BariatricEating.com Health & Nutrition
The Finishing Touch – Post Bariatric Plastic Surgery
Susan Maria Leach
I had lost 143 pounds and couldn’t wait to have my abdominoplasty procedure. I had worked hard to change my life and deserved to take those final steps and have a nice shape for the first time in my life.
The
decision to have bariatric surgery is one of the biggest commitments we
will ever make. Once we take the surgical measure as a means to end our
morbid obesity, make permanent changes to our life, and fight to arrive
at and maintain a healthy goal weight, many of us either need or feel
like we want to complete our transformation with plastic or reconstructive
surgery.
It is very important that you are well informed when choosing someone to transform you. Plastic surgery is still surgery and is not to be taken lightly. It's not as easy as it looks on television where patients go to sleep and in a one hour show appear to have multiple procedures with little or no consequence.
We should choose a plastic reconstructive surgeon as carefully as we chose our bariatric surgeon. This is not the time to look for a deal or cheapest price as we live with the results forever, and it is sometimes difficult under the best of circumstances to achieve an attractive result given what the surgeon is given to work with.
I had my extended abdominoplasty eighteen months after my bariatric surgery. I researched, chose my surgeon carefully, and was fortunate that his skilled hand produced a nearly perfect result. However, my best friend at the time thought she chose wisely as well, but her extended abdominoplasty that was performed by another surgeon just three days after mine went horribly wrong, and it took her almost two years to heal from her terrible wounds and still deals with the emotional damage.
It's
important to select someone who is practiced in dealing with the large
skin flaps and challenges we present after massive weight loss. This is
why surgeons like Dr. Shuster, who are creating the specialty of Bariatric
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, are gaining in popularity as they
focus on perfecting existing techniques, as well as creating new ones.
No one wants to lose 200 or more pounds and then be forced to accept an
unattractive outcome for what should be the proverbial cherry on top of
the sundae!
After all our hard work, we deserve a beautiful result!
I am very particular in regards to making my personal medical choices.
I know that practice makes perfect and that unless I am in an emergency
situation, it only takes a little time and effort to find out which doctor
or surgeon is best suited for my medical need.
I feel very strongly about making an informed decision when choosing a bariatric surgeon, and I would not hesitate to travel out of town to be able to have my bariatric procedure performed at an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence and have a surgeon that has been chosen by Surgical Review Corporation as a top surgeon meeting their strict requirements.
Ditto when choosing a surgeon to perform reconstructive plastic surgery after I have reached and maintained a healthy goal weight. I know that I have just one opportunity to have an attractive end result and given the skin situations that I bring to the table, the surgeon I choose must know the particulars of working with the large skin flaps and understand the unique challenges that massive weight loss creates.
I am proud to introduce you to Dr. Bernard A. Shuster MD, as both a friend and an amazing bariatric plastic surgeon.
- Susan Maria
Dr. Bernard A. Shuster M.D., FACS
Shuster Plastic
Surgery
4001 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, Florida 33021
Phone: (954) 961-5500
Dr. Shuster is a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery
and a third generation plastic surgeon specializing in aesthetic procedures.
Dr. Shuster pursued his undergraduate degree in Biology at Brandeis University.
While an undergraduate, Dr. Shuster complemented his studies with research
at Harvard Medical School and presented a thesis in the area of Gene Therapy.
Having completed his undergraduate education with honors from Brandeis
University, Dr. Shuster went on to graduate with Honors in Research from
Cornell University Medical College. Following medical school, Dr. Shuster
was accepted into the residency of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery at Stanford University Medical Center, where he served as Chief
Resident. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member
of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Dr. Shuster has presented his work and lectured in the areas of Facial Cosmetic Surgery, Safety in Liposuction, Advances in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Breast Surgery and reconstruction of pediatric deformities at international, national, regional, and academic meetings. He has published articles in the journals Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and The British Journal of Plastic Surgery.
Prior to coming to South Florida, Dr. Shuster practiced in Manhattan for six years. While in New York, he served on the staff of New York University Downtown Hospital, Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital. He has been involved in training plastic surgery residents from New York University, the University of Massachusetts, and the University of Oklahoma. He has been interviewed and featured by the New York Times, the New York Post, W Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Good House Keeping. Avenue Magazine, Manhattan File and Rosie Magazine.
While Dr. Shuster's training and education in plastic surgery have been extensive, it does not fully reveal the scope of his experience. He is a third generation plastic surgeon and has had exposure to both the artistic and medical aspects of the field since an early age. Dr. Shuster has also traveled to Central America and Asia to provide reconstructive surgery for underprivileged children and to teach plastic surgery. Dr. Shuster specializes in aesthetic surgery of the face, breast, and body utilizing Minimally Invasive Techniques.
Plastic Surgery following significant weight loss and bariatric surgery.
For patients who are significantly over weight, losing that weight is the single most important step they can take to improve their quality of life and health. The tremendous results obtained through bariatric weight loss surgery can have a more pronounced and positive effect on a patient’s life than almost any other area of medicine.
For patients who have had bariatric surgery, plastic surgery can be very beneficial. Bariatric surgery is not done for cosmetic purposes and plastic surgery is not done for weight loss. Patients who lose more than 80 pounds often develop laxity of the skin and soft tissues of the body. Such laxity frequently develops to varying degrees and can create a significant cosmetic deformity. In addition to the cosmetic deformity, this can interfere with the normal activities of daily living, be a hygiene problem, and produce secondary medical problems. The results of plastic surgery to correct these deformities are among the most dramatic and consistent in the field.
Various areas are typically affected by wide fluctuations in weight. These areas include the abdomen, torso, breast, thighs, arms, face, and neck. Not all patients will develop laxity to the same extent, or of the same areas. For each patient, an approach to correcting the problem areas should focus on those that are most troublesome and be tailored to the individual patient’s needs.
There are a number of unique considerations when treating patients who have undergone bariatric surgery or lost a large amount of weight by another method. It is very important for patients to find a plastic surgeon who is aware of these considerations. Patients should have completed most of their weight loss and their weight should be relatively stable. They do not need to have lost all of the weight they are going to lose.
There are times, however, when they may be a candidate for body contour surgery before their weight loss is complete. The most common example of this is when hanging skin, such as an abdominal apron, interferes with exercise or becomes a hygiene problem. By correcting this, patients are able to improve the quality and amount of activity leading to further weight loss.
Another important consideration is that the patient have a stable metabolism. Patients need to be monitored prior to surgery to assure adequate nutrition. This is necessary to promote postoperative healing. Also, for this type of surgery, smoking is a contraindication as it greatly increases the risks and complications.
Patients differ with regards to the amount of soft tissue laxity they develop. They also differ with regards to which areas of the body are involved. The following is a list of the areas that we most frequently treat for patients who have lost significant weight.
Abdomen
The skin and soft tissues of the abdomen are often the areas that most dramatically develop laxity. As described, this can present a significant cosmetic deformity and also interfere with normal activities and become a hygiene problem. These areas are best addressed with an Abdominoplasty.
Torso
For some patients, the laxity of the soft tissue that develops is not limited to a single area. Rather, it can affect them circumferentially. That is, it can involve the abdomen, back, flanks and buttocks. When this is the case, a Lower Body Lift can address all these areas in a single operation with very impressive results.
Thighs
The skin of the thighs is an area particularly susceptible to developing laxity, which manifests as cellulite and irregularities in contour. This can affect both the inner and outer parts of the thighs. A thigh lift can be performed either as an isolated procedure or as part of a Lower Body Lift. An Inner, or Medial, Thigh Lift is performed to tighten the tissues along the inner aspect of the thighs.
Arms
The upper arms can develop extensive laxity following weight loss. This can occur at almost any age. Once such laxity develops, the only means of correcting it is by removing the excess skin. This is accomplished with a Brachioplasty, or arm lift. When properly performed, the results of this procedure are quite impressive.
Breasts
Breasts frequently lose their shape and firmness and begin to sag. This can occur with the passage of time and pregnancies. It can also be particularly exacerbated by fluctuations in weight. A Mastopexy, or breast lift, is a procedure that reshapes the breasts and restores their position.
Coming Soon... our Photo Gallery of Post Bariatric Before & After Reconstructions
