During the COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020, many people found themselves working from home. Zoom meetings became a regular part of the daily routine. People saw their faces online daily, leading many to seek out facial procedures in 2021.
However, COVID also affected people in another way. While studies show that many people put on the "quarantine 15" during the COVID pandemic, others used the lockdown and transition to at-home working to focus on a healthy diet and exercise routine. Weight loss became a focus, and many are predicting that plastic surgery after weight loss may be the new trend in 2022. Post-weight loss surgery, or body contouring surgery, is the final touch on the body you worked hard to achieve.
Losing weight provides a great benefit to your overall health, including the reversal of conditions such as diabetes and sleep apnea, as well as a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. Unfortunately, if you have been overweight for some time, weight loss can produce an unwanted side effect. Excess skin and sagging skin leave many embarrassed by their weight loss and still unable to show off their new figure.
This excess sagging skin is also prone to rashes and fungal infections where the skin overlaps. In addition to excess skin, many experience areas of stubborn fat that no amount of exercise or dieting will target, leaving many even more frustrated with their appearance.
Body contouring surgery includes a variety of different procedures to target excess skin and stubborn fat left behind after weight loss. These procedures help to restore your natural body contours and remove sagging skin around the face, neck, arms, breasts, midsection and thighs.
Body contouring after weight loss is very individualized and will depend on what areas of your body you need to target. While each procedure focuses on one main area of the body, these procedures can be combined, such as in a mommy makeover, to address multiple areas at a time. The top surgical procedures after weight loss include:
A tummy tuck addresses your midsection. When you carry excess weight, your skin stretches and abdominal muscles stretch and weaken. During a tummy tuck, the surgeon is able to remove excess abdominal skin and tissue, as well as tighten abdominal muscles. This helps to restore a more toned and flatten abdomen which helps to accentuate your new curves. Oftentimes, your surgeon may suggest adding liposuction to your tummy tuck to remove areas of stubborn fat to further improve your results.
Breast ptosis, or sagging of the breasts, is very common after significant weight loss. Breast lift surgery helps to lift and reposition the breast and nipples, raising the breasts to their natural position on the chest and giving you a more youthful and toned appearance.
Significant weight loss can contribute to changes in your face and neck that may cause you to look older. Sagging skin on the face, neck and jowls can contribute to an aged appearance. A facelift or neck lift can help remove this excess skin and help give you back a more youthful appearance. In addition, if weight loss and aging have contributed to reduced facial volume, fat transfer during your facelift can help to restore the fullness to your face.
Whether due to weight loss or aging, excess skin on the arms contributes to bat wings, making many people self-conscious when it comes to wearing tank tops or short-sleeved shirts. Arm lift surgery targets that excess skin and tissue, giving your upper arms a smoother and more defined appearance and eliminates the bat wings.
Sometimes weight loss takes volume away from areas you want a fuller appearance. While the weight loss lets you get back into your favorite jeans, maybe your butt is looking a little flat. Buttock enhancement can give you the curves and volume you desire and will fill out your favorite jeans perfectly.
Excess skin on the upper thighs that can occur after weight loss often leads to uncomfortable chafing when you walk or exercise. A thigh lift removes this excess skin from the upper and inner thighs, helping to give you a more toned appearance.
As with any surgery, a good candidate for body contouring after weight loss will be in good physical health without any underlying medical conditions that can impair healing and recovery. But with these procedures, it is also recommended to be near or at your goal weight and to have been at this weight for at least a few months. You should also be committed to a healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating and regular exercise. While these procedures will help you achieve your desired body contours, gaining weight in the future can undo your results.
If you took advantage of the COVID pandemic and were able to achieve significant weight loss, you have a lot to be proud of! However, if your weight loss side effects, such as excess skin, still have you covering up, you may be a good candidate for the projected 2022 trend of post-weight loss plastic surgery.