How Do I Get Rid of Excess Skin after Weight Loss Surgery?

If you have undergone weight loss surgery and reached your goal weight, you are probably feeling great about your body. Well, except for one side effect: Excess skin. When you gain weight, your skin stretches to accommodate your larger size. However, when you lose a large amount of weight quickly, your skin often fails to snap back into place. This is because your skin only has so much elasticity – at a certain point, it stops stretching and begins tearing within, in its deepest layer. The result? Your skin hangs, rather than clinging tightly to your body, after the success of your weight loss surgery. Fortunately, you can undergo a plastic surgery procedure such as tummy tuck, arm lift, or thigh lift with Manhattan plastic surgeon Stephen Greenberg to remove excess skin.

What Is Body Contouring?

Body contouring is a type of plastic surgery that involves the removal of excess skin and fat from your body. Keep in mind, particularly if you need all over contouring rather than a single area – such as your abdomen – you may require more than one procedure. During the surgery, your plastic surgeon will administer anesthesia. He or she will then make strategically-placed incisions in your skin to carefully remove excess skin while minimizing visible scarring. Contouring may target the following areas:

• Upper arms
• Breasts
• Abdominal region
• Buttocks
• Groin
• Thighs

What Are the Benefits?

When you have lost a considerable amount of weight – such as 100 pounds or more – one of the major benefits is improved confidence. Unfortunately, dealing with excess skin may result in a new dip in your self-esteem. Fortunately, body contouring offers a wide variety of benefits that can improve your daily life, including the following:

• A tauter, more contoured appearance
• Improved hygiene by reducing skin folds, which may harbor bacteria and prove difficult to keep clean
• Greater comfort and reduced chafing
• An ability to wear clothing off-the-rack, while achieving a beautiful, streamlined silhouette
• The fully improved image and self-confidence you were hoping to attain from weight loss
• Long-term results, provided you maintain your weight

How Do I Know if I’m a Good Candidate?

If you have undergone weight loss surgery successfully, but you are left with a slimmer figure and excess skin or fat deposits, you may make a wonderful candidate for body contouring. However, you will need to speak with your plastic surgeon to determine whether you are healthy enough for surgery. You will also need to consult a surgeon to determine how many procedures it will take to reach your personal goals. Your surgeon will probably require that you do not smoke for an extended period before and after your procedure, that you have realistic goals for what you can accomplish with the procedure, and that you have stopped losing weight and plan to maintain your current weight through healthy measures, such as diet and exercise.

Contact a Plastic Surgeon

If you have undergone weight loss surgery and have successfully lost weight, but are now dealing with excess skin, body contouring can improve your appearance. To learn more about this plastic surgery procedure, contact plastic surgeon Stephen Greenberg.