Body Contouring in Minneapolis, 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:
- Abdominoplasty – Tummy tuck removes a “muffin top” of excess skin around the belly and can also reconnect separated abdominal muscles for a more toned midsection.
- 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.
Abdominal contouring following weight loss:
For those patients who have lost significant amounts of weight, (e.g., more than 50 pounds) there are other considerations for skin removal that differentiate them from typical abdominoplasty candidates. There is transverse excess of skin to the upper abdomen as well loose skin over your love handles. Addressing this is optional of course, but to get the best contour, a variation of the abdominoplasty can be performed called a fleur-de-lys which includes a vertical scar that goes all the way to the top of the abdomen. The belly button can be removed during the surgery and is recreated at the same time.
Loose skin over the love handles, or posterior flanks, requires an extension of the lower abdominal incision, making the scar longer. If the buttock skin is particularly loose the posterior scar may extend completely around the small of your back in a 360 degree fashion. Liposuction alone does not address loose skin.
Included photos demonstrate a fleur de lys abdominoplasty with long extensions of the horizontal scar.
Upper chest contouring following weight loss:
Breast or male chest contouring is readily combined with removal of excess skin along the arms. Loose skin around the lateral chest wall (bra strap region) and the armpit can be addressed by connecting the skin excision of the arms to the breasts as an extended brachioplasty.
Included photos demonstrate an extended brachioplasty which has the added benefit of treating loose lateral chest wall skin.
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.
Body Contouring FAQs
Can dieting and exercising eliminate loose skin?
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Some people believe that they still have fat to lose when they see that sagging skin adds thickness to their body. All skin becomes less elastic with age, due to a natural decline in collagen and elastin production. If your skin is no longer tight enough to fit snuggly around your slimmed down contours, the only practical solution is to remove the excess skin with surgery.
When is the right time to seek body contouring/body lift?
Dr. McCue recommends that you postpone cosmetic surgery until after your weight loss journey is complete and you have reached (or come close to) your goal weight. Allow your weight to stabilize for about six months so that your body can adjust to its new proportions and your skin has time to retract. You may discover that with some time your skin is still elastic enough to shrink on its own.
It is also important to have time to become comfortable with your new diet and lifestyle. You want to be sure you can successfully maintain your weight, since losing or gaining a significant amount of weight in the future can undo some of the attractive contours achieved with plastic surgery.
Are body contouring surgeries different for men and women?
Although the general principle of removing excess skin remains the same for male and female patients, Dr. McCue may adjust his techniques when performing these surgeries to correspond with the patient’s gender. Usually, women prefer slim figures with soft features and curves while men want a toned body shape that is not necessarily svelte. Dr. McCue takes the patient’s preferences into account when creating a surgical plan.
Can I combine body contouring procedures?
Yes, often patients have loose skin in multiple areas. To create appealing contours throughout your body, it may be appropriate to combine multiple procedures. During a consultation, Dr. McCue can devise a customized surgical plan that reflects the changes you would like to see. They can usually be performed on the same day, which allows you to save on certain costs and overlap your recovery time.
How much does body contouring surgery cost?
The price of your body contouring surgery depends on the areas where skin is being removed and the amount of skin that needs to be tightened. Dr. McCue can provide a quote after devising a personalized surgical plan for you during a consultation. Body contouring is typically considered an elective procedure. However, for bariatric surgery patients who have experienced massive weight loss, some body contouring procedures may be considered medically necessary and therefore covered. Financing options are available.
Do body contouring procedures create scarring?
Plastic surgery requires incisions, which will leave some scarring. Dr. McCue is careful to place incisions along natural curves and lines where scarring is most easily concealed. Most patients agree that scars, which fade significantly over time, are a reasonable tradeoff for removing excess skin that makes their frame look wider.
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.
