Treatments for Excess Skin By Stuart Baker on April 13, 2017

Young skin is notable for its remarkable elasticity. Skin has to be highly elastic when we are young to accommodate all of the changes and growth our bodies must go through. Once we settle into adulthood, however, our body begins to lose much of its natural elasticity. As a result, when we gain and lose weight, our skin doesn’t always neatly adhere to our new forms. Indeed, many people who lose weight find themselves left with considerable amounts of hanging, leftover skin. Fortunately, plastic surgery offers an excellent solution in the form of body contouring.

Body contouring isn’t a procedure in and of itself, but rather a general term covering numerous procedures designed to refine and rejuvenate the figure. These procedures, which include abdominoplasty (or tummy tuck surgery), liposuction, breast lift, arm lift, thigh lift, and various other lift procedures, can be performed in isolation but are often performed in combination with one another as part of a more comprehensive treatment plan.

At The Center for Cosmetic Medicine, Dr. Stuart Baker customizes each body contouring procedure he performs to the unique needs and goals of the individual patient. In discussing treatments for excess skin during consultations at his Decatur, IL plastic surgery practice, Dr. Baker guides patients toward the treatment plan most likely to help them achieve the most aesthetically pleasing contours based on their healthy new weight.

If you have recently lost weight and find yourself struggling with lingering excess skin, please schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Baker today.

How Does Dr. Baker Treat Excess Skin?

In general, skin excision is not performed on its own but as part of another plastic surgery procedure, such as an abdominoplasty, a thigh lift, or an arm lift. The reason for this is that excess skin is virtually always accompanied by other excess tissues, such as isolated deposits of stubborn fat that could not be eliminated through diet and exercise. These fat deposits can be addressed through liposuction, while lax muscles can be repositioned and tightened to further ensure more pleasing contours. At this point, the skin can be pulled taut over the treated area and the excess can be removed.

Dr. Baker meticulously plans where he will place incisions to ensure an aesthetically pleasing and natural-looking result with the least amount of visible scarring possible. He keeps in mind how patients will look in various types of clothing, and how easy it will be to conceal those scars that are visible. While some scarring is inevitable with any form of surgery, he is able to keep it as discreet as possible. Most patients find some minor scarring made in strategic areas of the body far preferable to folds of loose, hanging skin.

Are You a Good Candidate for Treatment for Excess Skin?

As stated above, you are likely a good candidate for treatment for excess skin if you have lost a significant amount of weight, whether through bariatric surgery or a combination of diet and exercise. You may also be a good candidate for excess skin treatment if you:

Have loose, hanging skin from previous pregnancy and want to regain your pre-pregnancy figure.
Have hanging skin in a particular region of your body due to loss of muscle volume, such as your upper arms.
Want to rejuvenate drooping breasts through breast lift surgery.