Rib Remodeling Sounds Insane, But Is It?

Take a small instrument, score the bottom three ribs until they crack, then live in a corset for twelve weeks while your skeleton heals into a narrower shape. It sounds extreme. Dr. Christopher Chang’s reaction? It’s not that far from reshaping a forehead or a brow bone — something surgeons do every single day.Jackie brings the trend straight off TikTok, where rib remodeling — the RibXcar procedure out of South America — is racking up jaw-dropping before-and-afters and earning the nickname “the year of the waist.”Dr. Chang breaks down what actually happens to your floating ribs, why a piezoelectric device makes the incision little more than a puncture, and what a global study’s 3.7% complication rate really means once you separate a bruise from a pneumothorax. He also answers the woman whose waist won’t drop below 20 inches no matter how hard she trains — and explains why chasing a specific number might be the real mistake.Plus, the Met Gala corset question everyone’s asking.Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open, Global Survey on Rib Remodeling Techniques (April 2026)About Secret ServicesIn DC, everyone has secrets — especially when it comes to cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher Chang and his sharp-witted team see everything and say nothing — except on this podcast, where every week you’ll get answers to confidential patient questions. Because in an era when aging gracefully and looking natural is easier than ever, it all depends on who you know — and what they’re willing to tell you.LinksLearn more about Washington, D.C. plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher ChangFollow Dr. Chang on Instagram @dcplasticsurgeon @congressionalplasticsurgeryAnd on TikTok @congressionalpsurgeryHost: Christopher Chang, MDProducer: Eva Sheie @ The AxisAssistant Producer: Mary Ellen ClarksonEngineering: Chris MannTheme music: Harry’s Perfume - Harry EdvinoCover Art: Dan ChildsSecret Services is a production of The Axis: theaxis.io