What Is Body Contouring?
Losing a significant amount of weight is a tremendous health achievement, but it often leaves behind excess, sagging skin. This is because your skin was stretched to accommodate additional weight.
While significant weight loss through diet, exercise, or bariatric surgery enhances your life—leading to a more active lifestyle and healthier you—it can also result in uncomfortable and unappealing loose skin.
Challenges of extra skin after weight loss include:
- Difficulty finding clothes that fit well.
- Skin irritation and discomfort.
- Lowered self-esteem and confidence.
You do not have to face these challenges alone. Our comprehensive body contouring treatments remove excess skin and tighten underlying tissues, refining your body’s shape and enhancing your natural contours.
At Cape Fear Valley Health, our surgeons address the issues caused by loose skin, helping you complete your weight loss journey and live a more comfortable and confident lifestyle.
Your plastic surgeon will collaborate with you to determine which procedures will best achieve your desired results, often including:
- Arm lift: Removes excess skin from the upper arms for a more toned appearance.
- Brazilian butt lift: Enhances the shape and contour of your buttock.
- Breast lift: Lightens and lifts the bust for a more youthful look.
- Face lift or neck lift: Tightens facial skin for a more defined profile.
- Thigh lift: Targets loose skin on the inner, outer and middle thigh areas.
- Tummy tuck: Eliminates excess abdominal skin and tightens muscles for a firmer stomach.
Feel Like Yourself Again
Embrace the toned, slim figure you’ve worked hard for. Trust our Cape Fear Valley Health plastic surgeons to listen attentively to your concerns and answer all your questions. We’ll assess your health needs, skin condition, and cosmetic goals and skin to tailor the right body contouring strategy for you.
With state-of-the-art techniques and a commitment to natural-looking results, our experienced surgeons are dedicated to providing personalized care and achieving the best outcomes. Trust Cape Fear Valley Health to help you achieve a newly-shaped body to complete your weight loss journey.
Our Approach to Body Contouring
At Cape Fear Valley Health, our plastic surgeons stay up-to-date on the latest medical advances and innovations, meaning you can enjoy first-class care close to home.
Understanding Your Goals
Our compassionate and friendly staff will treat you with the care and respect you deserve. Your Cape Fear Valley Health plastic surgeon will take the time to discuss your treatment goals and thoroughly evaluate your specific areas of concern. We prioritize answering your questions and ensuring you feel fully informed and comfortable with your treatment plan.
We Stay Connected
After your weight loss procedure, we’ll ensure you have all the information you need to take care of yourself during recovery. Healing from surgery takes time, but our team will be in regular contact to monitor your progress and provide support.
Your Body Contouring Team
From your first call, you’ll be supported by a dedicated team of experts, including plastic surgeons, licensed practical nurses, and medical staff.
What to Expect With Body Contouring
Body contouring typically takes between four and seven hours, depending on the specific areas being addressed. Your plastic surgeon will discuss how long the body-contouring procedure will last. Some procedures are as short as 30 minutes, and others take up to six hours depending on the specific areas being addressed. You won’t feel any pain during surgery, because you’ll be under general anesthesia.
Body Contouring Consultation
Your Cape Fear Valley Health plastic surgeon will discuss your treatment goals and carefully evaluate your body. They will then make a recommendation based on your desired results and develop your personalized treatment plan.
Are You a Candidate For Body Contouring?
Hyaluronic acid is ideal for men and women who want to reverse the signs of facial aging. If you're seeking smoother, more youthful skin, this treatment could be an excellent option for you.
Body Contouring Recovery and Results
After the procedure, you should:
- Follow specific instructions from your plastic surgeon based on the procedure.
- Plan to take two to three weeks off work to focus on recovery.
- Ensure you get plenty of rest.
- Wear a vest-type garment to promote healing and recovery, as directed by your surgeon.
- Avoid strenuous activities for six to eight weeks to prevent complications.
Most patients see results within three months to a year, depending on the type of procedure you have. Your surgeon will discuss expectations.
Body Contouring Risks
Like all surgeries, body contouring after weight loss involves a certain degree of risk. However, when performed by a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon, serious complications are rare. To minimize risk, follow the instructions and advice of your plastic surgeon.
Some risks and complications could include:
- Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
- Improper wound healing
- Infection
- Loose skin
- Numbness
- Ongoing pain
- Persistent skin sensitivities
- Scarring
- Skin discoloration
- Swelling
- Temporary fluid accumulation
- Uneven contours or asymmetry
- Wound separation