After Weight Loss Surgery in Duluth, GA

Typically, after any substantial weight loss, the skin and tissues lack the necessary elasticity to conform to the newer, smaller body size. Post Bariatric body contouring is an option for men and women who have lost a significant amount of weight and now have various issues related to excess skin adn loose tissue. With significant weight loss a number of issues can occur due to  stretched, unsupported skin.  Loose skin can cause difficulty with rashes, walking or fitting into clothing.  The plastic surgeons at Prima Center for Plastic Surgery in Duluth, seek to celebrate your new body by helping you to achieve your aesthetic goals and remove any and all unwanted extra skin. If you have excessive sagging skin throughout the body due to a major weight loss, an arm lift, thigh lift, lower body lift, or butt lift may be the proper option for you. Contact the offices of Prima Center for Plastic Surgery in Atlanta to schedule a consultation and discuss potential options.

Weight loss patients often realize the need for skin removal surgery when the following conditions become evident as they near their goal weight:

• Sagging breasts
• Loose folds of skin around the abdomen
• Hanging skin and fat pockets around the hips
• Sagging skin and excessive wrinkling around the buttocks area
• Hanging skin from the inner thigh to the knee area
• “Bat wings” or loose skin on the underside of the arms
• “Turkey neck” or loose skin around the neck

Many of these conditions are inevitable after any major weight loss because skin, when stretched for a long time, loses its elasticity and fails to shrink back as the body becomes smaller.

After weight loss surgeries are ideal to trim down this excess of skin resulting in a tighter and firmer appearance. Your plastic surgeon may recommend grouping certain treatments together as they relate to the lower or upper body in order to minimize the risks of complications. An example of how a surgeon may group the surgeries include:

• The upper body: Procedures such as liposuction, breast lift, tummy tuck and arm lift may be performed.
• The lower body: Procedures such as liposuction, butt and thigh lift, lower body lift may be performed.

After weight loss surgery is considered a major operation in which the patient is put under general anesthesia. The number of hours it takes to complete this surgery varies, but on average it is between 4-7 hours. Overnight stay in the hospital may be required so that patients can be closely monitored following surgery, this will depend upon the overall health of the patient and the extent of the surgical procedure.  . While scarring is a part of this surgical process, we will make every effort to ensure that the incisions are kept as inconspicuous as possible. Post-surgery care is also prescribed so that the scars will heal properly. For many patients, the results after surgery are so positive and impactful, they are life-changing.

Typical body parts that are addressed for surgery are the abdomen, buttocks, upper thighs, breasts, arms and neck. The most common areas for improvement include the breasts and abdominal area, which can usually be done at the same time. During the course of losing weight, the areas of loose skin will become more obvious and it is usually around this time that patients begin consulting with a plastic surgeon.

Before moving forward with this procedure, patients should be at or near their goal weight. Sometimes, removing the loose skin helps accelerate weight loss. This is the case when loose skin gets in the way of the patient’s daily physical activities.

The cost of your procedure will vary based on your goals. Insurance companies, for the most part, will not cover the expenses associated with cosmetic surgery. However, coverage does vary and sometimes may apply to weight loss patients where loose skin becomes a medical problem. Our billing coordinator works to provide accurate estimates and will thoroughly check the benefits of each provider.