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A feminine, narrow, and more tapered waistline is a goal for many women, but patients often have difficulty shaping their torso to create this attractive “hourglass” silhouette. While weight loss, exercise, shapewear, and waist training may create temporary or modest contour changes, sometimes patients will undergo liposuction or abdominoplasty to help shape the soft tissue around their waistline. Some patients have anatomic barriers inhibiting a shapelier waistline. These patients generally have a shorter or more athletic build to their torso, which is often referred to as rectangular or boxy-shaped. These are the patients who are best-suited for obtaining the best results with rib remodeling.

Rib remodeling, sometimes referred to as “Barbie waist” surgery, has emerged as an advanced body contouring option to refine your natural waistline by reshaping your lower ribs and creating the tapered hourglass look that’s so highly sought after.

Dr. Garlick is one of very few board-certified plastic surgeons worldwide who has completed international hands-on training in the exclusive Total Definer body contouring program in Colombia. He is thrilled to bring this cutting-edge technique to his patients in Utah and beyond. By addressing the framework of the torso itself, this technique can create a more dramatic inward taper, enhancing overall body proportions.

What is Rib Remodeling?

Rib remodeling, sometimes referred to as a “Barbie waist,” is a newly developed specialized body contouring procedure that helps shape and contour the waistline, creating a more feminine hourglass shape to the body. In many individuals, the length of the torso and shape of the lower rib cage plays a significant role in determining how much natural waist indentation is visible. Even with low body fat and well-toned abdominal muscles, patients with wider or flared lower ribs can limit the appearance of a narrow waistline. Rib remodeling is designed to address those structural anatomical limitations by selectively contouring the angle of those lower floating ribs, thus enhancing the waistline shape.

It is important to note that rib remodeling can be very safely done with the appropriate-trained plastic surgeon. It is also important to mention that rib remodeling does NOT remove any of your ribs. Remodeling is simply re-shaping your lower floating ribs using specialized techniques.

Key Benefits of Rib Remodeling

Rib remodeling can provide a more dramatic and lasting improvement in your waist contour than soft tissue procedures alone can provide. While liposuction can remove excess fat and a tummy tuck can tighten skin and repair abdominal muscles, neither option changes the underlying width of the lower rib cage. Rib remodeling directly addresses the anatomical limitation of the body. Benefits include:

• Waist reduction of 3-5 inches, creating an improved hourglass shape
• Very discreet, barely detectable incisions
• No rib removal
• Can be completed in as little as one hour with general anesthesia
• Can be done as a stand-alone procedure or combined with other body contouring procedures
• Lasting results, as the framework of the torso is enhanced
• Expands scope of wardrobe choices, often improving fit and making clothes look more flattering

The enhanced taper achieved with the procedure can also improve the overall balance between the breasts, waist, and hips, contributing to a more traditionally feminine hourglass silhouette. Clothing may fit differently and dresses, fitted tops, and tailored garments usually accentuate your newly defined waistline.

Who is an Ideal Candidate for Rib Remodeling and What Can I Expect From the Procedure?

Not every patient who wants a narrower waist is a good candidate for rib remodeling. Ideal candidates are typically healthy individuals who have good bone density, a BMI below 28, and who are near their goal weight. Realistic expectations about what surgery can accomplish are also important.

The term “Barbie waist” also reflects an aesthetic ideal that can be highly stylized, so patients should seek the procedure for personal reasons rather than external pressures. A detailed consultation with Dr. Garlick allows him to definitively confirm candidacy, and discuss anatomical limitations, potential risks, and realistic outcomes you can expect with your procedure.

Prior to surgery, Dr. Garlick will order a CT Scan of your chest with a 3D print of your rib cage. This is used to tailor the procedure to your anatomy and confirm which of your ribs can safely be contoured.

During the surgery, Dr. Garlick will use an ultrasound to safely identify each rib to be contoured. The ultrasound is used to help guide precision access to each of the pre-determined ribs through a small access point on the skin surface. Dr. Garlick uses piezotome technology to help shape your new rib contour. You will wake up in a compression wrap around your abdomen and will be able to see results immediately. Results depend heavily on strict adherence to wearing that specialized waist-shaping corset for 3 months after surgery.

Total Definer-Trained Plastic Surgeon — Entrusting Your Goals to a Body Sculpting Specialist

Dr. Garlick stands out in the world of aesthetics, not only for his board-certification and prestigious fellowship training — which is only afforded a handful of plastic surgeons in the country. He is also an internationally-trained Total Definer Master, who was hand-selected to train in South America under the tutelage of Dr. Alfredo Hoyos, and his Total Definer body contouring program where he also mastered skin tightening utilizing QuantumRF^® technology. Dr. Garlick is among very few Total Definer-trained aesthetic plastic surgeons in the country and world, making him supremely qualified to help you achieve the tapered, hourglass physique you’ve worked so hard for.

Dr. Garlick’s specialized training in surgical and non-surgical body sculpting techniques can help patients see their desired results with as little invasiveness, discomfort, and risk as possible. If you’d like to discuss your concerns with Dr. Garlick and learn about the state-of-the-art treatment options available at our practice to address them, please don’t hesitate to contact our Utah practice today.