What criteria must be met before contouring surgery can begin?

Patients who desire contouring surgery such as removal of skin, as well as lipodystrophy, should make sure that they are at their baseline weight.  They should have a history and physical.  They should be seen by a board-certified plastic surgeon and should have a consultation to determine the skin tonicity and the risks and benefits of the surgery.  Many patient's who undergo gastric bypass surgery will end up having contouring body surgery, including breast lifts, breast implants, thigh lifts, brachioplasties, and panniculectomies.  The patient should also be psychologically and physiologically stable for this operation, and also understand that a multitude of scarring will be required, and they must be accepting of the scars.

Before you consider body contouring surgery, your weight needs to remain stable for a period of several months. Ideally, you should lose as much weight as possible before your surgery. As with any surgery, you want to be in good physical health and refrain from smoking.