Body Contouring After Massive Weight Loss
Bariatric or gastric bypass surgery can be highly successful in helping morbidly obese patients lose weight. After the procedure, patients are often able to enjoy not only significant weight loss but also greater mobility, relief of symptoms and a lower risk of weight-related disease – not to mention a boost in self-confidence. One unfortunate result is that the stretched and inelastic skin hangs loose over the slimmer body.
Post-bariatric plastic surgery combines reconstructive and cosmetic techniques to tighten, lift and contour sagging areas for a more attractive appearance. The patient may choose to treat the arms, breasts, abdomen, buttocks, thighs, neck, face or other areas.
Procedures include:
Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)
After substantial weight loss from bariatric surgery or gastric banding, skin on the upper arms can become inelastic, loose and flabby. Arm lifts, also known as brachioplasty, remove that excess skin and fat. Patients who have significant amounts of fat may want to consider combining the procedure with liposuction.
Body Lift
Also called belt lipectomy, torsoplasty and panniculectomy, the circumferential body lift is performed to remove excess skin from the torso and upper legs. Candidates for body lifts typically suffer from loose (inelastic) skin on many or most areas of the body as a result of significant weight loss after bariatric surgery or gastric banding. Because of this, the procedure is often combined with others such as breast lifts, arm lifts and liposuction to retain a proper body proportion. Body lifts tighten and tone the abdomen, back, buttocks, hips and thighs.
During the procedure, skin is lifted from underlying tissue, muscles are tightened and stitched and fat is removed where necessary, and the skin is sutured closed. The navel is often removed and replaced in its new position.
Buttock Lift
A buttock lift trims excess skin from the buttocks that has resulted from massive weight loss. Buttock lifts produce a firmer contour.
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