Flank Excision and Wound Separation

After a 140 lb. weight loss (Congratulations, regardless of the method of loss!) your loose skin almost certainly extends around the entire abdomen, hip roll, lateral thigh, and buttock regions. You have already had a tummy tuck, and at the very end of your incisions on either side you have all the previously-existing loose skin remaining. These areas are properly called the flanks (literally, the area of tissue between the lowest ribs and the hips), hip rolls, or "love handles." How much... more

If you have diabetes, if you continue to smoke, if your BMI is still elevated, and if the wound is in an area that moves a lot and is prone to being pulled apart then your risk of wound separation is something to consider. Given the brief description you have given us I am not sure why wound separation would be a significant risk. Sincerely, Martin Jugenburg, MD FRCSC

This is a good question. My advice is not to get too tripped up on the terminology. It sounds like basically you are going to have the extra skin around your love handles excised. When contouring around the body, you can have an abdominoplasty in the front and a some variation of a belt lipectomy or buttocks lift in the back. From what you describe, it sounds like you are having a portion of some or all of the above. Without seeing you or seeing "before"... more