Patients who have recently weight loss or have undergone lap band, gastric bypass, or bariatric surgeries often struggle with a significant amount of excess skin and fat almost impossible to shed off through hard work and determination. Frequently, after individuals have made it to their goal weight, many of our San Diego patients are left with excess tissue, most commonly in their abdomen but also in their arms, thighs, breasts, and faces.
An entire subspecialty of plastic surgery has emerged to help patients manage the excess skin and fat to produce a body that better reflects the healthier and more attractive qualities hidden beneath. Body contouring procedures have become one of the fastest-growing specialties in the arena of massive weight loss by addressing loose skin and excess fat. This is accomplished through surgeries such as abdominal lifts, body lifts, inner thigh lifts, and arm lifts, among other procedures.
Gastric Bypass Surgery and Weight Gain
Gastric bypass surgery has become common in today’s society and is safer than ever before, with an average of over 200,000 patients every year since 2016. However, very few patients are aware of the aesthetic complications from weight loss surgery due to the initial weight gain.
Excessive weight gain causes your skin to stretch to accommodate excess fatty tissue. Sometimes, the skin must stretch beyond its capacity, causing it to “break.” This results in visible stretch marks on the skin. In addition to having an unhealthy lifestyle and bad eating habits, overweight patients tend to have poor skin elasticity. This combination makes the patient’s skin unable to contract or “snap back” after a 100+ pound weight loss. When this happens, excess skin may result and obscure a newly toned and in-shape body.
Patients can also suffer from skin irritation and rashes, and most commonly, a need to continue to manage the redundant skin by wearing loose-fitting clothes.
Timing of Surgery
The amount of time that the excess weight has been off the body is one of the most important factors to consider before surgery. It is vital to ensure that not only does the weight stay off, but that we also allow enough time for the patient to lose all the weight they had intended. I want to tailor the operation to your new “ideal” body weight and shape to best achieve your cosmetic goals. Cosmetic surgery after massive weight loss is much like going to the seamstress – you want to have your clothes tailored at a healthy weight that you will be able to maintain for many years to come.
Patients can lose weight over different time intervals and even in various areas of their bodies. As long as we feel that we can achieve your goals in the area to be operated on (but possibly not in other areas on your body), then we can usually proceed with surgery in the area where we feel enough weight has been lost. However, if you have lost a significant amount of weight, but have a substantial amount to lose, then I will routinely recommend waiting until all of your weight is lost in the areas of concern. Skin with less fatty tissue attached is more flexible and allows me to produce an even better result.
Understanding Skin Quality
As with most surgeries, patients see a significant benefit to combining procedures. This limits their postoperative downtime and the number of times they need to undergo general anesthesia. This also has the collateral benefit of improving the overall costs and reducing the amount of scarring they can expect.
Scars are the expected consequence of massive weight loss surgery. Although significant, these scars are minor issues for nearly every patient who has experienced “life-changing” transformations with these procedures. I make every effort to ensure these scars are placed in locations that are easily concealed whenever possible. The majority of issues related to scarring can be easily reversed at our office under a local anesthetic.
Skin that has undergone significant stretch from weight gain followed by massive weight loss, be it through surgery or diet and exercise, will lose a substantial amount of elasticity. To put it simply, imagine a rubber band that has been stretched too far, and the “spring” has been forever lost. Thus, we often expect a “secondary relaxation” of your tissues, even with maximal tightening, after many of these procedures.
A secondary tightening procedure may be required after the initial surgery. Unfortunately, it is related to the quality of skin we will be working with. Plastic surgeons such as myself don’t see this as a complication but more of an expectation. If we attempt to address this issue during the initial surgery, your skin will stretch to its weakest point. And this has been proven to be at the scar itself. This can lead patients to develop widened, depressed, irregular, and uneven scars. This is a trade I am not willing to make.
Plastic Surgery Procedures for Weight Loss
Overall, massive weight loss surgery is a wonderfully successful means to rid you of the unwanted memory of your former self. By removing extra skin and fat, you can experience a new life where your exterior matches the health and vibrancy of the individual hidden beneath. A positive and beautiful body image that reflects who you are inside and out.
Schedule a complimentary in-office consultation with Dr. Vincent Marin to assess your options in better detail. Call our La Jolla, CA office at (858) 638-9800 to see if massive weight loss surgery is right for you.
ABDOMINAL SURGERY
Abdominal surgery aims to correct the stretch of the abdominal wall and remove excess skin and stretch marks caused by weight loss.
UPPER ARMS
An arm lift or Brachioplasty is perfect for those who suffer from the saggy appearance of the arms as affected by significant weight loss.
INNER THIGHS
Buttock and thigh lift are procedures to improve the contour of the hips and produce shapelier thighs and buttocks after weight loss.
*The images and content provided on this website are developed to educate the public on the procedures offered at Marin Aesthetics. Individual results vary per patient. To assess your candidacy per procedure, we strongly recommend scheduling a formal consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Vincent Marin.