Conveniently located to serve Baton Rouge and Prairieville

Post-bariatric body contouring is the next step for individuals who have lost dramatic amounts of weight through bariatric surgery or through traditional methods of dieting and exercise. Following massive weight loss, people often struggle with the presence of loose and sagging skin in areas all around their body.

At Bourgeois Freel Plastic Surgery in Baton Rouge, we can provide you with the care you need to become the new you that you want to be. Post-bariatric body-contouring surgery allows the appearance of your body to better reflect the weight you have lost.

What Is Post-Bariatric Body Contouring?

During weight gain, the skin expands to accommodate the increased bulk. Massive weight loss significantly reduces the amount of bulk on the body, but if the weight is lost rapidly, the skin (especially inelastic skin) may not be able to adequately shrink back down to its previous size. This results in loose sagging flaps of skin around the body.

Post-bariatric body contouring refers to many types of procedures used to address the areas of your body that have been heavily affected by massive weight loss. Some of the regions most heavily affected include the:

• Face and neck
• Upper arms
• Chest/Breasts
• Abdomen
• Flanks
• Buttocks
• Thighs

Post-bariatric body contouring often combines procedures like a thigh lift, arm lift, and abdominoplasty surgery as a way to provide the patients with more comprehensive results.

Is Post-Bariatric Body Contouring Right for Me?

If you have noticeable amounts of loose excess skin around your body, you are likely to be a good candidate for post-bariatric body contouring. You must be fully recovered from bariatric surgery before considering body contouring. You must achieve a stable body weight before this procedure, because further weight changes can affect contouring results.

You must not be pregnant or breastfeeding during your post-bariatric body contouring surgery. It will be best to reschedule the procedure if you have upcoming pregnancy plans.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING YOUR CONSULTATION?

Prior to your surgery, your pertinent medical history and current health will need to be evaluated to determine if you are healthy enough to undergo the procedure. This will be performed during your initial consultation at Bourgeois Freel Plastic Surgery. You will also be asked about your reasons for wanting surgery and what your expectations are regarding your results.

Once this discussion has taken place, your doctor will work with you to choose the ideal combination of body-contouring procedures to achieve your aesthetic goals. A date will then be set for the surgical session.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE SURGERY

The duration of your post-bariatric body contouring will depend on the specific procedures involved. Anesthesia will be administered for patient comfort; typically, general anesthesia is used. After the anesthesia has taken full effect, incisions will be made in target areas.

Excess skin will be removed, and liposuction may be used to address any remaining pockets of excess fat. Underlying tissues may also be tightened with internal sutures. The exact combination of techniques performed varies from patient to patient.

Incisions will be closed using sutures and then bandaged. Small drains may be inserted to prevent fluid buildup during the recovery process.

Recovering from Post-Bariatric Body Contouring

You may need to stay in the facility for a time while your condition is monitored before being released. After this time, you will be able to return home to rest and heal.

Because the procedure typically consists of multiple surgeries, the recovery period after post-bariatric body contouring may be a bit more difficult than it would be for each individual procedure. However, if each procedure were performed separately, the amount of time spent recovering would be significantly longer.

You will experience a degree of bruising, swelling, and discomfort during the recovery period. Prescription medication will be provided to help the healing process.

Compression garments will need to be worn during the first part of the recovery process to help manage swelling and provide support. You will also be given a thorough list of post-operative instructions that will help make the recovery process as easy and quick as possible.

Schedule a Consultation Today

Contact Bourgeois Freel Plastic Surgery today to schedule an informative consultation for your post-bariatric body contouring. We are here to provide you with the surgical care you and your body need.

Your Post-Bariatric Body Contouring procedure will be performed in Bourgeois Freel Plastic Surgery‘s surgery center located in Baton Rouge, LA.

By Dr. Freel