Will a 15-20lb weight gain (then loss) after a body lift affect results?

Thank you for your question about weight gain then weight loss a  lower body lift or 360 circumferential lower body lift. Unfortunately, yes, weight gain then loss will affect your body lift results.  A 15 pound weight gain will stretch your skin and break elastic fibers in the dermis.  With a subsequent 15 pound weight loss, your skin will try to recoil or shrink.  However, with permanently broken elastic fibers, your skin can only do so much.  All things considered, I still would advise you to lose as much weight as possible.  I do not you advise you to keep 15 pounds just so your body lift will look tight. Good luck!  I hope that I have answered your questions regarding weight gain then weight loss a circumferential body lift or 360 lower body lift. 

If you have any other questions regarding weight gain then weight loss after a lower body lift, belt lipectomy, circumferential abdominoplasty, or 360 circumferential lower body lift, please contact my office.  Sincerely, Dr. J. Timothy Katzen

If you've gained some weight after your body lift, and now you plan to lose that 15 lbs that you gained, you'll be just fine. You don't need to worry about affecting the results of your bodylift.

It's not likely that losing your 15 pounds that were gained through the holidays will dramatically change your body lift result. However, you can always check with your plastic surgeon.

Thank you for your question!, if you have already undergone a body lift my recommendation would be to start with a disciplined routine involving eating healthy and exercising to lose the pounds that you have gained, and thus be able to maintain a stable weight where you can take good care of the results of your surgery already performed.

Your appearance is likely to improve with additional weight loss. Particularly with men, I have found that skin tone is relatively well maintained despite brief periods of weight gain.

Congratulations on obtaining your goals and undergoing a body lift procedure. Dialing down your activity post operatively is crucial in achieving good outcomes from your body contouring procedure, although it can backtrack you in the realm of weight. Have faith that once you get back on track with your activity, your weight will likely follow suit and is unlikely to compromise your results.

Most patients, even with compromised skin laxity, can tolerate weight gain and loss of less that 10% of their body weight without a significant impact on the results of their surgery.  Know that if you were to loose significantly more, and your surgical results were compromised, a revision always could be considered.  Best of luck taking off those holiday pounds!

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. A modest weight change, along the lines that you are reporting, should not adversely affect your results.  Good luck! 


Best,
Jon Ver Halen, MD FACS
Harvard educated plastic surgeon