Ask Dr. Man - Body Contouring

Dear Dr. Man, I’m a 36 year old man from Boca Raton. It took me 15 months, but I lost over 95 pounds. Although I lost the weight naturally with diet and exercise, I still have a lot of sagging skin. I feel so much better now, but I’m very self-conscious and find myself covering up a lot. I’m embarrassed to be intimate with a woman. Is there surgery I can get to correct this problem?

First and foremost, congratulations on your weight loss. Your hard work obviously paid off in a big way. Following a substantial amount of weight loss, the skin and tissues often lose elasticity and cannot conform to the reduced body size. As a result, skin can be severely stretched and unsupported. For example:

• Upper arms may sag and appear loose and full
• Breasts may flatten and hang with nipples pointed downward
• Abdominal area may extend around the sides and into the lower back area, resulting in an apron-like overhang
• Buttocks, groin and thighs can sag and cause hanging pockets of skin

Surgical body contouring following major weight loss improves the shape and tone of your underlying tissue that supports fat and skin, and removes excess sagging fat and skin. The result is a more normal appearance to the body, with smoother contours.

Before you decide to undergo body contouring, your weight loss must be stabilized. If you continue to lose weight, sagging pockets may redevelop. Also, if you rapidly regain the weight, you may traumatically stress your already weakened and thinned skin, causing further stress to the skin, visible stretch marks and wide scars.

Good candidates for body contouring are:
• Adults whose weight loss has stabilized
• Healthy individuals who do not have medical conditions that can impair healing or increase risk of surgery
• Non-smokers
• Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic goals for what body contouring can accomplish
• Individuals committed to leading a healthy lifestyle including proper nutrition and fitness

There are several procedures that your plastic surgeon may discuss with you for your overall body contouring, including: a body lift, arm lift, thigh lift, etc. During your initial consultation, your surgeon will discuss the options that may be right for you.

The decision to have body contouring surgery is extremely personal and you will have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable.
The results of a body contouring following weight loss are visible almost immediately. However, it may take as many as one to two years or more for the final results of all the recommended body contouring procedures to fully develop. Visible scars may remain, but the overall results are long lasting, provided that you maintain a stable weight and general fitness. As your body ages, it is natural to lose some firmness. However, most of your initial improvement should be relatively permanent.

Speak to a board-certified plastic surgeon to see if body contouring is right for you.

Dr. Daniel Man is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has dedicated his life’s work to helping people look younger and improve their appearance through cosmetic surgery. He is a noted author, artist, inventor and educator. Dr. Man has been featured on major television networks, as well as national and local magazines and newspapers for his work as both a plastic surgeon and an artist. Dr. Man has a private practice in Boca Raton, FL. www.drman.com