Overview

There are several advantages to losing a significant amount of weight. However, following significant weight reduction via weight loss surgery or lifestyle modifications, the skin and tissues frequently lack the flexibility to adjust to the reduced body size. Following considerable weight reduction, surgical body contouring eliminates unwanted sagging skin and fat while enhancing the form of the underlying support tissue. The end effect is a more balanced look with smoother outlines.

 

What is Body Contouring Surgery after significant weight loss?

Reaching your ideal weight, whether via diet and exercise or bariatric surgery, is a huge accomplishment. However, after reducing a significant amount of weight, you may find some additional skin remaining.

Body contouring surgeries, such as a stomach tuck, breast lift, or lower body lift, may help enhance the form and tone of your body. Body contouring can also aid with skin hygiene by lowering the occurrence of skin rash and infection in some individuals who have extra skin folds.

Body shaping treatments may include , fix upper arm sagging, correct sagging, flattened breasts with a breast lift, correct drooping of the mid-face, jowls, and neck with a facelift, correct sagging in the belly, buttocks, inner and outer thighs with lower body lifts, correct drooping of the inner thigh with a medial thigh lift and remove the apron of extra skin that hangs across the belly with tummy tuck.

 

How do I know if I'm a good candidate?

The ideal candidate for body contouring operations has attained his or her target weight and is determined to maintain it. Patients who have extra skin in some locations but little excess fat benefit the most. The ideal applicant also has reasonable expectations for his or her performance. While surgery might help you look better, each patient heals differently and with varied outcomes. Consult your doctor about the expected outcomes.

In general, suitable candidates for body contouring are:

• Adults whose weight loss has been maintained
• Individuals who are healthy and free of medical issues that impede recovery or raise the risk of surgery
• Nonsmokers
• Individuals with a positive attitude and attainable aims
• Individuals who are dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle via correct nutrition and exercise

 

Why should you consider Plastic surgery after extreme weight loss?

Obesity over time can cause the skin to stretch to accommodate the weight. The elasticity of the skin is pushed beyond limit as it extends. Excess skin is generally the result of losing several pounds or more. Sagging skin may affect any portion of the body, including the face, arms, belly, buttocks, and thighs, and the more weight you lose, the more extra skin you'll have.

Plastic surgery to remove extra skin and, in some circumstances, restore and tighten the muscles beneath can result in a smoother, more toned appearance that more accurately represents the hard work you've put in to reduce weight. Many people consider surgical removal of extra skin to be the last phase in their weight reduction journey since it helps them to completely accept their new physique and feel confident and happy in their look

It's crucial to note that if you've undergone bariatric surgery or major weight reduction, your weight has likely stabilized. Having a surgery performed and then continuing to reduce weight might have an impact on your results. 

 

What should I expect during a Body Contouring consultation?

Prepare to explore the following topics during your body contouring consultation:

• Your surgical objectives
• Medical problems, drug allergies, and prior medical treatments
• Medication, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, cigarette, and drug usage currently in use
• Previous operations

In addition, your plastic surgeon will:

• Examine your overall health as well as any pre-existing medical issues or risk factors.
• Examine your body and make accurate measurements.
• Take pictures for your medical records.
• Discuss your alternatives and make a treatment plan.
• Discuss the possible benefits of body contouring as well as any dangers or potential consequences.

Your entire candor throughout your consultation is critical to the success and safety of your surgery. Make a point of asking inquiries. It is critical that you understand every part of your body reshaping surgery. It's normal to experience some worry, whether it's enthusiasm for your new appearance or preoperative tension. Don't be afraid to express any concerns to your plastic surgeon. 

 

What are the Risks associated with Body Contouring?

The choice to have cosmetic surgery is incredibly personal, and you must consider whether the advantages will meet your objectives and whether the risks and potential problems of body contouring surgery are acceptable. You will be asked to sign permission paperwork to ensure that you fully understand the operation and any risks or issues that may arise.

Risks associated with body contouring include:

• Anesthesia dangers
• Bleeding
• Blood clots, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism are among conditions that can occur.
• Scars that are excessive or enlarged
• A buildup of fluid
• Infection
• Numbness or other skin feeling alterations
• Inadequate wound healing
• Skin laxity or contour irregularity that persists
• Skin thinning
• Scarring that is unfavorable

Scarring will vary in severity based on the method employed. Body lifts, for example, have a higher risk of scarring than liposuction. Furthermore, if there are problems with wound healing, the scars may be worse.

These and other dangers will be thoroughly disclosed prior to your consent. It is critical that you immediately discuss all of your concerns with your plastic surgeon.

 

What should I do to be prepared for Body Contouring?

You may be requested to do the following in preparation for body contouring surgery:

• Get clearance from your bariatric surgeon and/or primary care physician for surgery. Get a lab test.
• Take specific meds or make changes to your present medications
• Stop smoking at least two weeks before surgery.
• Aspirin, anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals, herbal supplements, and other medications that may cause bleeding should be avoided.

Body contouring surgery should be conducted at a hospital, a licensed ambulatory surgical center, or an approved office-based surgical facility. If you are having body contouring done as an outpatient procedure, make arrangements for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to remain with you for at least the first night.

 

What processes are included in a Body Contouring procedure?

The methods required to attain your objectives will be outlined, as well as a timetable for these operations.

Your doctor may propose the following plastic surgery procedures:

• Arm lift: Fix upper arm sagging.
• Breast lift :Correct sagging, flattened breasts with a breast lift.
• Facelift: Correct drooping of the mid-face, jowls, and neck with a facelift.
• Lower body lifts: Correct sagging in the belly, buttocks, inner and outer thighs with lower body lifts.
• Medial thigh lift :Correct drooping of the inner thigh with a medial thigh lift.
• Tummy tuck: Remove the apron of extra skin that hangs across the belly.

 

Anesthesia is the first step.

Medications are given to you to keep you comfortable throughout the surgical operations. There are two options: intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will advise you on the best option.

Making an incision is the second step.

To remove superfluous skin, all body shaping techniques need major incisions. In many situations, these incisions are rather large. The length and pattern of the incisions are determined by the quantity and location of extra skin to be removed, as well as personal desire and your doctor's medical judgment. Incisions can typically be put in strategic positions where they can be covered by most types of clothes using advanced procedures, although this is not always the case. 

Body contouring is frequently done in phases. Your specific condition and goals, as well as the best judgment of your plastic surgeon, will all affect how your doctor designs a surgery plan. While it may have taken you two years or more to lose all of the additional weight, the benefits of your body reshaping may take just as long.

Lifting the body

In one surgery, a total lower body lift tackles drooping buttocks, belly, waist, hips, and outer thighs. Circumferential incisions around the torso to remove the "belt" of extra skin and fat are common incision designs.

Surgery for gynecomastia

The quantity of extra skin to be removed will decide the incision patterns for raising a man's drooping breasts. To lower male breast size, flatten and enhance chest outlines, one or more incisions may be utilized.

Breast augmentation

The quantity of extra skin to be removed will decide the incision patterns for raising a woman's drooping breasts. These may involve one or more circular incisions around the areola, a line stretching from the areola to the breast crease, and a horizontal incision along the breast crease. Breast implants may also be advised to improve breast form and size.

Arm lift

Upper arm sagging skin is addressed by an incision from the underarm area that extends along the inside or back of the upper arm. If there are further regions of extra skin on the arms, more incisions may be required.

Thigh lift

Inner thigh reshaping is accomplished by groin incisions that can extend downward to the knee along the inseam of the thigh. Improving the shape of the outer thigh may necessitate an incision from the groin to the hip.

 

What should I expect from Body Contouring?

Body contouring surgery benefits after major weight reduction are noticeable nearly immediately. However, the ultimate outcomes of any recommended body reshaping treatments may take up to two years or more to fully materialize. Visible scars from surgery will remain, but the overall benefits will be long-lasting provided you maintain a healthy weight and general fitness.

Body contouring outcomes are often long-lasting, assuming you keep a steady weight and overall fitness. It is natural for your body to lose firmness as it ages. However, the majority of your original progress should be preserved.

Although positive outcomes are anticipated from your operation, there is no assurance. In some cases, a single surgical treatment may not be enough to provide ideal outcomes, and additional procedures may be required. Following your doctor's orders is important to the success of your operation. During the healing process, it is critical that the surgical incisions be not exposed to excessive stress, motion, swelling, or abrasion. Your doctor will provide you specific advice for self-care.

 

What can I expect throughout my Body Contouring recovery period?

Dressings or bandages will be put to your incisions following body contouring surgery during your recovery. Small, thin tubes may be temporarily inserted beneath the skin to remove any extra blood or fluid.

You will be given precise instructions, which may include the following:

• How to Handle the Surgical Site (s).
• Medications that can be used topically or taken orally to help with recovery.
• Specific issues to watch out for at the surgery site or in your overall health.
• When to see your plastic surgeon again.

Make sure to ask your body contouring surgeon specific questions regarding your unique healing period:

• Where will I be taken once my procedure is finished?
• Where will I be taken once my procedure is finished?
• What medications will be administered to or prescribed to me following surgery?
• Will I be wearing bandages or dressings following surgery? When are they going to be removed?
• Are the stitches taken out? When?
• When will I be able to resume normal activities and exercise?
• When should I come back for follow-up care?

 

At-home body contouring recovery 

For several days to weeks, you may be told not to bend, strain, or lift. Where abdominal or thigh tightening is involved, your plastic surgeon may also advise you to avoid standing completely erect and straining any internal sutures as they heal, and to sleep with pillows elevating your knees.

To reduce the risk of DVT (blood clots in the legs), you should get up and walk as soon as possible, and drink plenty of fluids.

What Body Contouring questions should I ask my Plastic Surgeon?

During your body contouring consultation, use the following checklist as a guide:

• Is this surgery appropriate for me?
• What would be expected of me in order to get the greatest results?
• How and where will you carry out my procedure?
• What surgical method is best for me?
• How long should I expect my recuperation to take, and what type of assistance will I require?
• What are the risks and hazards of my procedure?
• How are problems dealt with?
• How can I hope to look back in time? What happens after pregnancy?
• What are my choices if I am unhappy with the cosmetic results of my procedure?
• Do you have before-and-after photos of this procedure I could look at, and what kind of results are reasonable for me?

 

What is the cost of Body Contouring?

The typical cost of body reshaping surgery may be rather variable. The cost of body contouring treatments may vary according to the surgeon's experience, the type of procedure(s) done, and the geographic location of the practice. Body contouring surgery and associated consequences may not be covered by health insurance, but many plastic surgeons offer patient financing programs, so be sure to inquire.

Body contouring expenditures may include the following:

• Anesthesia costs
• Costs of a hospital or surgical center
• Medical examinations
• Post-surgery clothing
• Medication prescriptions
• Fee for a surgeon

When selecting a board-certified plastic surgeon in your region for body contouring surgery, keep in mind that the surgeon's expertise and your comfort level with him or her are just as crucial as the overall cost of the procedure.

 

Conclusion 

When people gain a lot of weight, their skin expands, and they may not have the elasticity to bounce back after losing a lot of weight. Body contouring eliminates extra skin while tightening the surrounding tissue. Typically, the surgeon creates an incision in the desired location and removes fat either directly or via liposuction. Sutures are then used to tighten underlying supporting tissues, achieving a result that training alone cannot attain. A variety of body-contouring operations are offered. They target various body areas (arms, breasts, face, thighs, belly) for persons who have lost weight through diet and exercise or weight-loss surgery. Your surgeon may recommend that you have many body-contouring operations at the same time, or that you undergo them progressively over months or years.