How Will My Physical Appearance Change After Weight Loss Surgery?

22 Feb 2022 in News

physical appearance, Weight Loss Surgery

Whenever someone contemplates having surgery or indeed has undergone bariatric surgery, it is inevitable that they will think about the after affects it may have on their body’s physical appearance.

The Weight Loss Itself

There are a few main physical differences that a person will notice, the most prominent of which will obviously be the weight loss. Depending on which procedure the patient undergoes will result in different levels of weight loss:

· Gastric Band Surgery – on average patients will lose about 45-50% of their excess weight.

· Gastric Bypass Surgery – on average patients will lose about 75-87% of their excess weight.

· Gastric Sleeve Surgery – on average patients will lose about 62-75% of their excess weight.

· Endoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy – current data suggests on average patients will lose 20% of their excess weight in short term.

· Gastric Balloon Procedure – on average patients will lose about 14.6% of their body weight.

With this in mind, it is clear that some patients will experience rapid weight loss, leading to a slimmer physical appearance that will boost self-confidence. However, this rapid weight loss can lead to excess skin, an aged facial appearance and hair loss.

An Aged Appearance

Losing a substantial amount of weight from the face can result in an aged, slightly gaunt appearance. Once the patient starts to move into a healthy eating plan with regular exercise, they will begin to regain some of the elasticity and colour that was in the face.

Excess Skin

There are many factors that affect the amount of loose skin after weight loss surgery:

· Length of time overweight – the longer someone has been overweight or obese the looser their skin will be once they have lost this excess weight. This is because the elastin and collagen cells within the skin will be damaged or lost, so will take longer to recover.

· Amount of weight lost – if a large amount of weight is lost rapidly then the skin will not be able to proportion itself as quickly, leaving hanging skin. Typically, a loss of more than about 7 to 8 stone will lead to lose skin.

· Age – older skin tends to have less collagen than younger skin and therefore is more likely to be looser after weight loss.

· Smoking – this leads to a reduction in collagen produced within the body and damages existing collagen, thus resulting in loose skin.

There are a few ways that you can help reduce the appearance of loose skin:

· Exercise before and after surgery. This will convert fat into muscles mass and reduce fat levels at a more natural rate.

· Take nutrients and keep hydrated, ensuring a healthy body enabling it to heal more efficiently.

· Take collagen, but check this with your doctor first.

· If you are finding the excess skin hard to live with and it is not reducing, then there is the option of surgery, but this is best used as a last resort.

Hair Loss

There is also a possibility of hair loss as bariatric surgery leads to a state of malnutrition in the body and therefore any energy supplies are directed towards maintaining organ function. Hair growth is therefore temporarily affected but the body gradually adapts to a lower energy intake.

Remembering Your Main Goal

The main goal of weight loss surgery is to enable the patient to achieve the body weight and appearance they want, whilst getting them to a healthier weight and preventing the development of future illnesses.

We know that your procedure is only the start of your weight loss journey to a healthier future and we pride ourselves on our post-operative care.

Bariatric Aftercare

All of our procedure prices include a premium two-year aftercare programme as standard and, in addition, we are the only UK provider to offer continuous aftercare for LIFE through our additional Lifetime Care membership package. We offer individualised aftercare based on the procedure you have, so that you have the right support throughout your journey.