Plastic Surgery after Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery

If you have recently lost a significant amount of weight as a result of dieting and exercising or if you have had successful weight loss after bariatric surgery, you might be experiencing the upside as well as the downside of weighing less ¾ feeling better overall, but having loose, sagging skin that droops and folds.

 If you are among the many people who have undergone weight loss surgery or if you have lost a lot of weight from diet and exercise, your clothes might be a smaller size, but they might not fit properly. The excess, loose skin that developed when you were heavy can gather in inappropriate areas that make you look and feel uncomfortable.

 In addition to being unattractive, excess skin after weight loss also can have negative implications for your health. For example, excess skin can fold over on itself and cause hygiene problems, rashes, and even infections. Excess skin from gaining and losing large amounts of weight won’t disappear on its own.

 Body contouring surgery after weight loss can tighten and reduce extra skin on your neck, arms, chest, breasts, abdomen, back, thighs, and buttocks and help restore your body to a more appealing shape!

Who can have body-contouring procedures after weight loss?

 If you are in good general health, have excess skin from weight loss that will not go away with diet and exercise, and if you have realistic expectations about your appearance, you are likely to be a good candidate for plastic surgery after weight loss.

 Talk with a Surgeon Network body-contouring expert. He or she can tell you what procedures are right for you. You can find out what procedures will yield the most meaningful results and what you can expect from them. In addition, your surgeon can tell you how long you will need to recover from each procedure or a combination of procedures so that you can plan your work and life schedule to accommodate your goals.

Body contour procedures can be performed with other plastic surgery procedures to give you a polished, youthful, sophisticated appearance.

Body Contouring After Weight Loss

Depending on the amount and location of your excess skin, you might want to consider one or more cosmetic procedures to remove excess skin, tighten it, and improve your appearance overall.

If you have lost a large amount of weight and have many areas to treat, your surgeon might recommend that you have several procedures to achieve your overall goals. You and your surgeon can plan a schedule that accommodates your lifestyle and budget.

Many people who have lost a large amount of weight are left with drooping, excess skin that can be uncomfortable, unsightly, and embarrassing. Weight loss and bariatric surgery patients are the fastest growing group of people seeking plastic surgery.

 Body contouring options include:

• Arm lift to remove excess skin and eliminate “bat wings” to create tighter, firmer, younger-looking upper arms
• Breast augmentation, breast lift, or breast lift with implants to restore natural breast volume, remove excess, sagging skin, and lift the breasts for perky, younger-looking breasts
• Comprehensive body lift to remove excess skin and fat from the arms, thighs, abdomen, and buttocks in one procedure
• Liposuction to remove stubborn fat from your hips, thighs, and/or abdomen to create smooth, pleasing, youthful contours
• Lower body and buttock lift to create smoother, tighter contours for sexy, narrow, appealing hips and buttocks
• Thigh lift to tighten excess skin, smooth your thighs, and restore a youthful look to your upper legs
• Tummy Tuck to remove excess skin, tighten abdominal muscles, and leave you with a slender waistline and flatter stomach

 What about body contouring for moms?

Even moms who gained 40 lbs or more during pregnancy experience frustrations similar to those of people who have lost weight after bariatric surgery. For example, sagging flap-like breasts, droopy folds on the abdomen, and a protruding stomach are common side effects of gaining and losing weight from pregnancy.

If you are one of many moms frustrated with an older, matronly appearance after pregnancy, you could benefit from the outstanding results of body contouring procedures such as breast lift with or without implants or a tummy tuck. In addition to surgery after weight loss, mommy makeovers have become a common way many women restore their pre-pregnancy, youthful figures and self confidence.

Dr. Patricia Yugueros, a board certified plastic surgeon specializing in plastic surgery after Bariatric Surgery in Atlanta, explains that while some body contouring procedures can be performed at the same time, you might need to schedule surgeries at different times to achieve the results you desire.

Recovery from Body Contouring After Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery

Many body-contouring procedures require a minimum downtime of 2 weeks for recovery. In most cases, you will need 4 to 8 weeks to return to vigorous activities after more complex procedures. The bottom line is that you must plan around your body contouring procedures so that your focus is proper healing for best results. Whatever time it takes to get you back in action, it will be well worth the while!

Once you and your surgeon decide which procedures are ideal for you, he or she will give you detailed information about how to prepare for and recover from each procedure or a combination of procedures.

 Results from Body Contouring After Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery

Results from body contouring procedures are long lasting if you eat sensibly, exercise regularly, and maintain a stable weight.

Find out more about Surgeon Network experts who offer a range of body contouring procedures to help you look and feel your best.