Post-Weight Loss Surgery

Conveniently located to serve Pensacola, FL.

Front desk photo of Gulf Coast Plastic Surgery office

Post-Weight Loss Surgery

Losing weight is one of the most significant things a person can do to improve their health and well-being. However, significant weight loss can leave a person with loose or “baggy” skin. Not only is this excess skin unattractive, but it can also impact a person’s mobility.  

The treatment plan for a patient needing post-weight loss skin removal is very individualized. However, it usually consists of several different procedures. These include a tummy tuck, breast lift, arm lift, and a thigh lift or lower body lift. Liposuction may also be recommended to help contour the body. Depending on which procedures a patient needs, the plastic surgeon may suggest that the surgery be done in stages. For example, a patient may choose to have an abdominoplasty and breast lift first and a thigh lift later. The doctor will advise the patient as to which surgeries can be combined safely. Here are some of the procedures that will help get a post-weight loss body toned and beautiful.

A Tummy Tuck is the ideal procedure to give you a tight midsection and help restore firmness to your abdomen. In many post-weight loss patients, the tummy tuck surgery includes a panniculectomy, which removes the excess skin and tissue of the lower abdomen, and an abdominoplasty, which tightens the underlying abdominal muscles. Liposuction is often done in conjunction with a tummy tuck to help define the waistline and enhance a tummy tuck’s final results.

Arm Lift & Thigh Lift – An arm lift tightens up the upper arms to reshape the area from a patient’s underarm to elbow. The surgery usually involves an incision along the inner arm. While there is a scar, plastic surgeons do their best to camouflage it. Thigh lift surgery can be done to the inner or outer thighs, or both areas if needed. This procedure removes excess skin that may have settled around the knees, making it hard to fit in clothing and impeding movement. 

Upper Body Lift – If a patient has excess upper back or chest skin and fat, an upper body lift may be what is needed. Through a horizontal incision on the upper back, excess skin and subcutaneous fat are removed. The resultant scar is a horizontal scar across your upper back that continues around your breasts/chest. The procedure is often combined with liposuction, brachioplasty (arm lift), and/or breast lift (also called a mastopexy).

Lower Body Lift and Belt Lipectomy – A belt lipectomy addresses the waistline, whereas a lower body lift addresses the midsection and lifts drooping buttocks and lateral thighs. Both involve a circumferential incision, but the doctor will try to place it so that it is hidden by most clothing and bathing suits. 

Breast Procedures – Breast lift or a breast reduction surgery can truly revitalize a woman who has lost weight. The benefit of both surgeries is a higher, more shapely bustline. Breast reduction surgery can also eliminate back and neck pain caused by large breasts. 

Liposuction considerably improves the look of various regions of the body by getting rid of excess fat. Plastic surgeons may suggest liposuction as a way to enhance the results of any of the surgeries described.  

If you think you may be a candidate for post weight loss surgery, our staff will be happy to discuss your goals with you further. Schedule a personal consultation with one of our award-winning, board-certified plastic surgeons at Gulf Coast Plastic Surgery, Drs. Jocelyn Leveque, Peter Butler, and Nathan Patterson.

 

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