Surgery After Weight Loss in North Scottsdale
Dr. Kyle Sanniec
Congratulations on achieving your weight loss goals and taking a significant step toward a healthier lifestyle! However, weight loss can sometimes leave behind sagging skin and stubborn fat pockets that hide your hard-earned progress. This can create the frustrating feeling that, despite weighing less, your body doesn’t reflect the transformation you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Loose, deflated skin—such as overhanging belly folds, flattened breasts, or sagging thighs—can overshadow your accomplishment and prevent you from fully enjoying your plastic surgery results.
Post-weight loss surgery can remove excess skin, refine your contours, and restore balance to your figure, helping you genuinely showcase your transformation. Addressing these concerns with surgery after weight loss can rejuvenate your body, enhance your confidence, and celebrate the new you.
With Midwest values and extensive medical expertise, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Kyle Sanniec is a body sculpting specialist who strives to make elite procedures like body contouring surgery after weight loss available to the average person.
Are you interested in learning how surgery after weight loss with Dr. Kyle Sanniec can enhance your overall physique and boost your confidence? Contact us at (602)-786-1144 or complete our online form to request your consultation to begin your body contouring journey today!
What Is Surgery After Weight Loss?
Losing weight and achieving a healthy lifestyle is a significant achievement. Following considerable weight loss, patients at or near their desired body weight may still be bothered by their body’s appearance due to excess skin. Body contouring surgery after weight loss tightens loose and hanging skin or addresses remaining pockets of stubborn fat.
North Scottsdale surgery after weight loss aims to restore the overall figure and provide body-positive benefits, including:
- A firmer, more defined midsection
- Slimmer thighs
- Tighter arms
- Reduced stretch marks
- Enhanced overall tone and appearance
- More proportioned figure
- Increased confidence and renewed self-image
- Natural-looking, long-lasting results
While not weight loss procedures, surgery after weight loss procedures are designed to help address loose, sagging skin and small pockets of stubborn fat. Body contouring procedures are effective if you have sustained your new, stable weight for 6 to 12 months, have loose, hanging skin, and have a BMI of 30 or less.
What Are Surgery After Weight Loss Procedures?
Each person’s weight loss journey is unique. As such, patients will have individual concerns regarding the areas where loose and hanging skin is bothersome. Body contouring surgery after weight loss is tailored to address those distinct concerns.
Certain areas are difficult to target through weight loss and exercise. Often, weight loss can worsen loose skin in those areas. This can create unsightly overhanging skin and not allow patients to “show off” their weight loss. Here are some procedures that can address sagging skin after weight loss.
A central body lift, known as a circumferential or belt tummy tuck, is designed to restore more proportionate contours and improve the tone of the lower body. By removing sagging skin and redundant fat, body lifts tighten and sculpt the buttocks, lower back, inner and outer thighs, hips, and abdominal areas, delivering a shapelier physique.
After significant weight loss, it’s common to experience skin sagging throughout the buttocks, thighs, abdomen, and lower body region. Once skin loses elasticity, it is unresponsive to diet and exercise. With a lower body lift, Dr. Sanniec can eliminate stubborn fat pockets and remove sagging skin throughout the lower body, including the thighs, buttocks, and lower abdomen, for a smoother physique.
Upper body lift procedures are designed to eliminate excess skin and fat to improve the shape and tone of the upper body region. Typically, an upper body lift addresses excess skin and fat from the back and chest, breasts, and arms to create smoother, firmer contours by improving the appearance of the areas often severely impacted by weight loss. To create firmer, youthful-looking breasts, Dr. Sanniec may recommend a breast lift or breast lift with an implant.
A thigh lift, or thighplasty, is a body contouring procedure designed to reshape the contours of the inner and outer thighs. By lifting and tightening the skin and eliminating excess fat, thigh lifts create slender, shapelier thighs. Both inner and outer thighs can accumulate fatty deposits, thigh lift procedures are often accompanied by liposuction to create sleeker contours. Results are typically visible immediately.
Thigh lifts may also be included in Lower Body Lift procedures.
An arm lift, medically known as brachioplasty, is designed to eliminate extra skin, tissue, and fat to recontour the upper arms, creating smoother, slender arms. Arm lifts are done under a general anesthetic. They can eliminate the loose skin in the armpit and upper arm that often pokes out of a shirt sleeve. Arm lifts can also include liposuction to sculpt and define.
Arm lifts may also be included as part of an Upper Body Lift.
Often, a face and neck lift will help tighten up and eliminate the extra skin underneath the neck or upper jawline. It will recontour the neckline and create a smoother, tighter contour to redefine the neck and faceline.
FaceTite® is a non-surgical skin tightening procedure that provides an effective solution for patients with mild to moderate skin laxity concerns but are not yet ready for surgical facial rejuvenation. By using radiofrequency (RF) technology, FaceTite® improves the appearance of the brows, forehead, nasolabial folds, cheeks, jowls, jawline, and neck with minimal downtime.
As FaceTite® stimulates collagen production, patients may experience immediate enhancements to their appearance with full results, including a smoother, more even complexion, in 3 to 8 weeks.
Minimally invasive BodyTite® utilizes radiofrequency-assisted lipolysis to help liquefy fat for easier removal to tighten the skin in the treated area. The BodyTite® device requires small incisions to insert the probe under the skin, and another is guided across the skin’s surface, applying thermal energy inside and out. Fat is then extracted using cannulas.
Following BodyTite® procedures, patients typically notice results within 2 to 3 weeks, with full results visible in 3 to 6 months. Additional treatments may be required to achieve desired results.
Specifically designed for small, delicate areas, AccuTite® skin tightening treatments address concerns like loose, sagging skin around the eyelids. With RF energy and RF-assisted lipolysis, AccuTite® improves skin laxity and tone and can reduce fat and define contours.
Most patients experience noticeable AccuTite® results in 6 weeks, with continued improvements for up to a year. Results can last up to 5 years.
Choosing Your After Weight Loss Surgery Provider in North Scottsdale with Dr. Kyle Sanniec
Dr. Sanniec graduated from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He then completed a fellowship and trained with world experts at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX, the US World News Top Plastic Surgery program in the country. With a premier education from pioneers in the field, Dr. Sanniec learned how to perform primary and secondary aesthetic plastic surgeries in many ways, providing him the ability and knowledge to truly customize procedures to ensure his patients’ safety and optimal results.
Dr. Kyle Sanniec
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Authenticity. Integrity. Honesty. These characteristics are the foundation of Dr. Kyle Sanniec’s practice. With Midwestern values of hard work and humility, Dr. Sanniec sees himself as “the regular person’s plastic surgeon.” Dr. Sanniec focuses on delivering elite-level plastic surgery to patients who never thought they would get plastic surgery—the woman who wants to feel better in a bathing suit after her third kid or the man who wants the reflection in the mirror to match who he feels like inside.
Your Surgery After Weight Loss Consultation in Phoenix, AZ
During your surgery after weight loss consultation, don’t be alarmed if Dr. Sanniec tries to talk you out of plastic surgery. Rather than convincing patients to get plastic surgery, Dr. Sanniec wants patients who have already decided they want to improve the quality of their lives through after-weight loss procedures. Dr. Sanniec focuses on treatments that deliver effective results that will age well with his patients over the next 20 to 30 years.
Dr. Sanniec will begin your consultation by getting to know you, discussing your goals and medical history, and considering whether he is the right surgeon for you. He will then perform a comprehensive evaluation to determine the appropriate procedures for your needs and discuss his philosophy for maximizing longevity and natural-looking, anatomically achievable results. Dr. Sanniec aims to deliver beautiful, long-lasting enhancements that create balance with each patient’s natural physique and features.
Am I an Ideal Candidate for West Valley After Weight Loss Surgeries?
Typically, candidates for Arizona after weight loss procedures are healthy men and women experiencing loose or sagging skin after significant weight loss. They want to address excess skin to improve their overall health, restore their appearance, and renew their self-image and confidence.
Candidates interested in North Scottsdale after weight loss procedures should:
- Be at a healthy, stable body weight for at least 6 months
- Be in good overall health and live a healthy lifestyle
- Be a non-smoker or willing to quit all nicotine at least 4 weeks before and after surgery
- Not be pregnant or breastfeeding and be finished childbearing
- Have no medical conditions that may impair healing
- Have a positive outlook and realistic goals for the procedure
- Understand the surgical risks and benefits
Preparing for Surgery After Weight Loss in Phoenix, AZ
Before your West Valley surgery after weight loss, you should be in good overall health. Dr. Sanniec and his team will provide thorough instructions on preparing for surgery and recovery; however, here is some general information.
- Complete at least 30 minutes of walking, or other activity, per day for at least a couple of weeks before surgery. Patients who complete more training and physical activity before surgery recover more quickly.
- For several weeks before surgery, eat a nutritious, high-protein diet and minimize simple carbs.
- Stay well-hydrated before and after surgery.
- Dr. Sanniec may recommend visiting your primary physician for an examination and appropriate testing, such as routine blood work, to ensure you’re medically fit for surgery.
- Smoking is detrimental to your overall health and can greatly impact your recovery and results. As such, Dr. Sanniec requires patients to stop smoking at least 4 weeks before and after surgery.
- Take adequate time off work to ensure you can focus on recovery.
- Prepare a clean, comfortable place in your home to recover. You may find it helpful to freeze meals or set up a food delivery service.
- Fill prescriptions and procure all necessary supplies.
- Arrange for assistance, including requesting a responsible adult drive you home and stay with you for at least 24 hours after your procedure. Coordinate help with household management or childcare for a few weeks following surgery.
- Follow your pre-op medication protocol as determined during your consultation.
- Avoid consuming alcohol for at least 48 hours before surgery.
- Engage in exercise the day before surgery to help with nervous energy.
- Get plenty of rest the night before your procedure.
What to Expect During Your Surgery After Weight Loss Procedure Overview
Avoid eating or drinking after midnight the night before your weight loss surgery. Take necessary medications with small sips of water. Come to the surgery center freshly showered and free of makeup, lotions, or deodorants. Wear comfortable, loose clothing that will be easy to put on after your procedure.
As Dr. Sanniec performs surgery at numerous hospitals and surgery centers in the Phoenix metropolitan area, he will discuss the most convenient time and place for your surgery during your consultation. It’s important to note the surgery center to ensure you arrive at the correct location 60 to 90 minutes before your scheduled surgery to check in and sign necessary documents.
You will then meet with Dr. Sanniec and your board-certified anesthesia provider to review the details of your procedure and answer any final questions. Then, Dr. Sanniec will make surgical markings, and you will be taken to the operating room.
Phoenix, AZ Surgery After Weight Loss Procedures
Dr. Sanniec will make the appropriate incisions to eliminate excess hanging skin and tighten muscles and tissues to create firmer, more pleasing contours. He will place sutures and cover the incision sites with steri-strips or skin glue that should remain in place until your first post-operative appointment. If your procedure requires drains, Dr. Sanniec will instruct you on how to care for them and when to return to have them removed.
The length of your surgery after weight loss will depend on the individual characteristics of your procedures. While many procedures can be performed simultaneously, the time a patient can be under anesthesia is limited to 6 hours for cosmetic procedures.
View Real Patient Results
View our gallery to see Dr. Sanniec’s outstanding and natural-looking results of real patients’ before and after photos.
What to Expect After Your East Valley Surgery After Weight Loss
After weight loss, surgeries are outpatient procedures so that you will return home the same day. It’s important to arrange for a responsible adult to drive you home from your procedure and help you with household tasks for at least a few days.
Following your procedures, you may experience mild to moderate pain and feel tender, sore, or numb for the first few days. It’s important to expect mild bruising, swelling, and muscle tightness; however, these effects will gradually subside over the next few weeks. Dr. Sanniec may prescribe pain, anti-inflammatory, and anti-nausea medications or recommend over-the-counter medications to alleviate discomfort.
After your body contouring procedures, Dr. Sanniec will fit you with a compression garment(s) to minimize swelling and support your tissues, promoting recovery. You must wear your support garment for at least 6 weeks, except when showering or laundering.
To ensure a healthy recovery, Dr. Sanniec recommends light walking the night of your procedure and up to 3 to 5 times each day afterward. However, it’s important to avoid strenuous activities, such as exercise or heavy lifting, that increase your heart rate for at least 6 to 8 weeks. Patients may resume light exercises like walking or riding a stationary bike within 2 weeks.
After weight loss and body contouring surgery, recovery greatly depends upon the extent of the procedures and your body’s healing abilities. Patients typically need 2 weeks for initial recovery. Complete recovery may take 3 to 6 months.
How Soon Will I See My Body Contouring After Weight Loss Surgery Results?
Depending on your procedure, you may see immediate enhancements and dramatic improvements to your overall figure following surgery. However, it’s important to expect significant swelling and bruising that may obscure your outcome for weeks. Swelling typically resolves within the first 3 months, revealing your full results. Residual swelling may persist for 6 months to a year.
Body contouring after weight loss procedures remove excess skin, stubborn fat, and tissue permanently. However, significant weight fluctuations may impact the remaining fat cells and overall results. Following Dr. Sanniec’s post-operative instructions, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, will help you sustain long-lasting plastic surgery results from your East Valley surgery after weight loss procedures.
Partner with Dr. Kyle Sanniec—North Scottsdale’s Premier Plastic Surgeon
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Kyle Sanniec is an expert in body contouring procedures that can help you reclaim your confidence and renew your self-image. Boost your body positivity with after-weight loss surgeries from Dr. Sanniec.
Learn about surgery after weight loss near me in North Scottsdale by calling (602)-786-1144 or completing our online form to schedule your consultation today!
Surgery After Weight Loss in Scottsdale, AZ
The procedures usually depend on the areas of most concern for the patient and are often combined. Typically the procedures most recommended after weight loss are:
Panniculectomy: Removes the excess overhanging skin of the abdomen.
Lower body lifts: The excess abdominal skin and lower back skin is removed, the buttock tissue is resuspended to improve shape/contour and the pubic area is tightened.
Upper body lifts: The skin on the arm, the upper back/braline skin is removed and the breast are lifted.
Face/Neck lift: Loose skin is excised and the neck and jaw line is contoured.
Brachioplasty: The loose skin on the upper arm is removed to improve the contour.
Thigh lift: The thigh skin is tightened to remove the skin the in medial thighs and contour the leg.
There are several benefits of surgery. The biggest benefit is the removal of the excess skin so a patient can “show off” their weight loss by getting back to a more contoured appearance in clothes and really accentuate their weight loss results. Additionally, removing excess skin can help prevent rashes or infections when the skin hangs over on itself and becomes irritated.
A good candidate is someone who has been at their goal weight for at least 6-12 months and is active and fit, who does not smoke and is willing to accept the trade off of a surgical incision to remove the loose skin and show off their weight loss results.
We recommend you are at your stable goal weight for 6-12 months. This helps get the best results as losing additional weight can hinder the final result.
This can vary by insurance carrier, but most weight loss surgery procedures are cosmetic in nature. There are several insurance carriers that cover certain procedures, like panniculectomy but this is rare, and often does not allow patients to get the final results they are wanting.
It is important to maintain a stable weight after surgery and keep a healthy active lifestyle to continue to maintain your results.
Yes, if you gain or lose significant weight the results can be affected. Any weight gain will stretch out the skin and significant weight loss will loosen up the tightened skin created with the surgery.
Yes, there are several anatomical causes of a hanging stomach from skin to bulging of the abdominal muscle. Both can be treated surgically.
This can hinder results in several ways. First, patients will often have difficulty getting enough nutrition/protein to heal their incisions. GLP-1 medications cause delay in gastric emptying so patients don’t feel hungry/eat as much and this can cause a calorie deficit which is not optimal for healing.
Second, GLP-1 medications will often cause continued weight loss, which will lead to loosening of the tissue and can compromise the final result patients are hoping for.
You can return to taking Ozempic after surgery, but know that additional weight loss will lead to suboptimal results and loosening of the skin. Usually we recommend patients are weight stable prior to any weight loss surgery
We recommend patients are weight stable for 6-12 months and are not planning on losing any additional weight, prior to surgical intervention.
In general, cosmetic surgery after bariatric surgery is safe. The preoperative evaluation is key in making sure patients don’t have any medical contra-indcations and are at a safe BMI for elective surgery.
This depends how long it takes patients to get to their goal weight. After bariatric surgery, patients need to be weight stable for 12-18 months. Additionally, depending on the type of bariatric surgery they underwent, often they will need nutrition levels to be optimized for healing.
In general, patients will want to be at their long term goal weight prior to any skin excision procedures. The ideal weight loss is often determined by patients ideal body weight and with their bariatric surgeon, but usually you will want to be at your goal weight prior to any cosmetic procedure.