Weight Loss Surgery
Most people requesting body contouring procedures would have either had an operation or gone through a program of diet and exercise resulting in excessive weight loss.
Following excessive weight loss, you may be left with significant residual folds of fat and skin, which can be quite distressing both cosmetically (as they may be quite unsightly) but also functionally as these can interfere with daily activities. Such individuals request excision of these excessive folds such as in the abdomen, breasts, thighs, arms etc.
It is important that you achieve your target new weight or at least are close enough before considering surgery. It is however necessary sometimes to carry out an intermediate procedure to take out tissue that limits further progress. For example, an apronectomy takes out tissue from the lower abdomen that is limiting exercise such that patients can proceed with further weight loss programmes. A formal abdominoplasty can still be performed when the target new weight is attained.
It is also very important that you have realistic expectations of the results of surgery. Procedures performed after weight loss may not achieve the same cosmetic results and do have a higher revision rate when compared to the non-weight loss patient. One of the reasons for this is the marked loss of elasticity and therefore the less than ideal tissue quality.
The types of procedures involved include:
- Arm Reduction
- Thigh Reduction
- Abdominoplasty and Apronectomy
- Breast Reduction
- Mastopexy with or without Augmentation and with and without fat grafting.
- Body Lift (circumferential lift), including buttock lift
- Face and Neck lift
- Gynaecomastia Excision
The above procedures are not exhaustive as sometimes specific areas may need to be addressed.
These procedures can be performed in groups to reduce your admissions and recovery episodes. The details of each procedure are found in the appropriate section.