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Mommy Make Over

Brazilian Butt Lift

Mommy Make Over

The goal of a mommy makeover is to restore the shape and appearance of a woman's body after childbearing. Many women notice changes in their bodies post-pregnancy. There are many areas of the body that can be addressed, most commonly the breasts, abdomen, waist, genitalia and buttocks.
A mommy makeover is typically performed as a single-stage procedure. There are many techniques used to perform a mommy makeover, and many factors should be taken into consideration when choosing which techniques are best:

Desired amount of restoration
Placement of the incisions
Type of implant used

Possible procedures in a mommy makeover:

Brazilian Butt Lift

Brazilian butt lift operation help patients to defeat the effects of genetics. The idea is to reshape and enhance the buttocks, hips, lower back to achieve the hourglass shape.

Achieve wholeness, projection of your buttocks
Improve the balance of your complete figure
Boost your self-confidence

Am I a good candidate for a Brazilian butt lift?

Brazilian butt lift could be a good option to change the size and shape of the buttocks, yet, some patients are better suited to the operation, having realistic expectations about the operations and results is one of the most important factors before having any operations. Generally, patients assumed to be a good candidate for a BBL if you seek for the following:

You would like to have a buttock augmentation.
You have sufficient excess fat stores in other areas to harvest for injection into the buttocks.
You are willing to avoid sitting directly on your buttocks for a certain amount of time.

Recovery/downtime after procedure

After the operation, you would need to sleep on your face or side, also you need to either lay or stand this way for the rest of the activities aside from using the toilet.
Please follow the instructions given by your plastic surgeon. You should be able to get back to light daily activities in 1 week after BBL Operation and return to work within 10 to 14 days.

Your life after the procedure

Brazilian butt lift results are expected to last for decades. 2 weeks after the fat grafting, your buttocks might lose up to %30-%40 of its first volume. This is quite normal, surgeons generally overfill the area to compensate this.Maintaining a healthy lifestyle would accelerate the healing process after your BBL surgery and help you to get a good result.

Liposuction

Liposuction Surgery comes out of a need fat cells increase and damage the ideal shape of the body.The tissues which maintain the energy balance in our bodies are the fat cells. These cells are located both under the skin and in the abdomen as protective buffers. In addition to their function of protecting the organs, they also secrete certain hormones. Over-enlarged fat tissue leads to negative impacts regarding health and beauty. While enlarged abdominal fat tissue causes heart and lung disorders, the fat tissue under the skin contributes to a proportionate physical appearance.

While the fat cells increase in number until adolescence, they only get enlarged during adulthood. As a person puts on and loses weight, the fat cells enlarge and shrink. With the method of liposuction surgery, the fat tissues under the skin are decreased in number by vacuuming and the fat cells that you cannot get rid of by diets or exercise are permanently removed.

What is liposuction?

Liposuction is a procedure which permanently removes fat from the body by vacuuming. Although it cannot be considered as a substitute for dieting and exercising, liposuction can enable the removal of fat from the tough regions of the body which do not respond to classical methods of losing weight. Nowadays, liposuction is among those procedures most frequently performed by plastic surgeons.

I hear a number of words similar to liposuction such as lipolysis, lipo shaping, laser liposuction and Vaser Liposuction. How do these methods differ?

Lipolysis is performed by using certain mesotherapy medications. As it breaks a very limited number of fat cells, it can never be a substitute for liposuction. With the method of lipo shaping, an amount of fat abstracted from excessive-fat areas by liposuction is transferred to low-fat areas by fat injection. In this way, fat is removed and the body is recontoured by filling. Lip shaping is among the methods which yield the best results.
In laser liposuction, fat cells are broken by laser power and they are vacuumed out by the classical method. The most important advantage of this method is that it ensures the tightening of loose skin in such patients.
Finally in Vaser Liposuction Method fat cells are broken down by ultrasound power and vacuumed out by the classical method.The greatest benefit of Vaser Liposuction is not damaging the nerves in the area and provides a tightening effect of the loose skin.

Who are the best candidates for liposuction?

Those people of normal or 10% heavier than their normal weight and who have a firm and elastic skin structure but have too much fat accumulation in certain regions of their bodies are the best candidates for liposuction. Anybody in good physical health is eligible for this procedure. Your age is not a significant issue; nevertheless, the elasticity of the skin may decline with old age and old patients may not achieve the same results as the young patients who have tighter skin.

On which regions of the body is liposuction performed?

Liposuction can be performed on any region with fat accumulation. Liposuction helps to contour many regions of the body including abdomen, hips, thighs, knees, upper arms, chin, cheeks and neck.

What is the maximum amount of fat that can be removed with liposuction?

The amount of fat removed with liposuction should not exceed 10% of the patient’s weight. For example, a person weighing 60 kilos should have a maximum of 6 liters removed. However, it should be noted that liposuction is not a method of losing weight. For this reason, we prefer not to go beyond the safe range of 2 to 5 liters.

Should I maintain a diet or exercise before undergoing liposuction?

Before undergoing liposuction, it is important that you reach the most convenient weight that you can maintain. If you have lost weight by maintaining a heavy exercise schedule and a diet, and worry that you will put on weight again, there will a negative impact on the results of liposuction if you put on weight.
If you have been taking anticoagulants before the operation, you should inform us about it at the first meeting and discontinue those medications. In order to accelerate the recovery process, you should quit smoking before the operation.

Is liposuction an operation? Will I have it in the surgery room?

Like any other aesthetic surgery operation, liposuction is performed in the surgery room at a general hospital.

Will I need to be anesthetized for liposuction?

If fat will be removed from limited regions in the body, local anesthesia can be used to anesthetize the affected region; besides, intravenous sedation (injection of a tranquilizer into the vein) can be applied in combination with local anesthesia in order to make you more relaxed during the procedure.
If high amounts of fat will be removed from more than 2 regions, the procedure is performed under general anesthesia.

Is liposuction a risky operation?

Although it is quite a simple procedure, liposuction bears certain risks like any other surgical operation. However, as long as the patient is eligible for the operation, the surgery room features the necessary equipment, and the physician has experience regarding the procedure, liposuction is a safe procedure.

How long does liposuction surgery take?

The length of time necessary for liposuction varies significantly depending on the dimensions of the relevant region, the amount of fat abstracted, the type of anesthesia and the technique used. For instance, if fat is being removed from a small region, the procedure can be completed in half an hour. Otherwise, if liposuction is being performed from the whole abdomen, hips and back at the same time, it will take an average of 2 hours.

What kind of a procedure is performed during liposuction surgery?

In liposuction, a small cannula (a hollow tube) is inserted in the body through a small incision of 1-2 mm made on the skin, and then the fat beneath the skin is abstracted through this cannula by vacuum power. The sucking power on the tip of the cannula may be supplied from a vacuum pump or a large injector. A medicated fluid is administered intravenously before the removal of fat. The mixture consisting of intravenous saline solution, lidocaine (a local anesthetic) and epinephrine (a medicine that causes the shrinking of blood vessels) enables the easier removal of the fat tissue, reduces bleeding and maintains the efficacy of anesthesia during and after the surgery. Fluid injection also contributes to less bruising after the surgery.

J Plasma

Renuvion is a non-surgical procedure for skin tightening. Also known as J Plasma or J Plasty, the procedure tightens and refreshes loose skin without the need for invasive surgery, extended downtime, or large surgical scars. This precision repair is unique because plastic surgeons can apply controlled heat to target specific areas for skin tightening.

How does J Plasma work?

For J Plasma procedure, the specialist creates a small entry point placing the device just under the skin. Once the device is in place, the specialist releases pro helium gas and radiofrequency (RF) to create a precise stream of energy (plasma).
This energy generates enough heat to contract the skin while, at the same time, excess helium gas cools the treatment area. This combination of energy contracts the tissues just under the skin, which tightens it.

Renuvion can be used to tighten skin in almost any body area. Common areas include:

Arm lift
Belt lift (abdomen & sides)
Thigh lift
Lower face and neck lift
Knee lift

Who can benefit from J-Plasma?

Individuals with mild to moderate damaged and loose skin caused by aging, sun damage, and other factors are ideal candidates for J-Plasma. It is perfect for anyone who is looking for an alternative to traditional skin lift procedures.
J-Plasma can be used anywhere on the body including the neck, arms, abdomen, thighs, and legs.

Also, the J Plasma procedure is necessary to achieve the result after liposuction and lipostructuring.

What are the side effects? How long is the recovery time?

J-Plasma is a relatively fast procedure that usually lasts for up to 1 to 2 hours with a quick recovery time. It is said to be moderately pain-free. However, please note that local anesthesia will be used. Some patients may experience mild discomfort during and after the procedure (once the anesthesia wears off). Patients may experience some side effects associated with local anesthesia such as swelling, nausea, and redness.
Recovery time for the procedure can differ from one patient to another. This will depend on the extent of your J-Plasma treatment.

Vaser Liposuction

VASER Liposuction or VASER Lipo is a minimally invasive treatment to form and shape the body, As one of the ISTANBUL’s leading clinic for the treatment, we’re glad to have probably the most experienced VASER Lipo Surgeons performing the treatment, focusing on the needs of our individual male and female patients. Our VASER Liposuction surgeries are performed at our contracted hospitals in Istanbul. We tailor-make every step, which means you’ll generally be given our full consideration and we will endeavor to guarantee you get the results you need – whether it’s an athletic, masculine figure through liposuction for men – VASER Hi-Def, or more unpretentious, female curves.

Where Can You Have VASER Liposuction?

In the human body, some areas tend to store fat easily and that seems almost impossible to get rid of through basic exercises and special diets. Apart from being healthy cosmetically, these fat deposit areas can make us look out of shape or demotivate us. Even sometimes, a small fat deposit area may look like a defect on an athletic body.

The VASER Lipo Procedure

VASER Lipo is a minimally invasive procedure, performed under local anesthetic. A small probe is used to transmit the sound energy and liquefy fat cells prior to removal through a gentle suction process. It is a less invasive procedure than traditional liposuction.
Because the treatment is so advanced, there are several different variants designed to give precise results, depending on what you want. VASER Hi-Def and VASER 4D are particularly popular with men looking to achieve athletic toning and defined muscles while VASER 360 is a specialist technique to address the legs circumferentially with no irregularities.

VASER Liposuction Results

Improved the overall shape and contours of the body. Standard VASER results are very subtle and natural-looking, with areas of fat removed. For those who prefer a more athletic, sculpted look, VASER Hi-Def or VASER Mid-Def may be better options.
Many patients see results straight away. However, the improved overall appearance of the treated areas will become prominent in the months following the procedure. The treatment can help remove stubborn areas of fat but cannot rid of excessive amounts of bulging skin, for which an abdominoplasty will often be better suited. For checking the surgery results please click.

Recovery / Downtime

The VASER Liposuction procedure involves minimal downtime and you can get back to your daily routine almost immediately, depending on which area you have targeted. The small incisions made during the procedure will not require stitches.
However, because there may be some bruising and swelling, we advise that you wait a couple of weeks before you hit the gym or do any rigorous physical activity. To help speed-up recovery, we usually suggest a course of MLD Massage after your treatment.
VASER Liposuction aftercare regime following both VASER Hi-Def and VASER Mid-Def is important and does require some commitment from you. Further information will be given about this during your pre-treatment consultation with the Doctor.

Advantages of VASER Liposuction:

Minimally invasive – no damage to other body tissues
Minimal risk of bleeding, bruising and discomfort
Minimal downtime – VASER Lipo is a walk-in-walk-out procedure
Less scarring, less bruising
Stimulates collagen production, resulting in tighter skin for many patients, while conventional Liposuction may occasionally result in sagging skin

Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Tummy Tuck
(Abdominoplasty)

How I Should Prepare Myself for a Tummy Tuck?

First of all, in the preparing process for a tummy tuck referred also as abdominoplasty requires a healthy, high protein diet for at least 2-4 weeks pre-op and make sure you’re not constipated.
The other important thing in the preparing process is being mentally ready. To achieve that, you should share your concerns with your surgeon in your consultation.
Your tummy tuck may be performed in a hospital, an independent surgical facility, or an office-based surgical suite.
In my practice, once you’re prepared for surgery, my medical team and I will follow the surgical plan we agreed on. Often a general anesthesia is used so you will be asleep during the abdominoplasty. Surgery typically takes between two to four hours depending on your size. Please click for before and after photos.

How Long is Downtime for Tummy Tuck?

Generally, abdominoplasty involves a recovery period of longer than most plastic surgical procedures. It generally takes 3 weeks to get over the first phase of recovery.
However, downtime for abdominoplasty can vary from patient to patient, depends on the size of the operated area of your body.
The exact downtime will be determined by your surgeon according to your surgery results.

Can I Take Vitamin C and Other Supplement Before and After Surgery?

We always recommend our patients to suspend all multi-vitamins, aspirin, ibuprofen, and herbal supplements at least 3 weeks before surgery. Many of those on the list will interfere with blood clotting.
Vitamin C is usually not on such a list but not necessary anyway.

Do You Need to Lose Weight Before a Tummy Tuck Operation?

It’s mostly acceptable that being at a healthy BMI before a tummy tuck surgery will allow you a safer surgical experience.
Being at an average healthy weight will increase the safety of the procedure.It also minimize the possibilities that additional abdominoplasty will become necessary.

Tummy Tuck – Burning Sensation at Incision Site?

A burning sensation one-week post-op is very common after a tummy tuck. It may be in the process of healing to a skin nerve and often it will resolve by time.
Just in case, that sensation can also be a sign of infection, so you should talk to your surgeon and have a detailed examination in person.

Fat Injection

Fat injection is used to fill in skin depressions and to add fullness to the cheeks and lips. It can be used alone or in combination with treatments renewing the skin’s surface such as laser treatment or treatments reshaping the facial contours such as a facelift.

Why use fat injections?

The main intended purpose of fat injections is to improve the appearance of the skin. This method help treat wrinkles or cracks on the face, creases on cheeks and skin and some scars. They can also be used to add fullness and a pleasant appearance on the face.

What is a fat injection?

The fat injection is technically called autologous fat transplant or micro lipoinjection. It is a procedure in which fat cells harvested from the abdomen, thighs or buttocks of the patient are reinjected to the appropriate areas, mainly beneath the skin of the face. It is mostly used to fill in cheeks or laugh lines between the nose and mouth, to correct skin depressions or scars, to minimize forehead wrinkles and to plump up lips.

What kind of a procedure is used during fat injection?

After both the donor and recipient sites are cleansed and injected with a local anesthetic, the fat is removed from the body with a large syringe or a cannula (similar to a liposuction cannula) that is connected to a vacuum device. The harvested fat is processed and reinjected to the recipient site with a syringe. Sometimes an adhesive bandage is applied over the injection site.
It is necessary to overfill considering the fat to be absorbed by the tissues in the weeks following the procedure. When this procedure is used to add fullness to the cheeks and other sites rather than wrinkles, your face may temporarily look puffy.

What should and shouldn’t I do after fat injection?

When a large area is treated, you may need to reduce your activities for a short period of time, but still many patients return to their normal activities immediately. You can expect some swelling, bruising or redness in both the donor and recipient sites. The severity of these symptoms depends on the size and location of the treated area. You should avoid sunlight until redness and bruising go away (approximately for 48 hours). During this period, you can wear makeup to help cover your scars.
The swelling in the recipient site may last several weeks, particularly when a large area was filled.

Does injected fat stay permanently?

The material injected by injectable fillers (Hyaluronic acid= Restylane, Juvederm) is eventually metabolized by the body. However, only 40% of the injected fat will last. On the other hand, you should not expect outcomes of fat injections last as long as cosmetic surgery procedures.

How should be the treatment frequency with fat injections?

Treatment results may last longer in some individuals while some others may have short-lived results. The procedure may be repeated after the effectiveness of the fat injection is evaluated at the end of two months.
Researchers believe that age, genetic background, skin quality, quality of life and injection site play a role in the longevity of the treatment results. However, the definitive cause of variations in individual results among patients still remains to be clarified.

What complications are expected after treatment with fat injections?

No complications are observed in treatment with a fat injection when they are performed in the hands of an experienced doctor. However, individuals vary greatly in their anatomy, physical reactions and ability to heal. It is not possible to make a 100% prediction for the outcome of treatment with injectables.
There is no risk of allergy after treatment with fat injection since the fat is harvested from a patient’s own body.

Where can I get the fat injection?

Fat injections are usually administered in the doctor’s office. However, if it is combined with a facelift, neck lift, brow lift or any other procedure, it must be done in the hospital as well.

Do I need to get an anesthetic for the fat injection procedure?

Fat injection is performed under local anesthesia in both the donor site and the recipient site. The patient can be sedated if necessary. If a sedative is given, you will need someone to drive you home after the procedure.

What should I expect after the procedure?

The duration of fat infections varies greatly from patient to patient. For the majority of patients, at least half of the injected fat disappears within 3 to 6 months. Therefore, repeated injections may be necessary.

Arm Lift

An arm lift, or brachioplasty, is a surgical procedure that:

Reduces excess sagging skin that droops downward
Tightens and smoothes the underlying supportive tissue that defines the shape of the upper arm
Reduces localized pockets of fat in the upper arm region

Fluctuations in weight, growing older and heredity can cause your upper arms to have a drooping, sagging appearance. This is a condition that cannot be corrected through exercise.
Arm lift surgery may be right for you if the underside of your upper arms are sagging or appear loose and full due to excess skin and fat.

Candidates:

In general, arm lift candidates include:

Adults with significant upper arm skin laxity
Adults of any age whose weight is relatively stable and who are not significantly overweight
Healthy individuals without medical conditions that impair healing or increase risk of surgery
Nonsmokers
Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic expectations

What should I expect during a consultation for arm lift surgery?

During your arm lift surgery consultation be prepared to discuss:

Your surgical goals
Medical conditions, drug allergies and medical treatments
Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drug use
Previous surgeries

Your arm lift surgeon will also:

Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
Take photographs
Discuss your options
Discuss likely outcomes of arm lift surgery and any risks or potential complications

Be sure to ask questions.

What are the risks of arm lift surgery?

The decision to have plastic surgery is extremely personal, and you'll have to decide if the benefits, risks and potential complications of arm lift surgery are acceptable.
You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure.
Arm lift surgery risks include:

Anesthesia risks
Bleeding
Damage to deeper structures such as nerves, blood vessels and muscles
Fatty tissue under the skin might die (fat necrosis)
Fluid accumulation (seroma)
Infection
Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
Pain, which may persist
Poor wound healing
Possible need for revisional surgery
Sutures may not absorb, but spontaneously surface through the skin, causing irritation, drainage and redness
Unsightly scarring

These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It's important that you address all your questions directly with your plastic surgeon.

How should I prepare for arm lift surgery?

In preparing for arm lift surgery, you may be asked to:

Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
Stop smoking
Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding

Arm lift surgery may be performed in an accredited office-based surgical facility, ambulatory surgical center or a hospital. Be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery, and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.

What should I expect during my arm lift recovery?

During your recovery from arm lift surgery, dressings or bandages may be applied to your incisions, and your arms may be wrapped in an elastic bandage or a compression garment to minimize swelling following surgery.
A small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess blood or fluid.
You will be given specific instructions on how to care for the surgical site and drains, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing, specific concerns to look for and when to follow up with your plastic surgeon.

Thigh Lift

Thigh lift surgery reshapes the thighs by reducing excess skin and fat, resulting in smoother skin and better-proportioned contours of the thighs and lower body.
If fitness and weight control efforts have not achieved your goals for a body that is firmer, more youthful-looking and more proportionate to your overall body image, a surgical lift may be right for you.

Who is a good candidate for thigh lift surgery?

In general, candidates for a thigh lift are:

People whose weight is relatively stable
Individuals with excess soft tissue along the inner (medial) thigh region and/or the outer (lateral) thigh
Healthy individuals who do not have medical conditions that impair healing or increase risk of surgery
Nonsmokers
Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic goals for what thigh lift surgery can accomplish
Individuals committed to leading a healthy lifestyle, including proper nutrition and fitness

What should I expect during a consultation for arm lift surgery?

During your thigh lift surgery consultation be prepared to discuss:

Your surgical goals
Medical conditions, drug allergies and medical treatments
Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drug use
Previous surgeries

Your plastic surgeon will also:

Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
Examine and measure your body, including detailed measurements
Take photographs for your medical records
Discuss your options
Recommend a course of treatment
Discuss likely outcomes of thigh lift surgery and any risks or potential complications

The success and safety of your procedure depends on your complete candidness during your consultation.
Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon questions.

What are the risks of thigh lift surgery?

The decision to have plastic surgery is extremely personal, and you'll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications of thigh lift surgery are acceptable.
Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks and potential complications.
Possible thigh lift surgery risks include:

Anesthesia risks
Asymmetry
Bleeding
Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
Fatty tissue under the skin might die (fat necrosis)
Fluid accumulation (seroma)
Infection
Major wound separation
Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
Persistent pain
Poor wound healing
Possibility of revisionary surgery
Recurrent looseness of skin
Skin discoloration and/or swelling
Skin loss
Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal
Unfavorable scarring

These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It's important that you address all your questions directly with your plastic surgeon.

How should I prepare for thigh lift surgery?

In preparing for thigh lift surgery, you may be asked to:

Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
Stop smoking
Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements or other medications that may increase bleeding

Thigh lift surgery may be performed in an accredited office-based surgical facility, licensed ambulatory surgical center or a hospital.
If your thigh lift is performed on an outpatient basis, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.

What should I expect during my thigh lift recovery?

During your recovery from thigh lift surgery, dressings/bandages may be applied to your incisions following the procedure.
Small, thin tubes may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain excess fluid or blood that may collect.
You will be given specific instructions that may include:

How to care for the surgical site(s)
Medications to apply or take orally to aid healing
Specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health
When to follow up with your plastic surgeon

Be sure to ask your thigh lift surgeon specific questions about what you can expect during your individual recovery period:

Where will I be taken after my surgery is complete?
What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery? When will they be removed?
Are stitches removed? When?
When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
When do I return for follow-up care?

Thigh lift recovery at home
If you experience any shortness of breath, chest pains or unusual heartbeats, seek medical attention immediately. Should any of these complications occur, you may require hospitalization and additional treatment.
Following your physician's instructions is key to the success of your surgery.
It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, swelling, abrasion or motion during the time of healing. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how to care for yourself.

What results should I expect after thigh lift surgery?

The results of a thigh lift are visible almost immediately. However, it may take several months for the final results to fully develop.
Following a thigh lift, skin quality is improved both in appearance and feel.
Some visible scars will remain, but the overall results are long lasting, provided that you maintain a stable weight and general fitness.
As your body ages, it is natural to lose some firmness. However, most of your initial improvement should remain.
Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary.

Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery procedures include gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric band and duodenal switch. These operations have proven results in treating class III obesity. They also help normalize your metabolism, including blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.

What is bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery, also called weight loss surgery, is a category of surgical operations intended to help people with obesity lose weight. Healthcare providers may recommend bariatric surgery if other weight loss methods have failed and if obesity appears to pose a greater risk to your health than surgery.
Bariatric surgery procedures work by modifying your digestive system — usually your stomach, and sometimes also your small intestine — to regulate how many calories you can consume and absorb. They can also reduce the hunger signals that travel from your digestive system to your brain.
These procedures can help treat and prevent many metabolic diseases related to obesity, including diabetes and fatty liver disease. But weight loss surgery isn't an easy “quick fix”. It requires preparation beforehand and long-term lifestyle changes afterward to be successful.

Why is bariatric surgery done?

Bariatric surgery is the most successful long-term treatment for class III obesity. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it is nearly impossible for people with class III obesity to sustain weight loss through diet and exercise alone. Once your body has registered your higher weight as “normal,” it continues to try to return to that weight. Bariatric surgery works by changing how your body manages what you eat, allowing healthy diet and lifestyle changes to be effective for sustained weight loss and health.

What kinds of conditions can bariatric surgery treat?

Obesity is associated with many chronic diseases, many of which can be life-threatening. These conditions and risk factors greatly improve after surgery and weight loss. If you're a candidate for bariatric surgery, you may already have or be at risk of developing any of these diseases, including:

High cholesterol. Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) means your blood has too many lipids (fats) in it. These can add up and lead to blockages in your blood vessels. This is why high cholesterol can put you at risk for a stroke or heart attack.

High blood pressure. Hypertension (high blood pressure) means the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is too high. This wears down the walls of your blood vessels and puts you at greater risk of heart attack and stroke.

High blood sugar. Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is highly linked to insulin resistance and is considered a precursor to diabetes. Left untreated, it can damage your nerves, blood vessels, tissues and organs, increasing your risk of many diseases.
Type 2 diabetes. Excess fat storage can lead to insulin resistance, which can lead to adult-onset diabetes (type 2). The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 20% for each 1 point increase on the BMI (body mass index) scale.

Heart disease. Obesity can lead to impaired cardiac function and congestive heart failure. It can also cause plaque to build up inside your arteries and increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Kidney disease. Metabolic syndromes associated with obesity, including high blood pressure, insulin resistance and congestive heart failure, are major contributors to chronic kidney disease.
Obstructive sleep apnea. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep when their upper respiratory tract becomes blocked. These episodes reduce oxygen flow to the vital organs and particularly endanger the heart.

Osteoarthritis. Having excess weight puts extra pressure on joints like your knees. This makes it more likely that you'll develop osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, or make it worse if you already have it.

Non-alcohol related fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD occurs when your body begins depositing excess fat in your liver. It can lead to non-alcohol related steatohepatitis (NASH), chronic inflammation that can do long-term damage to your liver.

Cancer. While the connection isn't entirely understood, obesity is correlated with an increased risk of acquiring more than a dozen types of cancer. It also increases your risk of death from cancer by more than 50%.

What qualifies you for bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery requirements begin with establishing a diagnosis of class III obesity. That means that you either:

Have a BMI of 40 or higher. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a way of estimating how much body fat you have based on your height-to-weight ratio. A score of 40 or higher is associated with a high risk of related diseases. It usually equates to about 100 lbs. overweight.
Have a BMI of at least 35 and at least one related health problem. A BMI of 35 without a related health problem is considered class II obesity.

The criteria are slightly higher for adolescents. An adolescent may be a candidate if they have:

BMI of at least 40 and an obesity-related medical condition.
BMI of at least 35 and a severe obesity-related medical condition.

While BMI is easily measured, you may have to take some medical tests to diagnose your obesity-related health conditions.

What are the different types of bariatric surgery?

Gastric sleeve
The gastric sleeve, also called sleeve gastrectomy, is the most commonly performed bariatric surgery in the U.S. This may be because it’s a relatively simple procedure that's safe to perform on most people with little risk of complications. The gastrectomy simply removes a large portion of your stomach — about 80% — leaving behind a small, tubular portion, like a sleeve. This naturally reduces the amount of food you can consume in one sitting and makes you feel fuller faster. But it also reduces the hunger hormones that are normally produced in your stomach. This helps to stabilize your metabolism, decreasing your appetite and regulating your blood sugar.

Gastric bypass
The gastric bypass is also known as the “Roux-en-Y," which is a French term meaning “in the form of the letter Y.” With this procedure, your small intestine will end up in that form. First, surgeons create a small pouch at the top of your stomach, separating it from the lower portion with surgical staples. Then they divide your small intestine and bring the new segment up to connect to the stomach pouch. Food will now flow through the new, smaller stomach and lower segment of your small intestine, bypassing the rest. This restricts how much your stomach can hold and also how much nutrition your small intestine can absorb. Restricting the small intestine makes this method more effective than gastric restriction alone.

Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD-DS)
This is the original version of the duodenal switch, an operation that combines a sleeve gastrectomy with an intestinal bypass. (It sometimes goes by a shorter name: Gastric Reduction Duodenal Switch). It’s similar to the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass but more extreme. This operation bypasses most of your small intestine — about 75%. This significantly reduces the hunger hormones produced in your small intestine as well as in your stomach. It also significantly restricts how much nutrition your small intestine can absorb. This is what makes the duodenal switch the most effective surgery for weight loss and for improving metabolic syndromes like diabetes. But it can also make it hard for your body to absorb enough nutrients to stay healthy.

Stomach Intestinal Pylorus Sparing Surgery (SIPS)
This newer procedure is a modified version of the original duodenal switch, intended to reduce complications. It also goes by the names Loop Duodenal Switch or SADI-s. Early results are still being studied, but so far it appears promising that this version may eventually replace the original duodenal switch. Like the original, it begins with a sleeve gastrectomy, then divides the first part of the small intestine just after the stomach (the duodenum). This time, the small intestine is reattached as a loop, which requires just one surgical connection (anastomosis) instead of two. It also means that less of the small intestine is bypassed, allowing for a little more absorption of nutrients.

What kind of postoperative care will I have after weight loss surgery?

During the first year after your surgery, your healthcare provider will see you regularly for follow-up visits and testing. They will take metabolic blood tests to monitor how your health is improving and screen for any nutritional deficiencies. After the first year, if you're in good health and have lost a lot of weight, you may want to discuss body contouring options with your healthcare provider. Body contouring can help remove excess skin folds and tighten loose tissues.

What are the risks of bariatric surgery?

When weighing the pros and cons of bariatric surgery, it’s important to consider the risks of the operation itself as well as the possible side effects that may occur afterward.
Surgical complications
All surgeries involve certain risks. Longer and more complex operations may involve more. Risks include:

Bleeding.
Infection.
Blood clots.
Hernias.
Small bowel obstruction.
Anastomotic leaks.

Surgery side effects
Surgeries that modify your digestive system can cause certain digestive complications. These are sometimes called post-gastrectomy syndromes. Possible complications include:

Dumping syndrome. This is a collection of symptoms that can occur when your stomach dumps food too fast into your small intestine. Up to 50% of people who have bariatric surgery may have some symptoms of dumping syndrome afterward. Symptoms can include nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and hypoglycemia. They usually fade with time. Your healthcare team will give you dietary guidelines to help prevent or reduce dumping syndrome while you recover.
Malabsorption and malnutrition. Many bariatric surgery procedures intentionally induce malabsorption in your small intestine to reduce the calories you absorb. But malabsorption can lead to loose stools. It can also lead to nutritional deficiencies if you aren’t careful. Your healthcare provider will prescribe nutritional supplements to help prevent this.
Bile reflux. Surgery that affects the pyloric valve, the opening between your stomach and your small intestine, can cause it to malfunction. If the pyloric valve doesn’t close properly, one possible result is bile reflux. That means the bile that your gallbladder sends to your small intestine to help digest food can backwash into your stomach. Bile reflux can erode your stomach lining, leading to gastritis.
Gallstones. Rapid weight loss sends a large load of cholesterol to your liver to process. When your liver sends bile to your gallbladder, it carries extra cholesterol with it. This extra cholesterol can build up in your gallbladder, forming cholesterol gallstones. Gallstones don’t always cause problems, but they can be dangerous if they travel and get stuck in your bile ducts. Your healthcare provider may give you a prescription medication to prevent gallstones after surgery.

How long does it take to recover from bariatric surgery?

You’ll likely spend a few days recovering in the hospital, then a few weeks recovering at home before you feel ready to go back to work. You may need to avoid strenuous activity for up to six weeks, and it may take up to 12 weeks to resume a normal diet.

Weight loss surgery is considered successful if you lose 50% of your excess weight and keep it off. By this standard, the success rate is 90%. Many people experience steady weight loss for the first two years, then stall or regain some weight after that. Usually, the weight regained is less than 25%.

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