Aug 28, 2008 5:58 pm US/Eastern
Body Contouring Helps Patients Achieve New Look
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
For people who have lost significant amounts of weight, getting rid of the fat is only the first part of the battle.
Healthwatch reporter Kellye Lynn reports patients are achieving the look of their dreams with body contouring.
People who have bariatric surgery are often left with large amounts of sagging skin. It's not only unattractive and uncomfortable, it can also increase the risk of infection and other problems.
Body contouring removes the unwanted tissue and gives patients a slimmer and firmer appearance.
At her heaviest, Ina Dreiband weighed a whopping 240 pounds. She tried diet after diet, but she couldn't seem to keep the weight off.
"I wanted to be able to walk into a restaurant and not worry about the tables being too close and am I going to fit," said Ina.
Bariatric surgery helped Ina achieve that goal. In one year, her size 22 frame shrank to a size 8, but Ina still wasn't satisfied.
"There were other issues that left hanging so to speak, lots of skin," said Ina.
Dr. Nassif Soueid of St. Joseph Medical Center and his colleagues cut away the excess tissue around Ina's abdominal area with a procedure known as body contouring.
"We try to work together to make the surgery faster and get the patient off the table faster," said Soueid.
The procedure takes between two to six hours. Doctors cut horizontally in the area between the pubic hairline and navel. Through the incision, weakened ab muscles are repaired and sutured. Extra fat, tissue and skin are cut away.
Contouring the abdominal area can cost between $10,000 and $18,000. Expect to pay $7,000 for the arms or legs.
After her body contouring procedure, Ina dropped one full size from an eight to a six. Even though she's smaller, she still gets uncomfortable at restaurants.
"I still have the feeling, oh my God, it's such a small space. Am I going to fit?" said Ina.
Body contouring is commonly used for the breasts, arms and thighs.
Patients should expect swelling for up to 10 days, and it could take up to a year to see the final result.
Like all forms of surgery, body contouring has its risks which include bleeding, scarring, infection and blood clots.
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