The growing popularity of weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro is creating a new type of patient in plastic surgery consultations: people who, after losing a significant amount of weight, want to treat the loose skin and excess skin that can appear as a result.
ABC recently addressed this phenomenon, with the expert opinion of doctors Santiago Elvira and Tiago Gomes Rodrigues, plastic surgeons and founders of Clínica EGOS, to analyse the effects that rapid weight loss can have on the skin and body contour.
Rapid weight loss and its effects on the skin
As Doctors Elvira and Gomes explain in the article published by ABC, one of the factors that can influence the appearance of loose skin is the speed at which weight is lost.
“When the drop is very fast, the skin has no time to adapt. It is not just an aesthetic issue: in many cases we are talking about discomfort, irritation or even functional problems”.
When there is a major reduction in body volume, the skin may not fully recover its ability to adapt, especially after significant weight loss. The result can be excess skin and loss of firmness in different areas of the body.
This phenomenon is leading to more consultations from patients who, once they have reached their target weight, want to recover their body contour.
A new reality for plastic surgery
The increase in these patients reflects an evolution in the needs of plastic surgery. In many cases, the goal is no longer just to lose weight, but to improve body appearance and comfort after losing it.
At Clínica EGOS, Doctors Santiago Elvira and Tiago Gomes Rodrigues stress the importance of approaching these processes from a medical and personalised perspective.