What is Body Contouring Surgery?
Medical weight loss programs, including weight loss surgery, are proven to be successful in helping people lose a significant amount of weight. The level of weight loss achieved after a bariatric procedure is typically between 60 and 70 percent of excess body weight. This often adds up to be well over 100 pounds in lost body fat.
The body discards fat in a number of ways, including through the pores of the skin, as well as via excrement during bowel movements. While there are plenty of health benefits associated with losing weight, it isn’t all as glamorous as Hollywood often makes it out to be. This is especially the case after weight loss surgery, when your body will begin shedding extra weight so fast that the skin can’t keep up. When you gain weight, the skin begins to stretch to accommodate for the extra body weight. In cases of less severe weight loss the skin is able to manipulate itself back to its original size, often leaving behind subtle stretch marks. After weight loss surgery, excess skin can be problematic. There are cases where excess skin will weigh up to 50 pounds, and will make fitting into new clothing uncomfortable. Body contouring is an incredibly helpful resource in situations like this. While many people look at cosmetic surgery as something superfluous, body contouring surgery is much more. It is the final step in returning to a healthy way of living, of giving your body a chance of enjoying life at your new healthy weight level.
Body Contouring Surgery is not necessary for everyone after weight loss surgery. Those who are most likely to want to take advantage of this resource are those who:
- Are over the age of 40 when skin tends to become less elastic
- Weighed more than 400 pounds at the time of bariatric surgery because the volume of remaining skin after weight loss will be greater.
After bariatric surgery some people will have build-ups of skin in just one or two areas, while others will require body contouring around the whole body. As you lose weight, you can discuss your options with your weight loss surgeon who may refer you to a cosmetic or plastic surgeon for additional consultation
Getting body contouring after weight loss surgery is not always necessary. However, if you have a great deal of excess skin it is something to consider as skin folds can be difficult to keep clean and dry. These conditions are ideal for skin breakdown or infection, so contouring may be a necessary to maintain your health.