Losing a significant amount of weight is a commendable feat. Whether your results were obtained through bariatric surgery or intense diet and exercise, we applaud those who have committed to living a healthier life. However, although patients are typically thrilled to have lost the weight, many also find that their slimmer figure is being obscured by excess, sagging skin. Some patients struggle with uncomfortable chafing and skin irritation—in addition to decreased self-confidence—as a result. To further frustrate matters, this excess skin is generally unresponsive to diet and exercise. Fortunately, there is a solution: body contouring after massive weight loss can help address redundant skin, stubborn fat, and loose abdominal muscles to enhance your comfort and highlight your new physique. Our Atlanta- and Marietta-area plastic surgeon—Thomas Lintner, MD—has decades of experience customizing post-weight loss surgery to help his patients feel like their most confident selves.
The precise details of post-bariatric body contouring will vary based on the unique needs of the patient. During your consultation, Dr. Lintner will listen carefully to your concerns and design a custom treatment plan to help you reduce excess skin and reveal your slimmer figure. In many cases, multiple areas of the body can be addressed within the same treatment plan, including the abdomen, thighs, arms, breasts, and face. Common procedures performed as a part of the body contouring process include:
- Tummy tuck or panniculectomy
- Arm lift (also called brachioplasty)
- Lower body lift
- Thigh lift
- Breast lift
- Facelift and/or neck lift
Many patients question whether surgery is the only way to address excess skin after weight loss. In minor cases of skin sagging, patients may be able to see some improvement by building up muscle definition to better fill out the affected area(s). The skin is also a dynamic organ, and there is the possibility that it will naturally firm and tighten to some degree over time. However, in most cases where patients have lost a dramatic amount of weight—especially more than 100 pounds—the likelihood of fully resolving concerns related to loose skin without surgery is unlikely. Dr. Lintner understands that the decision to undergo plastic surgery after major weight loss can be difficult—much like losing the weight in the first place. During your consultation, he will listen compassionately to your concerns in order to create a customized treatment plan that is optimally suited to your goals.
If you are interested in learning more about body contouring after massive weight loss, please reach out to our office today. A member of our team will be happy to answer your questions or help you schedule a consultation with Dr. Lintner.