We look at glossy magazines and dream about toned bodies like those shown there. They inspire you to work hard towards losing weight and toning up the body. But in the whole process of weight loss, we forget that our skin bears the brunt of the fluctuating weight of the body. Erratic decrease of weight leads to loose skin that is unsightly to look at and that does not allow you to flaunt your weight loss. What comes to your rescue in this situation is the Panniculectomy Surgery. Never heard of it before? We tell you all about it here.
What is Panniculectomy Surgery?
Panniculectomy is normally performed when a patient undergoes a significant weight loss, ranging from 80-100 pounds. A weight loss of that magnitude leaves you with a lot of loose skin around the abdomen, below your belly button. The hanging tissues and the flap of skin around the abdomen is known as the pannus. The surgery removes this hanging skin and tissue around the waist, left behind after weight loss.
Read more about bariatric surgery for weight loss here
How is it performed?
The surgery is performed by a board certified plastic surgeon. The surgery involves making an incision below the navel, extending to the hips. The surgeon will remove excess skin and loose muscle around the incision and subsequently pull together the skin, sew it up so that you can lose your overhanging skin.
The surgery lasts about 3-4 hours and is performed under anesthesia.
Who is a good candidate for Panniculectomy?
A healthy non-smoking candidate without any medical conditions who needs excess skin around the waist removed is a good candidate for the surgery. You should remember that this is not a surgery that helps you lose weight. In fact, it comes into picture when you need to get rid of the signs of a tremendous weight loss.
You also can go in for the surgery only after your weight has been stable for at least a year since you cannot risk further weight loss or gain after the surgery.
What is the cost of the surgery?
The price of the surgery can vary between $6000 to $12000 depending on how much work needs to go into getting your skin flap removed.
Results
Panniculectomy can give you a firmer and flatter abdomen and get rid of any loose skin around the waist. This means that you won’t be bothered with ill fitting clothes or infections in the skin folds anymore. If your weight remains stable, then you can be sure that the result will be permanent.
What are the risks involved? What aftercare is needed?
As with other plastic surgeries, panniculectomy surgery can have complications like infections, bleeding and scarring. Therefore you need to make sure that you go to a good plastic surgeon so that the chances of the surgery going wrong are less.
The surgery needs you to follow the postoperative instructions – sponge baths, no exercise or lifting weights and wearing supportive garments at all times.
Should you be going in for the Panniculectomy surgery?
If you have unsightly skin folds after a major weight loss that are inconvenient, then panniculectomy is a surgery for you to consider. Just ascertain that you maintain your weight and you can have the flat abs for a long time to come!
Read more about abdominal etching here
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