We want our skin to conform over our face and body firmly to create a smooth, youthful surface. Sometimes, skin loses its firmness for a variety of reasons, leading to skin folds that can be physically uncomfortable as well as cosmetically bothersome. Surgical removal of excess skin essentially contours the body to your desired image, enhancing areas like the arms, legs, torso and buttocks. Here in Beverly Hills, Dr. Daniel Barrett offers customized surgical removal of excess skin to help patients achieve the attractive body contour they desire.
Causes of Excess Skin
The primary reason for excess skin is massive weight loss. When you lose weight quickly, such as after bariatric surgery, the skin often doesn’t have time to conform around the new body contour. The result is a slimmer body profile, but also one that is overshadowed by extra skin that had adapted to a previously much larger shape. The loose skin folds can create significant discouragement as you are left no more satisfied with your appearance despite reaching your target number on the scale.
While significant weight loss is the most common cause of excess skin, it’s not the only one. Other culprits might be weight changes due to pregnancy, poor healing after a previous surgical procedure or laxity due to the aging process. No matter what the reason might be for your loose, hanging folds of skin, Dr. Barrett has surgical solutions to eliminate the excess skin and create a smoother, more attractive body contour.
Is Excess Skin Removal Right for You?
Prime candidates for excess skin removal surgery are individual with loose skin that is cosmetically, functionally or emotionally troubling. Whether this excess skin creates the dreaded turkey neck, or is causing chafing under your clothing, this issue can be resolved through a surgical procedure. You should be in relatively good health and have realistic expectations for the outcome of your procedure. Sufficient recovery time is essential to ensure an optimal outcome. You also need to understand that there will be some scarring in exchange for the removal of the skin. However, Dr. Barrett takes meticulous steps to minimize visible scarring and produce an exceptional cosmetic result for you.
In order to ensure you get the results you want in a single operation, Dr. Barrett advises you to wait for your treatment until you have maintained a stable and desired weight for at least six months. The waiting process prevents unnecessary skin stretching or additional loosening in the future. Dr. Barrett will assess you personally to determine whether surgical removal of excess skin is the right option for you. Should there be additional pockets of fat that you would also like to remove during the surgery, he might also recommend liposuction as an add-on procedure.
Choosing Your Surgeon
Removal of excess skin may sound like a straightforward process, the visibility of the treatment requires meticulous technique and extensive experience to produce the best cosmetic result. Although scarring is inevitable, there are ways to minimize the appearance. Dr. Barrett has the expertise to keep visible scarring to a minimum, through proper placement of incisions, reduced trauma to surrounding tissue and state-of-the-art suturing techniques. In addition, he practices a detailed protocol after surgery to ensure your incisions heal cleanly to further reduce scarring.
Benefits of Excess Skin Removal
The benefits of excess skin removal can be far-reaching and might include:
- Firmer, smoother body contour
- Loss of inches in problem areas like the thighs, arms and midsection
- More comfortable fit to clothing
- No more irritation and rashes due to skin rubbing together
- Greater confidence in your appearance
Procedure Overview
Surgical removal of excess skin is usually performed under general anesthesia, depending on the amount of skin that needs to be excised. Incisions are placed in natural folds of the skin and other inconspicuous areas whenever possible. Through the openings, Dr. Barrett will remove the excess skin to create a better contour to the treatment area overall. Once the area is completed, he will close the incisions using special techniques that ensure proper healing and minimization of post-operative scarring.
After Excess Skin Removal
Your recovery process will vary, depending on the specific areas addressed and the amount of skin removed. You may expect to experience some degree of soreness, swelling and numbness. All these side effects are temporary and should subside within a couple of weeks. Dr. Barrett will prescribe pain medication and provide you with specific instructions to keep you comfortable and support the healing process.
Dr. Barrett uses a very specific protocol to minimize your post-operative scarring. Instead of absorbable stitches that can lead to inflammation when the body tries to break them down, he uses non-reactive sutures that are removed during the first and second week of the recovery process. After stitches have come out, a taping process is used for an additional two weeks to ensure optimal healing and provide sun protection during this vulnerable phase. After taping, you will use a patented scar gel treatment daily for three more months to optimize the scar remodeling process. Dr. Barrett also advises against hot tubs, baths and swimming for two weeks after surgery to avoid complications.
Schedule Your Excess Skin Removal in Beverly Hills
Excess skin can be both unsightly and uncomfortable. Whether you are struggling with this issue after weight loss or for other reasons, Dr. Barrett can help. Contact Barrett Plastic Surgery today at 310-598-2648 to find out how excessive skin removal can help you achieve your body contouring goals.
The information about removal excess skin was reviewed by Dr. Daniel Barrett. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using our contact form below.