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How Soon After Bariatric Surgery Can You Get Plastic Surgery?

Taking the first step toward a healthier life with significant weight loss through bariatric surgery is something to be extremely proud of. However, patients often find that their skin has become stretched and lost its elasticity, inhibiting its ability to tighten and conform to their slimmer figure. With post-weight loss body contouring, excess and/or loose skin and subcutaneous fat can be removed, and targeted areas can be surgically repaired to further sculpt the body. That said, timing plays a major role. 

Most board-certified plastic surgeons advise patients to wait at least 12 to 18 months after bariatric surgery before considering plastic surgery. A few of the most important factors in determining this timeline include:

• Accelerated weight loss after gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or other bariatric procedures can continue for a year or more. Prior to pursuing cosmetic surgery, patients should be at a relatively stable, healthy weight in order to protect their long-term aesthetic results
• Skin should have time to heal and retract/conform to the new body shape as much as possible prior to surgery
• Bodies may need time to adjust to revised nutrient intake after bariatric surgery. Giving the body time to rebuild and adapt promotes a good foundation of health, ensuring patients are able to heal appropriately after their cosmetic procedure(s)
• Complications from surgery decrease when the body has a lower body mass index (BMI)

Our Austin plastic surgeon, Steven Holzman, MD, offers various skin-tightening surgeries for individuals that have achieved major weight loss after bariatric surgery. These procedures include a lower body lift, arm lift (brachioplasty), thigh lift, back lift, breast surgery for women, gynecomastia or chest-sculpting surgery for men, and facial rejuvenation. One of the most common procedures Dr. Holzman performs after weight loss is an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), as many patients are anxious to address excess abdominal skin and have their clothes fit better. This surgery can provide an exceptional benefit for weight loss patients experiencing a “pannus,” which is the skin fold on the front of the abdomen (sometimes compared to an “apron”). In addition to removing this excess skin, a tummy tuck will also tighten the abdominal muscles and reposition the belly button to a more natural location. 

If you haven’t yet achieved a stable, healthy weight after 12 to 18 months, it may be best to follow up with your bariatric surgeon, dietician, or nutritionist to create a plan for continuing a healthy weight loss journey. Dr. Holzman and the team at Holzman Plastic Surgery are happy to answer any post-weight loss body contouring questions and welcome you to schedule a consultation to receive more information. Contact us today!