The Number One Thing to Know about Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss
If you’re on a weight loss journey and perhaps looking ahead to plastic surgery to put the finishing touches on a new body—congratulations! As increasing attention is focused health and fitness in the U.S., more and more people are pursuing a strategy to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Even so, many overweight people struggle with a feeling of isolation. If you are one of them, here’s the number one thing you should know:
You are not alone!
Perhaps you don’t know any other people who are battling obesity. And you may not feel like swapping diet stories or joking about bathing suit season with friends who want to lose five pounds. Nevertheless, there are many resources available and people ready to be on your side. Here are some places you might start making connections.
Sharing Information
Especially if you’re shy about discussing your weight with friends and family, obesityhelp.org should be on your Internet bookmark list. This site offers a variety of weight loss information and has a vibrant forum community where you can discuss issues. Another site to investigate is obesityaction.org. This national nonprofit provides education and support, and also has a mission to raise awareness and advocate for those facing the challenges of obesity in the U.S.
Joining with Others
There are groups that offer membership—where you can join with people like you to exchange ideas, get tools and learn about accountability. TOPS, Take Off Pounds Sensibly, is one. Find them at tops.org, where you can sign up for meetings and other in-person activities or simply participate online.
Programs for Weight Loss through Diet and Exercise
If you plan to drop the pounds through diet and exercise and want to access tools online, there are choices for you. The Mayo Clinic, a healthcare organization with an extensive online presence, offers The Mayo Clinic Diet plus tools and advice at Diet.MayoClinic.org. For a more hands-on program, you might look into an option like kphealthyweight.com from Kaiser Permanente.
Bariatric Surgery
If you’re considering bariatric surgery, you’ll want to do plenty of research. There are several different surgical approaches, each one with its pros and cons. You can get started learning about them at asmbs.org, the website of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and asbp.org from the American Society of Bariatric Physicians. As you find out more, you can discuss the options with other patients on the forum websites.
Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss
You’re probably aware of this already, but if your journey involves losing dozens of pounds or more, you are very likely to have loose skin and stubborn fat pockets left behind. This is where an experienced plastic surgeon can help, if you’re inclined to consider this option. Benefits are more than just cosmetic. Patients who opt for body contouring gain confidence and feel more comfortable exercising, for instance. And one recent study showed that patients who opt for cosmetic surgery are more successful keeping the weight off long term.
In our plastic surgery practice in NYC, we work with many weight loss patients. We enjoy these relationships immensely as they require working closely with each man or woman to customize surgery for their exact needs. We’ll be writing more about procedures such as facelifts, breast reduction for men and women, breast lifts and abdominoplasty after weight loss in the next few weeks. If you’d like to talk with us in the meantime, give us a call at 212-570-6080.
