Few Who Undergo Bariatric Surgery Follow Up with Recontouring

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According to a recent report in the journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), fewer than 15 percent of patients in the U.S. who undergo bariatric surgery to treat their morbid obesity go on to have plastic surgery to remove the loose, sagging skin that develops when a bariatric patient loses a significant amount of weight.

Costs, Lack of Insurance Coverage Cited as Reasons

The report’s lead author, Alan Matarasso, MD, noted that “Bariatric surgery is a useful tool for treating obesity, and many patients benefit from completing their weight loss journey with plastic surgery every year. However, the data show that more patients could be helped by these procedures.” He suggested that the bariatric patients who do not have follow-up cosmetic surgery are doing so for a variety of reasons. “Major obstacles to surgery for patients include cost, difficulty in receiving insurance coverage, and reluctance to have additional surgery,” said Dr. Matarasso.

Beyond the aesthetic reasons for its removal, the excess skin left behind after a bariatric patient’s weight loss can be physically restrictive and may become the site of chronic infections. However, multiple surgeries are necessary to fully remove a bariatric patient’s excess skin, often including a tummy tuck, lower body lift, arm lift, thigh lift, and breast lift for both women and men. Some of these surgeries can be done in combination, but full body recontouring takes a number of separate surgeries performed over a period of months or years.

Body Contouring Surgeries Are Becoming More Common

In 2006, about 66,000 such body contouring procedures were performed in the United States, which is an 18 percent increase since 2004, according to the ASPS. Dr. Peter Rubin, chair of the ASPS Post-Bariatric Task Force, contends that “Removing excess skin is not only necessary to achieve optimal body shape, but it’s also helpful in improving overall health and quality of life. Because of these benefits and the rising number of bariatric procedures being preformed, we expect to see a continued increase in the number of patients who have these procedures.”

Indeed, bariatric surgery is poised to become one of the most commonly performed major surgeries in the United States, according to the ASPS. The numbers of morbidly obese adults, teenagers and children in the U.S. have risen sharply in recent years.

(Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons)

Are you considering bariatric surgery or recontouring surgeries? Contact a board-certified plastic surgeon today to discuss your options.


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