It’s well known that cosmetic procedures are not the appropriate solution for helping patients to lose weight; however, it’s very common to need cosmetic surgery following weight loss in order to achieve improved body contours. One recent study indicates that body contouring after gastric bypass surgery may actually help weight loss patients improve their long-term weight control.
The Struggle to Lose Weight
The rapid weight loss typically seen following gastric bypass or banding surgery leaves behind large amounts of loose skin and excess tissue that can only be resolved through cosmetic surgery. These can cause further physical health-related issues like skin rashes and infection, as well as diminishing overall quality of life even after the target weight has been reached.
The best cosmetic surgeons recognize the need for body contouring as an integral component of achieving true weight loss success after obesity; abdominoplasty and other lifting and reshaping procedures help improve quality of life across a multitude of factors, including increased self-confidence and higher levels of physical activity.
Why Cosmetic Surgery Helps
The study mentioned above indicates a correlation between limited weight regain and body contouring surgery; study participants who did not proceed with body contouring after gastric bypass surgery saw a significantly higher weight regain over the following seven years. The study concludes that body contouring helps patients by improving their psychosocial functioning, which in turn strengthens the determination to adhere to long-term weight control. In other words, a new body shape that they feel proud of, and not just a lower body weight, helps patients feel greater incentive to maintain their healthy new lifestyle.