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We invite you to contact us via email at office@drthors.com for more information. Give us a call at 847-458-8808 to request information or a consultation.
Reaching a healthy body weight is a major accomplishment for anyone. But for many men and women, losing a significant amount of weight results in excess, sagging skin on the body. Post-weight loss body contouring removes the extra skin and restores firmer, smoother body contours.
Losing weight can be a critical step in improving health and quality of life. Unfortunately, many massive weight loss patients end up with a new problem. Because skin can only contract to a limited degree, significant weight loss often leaves behind folds of skin that hang from the body. This excess skin can keep a patient from fully enjoying the benefits of his or her slimmer, healthier body, causing discomfort and affecting self-confidence.
You deserve to feel and look good in your slimmer, healthier body. If you are still wearing baggy clothing due to loose, sagging folds of skin, body contouring can eliminate the excess skin, helping you feel more confident and comfortable wearing form-fitting clothing. Getting rid of the excess skin can also increase your comfort during exercise and alleviate skin problems caused by hanging skin folds.
Dr. Thors will work with you to develop a body contouring procedure plan that will address your concerns and achieve your goals. With more than 20 years of experience performing reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery, he is skilled in a number of procedures, and will typically combine procedures to achieve the most natural results possible. Depending on your needs, your body contouring procedure plan could include:
Because each patient’s procedure plan is unique, the details of surgery and recovery will be different from one patient to the next. During your consultation and pre-surgery appointments, Dr. Thors will explain the details of your individual surgery plan, go over recovery requirements, and answer any questions you have about your upcoming body lift.
Depending on the extent of the procedure, Dr. Thors may perform body contouring as an outpatient procedure, or you may require a short inpatient stay. He always performs surgery at a fully accredited surgical facility, using a board certified anesthesiologist to provide general anesthesia.
After your procedure, you will wear a compression garment to provide support and help control swelling. Temporary drains may be placed to help ease swelling as well. Following a more extensive body contouring procedure (i.e., if you had a tummy tuck, lower body lift, and/or thigh lift), you will need someone with you for the first 48 hours to assist your movement. Post-operative discomfort typically peaks during the first 3 to 5 days after surgery, and then begins to subside more and more each day.
Patients can typically return to a desk job 2 to 3 weeks after surgery, and gradually resume exercise 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. If you are having a less extensive procedure, you may be able to return to activity sooner.
Although body contouring surgery will create scars, Dr. Thors takes care to place incisions in locations that are as inconspicuous as possible. Body lift scars can be concealed beneath clothing or will be hidden in natural folds of the body. With proper scar care, scars will fade significantly, and most patients find that scarring is a small price to pay for a firmer, more natural body shape.
There is no need to continue living with the burden of excess, sagging skin after weight loss. If you are near Algonquin or the greater Chicago area in Illinois, we encourage you to call our practice to schedule a personal consultation with board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Gunnar Thors.