Reconstructive and Cosmetic Procedures for Patients Who Have Lost the Weight
Losing a significant amount of weight is the hard part, and most patients who do it are left with one more problem nobody warned them about: skin that does not go back. Excess skin after major weight loss is not a willpower issue and it does not resolve with exercise. It is a structural change, and correcting it is a surgical procedure.
West Medical now offers reconstructive and cosmetic body contouring for patients who have completed their weight loss, performed by Dr. Farzin Kerendian, D.O., FACOS, a board-certified cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon with more than 23 years of experience.
This is for patients who have already lost the weight and kept it off. That includes:
The common thread is a stable weight. Contouring done before weight has settled tends to need revision later, which is why both surgeons and insurers look for a documented period of weight stability before approving or scheduling these procedures.
Removal of the pannus, the apron of excess skin and tissue that hangs over the lower abdomen. This is the procedure most likely to be covered by insurance, because when the overhanging skin causes chronic rashes, infections, or interferes with daily activity, it is treated as reconstructive rather than cosmetic. Read more about panniculectomy and insurance coverage.
Removal of excess skin combined with tightening of the abdominal muscles and repositioning of the navel. Because it addresses contour and muscle laxity rather than a functional problem, abdominoplasty is considered cosmetic and is generally not covered by insurance. Many patients combine it with a panniculectomy for a fuller result.
Reshaping and repositioning of breast tissue after the volume and skin changes that follow major weight loss.
Removal of loose skin along the upper arm, one of the areas where skin retraction after weight loss is most limited.
Removal of excess skin along the inner or outer thigh.
A circumferential procedure addressing the abdomen, flanks, back, and buttocks in a single operation, for patients with excess skin across multiple areas.
Sometimes, and the distinction matters more than most patients expect. Procedures that correct a documented functional problem can qualify as reconstructive. Procedures that improve contour or appearance are cosmetic and are paid out of pocket.
In practice, panniculectomy is the procedure in this group most often approved, and it is approved only with specific documentation. Abdominoplasty is almost never covered, even when performed at the same time. The same West Medical team that verifies insurance benefits for bariatric surgery handles verification for these procedures too, so we can check your specific plan before you commit to anything.
Two things generally need to be true. Your weight needs to have been stable for a documented period, commonly at least six months. And if you have had bariatric surgery, insurers typically require a waiting period after that surgery before they will consider a panniculectomy, often 18 months.
Requirements vary by insurer and by plan. If you are unsure where you stand, a consultation is the fastest way to find out, and we can verify your specific benefits as part of it.
Dr. Farzin Kerendian, D.O., FACOS is a board-certified cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon. He completed his residency in General and Trauma Surgery, including training at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he served as Chief Resident in his fifth year, followed by fellowship training in aesthetic surgery covering facial rejuvenation, breast surgery, body contouring, and post-weight-loss body contouring.
He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery, and a Fellow of both the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons.
Dr. Kerendian also performs liposuction, panniculectomy, scar revision, breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast implant revision, gynecomastia surgery, blepharoplasty, brow lift, face and neck lift, chin and cheek augmentation, otoplasty, laser resurfacing of the face, fat grafting to the face, and lip reshaping. Ask about any of these at your consultation.
If you have finished losing weight and excess skin is still in the way, a consultation is the place to start.
Or call (888) 379-7633.
