Trimming the Excess: Treatment for Excess Skin
When we are young, we take the natural elasticity of our skin for granted. As teenagers, when our weight fluctuates, it may take a toll on our self-esteem, but it doesn’t take much of a toll on our skin. However, as we age, the skin gradually loses much of its natural elasticity, until it isn’t able to conform to a new shape after significant weight loss. The excess skin simply lingers, hanging conspicuously off the frame, an unwanted reminder of an unhealthier time.
Fortunately, plastic surgery offers a potentially ideal solution in the form of body contouring, an umbrella term that covers a number of procedures designed to refine the figure. When performed by a skilled, experienced plastic surgeon with a keen eye for aesthetics such as Dr. Gregory T. Mesna, body contouring procedures can help a person look as fit and trim as he or she truly is. Through the removal of excess skin and tightening of the remaining skin, the body adopts its true contours, as defined by a person’s healthy new weight. Dr. Mesna is pleased to offer safe and effective treatment for excess skin at his Minneapolis, MN plastic surgery practice.
How Is Excess Skin Treated?
Generally excess skin is not excised on its own but as part of another plastic surgery procedure, such as abdominoplasty (more commonly known as a “tummy tuck”), an arm lift, or a thigh lift. This is because excess skin is almost always accompanied by other excess tissues, such as lingering pockets of fat that failed to respond to diet and exercise. These isolated fat deposits can be removed through liposuction at the same time as the excision of excess skin. Likewise, lax muscles can be repositioned and tightened to ensure more pleasing contours.
The excess skin itself must be carefully and strategically excised to ensure proper healing, an aesthetically pleasing and natural-looking result, and the least conspicuous scarring possible. Dr. Mesna places incisions bearing in mind how the patient will look in various types of clothing, and how the patient will best be able to conceal the resulting scars. Obviously, some scarring is inevitable, and is certainly preferable to loose, hanging skin. However, he is careful to make incisions in locations where scars can be concealed by undergarments and in other inconspicuous locations, whenever possible.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Treatment for Excess Skin?
In addition to those who have lost massive amounts of weight, whether through bariatric surgery or a combination of diet and exercise, good candidates for excess skin include those who:
- Have loose skin from multiple pregnancies and wish to regain their pre-pregnancy figures.
- Have hanging skin in a particular “problem” area of their bodies, such as their upper arms.
- Wish to rejuvenate dramatically sagging breasts through breast lift surgery.
Learn More about Treatment Options for Excess Skin
To learn more about treatment for excess skin, or to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Gregory T. Mesna, please contact Mesna Plastic Surgery today.