June 01, 2010 | Blog
2 minute read
Weight Loss Surgery
Cosmetic Surgery for the Post Massive Weight-loss Patients
Tummy tucks, full body lifts, arm lifts and thigh lifts
*originally posted in Long Island Press
Two years ago, my patient “Jennifer” had accomplished a tremendous goal, losing over 100 pounds with the help of gastric-bypass surgery. She told me she “lost weight in places [she] didn’t even know were fat.” Now the 31-year-old mother of two is recovering from her final surgeries, a tummy tuck and breast lift. Surgical weight loss helped my patient lose more than 100 pounds in a year, but sagging skin left a constant reminder of her past. This is extremely common following weight loss from a bariatric procedure.
Plastic surgery should be considered only after your weight has stabilized, which is usually 18 months or more, depending on an individual’s pre-operative weight. Performing a skin tightening procedure prior to weight stabilization may result in the need for further skin tightening in the future.
Some of the most popular cosmetic surgeries for massive weight loss include:
- Full Body Lift Removes extra skin and fat from the belly, hips, buttocks, backs and outer thigh. A full body lift offers dramatic, lifelong results.
- Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and the patient will notice a tighter, firmer stomach as soon as he or she leaves the operating room.
- Upper Arm Lift Removes extra skin and fat from the arms, dramatically reducing flabbiness. The result of an upper arm lift is a firm, more youthful contour that is more in proportion with the rest of the body.
- Thigh Lift Removes excess skin and fat from the thighs through incisions or liposuction, improves the contour of your legs and helps you have tighter, more attractive thighs and buttocks.
Though she’s still recovering from her surgery, things are a lot different for Jennifer now. She’s not yet able to stand up straight and has back pain from the constant stooping, but it’s all worth it to her. This is the first time that she can “wear panties that lie flat on [her] stomach without having anything hanging over the top” and she says, she “can’t wait to wear a bikini.”