Cosmetic Surgery for Bodybuilders? Who Knew?

Weight lifting for fat loss + muscle gain

How do bodybuilders retain proportion when fighting against genetics? A large part of bodybuilding has to do with genetics; the amount of muscle one has, to begin with, the ability of that muscle to grow, and of course proportion and symmetry. Weight lifting has got to be one of the most efficient ways to keep the fat off and increase bone density. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest by altering your fat to muscle ratio. So although aerobic activity is great for cardio, and you are burning fat when performing an aerobic activity, it is anaerobic exercise that makes those muscles bigger. Before you come to Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center for liposuction, you are going to want to lose as much fat as you can. If it is medically suitable for you, I suggest adding weights to your exercise routine. Liposuction is one of the cosmetic procedures bodybuilders sometimes seek to show their muscles.

What cosmetic procedures can male body builders get?

Apparently, cosmetic surgery is an issue with bodybuilders. Not only are certain procedures acceptable, but others are not. Liposuction is one of the obvious procedures. You may have seen how bodybuilders lose as much fat and water as possible for competition to pose. Sometimes they have had surgical help. Also, gynecomastia or enlarged breasts can be a problem for male bodybuilders. Up to 60% of men will suffer from gynecomastia at some point in their lives, however, there is a form of pure glandular gynecomastia, which can occur in men with lean bodies. In this case, the excess tissue is composed almost completely of breast tissue. In fact, there is an anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) induced gynecomastia that can occur when testosterone is converted to estrogen. In this case, male bodybuilders often have male breast reduction surgery, however, if they had used steroids, they must stop or the condition can return. This is one of the procedures still allowed in competitions.

Popular procedures for female body builders

While male bodybuilders may struggle with too much breast tissue, female bodybuilders can struggle with just the opposite issue. Quite a bit of the female breast is fat, so when involved in extreme exercise that requires one to lose fat to show the muscle beneath, a woman can also lose quite a bit of size in her breasts. Many female bodybuilders opt for breast augmentation. In fact, this is the only body implant allowed for most competitions. Recently, Yvonne Melendrez, competitive bodybuilder, explained that breast implants not only helped her achieve “balance,” but that breast augmentation also made her feel better about herself when competing. Although implants put beneath the muscle may limit the intensity of chest exercises, the contours of the implant are hidden more. Most judges are instructed to check for implants, such as calf, or bicep, however, breast implants are in fact allowed. I remember the controversy over Rachel McLish’s padded bathing suit top back in the 80s in Pumping Iron 2: The Women.

-Dr. Branman

Don’t want to look like a bodybuilder? Don’t worry about bulking up if you lift weights to achieve fat reduction. Bodybuilders really need to work hard to achieve that amount of muscle! However, breast reduction or breast augmentation is easily achieved at Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center with top cosmetic surgeon Dr. Rhys Branman.

Call the front desk to set up your consultation at 501-227-0707 or submit a contact form online today!

Areas Served:

• Little Rock