Body Lift Surgery for Excess Sagging Skin

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Skin is made up of multiple layers and has the ability to stretch and shrink over time (such as when a woman becomes pregnant and then gives birth). However the suppleness of your skin will reduce with age and this will be made worse by over exposure to the sun and poor nutrition. This is why older people tend to get wrinkles.

The amount of sagging skin that you have will therefore depend on the elasticity of your skin. Obviously this means that the older you are, the more likely you are to have more drooping skin left over after a period of weight loss. You will also find that you have a larger amount of sagging skin if you were overweight by a larger amount, for a longer period of time or if you put on or lost the weight at a particularly fast. This is because obesity causes excessive stretching of the skin, long periods of stretching causes the skin to lose its suppleness and fast weight loss does not give the skin enough time to spring back to it’s original tightness. All of these mechanisms cause the skin to stretch past the point that it can return back to its original shape. Think of pulling the ends of a coiled spring. You can pull it out and it will spring back into a tight coil when you let go. But, if you pull it out too far and too quickly it no longer springs back tight when you let go of the ends and remains slightly longer than it was originally. This is what has happened to your skin that results in those unsightly folds around your middle and other areas of loose skin.

Problems caused by excess skin

If you have areas of drooping skin you will potentially find it more difficult to maintain your usual levels of hygiene. Folds of skin produce sweaty areas that can rub and become sore and infected. This could leave you with unnecessary pain and require you to see a GP to treat rashes and infections within the folds of excess skin. This can be a source of embarrassment as it will require you to move your skin around to allow your GP to examine you thoroughly. In the same way, your droopy skin could make it difficult for you to find clothes that fit you properly and limit your wardrobe.

If you have recently undergone a surgical procedure to help you lose weight you will probably be keen to change your habits in order to live a healthier lifestyle. You may find that the excess skin could inhibit your movements reducing your ability to carry out your daily activities or stop you from starting new hobbies as part of your new lifestyle after weight loss (or weight loss surgery).   

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