Weight loss is a common goal for a lot of people. We’ve all seen those movie montages where the character is hitting the gym, eating right, and finally standing in front of the mirror looking toned and happy. Of course, if weight loss is your goal, you should celebrate when you get there!
One thing we don’t often see in those weight loss stories is the person dealing with loose skin after weight loss. For people who lose a large amount of weight, skin surgery after weight loss is a necessary step. The skin just isn’t able to bounce back after stretching to cover the excess pounds.
At Turkle & Associates, we offer comprehensive solutions for skin tightening and skin removal in Indianapolis.
What happens after you shed those pounds?
When we talk about skin surgery after weight loss in Indianapolis, we aren’t just looking at one area of the body. The tricky thing about overall weight loss is that you can’t always tell your body what weight you want to lose, even if you use targeted exercises.
Why is skin loose after weight loss?
Our skin expands in response to excess weight. After the weight is gone, you’re left with the excess skin. In some cases, your skin will tighten over time. But if you had a very drastic weight change or are older, your skin may not be able to get back to its original shape.
Benefits of removing excess skin
Removing loose skin after weight loss has several benefits both for your appearance and your physical comfort.
Increased comfort
Excess skin can be uncomfortable or even painful; removing it can improve your physical comfort and help your clothes to fit better.
Show off your results
Loose skin can hide your true weight loss results. Tightening and firming your skin can show off your new contours.
Further weight loss
We typically think of fat as the main culprit behind weight, but the truth is the skin has weight too! Removing excess skin can help you shed a few more pounds.
Customizable treatment
Depending on the areas of the body you want to address, we can totally customize your skin removal in Indianapolis. We can perform lower and upper body lifts and facelifts to address changes in the face.
Improved confidence
Skin removal can help you truly look and feel your best. Many of our patients report feeling more confident after having their excess skin removed.
Am I a candidate for skin surgery after weight loss?
There are a few ways to tell whether you might be an ideal candidate for a body lift or skin removal in Indianapolis.
You’ve recently lost a significant amount of weight
Most patients who’ve lost more than 30 pounds will experience some skin laxity. How long you were overweight, how much weight you’ve lost, and your age all play a factor in how much excess skin you might experience.
You’ve finished losing weight
For your skin surgery to be truly successful, you’ll want to be within 15 to 20 pounds of your goal weight or done losing weight. You don’t want to tighten your skin only to lose more weight and face the same issue again!
You’re in good general health
As with any procedure, skin surgery after weight loss can carry some risks. You’ll want to make sure you avoid or quit smoking, avoid drinking, and generally take care of your health.
You have realistic expectations for surgery
It’s important that you understand the realities of skin removal surgery. There will likely be visible scars (in inconspicuous places) and you’ll have some recovery time.
Options for skin surgery after weight loss in Indianapolis
When you visit Turkle & Associates for surgical consultation, we’ll be able to walk through your best options for skin surgery after weight loss.
It’s possible for us to combine multiple surgeries to create a customized treatment plan for your body.
Body Lift
A traditional body lift, also known as a torsoplasty, Dr. Trukle can remove excess skin and even some fat to create smoother contours. A full body lift can address sagging or loose skin on the buttocks, abdomen, waist, and hips.
Arm Lift
The upper arms can be some of the more stubborn areas when it comes to weight loss. An arm lift, or brachioplasty, alleviates excess skin and fat to produce beautifully contoured, slimmer arms.
Breast Lift
The breasts are particularly susceptible to developing loose skin after weight loss. A breast lift, or mastopexy, can restore their shape by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding area.
Some patients also opt to have a breast augmentation at the same time to restore fullness.
Tummy Tuck
The stomach is a really common place to develop excess skin after major weight loss. Also known as an abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck removes excess fat and skin and in most cases, restores weakened or separate muscles to create a firmer abdominal profile.
Mommy Makeover
Childbirth is a significant time that causes a lot of changes to the body along with the wonders of parenthood. Weight changes can lead to excess skin after birth. A mommy makeover is a popular term for a collection of procedures that help renew the body after pregnancy.
Face Lift
The larger areas of the body aren’t the only places you’re likely to develop loose skin after weight loss. A facelift tightens facial muscles and removes excess skin to lift and smooth the lower face, neck, and jawline.
What to look for you in your plastic surgeon:
Board certification
It’s important to look for a board-certified plastic surgeon. While most cosmetic procedures are typically not considered medically necessary, they are still serious surgeries and require expertise to execute them well. A board-certified surgeon has years of demonstrated experience and knowledge in their field.
Proven results
Before and after photos are a crucial part of researching your cosmetic surgeon. They’re one of the best ways to judge your potential surgeon’s work.
An in-depth consultation process
If you’re looking for the best plastic surgeon in Indianapolis, you should expect a thorough and comprehensive consultation process. The consultation process sets the tone for your entire experience with a surgeon. A top plastic surgeon will listen to your concerns and provide expert guidance on how to best achieve your desired outcomes.
Always ask what’s covered in your initial consultation with a surgeon. For example, at Turkle & Associates, because our consultations come with a fee, we start with an initial consultation over the phone to answer preliminary questions.
Things to ask during your consultation:
- What procedures do you recommend for my excess skin?
- How often do you perform this procedure?
- Can I see before and after photos?
- How much downtime is associated with this surgery?
- What will recovery look like?
- When will I see results?
What is recovery like after skin surgery?
After weight loss, you might be concerned about maintaining your activity levels if you get skin removal surgery.
Your recovery time is directly impacted by the extent of your skin removal in Indianapolis. For instance, if you elect to have multiple procedures done like with a mommy makeover.
In general, you can expect 1 to 2 weeks of recovery time, with some activity restrictions for 6 weeks.
Every patient is different, Dr. Turkle can discuss your specific timeline during your consultation.
Are there nonsurgical treatment options?
Not every patient struggling with skin laxity needs to undergo surgery. We offer non-surgical skin laxity treatments at our medical spa, Phases Skin Care and Laser Center.
It’s important to remember that nonsurgical treatments, while effective, aren’t able to produce the same results as a surgical procedure. It also can take more than one treatment to see your desired results.
Ulthera
Ultherapy provides completely customizable skin-tightening solutions for the face and body. We use ultrasound imaging to see the tissue as we sculpt it in real-time, allowing for highly personalized results based on your anatomy.
Ulthera has often been called a non-surgical facelift because of the results possible with this innovative technique.
Microneedling RF
Microneedling RF combines the controlled injury of microneedles and the heat from radiofrequency to smooth and tighten skin.
Because the microneedling breaks up scar tissue, microneedling RF can also address stretch marks!
Need skin surgery after weight loss in Indianapolis? Book a consultation!
If you’re struggling with loose skin after weight loss, treatment is possible! Schedule a consultation with one of our expert providers. At Turkle & Associates, we’re committed to developing a treatment plan based on your unique needs.
Interested in exploring our other treatment options? Our virtual consultation tool is available online 24/7. Simply answer a few questions about your areas of concern and you’ll receive individualized treatment recommendations in your email!
