Understanding your natural proportions can help you determine which body contouring procedures are most likely to achieve your aesthetic goals. While plastic surgery can’t change your bone structure, procedures such as liposuction and fat grafting can improve balance, enhance your natural silhouette, and create more harmonious proportions.
Although every patient is unique, most women fall into one of four general body shape categories: rectangle, pear, hourglass, or apple. Knowing where you naturally store fat can help you and Dr. Newall develop a body contouring plan tailored to your anatomy and goals.
Apple
Pear
Hourglass
Rectangle
Apple Shape
The apple body shape is characterized by a wide torso, full bust, and small hips and rear. Most of the body fat is stored in the abdomen. Apples like to say, “I wish I could take the fat in my stomach and move it to my rear.” Sound familiar? Well, you can.
Common concerns:
- Fat concentrated in the abdomen
- Limited waist definition
- Desire for fuller hips or buttocks
How body contouring can help:
Patients with this body type are often good candidates for liposuction to remove excess abdominal fat. When enough fat is available, fat grafting can transfer that fat to the hips or buttocks to create a more balanced silhouette and better define the waist.
This patient of Dr. Newall’s was naturally shaped like an apple, with most of her excess fat stored in the abdomen. She had very thin legs and relatively no fat stored in the buttocks. Dr. Newall was able to redistribute her fat to her hips and buttocks, defining her waist and giving shape to her lower body.
Pear Shape
Pear-shaped women generally carry more weight in the hips and thighs while maintaining a narrower waist and smaller upper body.
Common concerns:
- Full hips or thighs
- Difficulty reducing lower-body fat through diet and exercise
- Desire for more balanced proportions
How body contouring can help:
Dr. Newall specializes in body contouring of the abdomen and lower body that can help pear-shaped women define their waist and accentuate their curves. Liposuction of the hips, inner thigh, and outer thigh can keep pear-shaped bodies from appearing bottom-heavy and out of balance.
Some women opt to balance out their figure with a breast augmentation. This can help pear shapes achieve an hourglass figure and make the waist look even slimmer.
Hourglass Shape
Hourglass figures are characterized by balanced shoulders and hips with a naturally defined waist. Although many patients appreciate these proportions, changes associated with aging, pregnancy, or weight fluctuations can affect the body’s overall balance.
Common concerns:
- Changes in breast or buttock position
- Stubborn fat in the thighs or flanks
- Loss of firmness over time
How body contouring can help:
Depending on your needs, Dr. Newall may recommend targeted liposuction to maintain smooth contours or procedures such as a breast reduction, breast lift, or buttock lift to restore youthful proportions.
Rectangular Shape
Rectangle-shaped bodies typically have shoulders, waist, and hips that are similar in width, creating a straighter silhouette with less waist definition.
Common concerns:
- Limited curves
- Less waist definition
- Desire for fuller hips or buttocks
How body contouring can help:
To give these rectangles some curves, Dr. Newall can take fat from the abdomen and back through liposuction and add volume to the hips and buttocks with fat grafting.
How Body Shape Influences Buttock Shape
Just as body shape varies from person to person, buttock shape is also highly individual. Some people naturally have square, V-shaped, round, or heart-shaped buttocks.
Through liposuction and fat grafting, Dr. Newall can reshape surrounding contours and enhance buttock projection to create a more balanced appearance while complementing your natural anatomy.
Can Plastic Surgery Change Your Body Shape?
Plastic surgery cannot change your skeletal structure or completely transform one body type into another. However, body contouring procedures can significantly improve your proportions by removing unwanted fat, enhancing areas that lack volume, and creating smoother transitions between body regions.
Rather than trying to achieve an unrealistic ideal, Dr. Newall’s approach focuses on enhancing each patient’s natural proportions. Strategic liposuction and fat grafting allow him to sculpt the body while preserving balance and creating natural-looking results.
Which Body Contouring Procedure Is Right for You?
The best body contouring procedure depends on your natural anatomy, the areas you’d like to improve, and your overall goals. During your consultation, Dr. Newall evaluates your body shape, fat distribution, skin quality, and desired outcome before recommending a personalized treatment plan.
Whether you’re interested in liposuction, fat grafting, or a combination of procedures, understanding your body shape is an excellent first step toward achieving your aesthetic goals.
This post was originally published in June 2025 and was updated in July 2026.
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