“Has rapid and dramatic weight loss left behind excess fat and stretched skin?”
If you want to achieve a smoother and tighter body contour, excess skin removal (also known as panniculectomy) may be a suitable treatment for you.
Loosing a large amount of weight is an amazing achievement, one that should be celebrated. Despite that, many people who rapidly lose a lot of weight find that they need some extra help before they can enjoy their hard-earned figure. Dramatic weight loss, whether the result of bariatric surgery or extreme diet and exercising, can leave behind a large amount of excess skin. This is because such rapid weight loss does not give the skin a chance to repair itself and shrink gradually.
These troublesome skin folds can hang over the thighs and pelvic area, and in some can extend as low as their knees, over their genitals, hips and around the back, interfering with basic activities like walking, standing and sitting.
Not only can such hanging folds of excess skin be unpleasing aesthetically, it can also lead to serious health problems, including back problems, breakdown of skin, chafing and rashes, ulcers and skin injections.
If you are struggling with hanging folds of excess skin as a result of major weight loss, excess skin removal performed by our surgeon Dr Anh may be the solution for you.
What is a excess skin removal?
Excess skin removal, or ‘panniculectomy’ is a surgical procedure designed to help contour the body by removing hanging skin and fat from the lower abdomen. This is often classified as reconstructive surgery, as opposed to a cosmetic procedure, especially when performed to address physical functional impairment.
Candidates for excess skin removal
You may be a candidate for excess skin removal if you have recently experienced significant weight loss that has left behind excess abdominal fat that is causing you health issues. You should otherwise be in good health and have been at a stable weight for at least six months. Your plastic surgeon, Dr Anh, will assess your candidacy during your initial consultation.
What you can expect from your initial consultation for excess skin removal
Dr Anh realises that your initial consultation can be daunting. It is only natural to feel nervous or self-conscious about revealing your body concerns with someone you have never met before. Dr Anh understands that you may feel this way and will try to make the consultation as comfortable for you as possible.
Dr Anh and her cosmetic consultants will spend about 45 minutes with you to gain a better understanding of why you are seeking excess skin removal, the results you are hoping to achieve and the expectations you have surrounding the procedure.
During your consultation, Dr Anh will review your medical and surgical history before examining you. Afterwards, she will recommend a treatment plan and discuss the procedure in depth with you, including pre and post operative care.
She will also show you before and after photos of her previous patients, answer any questions you may have and provide you with written material regarding the procedure for you to take home. A quote will be given to you at the end of your consultation and all costs involved will be explained.
What happens during the procedure
Excess skin removal is performed under general anaesthesia and can take several hours to complete. Once you have been sedated, Dr Anh will make two incisions: a horizontal cut from hipbone to hipbone, and in some cases, another vertical cut from the sternum to the pubic bone. Dr Anh will remove excess skin and fat, before pulling the remaining skin together and closing the incisions with sutures.
FAQs
The cost of excess skin removal varies from patient to patient. The total cost of your panniculectomy procedure is made up of a number of components, including Dr Anh’s surgical fees, anaesthetic fees and hospital fees, as well as the complexity of the procedure. During your consultation with Dr Anh, she will provide you with a detailed quote of what is included in the total cost of your procedure.
It is important to understand that a panniculectomy is not the same as an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck. A tummy tuck is designed to tighten the abdominal muscles and remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen, making it a cosmetic procedure, rather than a reconstructive one. Panniculectomy, on the other hand, only removes skin and fat. Despite that, excess skin removal is often performed alongside an abdominoplasty.
Dr Anh is a highly experienced plastic surgeon, however no procedure is without risk. Potential risks and complications of panniculectomy include:
- Allergic reaction to anaesthesia, sutures, dressings or antibacterial agents
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Visible and prominent scarring
- Persistant pain
- Numbness
- Excess fluid accumulation
- Blood clotting
- Nerve damage
Excess skin removal is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, however depending on the extent of your procedure, you may need to stay overnight for observation and proper healing.
Dr Anh will fit you with support garments to wear during your recovery, which you will need to wear at all times. You will likely experience some pain, swelling and bruising after the procedure, however you will be prescribed pain medications to manage this.
You will need to take some time off work to rest following your excess skin removal. You will need to avoid any heavy lifting, strenuous exercise and swimming until advised by Dr Anh, however most patients are able to return to all normal activities within four weeks.
Dr Anh will provide you with thorough post operative care instructions to take home. This will cover how to care for your wounds, which medications to take and when, warning signs to look out for and a timeline for any follow-up visits.
As with any other surgical procedure, panniculectomy will inevitably leave a scar. During the procedure, Dr Anh will do her best to create incisions in easily hidden locations. This way, any scarring will hopefully go unnoticed once your surgical wounds have healed. If your skin is prone to scarring, make sure to discuss this with Dr Anh during your consultation.