Body Contouring In Minneapolis St. Paul, MN
If you’ve experienced major weight loss following bariatric surgery or a medically-supervised diet, it’s likely that your skin is not elastic enough to completely recover its tightness. Excessive loose skin in several areas can be a major concern, both physically and psychologically. Some fat deposits may also remain, even after the weight loss. Once your weight loss has stabilized and you have reached your goals, body contouring procedures can remove excess loose skin and remaining fat deposits, restoring a more normal appearance to your body. This can have major benefits in appearance and in your sense of well-being.
Body countering surgery may take place in several stages over time, treating one area at a time until the results are complete. The surgeries may include:
- Lower Body Lift – Sagging skin and fat deposits on the abdomen, buttocks, outer thighs, and groin area are treated in this procedure.
- Thigh Lift – This stage works on sagging skin on all areas of the thighs.
- Breast Lift – Restoring a more normal appearance of breasts is the goal.
- Arm Lift – Sagging skin on the underside of the upper arms is treated to create more normal contours.
A Thorough Consultation Is a Must
Since body contouring after a major weight loss is a major cosmetic surgery procedure or series of procedures, your consultation with a plastic surgeon is extremely important. In these consultations, Dr. McCue will discuss with you your goals for the procedure and help you understand what will be involved throughout the process and discuss what results you can expect to have. He’ll take a complete medical history, and ask you about your medical condition, your weight loss program, your current medications, and about all pre-existing conditions you may have. He’ll examine and measure you carefully, and will recommend a course of treatment. Dr. McCue will explain all of your options and discuss risks and potential complications of these procedures. You will have many questions, and Dr. McCue will make sure you get the answers you need, so you can make a decision based on all of the information you need.
Body Contouring Procedures
When you decide to have body contouring surgery, Dr. McCue will create a schedule for the procedure or procedures and the Twin Cities surgical facility. Because each of these procedures can be substantial, it is often safest to perform them separately. If there are multiple procedures, they will be timed so you can recover from each surgery before going forward with the next. For each procedure, you’ll be informed about the steps to be taken and the results you can expect.
In most cases, the procedures will involve a hospital stay. Body contouring surgery after major weight loss involves incisions, and some of them may be extensive. Every effort will be made to place them where they will be concealed by clothing. During the procedures, excess skin and fatty tissue will be removed and then the skin will be tightened and sutured together. Each stage in body contouring involves different techniques, so each stage will be explained fully to you before proceeding.
Body Contouring Recovery
All surgeries require time for complete recovery, and body contouring surgery is no exception. Following the surgery, you may have a hospital stay during the initial phase of recovery. Before returning home, you’ll receive detailed instructions for self-care during the remaining recovery period and information on things to watch for and report during the recovery. You’ll also receive any prescriptions necessary for discomfort and to prevent possible infections and promote healing. Follow-up visits with the doctor will also be scheduled. Complete recovery will take time, and patience and carefully following recovery instructions are very important for a smooth recovery period.
Making the Best Personal Decision about Body Contouring
If you have experienced major weight loss and are considering body contouring surgery to help restore your body contours, the first step you should make is a consultation with a qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon, like Dr. McCue. During that consultation, you’ll learn all the details of the procedures and what results you can realistically expect. Since this type of body contouring is often a multi-stage process, developing a relationship with your plastic surgeon early on is important. To set up a personal consultation, Contact Dr. McCue’s Minneapolis St. Paul office.
