When you have a massive weight loss, your skin has to pay a price. It will try to bounce back after it stretches enough to fit the excess of muscle and fat, and the amount of skin that hangs outside of your body is what will make you question yourself, “Is it necessary to go under the knife?”
And that’s not the only doubtーyou may be wondering as well about how you can heal and blur out your scars after the surgery. Luckily, at Northeastern Plastic Surgery, we understand how this problem can make you feel insecure about your body’s appearance, but not everything is lost. Through our services, you can get the scar revision you’re looking for.
About Massive Weight Loss
Going through a massive weight loss means getting rid of more than 75 pounds in your body. Normally, those who have achieved this are patients of bariatric surgery. But even if the weight loss was induced by surgery or a result from a strict diet and exercise regime, there’s inevitable consequences like having an excessive amount of hanging, loose skin.
The folds of extra skin can cause problems such as:
- Constant discomfort.
- Swelling, rash or ulcers inside the skin folds that can lead to an infection.
- Bad smell due to hygiene complications.
- Lower back pain.
- Pain when walking or standing up.
When Is Surgery Necessary?
When your hanging skin is starting to become a burden for your health and your daily routine, that’s when it becomes a need and not just a cosmetic fix. Loose skin can make it hard to walk, stand up, sit comfortably and perform exercises that could help you with going on with your health journey.
Sagging skin can also not only be an obstacle for your life, but can also create new health complications for your body, from rashes to infections. If your hanging skin is starting to take control of your life, it’s time to remove it. Some skin removal surgery options are:
- Body lift: Consists of the reshaping of the abdomen, upper back, buttocks, thighs, lower back, and in some cases, the arms. The result is a contoured body that makes you feel confident.
- Thigh lift: This reshapes your thighs by taking away the excess of skin and fat, resulting in toned, smooth thighs that enhance your body shape.
- Breast lift: During the procedure, the surgeon will bring the breast tissue and nipples up and cut out any excess skin that might make them look saggy by making an incision.
- Arm lift: This type of surgery improves the appearance of your upper arms by removing sagging skin and fat from them, making them look sculpted.
Scar Revision & Healing
Commonly, a patient expects their scars to heal appropriately and not to become a new problem for their health and their appearance, interfering with their self confidence. To prevent this from happening, the surgeon has to make a delicate closure on the scar.
Most of the time, the procedure done as a scar revision is a double-layer closure. This creates two layers of sutures: while the layer in the bottom connects the parts of the tissue together and takes the tension off the top layer, which brings the edges together, forming a clean-looking scar.
After this, the incision needs to be cleaned so it can heal and start getting a scar treatment. To do it, you’ll need to constantly wash the area with soap, apply antibiotic ointment, etc. Once your sutures are removed, the doctor will instruct you on how to use a silicone scar gel or sheeting, which will help you with softening and blurring the scars, hydrating and protecting your skin from infections. If you use the gel version, you’ll need to take a small amount of it twice a day and rub it on the scar, and if you go with the sheets, you will only need to cleanse them once a day to reuse them.
You need to remember this: the scars can’t be completely blurred out of your skin, but with the right treatment and attention from a good healthcare team, you can make them less visible.
Don’t Make These 4 Scar-healing Mistakes
If you want your scars to fade in your skin and to heal properly, avoid doing these activities:
Exposing yourself to the sun: The UV rays can “tan” your scars, making them darker and noticeable. Always apply sunscreen (SPF 30+) to the scarred area.
Scratching on the affected area: Avoid picking on the scar, as this can make your healing a slower process, and possibly cause infection.
Smoking: Smoking affects your blood flow by reducing it, interrupting the healing and making you vulnerable to thicker scars.
Lifting excessive weights: Avoid carrying heavy weights or doing strenuous activity that could put stress on the incisions.
Have a Safe Scar Revision in Florham Park, NJ
Being scared of how your body will transform after not only going through a massive weight loss, but also a skin removal surgery, isn’t an exaggerated reaction. The good thing is that you don’t have to stay with that doubt and fearーwith Northeastern Plastic Surgery, you’ll be in good hands.
Not only can you get the body contouring procedure you’ve been craving after starting your healthy journey, but we can also make things even easier for you with our scar revision treatment. You get a double treat: your dream body and a smooth post-surgery skin.
Right now, you can make an appointment at our Florham Park, New Jersey practice by calling (973) 295-6565 or using our online scheduling tool.