A common issue that people who have lost a substantial amount of weight experience is extra skin that is slack, inelastic, and cannot tighten back up despite regular exercise. When no amount of toning and fitness workouts can diminish loose, sagging skin, body contouring can tighten and improve the appearance of various areas of the body.
After bariatric or gastric bypass surgery, many former morbidly obese patients are left with folds of excess skin. This can cause discomfort and unhappiness with their appearance, despite the positive experience of significant, maintained weight loss.
Dr. J. Anthony Stephens offers various post-bariatric plastic surgery procedures that combine reconstructive and cosmetic techniques. Whether it’s the thighs or back, sagging skin can be tightened, lifted, and contoured, resulting in a more attractive, proportional appearance.
Contouring surgery includes an arm lift, breast lift, abdominoplasty (also known as a “tummy tuck”), upper arm lift, buttock lift, and thigh lift. Several procedures can be performed in conjunction, such as a neck lift combined with a facelift, to achieve optimal results.
Body contouring “lift” procedures are also often combined with liposuction to achieve an aesthetically proportional look. For example, an arm lift, also known as brachioplasty, can be accompanied by liposuction if the patient has significant amounts of remaining fat as well as loose skin in the arms.
During the surgery, the skin is lifted from underlying tissue, and excess skin is trimmed off. The muscles are tightened and stitched, and excess fat is removed where necessary. The skin is then sutured closed to leave as little scarring as possible. The amount of scarring depends on the procedure, as well as the patient’s skin tone and healing process, but scars from contouring surgery often fade, become lighter, and even out over time.
Good candidates for post-bariatric body contouring procedures are adults who do not smoke, as smoking can hinder the healing process and increase the risk of surgical complications. They should also be able to maintain a relatively stable weight and must not be significantly overweight.
Patients should also have realistic outlooks regarding their plastic surgery results, and thoroughly discuss their desired improvements, expectations, and concerns with their doctor before the procedure.
Body Contouring In Baton Rouge
If you would like to learn more about the various post-bariatric body contouring procedures that Dr. J. Anthony Stephens offers, please contact his office, located in Baton Rouge, LA, at 225.754.4983. Dr. Stephens has been practicing in Baton Rouge since 1998 and specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. You can also reach us via our online form. We look forward to hearing from you.
