Procedure to Remove a Large Apron of Fat

It sounds like your procedure, if done at this time, will be classified as a panniculectomy.  You may not be an ideal candidate for such a procedure.  The closer you can get to your goal (ideal) weight, the better your result, the better your health, the better your recover will be.  I would recommend, if possible, that you postpone surgery until you get closer to your ideal body weight and your weight loss plateaus for at least 6 months, preferably 12.  If you are not not yet on a physician supervised weight loss program it may be helpful to do so.  

Thank you for your question and congratulations on your weight loss and lifestyle change!  Your weight loss is impressive and sure to improve your health, quality of life and body image.  There are several options for treating the large apron or pannus.  The most straight forward is a functional procedure called a panniculectomy...removal of the pannus or apron.  It basically just removes all of the hanging skin and fat from below the belly button to above the pubic area.  It will reduce the weight of the hanging apron and make it easier to sit, exercise and to find clothing that fits your new body.  It does not make your tummy flatter, decrease your waist, or improve the upper abdomen as it is not a tummy tuck.  A tummy tuck removes skin from above the belly button to the pubis, tightens the loose muscles and improves the belly button appearance.  This results in no hanging skin, a flatter tummy, better belly button and a smaller mons pubis.  A body lift removes skin , tightens the ab muscles, fixes the belly button and reduces the pubis like a tummy tuck, but continues around the waist to the back. This is the most powerful body contouring procedure for the trunk after weight loss.   It flattens the tummy, reduces the pubis and lifts it, improves the front of the thighs, side of the thighs, and lifts the buttocks.   The cost of these procedures vary by region of the country so you should look at the pricing information on the body lift page on real self.  Some insurance carriers may cover a panniculectomy because it is a functional, not aesthetic procedure.  Insurance companies do not cover aesthetic procedures like tummy tucks or body lifts.  It is important to know the differences in the procedures, be honest about your goals and work with your surgeon to select the procedure that is going to most closely meet your goals.  This will lead to more effective planning, a better result and more improvement in your body image and quality of life.  I hope that helps!  All the best!

I applaud you in your weight loss!  You are doing amazing.  I tell all my patients who wish to undergo body contouring procedures, whether it be arms, thighs, abdomens, or total body lifts, the best result you can get is after you have lost enough weight that you are approaching or have reached your ideal body weight and maintained this weight for 3-6 months.  This will give you the best overall result.  What you don't want to do is undergo a procedure too early in your weight loss plan and have excess skin and fat return after you reach your ideal weight.  Thus, what I would recommend is to keep at it with diet and exercise and when you reach your goal weight, consult with a plastic surgeon regarding body contouring procedures.  Good luck and hope this helps!

After reading your story, I would recommend  to loss more weigh before plastic surgery.   Your weight has improved but you still need to loss more in order to maintaining your good heath in a log run.  Plastic surgery is recommended unless it impairs physical activity  and is localized  in a specific  area of your body

Congratulations on your seventy pound weight loss! Unfortunately, even after this significant accomplishment you would still benefit from additional weight loss before proceeding with massive weight loss surgery.It's important to optimize weight loss before proceeding with massive weight loss surgery for a variety of reasons. It's also important that your weight be stable for at least six months before proceeding with this type of procedure. When these steps are taken, aesthetic results are better and complication rates are lower.Based on these considerations, you would benefit from further weight loss. Once this has been accomplished, you would benefit from a procedure that addresses excess skin both anteriorly and posteriorly. This type of circumferential skin resection can dramatically impact aesthetics and quality of life. How much tissue can safely be removed will depend upon your anatomic findings once your weight loss is complete. The cost of this type of procedure varies depending upon a number of variables, but is usually in the $7,000 to $11,000 range in the mid-western United States.If you're considering this type of surgical procedure, it's important to contact a board certified plastic surgeon with experience in this area. This surgeon should be able to evaluate your anatomic findings and outline an appropriate treatment plan.

Great question and one that virtually every patient has - and it is very common and reasonable  - since if you need a body lift you have lost a ton of weight - typically more than 100 pounds - and if you have lost this much weight you are of course interested in how many pounds your plastic surgeon will remove...I wish I could give you a specific or accurate answer - but unfortunately there is a range - the thinner you are the less weight that a body lift will remove - the least I have ever removed is 3 pounds - and the most is 95 pounds - in reality the average amount of the weight of the skin removed is 10-12 pounds...  it is always less weight than you would think!Happy to see you at any point for a consult and to give you a better sense of how many pounds that I could remove!Best of luck.

You are not the first patient to comment on the worsening roll of skin or the exorbitant weight of it as you shed pounds.  I think that you may still benefit from further weight loss from the perspective of the optimal final outcome.  Ideally your weight should be stable for some time.  A consultation with a surgeon will best answer that question for sure.The specific area of concern is the pannus (apron) and a panniculectomy can be performed.  I often write to the Ministry of Health in Ontario to ask them to fund that portion of the procedure.  Although not the same as a body lift or abdominoplasty, by having OHIP cover the cost of the panniculectomy, it will save my patients $2-3K on the cost of their procedure.  It is not a guarantee but a supportive letter from your surgeon can go a long way.  Hopefully you have that where you live.  Dr Rodger ShorttPlastic Surgeon OakvilleAss't Clin ProfessorDirector of Cosmetic Surgery Training,McMaster University

The procedure done to remove the apron of fat that hangs down beyond your abdomen is called a panniculectomy. A panniculectomy leaves a scar across the lowest part of your abdomen. This surgery is often covered by insurance when specific criteria are met, for example how low the apron hangs down. A panniculectomy is not the same thing as a tummy tuck, which is called an abdominoplasty. With an abdominoplasty, the muscles going down the abdomen are tightened with sutures and the belly button position on the abdomen is moved. This gives a tighter flatter appearance to the abdomen which a panniculectomy does not. Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic procedure and is not ever covered by insurance while a panniculectomy is done for medical reasons and lifestyle improvement so often is a covered procedure.Relatively speaking, there is actually not that much weight lost with a panniculectomy. But it will feel like a large weight removed to you because of the difference in balance. The lifestyle improvement is life-changing.If you are a candidate for the procedure, as determined by a plastic surgeon, the procedure is common and safely done.

I would suggest a panniculectomy.  This procedure removes excess skin and fat of the anterior abdominal wall.  The conditions you describe, I hope, should be covered by most insurance plans; however, your insurance may require you to lose more weight based on your height.  This number is your BMI.  Not having seen your pictures, I would guess your surgical specimen would weigh between 50 and 80 pounds.  For your case, I would suggest this procedure be perfomed in a hospital.  Good luck with your weight loss journey.  Sincerely, Dr. Katzen

A body lift is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the body to improve its shape and tone. It's also known as a belt lipectomy, circumferential tummy tuck, or extended tummy tuck. A body lift can be performed on the following areas: Lower body: Removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen, lower back, buttocks, hips, and thighs Upper body: Improves excess skin in the front and back of the chest Inner thigh: Targets the inner thigh by removing a wedge of skin and fat A body lift can be performed after significant weight loss, aging, or other genetic factors that affect skin's elasticity. It's also common to get body lift surgery after bariatric weight loss surgery when weight has stabilized. During a body lift, a surgeon makes incisions, removes excess skin and fat, and tightens underlying tissue. The length and pattern of the incisions depend on the amount and location of excess skin to be removed. A body lift is not weight loss surgery. To have body lift surgery, you should meet certain criteria, including: Good physical health, Completed weight loss goals, Committed to steady weight and healthy lifestyle, Nonsmoker, and Realistic expectations about results