Plastic surgery after weight-loss surgery: Your options

Weight-loss surgery includes a series of procedures that help patients start a journey towards a healthier life. When patients lose a great amount of their body weight, they might experience overhanging, loose skin that can also cause hygiene issues and discomfort. Your quality of life may be impacted and you may not be able to fully enjoy the amazing results obtained after bariatric surgery.

Plastic surgery can help you improve the shape and tone of different parts of your body, such as your arms, abdomen, back, breasts and thighs.

We are going to give you an overview of different plastic surgery procedures that many patients decide to have following bariatric surgery.

Is it the right time to have plastic surgery after weight loss?

It is typically recommended to undergo plastic surgery when your weight has stabilised. This means you should have reached your ideal weight. Undergoing plastic surgery implies being in good health and having no underlying conditions that might cause complications during surgery or during your recovery.

If you are unsure whether it is the right time for you to have one of these procedures, contact us anytime for a consultation. We’d be happy to assist you.

Arm lift

An arm lift, or brachioplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes excess fat and skin in your upper arms. This procedure is ideal if you want to get rid of loose, sagging skin in your arms. Arm lift surgery is performed under general anaesthesia (in some cases it can be performed with a local anaesthetic) and lasts on average about 2 hours for both arms.

The procedure involves making a few 3-4 mm incisions around your arms. The surgeon will then remove any fatty tissue and excess fat to achieve the desired contour.

Breast lift

If you are unhappy with how your breasts look after your weight loss, a breast lift might be a good surgery option. When we experience dramatic weight loss, our skin loses elasticity and it cannot conform to the new shape. This can also happen with breasts: sagging breasts and nipples pointing downward are the top concerns for individuals who are inquiring about a breast lift.
There are different breast lift techniques. Your surgeon will choose the right one for you based on the shape and size of your breasts, the degree of breast sagging, the skin quality and its elasticity. The procedure involves trimming the excess skin and reshaping the underlying breast tissue to achieve better contour and firmness. A breast lift is carried out under general anaesthesia and takes approximately 2-3 hours.

Tummy tuck

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is performed to reshape your midsection by removing excess skin, fat and tightening your abdominal muscles. There are different types of tummy tucks, including miniature abdominoplasty, full abdominoplasty, extended abdominoplasty and fleur-de-lis tummy tuck. You will discuss with your surgeon which type best works for you. Patients who require a tummy tuck after dramatic weight loss typically undergo an extended abdominoplasty, as it allows a comprehensive removal of fat and skin around your midsection. Liposuction may also be combined in some cases.

A tummy tuck is performed under general anaesthesia and duration varies depending on the type of technique used.

Body lift

Body lift surgery is a major surgical procedure performed in the lower back and abdominal region. This is an extensive procedure that can be done in one session or multiple separate procedures. You will discuss with your doctor what approach is right for you.

Body lift is carried out under general anaesthesia. It involves trimming, removing and repositioning the skin so that the area becomes tighter and more aesthetically pleasing.

Liposuction may be combined to remove localised fat deposits and the underlying muscles and tissue might also be repositioned.

You will need several weeks of recovery after a body lift. This is an extensive procedure. While you will see initial results right after surgery, you will be able to see the full results up to 1 or 2 years later.

Body lift is a major surgery and will require weeks of recovery. Final results might be fully visible after 1 or 2 years but you will be able to notice a great difference already in the days following surgery.

Plastic surgery after weight-loss surgery at KCM Clinic

Weight loss surgery has helped many patients get back control over their health and well-being. Weight drops can naturally cause your skin to sag, as it doesn’t have the elasticity necessary to conform to your new body shape. There are cosmetic procedures that can address this and we are happy to advise you on the best course of action.

Please consider that the natural process of ageing can still impact the elasticity and firmness of your skin. Having a healthy lifestyle will help you maintain the results achieved with plastic surgery as long as you can hope for.

Contact us anytime! One of our patient coordinators will be in touch with you. The first step of any procedure is having a consultation with us: we will ask you about your expectations, your overall health, if you’re taking any medications regularly or if you have any medical conditions we should be aware of. We might ask you to send us the results of some recent tests and a few pictures of the area that you would like to treat. We treat each patient with the utmost confidentiality and dedication. We welcome hundreds of international patients every year and we can organise your trip to our clinic as stress-free as possible for you.

If you want to hear some of our patients’ experiences first hand, have a look at our patient stories.