How long should you wait after a gastric bypass to get skin reduction surgery?

Question

What is the recommended time to wait after weightless surgery to get skin reduction? Can you do some operations before others? I am interested in getting a full body lift also including arms, inner thighs and breast.

Marc DuPéré, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.It is considered safe to wait for a minimum of 6 months (6-12) of stable weight (+/- 5 lbs per month) prior to considering any type of body lifts, be it a lower body lift, a breast list, an inner thigh lift, a facelift or an armlift.Bigger fluctuations can alter your results.Prior to considering the plastic surgery contouring procedures, make sure your blood results have returned to normal and that your protein intake is adequate; most body lifting procedures are large procedures with long incisions and you will need a good nutrition (especially proteins) to heal those wounds rapidly and efficiently.Many different combinations exist with varying complexities and recoveries; it is common in my practice to combine breasts and arms or breasts, torso and back rolls; a body lift is usually done on its own as it is already a complex and lengthy (yet rewarding) procedure.  A full vertical thigh lift is also a relatively serious procedure and usually done alone, whereas a smaller crescentic inner thigh lift can be combined with an upper body procedure.  A healthy discussion with your plastic surgeon will guide you.Let us know if this information was useful.Good luck,Best regards,Dr. Marc DuPéré, Toronto aesthetic plastic surgeon and body surgeon

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

After significant weight loss, it's common for patients to have excess skin that can be addressed with plastic surgery. The recommended time to wait after a gastric bypass before getting skin reduction surgery varies from patient to patient and depends on individual healing time and recovery. In general, it's advisable to wait until your weight has stabilized, and you have maintained a stable weight for at least 3 months. This is because significant weight fluctuations can impact the results of skin reduction surgery. In terms of combining surgeries, it's possible to do them together in some cases, but it would depend on the specifics of each patient's case and the recommendation of their surgeon. It's important to prioritize safety and optimal outcomes when making decisions about surgery. A consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon can provide you with more personalized information about your options and the best timing for surgery. Good luck on your journey towards a healthier and happier you. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen.

Samer W. Cabbabe, MD · Answer

Most patients will undergo plastic surgery around one year after weight loss surgery.  What we are really interested in seeing is when the weight loss plateaus and your weight stabilizes.  Insurance companies want at least 6 months of stable weight.

George Lawson III, MD, FACS · Answer

Most of the time I tell my patients to wait at least 6 months after bariatric surgery before considering body contouring surgery.  The most important things are for your weight to be stable and your vitamin and lab levels to be normalized.  If you are still losing or gaining weight, that will affect the final outcome of the plastic surgery as well.  Some procedures go well together and meeting with a board - certified plastic surgeon can clear this up as he or she will need to examine you and make a unique plan.

Peter Laniewski, MBBS, FRACS · Answer

I  agree that once your weight has stabilised and you have achieved your weight loss goals and you are nutritionally  well then you can begin to think about your plastic surgery.Combing procedures is often  down to surgeon preference and governed by your ability to  recover from multiple procedures. I  don't have a problem combining a thigh lift with a body lift. I certainly would leave the breasts and arms for another time.Treat what is most important to your, however in general terms the abdomen should be done before the breasts so that the breasts are not pulled down during an abdominoplasty.Good Luck!

Laurence Kirwan, MD, FRCS, FACS · Answer

Don't contemplate surgery before six months after your weight loss has stabilized. You should be in good health and your weight loss physician should ensure that your metabolic indices and hemoglobin level are all at the optimal level. Body-lifting surgery can be life-changing after massive weight loss. I generally recommend an abdominoplasty with or without a lower body lift as the first step followed by breast-lift / combined with an upper flank lift, as the second. The third and forth procedures can be a brachioplasty and a vertical thigh lift, in that order. Consult with a Plastic Surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery who is experienced in this kind of surgery. Look at his before and after gallery on his web site.

Marisa Lawrence, MD · Answer

It is generally recommended that you wait until your weight-loss has stabilized.  Weight gain or loss after your surgery will change you results.  It is also important to be healthy in terms of protein intake and blood count, especially if you have had a gastric bypass.  And lastly, make sure you have a good support system in terms of friends and family for post-operative care.  Recovery will take between 2 and 6 weeks depending on the type of surgery you will have.  You will need drivers and helpers for at least the first week to insure that surgery is successful.  The order of the procedures depends on your priority.  I like to start with the bodylift and this can be combined with breast and arm surgery.  Having a bodylift at the same time as the thighplasty makes for a difficult recovery.

Denis L. Gonyon, Jr., MD (account suspended) · Answer

As you can see from the other physicians who have responded, 6 months at a stable weight is a good minimum and a year is even better.  A stable weight means your weight is not decreasing or increasing by more than 5 pounds on a monthly basis.  Your overall health is important as well. If you have had gastric bypass surgery it is a good idea to have routine labs check prior to surgery to check for things like anemia.Regarding timing of the different surgeries, this will depend on an assessment by your surgeon of how much can be safely done at one time.  Most patients start with a body lift and then consider secondary surgeries such as arm lift, breast lift, and thigh lift.  In general I perform the body lift in one surgery and then the arm lift and breast lift in a second surgery.  I hope this helps.

How long should you wait after a gastric bypass to get skin reduction surgery?

Answers (8)

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