Post-bariatric plastic surgery

In recent years, obesity has become a topic of concern from a social and healthcare perspective, resulting in a marked increase in the number of surgeries for the treatment of morbid obesity, otherwise known as Bariatric Surgery.

Bariatric surgery is one of the most effective ways to lose massive amounts of weight.

Weight loss causes skin to retract, but it doesn’t do so in direct proportion to the weight, resulting in morphological consequences: excess skin, localized fat, stretch marks, sagging muscle tone, etc. This excess skin manifests itself as significant sagging skin with folds that deform body’s contour.

These physical consequences are generally associated with psychological consequences, therefore post-bariatric surgery is the last step in the obese patients goal and fulfills an important reconstructive role to complete the process.

Body-contouring surgery is a very broad discipline, given that in encompasses surgery for the entire body (abdomen, breasts, hips, arms, butt, thighs, etc.) Success of this surgery lies not only in reducing excess skin, but providing tone, tension and balance to the body’s contours.

There are two types of post-bariatric surgery: the upper body lift, aimed at correcting the arms, chest and breasts and the lower body lift for correcting abs, butt and thighs.

Sometimes, depending on the patient’s health, it is possible to undergo more than one intervention during the same surgical procedure. Patients are evaluated by the medical team that will advise as to the most appropriate procedures for each patient, explaining completely the expected results and possible complications.

Who can undergo a post-bariatric plastic surgery?

Ideal candidates are patients with excess skin, preferably young and healthy and whose weight has stabilized. Those patients who are still undergoing weight-loss should postpone the surgery.

Hospitalization

Surgeries are performed at Clinica San Juan. Two or three days of hospitalization are required, depending on the procedure.

Anesthesia

General anesthesia is used for all the procedures, during which the patients is asleep until the surgery is completed. After the intervention, the patient is taken to the post-op unit controlled by an anesthesiologist and under the care of a nurse until it is considered that the patient is in deemed to be in condition to be taken to a room.

Duration

The time it takes for surgery varies from 1.5 to 6 hours depending on the procedure.

Recovery

During the first few days, the patient should move around slightly bent over until he is capable of standing up straight without any discomfort. The patient may live a normal life, without excessive stress after the first week. Most of his discomfort or pain will be treated with medication. Most patients return to their normal activities four weeks after surgery.

Complications

Like any surgery that requires anesthesia, there are risks and possible complications, including infections, bleeding, bruising among others.

Results

Patients that undergo post-bariatric surgery improve in appearance and self-esteem by finding themselves more confident with their new look.