Losing a significant amount of weight — be it through diet, exercise, bariatric surgery, or a combination of all three — has countless benefits for your health and life expectancy. While it can also have many positive benefits for your appearance, it is common to discover that your body does not look as fit as you would have hoped after losing so many pounds.
That’s because your skin has previously stretched out to fit over your larger body. Depending on the elasticity of your skin, it may not retract to correspond with your new size. Unfortunately, a healthy lifestyle can help you to lose fat, but it cannot reduce excess skin. As Dr. Jonathan McCue explains, plastic surgery is the most effective way to address this cosmetic issue. Some of the surgeries that may be most useful include:
Tummy Tuck
Because you are likely to carry excess fat in your stomach, the skin around your midsection is especially likely to stretch. After losing weight, you may find you have a “pooch” that adds unwanted girth. Tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, removes the skin to create a flatter, firmer appearance.
Thigh Lift
Your thighs are another area where fat accumulates. Loose skin above the knee can be particularly annoying since it makes walking more difficult and creates a lot of chafing/friction. By removing some of the excess skin, you may finally feel comfortable wearing shorts in public again.
Arm Lift
Women are especially prone to storing fat in their upper arms and developing loose skin when they later lose weight. This skin procedure recontours your arms to provide a sleeker shape so that you feel less hesitant to wear short sleeves.
Breast Lift
When women lose fat, their breasts typically decrease in volume. The loose skin around the breast allows the breasts to sag prematurely. With breast lift, Dr. McCue can re-elevate the volume of the breasts to restore a more youthful and perky appearance.
Lower Body Lift
This is a more comprehensive approach to body contouring that removes loose skin from around the buttocks, thighs, abdomen, and groin simultaneously to reduce mass from the circumference of your lower body.
Liposuction
Even after losing a dramatic amount of weight, you may find that you have certain problem areas that could use a touch-up to get the contours you have worked so hard for. Liposuction is designed to permanently remove unwanted fat cells (generally not more than a couple pounds) in areas where fat is most stubborn.
Speak to a Leading Plastic Surgeon
Dr. McCue is a leading plastic surgeon in Minneapolis St. Paul who has helped many patients to make over their bodies after massive weight loss. To devise a plan that will help you to achieve the body you envisioned when you started your weight loss journey, please schedule a consultation by calling (952) 830-0089.
