29 Oct 2025
GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic®, have radically changed the weight loss landscape. People who have long struggled to take off excess weight now have a safe, effective means for doing so whether they want to lose 10 lbs. or 100 lbs. Furthermore, the potential health benefits are proving to be profound and wide-ranging from lowering blood pressure to reducing insulin levels. And these are just some of the physical benefits. Emotionally, weight loss drugs are boosting a patient’s self-confidence and restoring a sense of freedom and possibility.
The only real drawback to losing weight whether you do so on your own, with the help of a drug or with bariatric surgery is that you may find yourself with unwanted loose skin and tissues. This can be particularly problematic if you are no longer in your 20’s, and you’ve carried these excess pounds for years. Due to the universal and inevitable decline in the body’s collagen and elastin levels with age, your skin may start to resemble the outside of a balloon that has lost its fill. This is why body contouring procedures can be a great complement to your weight loss journey. Here are some of the most popular in my Boston area offices.
Renuvion® for Non-Surgical Skin Tightening
The best body contouring procedure to have after weight loss is always going to be personal. There is no one-size-fits-all as every treatment plan at Boston Center for Plastic Surgery (BCPS) is individualized to your unique anatomy, needs, and lifestyle, including your tolerance for downtime. One of the historic issues with skin laxity was that surgery was really the only option for rejuvenating loose tissue. Today, however, there is a viable non-surgical procedure for those with a mild to moderate amount of sagging in the skin. Renuvion® J-Plasma combines helium plasma with radiofrequency (RF) energy to promote collagen production in the deeper layers of your dermis. The end result is smoother, tighter skin in the treatment area.
Although Renuvion® can be a stand-alone procedure, I often combine it with liposuction. It might sound counterintuitive to talk about surgical fat removal after weight loss, but the goal of body contouring is to restore proportion and create your ideal shape. So even though you’ve lost many pounds, they may not necessarily come off exactly where you want them to. Liposuction is the ideal procedure for removing those pockets of excess fat in order to deliver your best look.
Mommy Makeover in Boston
For patients who’ve lost a moderate to severe amount of weight, a surgical body contouring procedure is most likely going to be the best option. Mommy Makeover is a made-up term to describe a combination of procedures that address two of the problem areas following pregnancy — the breasts and the abdomen. They also happen to be two of the biggest problem areas of age and a life well-lived. With breast surgery, there are a myriad of options including:
- Breast Augmentation
- Fat Grafting to the Breast
- Breast Lift
- Mastopexy Augmentation
- Breast Reduction
- Gynecomastia (Male Chest Reduction)
Again, the right one is going to depend on your needs. For the abdomen, a tummy tuck is a gold standard for rejuvenating your entire torso. It is a robust procedure that requires dedication in terms of recovery. However, the end result is so transformative that patients will always tell me afterwards that it was completely worth it.
Thigh Lift & Arm Lift
The last two areas that I want to discuss when it comes to body contouring procedures following weight loss are the:
- Thigh Lift
- Arm Lift
The benefit of these two procedures is that they allow me to re-sculpt your arms and upper legs so that they look long, lean, and elegant. The downside of these two procedures is that they do entail a large incision that will fade, but will always be visible. For some, the scar is not worth it. But if you are someone who has lost a massive amount of weight, you could be carrying anywhere from 10-40 lbs. in excess skin. Not only does this mar all of your hard work, but it can also result in unhealthy and uncomfortable skin rashes. As with any aesthetic procedure, it is important to weigh the pros and the cons. I am always very up front about what you can realistically expect in terms of results and recovery so that you can make the right choice for you.
Schedule a Consultation
To find out more about Renuvion®, liposuction, breast surgery, tummy tuck, arm lift, thigh lift, or any other surgical or non-surgical procedure with Dr. Vickram Tandon at the Boston Center for Plastic Surgery, contact us today or call 617-402-2768 to schedule a consultation.
