Tags: Excess skin after weight loss, cosmetic surgery, breast augmentation, liposuction, facelift, tummy tucks, on-q pain pumps, in-office surgery suite, JCAHO, weight loss surgery.,
You’ve lost the weight...what now?
After someone loses a significant amount of weight like fifty to a hundred pounds or more, a new problem arises. You now feel better and you can finally fit into those jeans you haven’t had on since college, but now excess skin is hanging…everywhere! We are seeing more of this every day as weight loss surgeries become more popular, along with diet and exercise. Some amount of excess skin will ‘pull back’ and look acceptable automatically after a massive weight loss. However, a large amount of extra skin such as that on the abdomen, arms, and neck can only be improved with surgery.
Like a lot of cosmetic procedures, surgically removing the excess skin is the only real solution. I tell this to my patients...you can either live with what Mother Nature and life has given you, or you can choose to have a surgical procedure. No amount of lotions, potions, lasers and pills will do the trick. If you want perkier breasts, removal of unwanted areas of fat, a flatter tummy, or to lift your jowls and tighten your neck—nothing is as dramatic and as proven as surgery.
Once we have gone over the patient’s medical history and physical, we (the patient and I) have to decide if it’s a good trade—improved contour and appearance for the scar they will have. This is an important part of any discussion in cosmetic surgery but should be obvious to the patient. It should be a no-brainer that the scar is much better than their current problem. Scars are hidden and will fade with time, but will be permanent to some degree. We show patients before and after photos of previous patients and draw lines on them to let them know what to expect.
We also take pictures of removed skin after surgery to show the patient later, once they are well on their way to recovery. The largest paddles of skin and fat are routinely removed from the abdomen. These can measure 20-30inches x 6-10inches and be 1-2 inches thick. These do not weigh as much as you think. A typical amount is in the range of 4-8lbs. But the improvement in contour is dramatic!
We routinely perform these procedures in our JCAHO-accredited in-office surgery suite, as we do all our breast augmentation, liposuction, facelifts, tummy tucks,...any cosmetic surgery. The same nursing staff and anesthesia team assure you of a very comfortable, private experience. The patient’s comfort is our priority. Less pain post-operatively is our goal and utilizing the ON Q pain pump greatly decreases discomfort. It is inserted during surgery and for 72 hours, the patient is virtually pain free in the designated area.
Some patients need multiple areas improved like the abdomen, arms, neck, breast, thighs and buttocks. For these people, sometimes we recommend staged procedures. We work on their areas of greatest concern first—for example the abdomen and arms. We let them recover for a few weeks or months, then work on the other areas
Another area of concern for patients is financing. We work with a few companies that exclusively finance cosmetic surgery*. Depending on your credit score and income, monthly payments are very affordable.
This is a very satisfying surgery to perform. After having lost a large amount of weight, it is incredibly rewarding for the patient to realize that their new outer appearance now matches their new and improved inner person.
* Financing companies:
Combined Acceptance www.surgeryloans.com 1-888-502-8020
CareCredit www.carecredit.com 1-800-365-8295
M-Lend www.mlendfinancial.com 1-888-474-6231 ext. 129
"I don't have to worry about folds of skin or rolls of fat hanging over my clothes" -C.L.
"Dr.Haas and his staff are wonderful! I cannot be happier with my results. I truly feel blessed to have found this office. A sincere thank you to you Dr.Haas." -L.U.
"For so long my arms were such an embarrassment to me and now I feel confident and comfortable enough to wear sleeveless tops and dresses." -W.V.
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