The development of medicine and technology has enabled surgeries with very successful results in bariatric surgeries. When extreme weight loss is achieved with successful surgeries, the need for complementary surgeries arises. Aesthetic operations performed after losing excess weight can be needed because massive weight loss can cause sagging and various deformations in the skin. Aesthetic surgeries can be necessary to overcome this situation, which has psychological and physiological difficulties.
Why Should Those Who Lose Weight Have Aesthetic Surgery?
Bariatric surgery is a medical operation assisting people to rapidly lose weight. In patients with excess weight problems, bariatric surgery can be essential in cases where sports or diet are insufficient to lose weight. People who are overweight may experience health problems such as diabetes or sleep apnea. In these cases after bariatric surgery, aesthetic surgeries come into force to be content with the body and avoid chronic health problems.
In this process “excess skin” is removed with medical operations. The operations to remove the excess skin in different parts of the body and on the face are also called post-bariatric surgery. Post-bariatric applications to eliminate skin sagging, loosening and deformations are considered in terms of shaping the body. Then, how does the process work? Before diving into the subject, let’s find out what excess skin is.
What is Excess Skin?
Excess skin is described as extra or massive fat and skin that wraps up the abdomen. The problem can be observed after a considerable weight loss. The largest organ of the body is the skin. It is flexible and compatible in structure, but in some cases, excess skin problems are observed.
What Are The Causes of Excess Skin?
Excess skin can come into being mostly for two reasons:
- Decrease in the production of proteins such as elastin and collagen, which provide skin elasticity due to aging.
- The skin expanding and losing its elasticity with weight gain, cannot shrink after rapid and excessive weight loss.
After weight gain and fat accumulation, the skin adapts to the situation by stretching and expanding. However, after sudden weight, and fat loss, the skin cannot recover itself and sagging occurs. So aesthetic operation after extreme weight loss can be taken into consideration.
Why Is Aesthetic Operation After Extreme Weight Loss Preferred?
It is unlikely that the skin sagging, noticed after very rapid weight loss or sudden postpartum weight changes, will not repair itself. For this reason, excess skin removal operations can be preferred. The most performed operations are face and neck lift, breast aesthetics, tummy tuck, and arm-leg lift operations.
To Whom is The Aesthetic Operation Suitable?
Patients who do not have any obstacles to undergoing anesthetic surgery can have excess skin removal surgery. On the other hand, some controls must be done for patients who will undergo post-bariatric applications. The age and metabolic status of the patient are some of the most critical criteria for post-bariatric surgeries. It is crucial that the patients’ body mass indices return to normal levels and that their weight is stable following the bariatric surgery.
How Is Aesthetic Operation After Extreme Weight Loss Applied?
After bariatric surgery, chest, waist circumference, back, face and neck, arms, and legs are the body parts where the excess skin is intensified. To remove excess skin in these areas, local aesthetic operations can be applied. Depending on the density of the excess skin, these operations can be multiplied.
According to the plan, operations are carried out either simultaneously or divided into certain times. Each operation has techniques suitable for the region. Then, take a look at the types of excess skin removal treatments:
Excess Skin Removal Treatments
Post-bariatric operations often vary depending on where the sagging skin is. In some cases, Excess skin is removed with simultaneous operations. Arms, face, neck, abdomen, legs, butt, waist and chest can be operated together. Excess skin removal operations are classified as follows:
Belt Lipectomy and Tummy Tuck
Belt lipectomy operation, applied to patients with a lot of sagging, takes an average of 6-8 hours. Belt lipectomy can be combined with leg lift procedures.
Panniculectomy
Panniculectomy is the process of removing sagging skin (pannus) around the navel after bariatric surgery. The patient should have a fixed weight for the operation.
Arm Lift
After bariatric surgery, the majority of patients have excess skin in the upper arm. The arm lift is applied to remove excess skin and existing fat mass in this part of the body. The procedure is operated by making incisions proportional to the density of the sagging skin on the upper and lower arms. The scars of the incisions disappear after a certain period.
Leg Lift
The discomfort after bariatric surgery can be felt in the legs (especially thighs). Excess skin on the leg prevents moving freely in daily life. Therefore, leg stretching is applied with incisions made from different regions according to the excess skin on the leg. The method is decided by the doctor regarding the patient’s condition. To remove excess skin in this area, the weight of the patient should be fixed.
Breast Aesthetics
One of the most common sagging problems after weight loss is breast sagging. A series of operations such as breast lift, volume reduction, and removal of excess skin can be performed to correct it.
Back Lift Aesthetics
After losing massive weight, skin sagging can be observed on the back because the tissues in the back are insufficient and the skin cannot recover. In the operation, a horizontal incision is made and the back muscles are made much tighter.
Facial Aesthetics
One of the most physically demanding operations after bariatric surgery is the removal of excess skin from the face and neck area. In these operations, where the scars are indistinct, both the face and neck visually rejuvenate the patient by stretching the skin.
Leave a Reply