What is body contouring after Massive weight loss?

More and more patients are presenting to us with excess skin following massive weight loss. Sometimes patients have had a weight loss procedure, and others have lost weight due to a combination of dieting and exercise. Most of the time, excision of the excess skin is needed more than just a fat reducing procedure such as liposuction, but we can usually combine these. Removing the excess skin and tightening the body can involve a variety of tummy tucks (Circumferential Abdominoplasty, Fleur de lis Abdominoplasty, or Panniculectomy), breast Lift with or without implants, thigh Lift, arm lift (brachioplasty), neck or face lift, and other adjunct procedures. Most of the time only one or two procedures will be done at a time. When you meet with your surgeon he will talk with you about which areas of the body you wish to address first.

Patient who have lost massive amounts of weight are usually very happy with the results of skin tightening surgery, and regain confidence about their bodies. Refer to each section on our website for the procedure you are interested in.

What to expect: 

If your weight has been stable for 6 months- 1 year and you have not been smoking for 4-6 weeks, then schedule an individual consultation to review your problem areas. We will create an individual surgery plan to target at least 1-2 areas per surgery. Refer to individual procedure tabs for more information

Recovery:

You usually go home the same day or one night in the hospital if monitoring is necessary. Swelling can last from 6 weeks to 3 months, but you will still notice an immediate difference. A compression garment can be worn for 4-6 weeks to help with swelling. A drain or 2 are usually placed and removed at an average of 1-2 weeks depending on the surgery. You will likely want to sit in a more reclined position with your hips flexed for the first week. You cannot exercise for about 2 weeks and can expect to be out of

work about 1-2 weeks depending on your profession. No heavy lifting more than 10 lbs for about 2 weeks, and no abdominal exercises, such as crunches, for 8 weeks. Scars will eventually fade over the next few months to a fine white scar that should be hidden by underwear and swimsuits. Many of our patients find that they can fit into smaller more form-fitting clothing sizes. You should be back to normal by 4-6 weeks.

Call 336-765-8620 to request a consultation today and receive a personalized plan with one of our surgeons.