Weight Loss Surgery (Bariatric Surgery)

Patients who have lost massive amounts of weight, either as a result of dieting or bariatric surgery (gastric banding), may have enormous amounts and folds of redundant skin.

Once the skin has been stretched beyond a certain limit – it will be irreversibly damaged. This is when stretch marks appear. After this the elastic recoil of the skin is reduced such that it will not redrape with loss of weight.

People who have lost massive amounts for weight may require ;

Abdominoplasty

Breast reduction or mastopexy

Arm reduction

Thigh lifts

The excessive floppy tissue which remains after massive weight loss in the inner thighs can be removed with a thigh lift. This tissue will create a fullness in clothing, and may become excoriated with certain activities. Rashes may develop in this area, particularly in the summer months.

The excess skin can be tightened with a procedure which places either a horizontal or a vertical incision in the inner thigh. A precise amount of fat and skin is then excised. The adjacent skin is undermined and re draped. This restores a normal tone to the skin in this area.

“Belt” or circumferential lipectomy

People who have been successful in losing a massive amount of weight are often left disappointed with the apron of excessive skin which remains around their waists. This tissue can be both on the front as well as around the back.

The “belt” or circumferential lipectomy can remove all of this excessive tissue, both front and back. The first part of the operation is essentially the same as an abdominoplasty.

After the abdominoplasty is completed, the attention is turned to the back. The second part of the procedure can follow immediately, or can be performed at a later date as a staged operation.

The patient is turned onto their front and the ends of the original wound (on the front) are extended so that the final wound runs around the entire body. The skin edges are undermined and the skin is redraped after a suitably sized wedge of skin and fat is excised.

The post operative course is similar to that described for the abdominoplasty.