Shedding Pounds, Shedding Skin: Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss

If you’re a fan of the television show The Biggest Loser you will have noticed an interesting property of human skin. When we pack on the pounds, our skin stretches to accommodate the extra load. But when we lose weight, our skin doesn’t bounce back in the other direction quite so readily.

Ironically, the more successful apatient is, the more likely excess skin becomes a real issue. Unless the person is very young and has excellent skin tone, they may be headed for plastic surgery to complete their journey back from obesity.

Lest you think redundant skin is a simple aesthetic concern, let me assure you that the problems can run much deeper than that. Granted, it can be very disheartening to get back to a normal weight only to see rolls and flaps when you look in the mirror. One post-bariatric patient told me that having extra skin hanging around her newly slim body was almost worse than not having lost the weight at all.

But that extra skin can pose some significant life challenges. Many people find it interferes with the new, healthy lifestyle they’ve chosen. How can you jog with extra arm, belly or thigh skin jiggling with every move? How can you join a gym or swim club if you feel your physique is too unsightly to reveal to others?

Speaking of revealing yourself, many weight loss patients look forward to feeling more comfortable and confident in intimate relationships, as well they should. It’s common, however, to be held back by saggy skin. Both men and women are often embarrassed by the appearance of their chests (some women refer to their droopy breasts as “tube socks”). And in extreme cases low hanging belly skin can even get in the way of physical relations.

Another irony is that extra skin can make it even more difficult to find clothes to fit than it was before massive weight loss. What do you do if your lower half is now a size 6 but your muffin top—now mostly skin—has to be tucked in to a size 14? And if you can’t find ways to comfortably house skin you no longer need, you may have to deal with chafing and rashes that can be painful and become infected.

Indeed it seems almost unfair that people who fight their way back to a healthy weight often have this additional hurdle to cross. Many look at plastic surgery after weight loss very positively, though, as it has the power to mark their amazing achievement, to put the finishing touches on their new bodies.

Since 2004, The Patients Advantage is fast becoming the largest matchmaker of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world and is recognized as a leading information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery – matching over 10,000 people with plastic surgeons.

It’s easy to see why The Patients Advantage is the premier online search website for finding plastic surgeons. The Patients Advantage is responsible for matching over 9,000 patients with surgeons per year proving that it IS possible to find great plastic surgeons online. We have quickly become a leader in the internet search industry because of its advanced features and matching systems, and most of all, because it’s 100% FREE – there are no charges, ever.

Never before has it been easier to connect men and women with plastic surgeons. Plastic surgery is about a lot more than vanity. In reconstruction cases, The Patients Advantage Member Surgeons help people get their lives back and feel more comfortable with themselves. Member Surgeons are trained in the following reconstructive procedures: burn; wound and trauma repair; tumor removal and cancer reconstruction; correction of birth defects and acquired deformities; hand surgery; maxillofacial and craniofacial surgery; and microsurgical reconstruction. Plastic surgery procedures like breast reduction and breast reconstruction can improve quality of life by positively impacting self-image and self-esteem.

Plastic surgery can also slow the aging process and improve the visible signs of aging. The Patients Advantage Member Surgeons are trained in cosmetic procedures of the face and all areas of the body to help you look naturally younger. Among the procedures used to turn back the effects of time: Breast enhancement, body contouring, liposuction, facial contouring, Botox and nose surgery are among the most popular procedures performed by Member Surgeons.

For more information log onto: http://www.thepatientsadvantage.com.