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Shedding a dramatic amount of weight represents a significant life milestone for many formerly overweight people. Whether your accomplishment resulted from having bariatric surgery or you worked off the pounds through diligent diet and exercise, you’ve likely found yourself feeling healthier and more confident. However, your exterior appearance might not match your newly improved outlook on life.
If you have achieved major weight loss, but still struggle with heavy, sagging skin folds, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eric Desman of the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery can perform body contouring surgery to create natural-looking results you’ll love for years to come. Keep reading to learn more about this procedure, the characteristics that make someone a good candidate, and what to expect during the recovery process.
Weight loss can transform your appearance and attitude. Still, formerly overweight or obese people might find themselves left with unwanted skin around their abdomen, thighs, upper arms, back, and other regions.
This problem happens because skin stretched by weight gain often lacks the necessary elasticity to snap back to its original shape. Body contouring surgery prevents issues like chafing and painful rashes that can occur as a result of hanging skin. In performing this procedure, Dr. Desman can reduce this excess skin, reshaping and tightening nearly any area of your body, including your belly, breasts, hips, buttocks, arms, back, and thighs.
Once your health is stable and you are at or near your goal weight, you can consider getting body contouring six months to a year after major weight loss.
During your confidential consultation with Dr. Desman, he’ll examine you and ask you several questions to determine whether you are well-qualified to have body contouring surgery. In this initial meeting, it’s essential to be honest about your health history, including whether you have any conditions that may affect your outcome or recovery time.
After meeting with you in person, Dr. Desman will tailor your treatment plan to focus on all your concerns and problem areas. Depending on your goals, Dr. Desman may be able to address them all in one procedure, or he might suggest having more than one surgery spread out over time. For instance, it might be better to have a mid-body lift and a lower body lift separately to help reduce your risk of complications.
In general, the best candidates for body contouring surgery are people in good overall health who don’t smoke, who have realistic expectations for their surgical outcomes, and who are willing to commit to maintaining their results by following a consistent fitness and nutrition plan.
Body contouring recovery time depends on the procedure you undergo and the extent of your treatment. For instance, many lower body lift patients feel well enough to return to work within two to three weeks. Full body lift patients may require a more significant healing period of six to eight weeks.
Since moving around may be uncomfortable in the earliest recovery phases, you might need to rely on a responsible adult to help you out around the house. It’s essential to follow all post-surgical instructions to the letter, including returning for scheduled follow-up appointments and avoiding strenuous exercise until Dr. Desman approves you to do so.
Major weight loss is an admirable accomplishment. Having body contouring surgery performed by an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Desman will let you confidently show off your new, healthier-looking physique in flattering clothes like sleeveless shirts, shorts, and swimwear. Contact us today to schedule your consultation, and get ready to love the way you look from head to toe.