Cosmetic Procedures After Weight Loss Surgery
If you have lost a large amount of weight, either through surgery or diet and exercise, you may find that you have loose folds of excess skin. This is because the skin stretches as body size increases, and does not always have enough elasticity to return to its former shape. In some cases, you may also be left with stubborn areas of fat which are hard to shift.
Losing weight is something to be celebrated, and most people appreciate the fact that they can move around more easily, take part in exercise, and wear a wider variety of clothing. Of course, there are also significant health benefits to losing a large amount of weight. You may reverse type 2 diabetes, sleep better, or have improved mental health.
However, some of the enjoyment of your new lifestyle might be dampened by folds of loose skin around your abdomen, arms, thighs, face, breasts, or hips. These do not usually pose a significant health risk, although they may cause chafing and irritation. They can prevent you from achieving a more streamlined body shape, which may undermine your confidence.
This is why some people opt to have one or more cosmetic procedures to remove the folds of skin, and any leftover deposits of fat. This may be a full body resurfacing or contouring surgical procedure, or surgery focusing on a few areas, such as the abdomen, breasts, arms, or thighs.
Who is suitable for body resurfacing?
It is best to wait for about 12 months after your weight loss to have cosmetic surgery. This will give your weight a chance to stabilise, and allow any natural shrinkage in the skin to take place. You will also need to be in a good overall state of health, a non-smoker, and have no serious chronic conditions, such as heart disease.
If you are female, you may be advised to wait until after you have completed your family, because pregnancy will stretch the skin again. If you have breast surgery, it may also affect your ability to breast feed.
What happens during the procedure?
The exact process will depend on which areas of the body are being operated on. During a tummy tuck, which is one of the most common post weight loss procedures, the surgeon will make a cut in the skin across the naval region. The skin tissue and muscles will be separated and tightened, and excess skin will be cut away.
If the procedure is combined with liposuction, the surgeon will also remove excess fat at this stage. The position of the belly button may also be changed to a new position, which better fits the new shape of the abdominal area. The skin will then be stitched up.
The other procedures usually included in a body contouring package include a breast uplift, a buttock lift, and an arm and thigh lift.
It’s important to maintain a realistic view of what these surgeries will achieve. Most will leave permanent scarring, although this will fade over time. The results should be lifelong, but the body will still be vulnerable to the effects of sagging skin as you get older.
If you would like some information about Breast reconstruction surgery in Lincolnshire, please get in touch today.