Even after a weight loss goal is accomplished, a patient can still be left with excessive skin as a reminder of being overweight. To successfully get rid of this extra skin, Seattle area plastic surgeon, Dr. Marosan, can employ any number of procedures known to give you back a toned body. These various procedures can target skin of the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, arms, breasts, hips and neck. In Dr. Marosan’s opinion, he achieves the best results by first doing a tummy tuck and  a lower body lift and then moves onto other body areas as needed.

When excessive fat is leftover as well, Dr. Marosan will perform liposuction to further contour the area. While multiple procedures can be done at one time, sometimes it’s best to do them separately, so Dr. Marosan works carefully with his patients to perform the least amount of surgeries possible, while providing maximum safety and results.

Weight loss patients often realize the need for skin removal surgery when the following conditions become evident as they near their goal weight:

• Sagging breasts
• Loose folds of skin around the abdomen
• Hanging skin and fat pockets around the hips
• Sagging skin and excessive wrinkling around the buttocks area
• Hanging skin from the inner thigh to the knee area
• “Bat wings” or loose skin on the underside of the arms
• “Turtle neck” or loose skin around the neck

Many of these conditions are inevitable after any major weight loss because skin, when stretched for a long time, loses its elasticity and fails to shrink back as the body becomes smaller.

After weight loss, surgery is ideal to remove this excess skin, resulting in a tighter and firmer appearance. Many surgeons recommend grouping certain treatments together as they relate to the lower or upper body in order to minimize the risks of complications. An example of how a surgeon may group the surgeries include:

• The upper body: Procedures such as liposuction, breast lift, and arm lift may be performed together.
• The lower body: Procedures such as liposuction, buttock and lower body lift may be performed together.
• Lower extremities: Major thigh lift I prefer to do it last and not combine this with any other procedures. This requires longer and more painful recovery and has a higher potential complication rate.

After weight massive loss, surgery is considered a major operation in which the patient is under IV sedation and tumescent solution is used for local anesthesia and to eliminate blood loss. The number of hours it takes to complete this surgery varies, but on average it is between 4-7 hours. While scarring is a part of this surgical process, a skilled plastic surgeon will make every effort to ensure that the incisions are kept as inconspicuous as possible. Post-surgery care is also prescribed so that the scars will heal properly. For many patients, the results after surgery are very positive and impactful, they are life-changing.

Typical body areas that are addressed for surgery are the abdomen, buttocks, upper thighs, breasts, arms and neck. The most common areas for improvement include the breasts, abdominal area, back rolls, sagging and deflated buttocks, thighs and arms. During the course of losing weight, the areas of loose skin will become more obvious and it is usually around this time that patients begin consulting with a plastic surgeon. You should wait at least 6-12 months after your weight loss and maintain a stable weight. Often, patients who underwent major weight loss, may undergo a secondary skin relaxation after their plastic surgery. This is not a surgical failure, this is a common occurrence and need to be aware of it.

Before moving forward with this procedure, patients should be at or near their goal weight. Sometimes, removing the loose skin helps accelerate weight loss. This is the case when loose skin gets in the way of the patient’s daily physical activities. Expect further skin excision with further weight loss.

We do not bill or accept insurance and will not provide paperwork for insurance submission.