Significant weight loss has several advantages. However, the skin and tissues frequently lack the suppleness to adjust to the smaller body size after any significant amount of weight loss brought on by weight loss surgery and/or lifestyle changes.

Following significant weight loss, surgical body contouring improves the shape of the underlying support tissue while removing extra, sagging skin and fat. Better proportions and finer curves are the end result.

Procedures for body contouring could include

• Correct sagging upper arms with an arm raise.
• Correct sagging, flattened breasts with a breast lift.
• Facelift: treat neck, jowl, and midface drooping
• Correct sagging in the inner and outer thighs, buttocks, and abdomen with lower body lifts
• Correcting inner thigh sagging with a medial thigh lift
• Tummy tuck: remove superfluous skin from the abdomen's apron.

In general, good candidates for body contouring are typically:

• Adults with stable weight loss
• Healthy persons free of illnesses that would hinder healing or raise the risk of surgery
• Nonsmokers
• People who have optimistic outlooks and sensible objectives
• People who are dedicated to maintaining a healthy lifestyle through appropriate nutrition and exercise

You must choose whether the benefits of plastic surgery will help you reach your goals and whether the dangers and probable side effects of body contouring surgery are acceptable.

You will be required to sign consent paperwork to show that you are aware of all the risks and potential consequences associated with the treatment.

Some common risks of body sculpting:

• Risks of going under anesthesia
• Bleeding
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), blood clots, and pulmonary embolism
• widening or excessive scarring
• a buildup of fluid
• Infection
• Other alterations in cutaneous sensation, such as numbness
• poorly healing wounds
• residual skin laxity or irregularities in the contours
• losing skin
• negative scarring

Before you consent, all risks, including these ones, will be clearly disclosed. It's crucial that you ask your plastic surgeon all of your questions upfront.

Following your body contouring surgery, dressings or bandages will be put on your wounds to help you heal.

To temporarily drain any excess blood or fluid that may accumulate, tiny, thin tubes may be inserted under the skin.

You'll receive detailed instructions, which can include:

• Care instructions for the surgery site (s).
• Applications or oral medications that promote healing.
• specific issues to watch out for in your overall health or at the surgical site.
• when to schedule a consultation with your plastic surgeon.

Ask your body contouring surgeon specific questions about what to anticipate throughout your unique recovery period by making sure to:

• Where will I be taken when my procedure is finished?
• What prescription drugs will I receive or be given following surgery?
• After surgery, will I wear dressings or bandages? Will they be taken out when?
• Are stitches taken out? When?
• When can I get back to my regular routine and exercise?
• When do I go back for additional treatment?

What your recovery looks like at home

You may be instructed to avoid bending, straining or lifting for several days to weeks.

Where tightening of the abdomen or thighs is involved, your plastic surgeon may also instruct you to avoid standing fully upright and stressing any internal sutures as they heal, and to sleep with pillows elevating your knees.

To minimize the risk of DVT (blood clots in the legs) you will need to be up and walking as soon as possible, and drinking plenty of fluid.

After significant weight loss, the results of body contouring are almost immediately apparent, although it may take up to two years to see the full effects.

To attain a body contour that matches your new weight and proportion, you must tolerate visible scars.

As long as you maintain a constant weight and general health, the effects of body sculpting are typically long-lasting. It is normal for your body to lose some firmness as you become older. The majority of your first improvement should still be there.

There is no guarantee that your surgery will produce the fantastic results you hope for. In some cases, a single surgical treatment might not be sufficient to produce the best results, and a second surgery can be required.

The outcome of your surgery depends on you following your doctor's recommendations.

During the healing process, it's crucial that the surgical incisions not be subjected to an excessive amount of force, motion, swelling, or abrasion. You'll receive detailed instructions from your doctor on how to take care of yourself.