A person has done the work and has lost a large amount of weight. That should be enough, but sometimes it is not. After a significant weight loss, leftover excess skin may remain around a person’s entire body.
A person may decide to have a body contouring after weight loss surgery by a board certified plastic surgeon that removes excess skin, which provides a more firm and shapely silhouette. For many this surgery is the final step of their weight loss journey which will give them a huge boost in self-confidence.
The best candidate for this procedure is someone who has reached their ideal weight and has remained firm on the scale. If a person had bariatric surgery, surgeons would like them to stay at a stable weight for a period of time. That may be from six months to a year.
There are two reasons doctors want their patients to maintain their weight loss before the surgery. One is that if there is a weight gain after the procedure, there could be an increase in stretch marks and post-surgical scaring. The other reason is if a person gains weight after the surgery and loses it after the procedure, more sagging can occur.
To maintain the weight a patient should be diligent in establishing a healthy lifestyle and a habit of eating a well-balanced diet.
Areas of slack skin that may need attention after a large weight loss are upper arms, abdomen, thighs, buttocks, groin and breasts.
Some patients might need more than one surgery to address these areas.
The best candidates are nonsmokers, have no medical history that could interfere with the surgery and have maintained a healthy lifestyle since the weight loss. They also need to have realistic expectations and goals.
A patient’s doctor works closely with the plastic surgeon. Together they decide when is the right time to do the body contouring surgery.
