Most bariatric patients lose anywhere from 50 to 200 pounds over the first few years following their LAP-BAND, gastric bypass, or gastric sleeve surgery, which can result in excess, sagging skin in areas that were previously filled with fat.
Whether you’ve already achieved your goal weight, or you’re planning on having a bariatric procedure, you might be thinking about plastic surgery after weight loss surgery.
When you lose weight, your skin will naturally re-tighten to try and fit your new shape. Factors such as your age, the amount of weight you’ve lost, and the overall health of your skin all affect how well your skin ‘bounces back’ after being stretched out.
Excess Skin Caused By Fat Loss
Bariatric patients may find that they have extra skin around the belly, buttocks, upper thighs, and upper arms after weight loss surgery, since these areas typically hold a lot of excess fat. Women might also experience a noticeable reduction in both the size and perkiness of their breasts.
Will You Need Plastic Surgery After Dramatic Weight Loss?
Whether or not you’ll need plastic surgery after weight loss surgery depends on how the excess skin impacts you both physically and emotionally. Sagging skin can lead to bacterial skin infections that are painful and difficult to manage, which is one reason why people have this extra skin removed.
For others, the need to remove post-surgical skin folds is emotional – they feel like the extra skin is a constant reminder of their struggles with obesity, and having plastic surgery helps them look as good as they now feel.
If you’re considering having plastic surgery after losing a significant amount of weight, here’s some things to think about:
- Have you reached your final goal weight?
- How is your overall health and wellness?
- Can you afford to pay out-of-pocket for plastic surgery?
- Have you given your skin enough time to ‘bounce back’ naturally?
- Do you understand the risks involved with having another surgical procedure?
- Are you prepared to deal with post-surgical scarring?
Olde Del Mar Surgical Can Refer You To The Right Surgeon
Having plastic surgery after weight loss surgery is a major decision that you should discuss with your bariatric surgeon, your primary physician, and your family.
For more information about the physical changes you can expect after a medical weight loss procedure, contact our experienced bariatric care team here at Olde Del Mar Surgical. We’re here to help!
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