Body contouring after weight loss is the most effective way to achieve a more athletic body shape by eliminating pockets of excess fat and sagging skin (ptosis). If you have experienced significant weight loss, excess skin is extremely common. You do not have to let it affect your self-esteem and prevent you from enjoying your weight loss achievement. With body contouring, our patients achieve a renewed sense of self-confidence thanks to our customizable procedures and individually tailored results.

Dr. Joseph Michaels is a board-certified plastic surgeon who works to ensure that you achieve beautiful results under the safest conditions. Dr. Michaels will carefully listen to your goals and develop a safe treatment with the most innovative techniques to meet your needs. Contact our office to learn more about how you can achieve a beautifully sculpted figure after weight loss:

About After Weight Loss Surgery

With the rise of bariatric procedures like the gastric sleeve and medically-assisted weight loss in the form of semaglutide injections, more people are reaching their goal weight than ever before. However, if you lose more than 50 pounds, you may develop a significant amount of sagging skin that limits your mobility, affects your hygiene, and distorts your body’s natural proportions. 

After your skin stretches, surgical intervention is often the only effective, long-lasting solution to what has colloquially become known as “Ozempic body.” Post-bariatric cosmetic procedures alone made up approximately 46,577 cosmetic surgeries in 2020. (1) Body contouring after massive weight loss can restore body proportions, improve hygiene, and enhance mobility, helping patients meet their body goals with a silhouette they can be proud of.

Consultation After Weight Loss

At your consultation, Dr. Michaels will perform a physical examination, find out your BMI, and inquire about your body goals. He will also ask about your lifestyle and whether or not you are able to maintain a consistent weight, as a healthy lifestyle will be key to maintaining your results. Ideally, patients should be “weight stable” meaning they have completed the majority of their weight loss. For bariatric patients, it is best to consider after-weight-loss plastic surgery six months after your procedure and schedule it 12 months after.

After Weight Loss Body Contouring

Although body contouring is not a weight loss procedure, it will remove your excess skin and pockets of fat for a smoother, more athletic appearance. We offer a variety of post-weight loss surgeries to address both functional and cosmetic conditions.

Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), flattens and contours the abdomen by removing excess skin. Changes to your abdomen from pregnancy, weight loss, and aging can alter your body, but you can get your old body back. If your abdominal muscles were stretched during pregnancy, a tummy tuck can repair them for a smoother abdomen. We can also perform a panniculectomy to remove excess skin that drapes around the midsection and hangs from the abdomen. If you are struggling with a belly bulge or excess tissue on the mons pubis, you might also experience hygiene issues or skin irritation. A mons rejuvenation eliminates excess tissue from the area between the bikini line and genitalia to help you feel more comfortable in your body. 

Upper and Lower Body Lift

If you are struggling with droopy skin, an upper body lift is a procedure that eliminates rolls and flaps of extra skin that hang down the upper back. Often, this treatment is paired with an arm lift or breast lift for complete upper-body restoration. The lower body lift is a combination of several different surgical procedures that reshape the thighs, abdomen, and buttocks. A lower body lift is a procedure that removes excess skin from the lower body and repositions it for a more athletic figure. If you are experiencing sagging skin that chafes uncomfortably, you do not need to live with it. Dr. Michaels has helped many patients recover from massive weight loss with lower body lifts that transform their midsections, thighs, and buttocks for a smoother contour. 

Breast Lift

A breast lift is the best procedure to reduce excess breast skin. As you age and the collagen production in your body decreases, you may notice sagging skin (ptosis), droopy breasts, and wrinkles. Massive weight loss and pregnancy can also cause your breasts to lose volume, affecting your natural curves and distorting your natural proportions. A breast lift can restore your breasts for a smooth, voluptuous figure by eliminating the loose skin that causes your breasts to sag. Sometimes known as “Ozempic breast,” breast ptosis can affect the way your clothes fit and your self-esteem. The breast lift is a specialized procedure that raises the profile and orientation of the breasts to a youthful, lifted position. An augmentation can help you achieve a naturally contoured figure and restore your natural curves. A breast augmentation with lift will reposition the breasts and restore their volume for total breast enhancement.

Arm Lift

An arm lift removes the sagging skin from the upper arms and armpit area to eliminate the appearance of “bat wings.” The procedure has helped many patients achieve smoother, athletic arms. If you are thinking about ways to restore your arms after weight loss, you are not alone. Droopy arms are a common side effect of medically-assisted weight loss injections such as semaglutide. Our arm lift procedure will restore your arms in just a few hours with long-lasting results that you can maintain with a healthy diet and exercise.

Thigh Lift

A thigh lift is a procedure that removes excess skin on the inner or outer thighs to help you achieve a smoother silhouette. The procedure has helped many patients get their old bodies back by restoring their figures. We can safely and quickly enhance your curves so you can get back to feeling at home in your body. You can even pair a thigh lift with a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) if you have “Ozempic butt” (droopy buttocks after weight loss).

To learn more about how our procedures can help you meet your body goals, see our blog.

Benefits of After Weight Loss Surgery

After a body contouring procedure for massive weight loss, you can enjoy a beautifully sculpted figure without droopy skin that can affect your daily routine. The benefits of body contouring for weight loss include the following: 

  • Smoother abdominal contour
  • Feeling more confident with your body
  • Better fitting bras
  • Feeling more comfortable in your clothing
  • Easier to exercise
  • Reduced sagging skin
  • Elimination of excess fat
  • Increased self-esteem 
  • Long-lasting, maintainable results

Body contouring after massive weight loss can also improve your quality of life. In a recent study, researchers found a correlation between weight and self-esteem; removing excess weight and experiencing the benefits that come along with it can significantly improve your mood. (2)

After Weight Loss Surgery Candidates

The best candidates for body contouring are nonsmokers who lead healthy lifestyles with consistent exercise and a balanced diet. If you have experienced massive weight loss and have sagging skin or additional pockets of excess fat that you would like to lose, you are likely a good candidate for after-weight-loss plastic surgery procedures. 

The Cost of After Weight Loss Surgery in Washington

Body contouring surgery costs are dependent on the specific techniques used and areas to be treated. The surgical plan is always entirely tailored to the patient’s personal goals, striking a balance with what is appropriate for your needs. We can discuss financing to make the treatment more accessible and help you meet your body goals. Contact our office in Rockville (301-468-5991) or Fairfax (703-957-8610) to learn more about how we can help you meet your body goals.

FAQ

What is after weight loss body contouring?

Body contouring after weight loss may involve a combination of surgical procedures such as an arm lift, thigh lift, lower body lift, or upper body lift. These surgical techniques are aimed towards restoring a patient’s natural figure and eliminating the health, mobility, and hygiene issues caused by large amounts of excess skin.

Why do I have excess skin after weight loss?

When weight loss is dramatic and there is a relatively sudden change in body size, your skin may not be able to retract. The skin’s ability to reshape and reform will vary from person to person due to a variety of factors like lifestyle habits, aging, and genetics, all of which affect an individual’s skin elasticity. Sagging skin occurs when your skin stretches to fit your body’s contour.

Can I have body contouring after weight loss if I still plan to lose additional weight?

Body contouring after weight loss is recommended for individuals who have reached or are within a reasonable range of their healthy weight. If you are planning on losing additional weight, you should postpone any body contouring treatments because additional weight loss may result in even more sagging skin.

Will my sagging skin eventually retract on its own after weight loss?

Although some patients may experience skin retraction, the recovery of your natural body shape without surgical intervention is rare. Older patients generally experience less skin retraction and recovery. Age, habits like smoking, and genetics also play a significant role in the amount your skin can recover after stretching.

References

  1. Sadeghi P, Duarte-Bateman D, Ma W, et al. Post-Bariatric Plastic Surgery: Abdominoplasty, the State of the Art in Body Contouring. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2022;11(15):4315. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11154315 
  2. Sarwer DB, Polonsky HM. The Psychosocial Burden of Obesity. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America. 2018;45(3):677-688. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecl.2016.04.016