Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss Surgery

Losing 100 pounds or more is a significant achievement that should make someone feel proud. However, many people who lose large amounts of excess weight after weight loss surgery  find that they are still unhappy with the way they look because of sagging skin that covers their new, leaner body. Fortunately, plastic surgery options are available to help people who have lost a lot of weight remove the extra skin. In fact, there are multiple plastic surgery options to help, depending on where the excess skin is located.

• Body Lift: A body lift, or body contouring surgery, removes sagging skin from multiple areas at once. The surgeon will make one incision in the abdomen and remove skin to tighten the buttocks, abdomen, waist, hips, thighs, and arms. Liposuction may be done at the same time to help improve the body contour. Implants may also be added to the buttocks.
• Abdominoplasty: More commonly known as a tummy tuck, abdominoplasty surgery can remove excess skin and fat from the belly and tighten weakened stomach muscles. The result is a flatter, smoother midsection. The incision for a tummy tuck operation runs from hip bone to hip bone, and a second incision may be required to remove skin from the upper abdomen.
• Mastopexy: This operation, usually referred to as a breast lift, repairs breasts that have become sagging and deflated after weight loss. Excess skin is removed and the nipple is repositioned higher on the chest. Implants may also be used to improve the contour.

Plastic surgery to remove excess skin or tighten weakened muscles should only be considered once your weight has stabilized. Because serious complications can occur, you should speak to your weight loss surgeon about your risk factors, as well as lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risks before surgery.