What Are the Benefits of Body Contouring After Weight Loss?

For the first time in U.S. history, the average adult in this country is veering towards obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 35 percent of young adults, over 42 percent of middle-aged adults, and over 41 percent of adults over 60 fit into this category. Aware of all the health risks associated with being overweight or obese, as well as the negative social, professional, and relationship challenges obesity presents, it’s no wonder so many Americans are trying in various ways to fight the battle of the bulge.

Sadly, those who have succeeded in losing a major amount of weight, though proud, may continue to be dissatisfied with their appearance due to large quantities of sagging skin on various parts of their bodies. This is because the skin, having stretched to accommodate so many excess pounds, has now lost elasticity.

Fortunately, this is a problem modern surgical techniques can remedy. Body contouring, performed by a highly-skilled plastic surgeon can bring the body back into shape so the patient is again wearing “skin that fits.” Your surgeon will remove excess fat and sagging skin from targeted areas (for example, the upper arms), improving the tone of the underlying tissue.

Whether you are a man or woman, have lost weight through diet and exercise alone or by undergoing bariatric surgery, you may benefit greatly from body contouring. The process will serve to resolve many practical and emotional issues and complete the job of creating a healthier, happier you.

What parts of your body need body contouring after weight loss?

Just as different individuals have a tendency to gain weight in particular areas on their bodies, they may also lose more weight in one area than another. There may be truth to your insistence that “chocolate cake goes directly to my hips” (or belly or thighs). By the same token, when you lose 100 pounds, one area may show more weight loss than another. It is entirely possible that
you have been left with more sagging skin on your abdomen, buttocks, or thighs than anywhere else. In such cases, of course, a plastic surgeon with a track record of successful body contouring will know precisely how much treatment you need and where you need it.

How important is body contouring after weight loss?

Though some patients are satisfied with a major weight loss that is beneficial to their health and makes a positive difference in their appearance, many individuals feel that the job is not finished until they have body contouring work. While considering whether you want to continue the project of making yourself as attractive and comfortable as possible, here are some advantages of body contouring to consider:

  • You will have less trouble finding clothes to fit and most likely wear a smaller size.
  • You will have less difficulty getting dressed without bulges of extra skin.
  • You will be more comfortable with your appearance in a bathing suit, at the gym, when changing in a dressing room, during physical examinations, and in intimate situations.
  • You will have increased mobility and the ease and pleasure that comes with it.
  • You will be more likely to exercise since you will be less self-conscious
  • You will look better in photographs and in the mirror

Best of All

Body contouring, which doesn’t take place until you have remained at your targeted weight for at least a year, also has the emotional benefit or encouraging you to maintain your healthy lifestyle. Having body contouring work performed is a kind of declaration that you are committed to remaining the new you.

The Need for Realistic Expectations

No matter how positively body contouring affects your life, it is important to remember that no surgical procedure can turn back the clock or stop the process of aging. The most capable plastic surgeon in the world will not make you 20 years old again, nor will he or she slow the development of wrinkles or sagging as the years pass. As long as you go into the procedure remembering these simple facts, you will no doubt be delighted with the results.