After undergoing surgeries such as bariatric surgery and intragastric balloon placement, many people may experience skin laxity due to extreme weight loss. In these cases, plastic surgery may be indicated to restore the largest organ of the human body, the skin.

The excess tissue that remains after weight loss in a person who had obesity, for example, can cause other diseases, including problems with skin friction that can result in dermatitis and recurrent infection, especially in the abdomen. Other disorders arising from excess skin are related to self-esteem and quality of life.

Therefore, not being considered just an aesthetic issue, but also a prevention for other diseases, the surgery is covered by the Unified Health System (SUS) and by health plans, especially for abdominal dermolipectomy in patients with an apron abdomen.

Surgery for excess skin removal can have contraindications and, therefore, it is important to talk to a trusted doctor and perform exams before the procedure. Anemia, psychological disorders, and other diseases can prevent tissue removal.

We have several types of surgeries indicated for excess skin removal, except for the contraindications mentioned above. Among the procedures available are abdominoplasty, thigh lift (cruroplasty), brachioplasty, mammoplasty, liposuction, facelift, torsoplasty, and gluteoplasty. The indication is individualized, meaning it depends on the specialist's analysis and the patient's health conditions.

After bariatric surgery, the patient needs to have their weight stabilized for six months to two years before undergoing the excess skin removal procedure. The treatment is carried out by a multidisciplinary team and includes a psychologist, nutritionist, physiotherapist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist, gastrointestinal surgeon, and plastic surgeon. Obesity among people aged 20 or more increased from 12.2% to 26.8% between 2002/2003 and 2019, according to the National Health Survey – PNS 2019.

*Dr. Fernando Amato is a plastic surgeon, a full member of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery, a member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).