Obesity has become one of modern society’s inevitable epidemics, but thankfully, there is now a rise in the number of people who are bucking the trend and accomplishing significant weight loss in their lives through natural means of diet and exercise, or after undergoing weight loss surgery. Dr Ray Goh from Valley Plastic Surgery want to help these individuals continue to look after themselves, and contour their shape to make them completely comfortable with their healthier, happier bodies.
Although weight loss contributes positively to general wellbeing, it can also cause the body to deflate like a balloon, resulting in loose and saggy skin. This can cause tremendous cosmetic deformity, as well as pain and discomfort, as the skin begins to fold and rub on itself, and psychologically, can often be more harmful for the patient than when they were overweight.
Body contouring surgery encapsulates a range of surgical procedures aimed at improving and restoring the body’s shape after a significant weight loss. Common procedures that fall into this category include tummy tucks, lower body lifts, breast lifts, and arm and thigh lifts. These procedures generally involve the removal of large areas of skin, therefore extensive scarring is often one of the trade-offs patients need to accept. As a silver lining, though, these scars will fade, and are usually placed strategically to minimise their visibility.
The initial process of this type of surgery usually begin with identifying the areas which are of major concern, in order to allow the surgeon to prioritise, plan, and stage the surgery. When a patient has several areas that need addressing, it must be determined whether they can be all treated at the same time, or whether treatment should be more sensibly broken up into multiple procedures, staged over a period of time. In making this decision, the surgeon and patient need to consider healing factors, recovery, and safety.
Body contouring is considered major surgery, and is not without its risks. In preparing for this type of surgery, it is best that the patient has reached and is stable in their goal weight, lives an active healthy lifestyle, and has eliminated risk factors such as smoking. They should maintain a positive mindset during recovery, and be focused and motivated by the final outcome, which will close the final chapter in their weight loss journey.
Dr Ray Goh
