Post Bariatric Surgery
Obesity is one of the most significant health problems of our time. In recent years, due to factors such as unhealthy eating habits, the high consumption of calorie-dense foods, and the increasing number of fast-food chains, the number of obese individuals has also increased. For obese individuals without any underlying health issues, the best methods for weight loss are proper diet plans combined with exercise.
However, for those who cannot lose weight and for whom the weight issue has become chronic, the almost only solution is weight loss surgeries focused on the stomach, performed by general surgery specialists. As plastic surgeons, we get involved in this process only after the weight loss has occurred, focusing on body contouring. Liposuction (fat removal) is not a weight loss method; it is a body contouring surgery.
The most significant problem after surgical or non-surgical weight loss is skin sagging. Sagging is particularly noticeable in the breasts, abdomen, arms, and legs. In some individuals, there are also prominent collapses and sagging in the face. These saggings are corrected through aesthetic and plastic surgery. Some patients can lose up to 60 kilograms. In some cases, much more weight can be lost.
As the amount of weight loss increases, so does the likelihood of sagging. For those who lose weight, it often seems as though their skin becomes too loose for their body. While they may go down 3-4 clothing sizes, the excess skin does not tighten accordingly.
In lift surgeries, the excess skin is removed, giving the person an appearance more proportionate to their weight. Not only lift surgeries but also breast surgeries involving lifting and augmentation with silicone implants are performed. For the face, successful results are achieved with fat injections to restore the lost volume.
A tummy tuck surgery can be done as a full circumferential procedure called a belt lipectomy or as a classic tummy tuck for suitable patients. If there is also sagging and drooping in the buttocks area, it can be combined with a buttock lift. Since the inner abdominal muscles are repaired during tummy tuck surgery, the waist area also achieves a more defined shape. In addition to a tummy tuck, liposuction can be performed on the abdomen and waist to further shape these areas.
For arm sagging, arm lift surgery is performed. In an arm lift, an incision is made on the inner side of the arm, and the sagging skin is removed through this incision. The length of the incision scar depends on the degree of sagging.
Sagging in the legs is addressed with thigh lift surgeries. Also known as thighplasty, this surgery involves an incision starting from the groin area and extending to the lower buttock crease. If the sagging is excessive, a vertical incision along the inner thigh may also be necessary.
These surgeries can be performed individually or, in suitable patients, as combined procedures. Tummy tucks and breast surgeries are commonly performed together. In appropriate cases, a tummy tuck, breast lift with implants, arm lift, and thigh lift can be done simultaneously. The biggest advantage of combining these surgeries is that multiple issues can be addressed in one recovery period.
After significant weight loss, especially in women, some sagging and volume loss in the genital area may also occur. These deformities in the genital region can be successfully corrected with aesthetic surgery.