If you have undergone dramatic weight loss that has resulted in excess sagging skin, surgical body contouring may be right for you. Body contouring following major weight loss reduces excess fat and skin that has developed in multiple areas of the body. Following a substantial weight loss, the skin and tissues often lack elasticity and cannot conform to the reduced body size. As a result, skin that has been severely stretched is now unsupported and begins to sag in pockets that develop around the face, neck and jowls, upper arms, breasts, abdominal area, lower back, buttocks, groin, and thighs.
Procedure:
Your body contouring following major weight loss is individualized to your specific regions to be treated. Specific procedures that may be recommended include facelift, breast lift, tummy tuck, lower-body lifts, medial thigh lift, and brachioplasty.
Healing:
Post-operatively, dressing or bandages may be applied to your incisions. Areas of the body that have been treated may be wrapped in an elastic bandage to minimize swelling and to support your new contours as you heal. Small, thin tubes may temporarily be placed under the skin to drain excess fluid or blood that may collect. Initial wound healing may take 7 to 14 days, after which your sutures will be removed. You can return to work or normal activity in a few weeks. Healing will continue for several weeks as swelling resolves and incision lines continue to improve. Numbness and a firm feeling over the skin’s surface will improve over time.
