After hard work of dieting and exercise, the results of weight loss should be positive and rewarding. However, if a significant amount of weight was lost after being overweight for a significant amount of time, this could result in access skin. When the skin stretches to a significant degree, in pregnancy or in major weight gain, the skin does not always snap back to its original appearance. If you are uncomfortable with the appearance of this access skin, there are surgical methods of reducing or entirely diminishing this access skin.

Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery is the only successful method of removing access skin, according to emedicinehealth.com. Creams and over-the-counter products don't prove to have any substantial success. However, plastic surgery is a major procedure that removes the access skin from your body. This procedure will provide the most results and will leave your skin as tight as the skin should be. It will also leave scars around the area that was worked on, and it is a complex surgery that is expensive and dangerous. According to DoctorOz.com, anyone who is considering plastic surgery should first watch this graphic video of a live surgery: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/life-changing-surgery.

Location

Each area of your body needs a separate surgical procedure, each surgery costs a significant amount of money and each surgery carries its own serious risks. Some examples that are available include an abdominoplasty, more commonly known as a tummy tuck, a mastopexy, which is a breast lift, an inner thigh lift, and a brachioplasty, which is an arm lift. You need to choose which areas on your body that you want to tighten the skin or remove access skin, and then talk to your doctor about the procedure and the risks. If you choose to have more than one surgery, months or years between each surgery is recommended, to give your body time to heal and to prevent more risks.

Preparation

To prepare for the surgery, you obviously need to first lose the weight that is causing access skin. If you choose to remove access weight with liposuction, a hefty amount of extra risk factors will be present with the skin removal surgeries. Do not plan a skin tightening procedure until your body contains the amount of body fat that is healthy for your age group, and you are at a healthy weight that you are happy with and you will remain at. Wait a few years, to make sure you can maintain this weight, and to see if the skin tightens on its own, which can happen sometimes, according to leehayward.com. After weight loss, make sure your body contains the correct amount of nutrition needed to fight infection and keep your body healthy and strong, which is important when going into a serious procedure.

Post-Surgery

It is extremely important to follow up with your doctor in the months after the surgery, in order to catch any risk factors that may be caused from the surgery. According to DrBitar.com, complications to look for after surgery include poor nutrition, malabsorption, anemia, poor blood supply, loss of skin elasticity, cardiac illness and diabetes. Because the procedure can dramatically change the way you and others view yourself, it's important to talk to your doctor or a therapist if you or someone close to you has a hard time accepting the change in physical appearance. Continue to exercise and eat healthy so that you don't regain the weight you lost.

Source:

Excess Skin Removal After Extreme Weight Loss

How to Tighten Loose Abdominal Skin

Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss

Resource:

Body Contouring Surgery After Significant Weight Loss

Consumer Guide to Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery

Post Weight Loss Cosmetic Surgery