Body Contouring

Body contouring following substantial weight loss improves the shape and tone of underlying tissue by removing excess sagging fat and skin, resulting in smoother body contours and a normal appearance.

What is body-contouring surgery?

Body contouring is a cosmetic surgery performed following sizable weight loss. This surgery removes skin folds and other surrounding tissue, giving your body smoother contours.

Skin stretches over time following excessive weight gain. When this weight is lost, your skin lacks elasticity to spring back into place, causing extra skin folds of tissue. Excess tissue may be present on your lower belly, thighs, arms, chin, and breasts.

Following weight-loss surgery, people who have lost a lot of weight are typically interested in learning about body-contouring surgery.

A cosmetic surgeon removes extra areas of tissue by making cuts around your midsection, cuts to lift your breasts or remove extra tissue from your arms and thighs. Finally, the remaining tissue is sewn back together.

All of this happens while you are asleep under general anesthesia.

Who needs body-contouring surgery?

If you lost a lot of weight following weight-loss surgery, you may not like how you look if you have extra folds of skin tissue. These skin folds are not just unsightly, they can cause other problems including:

Discomfort
Swelling, rash, ulcers and infection between groin skin folds.
Hygienic challenges in these areas.
Walking difficulty
Urinating difficulty
Sexual activity challenges
Low self-esteem

How to prepare for body-contouring surgery?

First, ask your healthcare provider if this surgery is right for you. If you have certain health issues, the risks of the surgery might not be worth it.

Your surgeon will want to make sure that you have a realistic idea of what the surgery can do. You will also need to commit to a healthy lifestyle. This includes good nutrition and regular exercise.

The surgery may cost you a lot of money. Most health insurance plans will not cover it unless you have a strong medical reason for it. These may include an infection and ulceration around a skin fold. Find out what the surgery will cost you before you make plans to have it.

You shouldn’t have this surgery until you have reached a stable weight. If you lose weight after your surgery, new pockets of sagging skin may form. If you gain a lot of weight after your surgery, it can harm your already weakened skin. This can cause more stretch marks and wide scars.

greatly increases your risk for complications. Most surgeons will not do this surgery if you are still smoking.

Ask your surgeon if you need to stop taking any medicines before the surgery. These including over-the-counter medicines, such as aspirin.

Do not eat after midnight, before surgery.

Tell your surgeon about any recent health issues, such as a fever.

Your surgeon will do tests before surgery including the following:

Electrocardiogram, check heart rhythm.
Pulmonary function tests, check lung function
Basic blood tests, diabetes, anemia, kidney function and infection test.

Ask your surgeon how to prepare for your surgery. He or she may have more instructions for you.

Risks of body-contouring surgery?

Body contouring is a generally safe procedure, but it comes with risks.

People who have lost a lot of weight may be at a higher risk for problems. Some complications from this surgery include:

Blood clots. These include clots in the leg veins (DVT). These clots can travel to your lung (pulmonary embolism).
Problems with wound healing
Infection
Heavy bleeding
Nerve damage
Problems from anesthesia
Pain that doesn’t go away

You also may not get the results you want from the first surgery, requiring another surgery.

Risks depend on age, weight lost, health conditions, and tissue required to remove.

Ask your surgeon about the risks that apply to you.

What happens during body-contouring surgery?

Your surgeon and a team of nurses will perform the surgery. Expect the following:

General anesthesia. You will sleep through the procedure and won’t feel anything.
Vital sign monitoring to watch your heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs.
Antibiotics during and after the surgery to help prevent infection.
Cuts to your midsection, removing extra skin and tissue.
Reconnects skin to make a smooth contour.
Repeat same procedure on multiple body parts. Multiple surgeries may be required.
Dress wounds.

What happens after body-contouring surgery?

A tube underneath your skin drains fluid builds up.

Pain medicine will be use to relieve pain post procedure.

You should be able to eat a normal diet once you are ready.

Overnight hospital-stay following surgery followed by rest at your hotel.

Your surgeon will tell you how to care for your wounds. Tell your surgeon if you have severe draining, redness, or a fever.

If you have life-threatening symptoms (excessive bleeding, shortness of breath, chest pain) contact your surgeon immediately.

Limit movements after surgery to allow wounds to heal.

Follow your surgeon’s orders carefully to insure a smooth recovery.

Results will be noticeable right away and last if you maintain a stable weight.

Some people require another surgery for best results.