As the popularity of weight loss surgery continues to rise, so too does the practice of having plastic surgery after weight loss surgery. In this article, we will explain the process of having plastic surgery after a bariatric weight-loss surgery procedure, the risks versus benefits, etc.

Why Weight Loss Surgery Patients Turn to Plastic Surgery

When you consider the nature of weight loss surgery, and the dramatic results that many patients experience, it’s easy to understand why many consider plastic surgery afterward.

Weight loss surgery often results in massive weight loss, which is obviously the point of such surgery. But in turn this can result in large amounts of loose, sagging skin. So while the weight issue has largely been resolved, the person experiences yet another issue — the excess skin.

This is why many people consider plastic surgery after weight loss surgery. According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the number of “body contouring” procedures after a massive weight loss have increased 18 percent since 2004. (Source)

While the number of body contouring procedures after weight loss is on the rise, the overall percentage of weight loss surgery patients who have plastic surgery afterward is only 15 percent. The primary obstacle, states the ASPS, is the high cost of plastic surgery and the unwillingness of many insurance companies to cover plastic surgery, even after a weight loss surgery procedure.

Body Contouring After Weight Loss Surgery

Body contouring is another name for the type of plastic surgery people often under after a weight loss surgery procedure. Body contouring procedures include tummy tucks, arm lifts, breast lifts, and other techniques used to reduce excess skin following a weight loss surgery procedure.

Liposuction Not Usually an Option

It’s also important to note that liposuction is usually not a viable option for the problem of excess and loose-hanging skin following weight loss surgery. Liposuction is usually reserved for situations where the skin is tight (due to excess body fat). Thus, the body contouring or shaping techniques (lifts and tucks) are usually the most common type of plastic surgery after weight loss surgery creates the excess skin.

After Weight Loss Surgery - Before Plastic Surgery

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommends that a person’s weight be stable for at least three months prior to pursuing plastic surgery. In addition, gastric bypass patients should have their blood checked to ensure they are not vitamin or mineral-deficient prior to having plastic surgery (notably with regard to iron, calcium, vitamins A and D, zinc and thiamine.

In other words, the body’s chemistry should be as stable and favorable as possible after weight loss surgery and before plastic surgery. The same goes for any type of surgery, for that matter — patients usually fare better when their body is strong and stable.

Conclusion

Obviously, this article only scratches the surface of factors one should consider when having plastic surgery after weight loss surgery. This article is not intended to be a final discourse on the subject, but merely a jumping-off point for your further research. A good place to start your research is the ASPS website at http://www.plasticsurgery.org.