Skin tightening after weight loss in Frankfurt: For a new body feeling!

Introduction

Why is skin tightening useful after weight loss?

After significant weight loss, excess, sagging skin often remains, which does not retract on its own, but forms folds where skin lies on skin. These can not only cause pain and restrict mobility, but the constant friction can also lead to redness, inflammation and even weeping wounds.

In addition to the physical discomfort that excess skin on the body can cause, many sufferers suffer just as much from the external appearance of the skin or fat apron. Shame and reduced self-esteem create a great deal of suffering, which can have a considerable impact on people’s everyday lives and quality of life and, in the worst case, can lead to social withdrawal and isolation. Many sufferers therefore look for a solution such as skin tightening.

Methods

In which areas is skin tightening possible after losing weight?

In principle, excess skin can be surgically tightened in almost any area of the body. After significant weight loss, the following surgical options are most frequently requested in our practice in Frankfurt:

• Tummy tuck / abdominoplasty: removes excess skin from the abdomen and shapes the abdominal contour
• Breast lift for women (mastopexy): lifts and shapes sagging breasts after pregnancy or due to ageing
• Breast lift for men: removes fat cells and glandular tissue and tightens the skin (also for gynecomastia / “man boobs”)
• Upper arm lift (brachioplasty): tightens sagging skin on the upper arms (“angled arms”)
• Thigh lift: removes excess skin on the thighs (e.g. also after liposuction for lipedema)
• Buttock lift: tightens and shapes the buttocks
• Pubic mound lift (monsplasty): reduces and tightens a bulging pubic area caused by fatty tissue or excess skin
• Body contouring: combines several tightening procedures on different parts of the body for a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing body silhouette (e.g. after gastric bypass surgery)

Depending on the extent and extent of skin sagging and the desired result, several procedures can be combined. Let Dr. Nichlos advise you on which tightening operations are best suited to you in order to optimally harmonize your body contours.

Preparation

What is important before a skin tightening procedure?

The prerequisite for skin tightening surgery after weight loss is that you have already reached your target weight and have maintained it for at least six months. You should also be in good general health. Please inform Dr. Nichlos of any chronic pre-existing conditions (e.g. high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes) and medications that you take regularly. It may be necessary to temporarily discontinue certain medications after consultation. If you have an acute infection or inflammation, surgery is not possible; please postpone your appointment to a later date.

It is important to have realistic expectations of the procedure. Plastic and aesthetic surgery can surgically remove a fat apron or other excess skin folds and optimize the body silhouette in the best possible way, but cannot guarantee a “perfect shape”.

Even if Dr. Nichlos makes every incision as scar-sparingly as possible, scars remain after a skin tightening procedure, which – depending on the type of procedure – may be visible later as fine lines. You must also be aware that the results of the operation can only be maintained through permanent lifestyle changes, i.e. a change in diet, exercise and a stable weight.

Procedure

Removing excess skin after weight loss: how does the operation work?

Depending on where and how much excess skin is to be removed, a skin tightening procedure takes 2-4 hours and is usually performed under general anesthesia. First, Dr. Nichlos marks out the excess skin to be removed in the relevant areas (e.g. abdomen, breasts, arms, thighs, buttocks). As soon as the anesthesia takes effect, he makes precise incisions and then removes the excess skin and, if necessary, some fatty tissue. The remaining layers of tissue are then tightened and re-stitched.

The compression garment that you will wear for the next few weeks is put on immediately after the lift. In most cases, a 1-2 day stay at the Berger Clinic is advisable in order to monitor the healing process from the outset. Good aftercare is required during this and the following period, to which you can contribute a great deal through your behavior.

Aftercare

What happens after the skin tightening procedure?

One of the most important things to do after the tightening procedure is to wear compression garments consistently. It exerts constant pressure on the tissue in the treated areas of the body and thus supports the removal of wound fluid, the healing process and the result.

Depending on the location and extent of the treatment, the tips for correct behavior after the treatment may vary slightly. As a rule, however, you should refrain from sport and other physical exertion while you are wearing the compression garment. Afterwards, start with light exercises and then slowly intensify your training.

Important: Subsequent weight fluctuations can change the result of the tightening procedure and should therefore be avoided at all costs. Make sure you get enough exercise and eat a healthy diet.

Risks

What are the risks associated with skin tightening after losing weight?

There are also general surgical risks when tightening the skin, including post-operative bleeding, wound healing disorders and infections. These can usually be minimized by having the procedure performed professionally by an experienced doctor.

Specific side effects of the treatment such as slight redness, bruising or swelling in the treatment area cannot be ruled out. Temporary numbness or numbness may also occur in the area of the wound or lymphatic or tissue fluid may accumulate in the tissue. This makes it all the more important to follow the aftercare instructions and attend the check-ups after treatment.