Losing a tremendous amount of weight can be a life-saver, improving your physical health and emotional well-being. But oftentimes, when the excess fat is gone, excess skin remains – perhaps more than you expected. At Image Surgical Arts, Dr. Brady Harris can perform a series of surgical procedures to remove excess skin and remove or re-contour remaining fat to restore a pleasing silhouette.
The most common of these procedures is a tummy tuck, since abdominal excess fat is often the most prevalent and most discomfiting. Dr. Harris often recommends the fleur-de-lis style tummy tuck for post-massive weight loss patients.
What Can a Tummy Tuck Accomplish?
A tummy tuck is designed to provide extensive restoration and rejuvenation of the abdomen , removing moderate to extensive loose skin, stubborn pockets of fat and, in some cases, stretched abdominal muscles.
As a post-massive weight loss patient you may choose a standard tummy tuck, but Dr. Harris often recommends a fleur-de-lis procedure instead because it enables him to give you the most extensive smoothing and slimming results. This style of tummy tuck is especially valuable for those who have significant excess, sagging skin.
The Fleur-de-Lis Difference
During a standard tummy tuck Dr. Harris makes a horizontal incision from hip bone to hip bone, just below “bikini” level, then pulls the skin down till it’s smooth and removes the excess. He will also repair underlying muscles if needed so they are tighter once again. He uses liposuction to remove any remaining excess fat and to smoothly contour the area. He also makes an incision around the belly button so he can reposition it after pulling down the skin.
For the fleur-de-lis procedure, Dr. Harris makes a second incision, from the bottom of the breast bone down to the horizontal incision mentioned above. This creates a pattern that looks something like a three-pointed fleur-de-lis lily. The additional incision allows Dr. Harris to pull excess skin in from the sides as well as down from above, so he can remove more. It does leave a visible vertical scar, but most of our patients are happy to trade a slender scar for the most slender, shapely results possible.
During a fleur-de-lis tummy tuck, Dr. Harris will also repair underlying muscles and use liposuction to remove unwanted pockets of remaining fat and create smooth, natural looking contours.
The Image Surgical Arts Difference
Dr. Harris knows you want to look your very best, especially after you’ve successfully managed the hard work of massive weight loss. So every tummy tuck he performs includes more than the usual procedural details. He adds his personalized 360o liposuction technique, removing excess fat and re-contouring the surrounding areas – lower and mid-back and flanks as well as the abdomen. This helps restore (and emphasize) your feminine curves or masculine physique so you can be even more proud of your weight loss achievement.
For most patients, tummy tuck is just part of a post-massive weight loss surgical plan. Losing weight affects virtually all of your body, so Dr. Harris can also perform procedures to remove excess skin and re-contour your face, arms, thighs, breasts and/or buttocks. It’s entirely up to you, and Dr. Harris will work with you to develop a personally-tailored plan based on your goals.
Learn More about Fleur-de-Lis Tummy Tuck
Losing a massive amount of weight, whether via bariatric surgery or diet and exercise is an accomplishment worth celebrating! Post-massive weight loss surgery helps you take the final step, eliminating the physical and emotional after-effects, and tummy tuck is the place to start. A personal consultation with Dr. Harris will help you learn more about what it can do for you.
