Thursday, August 4, 2011

Body-Contouring Surgery After Significant Weight Loss- Risks

Losing a large amount of weight (100 pounds or more) as a result of weight loss surgery or through diet and exercise is a major accomplishment that will enhance your health, your outlook on life, and your appearance.
Many people who have achieved great weight loss can be left with large amounts of heavy, loose folds of skin around the abdomen, arms, thighs, breasts, buttocks and face. Skin can sag and lose elasticity as a result of being stretched for a long period of time. After significant weight loss, the skin often fails to shrink back to its former size and shape.
Problems of excess skin
Excess skin can make getting dressed a chore, limit mobility, and cause hygiene and medical problems. Chronic skin-on-skin contact can result in rashes and other sores that can lead to infection. In addition, excess skin can be a cosmetic issue. People who have lost a large amount of weight often want their bodies to reflect the new, more positive image they have of themselves. Many times, the only way to remove excess skin left after extensive weight loss is through body-contouring plastic surgery.
Risks and side effects of surgery
Most body-contouring procedures involve making an incision in the least obvious part of the area to be trimmed, removing excess skin, and suturing the area with fine stitches to minimize scarring. With these types of procedures, scarring is unavoidable. Liposuction may be used in conjunction with some procedures.
Because of the significant amount of skin to be removed during contouring surgery, there are greater associated risks than with standard cosmetic surgery.
Risks include:
                Bleeding
                Infection
                Separation of incision
                Skin laxity (looseness)
                Skin necrosis (tissue death)
                Abnormal scar formation
                Formation of a seroma (a mass or lump caused by fluid buildup in a tissue or organ)
                Asymmetry (unbalanced appearance)
                Unsatisfactory results
Rare risks include:
                Deep vein thrombosis (blockage caused by restriction in a vein, possibly leading to the formation of a clot)
                Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung)
                Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
                Pneumonia

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Blepharoplasty

Also known as cosmetic eye lid surgery, eyelid surgery improves the appearance of the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. It gives a rejuvenated appearance to the surrounding area of your eyes, making you look more rested and alert.

Treatable conditions:

▪ Upper eyelid surgery can remove excess fatty deposits that appear as puffiness in the upper eyelids.

▪Loose or sagging skin that creates folds or disturbs the natural contour of the upper eyelid, sometimes impairing vision, can be treated by eyelid lift surgery.

▪Lower eyelid blepharoplasty can remove excess skin and fine wrinkles of the lower eyelid.

▪Bags under the eyes can be corrected by blepharoplasty.

Lower eyelid surgery can correct droopiness of the lower eyelids, showing white below the iris (colored portion of the eye).

Risks:

As with any surgery, blepharoplasty carries some risks, such as infection or reaction to anesthesia. Other possible risks specific to this surgery include:

▪                  Temporary numbness of the eyelid skin

▪                  Dry, irritated eyes

▪                  Temporary vision changes, such as double vision

▪                  Impaired eyelid function

▪                  Scarring

▪                  A very small risk of blindness due to bleeding behind the eye

Talk to your doctor about how these risks apply to you. Understanding what's involved in blepharoplasty and weighing the benefits and risks can help you decide if this procedure is a good option.

Sources:


Monday, April 4, 2011

Body Lift Post Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery has the power to lift your spirits and change your life, but after all that weight loss, did you know that you'll likely need additional plastic surgery to lift drooping and loose skin?

After drastic weight loss, the skin is not capable of tightening itself, meaning that additional surgery is needed to remove loose skin in the lower abdomen, breasts, thighs and arms.

There are two main types of body lifts — the lower body lift, or belt lipectomy, and the upper body lift. When upper and lower body lifts are performed on the same person, it is referred to as a total body lift.

In general, a body lift aims to improve the shape and tone of the underlying tissue that supports fat and skin. It is typically performed after massive weight loss, including that which occurs after bariatric surgery.

A newer approach known as corset trunkplasty, or corset procedure, creates a sleeker waistline by removing loose skin in both the upper and lower abdomen. A thigh or butt lift can be performed at a later date to complete the body transformation.


Selecting a Body Lift Surgeon
The body lift is an extensive surgery best performed by an experienced plastic surgeon screened and vetted by MedToGo International.

Ask your selected plastic surgeon about his or her experience with body lifts, and ask to talk to some past patients.

Another important consideration when selecting your body lift surgeon is board certification.


Popular Body Contouring Procedures
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the top four body contouring procedures performed following massive weight loss are:

*    Extended abdominoplasty / lower body lift
*    Thigh lift
*    Upper arm lift
*    Breast lift / reduction


To understand why loose skin is an after-effect of weight loss, here’s an explanation: when someone is overweight, the skin stretches to accommodate the increased volume of weight. After weight loss, the skin often fails to tighten, and so it sags. In many cases, it hangs. It acts as a constant reminder of the weight you once were. Further diet and exercise WILL NOT tighten skin (exercise never tightens skin – only muscles). The only way to tighten loose skin is through surgery.

If the problem is…
    Then the solution is…

Loose abdominal skin
    Tummy Tuck

Loose arm skin
    Arm Lift (brachioplasty)

Loose breast skin
    Breast

Lift (mastopexy)

Loose inner thigh skin
    Inner thigh lift

Loose thigh and buttock skin
    Outer thigh and buttock lift

Most people who accomplish significant (100 pounds or more) weight loss often need or want to have all of these operations.


Is Liposuction an Option?
Not if your problem is due to loose skin. The only time liposuction is a better choice is when there is a lot of fat and the skin is tight.


Incisions and Scars
As with any surgery, scars will be present. The more skin that is removed, the more extensive are the scars. For a body lift, they will extend from along the lower abdomen, around the hips, and toward the buttock crease. There is another scar in each groin crease due to the inner thigh lift. One way to look at it is that this operation exchanges one cosmetic problem (loose skin) for another (scars). In general, those with very loose saggy skin following significant weight loss are likely to find this exchange worthwhile. Those with a small amount of looseness will probably not want the scars.


Body Lift: Is it Right for Me?
The body lift procedure isn't right for every body. If you have had weight loss surgery, you should wait 12 to 18 months before considering a body lift. This should provide adequate time for you to lose weight and adjust to the necessary diet and lifestyle changes following surgery.

The ideal candidate for the body lift procedure exercises regularly, eats a healthy diet and has been at a stable weight for at least three months; but hopefully six. Special laboratory testing is important so that mineral, vitamin and protein deficiencies — which are common in people who have had weight loss surgery — are identified and treated.

Women considering a body lift who are also planning to have children should consider delaying the procedure until after they have given birth.


How long does a body lift take?
Each procedure will take several hours to perform, with surgical time depending on the amount of tissue that needs to be removed and the difficulty of reconstructing the surgical area. Typically, body lift surgery ranges from four to seven hours and is performed under general anesthesia.


What can I expect after a body lift?
Because it is comprised of many surgeries over an extended period of time, body lift can cause discomfort, and may require one to three days of care in a hospital or other care facility. Often, patients who undergo body lift after bariatric surgery are at greater risk for complications because of weight-related illnesses such as sleep apnea, diabetes, heart disease, or malnutrition.


How long before I can return to normal activity?
Most patients return to non-strenuous activities within two weeks, and begin low impact exercise within four to six weeks after surgery.


Sources: http://www.wangplasticsurgery.com/body-lift.cfm

              http://www.yourbariatricsurgeryguide.com/body-lift/

              http://www.infoplasticsurgery.com/body/body-lift/info