Body Contouring After Weight Loss
After weight loss, many people seek plastic surgery to correct the excess skin and residual fat deposits that remain. Although they are not physical scars, many weight loss patients believe these are constant reminders of their past.
For the patients we have treated, body contouring procedures have allowed them to finally realize the true extent of their weight loss achievement. As physicians, it has been great to share in the personal successes of our patients as they radiate a new sense of self-esteem and self-confidence.
At Belmont Plastic Surgery in Chevy Chase, we consider it a privilege to participate in your weight loss journey and we are committed to helping you realize your goals.
We offer comprehensive care for our significant weight loss patients and your safety is always our first priority. We work closely with bariatric surgeons, physicians specializing in weight loss, bariatric coordinators, nutritionists, primary care physicians, and weight loss support groups to ensure this goal.
FAQ About Body Contouring
Why undergo body contouring?
Following significant weight loss, you lose weight to varying degrees in many parts of your body. Despite your incredible hard work, you may be left with residual fat deposits that remain problem areas. A common problem to all of these areas is the excess skin that remains from when you were at your maximum weight. This skin has been severely stretched and damaged and has lost its elasticity. This excess skin can both hamper the performance of daily activities and cause serious hygiene issues. The only way to improve the appearance of these areas is to have this skin surgically removed, resulting in an improved contour.
Why should I choose Belmont Aesthetic for body contouring surgery?
Plastic surgery following significant weight loss is a relatively new field within our specialty. Because of our experience with patients that have lost significant weight, we feel comfortable performing these technically challenging procedures and dealing with any potential complications that may occur. We also continue to contribute to this growing field. We have been the authors of five book chapters and at least ten peer-reviewed articles related to body contouring after significant weight loss. It is this experience and commitment that allows us to perform the most current techniques under the safest possible conditions for our patients.
What are the most common body contouring procedures?
Common body contouring surgeries include tummy tuck, arm lift, body lift, thigh lift and liposuction. Less common procedures include:
Panniculectomy: A panniculectomy is a functional operation that removes a large hanging apron of skin (pannus) from the abdomen. Patients requiring a panniculectomy often have severe hygiene issues that have resulted in excoriation, ulceration or infection. These patients have failed medical management and require surgical removal to correct these problems. Although we take aesthetic considerations into account for all of our procedures, this is not considered a cosmetic procedure.
Mons Rejuvenation: Following significant weight loss, both female and male patients often have fullness and sagging of the tissue that lies over the public bone. This region is call the mons and it is often covered with pubic hair. Fullness and sagging of this region can cause difficulty with urination, sexual function and satisfaction, and clothes fitting. Although this area may be a source of embarrassment, we commonly address this area during abdominal contouring. This area will be debulked and elevated to provide a more youthful appearance.
Extended abdominoplasty: An extended abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is procedure that is in between an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and a body lift. The incision for an extended abdominoplasty extends onto the back, but does not go completely around the torso like the body lift procedure described above. An extended abdominoplasty allows for the complete excision of larger abdomens and their extensions into the flank region, as well as some lifting of the lateral thighs (but to a lesser extent than a body lift).
Upper Body Lift: An upper body lift is necessary in a subset of patients that have significant back rolls that they desired corrected. In females, we will often hide this incision beneath the bra-line. In males, incision line placement is often dictated by the position of the back rolls.
Schedule a Consultation to Learn More
To learn more about body contouring after weight loss, please contact the Chevy Chase or Stafford offices of Dr. Jules Feledy today. Call 540-891-0040 to speak with a staff member at our Stafford office, or 301-654-5666 to reach our Chevy Chase office.
