Liposuction and Your Skin: 5 Factors to Know
How do you deal with loose skin after liposuction?
Ideally, you don’t. With each New York liposuction patient we treat, we consider the potential for redundant skin after the procedure and make decisions before surgery. In our view, it’s never good for a post-op patient to experience an unwanted surprise outcome after healing.
If you’re thinking about cosmetic surgery to banish stubborn fat, here’s what you need to know about skin:
1) Some procedures have skin excision built in.
Most cosmetic surgery with “lift” or “tuck” in the name involve removing excess skin. A tummy tuck is the classic example: the abdomen is sculpted with the cannula, toned with muscle repair then lifted and tightened with skin removal. But other procedures can mean getting rid of droopy skin too—breast lifts, arm lifts and several others come to mind.
2) Individual factors play into how much your skin may sag after surgery.
In consultations with patients interested in liposuction in New York, we work together to evaluate skin quality. Factors include: age, sun exposure, smoking and weight gain/loss (due to pregnancy or otherwise). In many cases, skin can be expected to tighten sufficiently on its own after recovery. For some, the outlook is more complicated.
3) Some procedures require joint decisions by patient and surgeon.
Certain areas of the body that may benefit from liposuction require close evaluation ahead of time. For instance, if your skin quality is not the best and you elect a procedure targeting your hips, be prepared to talk with your doctor about how to prevent too much droopy skin after healing. One obvious solution is for your plastic surgeon to eliminate just a modest amount of fat. You should also be ready to wear your compression garment after surgery as directed—it helps.
In New York, liposuction that leaves patients with redundant skin is an issue we handle regularly with gynecomastia patients. Guys with larger breasts may choose to have man boob surgery and see how much skin tightening occurs naturally over the healing period—and for some we can perform a small skin tuck down the road. But most men with large breasts require some measure of skin removal to achieve the masculine contours they are aiming for; these patients most often are glad to trade scars for moobs.
4) Skin tightening technology is of questionable help.
There are a few technologies marketed as skin tightening therapies. They employ ultrasound or radiofrequency to heat tissues beneath the skin in an effort to promote collagen-building. Along with many other plastic surgeons, we don’t recommend these for post-liposuction patients. We have seen mostly unimpressive results, and there is a risk of actually burning the tissues.
For additional information, visit RealSelf. You’ll find that these options usually deliver mild improvement, and results are somewhat unpredictable. Patients often describe treatment as painful and sessions aren’t cheap.
5) You play a role in skin quality.
It’s a good bet you already know about healthy habits that can benefit your skin, but the list bears repeating:
• Don’t smoke. There are many reasons to quit smoking, and skin quality is not the first priority. But you should know that smoking has a big negative impact on your skin, and not just on your face. Nicotine shrinks capillaries, thereby restricting blood flow and reducing elasticity.
• Get moving. One way to boost blood flow to nourish all your tissues is to move more. You don’t have to train for a triathlon or even join a gym. Just getting out and walking daily will help.
• Pay attention to your diet. Skin needs nurturing just like the rest of your body. A healthy diet including the right amounts of lean protein, fruits and veggies and fiber truly makes a difference. Proper hydration also promotes supple, resilient skin.
We invite you to come talk with us about liposuction in New York. Especially if you are concerned about how your skin will react after the cannula has done its job, you need a plastic surgeon who will be completely honest with you about what you can expect.
As one of the early liposuction pioneers in the country, we have perhaps more experience in this area than any other practice. We would be pleased and honored to work with you and help you make sound decisions about your body. Contact us online or call us at 212-570-6080 today.
Photo by Alesia Kozik from Pexels
