated area. Generally speaking, our prices start at about $4,999 – $6,999.

The Tummy Tuck

The tummy tuck has consistently remained one of our most effective and popular procedures for some time. In fact, it was one of the most-performed plastic surgeries in North America last year, with well over 123,000 successful procedures. It just missed making the top 5 after barely being edged out by the facelift.

This is the perfect procedure for people that are struggling with unwanted fat, as well as extra skin hanging in the abdomen area. This most often includes women that are looking to regain their pre-pregnancy body, or people left with a lot of excess skin following a significant weight loss.

Our clinic currently offers 3 unique types of abdominoplasty:

Mini Abdominoplasty / Modified Abdominoplasty

This is typically the go-to procedure for people that have tried running countless miles, or doing endless sets of planks and crunches, but still can’t seem to reach their goals.

If you’ve gone as far as diet and exercise can take you, this procedure can really help you trim the ultra-stubborn area below your belly button with targeted fat removal. It’s also very popular because it leaves almost no trace of a scar, and can be done under local anesthesia or simple oral sedation.

It’s an effective, yet less intensive, version of the tummy tuck.

Standard/Full Abdominoplasty

This is obviously a more robust procedure than the mini or modified tummy tuck. This will address the areas above and below the belly button, while also tightening the lax stomach muscles.

You are more likely going to go with a full tummy tuck if you’re looking to address some of the extra skin, stretch marks, and fat that comes from having children. Or maybe you’ve recently lost a significant amount of weight and you’re dealing with the same issues. In either case, the full abdominoplasty can give you the results you’re looking for.

Extended Abdominoplasty

This procedure tackles all of the areas treated with the standard tummy tuck, but also extends to unwanted fat and loose skin on the hips and sides.

You may consider going this way if you’re sick and tired of love handles and no amount of cardio or Russian twists seem to be making a dent in them.

How Much is a Tummy Tuck in Toronto?

The prices will vary, based on how much work you’re looking to get done and what type of procedure you go with. Our tummy tucks generally start at about $8,999. Interested in a male tummy tuck? Learn more about men’s tummy tuck costs.

Non-Surgical Body Contouring Options

Maybe you’re not ready for a full surgical procedure quite yet, but you still need a little extra help with your body contouring goals.

You might have heard that losing weight gets harder as you age. You may not realize how hard it is until you’re on the Peloton everyday sweating it out, but the number on the scale doesn’t reflect all of your hard work. Everyone’s metabolism is different. But you could see your metabolism slow down by as much as 10% per decade after you turn 20. You will start to notice it in your 30s, and really start to see a big difference in your 40s.

This is what leads a lot of active people to pursue non-surgical body contouring and body toning options. These are incredibly popular because they give you targeted skin tightening and fat reduction, with no pain or downtime. They can also be used on multiple parts of your body.

Here are some of our most popular non-surgical options:

CoolSculpting

A lot of people come to us wondering if they should get liposuction or CoolSculpting treatments.

CoolSculpting is an FDA-approved body contouring treatment that has won numerous awards, such as being named the “Best Noninvasive Fat Eliminator” by the Editors Of NewBeauty in 2019.

Your surgeon will use non-invasive cool temperatures to freeze your unwanted fat cells in the treated areas, and your body will naturally remove them.

Our team’s Dr. Bell is one of Canada’s most respected experts in nonsurgical body contouring technologies. He is a pioneer of this equipment and he is always in high demand.

EMsculpt

How would you like the impact of 20 years worth of sit-ups in just a half an hour?

This incredibly advanced and safe technology uses high-intensity electromagnetic energy to create 20,000 supramaximal contractions in a single 30-minute session.

How effective is it? A recent study revealed that:

• Patients saw an average reduction of 19% in subcutaneous abdominal fat in 30 days, and a 23% reduction in 90 days
• A 15% increase in abdominal muscle thickness in 60 days
• An average waist reduction of about 1.7 inches in 90 days

You can get these results with no surgery, no pain, and no downtime. The procedures are also remarkably affordable and start at about $2,999.

Do I Want CoolSculpting or EMsculpt?

One is simply not better than the other. Everyone’s body is different, and no two bodies will react the same way to a given treatment. CoolSculpting may have given your co-worker their dream body, but it may not have quite the same impact on yours.

We find that there is no single magic bullet solution in body contouring. In most cases, we seek to find the perfect combination of two or more procedures that will give the client the best possible results.

The best outcomes always come from individual attention and completely customized solutions.

Let’s Talk About Your Goals

Are you still not sure what would work best for you? Are you still debating Coolsculpting vs liposuction? That’s OK, we’re here to help. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all or cookie-cutter solutions. We believe in having an honest and transparent discussion with our clients about their goals and coming up with fully customized plans to help them achieve those goals.

If you’re ready to see what’s possible, we’re ready to show it to you. Click this link to contact us today and book a consultation.