Stoker Plastic Surgery: David Stoker, MD
4640 Admiralty Way #1000
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Phone: (310) 300-1779
Monday–Friday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Significant weight loss, accomplished either through lifestyle changes or weight loss surgery, helps people feel better about themselves and can help resolve serious medical conditions. Extreme weight loss, however, results in a large amount of loose skin that prevents individuals from feeling confident about their bodies. Plastic surgery after weight loss at our Los Angeles practice is an effective solution that creates more attractive contours.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Stoker specializes in these procedures, which require a high level of expertise and surgical skill to perform safely with excellent results.
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After losing significant weight, people who were once obese feel much better, and many of their medical conditions improve dramatically. However, the resulting loose skin is often uncomfortable, limiting physical activity and causing them to feel self-conscious.
Removing that loose skin puts the finishing touch on their physical transformation.
When Dr. Stoker consults with patients who are looking for an extreme makeover after weight loss, he listens to them describe what bothers them the most and then examines them to see where they could benefit from plastic surgery. He prioritizes the procedures patients say they prefer.
In some cases, Dr. Stoker can address a patient’s main concerns with a single operation. Often, though, he plans multiple days of surgery that patients fit into their own lifestyles and at their own pace. The in-depth analysis Dr. Stoker provides patients is often invaluable for planning and budgeting intelligently.
Plastic surgery after weight loss is a powerful incentive for patients to keep the weight off. Patients invest time and money in a plastic surgery transformation, and they’re rewarded with huge improvements in their appearance. When the patient looks and feels better, they want to stay that way. Plastic surgery provides positive reinforcement to keep the extra weight off.
| For Your Surgery After Weight Loss: |
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| He has authored clinical studies on safety of combined procedures. |
| He is a course instructor for The American Society of Plastic Surgeons® (ASPS) and The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) on body contouring. |
| He has been featured by The New York Times and NBC’s “Today Show.” |
| Physician and surgeon for cast members on the NBC hit television series “The Biggest Loser” and the ABC hit series “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition.” |
Obesity rates in the U.S. continue to increase, with nearly 40% of American adults considered obese. Often, this is because people consume more processed and high-fat foods, exercise less, and spend more time in front of screens.
Genetic predisposition can also factor into obesity. Whatever the cause, obesity greatly increases the risk of developing other major medical conditions. It’s difficult to lose weight but it can be done. Weight loss methods include:
Long-term changes in the types of food you eat—rather than extreme diets—are a critical component of an effective weight loss program. Losing weight requires you to consume fewer calories than you burn through exercise.
Exercise is important for cardiovascular health as well as for losing weight. By adding muscle mass, patients can increase their basal metabolic rate. That means they will continue to burn calories at a higher rate even when they’re sedentary. Aerobic exercise helps burn calories at a faster rate, so the benefits of dieting will be seen more quickly.
Weight loss surgery is the last hope for many patients who are losing the battle against obesity. Gastric bypass and banding surgery are extremely effective at helping patients lose weight. Although bariatric surgery is much safer now than it was over a decade ago, there are still substantial risks from the procedures compared to losing weight through diet and exercise.
Our medical weight loss program uses GLP-1 medications to support weight loss by reducing appetite and increasing feelings of fullness, slowing the rate at which food leaves the stomach, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and promoting healthier eating habits.
Plastic surgery after weight loss patients often need to plan on multiple operations. Usually, Dr. Stoker waits about 2 or more months between stages. The planning is highly individualized, depending on the patient’s needs, desires, and health status.
Many parts of the body change when a person loses 50 to 100 pounds or more. After working hard to lose the extra pounds, it’s natural for people to want to improve their appearance and feel more comfortable. As a body contouring specialist, Dr. Stoker often combines a range of skin tightening procedures, such as a body lift, at his Los Angeles practice. The procedures often included in an extreme makeover after weight loss include:
A modified version of tummy tuck surgery, a panniculectomy removes the hanging skin and fat from the lower abdomen. Dr. Stoker has performed hundreds of these procedures for extreme makeover patients, producing truly transformative results.
Dr. Stoker performs both lower and upper body lifts. A lower body lift—which he performs most often—typically includes a tummy tuck, thigh lift, and buttocks lift in a single operation. Patients with significant loose skin on the torso are good candidates for an upper body lift.
Even though a pubic lift is often combined with tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Stoker may perform it as a standalone procedure for patients satisfied with their abdomens’ appearance. After significant weight loss, the skin in this area is often saggy, causing patients to feel self-conscious during intimacy.
Abdominoplasty, better known as a tummy tuck, removes skin and fat from the lower abdomen. Dr. Stoker then pulls down the upper abdominal skin and redistributes it smoothly over the entire abdomen. He often tightens the “6-pack” muscles of the abdomen as well.
Weight loss often results in sagging breasts for women. Dr. Stoker performs breast lift surgery to reposition the breast tissue and remove excess skin to create a firmer, more youthful contour. During the surgery, the nipples and areolas are often moved to a higher, more flattering location.
Weight loss accelerates the facial aging process. Loose skin on the neck, jowls, and cheeks may make the patient appear much older than they did when they were overweight. A facelift effectively improves these problems, shaving a decade or more off a person’s appearance.
Thigh lifts treat sagging skin and cellulite on the inner or outer thighs. Dr. Stoker conceals the incisions within the bikini lines, removes the excess upper thigh skin, and lifts the mid-thigh skin toward the patient’s waist.
Butt lifts elevate the bottom’s droopy skin that results from weight loss and aging. The incision is a continuation of the tummy tuck’s waistline scar all the way around the back of a patient. Dr. Stoker also repositions the fatty tissue of the lower buttocks to create more youthful curves.
The arm lift, also known as a brachioplasty, removes extra skin and fat hanging from the upper arm between the elbow and armpit. Dr. Stoker conceals incisions on the inner aspect or back of the arm to be discreet. Arm lifts produce noticeably slimmer-looking arms.
While Ultherapy® is a noninvasive option for skin tightening, it is typically not effective for significant skin laxity after massive weight loss.
Discomfort varies with the specifics of the surgery but is typically not pronounced. Dr. Stoker uses rapid recovery techniques and dissolvable sutures (when appropriate) to make recovery as easy as possible.
Dr. Stoker has conducted extensive clinical research on the safety of combining plastic surgery procedures. In his hands, there’s no increased risk of complications because he carefully screens each patient and performs a meticulously constructed plan of procedures together. Be aware that not all patients are candidates for combined surgical procedures. Dr. Stoker determines candidacy on an individual patient basis during a detailed consultation.
Recovery varies with every surgery and unique patient factors. In general, patients are ready to return to work and normal nonstrenuous activities in 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the specifics of their surgery and individual factors. They can ease back into more vigorous exercise after about 6 weeks. Most patients wear compression garments on treated areas to minimize swelling and improve the healing process.
The rate at which scars heal and fade varies between patients but typically takes a year or two. Scars typically start out red and raised, then change from pink to white while becoming flat and thin. Although Dr. Stoker places the incisions where the resulting scars will be concealed by clothing or not readily noticeable, the majority of his patients feel the improvement in their comfort and appearance is well worth the associated scarring.
Future weight gain and loss may create similar concerns as with your first surgery and require revision surgery, which is typically more complex than the first time around. After recovery from post-weight loss surgery, Dr. Stoker encourages his patients to eat right and exercise consistently.
Few plastic surgeons in the U.S. can match Dr. Stoker’s expertise and experience performing plastic surgery after weight loss. To learn if you’re a good candidate for an extreme makeover after weight loss, use the online form to request a consultation or call our Marina del Rey office at (310) 300-1779 to schedule an appointment.
Our expertise extends beyond plastic surgery. We offer an extensive range of non-surgical treatments administered by our talented, experienced team of aesthetic providers under the guidance of board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Stoker.
If you have a treatment in mind, review our complete offering of non-surgical services. If you need a little help deciding, narrow down your options with our interactive treatment planner.
