Weight Loss Surgery, Loose Skin, and Post-Bariatric Surgery

Got those Loose Skin Blues?

Massive weight loss is a huge decision, most of you reading have either gone through a massive weight loss or are contemplating going through a massive weight loss. One of the most common hesitations in losing weight is the resulting loose skin that occurs once your body has gone through a significant weight loss. It is common knowledge that losing weight = loose skin. Loose skin not only occurs with a massive weight loss but also with natural body occurrences such as pregnancy. This is because once your body stretches through weight gain or through pregnancy; your skin loses its elasticity. First patients come in to talk about weight-loss and bariatric surgery, how it works and your results. Many patients, however, decide they want to go the less expensive and natural way by strict diet and exercise but are concerned about the loose skin. Our doctors always tell patients to be realistic, being healthy is far more important than having loose skin. Even when you have loose skin after weight loss there are ways to remove it such as post-bariatric surgery which includes tummy tucks, breast augmentations, and thigh lifts. The loose skin, although it may not seem like it, is a proud reminder of how far you've come and if you take that extra step to remove the loose skin, your body will be an entire trophy dedicated to yourself. In this post, we will see why and where that extra skin came from and how to reduce or remove it.

How We Burn Fat

As we all know, matter cannot be created nor destroyed, so when you exercise and diet fat is not simply "disappearing" off your body. What occurs is a form change, just like water and steam. The glucose and sugar that is harnessed from carbohydrates are the first fuel sources. Once the glucose runs out, fat takes over. Your body is a constant interconnected conveyor belt that removes essential nutrients from the fat and delivers them to specific body parts. Hormones that regulate our blood sugar levels activate an enzyme in fat tissue called lipase. Lipase ignites fat cells to release triglycerides, which is what makes fat cells fat. When they receive a signal from lipase to exit the fat cells, the triglycerides break-up into glycerol and fatty acids and then enter the bloodstream for use in your body. The process of breaking down triglycerides into reusable energy is called lipolysis which is shuffled and reshuffled to produce heat, water, carbon dioxide, and ATP. Since the fat tissue has lost some of its components, the cells shrink.

Why the Extra Skin?

When fat tissue is worked and the cells shrink, wouldn't it make sense that your skin would shrink as well? Yes and no. In the cases of moderate weight loss, skin can certainly shrink back to fit the body's new size because of its elasticity due to collagen in the skin. However, collagen does have its limits. Collagen fibers weaken with age and results in wrinkles. Rapid growth or weight gain also outpaces collagen production in the skin causing areas to over-stretch, leading to stretch marks commonly seen in pregnancy and adolescents going through puberty. In cases of massive weight-loss, the skin that has been stretched has lost its collagen strength making it very difficult if not impossible for the extra skin to shrink back to its former shape. Those undergoing gastric bypass surgery or bariatric surgery feel this pain. As the number of patients going through weight loss surgery increases, so do corrective surgeries for the unwanted and uncomfortable skin. This extra skin can actually be a serious problem and can actually cause infections, rashes and even back problems.

Post-Bariatric Surgery and Treatment Options

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