Body contouring after weight loss

January 30, 2014, 8:48 am

Losing a large amount of weight is a great accomplishment. It’s great for your health, your confidence, and your appearance. However, when you’ve lost a significant amount of weight, you can be left with extra, loose skin as well as uneven fat deposits. You want a svelte, well proportioned body to go with the hard work of significant weight loss. You want to be comfortable in your clothes. That’s where body contouring comes in.

What is body contouring after weight loss?

Body contouring after weight loss may include one or more surgical procedures in order to remove excess skin and fat deposits. The procedures in body contouring typically address loose, excess skin around the abdomen, face, buttocks, thighs, and upper arms.

Are you a candidate for body contouring?

Dr. Hlavacek will help you to determine if you are a candidate for body contouring, but in general, your weight needs to have been stable for more than six months. You also should be in good physical and mental health with realistic expectations for body contouring. During your consultation, Dr. Hlavacek will discuss your goals for body contouring as well as your medical history and medications. It is important to understand that while body contouring can improve your appearance significantly, you may have scarring following your procedures. Dr. Hlavacek will discuss realistic expectations based on your specific needs and goals. By the end of your consultation, Dr. Hlavacek will have helped you to develop the best treatment plan for your needs.

Procedures and surgery

Your body contouring treatment plan will include one or more procedures, and the length of your procedures or surgery and recovery will depend on the options you chose during consultation. Whether you undergo general or local anesthesia or sedation will depend on your procedure and surgery choices, as will incision patterns. Whenever possible, incisions will be placed in easily concealable locations.

Among the most popular body contouring procedures are:
• Liposuction – removal of fat deposits
• Tummy tuck – slimming and reshaping of the abdominal muscles and tissues
• Arm lift – reducing or removing excess skin and tissue on the upper arm
• Body lift – reducing or removing excess skin on the lower body
• Thigh lift – reducing or removing excess skin and fat from the thighs

Recovery

Recovery is an important component of your body contouring plan, and the length of recovery will depend in part on the procedures you select. You should expect discomfort, swelling, and bruising, which may last for several weeks. You may be prescribed pain medications as well as be asked to wear compression garments for several weeks after surgery.

Depending on the selected procedures, you may be able to return to work and daily activity within two to four weeks. Vigorous activity and exercise may be limited for several more weeks.

Although you will have noticeable results right away, it can take many months before you see the final results. Weight fluctuations as you go through different stages of life are normal, but overall, your body contouring results will be long lasting.

Risks

As with other surgeries and procedures, there are risks associated with body contouring. These risks may include infection, anesthesia complications, scarring, excess swelling, numbness, or blood clots. During your consultation, Dr. Hlavacek will discuss with you the risks associated with your body contouring plan, and will provide you with post-op instructions that will help you minimize complications as you heal.

If you have experienced significant weight loss and are ready for the next step in your journey, now is the time to schedule a consultation with Dr. Hlavacek to learn more about body contouring and how it can help you. Call us today at 816-286-4126.