Skin Removal Surgery: Body Contouring Options After Weight Loss

You've made meaningful changes to support your health, perhaps through diet, exercise or maybe with the help of newer glucagon-like peptide (GLP) medications like Ozempic® or Mounjaro®. Yet when you look in the mirror, loose skin tells a different story from the scale. Research shows that you're not alone: Many people experience persistent body dissatisfaction after significant weight loss. This is often due to loose skin and a lingering mental image of your former body.¹ The bright side is that body contouring procedures like skin removal surgery may help.

This guide will break down the complexities of skin removal surgery so you know what to consider, including costs and information about before, during and after surgery.

What Is Skin Removal Surgery?

Skin removal surgery refers to a collection of body contouring procedures designed to eliminate the excess skin that remains after substantial weight loss. These surgeries can remove, lift or tighten sagging skin on various body parts, including the arms, breasts, face, abdomen, thighs and buttocks.²

Common skin removal procedures

Some of the most common procedures include:

• Arm lift surgery removes the loose skin that hangs from the upper arms, often called "bat wings."²
• Breast lifts reshape and tighten breast tissue by removing excess skin.²
• Facelifts treat the loss of volume by tightening skin, fat and muscles.³
• Gynecomastia surgery sculpts away excess breast tissue for men.⁴
• Lower body lifts are extensive surgeries that address multiple areas at once, treating the abdomen, thighs and buttocks.²
• Panniculectomy eliminates the excess skin that hangs down from the abdomen, resembling an apron.²

Candidates

Your skin quality, age and the amount of excess tissue all play important roles in determining your candidacy. You might be an ideal candidate if you have good overall health, have realistic expectations about the surgery and can take several weeks off for recovery.²

Most surgeons recommend waiting until your weight has stabilized.⁵ Non-smokers typically see better results and faster healing.⁶

How Much Does Skin Removal Surgery Cost?

Your surgeon will work with you to create a tailored surgical approach involving a series of staged surgeries, precisely timed to get the most done while maintaining your safety.

The table below shows national average costs* for facelifts, arm lifts and breast lifts, as well as a lower body lift, which addresses multiple areas of excess skin in one operation.

Average cost of common skin removal surgeries by state/district

Here is a breakdown of the average costs* for some of these procedures by state/district.

Does Insurance Cover Skin Removal Procedures?

Most insurance companies classify skin removal procedures as cosmetic and don't provide coverage. However, certain situations may qualify for insurance approval when the surgery addresses medical necessity rather than appearance alone.⁹

For example, a panniculectomy may be considered medically necessary if the following apply:⁹

• The extra skin makes it hard for you to walk or do your everyday activities.
• You have ongoing or repeated skin problems under the fold — rashes, infections, sores — that haven't improved after at least three months of standard treatments.
• Your symptoms haven't improved even after significant and sustained weight loss, or you have tried hard to lose weight but have not been successful.

How Skin Removal Surgery Works

You'll want to begin by finding a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in post-weight-loss body contouring. During the consultation, you'll discuss your goals, medical history and which procedures best address your concerns. Be prepared to share information about your weight loss journey, including whether you used GLP-1 medications.¹⁰

Pre-op checklist

It's important to follow the checklist from your cosmetic surgeon for your specfic procedures. However, here are some common preoperative instructions to help prepare for a smooth recovery.11.¹¹

• Arrange support for your recovery period, such as having someone to drive you home and help you with daily activities.
• Quit smoking completely six weeks before surgery, and reduce alcohol intake.
• Reach a stable, maintainable weight for several months before your surgery.
• Purchase recovery essentials like compression garments, special pillows and prescribed medications in advance.
• Schedule necessary blood work to check your complete blood count, metabolic panel, liver and kidney function.
• Set realistic expectations, and have coping strategies for recovery: Your mindset matters as much as your physical health.
• Stock your home with easy meals, comfortable clothing and necessary supplies before surgery day.
• Stop taking certain medications as directed.
• Visit your general practitioner for a medical clearance letter to ensure you are healthy enough for surgery.

Surgical procedures

Since skin removal surgery is a series or a combination of different procedures, everyone's surgical experience will vary. Here is a general idea of the processes for the most common surgeries.

Facelift

A facelift removes excess facial skin that sags after significant weight loss. It rectifies jowls, loose neck skin and deep facial or neck folds. Surgery involves making incisions around the ears and hairline to access the underlying tissues. Your surgeon will remove excess skin, tighten the remaining tissue and muscles, then carefully reposition everything for natural-looking results.¹²

Armlift

Also called brachioplasty, arm lifts eliminate the hanging skin underneath your upper arms that remains after major weight loss. Surgery involves making an incision along the inner arm from the armpit to just above the elbow. Your surgeon will remove the excess skin and fat, then tighten and smooth the remaining tissue to create more toned-looking arms.²

Breast lift

A breast lift can reshape and elevate breasts that have lost volume. Surgery involves removing extra skin while reshaping breast tissue. Your surgeon will reposition the nipple and areola to a more youthful height. Several surgical approaches involve different types of incisions around the areola and extend potentially down to the breast crease, depending on how much lifting you need. The procedure restores a firmer, perkier breast shape without necessarily changing breast size.¹³

Gynecomastia surgery

This breast surgery for males addresses excess tissue and skin that can persist after weight loss. Surgery involves removing both glandular tissue and excess skin through incisions around the areola or in the natural chest creases. Your surgeon will sculpt the chest area to create a flatter, more masculine contour by eliminating the loose skin and any remaining fatty tissue. This procedure can improve chest appearance and contour.⁴

Lower body lift

A lower body lift is one of the most comprehensive surgeries that may include multiple areas in one surgery. Surgery involves making a circumferential incision around your entire waistline to remove hanging skin from the abdomen, hips, outer thighs and buttocks. Your surgeon lifts and tightens all these areas simultaneously, creating smoother contours from every angle.²

Panniculectomy

A panniculectomy removes the pannus — an "apron" of skin and fat that hangs below the belly button — that many are left with after significant weight loss. The surgeon makes a horizontal incision from hip to hip between the pubic hairline and the belly button. They then remove hanging skin and fat and pull down the remaining skin — like a window shade — to create a smoother lower abdomen.¹⁴

Recovery and potential complications

How fast you recover after surgery depends on factors such as the specific procedures you have and how much skin is removed. For less extensive surgeries, like an arm lift or a breast lift, you might be able to go back to work within a week and gradually return to exercise in about a month.²

If you undergo more involved procedures, such as a lower body lift, expect a longer recovery time and possibly a brief hospital stay. Drains will help with swelling, but the first few days can be quite uncomfortable. After major procedures, it is typically recommended to avoid heavy lifting, strenuous activities and physically demanding work for at least six weeks.²

Your plastic surgeon will talk with you in detail about the recovery process and answer any questions you have. Some potential complications include reactions to anesthesia, bleeding, infection, changes in skin sensation, poor healing and the possibility of more surgery in the future.¹⁵

Completing Your Weight Loss Journey

While diet, exercise and weight loss medication can help you reach your weight loss goals, they can’t get rid of loose skin. But body contouring through skin removal surgery can. There are many types of body skin removal surgeries, and costs vary significantly based on where you live and the type of surgery you need. Understanding your surgical options may help you reach the finish line of your journey with permanent, sustainable results.

Financing a Skin Removal Surgery With the CareCredit Credit Card

Ready to revitalize your appearance and boost your confidence? The CareCredit credit card makes it easy to pay for skin removal surgeries and related expenses not covered by health insurance.** Use our Acceptance Locator to find a doctor or cosmetic surgeon near you that accepts CareCredit so you can stop dreaming and start living your best life. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your CareCredit account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to cosmetic procedures, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, pet care, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Pamela Cagle, R.N., has extensive experience in a range of clinical settings, including ER, surgical and cardiovascular. For the past decade, she has leveraged her nursing experience in writing for health and technology publications such as AARP, VKTR, National Council on Aging and others. She is passionate about blending her medical and storytelling expertise to bring authenticity to health and wellness topics.