You’ve Lost all that Weight! Now What?

You’ve put in the work and created a healthy lifestyle that has resulted in some serious shedding – of unwanted pounds! Hurray for you! While a large majority of what comes with substantial weight loss is positive, there may be a few concerns that leave you feeling uncertain. Loose skin, for instance. If this issue is significant enough, it could present a problem for comfort and confidence. You’ve come a long way in creating your best self, the last thing you want is a reminder of your old self.

Is saggy skin a given after weight loss?
Whether a thinner figure has come organically or from weight loss surgery, the way the skin responds will differ from one person to another. Some of the factors that come into play include the age of the patient and the amount of stretching that has occurred due to obesity. Skin can get stretched beyond its capacity to bounce back, and this could happen in various parts of the body.

Areas Commonly Affected by Weight Loss
Loose skin may develop anywhere on the body. The primary concern that our patients express is sagging in the midsection. This is referred to as a “pannus,” an apron of skin that hangs down over the abdomen. This problem may make it uncomfortable to wear certain items of clothing, and it also poses a risk to skin health due to the moisture that lingers under the fold of skin.

Getting Better Contours
Losing weight is only partially about becoming thinner. Ultimately, we would also like to have our body parts be in decent proportion, with contouring that enhances the overall figure. Some of the contouring procedures that facilitate this include:

• Tummy tuck
• Breast lift or augmentation
• Lower body lift
• Brachioplasty, or arm lift
• Face lift or neck lift

Questions to Ponder
If you have lost a substantial amount of weight and are struggling with sagging skin, ask yourself:

• Is this concerning enough to seek plastic surgery?
• What areas of the body are particularly bothersome?
• What outcome would I like to see from plastic surgery?

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Dahan, call (775) 826-4477.