Plastic Surgery for Massive Weight Loss
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- Half of all Americans are overweight.
- One out of every five Americans age 20 to 74 are overweight.
- Obesity is associated with many medical, psychological, and physical
problems.
- After weight loss there is loss of skin elasticity, poor skin quality
(stretch marks) and excess skin.
- Many patients have undergone bariatric surgery (stomach bypass or
stapling).
- After bariatric surgery it is best to wait until your weight is
stabilized before plastic surgery, but this is not always necessary.
- Plastic surgery for treatment of the excess skin can be done in STAGES
or all at ONE TIME, depending on the anatomy, your medical condition, and
your expectations.
THE TYPICAL PATIENT
- Desire for a more youthful appearance of the legs and especially the
outer thighs and buttocks where there is excess hanging and folded skin.
This may be associated with some excess fat.
- Many patients with excess folds of skin after weight loss still consider
themselves fat.
- This is often associated with losing weight.
THE PROCEDURE
- Anesthesia is general and the procedure takes anywhere from three to six
hours.
- In general please remember that "THE LONGER THE SCAR, THE BETTER THE
RESULT"
- Surgery helps to restore the back-buttock-thigh silhouette.
- Procedures may include abdominoplasty, thigh lift, arm lift and breast
lift.
- Implants are often used in association with breast lift.
- The healed incisions are usually pencil thin and are located relative to
your areas of excess skin and the greatest laxity. For instance in the body
lift the incision is entirely around the waistline like a belt. It may have
a tendency to heal slightly wide and dark but this gets better over time.
- The procedure involves an excision of excess and loose skin to optimize
contour, followed by liposuction of any excess fat to further refine contour
and blend in the areas. At the same time adjacent slack tissues below these
areas are loosened and pulled up and the edges are sewn together. Deep
stitches are secured to the ligaments and bone so there is less of a
tendency for the skin to fall down. Then length of the incision depends on
the amount of excess skin. It is not unusual to remove 5-10 inches in
length!
- Multiple drains are used for 3-7 days. These are soft and comfortable
and removed without pain.
- Dressings and a light compression garment are used for several days.
- This can be combined with other plastic surgical procedures.
THE RECOVERY
- You will need to stay in the hospital one or two days.
- You can shower on the second or third day after surgery after the drains
are out.
- There is only mild to moderate pain that is mostly gone by the second or
third day and easily controlled by medications.
- Swelling is mild to moderate and peaks at two to three days then
disappears rapidly over the next three weeks.
- Minimal or no bruising is the usual.
- Some grogginess is present which persists for about a week.
- You can resume many activities within the first week, and most by at
least three weeks.
- The stitches are removed at ten days.
- Expect to be off of work for a full week, but you will be able to be up
and around.
THE RESULT
- Beautiful, tightened, lifted and improved contour to the highs,
buttocks, breasts, arms, and any other areas treated.
- Touch up and revision procedures are OFTEN necessary.
- Excess skin and folds are removed.
- Buttocks and breasts are lifted and more perky.
- More confident and comfortable in clothing, especially sports wear and
jeans.
- Lasts the rest of your life and always looks better than if you didn't
do it. If there is continued sagging or weight loss, a second touch up
procedure can help.
- Natural and presentable appearance in the first week that just gets
better over the next three to six months.
For before and after images of this procedure
click here
Please call or contact the office for any
further information or to schedule an appointment. |