Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss NYC & Long Island

Why Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss?

After putting in months of hard work, diet, and exercise, or undergoing bariatric surgery, you may have lost a great deal of weight and dramatically improved your confidence and body image -- but your body still has a lot of the same skin you had when you were heavier. This is a common situation for post-bariatric patients and for those who dieted on their own and lost a great deal of fat. Every person is unique and your particular situation will require an individual approach designed to give you the best and most realistic results. Loose skin can occur all over the body – or be focused in one particular area – after dramatic weight loss. Regardless of how fast or slowly you lost weight, you will have loose skin.

Your skin was damaged when you gained weight, not when you lost it. Now that you are at or close to your ideal weight, that skin damage stands out. Skin elasticity has its limits and massive weight can push those limits and require surgery after weight loss in Long Island to correct it. How much loose skin remains after weight loss can vary and depends on factors such as prior BMI, age, health, genetics, and exposure to sun. Sagging skin can interfere with routine activities and cause chafing, irritation, rashes, and other issues. It also makes finding the right size clothes a challenge and can make you feel that you are still a slimmer person inside a larger body.

NYBG Plastic Surgery - Lower Body Lift Patient Testimonial

Watch Caitlyn tell her story about a lower body lift with Dr. Small at NYBG Plastic Surgery.

Contouring Your Body

Body contouring is a broad term that has been applied to a number of procedures. If you have lost a lot of weight and have a good deal of saggy skin in many places, several procedures may be required as part of your journey. Body contouring for post-bariatric patients with a previously high BMI may involve a lower and upper body lift, facelift and neck lift, back and breast lift, arm lift, and outer and inner thigh sculpting. As involved as that may sound, the results are often immediately seen and can make a significant difference, while recovery time increases only slightly.

The best results from your Westchester, NY surgery after weight loss can be achieved when these conditions are met:

Stable weight for over a year with no further weight loss expected
Good overall health. No chronic medical conditions
Healthy diet. Deficiencies can affect recovery from surgery
Non-smoker or has quit for at least two months

Before & After Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss in Long Island

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Combined Procedures

When saggy skin is prevalent throughout the body, plastic surgery aimed at restoring contours often requires a combination of procedures. This is a popular option because the patient can correct as many areas as possible in one operation. Safer anesthetics and advanced techniques, including involving multiple surgeons, has made this approach safe and efficient. At NYBG Plastic Surgery, we pride ourselves on delivering safe plastic surgery after weight loss in Long Island.

During your consultation, your NYBG Plastic Surgery team will advise you as to what procedures are possible to perform simultaneously. Depending on your unique situation and body type, procedures such as an abdominoplasty, brachioplasty (underarm lift), and breast lift may be able to be completed at the same time.

One factor your physician will consider is how long the combined procedure and anesthesia time will take; he or she will keep you safely within comfortable limits. Combined procedures are known to deliver spectacular improvements to body shape in a single operation.

Prioritizing Your Procedures

Because weight loss leaves saggy skin in multiple areas, you may want to weigh the benefits of addressing the area you most want to handle as a single procedure. Deciding on a realistic course of action will generally give you the best results because fixing that one area may bring you the most relief and all the satisfaction you set out to achieve. In your consultation with us, we will discuss your options, including the trade off between getting rid of skin, contouring your body, the scar patterns involved, and likely recovery time.

Who is a Good Candidate for Post-Weight-Loss Body Contouring?

An ideal candidate for body sculpting after weight loss has reached their targeted goal weight and is committed to maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen to keep the pounds off long-term. They typically have an excess of sagging skin but little extra fat to remove. Their mental and physical health is stable, and they are not struggling with any uncontrolled medical concerns at present. It goes without saying that patients pursuing any type of surgery will be non-smokers or willing to quit at least 4-6 weeks before and after their procedure.

Finally, clients should be realistic and positive in their attitude towards their final outcome. While body contouring can help improve your appearance and boost your self-confidence, results vary from patient to patient, so it’s important to have reasonable expectations based on a private consultation with Dr. Garber.

Your Recovery After Post Weight Loss Surgery

Recovery is different for each patient and depends on which procedures you underwent to contour your body. If the procedures were more minimal, such as an upper arm lift or breast lift, you may be able to return to work within one week and be able to exercise again after a month. However, if you had more extensive procedures, such as a tummy tuck or lower body lift, a longer recovery period will be needed. For the first 1-2 weeks, you may have drains in place to help reduce swelling, and you will wear compression garments. Discomfort, swelling, and bruising can be significant for the first few days after your procedures.

Within a few days, you will return for a follow up visit to have the drains removed and to ensure you’re healing well. Be sure to follow all postoperative instructions and have plenty of help around the house so that you can continue to rest and recover. After the first week, you will be able to get around more easily, but you will still feel you are recovering for 2-3 weeks and will need assistance at home. You will need to wait for at least six weeks to lift things over five pounds, exercise, or do jobs that require physical activity, but you should be able to drive after 2-3 weeks.

Nybg Plastic Surgery: We Make A Difference

Our post-bariatric surgeons in the NYC, New Jersey, Long Island, and Westchester, NY area are committed to delivering the safest, most advanced, and comprehensive plastic surgery after weight loss results to every patient who walks through our doors. We have a deep understanding of weight gain and loss and how to give you back the shape and positive self-image you aspire to. You will be offered the highest level of support with regard to post surgery recovery and programs including maintaining your weight loss, proper nutrition, and deficiency handling.

We are dedicated to delivering optimum results in the shortest time possible and helping you make those gains as permanent as possible. Sagging skin after weight loss can affect those of all ages. Our compassionate and knowledgeable team can answer your questions and guide you through each step of the process with skill, care, and respect. Start your journey today by calling for a consultation for surgery after weight loss in Westchester, NY.

Kevin Small Md Publications (Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss)

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