Body contouring is any procedure that tightens loose skin and reshapes the body. It is particularly effective after rapid weight loss from GLP-1 medications. While these medications are revolutionizing weight loss, especially for patients who have tried to lose weight for years, many struggle afterward with unexpected hurdles like sagging skin, stubborn fat, and uneven contours, prompting them to seek effective solutions.
Dr. Gordon Andan leads New York Surgical Arts. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. With his artistic eye and attention to detail, his goal is to deliver natural-looking results to patients of all backgrounds.
If you have lost a significant amount of weight after using GLP-1 medications and want to contour your body to highlight your achievements, contact us online or call our office directly at (516) 746-0155 to schedule a personal consultation.
Contents
About Body Contouring After Weight Loss
Body contouring procedures address loose skin and sagging in the abdomen, arms, face, thighs, and other parts of the body, which are common effects of weight loss. Effectively addressing these concerns requires a comprehensive treatment plan. (1) Although weight loss drugs can help people finally reach a healthy, stable weight, they can also present new cosmetic challenges such as skin laxity, wrinkles, and volume loss. Patients seek body contouring procedures to tighten their skin and highlight their weight loss results. Often, they will undergo procedures like abdominoplasty, arm lifts, thigh lifts, breast lifts, reduction, or augmentation, lower body lifts, and more to achieve this.
What’s Next After Weight Loss?
Deflated features and lax skin are well-established effects of rapid and significant weight loss. Dr. Andan can address these challenges through several procedures, including:
- Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck): A tummy tuck removes excess skin from the abdomen and tightens the underlying muscles to create a firmer, more contoured stomach appearance. This procedure is most effective when your weight is stable for at least three to six months after treatment, as future weight increases or decreases can compromise your results. (2)
- Brachioplasty (Arm Lift): An arm lift removes excess skin and fat from the arms to create a tighter-looking appearance. Arm lifts target “bat wing” arms, the excess tissue that occurs in the upper arms during weight loss.
- Liposuction: Liposuction addresses stubborn fat after weight loss; it specifically targets the fat deposits that resist exercise and weight loss medications. This procedure suctions the fat in the abdomen, thighs, arms, and neck to deliver a proportional body shape. Patients must be at a stable weight to undergo this procedure.
- Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL): After losing weight, many patients experience deflated or sagging buttocks; a BBL restores shape and volume by transferring fat from other areas of the body into the buttocks.
- Body Lift: A body lift removes excess skin and stubborn fat after weight loss. It comprehensively addresses the abdomen, buttocks, hips, and thighs to improve body contour and shape.
Benefits
Body contouring procedures offer an effective way to sculpt your body after losing a significant amount of weight. Under Dr. Andan’s expert care, our patients see improvements through:
- Improved health and hygiene
- Enhanced self-confidence
- Refined body figure after weight loss
- Improved mobility
- Removal of excess skin
Candidates
If you have recently lost a significant amount of weight in a short period of time, especially with the use of GLP-1 medications, and are now at a stable weight but struggle with uneven contours or skin laxity, you can benefit from these procedures. To qualify for treatment, you must be in good general health and hold realistic expectations for your results. You should also be a non-smoker or willing to quit. Dr. Andan will determine your candidacy during your consultation.
Personal Consultation
During your personal consultation, Dr. Andan will evaluate your medical history, your weight loss results, and your resulting contours and skin laxity. He will also attentively listen to your body contouring goals to create a personalized treatment plan. Dr. Andan will address any questions or concerns you may have about the procedure(s) you select, helping you feel prepared and comfortable before proceeding. During this meeting, he will also provide a cost outline of your procedure and lay out potential financing options.
If you are ready to highlight your weight loss results, contact us online or call our office at (516) 746-0155.
Preparation
Effectively preparing for your post-weight-loss body procedure ensures that you approach treatment in good health. Dr. Andan will give you detailed preparation instructions, which may direct you to:
- Maintain a stable weight for three to six months before your procedure
- Cease nicotine products and alcohol consumption at least six weeks before treatment
- Avoid blood-thinning medications and supplements
- Arrange transportation home
- Take time away from responsibilities to recover without stress
- Pick up any prescriptions or recovery items you may need ahead of time
Post-Weight-Loss Breast and Face Treatments
In many cases, GLP-1 medications affect the face and breasts just as much as the body, resulting in “Ozempic face” and “Ozempic breast,” respectively. To simultaneously address these concerns, patients frequently include additional treatments, such as:
- Mastopexy (Breast Lift): This procedure raises and firms sagging breasts by removing excess tissue. This procedure also repositions the breast to a more youthful position, though future weight gain and fluctuations can affect long-term results. Some patients combine breast augmentation with their breast lift to replace lost volume and raise the breasts simultaneously.
- Fat Transfer: Fat transfer, or fat grafting, addresses the volume loss in the face that creates a hollow and aged appearance. It relocates fat from areas like the abdomen or thighs to the face to restore volume, fill in wrinkles or hollow parts, and enhance facial contours.
- Facelift: A facelift is ideal for patients who are experiencing “Ozempic face,” a sunken appearance of sagging skin and volume loss after rapid weight loss. They may also notice drooping cheeks, jowls, and deep wrinkles. A facelift tightens facial muscles and removes loose skin to sculpt a youthful appearance. (4)
- Neck Lift: A neck lift is similar to a facelift; it removes the excess skin that hangs off the neck to create a more flattering and contoured profile. It can help improve and define the jawline and the transition of the jawline to the neck. Because the neck can openly display signs of aging, this procedure provides a youthful transformation and can take years off a patient’s appearance.
Cost of Post-Weight-Loss Body Contouring in New York City and Long Island
The cost of your post-weight-loss body contouring depends on the procedures you undergo, the scale of your concerns, your personal goals, whether or not you address any other areas, and more. During your personal consultation, Dr. Andan will provide a cost outline for your procedure and discuss financing options that can offer flexibility. Contact us online or call our office directly at (516) 746-0155 to reach the finish line after your hard work on weight loss!
FAQ
How soon after losing weight can I undergo body contouring?
The general best practice is to wait three to six months after losing weight to undergo surgery. This provides enough time to hold a stable, consistent weight without risking any significant fluctuations post-procedure.
How long does it take to see results from body contouring?
Healing from a body contouring treatment takes time and patience; however, most results appear within three to four months with consistent care, and final results will appear after six months.
Can I combine body contouring procedures?
Yes, you can combine body contouring procedures to target multiple areas at once. Dr. Andan can provide further guidance on which procedures are safe to combine.
Can I undergo surgery after starting GLP-1 medications?
Although you can undergo body procedures while on GLP-1 medications, Dr. Andan recommends pausing your weight loss medication for two to three weeks before surgery to ensure that your weight loss is stable and to reduce risks that come from slowed stomach emptying. It is also more effective to undergo surgery once you are on a maintenance dose and at your desired weight. Both weight increases and decreases after surgery can compromise results.
References
- Haykal D, Hersant B, Cartier H, Meningaud J. The Role of GLP‐1 Agonists in Esthetic Medicine: Exploring the Impact of Semaglutide on Body Contouring and Skin Health. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2024;24(2). doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.16716
- Tummy tuck – Mayo Clinic. www.mayoclinic.org. Published January 20, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/tummy-tuck/about/pac-20384892
- New Study Recommends Stopping GLP-1 Agonists 14 Days Before Total Joint Arthroplasty to Reduce Anesthesia Risks. AAOS 2025 Annual Meeting Press Kit. Published March 10, 2025. https://aaos-annualmeeting-presskit.org/2025/research-news/new-study-recommends-stopping-glp-1-agonists-14-days-before-total-joint-arthroplasty-to-reduce-anesthesia-risks/
- Paschou IA, Sali E, Paschou SA, et al. GLP-1RA and the possible skin aging. Endocrine. Published online June 11, 2025. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-025-04293-w