Surgery After Weight Loss 

Why Does Skin Sag After Significant Weight Loss? 

Skin is elastic, but only to a point. When it’s been stretched for months or years by excess weight, the collagen and elastin fibres that once held it taut become damaged and depleted, and no amount of additional dieting, strength training, or topical product can restore that structure. 

The effects often show up most dramatically in the lower abdomen, upper arms, and thighs, and the right surgical approach depends on where you’re carrying the most excess skin. Dr. Robert Shenker and Dr. Stephanie Ma work with you to build a personalized treatment plan, recommending the procedure or combination of procedures that best addresses your specific areas of concern. 

Are You a Candidate for Body Contouring After Weight Loss? 

These are the general characteristics of a good candidate: 

• Your weight has levelled off and feels sustainable. 
• You’re at or close to the weight you intend to maintain long term. 
• You’re in good overall health with no conditions that would complicate healing. 
• You don’t smoke, or you’re willing to stop well before and after surgery to support healing. 

Your surgeon will review each of these factors with you to determine if you’re a candidate for body contouring surgery. 

Tummy Tuck for Loose Abdominal Skin

Tummy tuck surgery removes the excess skin that gathers across the abdomen after major weight loss and tightens the abdominal muscles that stretched to accommodate the extra weight. For patients who have lost significant weight, this procedure delivers the most noticeable change to their midsection. 

For patients with a larger amount of excess skin extending around to the flanks and back, an extended or fleur-de-lis tummy tuck may achieve a more complete result than a standard abdominoplasty.  

Our drainless technique, which uses progressive tension sutures instead of traditional drains, helps make recovery more comfortable for appropriate candidates.  

Arm Lift for Sagging Upper Arms

Loose, sagging skin on the upper arms is one of the most common complaints after major weight loss. An arm lift, or brachioplasty, removes that excess skin and tightens the remaining tissue for a smoother, more defined contour from the elbow to the underarm. 

Thigh Lift for Loose Skin on the Legs 

Loose skin on the inner or outer thighs is a common concern for weight loss patients, often causing chafing, skin irritation, and discomfort in addition to affecting confidence. A thigh lift tightens this skin, addressing the inner thigh, the outer thigh, or both, depending on where you’re experiencing the most laxity. 

An outer thigh lift can extend into the buttock area for patients who want that region contoured during the same procedure.  

Liposuction To Refine Stubborn Fat Pockets

Liposuction isn’t a treatment for loose skin, but surgeons frequently add liposuction to a tummy tuck, arm lift, or thigh lift to refine the surrounding area within the same surgery. 

For patients whose main concern is loose, hanging skin, liposuction won’t deliver the tightening they’re after, but it helps sharpen and balance the final contour. 

Reviewed for clinical accuracy by Dr. Robert Shenker on September 11th, 2026.