Post Weight Loss Body Contouring Surgery

Understanding Body Contouring

Body contouring surgery is a comprehensive term for a range of surgical procedures designed to reshape and improve the appearance of the body. These surgeries are often sought after significant weight loss, pregnancy, or aging, which can leave excess skin and stubborn fat deposits that do not respond to diet and exercise. The primary goal of body contouring is to achieve a smoother, firmer body profile, enhancing both the aesthetics and functionality of the patient’s physique. By removing sagging skin and excess fat, body contouring helps individuals achieve a body shape that is more proportional and aligned with their personal aesthetic goals.

Various parts of the body can be addressed through body contouring surgery, each targeting specific problem areas. One of the most common procedures is an abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, which removes excess skin and tightens the abdominal muscles. Liposuction is another widely performed procedure, focusing on removing fat from areas like the thighs, hips, buttocks, abdomen, arms, and neck. Additionally, procedures like arm lifts (brachioplasty) and thigh lifts (thigh lift) specifically target and remove excess skin and fat from the upper arms and thighs, respectively, resulting in a more toned and defined appearance.

Other body contouring procedures include body lifts, which can be performed on various parts of the body, such as the lower body (including the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs) or the upper body (addressing the back and upper arms). Breast surgeries, including breast lifts and reductions, are also considered part of body contouring, aimed at improving the shape and firmness of the breasts. Each procedure can be customised to meet the unique needs of the patient, allowing for a tailored approach to achieve the desired body contour.

There are many methods that patients use to achieve massive weight loss. Some patients may reach their goal weight through diet and exercise, while many have needed further support via bariatric surgery. No matter what path you take, the journey can be quite a challenging experience, and your success in achieving your weight loss is to be celebrated, and you are to be congratulated on this achievement.

It is important to understand that even with surgery, there are no quick fixes” to body contouring after massive weight loss. The physical and psychological benefits take time. Just as it takes a person anywhere from six to nine months and sometimes even more to achieve their goal weight, it can take a similar period to remove all the excess skin.

Common Body Contouring Procedures

The breast, the abdomen and the lower legs are the three main areas of concern.

1. Breast Procedures

Common procedures are:

• Breast Reduction surgery helps alleviate discomfort such as back, neck, and shoulder pain by removing excess breast tissue and skin. This procedure not only reduces the size of the breasts but also creates a more balanced and proportional shape, enhancing the overall contour of the body.
• Breast Lift, or mastopexy, addresses sagging breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to raise and firm the breasts. This procedure rejuvenates the breast profile, giving a more youthful and lifted appearance, which is often desired after significant weight loss, pregnancy, or aging.
• Breast Augmentation involves the use of implants or fat transfer to increase the size and improve the shape of the breasts. This procedure enhances the body’s proportions, achieving a fuller, more aesthetically pleasing breast contour.
• Fat Grafting, also known as fat transfer, involves removing fat from one part of the body, such as the abdomen or thighs, and injecting it into another area that requires volume enhancement. This technique is commonly used to enhance the breasts, buttocks, or face, providing a natural-looking improvement in body contour and texture by using the patient’s own fat cells.

2. Abdomen and Arm Procedures

Common Procedures are:

• Body Lift, also known as a belt lipectomy, is a comprehensive surgical procedure that addresses excess skin and fat from multiple areas of the body simultaneously. It typically includes the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and sometimes the lower back. This surgery aims to contour the body by removing sagging skin and tightening the remaining tissues, resulting in a smoother and more toned appearance.
• Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen while tightening the abdominal muscles. It helps achieve a flatter and firmer abdomen by addressing issues such as loose skin and stretch marks, often resulting from pregnancy or significant weight loss.
• Monsplasty is a surgical procedure specifically designed to reduce excess skin and fat in the mons pubis area, which is the mound of fatty tissue above the pubic bone. This procedure contours and reshapes the mons pubis region, addressing issues related to sagging or protrusion, and achieving a more streamlined appearance.
• Back Lift, or upper body lift, targets excess skin and fat on the upper and mid-back area. This procedure helps improve body contours by removing loose skin folds and achieving a smoother, firmer appearance to the back. It is often sought after significant weight loss or as part of a body contouring plan to enhance overall body symmetry.
• Brachioplasty, commonly known as an arm lift, is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the upper arms. It helps tighten and reshape the arms, addressing issues such as sagging skin that may result from ageing, genetics, or weight loss. Arm lift surgery enhances arm contours, improves arm definition, and restores arm appearance.
• Liposuction is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that removes stubborn fat deposits from specific areas of the body, such as the abdomen, thighs, hips, buttocks, and arms. It improves body contours by suctioning out excess fat cells through a thin tube (cannula), resulting in a more sculpted and proportionate appearance. Liposuction is often used in conjunction with other body contouring procedures to achieve optimal results.

3. Thigh Contouring

Common procedures are:

• Inner Thigh Lift
• Liposuction

An inner thigh lift, or medial thigh lift, is a surgical procedure designed to tighten and reshape the inner thighs. It addresses excess skin and fat in the inner thigh area, which may result from ageing, weight loss, or genetics. The procedure involves making incisions along the inner thigh, strategically placed to be hidden in natural skin creases. Excess skin and fat are removed, and the remaining skin is tightened to achieve smoother contours and improve thigh definition.

Inner thigh lift surgery helps contour the thighs, reducing the appearance of sagging or drooping skin that can occur with aging or significant weight loss. By enhancing thigh contours, this procedure can improve overall body symmetry and proportion. It is often combined with liposuction to achieve optimal results by removing excess fat deposits along with tightening the skin.

Patients who undergo inner thigh lift surgery typically experience improved comfort and mobility, as well as enhanced self-confidence. The procedure not only enhances the aesthetic appearance of the thighs but also addresses functional concerns such as chafing or irritation caused by excess skin.

Excess skin in these areas leads to complaints such as the following:

• Empty, “sagging breasts” that no longer fill a bra.
• Sweating under the skin folds, particularly in the summer months, that is difficult to control or reduce.
• Skin infections and rashes, particularly in these folds.
• Chafing and rubbing, especially in the inner thighs but also in other areas where there is loose skin.
• Difficulty finding clothing that fits well due to a lack of harmony between the new body weight and the new body shape.
• A lack of self-confidence as some patients feel more self-conscious with the excess loose skin (especially over the tummy and arms) compared to when they still had the weight to lose.

Dr Kumar, a fully qualified and accredited specialist plastic surgeon, has a keen focus on weight loss surgery in Sydney. He applies a range of plastic surgery techniques to achieve results that balance both reconstructive needs and aesthetic goals for his patients. Dr Kumar is dedicated to delivering natural-looking outcomes that support his patients throughout their weight loss journey.

Am I a Candidate for Body Contouring Surgery?

Body contouring after weight loss is one of the most complex surgeries performed by plastic surgeons. Not only are there significant technical considerations, but there are also significant patient considerations. As a result, the surgery should only be undertaken when all these factors are optimised.

From a patient’s point of view, the minimum requirements prior to undertaking body contouring surgery are:

• You have achieved your goal weight and have been stable in this weight range for a minimum of 3-6 months.
• You are otherwise reasonably fit and well with no major medical problems, and you have clearance from your GP to be able to undergo a large operation.
• You are a non-smoker, or you will have ceased smoking for a minimum of 12 weeks before and 12 weeks after surgery (including nicotine of any type/source and e-cigarettes).
• Wound healing can often be a challenge in body contouring surgery, so it is crucial that you have a good healthy diet and excellent nutrition. Your protein levels, iron, B12, and folate are of particular importance and will need to be optimal prior to surgery.
• The journey to and after body contouring surgery can be quite an emotional one. It is important that you have excellent social support via your friends and family and that you have a good support structure during your recovery after surgery.

Dr Kumar and his team can help you meet these requirements and optimise your health to ensure that your surgery and recovery are as trouble-free as possible.

The Procedure: What to Expect

If multiple areas of the body require treatment, Dr Kumar often stages surgery after weight loss in Sydney. He tailors procedures to your specific needs, understanding that everyone’s outcomes are unique.

Several factors guide the selection of procedures, including their compatibility for recovery and the overall duration of surgery, which typically ranges from 4 to 10 hours. This approach minimises risks during the procedure and considers your financial situation to ensure optimal value when combining treatments.

A typical series of procedures would look like this:

Operation 1: Body Lift including monsplasty and Breast Surgery ( Stage 1 )

(6 months recovery minimum if stage 2 breast surgery is required)

Operation 2: Arm Lift and Breast surgery (Stage 2, only if required)

( 3 months recovery minimum)

Operation 3: Thigh Lift (Stage 3, only if required)

On average, for most patients, it takes 3 operations and 12 months to achieve their post-weight loss body if they wish to address all 3 common areas of concern.

Please follow the links on this page to find out more specific details on the different types of surgery that are available following weight loss.

Costs and Consultation

As there are multiple possible combinations of surgery and they are usually separated over time, the best and most accurate method to get a quote is to see Dr Kumar, and together you can work out the operative plan and therefore the appropriate quote.

After your initial consultation with Dr Kumar, you will be given a detailed itemised quote. This will include Dr. Kumar’s fee, Anaesthetist fee, Surgical Assistant fee, and the hospital fees.

We will also provide information on our body contouring surgery in Sydney and payment plans.

Included in your fees are:

• Procedure performed by a fully qualified specialist plastic surgeon
• Mentor brand breast implants – (if needed)
• Anaesthetic fees
• Procedure performed in a fully accredited private hospital
• All garments
• Post-op follow-up for a period of 12 months