Body Contouring After Weight Loss
Body Contouring After Dramatic Weight Loss
What is Body Contouring?
Once you have reached your goal of losing weight, be it with diet and exercise or post bariatric surgery, many times the result may not be one of a smooth, toned physique that you had dreamed of. Although the excess fat is gone, many times the excess skin remains behind, resulting in a loose, sagging appearance. Our body contouring procedure will tighten and tone your target areas so you can finally show off your new and improved body that you worked for. Body contouring can treat the following areas:
- A body lift to remove the excess tissue from the abdomen, buttock, waist, hip and thigh areas at the same time
- A breast lift to add fullness and youth to drooping, flattened breasts
- An Arm lift surgery to add tone and improve the shape of underarm areas
- A thigh lift to achieve smoother skin and reshape the lower body
- A body lift with tummy tuck, or circumferential abdominoplasty
Ideal Candidates
Ideal Candidates for Body Contouring procedures are determined on an individual basis, but typically are patients that have realistic expectations, maintain a stable weight for minimum of one year and are committed to adopting a healthy lifestyle after surgery and do not have any inhibiting medical conditions.
About the Procedure
In most cases, the body lift focuses mainly on removing loose excess skin and creation a tighter body shape. After pre operative assessment and pictures by Dr. Stamatiou and the anesthesiologist, the combination of surgical procedures are performed under general anesthesia.
Body lift alone: Most appropriate for younger patients who are not experiencing residual pocket of belly fat. In order to remove excess skin incisions are made and are concealed whenever possible within the natural contours of your body.
Body lift with liposuction: Loose skin is an unwelcome reminder of past weight problems, and for many patients isolated areas of diet -resistant fat only add to the problem. For smoother firmer results, Dr. Stamatiou will recommend you also receive liposuction to remove fat from problem sport such as the hips, flanks, pubic area, abdomen, or the male breast.
Body lift with tummy tuck: This is one where a circumferential abdominoplasty is performed in other words, the incision of the tummy tuck is extended around the body and in that way there is a tummy tuck procedure (tightening of the abdominal muscles) along with smoothing of the hips, flanks, buttocks and upper thighs at the same time.
What is Recovery Like?
Safety, comfort and surgical success are the top priority for Dr. Stamatiou and his team. The body lift procedures typically take several hours to perform and recovery may take 2- 3 weeks. Dr. Stamatiou will provide you with a complete aftercare instruction list to follow to reduce your risk of complications. Exercise or weightlifting should be avoided for several weeks. A compression garment will be provided for to reduce swelling and promote a smoother result.The results of a body lift are visible almost immediately, however it may take several months for your final results to fully develop. Numbness and a firm feeling over the skin's surface will resolve over time. It may take a year or more for incisions lines to refine and fade to some degree. Your new uplifted body contours should be long lasting provided that you maintain your weight and general fitness.