Losing a significant amount of weight brings great pride. However, after you’ve shed all those extra pounds, you’re left with loose, hanging skin and excess tissue. This occurs when you’ve lost elasticity due to your body needing to readjust to your once larger size.

Fortunately, there are surgical options available to you to correct these issues. These procedures remove stubborn fat and excess skin and reshape the remaining tissue. You’re left with a slimmer figure with better contouring. There are five surgeries you might want to consider.

Body Lift

A body lift is a common procedure to improve your appearance after you’ve lost a lot of weight through traditional means or weight loss surgery. It involves an incision made around the abdomen to eliminate excess skin. Often, liposuction is used along with body lift surgery. The surgeon lifts and tightens a variety of areas of the body, including the abdomen, waist, hips, buttocks, thighs, and arms. You may also want to get butt augmentation with this procedure to improve the look of your buttocks.

There can be risks with a body lift, especially if you have a higher body mass index or BMI. If you have a lot of excess loose skin, you may also need follow-up procedures.

Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck is a type of plastic surgery procedure that is done when you simply are unable to shed stubborn pockets of fat through traditional means and have excess skin. It isn’t the same procedure as liposuction, which can be done as part of a tummy tuck.

When you get this procedure, the surgeon makes an incision under your belly button that spans from hip to hip. The skin and underlying tissue are reshaped and lower abdominal muscles are repaired. Sometimes, a second incision is necessary in order to repair the upper abdomen as well. Although you may have scars, they gradually fade over time. Tummy tuck surgery gives you a slimmer, flatter abdomen and more defined muscles.

Breast Lift

Breast lift surgery is ideal if you have breasts that are sagging or drooping with nipples that point downward. This often occurs after a significant weight loss. The surgery is done to restore the breasts to a higher position, making them perkier and more youthful appearing. Sometimes, women who get a breast lift also get implants to restore volume in their breasts. In some cases, a follow-up may be needed so the surgeon can reposition the nipples.

Arm Lift

An arm lift is a procedure that can address problems with excess loose skin hanging on the arms. The surgeon makes an incision along the underarm to the elbow to remove some of the skin and then reshapes and tightens the remaining tissue. The end result gives you slimmer, more toned arms.

Thigh Lift

Losing a lot of weight often leaves your thighs with unsightly, hanging skin. Both the inner and outer thighs can be affected. A thigh lift is the answer to this problem as its goal is to reduce the amount of skin and fat to leave the thighs slimmer and more toned. You can choose to have an inner thigh lift, outer thigh lift, or both procedures depending on the state of your thighs.

Schedule a Consultation

If you are in Maryland, have lost a great deal of weight, and want to undergo one of these surgical procedures, contact Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and Laser Center of Maryland to schedule an initial consultation.