Loose skin has an impact on the self-esteem of people who have undergone massive weight loss, aging, or recent pregnancy. The most common areas of loose skin development include stomach, face, neck, buttocks, arms, and legs. There are diverse options available for people with loose skin to improve their condition and overall health. Apart from cosmetic surgery, other options include exercise, firming products, weight loss, massage, and nonsurgical procedures. The BMCC offers ways to reduce loose skin after weight loss surgery.
Therefore, getting rid of the excess skin after a weight loss requires body-contouring procedures that include breast, tummy tuck, and general body lift. The methods provide solutions for loose skin to people who find the other options of tightening skin ineffective. Patients desiring to get rid of the loose skin must understand that procedures cannot achieve a perfect body without scars, not a one-time process. Here are some of the solutions for loose skin that follow invasive surgery.
Body contouring.
Body contouring is among the most popular procedures with long-lasting effects that reduce loose skin appearance that follows immense weight loss. A surgeon removes excess loose skin by cutting once along the abdomen region. Additionally, the practitioner tightens and lifts the waist, thighs, arms, hips, abdomen, and buttocks. Removal of extra fat in these regions through liposuction augments body contour.
Since extreme cases of weight loss result in flattening of buttocks, around the waistline and above the buttock might be used in buttock augmentation and lifting. However, body lift procedures have no effect on elasticity loss that occurs due to aging. The impact of a body lift is dramatic and produces permanent changes so long as the patient maintains his or her body weight. The side effects are varied, and patients should prepare for scarring or relapse cases that require cosmetic procedures.
Surgeons should elaborate on potential benefits and risks of body lift procedures to avoid complications and dissatisfaction. Furthermore, surgeons should monitor evaluate the current patient condition and Body Mass Index (BMI) since these factors relate to the possibility of complications. A high BMI can mitigate body lift complications such as tissue necrosis, bleeding, abdominal scars, seroma formation, infection, and bleeding. A seroma is a lump or mass resulting from the build of fluid in tissue or an organ.
Abdominoplasty.
Abdominoplasty is referred to as tummy tuck and can occur during a body contour procedure. Tummy tuck procedures are different from liposuction and might require liposuction as part of its realization. Abdominoplasty assists patients in flatten their stomach in the event exercises, and dieting is ineffective.
The surgical procedure involves cutting around the naval area to both hipbones and the manipulation of the tissues, muscles, and skin within these regions. Additionally, the surgeon repairs the weak abdominal muscles and tissues and moves the navel slightly to fit the new body contour. In certain exceptional cases, surgeons might require a second procedure on the upper abdomen to remove loose skin.
Although the surgery results in scars, they fade over time. Additionally, the patient will enjoy a flatter abdomen and firmer skin after a successful tummy tuck. Men can undergo liposuction alone in the event their skin elasticity is good or follow abdominal etching. Such a procedure is new and focuses on building a rippled and muscular appearance in the abdominal region.
Breast reshaping.
Most patients who have undergone massive weight loss (MWL) have breast tissue atrophy resulting in varying degrees of skin laxity. The deformity appears as a deflated hanging skin envelope rectified with mastopexy. Loose skin on the breast has excess subcutaneous tissues hence necessitates breast reduction. Surgeons might differ on how they perform mastopexy and augmentation since some do it simultaneously while others do it two sittings.
Hanging breast requires breast lift that reshape and reduce skin laxity. The surgeon takes the excess tissue and skin from the breast region and ensures the repositioning of the nipples high on the chest. Women can get implants safely from the chest wall and axilla to increase the volume, and solve multiple deformities from a breast lift. Further, follow up surgeries to reposition nipples or appearance of breast necessitates staying in touch with the surgeon.
For male patients, breast reshaping might involve liposuction to enhance the tightening of the skin, thus eliminating the need for follow-up surgeries. Another surgical procedure similar to breast shaping is axilloplasty that involves combination with back procedures and Brachioplasty. The excess adipose tissue and skin in the chest wall and axillary regions are removed.
Lower torso lift.
Circumferential body contouring involves the removal of a large amount of skin in the lower trunk circumference. The surgical process involves abdominoplasty, lateral thigh, and buttocks lift. Additionally, to improve the daily performance of the body, a panniculectomy procedure removes the pannus. Furthermore, residual fat can undergo liposuction procedures and excisions after lower body contouring to improve sexual function and hygiene.
A vertical cut in the inner region of the thigh reduces skin laxity on the lower extremities. A combination of thigh lifts and lower torso lifts mitigate loose skin in these regions after weight loss.
Upper torso lift.
MWL patients suffer large skin rolls or folds around their back, and there are several solutions for loose skin in these regions. A combination of skin excisions and liposuction reduces the magnitude of the skin folds. Conversely, a back lift procedure might replace or combine a lower torso lift by cutting it laterally across the back. For women, the scar will be under the bra line. Besides the two options, patients can undergo torsoplasty that follows vertical incision on the torso sides.
Excess hanging fat and skin under the arms removal occur via brachioplasty. The surgeon makes a cut that extends towards the elbow from the axilla. The removal of the subcutaneous tissue follows the incision. Moreover, the incision might extend to the chest wall laterally. Like the lower torso lifts, the patient must be aware of the large scars that will follow.
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