Patients who undergo bariatric surgery may need a tummy tuck or other body sculpting procedures to remove excess skin and left behind fat. Finding the right surgeon is vital to achieving the desired result.
A tummy tuck,
or abdominoplasty, is a common type of plastic surgery chosen by those who have gone through bariatric surgery. When someone loses a substantial amount of weight, the end result is often lots of loose skin and a few stubborn pockets of unsightly fat that simply will not budge. For many, the answer is to go under the knife once again and seek cosmetic surgery.
However, this type of surgery is not one to take lightly, and it is worthwhile to research your doctors carefully. You have worked hard to lose weight and get your body to a healthy size, so it is necessary to carefully choose your cosmetic surgeon for post-surgery body contouring.
When seeking a surgeon to perform a tummy tuck or body lift post surgery, make sure you choose one who has performed this procedure specifically on patients who have had substantial weight loss. This sometimes requires a slightly different technique than what is required for the average patient. The sheer amount of tissue that is left behind requires specialized attention.
Because of this, many patients ask for more than just a tummy tuck. The surgeries considered by post bariatric surgery patients may include the abdominoplasty in addition to a breast lift, mini face lift, and sculpting procedures on the arms, buttocks, and legs. Sometimes, more than one procedure can be done at the same time to limit recovery and lower costs. But, by far, the abdominoplasty is the most common and popular.
In a traditional abdominoplasty surgery, the surgeon will remove localized fat and excess skin, and then tighten any lax abdominal muscles. This can create a substantial difference in the way the body looks after weight loss, particularly when rolls and rolls of skin are left under the belly button.
The problem is that tummy tuck surgery is going to be different for each patient, as the way in which the body shrinks after weight loss surgery is not uniform from one patient to the next. The surgeon needs to understand all of the factors that affect the surgery, including distribution of fat and elasticity of the skin, before the operation. That is why choosing a surgeon with this specific type of surgery is so important.
Of course, as with all cosmetic procedures, there are some risks. The main risk is that the surgery will leave behind scars. This is unavoidable, particularly when dealing with such large amounts of tissue. That said, choosing the right surgeon will help you with this, because skilled surgeons know how to place scars in inconspicuous areas. Infection is another risk, as is a reaction to the anesthetic.
Less serious risks include swelling, bruising, and pain after the procedure. Finally, you may find that you are not happy with the results after a tummy tuck or other sculpting procedure. This is always a risk with cosmetic surgery, because you may have a different expectation about your results than what is possible. Again, a skilled surgeon will lessen this risk.
