We are in the midst of an unparalleled epidemic of obesity in this country. This is related to a combination of a general overindulgence in food, excessive consumption of foods high in fat and calories, and a more sedentary life style. Many of these people have realized that, for a variety of reasons, this excess weight needed to be shed. Through arduous dieting, exercise often in conjunction with bariatric surgery such as lap banding or gastric bypass they have lost tremendous amounts of weight, often far exceeding 100 pounds.
Success, finally! Celebration? Maybe not quite yet. Despite the massive weight loss that was so difficult to achieve, what many people didn’t anticipate was the permanent consequences on their bodies of first gaining then losing this sizable poundage. The figure that they envisioned following all this effort is not what they are seeing in the mirror. Instead of being slimmed down, contoured and generally smaller, most are left with unsightly deformities consisting of an excess of lax, irregularly contoured stretched skin that frequently cascades in rolls creating hygienic issues and an aesthetic nightmare.
Which areas are affected? From the face on down, the sequelae from massive weight loss may be seen. There is considerable variability among individuals as to the severity and areas that are most affected. Common areas include the abdomen, buttocks, circumferential trunk, inner and outer thighs, breasts, arms and even face and neck.
Fortunately, cosmetic procedures have been designed and refined that can address essentially any and all deformities related to post massive weight loss deformities. Examples of these procedures include abdominoplasties, thigh lifts, belt lipectomies, breast lifts, breast augmentations, arm lifts, face lifts and back lifts. A strategy for body contouring can be uniquely tailored for your individual needs based on your deformities and goals which could be determined at the time of consultation.
If you would like to obtain additional information on body contouring surgery such as for a tummy tuck, belt lipectomy, breast lift (mastopexy), breast augmentation, arm lift and face lift, you can contact my office at 480-451-3000.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona