For people who are overweight, weight loss is a desirable goal that offers many health and psychological benefits, including improved quality of life. Dieting, exercise and bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery can help resolve unwanted or excessive weight. However, massive weight loss leaves behind loose, sagging flesh and skin which do not conform to the reduced body size. This is where body sculpting comes in. Surgical body contouring after major weight loss removes excess sagging fat and skin and also enhances the contour of the underlying support tissue. This helps restores more attractive proportions with smoother contours.
Popular Body Sculpting Procedures
There are procedures designed to treat diverse areas such as the face and neck, upper arms, breasts, stomach, flanks, thighs and buttocks:
- Facelift: resolves sagging of the mid-face, jowls, and neck
- Breast lift: treats sagging, droopy breasts
- Tummy tuck: gets rid of excess skin hanging over the abdomen
- Lower body lifts: resolves sagging of the abdomen, buttocks, groin and outer thighs
- Thigh lift surgery: treats sagging of the inner, outer and mid thigh
- Brachioplasty (arm lift): treats sagging of the upper arms
If the treatments can be safely combined, patients with sagging skin in multiple areas may be advised a combination procedure. For instance, procedures of the face and neck may be combined. Likewise, an upper body lift may include procedures on the arms, back and breasts/chest while a lower body lift may involve treatments for the hips, thighs, abdomen and buttocks. Having a liposuction procedure before the actual body sculpting procedure can help remove stubborn pockets of fat for better results. The plastic surgeon will work with the patient to decide which areas of the body need the most attention.
All body contouring procedures require incisions to remove excess skin. Skilled and experienced surgeons use advanced techniques and as far as possible, place the incisions in locations where they remain hidden by most types of clothing.
To be a good candidate for body contouring surgery after weight loss, you need to be in good health. Also, your weight should have stabilized following the surgery and your skin given sufficient time to shrink as much as possible. This may take about 18 months or even more after your weight loss.
Body sculpting after weight loss can provide you with a streamlined, attractive physique. Choosing the right surgeon is important for optimal results.
