One of the major concerns men and women both have about losing a large amount of weight typically relates to loose skin once the weight has come off. Some people even hesitate to lose the weight because they are afraid of what their body will look like with loose skin. While it certainly is a big change to see in the mirror, loose skin and the other physical changes that come from extreme weight loss need not define how you see yourself.
Body contouring is a great option for those who are at or near the ideal weight for their body frame. There is often just as much fear of plastic surgery as there is of the excess and loose skin. Learning all there is to know about body contouring can help to take some of the mystery out of it, and help to reassure you that you are making the right decision.
Who is the right candidate for body contouring surgery?
The best candidate for a body contouring procedure is the man or woman who has reached his or her goal weight and has been maintaining for several months. Reaching your goal weight is a wonderful achievement but it’s just as important that you demonstrate you can maintain a healthy weight prior to surgery. Any drastic fluctuations in your weight can have an impact on the results of your surgery.
You’ll best benefit from surgery if you have minimal excess fat on your body, but have excess skin that hangs from your frame. You should also have realistic expectations from the results of your surgery. While viewing a gallery of before and after images, such as what can be found in a brachioplasty gallery & details, can help you to get an idea as to the results you may see, your results may vary.
While skin removal and body contouring surgeries can help you to improve your overall appearance and physical wellbeing, we all heal differently and results can vary greatly between individuals.
What procedures are best for body contouring after weight loss?
Weight loss can impact each of us differently. While some of us may retain the natural shape of our arms after weight loss, others may find that they have droopy excessive skin on their arms. The stomach area is one of the areas that tends to show a lot of loose and saggy skin, whether after pregnancy or a large weight loss. While targeted workouts and a good healthy diet can help to firm up some of the skin on your stomach, for those who’ve had a lot of muscle separation and skin stretching, the only option to reduce the skin is to remove with surgery.
Most who have lost a lot of weight will find that they can benefit from the abdominoplasty, brachioplasty and one form of breast surgery. A consultation with a surgeon who specializes in body contouring can help you to determine the best treatment direction for your individual needs.
How hard is the recovery from body contouring?
Recovery times and experiences can vary greatly, based upon the type of surgery that is performed. Generally speaking, the full recovery from plastic surgery can take up to several months.
Expect to feel stiffness and discomfort for the first few weeks after surgery. Pain can be readily managed by both prescription and over-the-counter pain relievers recommended by your surgeon. You may need help getting around, tending to household chores and also taking care of your personal needs, depending on the type of procedures that you have done.
To better optimise the results of your surgery, it’s important that you closely follow the instructions that your surgeon provides you. By and large, men and women alike find that the downtime needed for body contouring procedures is well worth the results that they see once their body has been fully healed.