Surplus skin, which has lost its elasticity, is often considered an aesthetic blemish. Pregnancy is often the cause, but excessive weight loss and aging also come into play.
Surplus skin can be removed in exchange for a scar. Placing it in an inconspicuous area minimizes scarring.

WHICH AREAS CAN BE TREATED?

Commonly after pregnancy, the stomach area is blemished with stretch marks and becomes so limp, that a tummy tuck becomes necessary.
After excessive weight loss, the stomach, loins, and back may require aesthetic correction. Together with the removal of surplus skin, the stomach muscles can be tightened.
With aging, some people experience extremely limp skin in the upper arms, buttock, and thigh area. Body contouring surgery offers the solution.

WHAT'S NEW?

In the past, body contouring was extensive surgery with high complication risks. The procedure required general anesthesia, long hospitalization, and commonly a blood transfusion. The lengthy recovery period had a considerable influence on your lifestyle.

With the discovery of tumescent infiltration, traditional narcosis is no longer necessary. With the new technique blood loss is kept to a minimum. Consequently, the recovery period is drastically reduced.

Since traditional anesthesia can be avoided and blood loss is kept to a minimum, it is possible to undergo a combination of several cosmetic surgeries. This spares the professional and social hindrances often accompanied with multiple surgeries.

SURGICAL TECHNIQUES

The best results with body contouring are seen if only surplus skin is removed. Excessive fat is preferably removed in a separate lipo-sculpture surgery under a local anaesthetic.

SCARRING

The scars are placed in areas where they are the least noticeable. Every surgery leaves a different scar. The details of this will be discussed individually before surgery.

• The scar, which accompanies a tummy tuck, is hidden in the pubic area and extends to the groin.
• With an arm correction, excess skin is removed along the inside of the upper arm.
• A thigh lift usually requires an incision in the buttock crease, and may extend in the direction of the knee along the inside of the thigh.
• If the stomach, groin, back, and outside thighs are handled during a body lift, the plastic surgeon will place the scar in the groin region extending upwards towards the spinal column.

THE POST-OPERATIVE RECOVERY

After the surgery only one day of hospitalization is required. The drainage tubes are removed after a few days, while the sutures are removed approximately twelve days after the procedure. It is advisable to resume light activity within comfortable limits as soon as possible. A support garment is required for a few weeks after the surgery. Tension around the wound is inadvisable, especially concerning a thigh lift. This normally entails a minimum range of motion for the hip for two weeks. This needs to be carefully considered when planning your job or social activities.

Depending upon the extent of the surgery, normal daily activity can be resumed in two to six weeks.

CARE OF THE SCAR

As with all scars, within the first three months they are red and lumpy. In a year they will fade considerably. This maturing process can be accelerated with a special highly concentrated scar improving oil.

IN CONCLUSION

Your decision to undergo body-contouring surgery must be well founded. The exact site of the scar and details of the surgery and recovery will be discussed in full detail with you by the plastic surgeon. With the right information and motivation, body-contouring surgery can bring you years of pleasure.