Losing a significant amount of weight is a rewarding experience. Whether you have reached your goal weight through diet, exercise, or surgery, you may notice areas of excess skin. Loose skin can keep you from enjoying your stunning weight loss results. If so, you may want to consider body contouring surgery.
Body contouring, also known as excess skin removal surgery, is designed to improve your body's overall shape and tone after significant weight loss. Treatments such as tummy tucks and breast or lower body lifts can also help with hygiene by removing loose skin folds that can lead to irritation and infections.
Do you want to learn more about body contouring? Continue reading below!
What is Body Contouring Surgery?
The goal of body contouring is to restore your overall look after significant weight loss. You should consult with your cosmetic surgeon to create a plan based on your goals. Together, you can outline a strategy for achieving your ideal treatment results in one or two surgeries instead of several.
Common surgeries include:
- Tummy Tuck: Removes loose, excess skin from the stomach. It can also be used to repair and tighten the stomach muscles.
- Arm Lift: Removes fat and sagging skin from the upper arms.
- Breast Lift: Removes excess skin while reshaping and lifting the breasts for a balanced contour.
- Thigh Lift: Removes fat and excess skin from the inner and upper thighs.
- Face Lift: Removes excess tissue and skin around the jawline and tightens the muscles of the face.
How Did My Skin Become Loose in The First Place?
Gaining weight causes your skin to stretch slowly as body mass increases over time. When you lose this weight, your skin may not have enough elasticity to return to its original and firm state. This can cause extra folds of skin and tissue. After weight loss, typical areas of excess skin include the thighs, lower belly, chin, arms, and breasts.
Am I a Good Candidate for Body Contouring?
If you are an adult in good general health, you will likely make a great candidate for body contouring. For skin removal procedures, being as close to your goal weight as possible is also helpful. If you have recently lost a significant amount, it is often best to stay at a stable weight six to twelve months before surgery.
This is important for several reasons. For your cosmetic surgeon to achieve the best results possible, it is essential that you are not gaining or losing any more weight. If you lose weight too quickly, more skin can become loose, which may require additional removal. If you gain weight, your skin may re-expand, causing you to lose the results you achieved with your recent body contouring surgery.
How Can I Prepare for Body Contouring Surgery?
Before any surgery, your healthcare physician must clear that you can undergo surgical treatment. If you have certain health conditions, then this procedure may not be right for you. Your cosmetic surgeon should go over the process in detail, ensuring you understand and have realistic surgery expectations. It would be best to dedicate yourself to a healthy lifestyle filled with balanced nutrition and regular exercise.
Other steps you should take to prepare yourself include:
- Find out how much your procedure costs before scheduling treatment
- Quit smoking for several weeks before your procedure
- Ask your cosmetic surgeon if you should stop taking medication beforehand
- Be sure to inform your surgeon about any recent health concerns
- Make sure you understand all pre-and post-surgery care instructions
How Long Does Recovery Take?
Your recovery time depends on many factors. These include how well your body typically takes to heal, your age, genetics, and the type of surgery performed. Typically, full recovery can take up to several months.
Some discomfort and soreness are common and can last for up to four weeks after your procedure. To ensure successful results and healing, consult with your cosmetic surgeon, and follow all aftercare instructions.
Can Body Contouring Help Me Keep the Weight Off?
No. It is important to remember that body contouring surgery is designed to remove excess skin and tissue in troublesome areas. Although you will enjoy a slimmer look after body contouring, it is because the procedure helps shape areas of your body. Treatment results are only successful after the weight is already lost.
The noticeable results of your body contouring surgery can significantly help keep you motivated to keep the weight off yourself with a healthier lifestyle.
If you are considering cosmetic body contouring, chances are you have had great success losing a significant amount of weight! Why not reward yourself with a firmer, slimmer look by removing unwanted and uncomfortable sagging skin? Our compassionate and experienced cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Aras Tijunelis, is here to help get you on the path towards greater self-confidence and health. To discover if body contouring is best for you, contact Lake County Plastic Surgery today!