GLP-1 Medications: How to Fix Loose Skin After Major Weight Loss

Published by Dr. Jay Lucas, MD, a board-certified surgeon with over 20 years of experience.

If you’ve achieved major weight loss, whether through exercise or “traditional” calorie counting, bariatric surgery, or by taking a GLP-1 medication, congratulations! You know what it is to set a big goal, take actionable steps toward it, and enjoy a major win. 

Lately, the increasing availability of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic has allowed an increasing number of people like you to meet their weight loss goals and achieve better health — truly another big win!

What doesn’t feel like a win? Struggling with loose, excess skin that simply cannot be dieted, exercised, or medicated away. Unfortunately, this is a common issue after major weight loss, and one which can undercut confidence and put a real damper on the victory. 

If you find yourself in this position, we have some good news: there are some very effective surgical options for excess skin removal after major weight loss. 

Let’s take a look at a few plastic surgery procedures (all of which we offer at The Lucas Center) that can help you feel great in the skin you’re in…

Top Surgeries for Removing Excess Skin Post Weight Loss

Depending on your unique body and your major areas of concern, there are several body contouring procedures that can remove, reposition, and smooth your skin, so you can enjoy full confidence in your new body size and shape!

Tummy Tuck

Also known as abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck addresses excess skin and/or fat in the midsection — an understandably common area of concern after major weight loss. Depending on your needs, Dr. Lucas may also be able to include a tightening of the abdominal muscles (of particular help if you’ve been through pregnancy and childbirth!) and/or liposuction during the procedure for targeting stubborn areas of fat and creating a smoother profile. 

Thigh Lift

The inner thighs tend to be another trouble spot after major weight loss. That’s where a medial vertical thighplasty (aka a thigh lift) comes in. During this procedure, Dr. Lucas removes excess skin on the inner thigh to give the upper leg a more toned look, so you can stay cool and feel more confident in shorts than you have in years!

Arm Lift

Like the thighs, the upper arms can show telltale signs of major weight loss in the dreaded “bat wings.” During an arm lift, however, Dr. Lucas makes a discreet incision along the inner arm and removes excess skin and fat to achieve a firmer, more toned arm, so you can go sleeveless and be active without inconvenience or fear of sagging skin in the way.

Body Lift

If your concerns are a little more broad than a tummy tuck but still centered around the lower mid-section, a lower body lift, or belt lipectomy, might be a good fit for you. It’s a significant body contouring surgery that can have transformative results, especially for those who’ve undergone major weight loss. 

Depending on your customized surgical plan, a body lift can address excess tissue in multiple areas: 

• Lower abdomen
• Buttocks
• Upper thighs
• Mons pubis (the rounded fatty tissue above the pubic region)

What About Excess Skin on Your Face?

While our focus here has been on what to do with loose skin on your body after significant weight loss, we’ve also written on how to fix “Ozempic face” – sagging excess facial skin due to rapid weight loss. Check it out for some great facial solutions, surgical and non-surgical. 

Benefits of Getting Rid of That Extra Skin

As you can see, there are several very effective procedures for removing excess skin after you’ve achieved your weight loss goals. Aside from the aesthetics, here are a few more key benefits to surgical removal of the extra skin after weight loss: 

• Long-lasting results: Plenty of fad non-surgical procedures make big claims without delivering… or deliver very temporary results. With proper post-op care, healing time, and a fairly stable weight, you can expect your surgical results to last a very long time. 
• Health benefits: Depending on the amount, excess skin can be a health nuisance, causing discomfort, chafing, rashes, and in some cases, hygiene challenges. Surgical removal of the extra skin means it cannot cause you these extra health issues.
• Restored confidence: After all that work and time dedicated to lose the weight, surgically removing the excess may help give you the confidence boost you deserve. 

Explore Your Options

Ready to look and feel great in the skin you’re in? Let’s talk about your options. When you come to The Lucas Center, Dr. Lucas takes the time to get to know you and your goals before creating a customized surgical plan for success. 

Book a consultation online or give us a call at (865) 218-6210 today so we can help you complete your transformation!