More on the Possible Need for Plastic Surgery After Bariatric Surgery

Often I am asked if people that have bariatric surgery will need skin removed after they have lost weight from their operation. Often this is not necessary since the skin is flexible and can go back into a cosmetically pleasing contour. However, sometimes the excess skin is bothersome. This is most frequent in older patients, those that have been smokers since they have lost some of the flexibility of their skin. Also patients that are heavier than our average patients are more likely to need the help of a plastic surgeon.

If you have skinfold irritation I suggest you take pictures of the irritated skin and keep the photos for your plastic surgeon. This may help the plastic surgeon to get your insurance company to pay for the operation since the condition may be considered a medical condition and the operation may be considered medically necessary.

To care for these irritated skin folds prior to plastic surgery I would suggest using and anti-fungal powder such as nystatin powder for a week or so then change to Zeasorb which is an over-the-counter powder that is made from seaweed and absorbs body moisture well and should keep the skin healthy.

However, sometimes it is best to have the offending excess skin removed. Here is what one of the plastic surgeons at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Dr. John Waklin, wrote to help you to better understand the most frequently performed plastic surgery operation chosen by bariatric surgery patients:

“Abdominoplasty is the most common body contouring surgery performed for patients after they have losta large amount of weight. Variations of this surgery include a tummy tuck, a panniculectomy, and a circumferential body lift. Abdominoplasty surgery removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen that has become troublesome for patients. The skin and fatty tissue that hangs down is removed and the skin from the upper abdomen is stretched down toward the pubis to make the skin smooth. Often this requires that the belly button be repositioned back to its normal location on the abdomen.

Before surgery fitting this excess tissue into clothing can be uncomfortable, keeping areas underneath the skin folds formed by this tissue dry and free of rashes becomes an ongoing problem, and sometimes keeping the areas underneath this tissue from becoming infected can be difficult for many patients.

This surgery is done under general anesthetic (completely asleep) and can often be performed with other operations at the same time. This allows patients to recover from multiple procedures at once with the benefit of only needing to go under anesthesia once. In some cases, multiple body contouring operations can be performed along with an abdominoplasty procedure. Very often this procedure can be done on an outpatient basis, allowing the patient to recover in the comfort of his or her own home without the added cost of hospitalization.

Some insurance companies will cover the costs of an abdominoplasty procedure. This is highly dependent upon the patient’s symptoms, the insurance company, and the specific insurance plan. Your Plastic Surgeon can usually help guide you through this process.“

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