After Weight Loss

Weight loss is often a complex journey for many individuals. After significant weight loss, patients are often left with sagging, excess skin and stubborn deposits of fat that are slow to respond to diet or exercise. These factors add another frustrating hurdle to one’s weight loss progress.

The expert providers and surgeons at Southern Surgical Arts have more than 23 combined years of experience helping patients across Tennessee, Georgia, and more achieve their body image goals. Whatever hurdles you are facing after your weight loss journey, we can help you reach the finish line and enjoy life with the body you have always wanted. Schedule a consultation at one of our Tennessee or Georgia offices today, or call (800) 950-0492 to get more information and find the center closest to you.

About

Unfortunately, after weight loss, many patients are left with loose, excess skin at the sites of their former fat deposits. The arms, thighs, abdomen, neck, and more may suffer from unsightly, ptotic (sagging) excess skin. Not only is this an undesirable appearance, but this is also a frustrating and inconvenient hurdle to face after so much progress is made with weight loss.

While skin ptosis is a well-known and long-documented effect of massive weight loss, it is becoming increasingly common as more and more patients lose weight with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound). This has become so common that the aged and droopy appearance and sagging skin after weight loss have been colloquially dubbed “Ozempic face” and “Ozempic body.”

Southern Surgical Arts offers a wide variety of surgical and non-surgical treatments that can help you address excess skin after weight loss. You have most likely made significant progress in losing weight, and we want to help you reach your ultimate goals.

Benefits

Body-sculpting procedures that address loose or sagging skin can offer numerous benefits. At Southern Surgical Arts, our patients typically experience:

Candidates

Almost any patient who is not fully content with the appearance of their body due to sagging skin after weight loss can receive treatment at Southern Surgical Arts. Further eligibility depends on what procedures match a patient’s goals. Patients who respond best to these treatments are those who do not smoke, are in good general health, have specific issues they want to address, have realistic expectations for the results of their procedures, and are willing to collaborate with and listen to their SSA providers to ensure a safe and effective procedure.

Personal Consultation

The first step in enhancing your figure after weight loss is meeting with one of the expert providers at Southern Surgical Arts. At this appointment, you will be encouraged to explain why you want after weight loss procedures, discuss your weight loss journey, and explore your goals and the options available to achieve them. You will also discuss your medical history as well. We want to ensure safety and optimal results, so screening for any past surgeries, medications, supplements, or preexisting conditions helps us plan properly.

Preparation

You will receive preparation instructions from your Southern Surgical Arts surgeon and their team. These will be specific to each patient and the procedures involved in their planned treatment, but you can expect to:

Procedure

Post-weight loss rejuvenation procedures typically focus on removing excess skin and tightening tissues that have become ptotic. These methods can be applied to nearly any part of the body that has suffered these effects. Some of the most popular procedures we perform on weight loss patients include:

Tummy Tuck

Tummy tucks, also known as abdominoplasties, are one of the most common procedures performed after significant weight loss. The abdomen is one of the main fat storage sites on the body. When patients lose weight, they are very often left with an abdomen that has excess skin around the waist and stomach area. This can be unsightly, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. Abdominal muscles may have come apart during weight gain, too. ⁽¹⁾

A tummy tuck procedure removes excess skin and strengthens the abdominal muscle wall to create a smooth, toned physique. During a tummy tuck, your surgeon will usually begin by making an incision along the underwear/bikini line below the belly button. This can stretch from hip bone to hip bone or be shorter, depending on the extent of the tummy tuck. The surgeon will then remove the loose skin and excess tissue.

Body Lift

During a body lift, the surgeon will place more focus on the love handles, ribcage, and back. This procedure can also treat the thighs, buttocks, and arms. Body lifts are comprehensive, customizable procedures that can rejuvenate and tighten multiple parts of a patient’s body.

Arm Lift

Arm lifts, also known as brachioplasties, enhance the contour of the arms by eliminating excess tissue and creating a more toned appearance. ⁽²⁾ When weight is lost, arms are left with drooping skin that is often referred to as “wings.” Arm lifts employ excisional techniques, and the surgeon will take special care to sculpt arms for natural looking and feeling results. ⁽²⁾

Thigh Lift

Thighplasty, commonly referred to as a thigh lift, helps to shape a patient’s legs and hips by removing excess fat and skin from around the thighs. Aside from the abdomen, the thighs are another one of the body’s main fat storage sites. After receiving a thigh lift treatment, you will have slimmer, more sculpted legs that you will be excited to show off. ⁽³⁾

Liposuction

Patients with stubborn fat pockets may want to receive a liposuction treatment after they have lost weight. Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure, but it can sculpt your body and eliminate the stubborn deposits of fat that are not as responsive to dieting and exercise. During these treatments, the surgeon will make a small incision and insert a cannula (tube). Using liposuction technology, the surgeon carefully extracts fat from stubborn deposits.

At Southern Surgical Arts, we offer a wide variety of liposuction procedures and methods, including the cutting-edge VASER (Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance) liposuction method, which uses ultrasonic technology to emulsify fat.

Recovery

After your personal consultation, you will receive recovery instructions that are specific to the procedures you receive. You can expect some swelling and soreness at the site of your treatments after the procedure. You may be required to wear a compression garment to help reduce swelling. You may also receive prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medications, and you should take these as instructed. We recommend avoiding any exercise and strenuous activities for at least 2 weeks, or until your surgeon has told you it is okay to resume these activities again.

Results

Once your swelling has faded, you will be able to notice the results of your treatments. Where there was once excess skin or fat deposits that took away from your natural curves, you will now see smoother, healthier-looking skin and a slimmer, toned-looking physique. These results will be long lasting, but it is important to maintain healthy eating and activity habits to prevent significant weight gain that could impact the results in the future.

Cost of Post-Weight Loss Treatments in Tennessee and Georgia

Each patient’s weight loss journey is different, and as such, their post-weight loss treatments are different as well. The total cost of your treatment will depend on your goals, the scale of your procedure, what treatments are being included, and more.

The best way to receive a cost estimate is to schedule a consultation with one of the professionals at Southern Surgical Arts.

If you have any questions about payments, pricing, procedures, or more, please feel free to call (800) 950-0492 and get the information you need.

FAQ

References

1. Regan JP, Casaubon JT. Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck). PubMed. Published 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431058/
2. Nagrath N, Winters R. Brachioplasty. PubMed. Published 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585115/
3. Bell D, Winters R. Thighplasty. PubMed. Published 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594236/