For those who have gone through a
bariatric or gastric bypass surgery to treat their obesity,
the amazing amount of weight loss experienced can lead to
all sorts of problems. When the capacity of your stomach is
reduced, it gives patients who used to eat excessively a sense
of ‘satiety’ when eating, therefore, the intake
of food is reduced greatly preventing the person from overeating.
This then, leads to a relatively
short period of rapid and massive weight loss (12 to 18 months),
resulting in large amounts of ‘excessive skin’,
which can form unsightly pockets all over the patient’s
body. Bariatic body contouring consists in making the patient
‘fit his/her own skin’ after a gastric bypass
treatment.
When working with these patients,
the certified doctors at Better Looks are aware that the skin
of a post-bariatric client is quite different from a non-bariatric
patient. The former’s skin, after being stretched so
much, can be damaged and may have lost its capacity to keep
itself ‘tight’; this means that in some cosmetic
procedures, these patients’ skin can ‘loosen’
a lot quicker than any other person’s.
Post-bariatric
patients usually suffer from breast
ptosis (droppiness), sagging facial,
abdominal and arm skin as well
as excessive wrinkling or skin folds in the thighs. Bariatric
body contouring offers a solution to all these problems and
can help you improve your appearance so that you can enjoy
your weight loss to the maximum and increase your self-assurance
as you obtain the shapely figure you’ve always dreamed
of.
Whenever you come to the decision
of submitting yourself to any type of cosmetic
treatment, you always need to keep in mind that no procedure
will be able to provide an ‘ideal’ aspect to your
body. The objective of a plastic
surgery is to achieve an improvement in your features,
not to provide ‘perfection’. This can aid you
to boost your self-confidence and assurance, while making
you feel happier with the way you look while at the same time
keeping reasonable and down-to-earth expectations. This is
one of the center values we have here at Better Looks; we
want our clients to be completely satisfied with the results
of their surgery and to heighten their self-esteem.
Those who desire a more refreshing
and youthful appearance after having gone through a gastric
bypass are ideal candidates for this surgery. If the sagging
skin after weight loss is still making you feel fat, this
procedure is the right one for you if you find yourself in
good health physically. But you need make sure that your weight
has stabilized before you submit yourself to this procedure.
By
offering one of the best teams of surgeons
in the industry, Better Looks is aware of the different types
of wants our diverse patients may have. Therefore, we will
provide the best service possible for you, no matter what
you are looking for, and we will help you in every possible
way in your pursuit to enhance your appearance.
Before any type of surgery is performed,
clients at Better Looks are required to have a detailed discussion
with their plastic surgeon.
By doing so, both parties have the chance to contribute in
the whole procedure and to amplify the client's level of satisfaction.
The patient must discuss his/her prospects openly with their
doctor, who will help determine what isn't or what is possible
to achieve. All the different factors of the surgery you are
willing to undertake (the cost and recovery process) must
be extremely clear to you.
During this initial consultation,
your doctor will evaluate your condition and will determine
which technique(s) are the best for you. An overall strategy
plan will be constructed and he/she will review it with you
before the surgery. In most cases, your surgeon will mark
the places where the incisions will take place on your body
using a marker.
You will need to tell your doctor
of any allergies you might be prone to or if you have any
serious medical conditions. Make sure to ask your surgeon
concerning the diverse details that the surgery entails. For
example, you should know if you should refrain from taking
certain medications (eg: aspirin) or if you will need to avoid
drinking or eating for a certain time period before your surgery.
When
planning for your surgery in Costa Rica, Better Looks will
make sure to offer all the best possible services during your
surgery. We will arrange for your transport and will offer
the best commodities during
your recovery. All this can be arranged previously with our
organization.
If you have any queries or doubts,
our plastic surgeons will be more than happy to help you during your
initial discussion.
This surgery is performed under general
anesthesia and depending on the extent of the operation, it
can last from 4 to 8 hours.
Usually, different cosmetic techniques
will be utilized during a bariatric body contouring procedure.
Surgeries such as mastoplexy (breast
lift), brachioplasty (arm lift), tummy
tuck and lipectomy (lower body lift) as usually applied,
even though there are many other surgeries which can be used
in conjunction as well.
Following the marking made prior
to the operation, your surgeon will proceed to make the precise
incisions. Once this is done, he/she will separate and elevate
the skin and fat from the underlying structures. This is done
with extreme care and precision, making sure that all the
excess tissue is removed.
Finally, the skin will be re-draped
over the region and stitches will be used to close the incisions.
Surgical drains will be placed underneath, since fluid tends
to accumulate after such procedures and can delay the healing.
The drains will make sure that fluids are taken out, lowering
the risk of any complications.
When
all is done, your doctor will wrap the affected area with
a compression bandage, which helps support the stitches during
your recovery process and minimizes the swelling and bruising.
Usually, you will have to stay overnight
at the hospital/clinic and will be kept under observation
to make sure that the surgical drains are working properly.
The dressings will be changed the next day and you will be
able to go home or to a recovery
center. You should be able to resume walking a couple
of days later and the drains will be taken off during the
next few days.
It is natural for swelling and bruising
to occur after a bariatric body contouring surgery; if the
pain and discomfort is too much for you, your doctor will
prescribe painkillers for you. You will have to wear the compression
bandage for at least 3 weeks.
It is recommended that you take it
easy during this period, so that your body will be able to
heal properly. You will have to refrain from making any aerobic
exercises or sports for at least 3 weeks; you should also
avoid strenuous activities such as weight lifting. As you
recover, your surgeon will let you know which activities you
will be able to resume little by little.
The
results of the surgery will be noticeable
immediately. You must keep in mind that the shape of your
body will continue to improve in the weeks after the procedure
as the swelling and bruising disappear. You will find that
your arms, breasts, abdomen, thighs and buttocks will have
a ‘tightened’ appearance and will look more youthful
and firm. Sometimes, ‘touch up’ procedures will
be necessary, but all in all, you will feel a lot more comfortable
in your ‘new skin’.
As with any type of cosmetic
surgery, complications are unusual, but they sometimes
do happen, especially when it comes to such an extensive full-body
surgery. However, risks can be reduced by precisely following
your doctor’s directions before and after the procedure.
After bariatric body contouring,
patients may suffer from seroma (excess body fluid trapped
in the affected area) which can cause serious infections;
this is the reason why you must be extremely careful with
the surgical drains and make sure they are working properly.
Another potential problem is hematoma (internal bleeding)
but this can also be treated with the drains.
Be certain to ask your Better Looks
surgeon concerning any complications you might have to face
when undertaking this procedure. However, you must keep in
mind that our certified group of doctors works around the
clock to prevent such scenarios from happening, since we value
the health of our patients above anything else.
In order to keep the risks at a bare
minimum, please make sure that you follow your doctor’s
instructions at all times.
The
information given in this website should be considered as
an introduction to a bariatric body contouring surgery. Before
deciding on submitting yourself to the procedure described
above, we highly recommend you contact BetterLooks directly,
so we can answer any specific question you might have.
Related Keywords:
Gastric bypass, treatment for obesity, body contouring, body
sculpting, morbid obesity, bariatric surgery, post bariatric surgery, arm lift, breast lift, tummy tuck, buttock, thigh, stretch marks, neck, facelift, massive weight loss surgery, body contour procedures, dermolipectomy,
hanging flesh,
hanging skin,
sagging skin
.
Whenever you come to the decision
of submitting yourself to any type of 
During this initial consultation,
your doctor will evaluate your condition and will determine
which technique(s) are the best for you. An overall strategy
plan will be constructed and he/she will review it with you
before the surgery. In most cases, your surgeon will mark
the places where the incisions will take place on your body
using a marker.
This surgery is performed under general
anesthesia and depending on the extent of the operation, it
can last from 4 to 8 hours.
Usually, you will have to stay overnight
at the hospital/clinic and will be kept under observation
to make sure that the surgical drains are working properly.
The dressings will be changed the next day and you will be
able to go home or to a 
