Most bariatric surgery patients will experience some degree of excess skin after surgery. Your age, the amount of weight you lose, the rapidity of your weight loss and your ability to heal will determine how much you will develop. The more you lose and the more quickly you lose it, the more “loose” skin you will have. Also as we age, the elasticity of our skin is reduced and in turn, it is less likely to return to its normal state. Finally, some people have a propensity to heal better than others and their skin may return to normal more quickly.
There is the opportunity to have this condition surgically repaired through a relatively straightforward cosmetic procedure. A plastic surgeon will perform the procedure by removing some of the excess skin and tightening what remains. The procedure to remove excess skin is still serious surgery and comes with risks, which is why we recommend that it be considered very carefully and only when it is causing serious discomfort or interfering with the ability to live a normal life.
If you are considering a cosmetic procedure after weight loss surgery, please give us a call or stop by the office – we will be happy to give you some guidance. One thing to remember is that your insurance company may not cover this procedure, as it may be considered aesthetic, rather than a medical necessity.
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