People who succeed in losing a significant amount of weight often find that their skin does not shrink along with the rest of them. As you gain weight, the skin stretches to accommodate the extra pounds; however, the reverse is not also true. As you lose weight, the skin may not be able to return to its former shape, and you are left with folds of skin and fat deposits that refuse to budge. This can especially be a problem for older people, whose skin has lost its elasticity.
Body Contouring
A number of plastic surgery procedures, known as body contouring, have been developed to treat the problem of loose, sagging skin and stubborn fat deposits. You should refrain from undergoing any body contouring procedures until you have maintained a stable weight for one year to 18 month. Having body contouring surgery while you are still in the process of losing weight will only result in further changes to your appearance and may ruin the results of your surgery. According to plastic surgeon Dr. T. Michael Dixon, the most common types of body contouring procedures are those that address the abdomen, the arms, the breasts, the inside and outside of the thighs, and the face.
Abdomen
An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is a procedure that removes excess fat and skin from the abdominal area. The lowermost section of skin and tissue is removed, and the remaining skin is stretched downward to create a more toned, flatter-looking stomach. Another type of procedure called a corset trunkplasty is a comprehensive body contouring technique that uses several carefully placed incisions to fully contour the abdomen and waistline.
Arms
Loose skin under the arms can be corrected with a brachioplasty, sometimes referred to as "bat wing" surgery due to the appearance of the flaps of skin under the arms. In a brachioplasty, your surgeon will use liposuction to remove any remaining fat deposits, then resection the skin underneath your arms to make them appear more toned and proportionate. Some scarring will be visible, and could stretch as far as the armpit to the elbow.
Breasts
Loose or sagging breasts can be corrected with a breast lift, in which your surgeon will remove excess skin and reposition the nipples, giving the breasts a higher, firmer appearance. Men who experience fat deposits and extra skin in the chest area can undergo a procedure known as a gynaecomastia, or a male breast reduction, in which the chest area is made to appear flatter and more toned.
Thighs
The appearance of the legs can be improved with a thigh lift, which removes excess skin from the inner and outer thighs and can also improve the appearance of cellulite. If you wish to address more than one area of the body in one surgery, you may wish to undergo a body lift, which can simultaneously correct loose skin in the hips, thighs, buttocks and abdomen.
Face
Major weight loss can also affect the skin of the face and neck, creating a loose jaw line and sagging cheeks. In a face lift, your surgeon will remove excess skin along with any fat deposits, then redrape the facial skin to create a more natural appearance. A neck lift can be performed in conjunction with a face lift or by itself to remove excess fat and skin from the neck and jaw line.
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