Explore Plastic Surgery - Dr. Barry Eppley

Plastic surgery is one of the marvels of modern medicine, with a wide range of options for face and body improvements. And today’s media outlets make it easier than ever before to gather information on the latest plastic surgery procedures. But how does this information apply to you and your concerns?

Every person is unique and has his or her own desires. What procedure or combination of treatments is right for you? And what can you really expect? EXPLORE PLASTIC SURGERY with Dr. Barry Eppley, Indianapolis plastic surgeon, who can provide you with a wealth of practical and up-to-date insights into the world of plastic surgery through his regular blog posts. In his writings, Dr. Eppley covers diverse topics on facial and body contouring procedures. You will be sure to find useful information that will help broaden and enrich your plastic surgery education.

The back is not spared from the extreme weight loss process. While skin may sag worse in the front (abdomen) after a lot of weight loss, sagging in the back occurs as well. It tends to not sag as much as other areas due to three factors: the thickness of back skin (one of the thickest in the body), the back skin has more attachments to the underlying tissues which hold it up better, and it was never expanded as much as the abdomen due to less fat initially. Back skin sag is usually a concern more in women than men due to the skin rolls that occur underneath the bra, being noticeable through certain types of clothing. These skin rolls frequently extend down to the side of the waistline and may consist of at least two distinct rolls in many patients.

A common misconception is that liposuction or fat removal will help tighten this loose sagging skin. Nothing can be further from the truth. Only removing the rolls themselves by cutting them out can make the back more flat and tighter.

Back lift surgery involves the removal of an elliptical (football-shaped) cutout of skin and its underlying attached fat. The cutout pattern and the final scar which results can be placed either in a horizontal or oblique orientation on the back. If done horizontally, the final scar will lie higher up within the bra line (ideally) so it can be fairly camouflaged. The back skin removal can also be oriented along the way the skin rolls fall in an oblique fashion. While the resultant back scars will be more obvious, this approach removes more skin and tightens the back better in my experience. Either way, a surprising amount of skin can be removed in a back lift.

Back lifts do not cause much discomfort and are often done in conjunction with other body contouring procedures. Like many body contouring operations, a drain will be placed in surgery to remove fluid from the space left under the skin after closure. These drains will need to stay about a week when the fluid output has dropped significantly.

Back lift surgery does produce scars but they usually heal surprisingly well compared to some other areas of the body. Back lifts are usually done as one of the last body contouring procedures as patient’s concerns about them are secondary to abdomen, breast, arm, and thigh skin issues.

Dr. Barry Eppley

http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

http://www.ologyspa.com

Clarian North Medical Center, Carmel, Indiana

Clarian West Medical Center, Avon, Indiana

Indianapolis