Post-Bariatric Plastic Surgery - Face

My body, which was absolutely ravaged by obesity and uncontrollable diabetes, bothers me far less than my face does.

Realistically, my face was not so drastically ravaged as my body. My top weight was 480 lbs...there was a limit to how much of that could get into my face. However my now collapsed enormous double chin obscures my neck completely, my nose is still too bulbous (I have a long nose with a wide bridge, but before my weight went insane it was a very well-shaped nose), the slack skin on my forehead, the basset hound look between my mouth and nose, and the ravages the diabetes did to my complexion all combine to make me want to cry.

I don't hope to ever have the face that I did at seventeen again, but I would like to have the face that I feel I am supposed to have, with a visible neck, a lovely (though not petite) nose, less exaggerated nasolabial folds, a smooth brow, and the complexion of a lifelong sun-avoider.

I am starting to get within sight range of the weight at which I wanted to begin plastics, so I am starting to think about cosmetic surgeons and what I want to do. Has anyone here had fairly extensive facial work after massive weight loss? How realistic were your expectations? Did your results make you happy? Were you as surprised as I am to find my face making me more self-conscious than my body? What did you have done? Are there any surgeons out here *****ally specialize in post-bariatric facial work? At least anyone good at getting lots of extra skin off of a neck without distorting the face?

Any wisdom you can share would be much appreciated.


Sarah M.

Probably a facelift is what you need, just find a good board certified surgeon and tell him what you want, look at pics of some of his work. It will take care of neck and face. That's what I'm getting next, there's just no way getting anything to look good any other way after massive weight loss.

Oh, a facelift for sure. Probably a brow lift as well and filler at the smile lines, and a small nose job (not to make a smaller nose, but to get rid of the bulbousness that appeared after my weight got above 400 pounds and hasn't gone away). I would imagine that in the cases of people like me whose weight got so high and were naturally inclined to a double chin anyway that we have so much more extra skin on our necks that it would take a particularly skilled surgeon to create an attractive and natural look since there is a tremendous amount of extra skin around the neck. The pics I still have on here was taken when I was around 415 pounds (yes, I'll get around to updating it!). You can see the distortion I am talking about. The skin is all still there, it's just collapsed.





Sarah M.

BUT WHATEVER YOU SAY AND DO YOU DO NOT WANT COSMETIC SURGERY - YOU WANT RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY TO A PLACE OF NORMALCY FOR A WOMAN OF YOUR AGE whatever age that is! And I typed in caps on purpose as one thing I have learned from reading this Board and although I live in Isreal, the desire for Plastics and HMO/Insurance coverage is that there are possibilities to have it covered under Reconstructive and not cosmetic (cosmetic is a no-no word!)
You want a Plastics surgeon that is not Beverly Hills but also works on weight-loss people. I personally am more impressed if I've read that the PS has also done charitable work in other countries - to me it means that said person is not just full of an ego but cares about people.
Good luck on your continued journey.
Go for what you deserve to feel better about yourself. I suggest you look at consults now even if your not at your goal (I did not look at your profile to see where you are at) but you need to have an idea on prices and feeling comfortable with whomever will be tour PS and if/how you can get finances with HMO/Insurance.
Mikimi in Israel

Mikimi, all the face work I want would not qualify as reconstructive, but my neck/chin definitely would. The other things I want are not distorting enough to qualify as reconstructive. I think that the weight caused the issues that I want corrected, but nothing else is as drastic.


Sarah M.

I too was bothered my what I saw when I looked into the mirror- an ok'd woman, not the vibrate healthy one that I now am. I had a facelift, upper eyes and neck lift done 1.5 wks ago. My ps specializes in bariatric patient surgery but also does others. Easy surgery. I am heading to dr now to have remaining stitches removed. Minor discomfort, swelling and bruising. I look so much younger and healthy. In 2 weeks I get arms and bl/ba done. Then need lbl to get scheduled. Good luck!

I hope to get a chance to see your results. I'm glad you are pleased so far.


Sarah M.

I do plan to post various photos of the various stages. I am still a work in progress and healing. Two weeks tomorrow!

Mine isn't as impressive as Dee's, I'll send her over to post her pics.  But, Dr Sauceda did a great job.   I had a neck and full facelift w/o the brow lift.

Your results are very impressive indeed, you look very healthy and natural.


Sarah