Many people who have lost a substantial amount of weight are overjoyed at their success. But after losing weight you may still have some to lose due to the heavy folds of skin left that can be left behind, reminding you of your former self. Surgery can remove the extra skin and improve the shape and tone of tissue in your arms, thighs, breasts, buttocks and abdomen. Plastic Surgeon Gary Ross explains to The Cosmetic Surgery Guide what options are available to patients after bariatric surgery.
Body contouring after major weight loss reduces the excess skin and fat that is left behind after a major weight loss. The expansion of skin, loss of fat and lack of tissue elasticity results in sagging skin that commonly develops around the face, neck, upper arms, breast, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs and can make your body contour appear irregular. The success of body contouring, whether it is done to reduce, enlarge or lift, is influenced by your age and by the size, shape and skin tone of the area to be treated.
Some contouring procedures leave only small, inconspicuous scars. More noticeable scars may result when surgical removal of fat and skin is necessary to achieve your desired result. Most patients find these scars acceptable and enjoy greater self-confidence. Any area that affects the patient could potentially be treated by surgery. Generally the abdomen is probably the commonest area that patients wish to have addressed. Options involve panniculectomy (removal of overhanging tissue only), abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and total body lifting (removal of tissue circumferentially around the body).
Arm lifting and thigh lifting are also commonly performed to remove excess tissue and improve contour while mastopexy implant is the most commonly performed rejuvenation procedure for the breast. Above all, body contouring surgery must be tailored to the patient’s individual needs and requirements, and treatments must be individualised accordingly.
