Weight gain and weight loss can put your body through a number of changes. While most people think of how the excess weight affects the love handles and stomach, weight gain can also have an impact on the overall appearance of your face. That may explain why some people who lose a lot of weight wind up undergoing a facelift in addition to other cosmetic procedures.
Dr. Paul Pin and the team at his Dallas, TX plastic surgery center would like to explore why facial plastic surgery might be needed after a person loses a lot of weight.
How Major Weight Loss Can Impact Your Appearance
As you gain weight, a lot of the extra weight first accumulates around the abdomen, hips, and buttocks. Eventually, the added weight can increase the roundness of your facial features, particularly the cheeks, the lower face, and the neck. When you lose a lot of weight, you’ll often notice loose skin and stretch marks in different parts of the body. This is because the skin stretches out to accommodate the extra weight but cannot completely shrink back to conform to your slimmer frame.
The facial skin tends to be more forgiving than the skin of the rest of the body. There’s typically less sagging or drooping after weight loss than, say, the abdomen. However, you may be left with hanging jowls, loose skin of the neck, and other aesthetic issues related to weight loss. As with excess body skin, only cosmetic surgery can help.
Facial Surgery as Part of Body Contouring
In addition to a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and body lift after major weight loss, facial plastic surgery can be a crucial part of improving your appearance. These facial surgeries will eliminate the loose skin and help ensure your face and your entire body looks slimmer and fitter.
There are two common facial surgeries for major weight loss:
- Lower facelift
- Traditional facelift
Let’s consider each individually below.
Lower Facelift Surgery
The lower facelift is a procedure that helps remove loose skin around the jaw line, chin, and neckline. It’s a great option for eliminating jowls and the turkey-like sagging skin associated with age or weight loss. The lower facelift is sometimes referred to as a neck lift since the procedure targets the neck and chin area.
During a lower facelift, incisions are made behind the patient’s ear, often extending from the top of the ear down to the posterior portion of the scalp. Through these incisions, excess fat, skin, and other tissue can be removed. The remaining skin is pulled tighter to enhance the contours of the neck and jaw line.
Traditional Facelift
A traditional facelift is a procedure that targets the middle portion of the face, particularly around the upper cheeks and the eyes. The facelift can improve the appearance of the mid-face, reducing wrinkles and enhancing the youthfulness of a person's overall appearance.
During a traditional facelift, an incision is made starting around the temples and extending down along the ears. Through these incisions, excess skin can be removed and underlying structures of the middle portion of the face can be revised. The remaining skin is tightened to reduce wrinkles and sagging.
The Results of Facial Surgery after Weight Loss
After undergoing facial plastic surgery, a patient's face will often look much slimmer and more rejuvenated. Consider a facial plastic surgery procedure as just one of many cosmetic procedures that will help you achieve a more ideal appearance after you've lost a lot of weight.
Schedule a Facial Plastic Surgery Consultation
For more information about improving your appearance after major weight loss, be sure to contact an experienced cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Paul Pin will help you make smart decisions about your plastic surgery options.