Reshaping Your Body After Massive Weight Loss

Bariatric procedures can have outstanding results when it comes to weight loss. Many people who undergo sleeve gastrectomy or lap-band procedures can lose over 100 pounds or more in 12-18 months. While weight loss is the goal, massive weight loss does have some unwanted effects on the firmness of skin and tissue. Sagging skin is common, but there are ways to reshape your body after bariatric surgery.

When you choose bariatric surgery and follow your program, you deserve to be proud of your hard work and results. Losing 100 pounds or more is a fantastic feat, but many people are unhappy with the body they see in the mirror due to sagging skin and tissue. Unfortunately, stretched skin will not always shrink completely when the fat underneath it is lost. The best solution to create a firmer appearance is body contouring.

Body Contouring After Bariatric Surgery

It is usually recommended that bariatric patients wait for several months after meeting their weight loss goal to seek body contouring or plastic surgery procedures. This ensures that they are maintaining their weight and allow the skin and tissue to adjust to the new shape and size as much as possible. Body contouring procedures are used to remove excess skin, tighten skin, and reposition tissue to create the desired appearance. Some of the most common body contouring procedures requested after massive weight loss include:

• Breast Lift or Augmentation. Sagging breasts are common after weight loss. A breast lift (mastopexy) can remove sagging skin and reposition the breast tissue for a more youthful, firmer shape. Breast implants may also be added to restore larger breasts.
• Arm Lift. Sagging upper arm skin can be removed with Brachioplasty or arm lift surgery.
• Abdominoplasty. The abdomen is prone to sagging skin and tissue. Abdominoplasty, or a “tummy tuck” can remove skin and tissue that can cause an “apron” hanging from your stomach.
• Body Lift. For extreme weight loss and large amounts of sagging skin, a body lift or panniculectomy is ideal. This extends the lift and tightening of abdominoplasty to include the entire circumference of the lower torso. This lifts and tightens the upper thighs, buttocks, lower back, abdomen, and pubic area.
• Liposuction. Liposuction after massive weight loss is usually combined with a lift procedure to remove fat deposits to reshape the body.

If you are considering bariatric surgery, you should be aware of the possibility of loose skin. However, there are procedures to remove this skin to achieve the smaller, firmer body you desire. To learn more about weight loss and body contouring procedures we offer, contact our team at The Weight Loss Surgery Center of Los Angeles.