Many men and women struggle with their weight. Whether it is due to a love of unhealthy food, hormones, or heredity, the battle is the same. When you are able to overcome the obstacles, and lose a massive amount of weight, it is an awesome feeling! We congratulate you! We hope your journey has left you more confident, ready to face whatever comes your way!
After losing a significant amount of weight, you may notice that your shape is still off. Meaning that when you are wearing clothes, you can still see a few lumps and bumps that are making you look frumpy. This is the result of skin that has lost its elasticity and now hangs loosely from your body. The only way to get rid of this loose skin is by having it, and any excess fatty tissue, removed. The process of removing excess skin and fat tissue after weight loss is called body contouring.
Body contouring brings to attention your new shape. After your procedures, you will have more definition around your abdomen and thighs, your arms and legs will be toned and muscular and your face will regain its youthful curve. Body contouring is a series of procedures, including a facelift, a tummy tuck, a breast lift, a thigh lift, a total lower body lift (this includes the stomach, buttocks, inner and outer thighs) and an arm lift. For some people, only one or two of these procedures are needed and that is fine. Your need for a procedure depends on how that particular part of your body responded to your weight loss.
To get a better idea of what body contouring procedures may be right for you, take a look at some information we have gathered on each procedure:
Facelift – A facelift removes sagging skin from the jowls and the neck. The incision is often placed around the hairline or around the ear, making the scar practically invisible. The skin is stretched, fat is repositioned and muscles are lifted during the facelift and the excess skin is removed. Once the recovery period is over, you will have a smooth jawline and slender neck.
Tummy Tuck – Tummy tucks are used to remove excess skin and fat tissue from the abdomen. Tummy tucks can be tailored to your needs by shortening or lengthening the incision. If you have a small about of abdominal fat, a mini-tummy tuck can be performed and if you have excess skin and fat on your hips, an extended tummy tuck can be performed to reach those areas as well.
Breast Lift – A breast lift can be done with or without breast implants. If you are satisfied with the size of your current breast, you can choose to forego the implants and have excess skin tightened and the muscles lifted to create a perkier-looking breast. The nipple and areola will be repositioned to the proper location so that your breasts will look youthful and more natural.
Medial Thigh Lift – The inner thighs are a common place where you will experience sagging after weight loss. The thigh lift is used to remove the excess skin and fat tissue and in turn, use the sutures to pull muscles back together to create a more toned look. Thigh lifts can have several incision points, depending on the area that needs the lift. For most thigh lifts, the incision begins around the groin area.
Lower Body Lift – A lower body lift uses an incision that is commonly shaped like a bikini. The incision will go around your mid-section and can lift the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs in one procedure. The scar should be able to be hidden underneath a bikini or panties. The surgeon will then use deep sutures to shape the underlying tissue to give your body its new contour.
Arm Lift – The arm lift procedure removes sagging skin from beneath the arm. The term “batwing” is often used when referring to this area of the arm. Once the skin and fat tissue are removed, the remaining skin is stretched tight and the incision is stitched back together. The incision may be on the back of the arm, the inside of the arm, or around the armpit, depending on the amount of tissue that needs to be removed.
Body contouring is the last step in getting your body back after weight loss. If you have any questions about the procedures listed or any plastic surgery procedure, please contact our office today!