Post-Weight Loss, Duodenal Switch Surgery And Cosmetic Procedures: What You Need To Know

Duodenal switch surgeons, like those at Weight Loss Specialists of North Texas, are performing many duodenal surgeries every month now because it is the only gastric bypass surgery for which all morbidly obese people qualify. While weight loss from the duodenal switch is immediate, effective and fast (with some patients dropping thirty pounds or more in the first month), it does have a few physical drawbacks. The most noticeable drawback is the massive amount of loose skin and hanging flesh caused by rapid weight loss and the body's inability to shrink the skin tissue as rapidly as the weight is lost. There are ways you can address this problem.

Cosmetic Procedures

Even with a dramatic and rapid weight loss provided by duodenal switch surgery, there may be some stubborn fat remaining still. A cosmetic surgeon can liposuction the fat that will not go away. Additionally, he or she might skip liposuction if there are folds of loose skin around the fat. Then your surgeon would just cut away the folds with the fat and stitch you back up.

If your only problem is several wiggly, loose flaps of skin, the cosmetic surgeon can perform one of the following procedures to correct this problem:

• Excision of loose skin
• Full torso lift--skin is pulled taught and the loose flaps are excised
• Butt lift--reshapes your derriere completely and removes any cellulite dimpling
• Tummy tuck (abdominoplasy)--pulls the muscles taught underneath the skin
• Brachioplasty--helps remove those "granny arms" or "chicken wing" appearance 

You may undergo several plastic surgeries before your body looks more healthy and not weighed down by flaps of skin. It is recommended that you wait until your weight reaches your ideal goal before you have any cosmetic work done on your new self.

An Unusual Benefit of Duodenal Switch Surgery and Abdominal Liposuction

Since many of the same incisions for duodenal switch surgery and abdominal liposuction are the same, you could have some liposuction done while you are already in surgery for your duodenal switch procedure. It gives you and your body a jumpstart on the weight loss. If you choose not to have any liposuction done during this time, the incision sites from your duodenal switch can be reused as entry points for liposuction later. No new incisions are made either way, and you have no extra scars to worry about either. Just be aware that most cosmetic surgeons will not remove more than ten pounds of fat because it could send your body into shock.