Gaining massive amounts of weight causes skin cells to stretch beyond their capacity, which means that once the extra pounds are shed, the skin will never recover properly. This leaves additional drooping and hanging folds of skin that can cause a lot of emotional distress.
Many people often prefer how their body looked when they were overweight than with the extra skin. The elasticity of the skin, no matter how much more weight is lost or how much exercise is done, can never be restored except with the help of cosmetic surgery.
Cosmetic procedures such as facelifts, lifts, and liposuction, often referred to as body contouring procedures, can help reshape and sculpt your body after massive weight loss. Excess skin folds are removed and the skin returns to a firm and smooth appearance.
These procedures are often very expensive and have long recovery periods due to the extremeness of many individual patient cases. Prepare to spend a lot of money and time in bed feeling uncomfortable. But while body contouring after weight loss can be a difficult process, the results are well worth the effort.
– Thigh Raises and Arm Raises:
Most people will find that areas like the thighs, arms, and stomach have the most noticeable loose skin and weakened muscles. These areas of the body are more likely to store fat cells. For the thighs and arms, similar procedures are used to remove excess skin.
An incision is made, often quite long (in the case of the arms, it often extends from the armpit to the elbow), and then a sheet of excess skin is excised. The rest is sewn back into place tightly, and in some cases, the muscle underneath will be pulled tight as well.
Scars will be visible, but cosmetic surgeons do their best to blend them with the natural lines of your body or place them in areas that can be easily hidden by clothing.
– Abdominoplasty:
Abdominoplasties are like lifts aimed at the stomach. They are considered a very extreme form of plastic surgery and therefore should be carefully weighed before undergoing the procedure.
Like the arm and thigh lifts, a long incision is made from hip to hip, under the bikini area for easier camouflage, then excess skin is removed and remaining skin is tightened. Recovery time can range from three to six weeks, and it can be a very painful process. You will remain fairly still for a long time after your tummy tuck.
– Liposuction (Fat Removal):
Liposuction has a much faster recovery time, but it will not help you remove excess skin. This procedure is used more as a fine sculpting tool. A hollow tube is placed in the target area, which can be virtually anywhere on the body, and any extra fat cells are suctioned out.
Liposuction will not help you lose a significant amount of weight, but it will smooth out any bulges and smooth out the surface of your body. The greatest benefit of this procedure is that as long as regular exercise and diet are maintained, the weight will not return to the treated area.
The more extreme body contouring surgeries are only for those who have serious problems after weight loss. None of the procedures will help you lose weight or gain muscle, but they can help you regain a more normal appearance and healthier self-esteem. Research all procedures carefully and choose a qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon.