Candidates for Body Contouring After Massive Weight Loss Columbus OH

Good candidates for post-bariatric surgery

Patients who have had bariactic surgery for massive weightloss frequently seek to have excess skin removed after they have lost the majority of their excess weight. The best candidates for post-bariactic surgery are those who have a positive attitude towards plastic surgery, have lost the majority of their excess weight, have stabilized their weight and are otherwise healthy.

Optimism

An optimistic attitude is always helpful going into any kind of surgery and aesthetic procedures are no different. This also includes realistic expectations as to the final result of their surgery. It is not uncommon for patients who have lost a large amount of weight, while happy with their reduced size, to be somewhat depressed because of their appearance from all of the excess skin. Working through those negative thoughts and realizing that dramatic improvements can often be made is a good start to a positive attitude going into post-bariactic surgery.

Weight Loss Completion

Those who have lost the majority of their excess weight are better candidates than those who still have a lot of weight to lose because more skin can generally be removed and the surgeon can concentrate on repairing the areas that need the most work as opposed to trying to anticipate which areas will need more correction after the additional weight is lost. They are also less likely to require additional or touch-up procedures. The risk of complications also goes down as the weight does. Someone with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 is less likely to have post-operative complications such as bleeding, infection, blood clots, wound healing issues and others compared to someone with a BMI of 34.

Nutritional Status

Those post-bariatric patients who have stabilized their weight after getting down to an appropriate size are better candidates for surgery because their nutritional status has stabilized and they are generally in a positive nitrogen balance. This is the best indicator as to how well the patient will heal after surgery and may be evaluated by a blood test prior to elective cosmetic surgery. A high protein diet is particularly important to improve the healing process in post-bariatric patients prior to surgery.

Pre-Operative Clearance

Patients who have been obese for a considerable part of their lives have a higher rise of certain medical problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and peripheral vascular disease, which increase the risk of complications with any type of surgery. Some pre-operative testing in the form of blood counts, EKG's, cardiac stress test and clearance by a primary medical doctor or cardiologist may be indicated prior to surgery. Any prior medical conditions should be discussed with your surgeon at your initial consultation so that they can be taken into account when considering elective surgery. Cessation of smoking and all other forms of nicotine such as gums, patches or e-cigarettes as well as any secondary smoke must be eliminated for at least one month before and after surgery. Those who may be at a higher risk for blood clots may be placed on a blood thinner at home after surgery.