What procedures to be considered ??
Following significant weight loss due to a Bariatric surgery (also known as gastric bypass surgery, stomach stapling, weight loss surgery, and obesity surgery), diet, or exercise, women and men often elect to have various cosmetic procedures to help them achieve the body shape that they seek. Following significant weight loss, a person can be left with a tremendous amount of excess, hanging skin throughout many areas of the body that cannot shrink back to the person's new body shape. Additionally, muscles may also become loose after dramatic weight loss. Due to the lack of elasticity of the remaining skin, excessive amounts of skin can accumulate and hang in various areas, including the face, neck, breasts, upper and lower abdomen, flanks, armpit (axilla), back, buttocks, arms, forearms, thighs, legs, and calves. Above being physically undesirable, this excess skin can cause considerable hygienic problems, skin irritation, skin breakdown and pain, infection, and can lead to problems in finding clothes that can fit properly.

To address these problems, cosmetic surgery has become the most popular and most effective solution for individuals who have lost significant weight due to surgery, diet or exercise. Facial and body contouring cosmetic procedures can help a patient obtain the best possible body shape that is hidden underneath the excess skin that remains after one's goal weight has been reached. As people who have lost a lot of weight typically have excess skin problems throughout many areas of their body and face, it is common for a patient to have several different cosmetic procedures that address all the problem areas. Among the cosmetic procedures (discussed below in detail) that patients have after a bariatric/gastric bypass surgery, diet, or exercise include Tummy Tuck, Breast Reduction, Breast Augmentation [ Implants ], Breast Lift, Facial Procedures (Face Lift, Eye lid Surgery, Neck Lift, Forehead Lift), Thigh lift [ Thighplasty ], Arm Procedures [ Brachioplasty, Lift, Reduction] Buttock Lift, male Breast Reduction [ Gynaecomastia], and Liposuction. While most of us would probably prefer to have all the necessary facial and body cosmetic procedures done at once, due to safety issues only 1-3 different procedures are typically performed at a time. Once all of the necessary cosmetic procedures are done, the cosmetic results can be extremely rewarding to the patient in physical, emotional, lifestyle, and functional respects.

Below is a discussion about each type of cosmetic procedure that can be considered by bariatric surgery/gastric bypass patients and individuals who have undergone a substantial diet or exercise. Make Me Heal has created different stores for each of the cosmetic procedures discussed below, with each store featuring all the specialized surgery recovery and preparation products needed by a patient having each procedure.

Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
Following significant weight loss due to Bariatric surgery, diet, or exercise, a person is typically left with both a large amounts of hanging skin in the upper and lower abdomen and loose abdominal wall muscles. To address these problems, a tummy tuck (also referred to as abdominoplasty or panniculectomy) is performed to remove the excess skin and tighten the abdominal muscles. The excess amount of skin is not only physically unappealing to post-weight loss patients, but it can lead to considerable hygienic problems. Because moisture can accumulate between the abdominal folds of excess skin, this can lead to a skin condition called intertriginous dermatitis whereby the rubbing of the skin folds leads to an inflammation. Due to excess skin, a person can experience skin redness and irritation that is often painful and can be itchy. Further, the skin can flake and break down, bleed, and become infected. Without surgery, one has to constantly dry the skin folds and wear loose, ventilating clothing to minimize the frequency of these skin inflammation flare-ups. However, this is only a temporary option that does not give permanent relief.

A Tummy Tuck is a very effective surgical solution that can lead to dramatic cosmetic results in the form of removal of the excess skin folds and tightening of the abdominal muscles. For post-weight loss patients, this procedure is often combined with a Thigh Lift (this procedure is discussed below) and buttock augmentation or lift done all together at once.

Breast Lift (Mastopexy) & Breast Augmentation (Implants)
Following significant weight loss, a woman's breast can sag and lose breast volume. While the normal passage of time, aging and the effects of gravity cause breasts to droop and become less firm, significant weight loss can dramatically speed up this process and lead to considerable droopiness (known as ptosis) and loss of breast tissue volume. Fortunately, there are various cosmetic surgery options for treating these problems. For women who want to reduce the breast sagginess and also want larger breasts, a Breast Lift [ Mastopexy] is combined with Breast Augmentation [ with Implants]. For women who desire larger breasts but do not have much sagging, having breast implants alone can be sufficient. For women who are experiencing breast droopiness but do not desire to have larger breasts because they have enough breast tissue, a breast lift alone can treat the problems and result in a very satisfying cosmetic outcome.