In the last couple of decades, the media has moved away from labelling certain body shapes as ideal. Different body types are now widely accepted as we move towards celebrating diversity.
Some of us are curvier, some of us have narrower hips or broader shoulders – we are all a little different, but that is what makes us unique.
While we embrace different types of bodies, it is important to note that from a scientific viewpoint, different body shapes are actually indicators of different body composition and fat distribution.
This, in turn, affects how people react to a certain diet or treatment, which is why you’ll find that your friend who eats more junk food than you do could actually look a lot skinnier, whereas another friend who works out a lot is still unable to build muscle easily.
What are the different body types and body shapes?
In order to understand how your body type and body shape affects you, you need to first understand which one you belong to.
According to American psychologist and numismatist William Herbert Sheldon, most humans can be categorised into three different ‘somatypes’, or simply human body shape and physique types:
- Ectomorphs: People who fall into this somatype tend to be long and lean, with little body fat muscle. Gaining weight is tough for them, but many also struggle to get more feminine curves.
- Endomorphs: These people have lots of body fat and muscle, and gain weight easily. However, this does not mean that they are necessarily obese, although they are indeed at higher risk.
- Mesomorphs: Some lucky ones belong to this somatype – they tend to be athletic, solid, and strong. They build muscle easily and easily lose & gain weight.
In recent years, the somatypes have been further broken down into body shapes for simpler illustration:
- Pear: Shoulder & bust are narrower than the hips, most likely have slim arms.
- Spoon: Hips are larger than the bust and carry some weight in the upper arms and upper thighs.
- Apple (Inverted Triangle): Shoulder & bust are larger than the hips.
- Hourglass: Wide bust, narrow waist, and wide hips.
- Ruler: Measurements of bust, waist, and hips are all similar.
How does body type affect the body sculpting treatment I need?
We can see that various body types and body shapes already tend to have different concerns in terms of fat distribution, risk of weight gain, and the ability to build muscle. Hence, you need a different body sculpting treatment targeted at each body type so that you can target exactly what you need and ensure that you’re not neglecting certain aspects.
This sentiment is echoed at Amaris B. Clinic, a clinic providing body sculpting, fitness, and aesthetic medicine in Singapore that strongly believes in personalising treatment therapies, as a tailored approach will identify individual differences and stubborn fat distribution.
As figuring out the correct body types and shapes is crucial to nailing down the perfect body sculpting treatment, Dr. Ivan Puah, medical director at Amaris B. Clinic, carefully assesses each patient’s body type.
Based on his clinical experience, there are many different concerns depending on the patient’s body type and shape, which is why he always considers the different somatotypes to ensure the most optimal and natural body sculpting results for his patients.
For example, endomorphs, who tend to gain weight easily, usually also have an uneven fat distribution. From his experience, he understands that the main concern of this body type is flabby arms, or “bingo wings”, hence he may recommend treatments such as VASER Liposuction to patients with this body type.
Other than the distribution of fat, Dr. Ivan Puah shares that another important factor that has to be identified by a professional is the type of fat that the patient has – is it more subcutaneous fat (sits under the skin) or visceral fat (deep fat that acts as an organ insulator)? Having a good understanding of this allows the doctor to suggest better treatments during your consultation.
As a general guideline, Dr. Ivan Puah recommends the following body sculpting treatments for each somatype:
- Ectomorphs: VASER Liposuction with ADR-C Breast Enhancement and/or Buttock Enhancement (to tackle lack of curves)
- Endomorphs: VASER Liposuction (to get rid of high volume of body fat)
- Mesomorphs: VASER Liposuction with Exercise Therapy (to combat weight gain + sedentary lifestyle)
By tailoring surgical body sculpting in combination with other aesthetic options, significant results can be delivered to patients, especially when individual differences in body type and at distribution have been factored in.
What else should I look out for in body sculpting treatments?
After understanding the kind of treatments to look out for based on your body type and body shape, it is important to remember that these are just general guidelines, and it is best to entrust a doctor who knows exactly how much fat and which parts to remove from to fit your own body conditions and lifestyle.
Just like how a sculptor uses his artistic training and chisel to mould material into the desired shape, Dr. Ivan Puah uses his artistic sense and the aid of modern technology to shape the body.
It takes a good artistic perception, attention to detail, and years of experience to know exactly how much fat needs to be removed and where it should be removed from, in order to achieve a natural-looking result that is also safe for you.
Due to the utmost importance of getting a good doctor for body sculpting treatments, the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Singapore has drawn up strict criteria on practising liposuction in Singapore, and only a select few certified doctors are accredited to perform these procedures in Singapore.
A good example of a suitable medical professional to turn to for body sculpting treatments is Dr. Ivan Puah. For starters, he is accredited by MOH to perform liposuction, and in fact has accumulated more than 15 years of experience in performing body sculpting procedures.
He is also a VASER® Certified Physician who has undergone training in Colorado and Argentina for VASER® Body Sculpting, under the guidance of renowned French plastic surgeon, Dr. Pierre Francois Fournier, in syringe liposculpture. His surgical skill in gynecomastia surgeries was further honed under the mentorship of Dr. Miguel Delgrado in San Francisco.
Amaris B. Clinic is located at 140 Arab Street, Singapore 199827. Call 65364211 or email [email protected] to schedule for a consultation.
This article is brought to you by Amaris B. Clinic.
