Over the past 50 years, we have seen obesity become a significant community health issue affecting an increasing number of patients. At Medi Makeovers, we have seen many motivated people struggle to lose massive amounts of body weight and excess fat to address their obesity and associated health issues. Many patients have managed this without medical assistance, focusing on correcting the energy imbalance (calorie intake and expenditure) that led to obesity. Other patients have achieved their post weight loss goals with the assistance of post-weight loss procedures such as bariatric procedures, such as gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric bypass in combination with a tummy tuck, breast lift, or other body contouring procedures focused on removing excess skin.
Plastic surgery, post weight loss, can improve a person’s health, appearance, and confidence. Excess, loose skin can cause health problems and impede mobility, but plastic surgery can remove this remaining skin and restore a more proportionate body shape and skin elasticity. This can help people feel healthier, more confident, and more comfortable in their clothing.
Body Contouring Surgery
Massive weight loss achieved through diet and exercise and/or bariatric surgery is a challenging experience and a great achievement. A patient’s physical and psychological journey to reach their new healthy weight takes months, sometimes years, to complete. Our reconstructive Plastic Surgeon team at Medi Makeovers is headed by Dr. Teerapat Jaiprasat, a specialist in excess skin surgery to remove excess skin for patients to complete the final stage of their journey by helping them look as healthy as they feel post weight loss.
While some people are fortunate enough to possess skin that bounces back perfectly after losing their kilos, usually due to their age (the younger patient usually achieves this), many are left looking like an older, deflated version of themselves. Or you may find that in some areas, you are happy but would like to concentrate on just your tummy or breasts with a tummy tuck or breast lift.
Plastic surgery is not always necessary, but it helps our patients finally feel healthy, happy, and complete.
Plastic surgery, post weight loss is both reconstructive and aesthetic. Our surgical team can offer all forms of skin removal surgery; in many cases, it has to be a very personalized approach, as each body is different, and our specialist team addresses everyone individually with many procedures available to suit them. There are many procedures available by our specialist team to suit your needs.
There are several potential benefits to undergoing plastic surgery post weight loss, including:
- Improved appearance: Plastic surgery can help to remove excess, sagging skin and restore a firmer, more flattering body contour. This can improve a person’s appearance and boost their confidence and self-esteem.
- Improved health: Excess, sagging skin can cause several health problems, including skin infections, rashes, and chafing. Removing this skin through surgery can help to improve a person’s overall health and well-being.
- Improved mobility: Excess skin can make it difficult for a person to move freely and comfortably. Removing this skin through surgery can improve a person’s mobility and make it easier for them to engage in physical activity.
- Improved clothing fit: Post weight loss, many people find that their clothing does not fit properly, as their body shape has changed. Plastic surgery can help to restore a more proportionate body shape, making it easier to find clothing that fits well and looks flattering.
Overall, plastic surgery to remove excess skin post weight loss can help to improve a person’s appearance, health, mobility, and clothing fit, ultimately helping them to feel more confident, healthy, and complete.
Undertaking surgery to remove excess skin is an intensely personal and private decision that can have positive effects. Success comes from helping individual patients clarify their goals and creating a bespoke plan to achieve them through communication, experience, and knowledge.
Typically, four out of five patients post weight loss surgery encounter the problem of excess skin sagging. Commonly, the most susceptible regions are the stomach, arms, legs, breasts, back, and face, where the problem of excess skin is most acute.
Body Contouring Procedures
Patients seeking body and facial contouring post weight loss often feel
- Uncomfortable moving because of their loose skin and skin folds, and some are wearing 2-3 pairs of spanks!
- Awkward finding clothing as their body is still larger in some parts than others.
- Still wearing your larger clothes as you still feel like you “need to cover up.”
- Trouble staying on top of skin infections, rashes, and thrush during the healing process.
- More unattractive than before their major weight loss journey began
Emptying the inside of the excess skin and extreme sagging also causes dermatologic problems such as skin rashes and possible loss of self-esteem with the dislike of one’s body. Patients losing over 40 kilograms in approximately six months realize that being happy with their scales does not mean being happy with the mirrors, especially when they are nude. Because extreme sagging becomes the problem. But our surgical team is here to help!
Am I a Good Candidate to remove excess skin?
- Do you want to remove sagging or excess skin to restore a firmer-looking, more flattering body contour?
- Are you suffering from body-confidence issues due to embarrassing or uncomfortable folds of excess skin or hanging skin?
- Do you have realistic expectations about what excess skin surgery can achieve?
- Do you understand that you will have scars after the excess skin is removed?
- Are you at your goal weight, and have you been the same weight for the last 6-12 months?
- Do you suffer from recurring skin infections such as chafing or intertrigo?
- Do you feel ‘off-balance’ during exercise due to your significant weight loss?
- Are you uncomfortable and self-conscious in swimwear due to your excess skin?
- Do you suffer from unpleasant body odors from moisture trapped in excess skin?
- Or do you fear intimacy due to your current body contours?
- Has your GP medically cleared you as fit enough to undergo excess skin removal surgery? We will require you to email us a range of tests that our surgical team requests before your surgery.
- You have reduced your risk of wound healing complications by ceasing smoking and vaping and maintaining good nutritional levels (iron, B12, folate, Vitamin D, protein)
- Your alcohol intake is low or zero, and you stop a minimum of 3 weeks before and post-surgery.
- You have the support of your work, family, and friends.
If the answer to one or more of these questions is yes, you may be a good candidate for excess skin removal surgery.
Our surgeons will listen to your concerns and goals. Any additional health problems that might affect your treatment will be identified. Your body and face will be assessed, with you submitting a medical form and photos as required by your client manager.
This assessment is done with great sensitivity and care as we know that many patients feel very self-conscious after massive weight loss, and all your concerns and questions will be listened to.
What Surgery Is Best for Excess Skin removal?
We will then discuss the best course of action to address your concerns. There are several different body contouring procedures to address excess skin, such as:
- Tummy Tuck – mini, full, extended
- Lower body lift (Belt Lipectomy) – loose sagging skin of the tummy, pubic area, outer thighs, buttocks, hips, and waist is correct.
- Liposuction – upper abdomen, back, thighs, or other areas as needed
- Brachioplasty or arm lift
- Thigh lift
- Upper Back Lift
- Upper Arm Lift and Arm lift
- Breast lift/Breast Reduction – with or without implants
- Face, Neck lift, Temporal, Brow Lift, Upper and or Lower eyelid lifts
Written information will be provided to you to consider your options. Surgery for body contouring procedures after dramatic weight loss is a big step. This is why we at Medi Makeovers have specialised in issues with excess skin removal areas for many years.
How much does excess skin removal cost?
It varies depending on the area that is being targeted during the excess skin removal surgery. One individual area may cost about $4,000, while multiple areas will require multiple surgeries costing over $15,000.
We recommend that you carefully consider your choice of surgeon. Unfortunately, doctors without surgical qualifications beyond their medical degrees are allowed to (but really should not) perform surgery. Your surgeon should be appropriately qualified, and it is advised only to use Reconstructive Plastic Surgeons as are only offered to you by Medi Makeovers. Dr. Teerapat and his team have years of specialised training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, including excess skin removal after significant weight loss.
The surgical team at Medi Makeovers has extensive experience and training in plastic surgery post weight loss, including the most advanced and up-to-date techniques. They are committed to giving their patients the safest and best treatment available.
Medi Makeovers will create a pre- and post-surgery program for you to follow – you don’t have to worry about anything. You will be assigned a Client Manager to look after you and help you with your journey with Medi Makeovers.
In many cases, our clients complete their excess skin removal surgery in 2 trips to Bangkok, Thailand, and we are here to guide you every step of the way.
