Post Bariatric Plastic Surgery in Chattanooga & Dalton
Also Serving Calhoun, Cartersville, and North Georgia Communities
Losing weight through bariatric surgery is an incredible accomplishment that requires steadfast commitment. In addition to all the health benefits of being lighter and leaner, it's nice to walk around with a smaller and lither physique. The only damper, for some, is pesky excess skin that droops and sags off the body after surgery, so that you feel better but look worse. Dr. Joel Williams offers several types of cosmetic procedures to treat this problem.
Read more about what's available at our plastic surgery Dalton practice, and contact us via phone or email for more details or to schedule a consultation. Our office can be reached at (706) 278-2700.
General Guidelines for Post-Bariatric Body Contouring Surgery
Post-bariatric body contouring is a specialized area of plastic surgery requiring planning, a creative approach and meticulous attention to detail to prevent complications. Dr. Williams has been treating Chattanooga area post-bariatric surgery patients for many years and is known for his excellent results. Hamilton Medical Center was one of the first FDA test centers for the original LAP-BAND and a multitude of patients have been successful in achieving their weight loss goals. Dr. Williams has lectured about numerous body contouring topics at national meetings and is asked to speak regularly about his experience.
Post Bariatric Plastic Surgery Procedures
It's strongly recommended that post-bariatric patients wait about a year after weight loss surgery to have cosmetic surgery. This gives the body enough time to lose the excess weight and stabilize. Post-bariatric body contouring candidates should be in good physical and psychological health and have reasonable expectations. These are contouring procedures — not meant to take off extra pounds, but rather to help mold the skin so that it "fits" the new curves more tightly.
Body lift
is the most comprehensive procedure for post-bariatric surgery patients. Body lift improves the appearance of the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. Body lift can target the upper and/or lower body (when combined together, the procedure is referred to as a "total body lift"). The lower body lift incision extends around the belt area, through which excess skin above the buttocks and outer thighs is removed and the remaining skin pulled tighter. The upper body lift involves a bra-line excision and the removal of excess fat and skin from the back and waist. A tummy tuck in Dalton, GA may be incorporated in a patient's treatment plan to tighten the abdominal muscles and remove excess skin and tissue.
targets the upper arms which can often look flabby even after massive weight loss. The flab is actually extra skin that hangs from the upper arms and is often described as "bat wings." The arm lift incisions are usually made in the armpit and on the inside of the arm from the elbow extending to the armpit, and hidden in the natural shadow of the bicep muscle or posterity on the upper arm. Excess skin is excised and the remaining skin is pulled taut and sutured together.
Thigh lift
removes excess fat and skin from the upper, inner thigh. The incision is made where the thigh meets the groin area, and if necessary, an additional incision is made extending from the groin to the knee.
Thighplasty
is helpful to a number of massive weight loss patients, as the thigh deflates with weight loss, creating excess skin in the horizontal and vertical dimensions. In order to remove this excess and re-contour the thigh into a smaller and shapelier appearance, a vertical excision of skin and soft tissue along the medial thigh is required in addition to the standard groin crease incision. This method allows the skin to be tightened circumferentially around the thigh.
(an alternative to breast augmentation)repositions saggy breasts higher on the chest. An incision is made, usually around the areola, extending down the breast to the breast crease and horizontally along the inframammary fold. Excess skin is excised and the remaining skin is pulled taut around the breast mound and sutured into place. The nipple may be repositioned higher on the chest while it remains attached to the underlying blood vessels.
Buttock enhancement
will improve the appearance of a flat or saggy behind. Excess skin is removed and one of two options may be employed. First, implants may be placed to augment the butt and make it look perkier. The other option is a Brazilian butt lift in Dalton, in which the area around the buttocks is liposuctioned to make them look smaller, and the liposuctioned fat is purified and re-injected into the upper buttocks, giving it a lifted effect.
