Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss

If you have lost a significant amount of weight either through diet and exercise or weight-loss surgery, you may wish to have excess skin and tissue surgically removed to contour your body and be more comfortable.

Body contouring is surgery to improve the shape or contour of a person’s body. Liposuction is the traditional method for body contouring. It remains best suited for small, isolated deposits of fat that have only little extra skin.

The concept of body contouring can also be expanded to include procedures that alter and improve the overall shape of a patient’s body. For instance, as the number of Americans choosing bariatric surgery to lose a substantial amount weight is climbing, body contouring can help these individuals take the final step to looking and feeling their very best.

Who is a good candidate?

Bariatric patients should wait about two years after their procedure before considering body contouring surgery. It can take a full year to reach your goal weight, and then another six months to a year for your weight to stabilize.

If you have lost an extreme amount of weight through other techniques, it is important that your weight stabilize before having this surgery.

It is also important to note that body contouring procedures are considered cosmetic surgery and not covered by most insurances. Work with your doctor’s office to find out if your procedure will be covered.

Risks

Like all surgical procedures, body contouring surgery has risks, but you can help prevent complications by carefully following your physician's instructions both before and after surgery. Talk with your plastic surgeon to be sure you understand the potential risks and complications.

Recovery

Bariatric patients may have complex health issues. After carrying extra weight, many have developed diabetes, heart failure and other chronic conditions.

These existing conditions can mean that bariatric patients need more time to heal after body contouring surgery and may be more prone to infection. Talk to your doctor about what to expect during your recovery.

Penn Can Help You Lose Weight

Are you ready to commit to a healthier life?

Learn if bariatric surgery is right for you by attending a free information session about the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

Learn more about weight-loss surgery at Penn during this free session and meet physicians and team members from the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program

Register for this free event here.