Overview
There are various cosmetic surgery options designed to address excess skin after significant weight loss, typically over 100 pounds. Excess skin can affect self-esteem and make it difficult to find well-fitting clothing. Furthermore, carrying extra skin can lead to discomfort and increase the risk of skin infections, fungal growth, and rashes.
Types of excess skin removal procedures
The removal of extra skin can be done in a few different ways. To achieve the desired appearance, the majority of patients require many procedures. What treatments will work best for you will be determined in part by your doctor.
Procedures for removing extra skin include:
- Arm lift (brachioplasty): Removes excess skin hanging from the upper arms.
- Breast lift (mastopexy): Firms and lifts breasts by tightening tissue and removing extra skin.
- Facelift (rhytidectomy): Enhances facial appearance, creating a smoother, younger look by eliminating excess skin around the neck.
- Lower body lift: Targets excess skin and fat in the abdomen, buttocks, and outer thighs.
- Panniculectomy: Removes the apron of excess skin (pannus) that hangs below the belly button.
- Thigh lift: Improves the appearance of inner thighs by removing excess skin.
- Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty): Removes surplus skin and tightens weakened or separated abdominal muscles.
Reasons for undergoing the procedure
Obesity can be addressed through bariatric surgery or lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, which often result in significant weight loss. This dramatic loss can leave behind excess, sagging skin because the skin and tissues lose their elasticity after being stretched. As a result, the skin may not adjust to the body’s new shape, leading to sagging. Plastic surgeons, or cosmetic surgeons, offer procedures to remove this excess skin. Your doctor will evaluate your suitability for surgery through a physical examination and other assessments.
Typically, you may be considered a suitable candidate for excess skin removal surgery if you:
- After a significant weight loss, stick to your goal weight for at least six months.
- To maintain the weight loss, make a commitment to a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and a balanced diet.
- Refrain from using tobacco products or smoking. Smoking can raise the risk of surgical complications and slow wound healing.
- Have reasonable expectations regarding the results of the surgeries.
- Are generally well, with no serious health issues that could make surgery too risky.
Risks
The incisions will leave scars on you. Your doctor will attempt to make less obvious incisions in locations that are covered, such as your hairline or a natural wrinkle. For example, the pubic area or bikini line are the sites of panniculectomy or tummy tuck incisions made by surgeons.
It’s critical to go into body reshaping operations with reasonable expectations. While plastic surgery can enhance looks, it cannot provide an ideal body shape. Furthermore, it won’t enable you to lose any more weight than what the surgeon removes from your body.
There are dangers associated with any surgery. Procedures for body reshaping may carry the following risks:
- Bleeding.
- Swelling and bruises.
- Blood clots, such as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Modifications in skin sensations or numbness as a result of nerve injury.Infections.
- Scarring.
Before the procedure
For surgical preparation, heed the advice of your physician. It could be necessary for you to:
- Get lab tests done on your blood.
- Quit using pharmaceuticals like aspirin and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), which raise the risk of bleeding.
- Avoid using herbal and vitamin supplements.
- Give up using tobacco products and smoking.
During the procedure
Depending on the procedure, you might need to stay overnight in the hospital or go home the same day if the surgery is performed at an outpatient facility. Excess skin removal is often done in stages, which may require multiple surgeries. Some procedures, like a lower body lift or a panniculectomy combined with a tummy tuck, can be completed in a single session.
Different types of surgeons handle these procedures: bariatric surgeons focus on weight loss treatments like gastric sleeve and bypass, while plastic (cosmetic) surgeons specialize in body contouring.
You might have heard that liposuction and body contouring procedures, such as a tummy tuck, can be performed together. While liposuction can remove stubborn fat deposits, it is not intended for weight loss. Your surgeon will help determine if combining these procedures is a good option for you.
Outcome
The procedures will determine how you feel during recovery and when you can get back to your normal activities. It may require several months to fully recover.
Following surgery, you might:
- Use makeshift tubes to remove fluid from your body. These tubes could be left in place for a week or two after you return home.
- Consume analgesics or NSAIDs.
- Regularly apply ointments and change bandages.
- For the first week or more, you will need a driver.
- Avoid heavy lifting and vigorous exercise for a minimum of six weeks.
- Depending on the process, return to work in one to three weeks.
- After an abdominal procedure, refrain from standing erect for a few days.
- After lower body treatments, place cushions under your knees to help you sleep.
- To stay hydrated, drink lots of water, and exercise to avoid blood clots.
After your final surgery and between procedures, your body needs time to heal. Achieving the desired results from body contouring can take up to two years.
The long-term success of body contouring depends partly on your ability to maintain your weight loss. While weight fluctuations are normal, gaining a significant amount of weight after body contouring can cause the skin to stretch again. If you subsequently lose the extra weight, the skin may sag once more.
