Plastic Surgery After Bariatric Surgery
Thu 12th Jun 2025
What is Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery is performed by general surgeons and/or upper gastrointestinal surgeons to achieve major weight loss in people struggling with obesity, especially when other methods like diet and exercise have failed. Common bariatric surgeries include gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and adjustable gastric band. They all alter the gut to reduce food intake or nutrient absorption.
Surgeons choose a technique based on a person’s specific weight loss goals and current health status. After surgery, most people experience dramatic weight loss within six to 12 months.
What Happens to the Body After Losing Weight?
After you lose weight, whether via lifestyle modifications or surgery, your body becomes smaller, but your skin largely stays the same. When a person gains a lot of weight (essentially fatty tissue), the skin stretches to accommodate this size increase, all thanks to its elasticity.
Unfortunately, the skin’s elastic limit is often surpassed with massive weight gain, which is when the skin starts to ‘tear’, causing stretch marks. Also, with significant weight loss, the inner fatty layer reduces, but the skin does not shrink accordingly, and it starts to hang from the body. The greater the amount of stretch marks and weight loss, the greater the amount of residual excess skin which hangs from your body.
Body Contouring Procedures – Dr Dona’s 7 B’s of Body Contouring Surgery
Dr Dona’s almost 20 years of experience as a specialist plastic surgeon have seen many people who have lost massive weight with skin hanging from different parts of the body and require Body Contouring Surgery. Body Contouring Surgery, or Body Sculpting, is a range of surgical procedures that remove excess skin and fat, tighten underlying tissue and reshape these areas to improve body function, shape and form. Using his wealth of experience, Dr Dona developed a system that groups the key surgical procedures that most people need after massive weight loss. He calls this the 7 B’s of Body Contouring Surgery. These include:
- Brachioplasty (Arm Reduction): Brachioplasty, or Arm Lift Surgery, removes excess skin and fat from the upper arms. This procedure is often sought after weight loss because the arms are a part of the body that one cannot hide and, thus, desire change.
- Breasts: There are different breast surgeries you can have after massive weight loss, depending on the current state of your breasts and what you want them to look like. You can get a Breast Lift (mastopexy) to lift and reshape the breasts with or without an implant. You may also opt for Breast Reduction to lift, reduce and reshape the breasts if they’re too low after weight loss. Breast Augmentation is most suitable for people who want additional volume after massive weight loss has caused their breasts to reduce size without any noticeable droop.
- Belly: The abdomen is typically the most affected area after massive weight loss, and a Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) will address issues like hanging skin folds, muscle separation and hernias. There are different types of abdominoplasties—Standard, Extended, Fleur De Lis, and Open Book—and Dr Dona will counsel you on the best option.
- Bra Lipectomy: A Bra Lipectomy or Upper Body Lift can correct excess skin and fat around the bra strap area (the upper and mid-back region).
- Belt Lipectomy: This procedure is also called a Lower Body Lift or 360 Tummy Tuck. Essentially, it’s a 2-in-1 procedure—a Buttock Lift and Abdominoplasty. It focuses on excess skin and fat around the lower back, flanks, upper outer thighs and abdomen, and raises the buttocks and pubic area.
- Buttock Lift: A Buttock Lift removes excess skin and fat from the lower back and tightens and raises these areas.
- Below the Waistline Surgery: This addresses the genitals and the thigh areas.
At this point, you’re probably wondering if you’ll need to have seven different surgeries to get the body you want. However, you may not need to have all these procedures done. Dr Dona typically starts with areas needing the most attention and then continues in stages, with a minimum of three months between each surgery. Moreover, you can sometimes combine two or more surgeries depending on your lifestyle, general health and finances.
Will I Need Body Contouring Surgery After Bariatric Surgery?
Many people will consider post-weight loss plastic surgery if they experience a significant amount of excess skin hanging off their body, causing physical, social and psychological issues following substantial weight loss. You can consult an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr Dona about your options.
When Is The Right Time To Consider Plastic Surgery After Bariatric Surgery?
Dr Dona recommends waiting until you maintain a stable weight for six months before considering Body Contouring Surgery. This means that you may wait up to a year or more after Bariatric Surgery before getting plastic surgery. Without attaining and maintaining a steady weight, there’s a risk of poor surgical outcomes, especially if you lose or gain significant weight after your plastic surgery. Moreover, your body will have fully recovered from the effects of bariatric surgery.
Is Body Contouring the same as a Tummy Tuck?
Body Contouring is not the same as a Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty). Body Contouring Surgery includes Tummy Tuck among other procedures to shape and improve the body’s function and appearance after massive weight loss.
