Life after weight loss: A solution for loose skin

If you have undergone surgery or other treatments for weight loss, you may want to request a consultation to understand your options for dealing with loose skin.

Depending on the amount of loose skin, you may experience discomfort and skin irritation such as rashes that interfere with your daily life. Areas of loose skin patients often want to discuss are the abdomen, arms, breasts and thighs.

During a consultation, your surgeon will cover a variety of options and give you an idea of whether they may be covered by insurance. Insurance companies use different criteria to determine a patient’s eligibility. Typically, the only surgery for skin removal covered by insurance is the panniculectomy. This procedure removes lower abdomen skin that hangs below the pubic area. It is not the same procedure as an abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, a cosmetic surgery not covered by insurance.

What you need to know

• Surgery must be considered medically necessary to be covered by insurance.
• If you don't meet the criteria and your insurance won't cover the procedure, check to see if your plastic surgery provider offers financing options to help pay for the surgery over time.
• The insurance company will typically recommend you reach and maintain your weight loss goal for six months before the consultation.
• A Body Mass Index (BMI) of around 30 or less is necessary to minimize any surgical risk.
• If you use any form of nicotine, you must quit for two months before and two months after surgery. This includes vaping, patches and chewable forms. There is zero for nicotine as it inhibits healing and heightens the risk of infection.

You’ve worked hard to reduce your weight. Cosmetic surgery can be life-changing and improve your confidence and self-esteem. Schedule a consultation with a plastic surgery provider and learn more about your options.

 

Medically reviewed by a Plastic Surgery provider.