Body Contouring After Drastic Weight Loss

    SEATTLE, WA, February 01, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- For some people, weight loss becomes such a vital necessity that there is no choice but to take drastic measures. Years of obesity, of losing weight and regaining it, can take a terrible toll on your health and self-image. If your health is severely threatened, a doctor might recommend rapid weight loss, through strict dieting or even gastric bypass surgery.

Why Pursue Body Contouring?

While these drastic approaches can have dramatic and life-changing results, they come with their own set of problems. When you lose weight very quickly, the rest of the body can have a difficult time catching up. This is particularly true for the skin.

Under normal conditions, the skin is quite elastic and resilient. Rapid weight loss, however, doesn't give the skin enough time to adapt to the changes the body is going through. In addition, in these cases often the weight gain has stretched the skin, making it less resilient due to stretch marks. The skin's normal elastic properties are compromised. As a result, if you lose a great deal of weight in a short time, the result is better health and a better body weight, but also loose, sagging skin that sometimes makes it difficult to see how dramatic your weight loss actually is.

The only real way to effectively reduce this excess skin is through cosmetic surgery. Various body contouring procedures can remove excess, bagging skin left behind after rapid weight loss. They can also help tighten muscles, particularly in the abdomen, that have been stretched and have lost their elasticity. Often this kind of excess skin or overly stretched abdominal muscles cannot be eliminated or toned through additional diet or exercise. Cosmetic surgery, though, can dramatically improve the contours of your body, giving you the look you truly want as the result of your hard work and weight loss.

What Cosmetic Surgery Procedures Can Help?

Some procedures that are particularly effective for body contouring after excessive weight loss include:

• Tummy tuck. If you've almost reached your ideal weight, but still have loose skin and/or excess fat in the abdominal area, a tummy tuck might be the answer. A traditional tummy tuck tightens skin and muscle through the entire abdominal area, while a mini tummy tuck will help correct the area below the navel. A consultation with a plastic surgeon will help you determine which option is most suited to your needs.
• Breast lift and/or augmentation. Weight loss can also dramatically affect the shape and elasticity of the breasts. A breast lift can remove excess skin, reduce sag, and restore a youthful appearance to your breasts. If weight loss causes a drastic reduction in the size of your breasts, an augmentation can bring them back to a size and shape you're happier with.
• Thigh lift. Excess loose skin and that last bit of fatty tissue in the thighs can be removed with a thigh lift, which will also help refine and tighten your thighs. A thigh lift can address issues with the inner or outer portions of the thighs, depending on your particular issues.

If you have recently lost a great deal of weight through strict dieting or a gastric bypass, and would like to find out how to further refine your look through body contouring, please contact cosmetic surgeon Dr. David F. Pratt at 800-558-3446 for an initial consultation. We'll help you determine what body contouring procedures can best help you gain the body you deserve after your weight loss. Dr. Pratt's office serves Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and Everett, Washington.

Source: Dr. David F. Pratt
Website: http://www.prattplasticsurgery.com

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