Reaching your weight goal is a monumental occasion. However, the work isn’t quite finished in many cases. When you lose weight quickly, you may be left with loose, excess skin that is preventing you from having the body you want.
This is when excess skin removal surgery can help.
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What Causes Loose Skin After Weight Loss?
Carrying extra weight for a long period of time can cause damage to the collagen in your skin, as well as the elastin fibers. Because of this, it can be difficult for your skin to snap back after weight loss. This is particularly true when the weight loss is in large amounts, like over 100 pounds, or if it happened rapidly. If you have weight loss surgery, there is a high chance that there will be loose, hanging skin afterward.
Your age can have an impact on the amount of loose skin after weight loss. If you’re younger when it occurs, your skin is more ready to bounce back naturally. As you age, it becomes gradually harder.
What is Excess Skin Removal Surgery?
Excess skin removal surgery is a variety of plastic surgery procedures that are meant to remove your excess skin and contour your body.
Why Would You Get Skin Removal Surgery?
There are several reasons that people seek out skin removal surgery.
They can include:
- Excess skin can affect your self-confidence
- Excess skin can make it challenging to find clothing that will fit properly
- Excess skin can quickly become heavy and cause pain
- Excess skin can create skin folds, which increases your risk of skin infections, fungus, and rashes
Who Are the Right Candidates?
Before you have surgery, your doctor will perform a physical test, as well as other assessments, to see if excess skin removal surgery is right for you.
Some important qualifications for excess skin removal surgery are:
- Keeping up your goal weight for at least six months after your major weight loss
- Committing to a healthy lifestyle with a nutritious diet and exercise to continue to keep the weight off
- Refraining from smoking and tobacco products, as they can slow the wound healing process and result in surgical complications
- Being healthy in general, with no major medical conditions that would put you at risk throughout the surgery process
- Having realistic expectations of what the surgery can do for you
What is “Ozempic Butt?”
“Ozempic butt” refers to the phenomenon that occurs when you are taking semaglutide and the skin on your backside becomes loose and saggy. This happens because semaglutides cause such rapid weight loss that your skin cannot bounce back quickly enough, especially if you have been carrying the extra weight for a long time and your skin is accustomed to it.
This can occur on any part of your body, but Ozempic is notorious for the sagging that occurs on your butt. A factor that can heavily contribute to this is your nutrition intake. Because semaglutides curb your appetite, it may cause you to unintentionally take in less nutrients, which can result in poor skin elasticity.
This can be resolved by excess skin removal surgery. However, you may be able to avoid it with a fitness routine that focuses on bulking up the muscle in your rear end. That way, the change in size isn’t as drastic and your skin’s elasticity may be able to keep up.
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How to Tighten Skin After Weight Loss
What Procedures Are Involved in Skin Tightening Surgery?
When you remove excess skin, there is also a significant amount of body contouring that needs to be completed, as well.
These procedures can include:
- Arm Lift
An arm lift, or brachioplasty, removes the excess skin from your upper arms. - Breast Lift
A breast lift, or mastopexy, removes excess skin from your breasts and makes them firmer by tightening the tissue. - Face Lift
A facelift, or rhytidectomy, removes the excess skin from around your neck, as well as creates a smoother, more youthful look for your face. - Lower Body Lift
A lower body lift removes excess skin and fat from your stomach, butt, and outer thighs. - Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, removes the excess skin on your stomach and tightens weak or separated abdominal muscles.
What to Expect During Surgery
When you prepare for your surgery, you will need to do the following:
- Get blood work done
- Stop taking certain medications that can cause risk to the surgery, like aspirin and NSAIDs
- Stop taking vitamins and herbal supplements
- Quit smoking or using tobacco products
When you’ve been properly prepared, you can expect your excess skin removal surgery to be a process with multiple stages. Some procedures that you and your doctor have decided on can take place at the same time, while some need to be done on their own.
Depending on the type of procedures you are receiving, you may have surgery at a hospital and stay the night, or have it done at a surgical center and get out the same day.
Ready to Book Your Personal Consultation?
Possible Risks and Complications
Like all surgeries, excess skin removal and body contouring surgeries can come with risks.
It’s important to be aware of the following potential complications:
- Bleeding
- Blood clots
- Bruising and swelling
- Numbness due to nerve damage
- A change in sensations due to nerve damage
- Infections
- Scarring
Recovery
The recovery time of your excess skin removal surgery will depend on how many and which types of procedures were performed. In some cases, it can take a couple of months before you can resume normal activities.
To promote your recovery being as smooth and fast as possible, you can:
- Have temporary tubes remove the fluid from your body for one to two weeks
- Change bandaids and use ointments often
- Have someone drive you around for at least the first week
- Take pain relievers
- Don’t do strenuous activities for at least six weeks
- Don’t return to work until after 1-3 weeks, depending on your procedures
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Walk regularly to help prevent blood clots
Natural Remedies to Tighten Loose Skin
1. Perform Resistance Training
Building muscle mass where your loose skin is occurring can help minimize its appearance. The skin is loose and hanging because it was stretched out by the excess weight that you were carrying. However, you can try and replace that excess weight with muscle mass through resistance training so that your skin will appear tighter.
2. Take Collagen
Taking collagen hydrolysate, a processed form of collagen that’s found in animal connective tissues can increase skin elasticity, hydration, and texture after taking it for several weeks.
3. Consume Certain Nutrients
There are three major types of nutrients that you will want to take to tighten your loose skin.
4. Protein
Healthy skin relies heavily on the protein that you take in. In particular, the amino acids lysine and proline play a huge role in collagen production.
5. Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps with collagen synthesis and protects your skin from sun damage.
6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help improve skin elasticity and provide anti-aging effects.
7. Stay Hydrated
Water is essential to your body in countless ways and keeping your skin healthy is one of them. Regularly drinking the recommended amount of water can not only improve your skin’s appearance but also improves skin hydration and function.
8. Use Firming Creams
Firming creams usually contain collagen and elastin, which can temporarily boost skin tightness.
Schedule a Consultation with Scottsdale’s Premier Plastic Surgeon
If you have an interest in excess skin removal surgery, schedule a consultation with one of the most prominent plastic surgeons in Arizona, Dr. Mazaheri. He will walk you through the entire process and help you decide if this surgery is right for you.
FAQ’s
How soon will I see the results of the excess skin removal surgery?
Because excess skin removal surgery can involve so many different procedures and healing time in between, it can take up to two years to see the final results.
How long do the results of excess skin removal surgery last?
If you are able to keep your weight off, the effects can be long-lasting. If you gain excess weight and lose it again, your skin will also sag again.
How painful is the excess skin removal surgery?
Because you are taking part in major surgeries, you can expect pain for a few weeks after each, especially when you are moving around. Your doctor will provide pain medication for you.
Does excess skin removal surgery cause scarring?
Yes, it will result in scarring. However, your doctor will ensure that they are in discrete places.
How much weight loss causes loose skin?
If you lose about 100 pounds rapidly, that can cause loose skin.
Does loose skin after weight loss naturally go away?
There are steps you can take to help tighten your skin without surgery. However, there are cases of major loose skin that will need to be taken care of with surgery.
How can I tighten loose skin after weight loss?
You can opt for excess skin removal surgery, or try exercise, creams, and supplements for minor cases.
What causes loose skin after weight loss?
Your skin has grown accustomed to the excess weight. When you lose weight quickly, your skin’s damaged elasticity may not be able to bounce back as rapidly.
How do I tighten loose skin after weight loss naturally?
You can try exercise, creams, and supplements.
Dr. Mazaheri is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and a member of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. After more than sixteen years of education and advanced training, Dr. Mazaheri opened his Scottsdale practice in 2003. He is a thorough and experienced surgeon with a strong focus on achieving patient needs. Dr. Mazaheri’s areas of specialty include breast and body contouring procedures such as breast augmentation, mastopexy, tummy tucks, liposuction and other body sculpting procedures. He and his friendly staff will only recommend procedures that will help you achieve your desired results. Focusing on your needs both before and after a procedure is Dr. Mazaheri’s top priority.
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