After Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Body Contouring

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am a 32 year old female. I have had bariatric surgery and have successfully lost 120lbs. 320 to 200 at 5’8 tall. And while I am very happy with my weight loss, I am left with a large amount of sagging skin in multiple areas, arms, back, breast, abdomen, and thighs. I believe that I would like to eventually seek an arm lift, breast lift with aug, TT with muscle repair, and thigh lift, possible liposuction to these areas, if needed to achieve best results. My question is, which of these procedures can be combined? What would you suggest as an approach. What is the consultation fee? Do you suggest I lose more weight? 

Thank you for your input,

A: In answer to your post bariatric body contouring questions:

1) You want to maximize your weight loss before having any body contouring done…this always goes without saying. A weight loss of 120lbs is very impressive and you are to be congratulated. If significant more weight loss is your goal then you should do so. But if you are only going to lose another 10 or 20lbs at best then you can go ahead anytime with the surgery. In other words if you are at 85% to 90% of your weight loss goal, then it is Ok to process with surgery as that process will carry you the rest of the way with the final weight loss.

2) Many body contouring procedures can be combined. But for the purposes of recovery and to limit surgical risks, no one is going to have all their desired procedures in a single setting. Thus I tell patients to pick their top two procedures of most importance and do those first. In the last majority of cases patients often choose an extended tummy tuck and armlets as their top priorities. Your most important procedures may or may be the same.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana