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Bariatric surgery can be life-saving, but many patients are hesitant to do it because they are concerned about how they will look afterward. They shouldn’t be! There are so many options to remove the extra skin and give the body a better post-weight-loss shape.
My massive-weight-loss patients are usually the happiest of all because they’ve gone through a total life and body transformation that they know will give them a longer, healthier and happier life. Cosmetic surgery added to this mix just gives that extra bit of confidence about this huge weight loss success.
Here are some of your cosmetic surgery options after bariatric surgery or large weight loss:
The tummy tuck procedure is a cosmetic surgery to remove extra skin and fat from the abdomen. I often combine it with liposuction to get that last bit of stubborn fat out and I will also often extend the tummy tuck incision around to the back (or flank areas) to raise and fill the buttocks as well. This is called a belt lipectomy or body lift.
A brachioplasty (or arm lift) removes skin and fat from the arms, eliminating the dreaded “bat wings.” The incision can also be brought down along the lateral chest to get rid of the extra skin that hangs over the bra strap area.
A breast lift (with or without an implant) is the most common option in weight loss patients for breast surgery. With the large loss of fat, the breast can be left with no volume in the “upper pole” of the breast. Many of our female patients will generally opt to put in an implant to give their breasts better shape overall, unless they have a fair amount of breast tissue that allows for just a standard breast lift.
A thigh lift uses an incision down the inside of the leg and along the groin to remove extra skin and fat and give back a prettier thigh shape — possibly even with that thigh gap you’ve always wanted.
For more information about how to get your new body firm after weight loss (whether with or without the bariatric surgery), call us for a complimentary consultation.
Board Certified plastic Surgeon, Michael Frederick, MD, recently joined Hass Plastic Surgery completing the prestigious Harvard Plastic Surgery Residency program at Massachusetts General Hospital. He hails from California where he completed his undergraduate degrees in Marine Biology and Spanish at UCLA followed by his Medical Degree at the University of California at San Francisco. He has published many peer reviewed articles and presented at multiple national meetings including the AAPS and ASPS. He is also fluent in Spanish.