American Society of Plastic Surgeons
For Medical Professionals
 
hopeful
5 years ago
Answered

Excess skin removal after extreme weight loss

Where is the incision scar after having the “High lateral tension abdominoplasty”? Does this surgery remove excess skin from the abdomen, and the thighs about halfway down the thigh? About how much time does that surgery typically last? Thanks!

Procedure: Body Contouring
Location: fresno, CA

Replies 4

Shashidhar Kusuma
ASPS Surgeon

High lateral tension abdominoplasty does improve the lateral thighs a little but it is designed to give the lateral area, the flanks, a much better look. It certainly does not effectively address the thigh half way down the thigh. The surgery can last around 3 hrs in most cases. There can be some variability in times but that is the average. Some of this may vary by the actual purpose and design by the surgeon and how it is done and what discussions and needs the patient has. Many times, such cases can be customized and not necessarily cookie cutter and standard. There can be a lot of variability in the execution of the procedure to tailor it to the patient.

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Steven Wallach
ASPS Surgeon
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For patients with extreme body weight loss, I prefer to perform a full circumferential body lift. A high lateral tension abdominoplasty does not treat all the laxity around the body.

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Aaron Stone
ASPS Surgeon

The incision scar lies above the pubic hair and runs along the inguinal creases (where the leg joins the body in front) and extends to just past where the outer edge of the abdominal skin fold ends. That may be above the hip or even on the back. In order to tighten the skin the dissection has to run down the leg under the skin. If you just remove skin without the dissection you don't get the same degree of thigh skin tightening and don't get the full effect of the High lateral tension abdominoplasty. If there is a lot of excess skin a wedge has to be placed between the legs during surgery to allow the skin removal. In patients with both excess abdominal skin and excess thigh skin I prefer to do the a High lateral tension abdominoplasty first so that the patient needs less leg surgery & in some cases no leg surgery.

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Jon Ver Halen

Dear Hopeful,

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. A High Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty refers really to a type of tummy tuck that only addresses the front (and possibly) sides of the abdomen. It does not treat the sides. It is best to answer your question during a face-to-face evaluation, when you can discuss your goals and expectations for the procedure, and you can have a physical examination to evaluate for that procedure. I recommend that you find a board-certified, or board-eligible plastic surgeon with whom you are comfortable. Be sure to have all of your questions answered during a face-to-face meeting with your surgeon, and review before and after pictures of similar patients whom have had this procedure. If you have any questions, call our office for assistance. Good luck!

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