Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss

Does Everyone Do It?

The short answer is no — plastic surgery is not for everyone. However, you may consider skin removal surgery or other forms of plastic surgery after weight loss for many reasons. If this is the case, the first thing you should do is consult your bariatric medical practitioner to get key information regarding plastic surgery, such as the following.

How far along are you in your weight loss journey?

There’s no point rushing to have plastic surgery if you’re not yet close to your weight loss goal. Your body will continue to change after weight loss, and these changes will also affect the results of plastic surgery. If you haven’t reached your goal yet, having plastic surgery too soon may result in needing another procedure later on after further weight loss. You may also not achieve the result you're hoping for if you have surgery too early in your journey.

That said, there are exceptions. Some patients find that they need plastic surgery before reaching their goal due to issues like excess skin preventing them from exercising, or skin irritation and recurrent skin infections.

What are your goals for surgery?

As you consider plastic surgery, ask yourself what you hope to achieve. If your goals align with the situations mentioned above, talk to your bariatric medical practitioner about getting a referral to a plastic surgeon with experience working with bariatric patients.

Are your goals realistic?

Consider whether your goals are realistic, given your body type, lifestyle, and age. Recovery from skin removal surgery can take time, and the longer you can dedicate to recovery, the better the outcome. Be sure to ask both your bariatric medical practitioner and your plastic surgeon about recovery timelines to determine if the procedure fits with your work and family life.

Celebrating Your Journey

Finally, some patients choose to have plastic surgery toward the end of their weight loss journey as a way to celebrate how far they’ve come — almost like closing a chapter on a life-changing experience. While exercise can help improve your body, skin removal surgery may be the final step to reshaping areas of the body that no longer look "in proportion".

Whatever you choose, always remember that the decision is yours. This is your journey, and therefore, your choice. No one knows your body better than you. If plastic surgery is the final step in your transformation, be informed, be empowered, and go for it!