Body Contouring After Massive Weight Loss

Plastic Surgery After Massive Weight Loss Seattle & Tacoma

Losing a massive amount of weight—whether through surgery or traditional methods—is a major accomplishment. Unfortunately, for many people, this accomplishment is not immediately evident due to a large amount of extra skin which may hang down from the body. Thus, a patient may not wear clothing that correlates with their weight loss. Thankfully, there are options for addressing this extra skin that is disguising weight loss. Dr. Craig Jonov at Seattle Plastic Surgery offers the best plastic surgery after massive weight loss Seattle and Tacoma perform.

Overview: Everything To Know About Massive Weight Loss

Massive weight loss often refers to weight loss above fifty pounds, if not over one hundred pounds. When someone loses that much weight, the skin cannot always adequately retract back to match the body’s new contours. Younger patients will generally see better skin retraction, but they often still need cosmetic procedures to remove the skin or help it retract. While diet and exercise can help lose weight, they cannot tighten the skin. Some sort of procedure is often necessary.

Dr. Craig Jonov at Seattle Plastic Surgery has worked with countless weight loss patients who have had extra skin left over. He customizes each plastic surgery after weight loss to the patient because it is not a one-size-fits-all procedure.

Common Weight Loss Methods

It is normal for everyone to have fluctuations in their weight. However, when it comes to massive weight loss, someone has usually intentionally lost weight. Everyone does it differently, but the most common ways for people to lose a large amount of weight include:

• Bariatric Surgery: Bariatric surgery is a catch-all term for specific weight loss surgeries. This may include people who have undergone gastric bypass surgery, had a gastric sleeve surgery, or had their stomach otherwise surgically reduced. These surgeries help a patient lose weight by limiting the amount of food they can eat.
  

 

• Lifestyle Changes: Even patients who undergo weight loss surgeries need to make changes to their diet and exercise to see lasting and dramatic changes. Sometimes lifestyle changes alone which may include changing diet, exercise, and addressing medical concerns can all help someone lose a massive amount of weight. However, it does get hard to lose weight via natural means as you age or with certain medical conditions.

Reasons For Seeking Plastic Surgery

The primary reason for seeking plastic surgery after weight loss is to remove extra skin and reveal the true results of the weight loss. Though, some patients may also benefit from body contouring or even transferring volume to other areas of the body such as the breasts, buttocks, or face. Some of the many reasons weight loss patients seek plastic surgery include:

• Remove excess skin
• Address stubborn areas of fat
• Enhance their body contours
• Look younger
• Tighten the skin
• Correct separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti)
• Gain the ability to wear form fitting clothes
• Make exercise easier
• Reduce rashes, skin irritation, or infections caused by extra skin
• Feel more satisfied with their weight loss and body
• Improve body image

Every patient will have personal reasons for seeking plastic surgery after massive weight loss. Dr. Jonov understands that every patient has their own unique motivations and goals. He takes the time to craft a surgical plan to meet these whenever possible.

Candidates For Weight Loss Plastic Surgery

Candidates for body contouring surgery after weight loss are people who have seen dramatic weight loss and have significant skin left over. From there, they generally need to be close to their goal weight. A healthy BMI is not always necessary, but it will be taken into account. Otherwise, your medical history including medical conditions, previous surgeries, and current medications is evaluated. Finally, Dr. Jonov will want to know about your lifestyle such as if you smoke and what your diet is like.

If Dr. Jonov believes you are healthy enough to withstand an extended surgical session and the suggested surgeries, he will move forward to describe the procedure and expected results. Dr. Jonov may request certain medical clearances for some patients and may recommend splitting it up into multiple sessions for some.

Procedures Used To Remove Skin After Weight Loss

There are several different surgical and non-surgical procedures that may benefit someone after massive weight loss. During a consultation with Dr. Jonov, he can discuss which procedures will most benefit you and get you closer to your aesthetic goals.

First, let’s look at some of the surgical treatment options for patients wanting to remove and tighten skin after significant weight loss:

• Tummy Tuck
• Fleur-de-lis Tummy Tuck
• Lower Body Lift
• Midback Lift
• Arm Lift
• Breast Lift
• Liposuction
• Thigh Lift
• Mons Pubis Lift
• Gynecomastia

Weight loss can also occur in areas that patients are less than happy about such as the breasts or buttocks. Therefore, sometimes breast augmentation or BBL surgery is part of the treatment plan for plastic surgery after massive weight loss.

Non-surgical procedures can also supplement or even replace certain surgical procedures. Possible non-surgical procedures that may benefit weight loss patients include:

• Microneedling
• Radiofrequency Microneedling
• Botox
• Renuvion
• Laser Resurfacing

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Always Need Surgery After Losing Weight?

No, if a patient is happy with their body, even with extra skin, there is no reason to seek surgery. Occasionally, a doctor may recommend plastic surgery to remove extra skin if it is causing medical problems such as rashes, skin infections, or problems exercising. Otherwise, if a patient is happy, there is not necessarily a need to seek plastic surgery.

Is There A Way To Prevent Sagging Skin When Losing Weight?

Skin retraction is not totally up to our lifestyles. Aspects of our genetics and environment are major contributors. With that said, there are some things you can do when losing weight to promote the most skin retraction possible. A few of these techniques include:

• Stay hydrated
• Do not smoke
• Eat well
• Undergo collagen producing treatments such as microneedling
• Always keep skin covered or otherwise protected from the sun
• Address your weight at a younger age
• Lose weight slowly
• Gain muscle to replace lost fat

None of these methods are guaranteed, but they can help to better overall skin retraction when losing weight. Working with a plastic surgeon while you are still losing weight may also help minimize extra, loose skin.

How Long After Bariatric Surgery Can I Get Plastic Surgery?

In general, most surgeons recommend at least two to three months between surgeries. However, when it comes to bariatric surgery, weight loss is not instant. Therefore, is usually recommended that patients wait for at least one to two years before seeking any sort of skin removal or plastic surgery.

What Are The Risks Of Plastic Surgery After Bariatric Surgery?

All surgeries come with risks. Plastic surgery after bariatric surgery is no exception and the risks and how they relate to your health are taken into account during your consultation. Some of the risks of plastic surgery after weight loss include:

• Infection
• Poor healing
• Visible or raised scarring
• Fluid collection
• Bleeding
• Prolonged side effects
• Skin necrosis
• Asymmetry
• Unexpected results
• Complications associated with general anesthesia

Plastic surgery after weight loss can include a long surgical session. Therefore, Dr. Jonov will closely evaluate each patient to ensure they are of low or average risk. In some cases, he may recommend splitting the surgery into two or more sessions. Though, patients who are overall healthy are likely good candidates for a combined procedure.

How Much Does It Cost & Is It Covered By Insurance?

Addressing extra skin after weight loss means curating a unique combination of procedures for each patient. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to provide an accurate price estimate without a consultation. You can use Price Simulator to add up the combined costs of multiple plastic surgeries and treatments. This can provide an initial price estimate.

Plastic surgery after weight loss is not universally covered by medical insurance. While some insurance companies or plans may cover it, you will need to discuss this with your insurance company before surgery. At Seattle Plastic Surgery, we do not accept insurance for these procedures. You can also use outside financing such as Care Credit.

The Best Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss In Seattle

Dr. Craig Jonov is a renowned plastic surgeon with decades of experience. He performs all types of plastic surgery including skin removal after weight loss such as lower body lifts and fleur-de-lis tummy tucks.. Dr. Jonov personalizes the surgery to each patient’s needs and anatomy. Dr. Jonov regularly performs procedures on patients who have lost weight and helps them improve their body contours. Seattle Plastic Surgery provides the plastic surgery after weight loss Seattle and Tacoma offers.

Seattle Plastic Surgery is located in First Hill, the medical hub of Seattle. Having served the Pacific Northwest for over twenty years, Seattle Plastic Surgery offers a variety of plastic surgeries, injectables, professional skincare, and brow services. 

To schedule a free consultation, call us at 206-324-1120. You can also reach out online via Price Simulator®, chat, or contact form.