Men and women of Minnesota who have made a significant lifestyle change or in some cases undergone weight loss surgery, like gastic bypass, have succeeded in losing weight and are proud of their accomplishments. Often these women and men are left feeling torn. They feel physically better as their knees, ankles, necks and backs no longer strain under the oppressive weight, but they are often disillusioned at how they appear. The weight loss patient may have expected to return to their teenage body, not the one the looks back at them in the mirror.
Physical changes after dramatic weight loss include the obvious loss of fat but less is said about the fact that the left over skin remains – it does not melt away like the fat did.
The weight loss patient in Minnesota will likely deal with redundant skin at the lower abdomen that hangs over the beltline, loose skin and tissues of the upper arm that wave back at you, saggy breasts and rubbing skin of the inner thigh, and the development of a turkey gobbler neck that rivals your grandmothers.
Procedures that can be used to combat these problems include abdominoplasty, panniculectomy, breast lift, breast augmentation, brachioplasty, and a face lift.
Insurance usually does not pay for these interventions except in the rarest occasions. A breast lift, facelift, abdominoplasty, arm and thigh lift are typically never covered by insurance. Occasionally, a patient in the Twin Cities will get a panniculectomy procedure covered if certain criteria are met.
The one truth to all plastic surgery procedures is that elasticity of the skin is never restored. This is why repeat interventions are typically expected. This is in complete counterdistinction to the infommercials on late night television. Unfortunately, through time, genetics and environmental exposure (sun damage) our skin gets thinner and our elasticity wanes. This leads to wrinkles, skin that is more prone sheer injury and bruising, and inability to fight off skin cancers and other lesions of the skin.
The weight loss patient of the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota has much to be proud of but deserves to look as good as they feel. One of these body contouring procedures can help achieve that reachable goal!
