Losing excessive amounts of weight can help individuals look and feel better as they enjoy a healthy new lifestyle. Whether through bariatric surgery or traditional diet and exercise, dramatic weight loss reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and many other serious conditions while improving your appearance and self-confidence

However, many patients are bothered by the excess skin and fat that often remains after weight loss. The skin around the face, neck, upper arms, breast, abdomen, buttocks and thighs may sag or fold once fat is lost from the area. These trouble spots keep many people from being truly satisfied with their bodies and produce another form of insecurity.

Many patients undergo body contouring procedures after weight loss to help sculpt and tone their new physique and maximize the results of their weight loss. These procedures are specially designed to reduce excess skin from targeted areas of the body or enhance your overall appearance. There are several different procedures available to help improve your shape and put the finishing touches on your weight loss transformation.

Some of these contouring procedures include:

Body Lift

A body lift, also known as a belt lipectomy is a general procedure that improves your appearance by removing excess fat and skin from a certain section or the entire body. Unlike specific area treatments like an arm lift or thigh lift, a body lift can treat larger areas or combine several different treatments in one procedure.

Depending on where your most troubling problem areas are, Dr. Makki can perform an upper, mid, lower or total body lift. Most patients seek a lower body lift to correct sagging and folds in these problem areas.

This procedure is performed under general anesthesia and can take four to seven hours depending on the type of lift desired. Dr. Makki usually treats the abdomen first, making a horizontal incision along the pubic area and then removing excess skin and fat. This is then repeated in other targeted areas such as the buttocks, thighs and upper arms. A body lift can also be combined with liposuction to receive optimal results.

A body lift is a major surgical procedure that requires a significant recovery time, including a short hospital stay and several weeks at home before returning to regular activities.

Thigh Lift

A thigh lift is a surgical procedure that improves the overall appearance of your legs, leaving them toned and firm after weight loss. There are several different types of thigh lift procedures that each targets certain areas to produce the most effective results for each individual patient. These different types include:

Inner Thigh Lift – This procedure targets the inner thigh and helps remove stubborn excess fat from this troublesome area. An incision is made in the area where the thigh and pubic area meet, and then skin and fat are removed and tightened to enhance skin elasticity and the overall appearance of the leg.

Bilateral Thigh Lift – This procedure targets the front and outside of the leg through the top of the leg. Excess fat and skin are removed and the remaining skin is tightened on both sides of the leg to improve the leg contour.

Medial Thigh Lift – A medial thigh lift targets the upper portion of the inner thigh through an incision that stretches from the groin to the back crease of the buttock. This procedure removes excess skin and improves the shape of the leg.

Arm Lift

Also known as brachioplasty, an arm lift removes excess skin and fat from the upper arms to leave them looking younger and more attractive. The upper arms tend to become loose and flabby with age as skin loses its elasticity, which can then become more apparent with dramatic weight loss. An arm lift improves the appearance of the arms and helps patients feel more comfortable wearing short sleeve shirts and showing off their slim new look.

During an arm lift procedure, an incision is made in the armpit to remove excess fat and tighten the skin and tissue in the area. Patients with larger fat deposits may need a larger scar that runs from the elbow to the armpit. This procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia. After fat is removed, the arms may be wrapped or placed in compression garments to promote quick healing and minimize side effects. Patients may experience swelling and discomfort during the first few days after surgery, but these symptoms usually subside within 7 to 10 days.

The information on this web site is only intended as an introduction to this procedure and should not be used to determine whether you will have the procedure performed nor as a guarantee of the result.

The best method of determining your personal options is to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Makki. He will be able to answer specific questions related to your situation.

Please don’t hesitate to call for any questions that you might have