Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss Results

What is Body Contouring Plastic Surgery?

Body contouring plastic surgery after weight loss improves the shape and tone of underlying tissue that supports fat and skin. Add to that, plastic surgery after weight loss removes the excess sagging fat and skin. The most common plastic surgery after weight loss body contouring procedures are listed below. Click on each procedure to view a gallery of before and after photos on the American Society of Plastic Surgeons website.

I also invite you to view My Bariatric Life photo gallery of before and after photos.

Plastic Surgery after Weight Loss
Before and After Photos

Arm Lift

Sagging skin in the upper arms is often referred to as “bat wings” because of the way they drape the body when the arms are fully extended. The sagging skin and fat are removed by incisions made under the arm that extends from the axilla (arm pit) alongside the inner or back of the arm to the elbow. The results is a smoother, tighter contour. However, this may be obscured initially by swelling and bruising.

Body Lift

Excess sagging fat and skin are removed to treat conditions caused in part by poor tissue elasticity. A complete lower body lift treats sagging buttocks, abdomen, waist, hips, and outer thighs in either one procedure or in staged procedures. Incision patterns vary, but the most common is circumferential incision around the body to remove the “belt” of excess skin and fat. The results of a body lift are visible almost immediately. It may take as much as one to two years for the full results of the body lift.

Breast Lift

This procedure raises and firms the breasts. Excess skin is removed, and the surrounding tissue is tightened to reshape and support the new breast contour. The incision patterns for lifting a woman’s sagging breasts are determined by the amount of excess skin to be removed. These may include either one or a combination of incisions in a circular pattern around the areola (the pigmented skin around the nipple). The incision extends from the areola to the breast crease and horizontally across the breast crease. A breast implant might also be recommended to increase breast fullness for “deflated” breasts. The final results of a breast lift appear over a few months as breast shape and position settle.

Thigh Lift

A thigh lift reshapes the thighs by reducing excess skin and, in some cases, fat. The result in smoother skin and better-proportioned contours of the thighs and lower body. Reshaping of the inner thighs is achieved through incisions in the groin that extend downward toward the knee along the inner portion of the thigh. Improving contours of the outer thigh may require an incision extending from the groin and around the hip. These incisions will allow the plastic surgeon to tighten tissues and remove excess sagging skin and fat for a smoother and better-toned thigh. The results of a thigh lift are almost immediately although it may take several months for the full results.