Health & wellness
BY DACIA GARCIA
BY DANIEL SCHWALM & BROOKE SJOBERG
UT medical expert Dr. Sanjay K. Sharma explains body contouring Affiliated with Ascension Medical Group, the University of Texas Dell Medical School and the University of Texas Medical Branch, Dr. Sanjay K. Sharma spoke with Community Impact about how body contouring works, ideal candidates and tips for community members to know when looking for a provider. What is body contouring? Body contouring is a broad-based category in plastic surgery. Any part of the body can be contoured. It can be from areas that are sort of stubborn fat deposits. Patients sometimes want to know how they can get rid of isolated pockets around the abdomen, legs, thighs or arms. Body contours can involve multiple techniques. It’s a pretty big specialty in plastic surgery.
ACC enrollment up for health, workforce fields Amid enrollment growth across a majority of its programs, Austin Community College is reporting significant growth across its workforce and health care programs. What you need to know The community college district shared an update on enrollment Jan. 20, the start of the spring 2026 semester. Data updated as of Jan. 16 shows enrollment is up 7% year over year. More students are also choosing to remain with ACC semester to semes- ter, the report shows, with returning students up 9% compared to 2025, and 23% compared to 2024. The details The report shows that growth in student enrollment is strongest for workforce and health care-focused fields, each with 17% growth.
Twin Lakes YMCA expansions progress Two major projects at the Twin Lakes Family YMCA in Cedar Park are slated to open at the end of May, according to Laura Arredondo, YMCA of Central Texas chief marketing officer. The YMCA broke ground on the Avery Family Pavilion and the Orr Family RCI Adventure Course in May 2025. The details The Avery Family Pavilion will serve as a meeting place for everything from sporting events to birthday parties to weddings. The RCI Adventure Course will feature zip lines, ropes courses, a sky trail and multilevel climbing structures for both children and adults. The Orr Family RCI Adventure Course will be the only adventure course of its kind in the greater Austin area, Arredondo said.
What are some benefits and risks to having one of these procedures? Logically, body contouring is about self-esteem, feeling confident, getting back to a time in the past when you felt the best that you could, and I think that’s where those procedures do very well. There are opportunities to do some of these pro- cedures in a local anesthesia environment under office control. Patients that may seek to try to get the procedures done in a least expensive way may not necessarily be the safest way. What are some things to keep in mind when selecting a provider for body contouring? Do your homework, be diligent, ask questions and visit the American Society of Plastic Surgery website. A lot of the board members of plastic surgery are being listed, and make sure you can ask the plastic surgeon questions.
Student enrollment In addition to full-time enrollment growth, ACC saw an increase specifically in:
Advanced Manufacturing: +17%
Skilled Trades: +17%
Health Sciences: +17%
Liberal Arts-Humanities and Communications: +13%
SOURCE: AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
What they’re saying “What we’re seeing is proof that when we design college around real lives and real jobs, students respond,” ACC Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart said in the release. What else? Data also shows growth in full-time enrollment and doubled participation in the community college district’s free tuition pilot program, which went from 4,894 students in 2025 to 9,741 students as of this spring, the report states.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .
COURTESY DR. SANJAY K. SHARMA
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